Five couples from around the state recognized at Manhattan banquet

K-State Research and Extension

MANHATTAN – Five couples have been honored as the 2018 class of Kansas Master Farmers and Master Farm Homemakers in recognition of their leadership in agriculture, environmental stewardship and service to their communities. They were recognized at a banquet March 8 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan.

The statewide award program is in its 92nd year and is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension and Kansas Farmer magazine.

The honorees in the Class of 2018 are:

Gary and Rebecca Hatesohl – Washington County
After graduating from Washington High School, Gary Hatesohl focused on production agriculture and carpentry at North Central Kansas Technical College in Beloit.

Since 1982, Gary has volunteered at the Greenleaf Fire Department. He has been president of the Washington County Fair Board. Also, he is a lifelong member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where he has been the youth group leader, congregation chairman, and church elder. In the River Valley Extension District, Gary served as a board member and volunteer.

Gary and his wife, Rebecca, were active members of 4-H and FFA. As alumni they still continue to donate their time by chaperoning trips, organizing livestock clinics and judging contests, and helping at the Washington County Fair. Their efforts earned Rebecca the Outstanding Washington County Alumni Award and gave Gary the chance to serve as president of the Kansas FFA Alumni Board.

Rebecca graduated from Washburn University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught elementary school for 31 years and retired in 2014. As a teacher, she served as a district trainer and a member of the school district’s professional develop­ment team. Five different years she was nominated for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Rebecca also chaperoned students to the National FBLA Convention in Georgia.

The Hatesohls’ farming operation consists of cropland and beef cattle production. Water quality is an important variable on their farm. They use terraces, waterways, and soil sampling to continually monitor water quality. Gary and Rebecca attend informational meetings held by K-State Research and Extension and seed companies to better understand technology and farming management.

Son Adam graduated from Kansas State University in 2009 with a doctorate from the College of Veterinary Medicine. He and his wife, Lindsey, have two children, Noah and Natalie.

Daughter Kelsey graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in horticulture and landscape design. She has worked for the River Valley Extension District as a horticulture agent for the past two years.

Tom and Judy McCarty – Thomas County
Tom McCarty graduated from Penn State University with a degree in agricultural education. After teaching special education for three years, he returned to his family’s dairy in Pennysvania.

Judy McCarty earned a teaching degree from Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. She served on the Thomas County Foundation Board and volunteers at the Colby Citizens Medical Center.

When Tom purchased his father’s dairy it was 70 cows and today the operation milks 13,000 cows across five different dairies in Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio. In the early 90s, the couple decided to relocate the dairy to northwest Kansas because of the growth opportunities that location held. They built their farm in Rexford with approximately 700 cows.

During the following years, McCarty Dairy partnered with The Dannon Company. The goal of this partnership was to create an atypical cooperation that was innovative and quick growing. Soon after, a dairy in Scott City was added to their operation. In 2012, the Rexford Dairy completed a milk processing plant that was the first of its kind in the United States.

Due to their advanced practices and expansion, International Dairy Foods Association named McCarty’s operation the Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year. The dairy has also received the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development Agricultural Leader of the Year. McCarty Dairy continues to use new technolo­gies including A.I. breeding, genetic testing, cooling systems, and heath abatement systems to increase their productivity.

Son Mike owns and manages the Bird City Dairy. He and his wife, Amy, have three children, Colton, Logan, and Taylor.

Son Clay partners with his brother, Ken, to manage the dairy in Rexford. He is married to Kristy and they have three children, Paeton, Prestyn, and Kennedy.

Son Dave manages finances for all five McCarty Dairies and purchases feed commodities. He lives in northwest Kansas with his wife, Lisa, and two children, Maddie and Ellie.

Son Ken helps manage the diary in Rexford along with overseeing the milk processing plant. Ken is married to Courtney and they have three sons, Kaden, Kohen, and Krew.

James and Miriam Nelson – McPherson County
James Nelson went to Windom High School and continued his education at Kansas State University, studying agricultural economics. Before returning to his family’s farm, he worked in banking and served in the Kansas National Guard.

James is an avid learner of all things agriculture and crop related. In 2011, he attended a three-week agricultural tour of Brazil as part of No-Till on the Plains. James hosted farmers from Australia and reciprocated a visit to their operation. He served on the McPherson County Extension Council and was the director for the McPherson County Soil Conservation District.

In the Windom community, both James and Miriam are active members in church, school, government, and farm organizations. They are part of the Aid Association for Lutherans in McPherson County. James helped write a Monsato grant to build a greenhouse for the elementary school.

Miriam graduated from Riley County High School and Kansas State University. She worked for Phillips County Extension as a home economist for several years. Education has always been a passion of Miriam’s, and she served in multiple leadership roles for the Little River-Windom School District. Also, Miriam has been a pianist for many organizations in her community.

