THE MIDWEEK UPDATE

Vol. 12, No. 15; Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
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REMEMBER THE FLOOD VICTIMS WHO ARE STILL HURTING

A message from the Oahe Flood Relief Fund:

As you are making your way through your Christmas list, please don’t forget about those who are still struggling to recover from the summer flood. There are about 20 families still displaced by the flood. I recently heard a story about a woman who was living in her garage because there was too much mold in her home. Another family has spent all their savings, maxed out their credit cards and has no idea where to turn. These are just two stories I’m aware of. I’m sure there are more just as heart-wrenching.

A couple months ago a volunteer group called “The Green Shirts” was in town and went door-to-door to tally up the unmet needs. The total was between $1.2 and $1.6 million dollars. To date the Oahe Flood Relief Fund has raised $120,000 so there are still many needs out there.

Here are five simple ways can make the holiday a little brighter for those still looking for help:

1. Text FLOOD to 85944. Doing this will donate $10 to the relief fund. You will see the $10 reflected on your next bill. (Other tax-type charges may apply)

2. Donate online to the flood relief fund at the SD Community Foundation http://www.sdcommunityfoundation.org/floodrelief/

3. Send a donation to the Flood Relief Fund c/o PO Box 548 Pierre, SD 57501

4. Take yourself out to eat at the Pierre Taco Johns and order Nachos Navidad. Proceeds will be donated to the flood.

5. Help spread the word by forwarding this message on to your e-mail and text contacts.

Thank you for taking time to consider making a donation. A million dollars seems huge. So did laying 2 million sandbags. If each person contributes a little, the goal can be reached.

RIGGS STUDENTS COLLECTING WARMTH

Riggs High School students are collecting blankets so others can stay warm. Operation Warm Up is being held at the high school through Wednesday, Dec. 21. New or slightly used blankets are being collected in English classes with the items then to be donated to Missouri Shores Domestic Violence Center.

Senior class president Katherine Van Gerpen said the Student Senate is hosting the event. She said it is a good holiday project for students. She said there is more of a need for such blankets than people realize, and she said some of those trying to stay warm are likely students at Riggs.

While the students are being asked to donate, Van Gerpen said the public can as well. Anybody wanting to donate blankets can drop them off at the Riggs High School office. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

WORDS TO NOT LIVE BY #7

If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple car payments.

CAPITOL CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, Dec. 15:
Noon to 1 p.m.---Platte-Geddes Junior High School band.
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.---Laura Snow piano students.
7 to 8 p.m.---River Harmony Women's Barbershop Chorus (Pierre).

Friday, Dec. 16:
Noon to 1 p.m.---Edgemont High School choir.
5:30 to 7 p.m.---Jan Widvey piano students.
7 to 8 p.m.---Pianist Lashea Labrier (Murdo).
Saturday, Dec. 17:
Noon to 1 p.m.---Winner High School choir and band.
2 to 3 p.m.---Shrine of Democracy Barbershop Chorus (Rapid City).

Sunday, Dec. 18:
1 to 1:30 p.m.---Tanna and Kaylee Becker; piano; Kaylee Becker, oboe; Tate Mueller and Tanna Becker, piano.
2 to 2:30 p.m.---Ss. Peter & Paul Folk Group (Pierre).
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.---Go Bellistic Handbells (Highmore).
4 to 5 p.m.---Cheri Shafer piano students.
5 to 6 p.m.---Bethany Amundson, guitar/vocal.

Monday, Dec. 19:
7 to 8 p.m.---Capitolians Barbershop Chorus.

Wednesday, Dec. 21:
Noon to 1 p.m.---Riggs High School Jazz I Ensemble.

Saturday, Dec. 24:
10 to 11 a.m.---Aaron and Michael Bumann, vocals, and Emma Bumann and Jeanne Goodman, piano.
3 to 4 p.m.---Daniall Deis, piano.

Sunday, Dec. 25:
3:30 to 5 p.m.---Susanne Harmon, piano/vocal (Sioux Falls).

Monday, Dec. 26:
7 to 8 p.m.---Priscilla Hofer, piano.

STANLEY COUNTY CONSIDERING NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Stanley County school board members will seek public input next month on the idea of building a new elementary school in Fort Pierre.

The board Monday night reviewed proposed designs for a building of almost 35,000 square feet that Supt. Dr. Don Hotalling said would provide needed space for academics and extracurricular activities. In the designs the building would be attached by a walkway to the current high school building and would extend back and toward Second Avenue. The new building would include 10 to 13 classrooms for junior kindergarten through fifth grade, a music room, gymnasium and lunchroom.

Estimated cost is about $4.7 million. Hotalling said the district would issue capital outlay certificates to cover the cost. He said that will likely mean a slight increase in property taxes, estimating that to be about one dollar for every thousand dollars for assessed evaluation.

Public meetings on the proposal are set for Jan. 10 and Jan. 19 in the kindergarten-second grade cafeteria room. Each meeting starts at 7 p.m. Hotalling said no final decision on moving forward will be made until after those meetings.

If the new building would be constructed, the current elementary school and administration building would eventually be demolished. Administration offices would be located in areas of Parkview Gymnasium that would be renovated. Hotalling said that would be a separate project cost, and there is no estimate yet. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Girls varsity: The Lady Capitals won at Sioux Falls, 9-4, as Emily Weber had a pair of goals to lead the offense. Later last weekend the girls lost twice at Brookings, 7-0 and 8-0. The girls will be home against Mitchell Friday night (6 and 8 p.m.), then play at Huron Saturday at 3:30 and Sunday at 10:30. The Lady Caps will be home Dec. 30-31 against Aberdeen at 8 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

Oahe Capitals: The Capitals are about to embark on a pair of North Dakota road trips. This weekend the varsity will play at Dickinson at 8 p.m. MST Friday. On Saturday the JVs play at 1 p.m. CST and the varsity at 3 p.m. at Mandan. Then on Dec. 28-30 the varsity will play Williston, Billings, Mont., and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, in a tournament all the way north in Williston, N.D.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Iowa Energy: Michael Tveidt's team in the NBA's Development League defeated Sioux Falls twice last weekend. In a 115-92 win Michael had seven points, six rebounds and three assists. In a 103-89 win Tveidt was 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-2 at the stripe for 13 points.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

FLOOD REPAIR WORK CONTINUES AT OAHE

It is has been an autumn full of repair work at the Oahe Dam.

Since early fall, crews at the dam have been working on projects that have stemmed from the flood, such as erosion at the stilling basin. Oahe Dam Project Manager Eric Stasch said crews have made good headway on those projects.

One project that had to be delayed by the flood was renovation work on the emergency spillway. In case it would ever be used, the spillway, located to the west of the dam, would allow water to flow south through a constructed channel from the reservoir through grassland and eventually across Highway 1806 and back into the river.

Stasch said the planned construction work will make the channel even more defined.

Stasch stressed that the stability of the dam is still strong despite the flood and this summer’s minor earthquake. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

SULLY BUTTES HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:

Girls basketball---Thursday, @ Lyman; Monday, home vs. Eureka-Bowdle; Dec. 27, @ Parkston Classic.

Boys basketball---Tuesday, home vs. Mobridge; Dec. 27, vs. McIntosh @ NSU Classic, Aberdeen; Dec. 29, @ Parkston Classic.

Wrestling---Saturday, @ Plankinton/Mount Vernon Invitational, Plankinton; Dec. 30, @ Webster Invitational.

S.D. Sportswriters Association's Class "B" boys basketball poll: 1, White River; 2, Viborg-Hurley; 3 (tie), James Valley Christian and Canistota; 5, Sully Buttes.

Boys basketball: The Chargers won their season opener at Northwestern, 48-37. They made it 2-0 Tuesday with a 57-43 win over Lyman in Presho.

Girls basketball: The Chargers won their season opener at Northwestern, 35-29.

Wrestling: Sully Buttes lost to Miller/Highmore-Harrold, 39-27, and to Lyman, 42-36. Later at the Faulkton Invitational SBHS placed fifth among 13 teams.

PARAPROSDOKIANS #5

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk I have a work station.

STANLEY COUNTY HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Gymnastics: At the Wagner Invitational the Lady Buffs were third among five teams. Lexi Lopour captured top all-around honors and won the floor exercise event. SCHS was hampered when its leading scorer, Shelby Gienger, was injured in warmups and could not compete.

Boys basketball: The Buffaloes lost their season opener to Bennett County, 46-44. Cody Heckenlaible led SCHS with 14 points.

Wrestling: The Buffaloes placed sixth among 11 teams at the Gregory Invitational.

Girls basketball: The Lady Buffs lost at Highmore-Harrold, 54-49. Tory Deal was high scorer with 14 points.

This week's schedules:

Boys basketball---Thursday, home vs. Philip, 5:00; Tuesday, @ Jones County, 5:00; Dec. 27, home vs. Gregory, 5:30; Dec. 29, home vs. Crow Creek, 6:30.

Girls basketball---Thursday, home vs. Philip, 3:30; Tuesday, @ Jones County, 3:30; Dec. 27, at Bennett County, 3:00.

Wrestling---Thursday, @ Faulkton triangular with Redfield, 6:00; Dec. 27, home vs. Gregory, 2:00; Dec. 30, @ Webster Invitational, 9:30.

Gymnastics---Saturday, home for Stanley County meet, noon; Dec. 30, @ Vermillion meet, 11:30.


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BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, Dec. 15:
Kelly Kafka, Shirleen Fugitt, Ruth Jassmann, Linda Johnson, Steve Withers, Wayne Crawford, Derek Dehne.

Friday, Dec. 16:
Nathan Hamm, Bonnie Pitlick, Steve Hinker.

Saturday, Dec. 17:
Ryan Nuttall, Molly Williams, Austin Mammenga, Kade Anderson.

Sunday, Dec. 18:
Kai Hanson, Jordan Jarvis, Jeff Swartz, Al Bahe, Whitney Barnett, Devan Bruns, Ross Olson, Gary McMath. 7th anniversary, Jamison/Cathy Rounds.

Monday, Dec. 19:
Tim Bjorneberg, Karin (Unkenholz) Hansen, Alexander Meagher, Blake Hemminger, Jim Costello, Breanna Costello. Anniversary, Casey/Alyssa Kahler.

