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Category: Local
Now that’s Rural: Mark Nutsch – a Kansas veteran’s story
By RON WILSON
Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development
Someone has to be the first. When the U.S. military enters an international conflict, some soldier has to be the first to lead his unit into combat. That soldier is like the tip of a dagger, bravely entering a life and death conflict. Today we’ll learn the remarkable story of a young Kansas man who served his nation in this amazing way.
Mark Nutsch is the former commander of the first Green Beret unit which went in to Afghanistan after the bombing of 9-11. His harrowing and heroic true story would become a major motion picture.
Mark Nutsch grew up near Washington, Kansas. Today his family farms in Wabaunsee County near the rural community of Alma, population 783 people. Now, that’s rural. Mark came to K-State where he joined the college rodeo team.
After graduating from K-State, he joined the U.S. Army and became an officer in the special forces. He was captain of a unit called Operational Detachment-Alpha 595 and led missions to Uzbekistan and Kuwait. In early September 2001, he joined the battalion staff.
Then came Sept. 11, 2001. Terrorists hijacked planes and crashed them into New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Like many people, Mark Nutsch watched it happen and tried to make sense of it all. He was with his six-month-pregnant wife and their two young children at the time.
The U.S. military immediately began planning a response. It was called Task Force Dagger. Captain Mark Nutsch was reunited with his unit. They would ultimately be designated to be the first to go fight the Taliban.
Mark Nutsch’s 12-man unit was an experienced, mature crew. “We averaged 32 years old, had eight years’ experience, and most of us were married with two kids,” Mark said.
The unit faced the tallest of odds. They would be outgunned and outnumbered 40-to-one, in unfamiliar enemy territory with uncertain allies.
On Oct. 19, 2001, Mark and his unit were helicoptered into Uzbekistan. There they connected with local Muslim soldiers who also opposed the Taliban. They began the campaign to retake Afghanistan. But instead of jeeps or tanks, the local Afghan fighters used an unexpected type of transportation: Horses.
Fortunately, farmboy Mark Nutsch knew his way around horses. He gave some quick riding lessons to his fellow soldiers. K-State President Richard Myers, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recalled receiving the unprecedented request to airlift saddles, saddle blankets and hay to the site. The military did so.
The Afghan and American fighters would eventually go through the desert and mountains on horseback to accomplish their mission. Against the odds, all 12 men in Mark Nutsch’s unit survived. Operation Enduring Freedom ended with the overthrow of the Taliban, as jubilant Afghans celebrated in the streets.
This amazing story was recounted in a best-selling book named Horse Soldiers. After the files were declassified, the story was made into a movie named 12 Strong. Mark Nutsch’s character, named Captain Mitch Nelson in the movie, is portrayed in the show by actor Chris Hemsworth who also plays Thor in the Avenger series.
In real life, Mark Nutsch received a Bronze Star with valor for his courage and leadership. He is now a consultant for Army Special Operations and has opened a whiskey distillery business. He also remains supportive of his family and the Flint Hills of Kansas.
Mark was recently named by the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation as National Honorary Campaign Chair for the Foundation’s Next Vistas fundraising campaign to benefit the Flint Hills Discovery Center. For more information, see www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/foundation.
Someone has to be first. Some soldier has to be the first one to lead his unit into battle on behalf of his nation. In the aftermath of 9-11, it was Captain Mark Nutsch from rural Kansas who led his team on that initial mission. Now he is continuing to serve his state and nation as a volunteer with the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation. We commend Mark Nutsch and all soldiers, families and veterans who are making a difference with their service. I appreciate these brave young men and women who are putting duty first.
New Exhibit opens May 4th at Geary County Historical Museum
The grand opening for the new exhibit, “G is for Goat Gland: An Alphabetical History of Geary County,” is set for Saturday May 4th at the Geary County Historical Museum.
At 1 p.m. Humanities Kansas guest speaker Jerry Harper will give a special presentation called “Feel Your Oats ( With Help From a Goat ).