The Nelsons’ operation has seen many changes over the years as the farm has had a cow-calf operation, a farrow-to-finish hog system, and is now exclusively farming no-till crops. Conservation has always been a goal for their farm. Today, they use concrete struc­tures, laser scraping, windbreaks, terraces, and tram rows to preserve their farmland. Their efforts earned them an award for no-till soil conservation in 2003. The Nelsons’ farm has hosted no-till tours and regularly plants seed test plots for new varieties.

Daughter Lori Bower owns BowerComm Marketing Communications. Her husband, Derek, and two children, Mia and Ian, live on the family farm in Windom. Derek joined the farming operation in spring of 2017.

In addition to being a full-time partner on the farm, son Darren works on the engineering team at Tribune Harvester. He lives in Hutchinson with his wife, Michelle. They have three children, Kara, Dean, and Elise.

Mark and Joanne Noll – Brown County
Mark Noll graduated from Kansas State University with a master’s in swine management. After graduation, he joined his father on their livestock and crop operation. Mark is a 35-year member of St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus Council. He volunteered his time to travel with 4-Hers to state geology events. Also, Mark was part of the Brown-Nemaha County Pork Producers Board.

Joanne Noll earned a nursing degree from Marymount College in Salina. She currently trains employees in Brown County Developmental Services. Joanne served on the Hiawatha School Board and was instrumental in starting an education foundation for the district. Currently, she is a member of the North East Kansas Library Systems Executive Board.

Both Mark and Joanne share the workload on the farm. Joanne is responsible for the financial aspects and bookkeeping of the farming operation. Their operation consists of crop farming, finishing beef cattle, and a farrow-to-finish hog system. Though their main crops are corn and soybeans, they also use cover crops such as oats and rye. The Nolls have been labeled a preferred supplier by Hormel because of their high-quality pigs.

The fifth-generation farm family centers their practices on improvement: “We take a practical, scientific approach to farming that puts focus on quality over quantity.”

Son Michael is the program director for the Texas Writers League of Austin. He lives with his wife, Stephanie, and their two sons, Xavier and Elias, in Austin, Texas.

Son Aaron is an architect for Populace Firm. Aaron and his wife, Annie, have a son named Harrison.

Son Byron works in construction in Chicago, Illinois. He and his wife, Stacia, have one daughter named Pippa.

Daughter Anna Akuretiya teaches eighth grade social sciences. She is married to Achala Akuretiya and they have a daughter, Zuri.

Son Ethan is an agronomist for Ag Partners Cooperative and works on the family farm. Ethan and his wife, Krista, live on the farm in Hiawatha.

Son Gabriel works in the telecom division for Black and Veatch. He and his wife, Cloe, live in Overland Park.

Gary and Delores Rieck – Osage County
Gary Rieck graduated from Burlingame High School and continued his education in animal husbandry at Kansas State University. He then worked as a hog buyer for Swift and Company in Kansas City. After a year in Kansas City, he returned home to farm with his father. Gary’s passion for farming led him to hold several leadership positions. He served as president of the Kansas Swine Seminar and Kansas Young Farmers.

Both Gary and his wife, Delores, are contributing members of area farming groups. Both have been members of the Southeast Farm Management Association for 54 years. Gary has also been a county director for that organization. Delores served as president of the Kansas Young Farm Wives Association.

Delores graduated from Emporia State University with a bach­elor’s degree in business education. She furthered her education by earning a master’s degree. Delores taught at Burlingame High School and Osage City Middle School. After retiring, she continues to educate students by teaching quilting classes. Delores has presented quilting programs across Kansas and started a busi­ness for her hobby.

The Riecks’ farming operation started out with 25 gilts in a farrow-to-finish system. Today, the Riecks have transitioned to feeding cattle and farming soybeans and grass hay. They also have acreage dedicated to the Conservation Reserve Program. The Goodyear Soil Conservation Award was given to the operation for their management practices. K-State Research and Extension programs, co-op crop seminars, and crop expositions help the Riecks constantly learn about practices that could improve their farm.

Son George works on statistical analysis for GPS crop mapping. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife, April, and two chil­dren, Holt and Cabe.

Daughter Gwen Hoy and her husband, Josh, operate an agri­tourism program in the Flint Hills. They have a daughter named Josie.

Wednesday Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 60. Very windy, with a south wind 18 to 23 mph increasing to 28 to 33 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9pm and 11pm, then a chance of showers after 11pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 34. Very windy, with a south wind 28 to 36 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

ThursdayA chance of rain and snow showers before 2pm, then a chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 40. Very windy, with a northwest wind 36 to 39 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Very windy, with a north northwest wind 26 to 31 mph decreasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.