Tuesday, Dec. 20:
Louie Mehlhaff, Michaela (Thompson) Novak, Dustin Garber, Steve Hosman, Conor Getty, Valori (Kunsman) Fogal, Mary Sarvis, Maddy Jo Sayer, Mathis Joens, Marcie (Lyngstad) Long.

Wednesday, Dec. 21:
Timaree Ice, Laura Winter, Matt Jahraus, Isaac Vogel, Eric Sprenkle, Sarah Gran, Allison Guindon, Jamie Goff, Chris Frost, David Zellmer, Evan Nielsen, Caitlin Bingner, Colt Norman, Tyler Moodie, Erica Schipper.

Thursday, Dec. 22:
Neil Eichstadt, Gerad Johnson, Brandon Rausch.

Friday, Dec. 23:
Maranda Ehrenfried, Jeremy DeWitt, Terry Mattke, Susan Colleran. 2nd anniversary, Eddie/Reina Welch. 5th anniversary, Kyle/Jeannie Kafka. Anniversary, Merle/Leona Buhler.

Saturday, Dec. 24:
Kolton Durkin, Andrea Bauer, Chris Anglin, Sonny Reed, Jeff Fahey, Melisa Forest, Landon Schumacher.

Sunday, Dec. 25:
Chuck Libby, Katie (Skrondahl) Melius, Hudson Rohrbach, Alicia Burchill, Sheila Gould, Josh Golden.

Monday, Dec. 26:
Jaclyn Clown, Shelby Stadel, Bernie Ripperger, Nathan Blaseg, Taylor McGee, Mary Peltier, Yutzil Rodriguez. 2nd anniversary, Adam/Samantha (Dockter) Gallagher.

Tuesday, Dec. 27:
Chris Iverson, Brian Hermanson, Alana Stars, Sean Colleran, Cole Cruse, Ferd Albertus. 2nd anniversary, Jason/Eva (Schmidt) Reed. Anniversary, Mark/Krista (Oehlerking) Morris.

Wednesday, Dec. 28:
Rob Miller, Lynette James, Kelsey Dykstra, Helen Bright. 37th anniversary, Lari/Linda Ott. 9th anniversary, Jon/Michelle Hofer. 9th anniversary, Conrad/Mary (Storsteen) Dieken.

Thursday, Dec. 29:
Thad Fonck, Kent Kinkler, Rodger Hartley, Tane Bramblee, Tyson Bramblee, Nedra (Eddy) Strouf, Donielle Gustafson, Geryd Erbele, Lindsay (Potts) Strohfus.

RIGGS HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

S.D. Sportswriters Association Class "AA" boys basketball poll: 1, Mitchell; 2, Lincoln; 3, Washington; 4, O'Gorman; 5, Pierre.

Gymnastics: At the Aberdeen Central meet, Pierre was fifth among 13 teams. In the floor exercise event Shelby Spelbring and Sydney Gutenkauf tied for sixth at 9.050. In the vault Cheyna Lodge was fourth at 9.225.

Boys basketball: The season opener saw Watertown shoot lights-out from three-point range in a 58-51 win at Pierre. The Governors were down at the half, 36-25. Pierre was 3-of-14 in three-point shots while Watertown was 11 of 24. Zach Hanson had 21 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and five blocks, Lane Severyn nine points, and Conner Berg had nine points and three rebounds. . . . . . On Tuesday morning Mitchell was ranked No. 1 in Class AA in the first sportswriters' poll. That night on their home court at the Corn Palace where Pierre won last year, it happened again. The Governors dealt the Kernels their first loss, 61-52. The story in the Mitchell Daily Republic said the Kernels were "outscored, outshot and outhustled." Zach Hanson had 18 points and three steals, Joe Tetzlaff 15 points and Lane Severyn 14 points and three steals.

Wrestling: There were stunning results for Pierre at the Rapid City Invitational last weekend. Only Gillette, Wyo., was better as Pierre placed second among 30 teams, including beating perennial state champion Sturgis, which was third. Gillette had 184 points, Pierre 178.5, Sturgis 174, Bismarck 164.5 and Rapid City Central 160 at the top of the leader board. Tanner Monfore won an individual championship. Chase Lettau was second. Caleb Stoltenburg, Trey Maier and Lane Lettau all placed third. Dawson Monfore was fifth, Kyle Sarringar sixth and Jebben Keyes and Dylan Bennett seventh. The first chance to see the Governor wrestling team at home is Friday night. There's no basketball competition so no excuse for that gym not to be full and rocking!

This week's schedules:

Wrestling---Friday, home vs. Brandon Valley, 6:00; Saturday, @ Valentine Invitational, 10:30; Dec. 30-31, @ The Clash tournament, Rochester, Minn.

Girls basketball---Saturday, @ Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 4:00; Tuesday, home vs. Huron, 4:00; Dec. 29, @ Rapid City Central, 4:00; Dec. 30, @ Rapid City Stevens, noon.

Boys basketball---Saturday, home vs. Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 4:00; Tuesday, @ Huron, 4:00; Dec. 29, home vs. Rapid City Central, 4:00; Dec. 30, home vs. Rapid City Stevens, noon.

Gymnastics---Saturday, @ Mitchell Invitational; Dec. 27, @ Rapid City Central, 2:00.

Girls basketball: The Lady Govs lost their home opener to Mitchell Tuesday, 53-35. Kaitlyn Severyn had 10 points. The Lady Govs were outrebounded 43-24. Pierre had lost its season opener at Watertown last Friday. In that one Severyn and Katie Berg had eight points each.

ADULT TRUTHS

There are some people whose phone numbers you should keep in your phone so you know not to answer when they call.

FIRST 'TRAIL OF GOVERNORS' STATUE ON DISPLAY THIS AFTERNOON

A life-sized, clay model of one of the first former governors that will be placed on the new Trail of Governors in 2012 will be on public display Thursday.

The statue of Gov. Walter D. Miller will be on display from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Cultural Heritage Center. Miller, family members and sculptor Lee Leuning will be on hand to visit with the public.

This is the first life-sized model unveiled by the Trail of Governors project. The model will eventually be done in bronze. The bronze statues of Miller and former governors Arthur C. Mellette and Harlan Bushfield are expected to be done and dedicated sometime in 2012.

The Trail of Governors will run from the Capitol complex to downtown Pierre. The goal is to install bronze statues of three former governors each year for the next 10 years. Leuning is one of four artists selected to be part of the project. Each statue costs $68,000 and all funds are raised privately.

For more information and to learn how to sponsor a statue, visit www.trailofgovernors.com or email trailofgovernors@aol.com. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

WEDDING DAYS

April 13: Justin Jones/Theresa Frick.

May 19: Seth Parsons/Karae Englehart.

May 23: Maxx Vaudrin/Macy Gomes.

June 2: Eric Aadland/Angie Briguet.

June 2: Sam Gilkerson/Holly Lindbloom.

June 9: Bret Graves/Caitie Wagner.

June 9: Christopher Dekker/Mallory Petersen.

June 16: Dominic Bottenfield/Abby Pitlick.

June 16: Chris Hoffman/Becky Barringer.

June 23: Jerid Maskovich/Jeanine Van Ash.

July 14: Gavin Van Zee/Samantha Hestdalen.

Aug. 31: Cody Stoeser/Cassie Rausch.

Oct. 19: Greg Barringer/Kayla Petersen.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

Sunday's SDSU-Washington men's basketball game in Seattle at 2 p.m. CST can be seen at Dish Network channel 426, DirecTV channel 687 and Midcontinent cable channel 315, and you can hear Tyler Merriam's radio broadcast on KGFX-AM in central South Dakota and all the other stations on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, including WNAX-AM (570).

South Dakota State basketball: The Jackrabbit men smoked North Dakota, 92-54, Saturday as Nate Wolters scored 16. On Monday Wolters was out with an ankle injury, but Chad White scored 22 as the Jacks dominated Dakota State, 92-60. SDSU plays at UND Thursday and at Washington in Seattle Sunday. Then the Jacks resume league play at home Dec. 28 against IPFW and Dec. 30 against Oakland.

South Dakota basketball: The Coyote men swept both games on an eastern road trip. They won at Canisius in Buffalo, N.Y., 67-55 as Louie Krogman had 18 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Although going 10:16 without scoring in the second half, the Coyotes won at Morehead State in Kentucky (a team that beat Louisville in the NCAA tournament last spring), 57-56. Krogman had tied the game with a trey at 2:21, and Charlie Westbrook's trey at 0:25 off a Krogman assist was the game-winner. Now 4-5, USD hosts Canisius Sunday and Peru State next Wednesday. Resuming league play, the Coyotes host Southern Utah Dec. 28 and Oral Roberts Dec. 30.

Summit League men's basketball standings: SDSU 2-0, Oakland 2-0, Oral Roberts 1-0, NDSU 1-1, IPFW 1-1, Western Illinois 1-1, UMKC 1-1, USD 0-2, Southern Utah 0-2, IUPUI 0-2. (Top eight teams qualify for league tournament in Sioux Falls March 3-6 except USD is not eligible until next season.)

South Dakota basketball (Alexis Yackley): The Coyotes were impressive in a 73-48 demolition of Northern Colorado at the DakotaDome Saturday night. Alexis was 4-of-7 from the field for 11 points and had seven rebounds, 11 assists (one away from a career-high) and a steal. USD goes to Utah Valley MOnday and to Idaho State Wednesday, then will be home for league play against Oral Roberts Dec. 29 and Southern Utah Dec. 31.

South Dakota State basketball (Steph Paluch, Katie Lingle): The Jackrabbit women lost at home to Kansas State, 63-46, shooting only 22% after going 0-for-16 to start the game and 2-for-25 in the first half. Katie had 10 points and nine rebounds while Steph had three points. SDSU hosts Arkansas-Little Rock Friday, plays at Marquette Monday and at Nebraska next Wednesday, then resumes Summit play at home Dec. 29 against Oakland and Dec. 31 against IPFW.

Summit League women's basketball standings: SDSU 2-0, IPFW 2-0, Oral Roberts 1-0, USD 1-1, Oakland 1-1, IUPUI 1-1, Western Illinois 1-1, Southern Utah 0-1, UMKC 0-2, NDSU 0-2. (Top eight teams qualify for league tournament in Sioux Falls March 3-6 except USD is not eligible until next season.)