Each letter of the alphabet will focus on a different park of Geary County history, with the letter G covering the life and times of John Brinkley including his goat gland operation. Brinkley also operated a radio station in Milford and ran two unsuccessful campaigns for governor.
An Easter tradition continues for children
By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
It just a few minutes for the 15,002 stuffed Easter Eggs to disappear from the lawn at Valley View Senior Life on Saturday. Kids arrived, and once the countdown was given they scurried across the yard to sweep up the eggs. The event was the annual Easter Egg Hunt and carnival sponsored by Valley View Senior Life.
Director of Marketing Melissa Tyson said she thought it was the biggest
turnout yet for the annual event. She estimated more than two thousand people were there. There was plenty of volunteer help. “We
have an ESC group, an Employee Service Committee, that worked on it and then we had some volunteers that worked on it Friday.”
Most of the eggs were stuffed with candy items. but 15 “golden eggs” had $20 bills in them. They were split between the three age groups, infant to three, four to seven and eight to twelve.
There were train rides, bounce houses, cotton candy and hot dogs, face painters and the Easter Bunny checked in to meet with children.
Numerous local businesses helped sponsor the Easter Egg Hunt.
KSU football player arrested for alleged domestic battery
MANHATTAN —A member of the Kansas State University football team 20-year-old Hunter Andre Rison was arrested just after 2p.m. Friday, according to the Riley County Police Department booking report. He was jailed on requested charges that include Domestic battery; Knowing or reckless bodily harm to family/person in dating relationship on a bond of $1,000, according to the report.
Rison has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team and departmental policy, according to a statement from KSU Athletics.
“Our program will be one that is built on hard work and integrity and doing things the right way,” said head coach Chris Klieman in the statement. “We have extremely high expectations for our players on and off the field.”
Rison is a red shirt sophomore who transferred from Michigan State and sat out the 2018 season per NCAA transfer rules, according to the online KSU football bio.
Work continues on Rathert Field
The effort to put in new sod in the outfield at Rathert Field in Junction City has been under way this week. New artificial turf was installed earlier in the infield and foul territories.
This was the latest view of the status of that work at mid-afternoon Friday,
Hours of operation to change at Fort Riley gates
The Army has announced that beginning at 5 a.m. May 1st, Fort Riley will reopen the Four Corners access control point ( off of Old Highway 77 ) for 24-hours-day, seven-days-week operation and change the hours of operation at both Estes Street and Ogden gates.
The Estes Street access control point ( off of Old Highway 77 ) will be open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The Ogden access control point will also close overnight and be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Opening access at Four Corners will enable first responders on Fort Riley to reach the northern training areas more quickly and will allow military vehicles moving between training areas to stay within the boundaries of Fort Riley. Reducing the hours of operation at both the Estes and Ogden gates will reduce the need to assign Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division units to guard duty. The changes will help maintain Soldier’s readiness for future training and deployment requirements.
In addition to those changes, construction on Trooper Drive during May and June will require overnight closures of the Trooper access control point ( near the main post exchange and commissary ). From May 1st through June 27th. Trooper gate will be open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To accommodate overnight traffic, the rifle Range Road access control point ( near Fort Riley Elementary School ) will be open from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. daily each night from May 1st through June 27th.
The Henry Drive gae ( Exit 301, I-70 ) will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Operating hours will also remain unchanged at Grant Gate ( from Grant Street in Junction City ) and the 12th Street commercial access control point ( off of K-18 ).
Junction City native assists in accident recovery effort
An aide to Senator Jerry Moran and a Junction City native, Mike Heldstab, helped rescue a victim in a one-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon on the Kansas Turnpike in Butler County.
Heldstab, who is a District Representative for Senator Moran, and was traveling home to Wichita with his family after attending meetings at Fort RIley and a reception in Junction City, was among motorists who responded to a vehicle that had rolled multiple times. They helped with the rescue of a 29-year old Wichita man who had been a passenger in the car.