FridaySunny, with a high near 46.

Friday NightClear, with a low around 25.

SaturdaySunny, with a high near 56.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Montana man dubbed the AK-47 bandit and accused of holding up banks in several states has pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Nebraska.

Richard Gathercole could face up to 35 years in prison after admitting Monday in federal court that he used an AK-47 to rob a Nebraska City bank in 2014. The 40-year-old Gathercole also pleaded guilty to a 2017 carjacking that led to his arrest.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods says the plea deal stipulates that Gathercole won’t be prosecuted by other jurisdictions for other violent crimes, including the shooting of a Kansas state trooper in 2017 and bank robberies in California, Idaho, Iowa, and Washington state.

Some of the crimes had passed the five-year federal statute of limitations.

Gathercole is scheduled for sentencing in June.

Gathercole reportedly fired a weapon at a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop in June 2017 on Interstate 70 at the Edson exit in Sherman County.

By QUINCY SNOWDON
Aurora (Colo.) Sentinel

AURORA, Colo. — A man accused of committing multiple thefts and sexual assaults days after he was released from a Kansas prison last month is now suspected of raping an au pair at knifepoint in a Cherry Hills Village home in the middle of the day, court documents obtained by The Sentinel reveal.

Tre Carrasco, 24, is facing a litany of charges after police say he broke into a Cherry Hills Village home around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 12 and violently sexually assaulted a woman working as an au pair in the home.

The woman told investigators a man believed to be Carrasco rang the doorbell of the Cherry Hills Village home and said “that he worked for the water company and he needed to check something in the backyard of the residence,” according to an arrest affidavit filed against him. The man then muscled his way into the home and walked the woman to the master bedroom at knifepoint.

There, he pinned her to the bed and raped her.

The man “kept calling her a b*** and (told) her to shut up and listen to him,” according to the affidavit.

The woman repeatedly tried to run out of the room and push the man off of her, “but he was too strong,” according to the affidavit.

Carrasco is described as being 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records.

After the sexual assault, the man stole about $100 from the woman’s wallet, which was in her bedroom in another part of the home. The man rummaged through drawers and a backpack containing “laptop computers and other high end electronics,” according to the affidavit. However, he passed over the expensive items as he “only wanted cash,” according to the arrest document.

The au pair was from Mexico and had been living with a Cherry Hills Village family through the Culture Care Au Pair program for about one month, according to the arrest document. She returned to her home in Mexico the weekend after the crime occurred, according to investigator interviews.

The au pair called the homeowners and police dispatchers immediately after the man ran out of the house and headed north, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance videos taken from several neighbors’ homes showed a man believed to be Carrasco was inside the home for about 12 minutes. He had cased the home for nearly eight minutes before eventually entering.

Investigators used the home surveillance footage, police sketches and conversations with detectives in Hays to pin Carrasco to the crime.

Carrasco was named as a suspect in at least six other crimes that were sexual in nature between November 2008 and July 2011 in Hays, according to the Cherry Hills Village affidavit.

Hays investigators told Cherry Hills Village police “over time, the seriousness of the history (of Carrasco’s crimes) has escalated.”

In 2008 and 2009, Carrasco was suspected of peeping into windows, apparently in an effort to spy on women, as well as tickling and touching women’s feet and legs as they slept.

In June 2010, Carrasco was suspected of raping a woman in Hays. A year later, Carrasco was arrested after police said he chased a Hays woman walking on a street, beat her and violently sexually assaulted her.

In April 2013, Carrasco was sentenced to slightly more than eight years in prison for the July 2011 assault.

He incurred a litany of disciplinary infractions while in Kansas prisons between 2014 and 2018, including using stimulants, disobeying orders and disrespecting correctional officers.

Carrasco is a registered sex offender in Kansas, according to police.

Carrasco was released from prison in Kansas on Feb. 1, according to Kansas DOC records and reports published in The Wichita Eagle newspaper.

Two days after he was released, police say Carrasco raped a woman at gunpoint in the passenger seat of her car in Hays. Officials issued a warrant for his arrest that day.

On Feb. 7, police believe Carrasco attempted to kidnap a woman in Aurora while stealing her car outside of a 24-hour Fitness on South Abilene Street.

Police believe Carrasco entered the woman’s silver Toyota Camry before she could close the door behind her and said “scoot over or I’ll kill you,” according to another arrest affidavit filed against him. The woman was able to get out of the car before the man — believed to be Carrasco — drove out of the Aurora gym’s parking lot.

Investigators later determined Carrasco drove to the home where he raped the woman in Cherry Hills Village in the same car he stole from the woman in Aurora.