Dakota Wesleyan basketball (Liz Lamb): The Tiger women dominated York (Neb.), 79-33, as Liz was 2-of-6 and 2-of-2 for six points with three rebounds, four assists and a steal. Then they lost a GPAC game to Concordia (Neb.), 62-49, as Liz was 3-of-6 and 6-of-6 for 13 points with three boards, a steal and two assists. DWU hosted Mount Marty last night, then plays at Doane Friday, at Arizona Christian Saturday and Monday and at Presentation Dec. 31.

Mount Marty basketball (Alexa Berg): The Lancers defeated Midland (Neb.), 62-50, as Alexa scored 11 points Saturday. MMC played DWU last night, goes to Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday and hosts Briar Cliff Jan. 4.

Mount Marty basketball (Spencer Yackley): The Lancer men held Midland to 10 points in the last 10 minutes and won, 58-47, despite going 10 minutes in the first half without scoring at all. MMC played DWU last night, goes to Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday, then goes to Chicago for St. Xavier's three-day tournament Dec. 20-22. After New Year's MMC hosts Briar Cliff Jan. 4.

Princeton hockey (Matt Farris): Matt didn't play at Princeton lost to Harvard, 4-3, Saturday, but he was back in the lineup Sunday as Princeton lost at Quinnipiac, 3-2. Now 4-9-2 overall and 3-7-1 in the ECAC, the Tigers come west to Minneapolis to play Northeastern and then either Minnesota or Niagara Dec. 30-31 at the Mariucci Classic hosted by the U. of M.

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyler Sarringar, Dusty Paulsen): The Tigers lost a dual to Augustana, 40-0. Dusty lost 8-2 at 141 pounds, and Tyler lost 8-7 at 174 pounds. Then DWU defeated Northwestern (Iowa), 31-13. Dusty lost his match 4-0, but Tyler won by a 1:21 pin in his match. At Buena Vista's tournament in Iowa Saturday, Tyler placed third and Dusty placed fourth. After losing a 1-0 first-round match to the same Northwestern wrestler he had faced the night before, Dusty scored four straight pins.

Black Hills State basketball (Mitch Foth): The Yellowjacket men won twice at Helena, Mont., beating Carroll College, 72-63, and Great Falls, 72-71. BHSU is home Dec. 29-30 to face Montana Tech and DWU.

Augustana basketball: The Vikings soared to 4-0 in the NSIC by winning at Mary, 58-45 and at Northern, 76-68. Now 7-1 overall, Augie is home for Minnesota-Crookston Saturday and MSU-Moorhead Sunday, then goes to St. Cloud State and Concordia-St. Paul Jan. 2-3.

Purdue basketball (Sam Ostarello): No. 12 Purdue lost to No. 3 Notre Dame, 66-38, Saturday. Sam had no points, three rebounds, one assist, three steals and two blocks. The next day Purdue was upset by Central Michigan, 75-62. Sam was 5-of-9 for 10 points with seven rebounds, one steal and three assists. Purdue is at Auburn Sunday, hosts Oakland Dec. 20 and IPFW Dec. 22 and hosts Minnesota Dec. 30.

South Dakota swimming (Marcus Christianson): The Coyotes defeated Morningside in a dual, 151-80. Marcus was third in the 50 freestyle in :23.08 and fourth in the 100 free in :51.86. He swam fourth leg on USD's "B" team in the 200 medley relay, the team placing third in 1:43.45. His "B" 200 free relay team won their event in 1:27.74 as Marcus swam the first leg. The next day USD lost a dual with SDSU, 126-111. Marcus swam anchor leg on USD's "B" team in the 400 medley relay, placing fourth in 4:08.21. USD's next action is a dual at SDSU Jan. 21.

South Dakota State swimming (Jim McLain, Alex McLain): The Jackrabbit men defeated USD, 126-111, in a dual at the DakotaDome Saturday. Jim was fourth in the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.96 and fifth in the 200 individual medley in 2:17.16. He sawm third leg on State's "B" team in the 400 medley relay, placing third in 4:05.71. Alex was third in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.54. He swam opening leg on State's "B" team in the 400 medley relay, placing third in 4:05.71, and he swam anchor in the 400 free relay on State's "B" team, placing third in 3:42.48. SDSU will spend Jan. 2-9 on its winter training trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., then hosts Iowa Central Community College Jan. 13.

South Dakota State swimming (Morgan McLain): The Jackrabbit women lost to USD in a dual Saturday, 135-108. Morgan was a double winner, however, winning the 200 individual medley in 2:23.89 and the 100 backstroke in 1:05.66. She was second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:14.46. The SDSU women also go to St. Petersburg Jan. 2-9, then host Iowa Central Jan. 13 and Northern Iowa Jan. 14.


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www.pierreyoungprofessionals.com


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PEOPLE NEWS

Christmas season television note: Conan O'Brien is host of this year's "Christmas in Washington" television special to be seen on TNT at 7 p.m. CST Friday, Dec. 16. Performers scheduled to appear include Justin Bieber, The Band Perry, Victoria Justice, Jennifer Hudson and Cee Lo Green.

Kyle Sarringar of the wrestling team was last week chosen as Athlete of the Week by the Pierre Athletic Coaches Association.

Anthony Hunt has been chosen to perform as a bass vocal soloist with the University of South Dakota Symphony at its April concert. Fourteen undergraduate and graduate students competed in last week's concerto competition for the right to perform as a guest soloist with the symphony. A graduate-student trombonist, two graduate-student sopranos, an undergraduate organist and Anthony, an undergraduate bass, were those selected by the judges. Though Anthony is not a music major, he continues to remain active in music at USD by participating in the opera class, which has a performance each semester, and in vocal lessons.

Christmas Eve television note: The University of South Dakota music department's holiday concert, which was taped Dec. 3, will be broadcast on South Dakota Public Television from 8 to 10 p.m. CST on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. People with Pierre connections who might be glimpsed during the telecast are Jenna Feiler in the USD Chamber Singers, Carter Howard in the USD Concert Choir and Parker Knox in the Men's/Women's Chorus. The program includes (in order) the brass choir, the woodwind ensemble, the jazz ensemble, the men's/women's chorus, the concert choir, the chamber orchestra, the Chamber Singers, the USD symphony orchestra and the symphonic band.

And on another channel at the same time: "Christmas at the Cathedral," which is sold out for six performances at St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls this weekend, will be broadcast without commercial interruption on KELO-TV from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Our sympathy to the family of Gordon Baumgart, who passed away at the age of 84 on Dec. 10 at Maryhouse. Services will be held at 11 a.m. this morning (Thursday) at First Baptist Church in Pierre. Among his survivors are his wife, Deloris; his son, Ron Baumgart; and his daughter, Connie Pierce.

Holiday television note: We call your attention to what is annually one of the very best television specials of any year---the Kennedy Center Honors on CBS-TV. This year's program will be shown at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, in South Dakota on KELO-TV stations. This year's honorees are actress Meryl Streep, singer/actress Barbara Cook, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, jazz saxophonist/composer Sonny Rollins and singer/songwriter Neil Diamond.

Be sure to check out the following link regarding Riggs High '03 alumnus Jeo Riis, who is living his dream these days as his career as a photographer continues unabated. The link is: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/joe-riis/

Our sympathy to the family of Mary Mercer, a long-time Blunt resident more recently from Pierre, who died Dec. 10 at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls at the age of 81. Services were held at Isburg's chapel Wednesday. Her survivors include sons Keith and Robert, daughters Teresa Sterling and Debra Sanford, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Jack Lehecka, 88, passed away Dec. 11. Services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Pierre, and burial will take place at 11 a.m. MST Friday at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Mr. Lehecka is survived by seven children, including Sharon Kiewiet in Iowa, Jo Jeitz in Texas, Jan Barraza in Nevada, Nancy Schuring in Aberdeen, John Lehecka in Kansas, and Jill Aadland and Mary Lehecka Nelson in Pierre, as well as many other relatives. Our sympathy to his family.

A full-color Sanford Health ad in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader earlier this week featured Pierre native Dr. Michelle (Ulmen) Baack, who works in pediatric neonatology for the hospital. Read her biography at sanfordhealth.org.

Services were held Dec. 10 at First United Methodist Church in Pierre for Juanita (Riggle) Stoeser, who died at the age of 87 Dec. 7 at Maryhouse. She was married to the late Roscoe Riggle, and they moved to the Hayes area in 1948. She later married Gene Stoeser in 1994, and later that year they moved to ParkWood in Pierre. Among her large number of survivors are her sons, Dan Riggle in Texas and Rick Riggle of Pierre; five stepchildren, Rod Stoeser in Fort Pierre, Deb Schiefelbein in Pierre, Clayton Stoeser and Norm Stoeser in Fort Pierre and Rene Flannery in Minnesota; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, 17 step-grandchildren and 12 step-great-grandchildren. Our sympathy to all of her family as well.

Jesse and Ellen (Gormley) Hopper of Brookings got their best Christmas present two weeks early. Their daughter, Evelyn Grace Hopper, was born Dec. 12, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 19 1/4 inches.

Attention, Riggs High School Class of 1992: Your 20-year class reunion will be held over Oahe Days weekend June 15-17 in Pierre next summer. Current plans are to begin with a Friday night social on June 15 at View 34 restaurant at the golf course. Further information will follow. But in the meantime, please send your contact information so you can be kept informed. The place to contribute your information is RiggsClassof92@gmail.com. If you read this and somebody in your family is a '92 graduate, please advise them of this information also!

When SDSU's Pride of the Dakotas marching band plays at the Citrus Bowl parade in Orlando, Fla., during the holidays, Pierre will be represented by these Pride members of whom we are aware---Taylor Becker, Calla Holzhauser, Bethany Brusven, Andy Lampy and Deidre Beck. If there are others, please let us know!

Will and Molly (Tillman) Genzler welcomed a 7-pound, 8-ounce son, Mason, to their family. He joins his 2 1/2-year-old sister, Emily, in their family. Grandpa Tom and Grandma Sandy Tillman in Pierre were very pleased to welcome their first grandson. The Genzlers live in Aberdeen where Will works for Quest Construction and Molly is a senior accountant for the Department of Labor.

