Saturday, June 18, 2022
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Governor candidate arrested for threat By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Kincaid farmer Arlyn Briggs, a candidate for governor, faces a sentence of 5 to 17 months in jail after he was arrested this week for suspicion of making a criminal threat against law enforcement. Briggs, 64, was arrested while in Iola Wednesday afternoon on a warrant issued a day earlier in Anderson County. On top of the criminal case against him — a level 9 felony — Briggs also must appear to respond to a protection from stalking charge filed by former Anderson County sheriff ’s deputy David Harper-Head. First appearances in the matters are set for later this month in Anderson County
Extension agent comes back home
Arlyn Briggs, Kincaid Republican, is a candidate for Kansas governor. He was arrested this week for suspicion of making a criminal threat against law enforcement. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN District Court. Briggs sat down for an interview with the Register in a unique setting — the cab of his brother’s pickup while parked along a county road in rural Allen County — to dis-
cuss the allegations against him. The unusual venue was necessary because Briggs was helping his brother plant soybeans Wednesday. “I’m trying to help be trans-
parent,” Briggs said. “There are things that are written about me that are not the whole story. I’m still trying to sort through this.” The criminal threat stems from a voicemail message Briggs left with members of the Anderson County Sheriff ’s Department on June 9 in which he was quoted as saying “so let the fun begin … Sheriff (Vernon) Valentine and deputies … specifically Harper-Head … we will get you to where you don’t like it … and you will be tracked … and hunted down like an animal.” Briggs admitted to the Register he left the voice mail in question, and while he has some questions about specific wording — he’s asked for the county to release the recordSee CHARGES | Page A5
Family’s sports legacy extends beyond IHS
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FDA authorizes COVID shots for infants, preschoolers PAGE A4
Wheat harvest in gear
By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Hunter Nickell always planned to come home. He just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. Nickell graduated from Humboldt High School in 2018 and from Kansas State University in 2021. About three weeks ago, he joined the Hunter S o u t h w i n d Nickell Extension District as a livestock production agent. He’ll assist local ranchers with questions about their animals, pasture management and more. In the short four years he’s been away from home, Nickell has developed a wide variety of skills and experiences related to animal sciences. He worked with horses and pasture management at a horse ranch and took care of animals for the Biosecurity Research Institute, both in Manhattan. “Having a diversified experience gives me an advantage because I know about a lot of topics, and it also gives me the freedom to bring different types of programs to producers in this area,” he said. “And if I don’t know something, I will find out. I have a lot of connections and resources. I love what I do and I want to help people in any way I can.” GROWING UP in Humboldt, Nickell was a member of the Logan Pals 4-H Club and FFA. His family had a small herd of cattle, and he started his own herd with his See NICKELL | Page A4
Vol. 124, No. 182 Iola, KS $1.00
Two combines work in tandem to harvest wheat in a field west of Piqua Thursday. Area farmers are hopeful for a bumper crop this year. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN
Farmers like this hot, sunny weather By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
While it might be a gardener’s bane, this hot and dry weather is tailor-made for a successful wheat harvest. “We could use another 10 days just like this,” said Keven Day, manager of the Piqua Co-op. Adam Splechter, who farms in Woodson County, agreed. “It can’t get too hot,” Splechter said, adding, “We’re still on the hunt for dry fields. Some are still too wet for us to get into.” At Thursday’s inspection at the cooperative, Splechter’s wheat had a 13.5% moisture content. “Perfect,” he said. “It’s just where a farmer wants it.” Any higher, and the moisture can “deteriorate the quality in a hurry,” said Day. “The ideal moisture range is 11.5% to 13.5%,” said Day, who’s managed the Piqua Coop since 2015. Determining when to cut
Jess Scheibmeir, left, and Adam Splechter talk about the wheat harvest, which has hit high gear. wheat is a delicate dance. And you can’t blame a farmer if the weather forecast is the first and last thing he looks at each day. Delaying harvest always runs the risk of potential
storm damage and further weed growth. And while a too-high moisture content is to be avoided, the drier the grain, the more it takes to make 60-lb. bushel. So being able to deliver
wheat as close to 13.5% enables farmers to essentially “sell water.” SPLECHTER and his crew began cutting wheat on See WHEAT | Page A7
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