Aurora police arrested Carrasco on Feb. 12 — the same day investigators believe he sexually assaulted the au pair in Cherry Hills Village — after local SWAT officers “conducted a high risk stop” on the car the Kansas native was suspected to have stolen.

The victim of the Aurora carjacking identified Carrasco in a police lineup the same day he was arrested in part by comparing him to the R&B star The Weeknd.

Carrasco is currently being held at the Arapahoe County Jail. It is unclear when or if he could be extradited to Kansas to face charges there.

Carrasco was advised of the charges filed against him in the Cherry Hills Village Case in Arapahoe District Court at 9 a.m. on Monday, according to court records.

His bond in that case was set at $1 million, according to Vikki Migoya, spokeswoman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Carrasco is scheduled to appear for a preliminary demand hearing in his Aurora attempted kidnapping case at 1:30 p.m. on March 12 in division 302, according to the local District Attorney’s Office.

— Republished with permission

STOCKTON — A police chase in Stockton resulted in an arrest Friday.

The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office reported that just before 4:30 p.m. Friday, a deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.

According to a news release, the suspect immediately fled into the city of Stockton and onto side streets.

The vehicle became disable and the suspect fled on foot. He was arrested a short time later, with the assistance of the Stockton Police Department.

Daniel Reid was arrested on suspicion of fleeing or attempting to elude, interference with a law enforcement official, operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, driving under the influence of drugs, transporting an open container of alcohol, no vehicle liability insurance, criminal use of weapons, reckless driving, driving on left in no-passing zones, unsafe turning or stopping, failuyre to yield, damaged windshield, and speeding.

“Reid is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

The public is invited to celebrate World Water Day at a Fun Fest on March 14, in the Sternberg Museum lobby. Admission is free, and all ages are welcome.

The Fun Fest will take place from 10 a.m. until noon, with information and activities focusing on water conservation and water quality in the community. Local watershed specialists and experts from the Department of Water Resources will be on-hand to answer questions and provide information about local issues affecting our water.

“The Fun Fest gives kids, parents, and adults a chance to see how easily they can affect their local water supplies. The event allows participants to get involved and see first-hand just how dynamic water is, where it travels, and how easily it is harmed while also seeing how simple things can protect water,” said Stacie Minson, KSU Watershed Specialist.

Attendees will be able to participate in several hands-on activities during the Fun Fest, including observing “Waste Water Critters” under microscopes, exploring groundwater models, learning more about water’s incredible journey and investigating how our community uses its water.

For those interested in taking an active role in water conservation at home, there will be material on how to prevent pet waste from contaminating waterways, a display about how to make and use rain barrels, and information about CoCoRaHS – the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, a nationwide grassroots volunteer network of weather enthusiasts who measure and report precipitation in their own backyards.

There also will be opportunities to register for door prizes, which include: friendly household alternative cleaning baskets, Water $mart conservation buckets, rain gauges, rain barrels and pet prize packs.

This year’s Fun Fest is sponsored by the Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watersheds and the City of Hays Department of Water Resources.

– SUBMITTED –

HFD

The city of Hays Fire Department (HFD) will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Tue., March 12, 2019, weather permitting, in the area of north of 41st St. and west of Hall St. This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in Hays and flush all water mains annually.

Inspecting fire hydrants ensures that the valves operate properly and that there is no damage or obstructions that will prevent or interfere with the prompt use of fire hydrants in an emergency.

Firefighters are also checking the pressure and volume of water mains in each neighborhood for firefighting purposes.

The associated flushing of water mains allows chlorine to be distributed throughout the system to eliminate bio-filming in the water mains.

Slight discoloration of the water supply may be encountered although there will be no health risks to the consumer.

All reasonable efforts will be taken to minimize the inconvenience to the public. Drivers are asked to avoid driving through water discharging from a fire hydrant during the short flushing period.

For more information please contact the Hays Fire Department at 785-628-7330.

The Chicago Tribune took a closer look at the life of Misty Opat, who earned her master’s degree from Fort Hays State University, and her return to coaching.

Opat is the women’s basketball coach at Chicago State University.

Click HERE for the story from the Chicago Tribune.

The Ellis County Farm Bureau, along with partner K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District, will host a Livestock Producer Appreciation Social on Wednesday as a relief to area producers experiencing hardship during this difficult winter season.

Come get out of the rain between 2-4 p.m. to enjoy refreshments and camaraderie with others in the profession. Special guest Gregory Kerr of the Ellis County Farm Service Agency will be on hand to answer questions regarding programs available to producers to navigate the current environment.

This event, which will be at the Extension office, 601 Main, is free of charge to those involved in the livestock industry.