Rick Cronin has been elected chief of the fire department in Fort Pierre for the fourth time. He had previously served 10 1/2 years as chief the first three times, and he has been a department officer for 18 years. Cronin said the department has 34 members presently, but he would like to see at least 10 additional members. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Allison Mickelson ('95) was again part of the Holiday Jam with the Hegg Brothers, a musical show which played at the Riggs theater Monday night. This was Allison's third holiday season with the troupe. Allison now lives in New York City where she teaches music and performs, but she said she always makes time to come back each holiday season to perform with Jeremy and Jonathon Hegg and their group of male and female vocalists, two keyboardists, guitars, percussion, drums, upright bass and horns. The troupe is performing its show in 11 cities over a two-week period. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Doug Smith in Rapid City advises that the 1982 state "A" champion Pierre Governors basketball team plans to get together for their 30-year reunion where it all happened way back then---in Rapid City during the state "AA" boys tournament in March. They are tentatively planning on meeting at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn next to the arena, but further details will be forthcoming. In the meantime, help spread the word to one and all.

Friends of Jerry and Karen Kern should mark their calendars so they don't forget to congratulate the Kerns on their 50th wedding anniversary New Year's Eve. All their kids except Jerry, who lives in China, will be home to help celebrate the occasion. The Kerns' address is 205 S. Jackson, Pierre SD 57501.

If you attended Riggs High's musical, "Seussical," or even if you didn't, it is interesting to note that a family emergency caused band director Bethany Amundson, who was directing the pit orchestra for the play, to return home to Minnesota, so Riggs High vocal director Rodd Bauck filled in in the orchestra director's chair. As such Rodd was directing an orchestra that included his own high school music teachers, Will Hanson and Larry Johnson. Another "Seussical" tidbit---Hyrma Zakahi is on her second generation of drama students these days. Brian Oakland was in the first musical, "Guys and Dolls," that Ms. Zakahi directed at Riggs High, and Jojo in "Seussical" was played by his son Justin. Another cast member, Alex Hillestad, is the daughter of Riggs graduates Eric and Anne (Severson) Hillestad. Ms. Zakahi said she is grateful to the school board and Dr. Glodt (superintendent) for finding a way to maintain the tradition of a school musical despite budget cuts. They opted to keep the more expensive show instead of dropping the biennial musical. To quote Dr. Seuss himself: "Think left and think right; think low and think high; Oh the things you can think if you will only try."

A Christmastime update on former elementary principal Peg Logan from her daughter in Sheridan, Wyo., states that Peg is doing very well. Her cancer is stable with great lab numbers. She said her mom is doing more serious physical therapy, working on walking with her walker and trying neck strengthening. Grandson Blaine will be home Dec. 22-28, so Peg and the family are greatly anticipating his arrival. Barb said her mom is now attending more events at Westview, the care center where she lives. At Barb's house they have decorated their Christmas tree with some of Peg's collection of Santas. There is still time to send a Christmas card/message to Peg: Westview Care Center, Room 208, 1990 W. Loucks St., Sheridan WY 82801-4500.

NEOLOGISMS

Negligent (adj.)---A condition in which you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

VOCABULARY

Inoculatte (v.)---To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

COUNTDOWN

25 days: BCS national championship college football game (Jan. 9).

49 days: State one-act play festival, Aberdeen (Feb. 2-4).

50 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 5).

64 days: State gymnastics tournament, Brookings (Feb. 17-18).

71 days: State wrestling tournaments (B Rapid City, A Aberdeen) (Feb. 24-25).

73 days: The Academy Awards (Feb. 26).

84 days: State girls basketball tournaments (B Huron, A Spearfish, AA Brookings) (March 8-10).

85 days: State boys varsity hockey tournament, Expo Center (March 9-11).

91 days: State boys basketball tournaments (B Aberdeen, A Sioux Falls, AA Rapid City) (March 15-17).

98 days: All-State Band, Brookings (March 22-24).

113 days: Twins' season opener at Baltimore (April 6).

148 days: Co-ed charity softball tournament, Four Corners (May 11-13).

154 days: State boys tennis tournament, Rapid City (May 17-19).

158 days: State golf tournaments (B boys and B girls Rapid City, A girls Hot Springs, AA girls Sioux Falls) (May 21-22).

162 days: State track meets (B Rapid City, A Spearfish, AA Sturgis) (May 25-26).

173 days: South Dakota primary election day (June 5).

176 days: South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion (June 8-10).

225 days: Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, London (July 27).

256 days: Republican National Convention, Tampa (Aug. 27-30).

263 days: Democratic National Convention, Charlotte (Sept. 3-6).

327 days: General election day (Nov. 6, 2012).

338 days: Renewal of USD-SDSU football rivalry (Nov. 17, 2012).

785 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Sochi, Russia (Feb. 7, 2014).

DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT? #8

In a safari park: ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.

FOOTBALL CONTESTS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS

Last weekend Erik Muckey at USD was the winner at 9-1. Right behind at 8-2 were Mike Adams in Florida, David Ludwig at Onida and Shawn Hostler in Brookings.

This weekend's contest games:

1, NAIA finals, Carroll (Mont.) vs. St. Xavier (Ill.).

2, NCAA Div. III finals, Mount Union vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater.

3, NCAA Div. II finals, Wayne State (Mich.) vs. Pittsburg State (Kan.).

4, NCAA FCS semis, Montana vs. Sam Houston State.

5, NCAA FCS semis, North Dakota State vs. Georgia Southern.

6, New Mexico Bowl, Wyoming vs. Temple.

7, Idaho Potato Bowl, Ohio vs. Utah State.

8, NFL, New England @ Denver.

9, NFL, Washington @ New York Giants.

10, NFL, Pittsburgh @ San Francisco.

Contest games for Dec. 24-26 weekend:

1, Hawaii Bowl, Southern Mississippi vs. Nevada.

2, Independence Bowl, North Carolina vs. Missouri.

3, NFL, Denver @ Buffalo.

4, NFL, Miami @ New England.

5, NFL, New York Giants vs. New York Jets.

6, NFL, Philadelphia @ Dallas.

7, NFL, Minnesota @ Washington.

8, NFL, Tampa Bay @ Carolina.

9, NFL, San Diego @ Detroit.

10, NFL, Arizona @ Cincinnati.

PARKER'S COLUMN IN THE CAPITAL JOURNAL 12-16-11

Solitude at holiday time is a real gift

Life in the department of music at the University of South Dakota goes at a breakneck pace, especially as the remaining days in a semester wind down to a precious few. That is even the case for those of us who are only part-timers up there on the west side of the Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts.

As the first Saturday of December dawned in Vermillion, we had yet to see snow this winter. Ice, yes; snow, no. But, since there is an unwritten law that every year there must be snow that makes driving and walking hazardous on the day of USD's Christmas concert, by show time more than two inches of the predicted "no more than an inch" had fallen on the campus.

Despite the nuisance of walking in tuxedos or long, black gowns and high heels across the patio from the warm-up area in Farber Hall to the concert site in Slagle Hall, the show went on. (Incidentally you will be able to see the finished product in a rebroadcast on South Dakota Public Television at 8 p.m. Christmas Eve.)

As I sat in the balcony at Slagle somewhere in the middle of that marathon concert, I happened to glance toward the outdoors and was blessed with the most incredible sight. The scene that greeted my eyes was straight from Currier & Ives except that this picture had movement.

I saw that the evergreen trees to the west toward the music museum had, in the past hour, been flocked by the falling snow. The wind had stopped, but the snow had not, and as I watched, the big flakes were just fluttering down, ever so slowly, so peacefully, so silently. I managed to shut out the sounds of whatever group was performing down on the stage at that moment and instead soak in the magnificence of the scene outside the window.

The frantic pace of life of the past few weeks was forgotten---well, at least set aside---as the soothing, mesmerizing effect of the gently falling snow wafted over me.

The week that followed was filled with a series of days filled with vocal students' juries and competitions, preparations for a church music carol concert, rehearsals for an upcoming recital and the return of high school basketball, but, despite all of that craziness, the picture I viewed from inside the concert hall has remained with me.

The pastor of our Vermillion church preaches regularly the need for us to slow down, calm down and quiet down. He literally makes it happen, for a couple minutes at least, in a mandatory period of silence during each service. Despite the beauty of this time of year and the happiness that comes to so many people over Christmas, it is also a stressful time.

This fall has had some really stressful moments for most of us. For me? Absolutely. For you? Surely for many of you. But as my mind keeps going back to the fluttering flakes of snow creating a picturesque campus scene, I have become determined not to let the current rigors of life get the best of me over this holiday period.

School will be out by the time you read this, and that means nearly four full weeks before the students return, classes resume and life gets crazy again. The other night I got a jump on my upcoming solitude. It's hard to believe, but I sat down in the easy chair and read a book cover to cover, getting up only to pour a cup or two of hot chocolate and to let Oliver outside to do his thing. The only noise for more than three hours was Christmas music quietly playing in the background. It was almost heaven on earth!

One would think that a person such as I who lives alone (except for my German shepherd) would have a lot of quiet times, especially since there's no TV set at my place. But there's something going on almost every night that I either must or want to attend. For the next month, however, that won't be the case. A church choir practice now and then, a pair of Christmas services at church, a few Coyote ballgames, but lots of time for Oliver and me to walk back and forth across the vacant campus and for me to sit---perhaps reading, perhaps listening to some bowl games, perhaps doing nothing.

You should do the same. And if your response to that is, "I still have so much shopping to do," consider the following list I clipped from somewhere many years ago, a list of eight gifts that don't cost a cent and yet are nourishment for the giver's soul:

* The gift of listening. But you must really listen, no interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.

* The gift of affection. Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, handholds and pats on the back.

* The gift of laughter. Clip cartoons, share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."

* The gift of a written note. It can be a simple "thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note that can be read and re-read may be remembered for a lifetime.

* The gift of a compliment. A simple and sincere "You look great in red" or "You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

* The gift of a favor. Every day go out of your way to do something kind.

* The gift of solitude. Be sensitive to those times when people want nothing better than to be left alone and give that gift of solitude to others.