Heldstab explained everything happened fast. “Jumped out of the vehicle with a couple of other people and tried to assist, and found a guy that was trapped underneath the vehicle. We were able to move the vehicle a bit, and get him out from under it, and keep him stable until EMS arrived. Everything was fortunate he is living and expected to recover.” That victim was taken to a hospital.
The driver of the vehicle, Bryan Garcia-Olvera, Wichita, died in the crash about 3 p.m. Thursday.
SpareTime Interactive Entertainment offering free weekend
By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
In recognition of the Month of the Military Child, SpareTime Interactive Entertainment at Fort Riley will offer a free weekend to customers Friday through Sunday. The facility is open to the public.
The Business Manager Nicole Trolio, said they want to give back to military children, families, Soldiers and civilians free entertainment for the weekend. This is the old Custer Hill Bowling Center at 7485 Normandy Drive, which has been converted into a facility with new entertainment for all ages.”We added in an 18-hole Glo Putt Putt arena, brought in two batting cages, sports simulator, a golf simulator, an indoor tailgate area with Cornhole and all kinds of fun things that you would do in a tailgating football type of game. And recently we just added in four lanes of Hyper-Bowling, and we just also added in an arcade-augmented climbing wall.”
Visitors who do not have a Department of Defense ID card can get a pass at the Visitor Control Center near the Henry Gate, Exit 301 off of I-70.
SpareTime just opened in January. Trolio noted that the batting cages and then the golf simulator have been the most popular activities. Hours Friday and Saturday are 11 a.m. to midnight, and this Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
Astra Program students to perform Seussical Jr.
You can catch Mayzie La Bird, a sour kangaroo, Horton the Elephant, Cat in the Hat, and a host of Who’s in the show “Seussical Jr.” at the C.L. Hoover Opera House at 7 p.m.Tuesday evening.
Forty Junction City Middle School students in the Astra Program will comprise the cast for the show. The administrator for the Astra Program, Chris Heldstab previewed the show. “It’s about a guy who sits on an egg because amazing Mayzie asks him to watch it for him. There’s all these little Who characters and there’s the jungle of Newell. We have a sassy, sassy kangaroo, and her sidekick. It’s just fun!
The students have been preparing for this show since January when auditions were held. Heldstab said, “With four snow days and ice days we missed four rehearsals so we really have crammed a lot into this short period of time.” The students are from the 6th, 7th and 8th grade. The cost of admission for the show is $5.
The cast list for show includes:
The Cat in the Hat – Brynnlee Jankovich, Kameron Behr; JoJo – Kael Nelson, Horton the Elephant – Sean Powers, Gertrude McFuzz – Koralys Muniz-Lorenzo, Mayzie La Bird – Riley Hansen, Sour Kangaroo – Daphne Brown, Young Kangaroo – Lyla Hayden.
The Bird Girls are LuCasey Hammock, Riley Gaer, Samarra Fisk, Brooklin Keeling, Anna Pond and Kylee Lightle.
The Wickersham Siblings are Braedon Stroda, Madelyn Salary, Truman Fortner, Logan Kerb, Kelcy Welsh and Nicole Green.
Who’s are Brooklyn Anderson, Nathan Weaver, Alala Myers, Isabelle Macais-Guffy, Sierra Hile, Zachary Zimmerman, Alisia Martinez and Mia West.
Mr. Mayor & Mrs. Mayor are performed by Ramone Newey and Grace Welsh.
Jungle Creatures include Hailey Lemon, Hannah Benoit, Kennedy Bollis, Kairi Riddick, Isabella Huddleston, Zoey Rock and Trystin Huston.
The Grinch is portrayed by Kissiah Wilson, Yertle the Turtle is Isaiah Smith and Vlad Vladikoff is Bella Pond.
The Astra program is an after-school theater program involving sixth through eighth grade students from Junction City Middle School two days per week. The students learn about theater, drama, improv, music and dance. The program is funded by the C.L. Hoover Opera House, USD 475 and the R2B4 Bramlage Foundation.