* The gift of a cheerful disposition. The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone. You may not know the stuff going on in his or her life, but it's there. Lend a smile.

Enjoy your time alone and your time together this Christmas season. And let it snow. Ever so silently.

Merry Christmas to every Midweek Update reader, wherever in the world you are.

Special thanks to Jon Sailer and the folks at BPro for continuing to send out the Midweek Update every week solely as a public service. If you enjoy reading the Update, thank them!

Remember the military people who can't get home for Christmas. Contact the families of those you know, get their e-mail addresses and surprise them with a message from home!

 

Vol. 12, No. 14; Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011

WEDDING DAYS


April 13: Justin Jones/Theresa Frick.
May 19: Seth Parsons/Karae Englehart.
May 23: Maxx Vaudrin/Macy Gomes.
June 2: Eric Aadland/Angie Briguet.
June 9: Bret Graves/Caitie Wagner.
June 9: Christopher Dekker/Mallory Petersen.
June 16: Dominic Bottenfield/Abby Pitlick.
June 16: Chris Hoffman/Becky Barringer.
June 23: Jerid Maskovich/Jeanine Van Ash.
July 14: Gavin Van Zee/Samantha Hestdalen.
Aug. 31: Cody Stoeser/Cassie Rausch.
Oct. 19: Greg Barringer/Kayla Petersen.

PARAPROSDOKIANS #4

War does not determine who is right---only who is left.

COUNTDOWN


3 days: Capital City Children's Chorus' "A Ceremony of Carols" (Dec. 11).
32 days: BCS national championship college football game (Jan. 9).
56 days: State one-act play festival, Aberdeen (Feb. 2-4).
57 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 5).
71 days: State gymnastics tournament, Brookings (Feb. 17-18).
78 days: State wrestling tournaments (B Rapid City, A Aberdeen) (Feb. 24-25).
80 days: The Academy Awards (Feb. 26).
86 days: Summit League basketball tournaments, Sioux Falls (March 3-6).
91 days: State girls basketball tournaments (B Huron, A Spearfish, AA Brookings) (March 8-10).
92 days: State boys varsity hockey tournament, Expo Center (March 9-11).
98 days: State boys basketball tournaments (B Aberdeen, A Sioux Falls, AA Rapid City) (March 15-17).
105 days: All-State Band, Brookings (March 22-24).
120 days: Twins' season opener at Baltimore (April 6).
155 days: Co-ed charity softball tournament, Four Corners (May 11-13).
161 days: State boys tennis tournament, Rapid City (May 17-19).
165 days: State golf tournaments (B boys and B girls Rapid City, A girls Hot Springs, AA girls Sioux Falls) (May 21-22).
169 days: State track meets (B Rapid City, A Spearfish, AA Sturgis) (May 25-26).
180 days: South Dakota primary election day (June 5).
183 days: South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion (June 8-10).
232 days: Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, London (July 27).
263 days: Republican National Convention, Tampa (Aug. 27-30).
270 days: Democratic National Convention, Charlotte (Sept. 3-6).
334 days: General election day (Nov. 6, 2012).
345 days: Renewal of USD-SDSU football rivalry (Nov. 17, 2012).
792 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Sochi, Russia (Feb. 7, 2014).

WORDS TO NOT LIVE BY #6

Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, Dec. 8:
Chris Markley, Carolyn Deal, Rochelle Scott, Kathryn Schuetzle, Erin McKillip. Anniversary, Edd Hogan/Larissa FastHorse.

Friday, Dec. 9:
Jerry Sperry, Gary Drewes, Tyler Coverdale. Anniversary, Lowell/Bonnie Glover.

Saturday, Dec. 10:
Kelsie Brandlee, Michael Tveidt, Amber Robinson, Kaitlyn Richey, Sarah Moreno, Becky Lindekugel.

Sunday, Dec. 11:
Chris (Riggs) Hawkinson, Mitch Boe, Sandy Voller, Joe Stolp, Charlene Reed, Arden Rapp (#70). 7th anniversary, Josh/Amy Joy.

Monday, Dec. 12:
Eric Sibson, Abby Lingle, Joyce Williams, Kyle Neuberger, Laura (Hansen) Mikkelsen, Lukas Tedford, Steph (Vogel) Lund, Tara Dowling, Wanda Goodman.

Tuesday, Dec. 13:
Troy Thomas, Ric Severson, Ramsay McKee, Joey Kafka, Jason Bakeberg, De Knudson, Dianna Knox, Taylor Martin, LeAnn Poile, Gerri Carpenter.

Wednesday, Dec. 14:
Adam Emerson, Andy Carda, Abby Javurek-Humig.

Thursday, Dec. 15:
Steve Withers, Wayne Crawford, Derek Dehne, Shirleen Fugitt, Kelly Kafka, Linda Johnson, Ruth Jassmann.

DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT? #7

Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

Tonight, Dec. 8: Final performance of Riggs High musical, "Seussical," Riggs theater, 7:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 9-10, and Sunday, Dec. 11: Last performances of Pierre Players' "A Christmas Story," Grand Opera House (7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday).
Saturdays, Dec. 10 and 17: Mrs. Claus at Prairie Pages Bookseller in downtown Pierre, 10 to 11 a.m. Bring in your children and watch as they listen to Mrs. Claus read to them!
Saturday, Dec. 10: Holiday wreath display and auction, entertainment, caroling, cookies, Santa Claus, all at Casey Tibbs S.D. Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre, 1 to 3 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 11: Sully Area Singers' Christmas cantata; Maryhouse, Pierre, 3:30 p.m.; Mennonite Brethren Church, Onida, 8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 17-18: Surprise Package vocal ensemble Christmas concerts, First United Methodist Church (7:30 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Sunday).

URGENT NEEDS AT SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER

Diapers (all sizes) . . . socks (all sizes) . . . undergarments for men, women and children (all sizes) . . . kids' pajamas (all sizes) . . .
coats (all sizes).

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Wrestling---Friday/Saturday, @ Rapid City Invitational (2 p.m. and 9 a.m.).
Boys basketball---Friday, home vs. Watertown, 4 p.m.; Tuesday, @ Mitchell, 4 p.m.
Girls basketball---Friday, @ Watertown, 4 p.m.; Tuesday, home vs. Mitchell, 4 p.m.
Gymnastics---Saturday, @ Aberdeen Central Invitational, noon.

Gymnastics: In the season-opening triangular held this year at Huron, the Lady Govs were second at 126.65, behind Huron and ahead of Stanley County. Pierre's best in the all-around standings was Sydney Gutenkauf, third at 32.8. Melissa Bobby tied for first on the parallel bars at 8.6.

Wrestling: Coach Ryan Noyes has a strong wrestling team again this season if the first weekend is any indication. The Governors swept to the championship at the eight-team Watertown team-dual tournament, and the Pierre JVs won the championship of the JV division as well! Pierre's varsity conquered Watertown, 44-20; dominated Milbank, 65-6, and destroyed Yankton, 65-16, in pool play, then whipped Huron, 48-18, in the first-place dual. Jebben Keyes, Tanner Monfore, Caleb Stoltenburg, Kyle Sarringar, Chase Lettau, Trey Maier and Lane Lettau were all undefeated for the varsity for the day, and Keyes and Sarringar won their four matches all by pins.

KSFY-TV Preseason Class AA power rankings: Boys basketball---1, Mitchell; 2, Pierre; 3, Washington; 4, Lincoln; 5, Brookings. Girls basketball---1, Brandon Valley; 2, Mitchell; 3, Aberdeen Central; 4, O'Gorman; 5, Yankton.

VOCABULARY #6

Egotist: Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.


STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Boys basketball---Saturday, home vs. Bennett County, 4 p.m.; Tuesday, home vs. Winner, 6:30 p.m.
Girls basketball---Saturday, @ Highmore-Harrold (in Highmore), 4:30 p.m.
Gymnastics---Saturday, @ Wagner Invitational, noon.
Wrestling---Saturday, @ Gregory Invitational, 9 a.m.

Gymnastics: In a season-opening triangular at Huron, the Lady Buffs were third with a 124.05 score behind Huron and Pierre. Shelby Gienger of SCHS was the all-around winner with a 35.65 score, and she won the balance beam event at 9.15.

Volleyball: Shelby Gienger was SCHS's representation on the Big Dakota Conference's all-conference volleyball team.

Wrestling: At the Stanley County Invitational season-opening tournament Spearfish/Lead-Deadwood with 230 points took the team title, followed by Burke/Gregory with 155 and Stanley County with 118. Cody LaCompte won the 182-pound championship. Other Buffalo placers were Daniel Slama, third place at 106; Michael Scott, third at 132; Herman Fennell, third at 145; Chantry Norman, third at 160; Cade Larson, fourth at 285; Riley Thelen, fifth at 126; Cooper Carter, sixth at 138, and Wade Wieczorek, sixth at 152.

Girls basketball: The Lady Buffs lost their season opener at home Tuesday to Sully Buttes, 88-28.

SULLY BUTTES CHARGERS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Wrestling---Thursday, @ Lyman triangular, Presho; Saturday, @ Faulkton Invitational.
Girls basketball---Saturday, @ Northwestern.
Boys basketball---Saturday, @ Northwestern; Tuesday, home vs. Lyman.

Girls basketball: Sully Buttes whipped Stanley County in the season opener Tuesday, 88-28.

ADULT TRUTHS #3

I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than with Kay.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Iowa Energy of the NBA-D League (Michael Tveidt): The Energy, after losing a game last Wednesday at Rio Grande Valley, won there the next day, 138-117, as Michael was 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 at the free-throw line for 11 points with six rebounds and five assists. He was moved into the Energy's starting lineup for two weekend home games against Erie, Pa. The Energy won Saturday, 112-106, as Michael was 3-of-6 and 6-of-8 for 13 points with five rebounds, a steal and an assist. On Sunday they lost to Erie, 97-87, as Michael was 3-of-5 and 2-of-4 for nine points with three assists, one rebound and one blocked shot. Iowa, now 3-3, plays at the Sioux Falls Skyforce this Friday and Saturday nights.

MidCo Sports Net: Midco will have live coverage of Wayne State-Northern basketball Friday---women at 6 p.m., men at 8 p.m.

HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Oahe Capitals: The varsity boys lost at Brookings, 6-1, as Austin Wagner scored on a power play for the Caps' only goal. Kyle Mammenga in goal made 26 saves. The Caps also lost at Sioux Falls, 3-0, as Mammenga again had 26 saves. Those were the season-opening league games. The Capitals are now 3-7 overall. Wagner has scored 12 goals with six assists for 18 points. James Gilkerson has three goals and nine assists for 12 points. Cash Anderson with four goals and three assists has seven points. Will Gordon with a goal and four assists has five points. Drew Leif, Alec Norwick and Jace Jerome have four points each, Elliot Shoup-Owens and Jordan Reiss three each, and Joel Jochim and Brandon Swenson one point apiece. There are only four seniors on this year's team---Gilkerson, Shoup-Owens, Jochim and Mark Costello.

This weekend's Oahe Hockey Association games:

Friday: girls varsity @ Sioux Falls, 8:45 p.m.; girls JVs @ Sioux Falls, 6:45 p.m.; boys JVs @ Fargo tournament.

Saturday: girls varsity @ Brookings, 7:30 p.m.; girls JVs @ Brookings, 5:30 -p.m.; boys JVs @ Fargo tournament; Bantam B @ Brookings, 3:30 p.m.; PeeWee A @ Sioux Falls West, 3:45 p.m.; PeeWee B @ Sioux Falls West, 5:45 p.m.

Sunday: girls varsity @ Brookings, 11 a.m.; girls JVs @ Brookings, 9 a.m.; boys JVs @ Fargo tournament; Bantam B @ Sioux Falls, 8 a.m.; PeeWee A @ Sioux Falls East, 8:15 a.m.; PeeWee B @ Sioux Falls East, 10:15 a.m.

The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) is pleased to announce that the family of Godfrey Roberts, who passed away in 2010, has established the Godfrey Roberts Hockey Support Fund. The earnings from this endowment will be used by the Oahe Hockey Association (OHA) for providing financial assistance to players interested in the sport. The initial memorials will be used to assist Oahe Hockey players this and next season, with the earnings from the new endowment made available in the 2013-14 season. Roberts was a longtime Pierre businessman, joining State Publishing Company, now PryntComm, as its third generation president in 1950 till he retired in 1991. He learned to skate and play hockey on a pond in Pierre as a boy and, while he never played organized hockey, his passion for the game was evident as a fan. His grandsons have all played in the Capitals organization over recent years. Contributions to the Godfrey Roberts Hockey Support Fund can be mailed to the South Dakota Community Foundation, P.O. Box 296, Pierre, SD 57501. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")

NEOLOGISMS

Alternative meanings for common words:
Abdicate (v.): To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

Sarchasm (n.): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

Purdue basketball (Sam Ostarello): The 13th-ranked Boilermakers knocked off No. 4 Texas A&M, the defending NCAA national champions, 60-51, Sunday. Sam had a team-high 12 rebounds along with seven points, four steals and two blocked shots. Last Thursday Purdue sustained its first defeat, losing at Duke, 64-53. There Sam had six points, six boards and a steal. Purdue hosts Notre Dame Saturday and goes to Central Michigan Sunday.

Augustana basketball: The Viking men went 2-0 in the first weekend of NSIC league play. They beat Southwest Minnesota State, 83-66, as Cam McCaffrey had 21 points, Drae Murray 15, Brennan Olson 12 and Cody Schilling 11. They also beat Minnesota State-Mankato, 69-51, behind 19 apiece from Schilling and McCaffrey. Augie is on the road to Mary Friday and to Northern Saturday.

Black Hills State basketball (Mitch Foth): Mitch did not play as BHSU lost to Dickinson State, 71-66, and defeated Rocky Mountain, 82-71. BHSU plays at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., Friday, then plays Great Falls in Helena the next day.

South Dakota State basketball (Katie Lingle, Steph Paluch): The Jackrabbit women won at IUPUI, 74-63. Katie had a season-high 12 points while Steph had seven points and five steals. In non-league play Tuesday, SDSU won at Arkansas-Little Rock, 60-49. Steph had five points and two assists while Katie had two points. SDSU hosts Kansas State Saturday.

South Dakota State swimming (Morgan McLain): As the Jackrabbits competed at Wisconsin-River Falls' Falcon Invitational held in Minneapolis, Morgan was a triple champion, winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2:05.91, the 200 backstroke in 2:05.22 and the 100 backstroke in :58.00. She swam first leg on three of State's "A" relay teams---the 200 free team was fifth in 1:39.84, the 400 medley team third in 3:57.42 and the 400 free team fourth in 3:36.35. SDSU competes in a dual at USD Saturday.

South Dakota State swimming (Jim McLain, Alex McLain): At UW-River Falls' Falcon Invitational held in Minneapolis, Alex placed fourth in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:55.44, fifth in the 100 backstroke in :53.41, 25th in the 200 individual medley in 2:03.06 and 27th in the 200 freestyle in 1:48.62. He also swam first leg on SDSU's "B" team in the 200 medley relay, placing 15th in 1:40.95, and second leg on State's "A" team in the 400 free relay, placing fifth in 3:43.24. Jim placed 20th in the 200 breaststroke in 2:16.44. SDSU has a Saturday afternoon dual at USD.

South Dakota swimming (Marcus Christianson): At the Falcon Invitational in Minneapolis, Marcus placed 27th in the 50-yard freestyle in :22.53, 23rd in the 200 free in 1:49.34 and 27th in the 100 free in :49.32. He swam first leg on USD's "B" team in the 200 freestyle relay, placing 12th in 1:29.29. He swam anchor leg on the 400 medley relay "C" team, placing 10th in 3:39.37; anchor leg on the 200 medley "C" team, placing 13th in 1:40.04, and third leg on the "B" team in the 400 free relay, placing eighth in 3:14.45. The Coyotes host SDSU in a Saturday dual at the DakotaDome.

Mount Marty basketball (Alexa Berg): The Lancer women lost at Northwestern (Iowa), 63-57, despite Alexa's 11 points. She had 20 points on Saturday in an 81-78 loss to Doane College (Neb.). Now 6-7 overall and 1-3 in the GPAC, Mount Marty hosts Midland (Neb.) Saturday and DWU Wednesday.

Mount Marty basketball (Spencer Yackley): MMC's men defeated Doane College, 64-56, Saturday. Spencer had nine points and eight rebounds for the Lancers. Then Mount Marty defeated York (Neb.) College, 79-62, as Spencer had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Now 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the GPAC, MMC hosts Midland Saturday and DWU Wednesday.

Princeton hockey (Matt Farris): Princeton defeated Rensselaer, 5-3, and tied Union, 3-3, in overtime after being down at one point, 3-0, in that game. Matt did not score or have an assist in either game. Princeton is home for Harvard Saturday, then travels to Quinnipiac in Connecticut Sunday.

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyler Sarringar, Dusty Paulsen): The Tigers lost to Morningside, 32-12, in a dual Friday. Dusty won an 8-1 decision in his 141-pound match. Tyler lost, 12-9, in his 174-pound match. Earlier DWU lost a dual at Northern, 39-12. Dusty's pin in 4:59 at 141 pounds was DWU's only victory on the mat. Tyler lost an 11-6 decision at 174. DWU wrestles Augustana and Northwestern (Iowa) in a triangular in Sioux Falls Friday, then competes Saturday at Buena Vista's tournament in Storm Lake, Iowa.

South Dakota basketball (Alexis Yackley): The Coyote women lost to IPFW in Fort Wayne, Ind., 65-63, Thursday, as Alexis had seven points and seven assists. But USD won at Oakland (Mich.) Saturday for its first women's victory in Summit League play, 58-51. Alexis had five points and four assists. In non-conference play last night, USD lost at Northern Iowa, 53-43, after leading 35-34 with 11 1/2 minutes to go. The rest of the way UNI outscored USD 18-9. The Coyotes were 2 of 18 in three-point shooting. Alexis had five assists. USD is home Saturday night against Northern Colorado. USD is now 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the Summit League.

Dakota Wesleyan basketball (Elizabeth Lamb): Last Wednesday DWU won over Dordt (Iowa), 63-56, as Liz had three points and three steals. The Tiger women lost to Hastings College, 64-59. On Monday DWU defeated Dakota State, 56-48. The Tigers are home for York (Neb.) Friday, Concordia (Neb.) Saturday and Mount Marty Wednesday.

South Dakota State basketball: The Jackrabbit men won at IUPUI, 97-93, as Nate Wolters scored 23 and Garrett Callahan 20 points. They won again at Western Illinois, 67-66, Saturday as Wolters had 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Back in non-conference play Tuesday, the Jacks swamped Southwest Minnesota State, 92-69, as Wolters and Prince had 14 points each. SDSU hosts North Dakota Saturday and Dakota State Monday. The Jacks are now 7-3 overall and 2-0 in the Summit League.

South Dakota basketball: The Coyote men opened their first Summit League season with a pair of losses in the east. They lost at Oakland (Mich.), 101-83, despite Louie Krogman's season-high 26 points, 20 from Trevor Gruis and 19 from Charlie Westbrook. They lost a tough one at IPFW Saturday, 92-87, as Gruis had a season-high 29 pints, Westbrook 18, Allen Saint-Gelais 15 and Krogman 12. USD plays Canisius in Buffalo, N.Y., tonight and at Morehead State in Kentucky Saturday.

WORDS OF WISDOM

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.


PEOPLE NEWS

For those of you needing Peg Logan's mailing address in advance of Christmas, it is: Westview Care Center, Room 208, 1990 W. Loucks St., Sheridan WY 82801-4500.

Fans of Matt Tetzlaff, Parker McKittrick, Alec Espeland and Travis Fitzke in particular and fans of track and field in general: The Summit League's outdoor championships meet will be at NDSU in Fargo this coming spring May 10-12.

Dusty Johnson's wife, Jacquelyn (Dice) Johnson, who earlier this year was named Mitchell's Businesswoman of the Year for 2011, has been selected by Prairie Business Magazine as one of the top 40 young business leaders in the Northern Plains. You can read Jacquelyn's biographical information and that of the other honorees at www.prairiebizmag.com.

Another of the area soldiers who received a care package from BankWest's Onida branch was Justin Hiller, an Onida native whose wife is Onida native Linden Barber, a former Job's Daughters member in the Pierre chapter. Justin, whose home base is Fort Bragg, N.C., is deployed in Iraq, and he recently re-enlisted for another four years. He is with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.

Long-time Sully County and Pierre residents Matt and Helen Sutton have just moved into Good Samaritan's senior living center, Prairie Creek, in Sioux Falls. Their children and grandchildren are there, and Matt says in their Christmas letter that they are looking forward to being closer to watching the Jackrabbits and helping their grandsons develop into "world-class athletes and scholars." Their daughter Nancy teaches at the Sioux Falls Career and Technical Education Academy and moonlights at James Dugan Video Productions. Granddaughter Mary Lynn is preparing to attend The Art Institute in Minneapolis. John Sutton and his wife Rachelle have two sons, Jack, 7, and Sam, 5. John has an insurance business, and Rachelle is an anesthesiologist at Avera.

Shannon Bieber, a nurse in the Pierre Public Schools, has received the 2011 Excellence in Education award presented by Capital Area Counseling Service. She was recognized for her efforts to make sure students receive the medications they need to ensure they can continue to excel in school. Dr. Jodi Owen, CACS clinical director, said that Bieber "goes out of her way to coordinate with outside clinics and is willing to administer medications at school when kids may not otherwise get them as prescribed. She serves as part of a team with our staff toward these goals." The award is given yearly to a deserving educator for his or her work in meeting the mental health and addiction needs of students, thus helping to improve academic achievement. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Ken Marks, who thinks of himself as just another member of the Pierre Fire Department, has nevertheless received the highest honor given by the department. He is this year's recipient of the Don Marso Award, named for the only Pierre firefighter to lose his life in the line of duty. Marks has been with the PFD for more than seven years and is heavily involved in department activities as is his wife, Gloria, with the auxiliary. Other award winners this year are Leon Ellis, Firefighter of the Year, and Matt Burtz, Rookie of the Year. Patrick Callahan was named an honorary firefighter for his work with the department's website and photography. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Terry Keller rolled a perfect 300 game on his first night of league bowling for the season at Lariat Lanes last week. Other 300 games so far this season at the Lariat have been bowled by Jeff Holden, A.J. Wald and Shauna Cunningham. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")

Peyton Zabel and Sydney Palmer, both of Pierre, competed in the Minnesota Vikings regional Punt, Pass & Kick team championship at the Metrodome on Sunday, qualifying to do so by earlier winning the local and regional PP&K competitions. Peyton won the 10-11-year-old boys division championship there, and Sydney won the 14-15-year-old girls division championship! Both were introduced on the field prior to the start of the Vikings-Broncos game. The top four point winners among the 32 NFL team champions will advance to the natinal finals of PP&K to be held at one of the NFL playoff game sites in January. The Zabels learned Monday that Peyton's score is not one of the four best in the nation, but Sydney at last report was still alive with her score standing second in the nation, pending results from several of the other NFL team sites which haven't held their regional finals yet.

Harold Ramse of Pierre spent Thanksgiving with his daughter and son-in-law, Vicki and Clint Blake, in Sioux Falls. Jim Andersen of Pierre accompanied Harold. They visit with some of Harold's siblings, saw the great-grandchildren and had a wonderful visit. Harold moved to ParkWood Apartments in Pierre in August. The Thanksgiving trip was his first venture out of town since his wife, Darlene, passed away in August.

Former long-time Pierre broadcaster Dean Sorenson sent a note the other day after reading Lance Nixon's Capital Journal story about Enid Hyde and her still living in the same home up on N. Grand Ave. for decades on end. He told me his "meeting Enid" story:
"Labor Day week of ’62 I moved to Pierre, immediately joining the Jaycees……………and one of our projects was selling and installing auto seatbelts. Just a new thing and not mandated on new cars yet…..but were getting popular. We’d go door to door selling them, and then on a certain night or two the buyers would show up at the Holiday Inn parking lot and we’d install.
I’m working the N. Grand area, it’s probably October, and dark quite early. I have no idea who Franklin/Enid Hyde are, or whose house I’m knocking on the door of. I’m standing outside in the dark, she opens the inside door……with the light behind her, and the dark porch between us. I only see the outline of this slender young-appearing lady, who sweetly greets me……………and I say “is your mother home this evening?” (reading the CJ article, she musta been 49 at that time) Enid was so tickled that I would think she was a younger lady………………..she insisted I come in and get acquainted. Needless to say my world was sweeter from that day forward, and we always enjoyed seeing each other."



It's a shame most Pierre people who enjoyed his writings for years don't see Terry Woster's columns any longer. His latest in the Mitchell Republic told of his reaction to Isaac (Boo) Vogel's last marathon run around the favorite places of his youth in Pierre. You can hopefully still find it at www.mitchellrepublic.com/event/article/id/59485/group/Opinion/



Sully Buttes High senior Herman Kleinsasser has verbally committed to attending South Dakota State next year and playing football for the Jackrabbits.



Casey Ortbahn is part of the Augustana College band, which will be part of the Christmas Extravaganza performed by some of the college's music groups at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls tonight.



One of the season's first photo Christmas cards arrived from Reid and Leah LeBeau, who live in Andover, a Twin Cities suburb. The photo shows them and their three beautiful boys---Rhett, 5; Luke, 2 1/2, and Owen, 1---in the woods alongside a creek somewhere up there.



We call your attention to the ABC-TV special next Wednesday night as Barbara Walters reveals her "10 Most Fascinating People of 2011." Considering that some of them are Donald Trump, Simon Cowell, and the Kardashians, as USA Today suggests, you may want to watch the re-runs of "White Christmas" on AMC instead. But Barbara's special will be on ABC at 8:30 p.m. CST.



Lari and Linda Ott left Pierre Nov. 29, and the snowbirds arrived in Gold Canyon, Ariz., on Dec. 1, ahead of the storms which crossed the region. They plan to fly back to South Dakota this weekend to be with Linda's mom and family for the holidays and attend their granddaughters' Christmas programs. They will return to Arizona on Dec. 28. "This year," Linda wrote last week, "we won't have to sit next to each other in the pickup, pulling a huge 5th-wheel behind us, on our wedding anniversary. Maybe we will even get to go out to dinner that day!"



Chad Grunewaldt and his dad, John, were hard at work yesterday afternoon, gutting the interior of a former fitness center in downtown Vermillion. The building, across the street from the post office, will by the end of the winter be the new home of Chad's bar, The Pressbox. The bar's former site was damaged in a fire three years ago.



At the state oral interpretation festival held in Pierre last weekend, Riggs High's Lydia Kanz earned a superior rating in the humorous division. Other Pierre contestants were Katherine Anderson in poetry, Abraham Kanz in serious plays, Adelyn Crabtree in serious prose, Benita Corcoran and Katherine Anderson in duets, Joey Knofczynski in non-original oratory, and Anderson, Crabtree, Corcoran, Abraham Kanz, Ryon Skaggs and Justin Oakland in readers' theatre.



Amy (Swenson) Einspahr continues to fight health issues, but if you know Amy, you also know she does indeed continue to fight. Her husband, Matt, has updated their Caring Bridge page, and it contains some interesting, yet scary, details on what Amy has been going through recently. The address is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amyeinspahr



Sports fans should take note of Season 2, a new online sports blog instituted by Rapid City writers Sam Hurst and Jake Nordbye to replace their former site, Inside Dakota Sports. They are both outstanding writers and journalists, and they cover Rapid City, Black Hills and South Dakota sports from a different angle than the daily papers do. It is free although they would welcome a few bucks in support to keep their newest venture afloat! The address is http://season-2.com.



FOOTBALL CONTEST


There were several high scores among our 11 contestants last week. Greg Dean in Pierre and Max Huber in St. Paul were tops at 9-1 with Erik Muckey in Vermillion, Dawn Magee in Pierre and Jason Noyes in Sioux Falls right behind at 8-2.

This week's games:
1. Army vs. Navy.
2. NFL: Houston @ Cincinnati.
3. NFL: Philadelphia @ Miami.
4. NFL: San Francisco @ Arizona.
5. NFL: Chicago @ Denver.
6. NFL: New York Giants @ Dallas.
7. NFL: New England @ Washington.
8. NFL: Kansas City @ New York Jets.
9. NFL: Atlanta @ Carolina.
10. NFL: New Orleans @ Tennessee.

CHRISTMAS AT THE CAPITOL ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, Dec. 8: noon to 1 p.m., Clearfield Colony Choir (Springfield).

Friday, Dec. 9: 5 to 6 p.m., Northern State University saxophone ensemble; 6 to 6:30 p.m., South Madison Street Blues (Pierre); 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Northern State University percussion ensemble.

Saturday, Dec. 10: 9:30 to 10 a.m., Chapter CS Saxes; 10 to 11 a.m., Voila! Music Studio and Noteworthy Studio (Huron); 11 a.m. to noon, Darrel Crocker vocals (Watertown); noon to 1 p.m., Sioux Falls Washington High School choirs, Melodia and Mad Scatters (directed by former Riggs High director Emily Danger); 1 to 2 p.m., Black Hills State University Chamber Singers; 2:30 to 3 p.m., Dakota Harmony Barbershop Chorus (Huron); 3 to 4 p.m., Haakon County Crooners (Philip); 4 to 4:30 p.m., Kim Jacobs and Carly Bowman piano; 4:30 to 5 p.m., Christina Hanson vocals (Fargo); 5 to 6 p.m., Jason Zehr guitar/vocals (Mitchell).

Sunday, Dec. 11: 10 to 11 a.m., L'Attitude, Shiloh Oorlog and Jerry Zins vocals (Sioux Falls); 1 to 2 p.m., Yankton Children's Chorus; 2 to 3 p.m., Die Deutsche Glieder Chapter of Germans From Russia Singers (Pierre); 3 to 4 p.m., Surprise Package vocal ensemble (Pierre).

Monday, Dec. 12: noon to 1 p.m., Riggs High School Concert Choir and Chamber Choir; 7 to 8:30 p.m., Donna Dettman piano students.

Tuesday, Dec. 13: noon to 1 p.m., Capital City Children's Chorus; 6:30 to 8 p.m., Joyce Goehring piano students.

IT'S PIE DAY AT THE CAPITOL SATURDAY

The 14th annual Pie Day, organized by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office, will be held on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Capitol in Pierre. Atty. Gen. Marty Jackley said the event will include free pie, cookies, coffee and ice cream. The public is invited to attend, enjoy the treats and take in the Christmas at the Capitol tree display. Area talent will be providing entertainment throughout the day.



Pie Day was originated by former Atty. Gen. Mark Barnett. Barnett had told Wasta polling place workers that state law makes it illegal to offer anything for voters like snacks or goodies-and organized the Pie Day as a peace offering. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")



PERSONAL NOTES



If you have some spare minutes at your keyboard this week, contribute to next week's Midweek Update by writing about one or more of these topics:



(1) Your most memorable Christmas.

(2) What you are looking forward to about this Christmas.

(3) What you would like to see occur this Christmas.



As always, send what you write to me at parker_knox@hotmail.com. Don't make me do all the work! Also send your news---weddings, new babies, new jobs, new locations, promotions, college graduations next week, where you'll be spending the holidays, etc. I dare you to fill my inbox.



THE WEEK'S BEST E-MAIL STORY



I pointed to two old guys sitting across the room from us and told my fellow Old Guy, "That's us in 10 years."

He said, "That's a mirror, you dip!"

INTERESTING ARTICLE ON PEARL HARBOR

Since yesterday was the 70th anniversary of Japan's attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, here is an interesting article forwarded to me by Tom Harmon:

Tour boats ferry people out to the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii every thirty minutes. We just missed a ferry and had to wait thirty minutes.. I went into a small gift shop to kill time. In the gift shop, I purchased a small book entitled, "Reflections on Pearl Harbor" by Admiral Chester Nimitz. Some information from that book:

Sunday, December 7th, 1941--Admiral Chester Nimitz was attending a concert in Washington D.C. He was paged and told there was a phone call for him. When he answered the phone, it was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the phone. He told Admiral Nimitz that he (Nimitz) would now be the Commander of the Pacific Fleet.

Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet. He landed at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941. There was such a spirit of despair, dejection and defeat--you would have thought the Japanese had already won the war. On Christmas Day, 1941, Adm. Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese.. Big sunken battleships and navy vessels cluttered the waters every where you looked.

As the tour boat returned to dock, the young helmsman of the boat asked, "Well Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?" Admiral Nimitz's reply shocked everyone within the sound of his voice. Admiral Nimitz said, "The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make, or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?"

Shocked and surprised, the young helmsman asked, "What do mean by saying the Japanese made the three biggest mistakes an attack force ever made?" Nimitz explained:

Mistake number one : the Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and been sunk--we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800.

Mistake number two : when the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking those battleships, they never once bombed our dry docks opposite those ships. If they had destroyed our dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of those ships to America to be repaired. As it is now, the ships are in shallow water and can be raised. One tug can pull them over to the dry docks, and we can have them repaired and at sea by the time we could have towed them to America. And I already have crews ashore anxious to man those ships.

Mistake number three : every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war is in top of the ground storage tanks five miles away over that hill. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed our fuel supply. That's why I say the Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make or God was taking care of America.

Plus, they should have followed up on their attack...


I've never forgotten what I read in that little book. It is still an inspiration as I reflect upon it. In jest, I might suggest that because Admiral Nimitz was a Texan, born and raised in Fredricksburg, Texas --he was a born optimist. But anyway you look at it--Admiral Nimitz was able to see a silver lining in a situation and circumstance where everyone else saw only despair and defeatism.

President Roosevelt had chosen the right man for the right job. We desperately needed a leader that could see silver linings in the midst of the clouds of dejection, despair and defeat.
 

Vol. 12, No. 13; Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011

PIERRE PLAYERS' 'A CHRISTMAS STORY' OPENS THIS WEEKEND

Everyone’s favorite Christmas story (excepting the original, of course) comes to life on the Pierre Players’ stage Dec.1-3 and 9-11. Jean Shepherd’s popular 1983 movie, set in 1938 in Hohman, Ind., was adapted as a play by Philip Grecian in 2000. The stage version loses none of the charm of the original as the audience revisits main character Ralphie’s ninth Christmas through the eyes of a much more mature Ralph who takes the audience down memory lane as the onstage narrator.

We follow Ralphie in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. He pleads his case before his mother, his teacher and even Santa Claus himself. The consistent response: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” All the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, including the family’s temperamental exploding furnace; the Old Man’s entertaining and inventive pseudo-swear words; Flick’s wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; the prized lamp shaped like a woman’s leg in a net stocking; Ralphie’s fantasy scenarios; and Scut Farkas, the bully. Don’t miss this heart-warming story of love, faith, and the dreams of children everywhere.

Sponsored in part by Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce and Todd Schuetzle's Dakota Properties, "A Christmas Story" will be staged at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday), Friday and Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 11. The box office telephone number is 224-7826.

LeeAnn Smith is director with Nancy Baker and Kathleen Currey as her assistants, and Scott Hipple is technical director. Cast members include Tim Walsh, Adam Peterson, Dan Bohman, Katie Duenwald, Gerrit Tronvold, Matthew Schnettler, Emily Nielson, Cade Hinkle, Shana Dvais, Brittani Show, Nolan Ortbahn, Jack Walsh, Pierce Shaffer, Tayne Bohman, Kirsten Griese, Hannah Schnettler and Mesa Winder.

RIGGS HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Gymnastics---Thursday, @ Huron with Stanley County, 6 p.m.
Wrestling---Saturday, @ Watertown 8-team dual tournament, 10 a.m.

Cross country: Postseason awards presented to Pierre Governors and Lady Govs cross-country athletes included the following. For the boys team, Michael Gobert, Billy Mills Award; Tyler Propst, most valuable; Matt Monfore, most improved; Andrew Leiferman, manager of the year. For the girls team, Rachel Propst, most valuable; Libby Gortmaker, hardest worker; Aspen Iverson, most improved; Katherine Van Gerpen, manager of the year.

Basketball: Boys and girls teams will have scrimmages Saturday morning at the two Riggs High gyms. At 9:30 a.m. the varsity/JV boys will scrimmage in the main gym, followed by the varsity/JV girls. At 9:30 in the auxiliary gym, the 9th/10th girls will scrimmage, followed by the 9th/10th boys. Price of admission is a donation of canned food goods.

PARAPROSDOKIANS #3

We never really grow up. We only learn how to act in public.

HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES THIS SATURDAY

The Community & Youth Involved Center of Fort Pierre will host its 26th annual Holiday Tour of Homes fund-raiser this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. Tour homes include those of Dean and Susie Beckwith, Frank and Deb Eich, Kevin Reinhart's Heartland Home and Murray and Jen Thompson, all on the Pierre side, and Rick and Dail Mollard in Fort Pierre.

Tour tickets are available at $10 each at American State Bank, all BankWest locations, Card & Candy and Hollywood Shop in Pierre and First National Bank and the C&YI Center in Fort Pierre. For all ticketholders complimentary coffee and cookies will be served from 12:30 to 4:30 at the Sutley Senior Citizens Center.

A salad lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Sutley Senior Citizens Center for $5 per person.

OTHER HOLIDAY EVENTS

* Friday, Dec. 2: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas celebration, Onida (Craft fair, 3 to 8 p.m.; business open houses; bake sale and soup lunch, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and supper, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; bake sale; Santa Claus; holiday parade.)
* Sunday, Dec. 4: Christmas on the Prairie concert, St. Anthony's Church, Hoven, 3 p.m. (Ticket information at www.hovensd.com or 605-948-2451 weekdays between 8:30 and noon or 1 and 5 p.m.)
* Sunday, Dec. 11: Sully Area Singers Christmas cantata.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, Dec. 1:
Kristin Rau, Shawn England, D.J. Stars.

Friday, Dec. 2:
Tyler Bryant, Cayden Jensen, Andrew Heymans.

Saturday, Dec. 3:
Louise Snodgrass, Brandon Cruse, James Lee, Shawn Ludemann, Hallie Holden, Porter Hunsley, Trey Redetzke, Jake Imsland.

Sunday, Dec. 4:
Matthew Dial, Glenda Woodburn, Chad Harris, Jesse Boyer, Andrea Calkins, Carmen Ziegler.

Monday, Dec. 5:
Elizabeth Stofferahn, Jill Rounds.

Tuesday, Dec. 6:
Sharon Starks, Jason Knox, Dan Johnson, Brianna Emerson, Isaac Williams, Danielle (Ryan) Schroeder.

Wednesday, Dec. 7:
Sam Shaw, Sarah Parker, Homer Harding, Jacob Severson, Alex Helbig.

110-CAR SHUTTLE TRAINS NOW COMING REGULARLY

A 110-car shuttle train made its debut trip to Onida on Monday, Nov. 14. Oahe Grain had ordered the train to haul Sully County farmers' corn to markets on the West Coast. This is the largest number of cars to ever visit Onida in one train.

The train belonging to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway came from Tacoma, Wash., making the trip in just five days.

"This is the first time BNSF has ever been in Sully County," said Oahe Grain manager Tom Luken.

Typically Oahe Grain crew members have two days to load out 75 cars. However, with this new shuttle train, crews have just 15 hours to load 110 cars. According to Luken, 440,000 bushels of grain were shipped out of Onida via those 110 cars.

"We'll see how well we can do loading it that quickly," he commented as the train arrived on Monday afternoon.

Eventually Oahe Grain will have the capability of probing and testing the cars all onsite, but as of now, Luken said that it's done out of Aberdeen.

The next BNSF train is scheduled to come to Onida on Dec. 16.

"I hope everyone will benefit from this (service)," Luken said. "We spent a lot on upgrades to serve our customers better today and in the future." (News courtesy of The Onida Watchman)

VOCABULARY #5

Dust: Mud with the juice squeezed out.

A NEW WAY TO HELP FLOOD VICTIMS

Oahe Long-Term Disaster Recovery Team (OLTDRT), along with Wireless World, announces a new wave in the fund-raising efforts to help the victims of last summer's devastating Missouri River flood. The Text2Give service is now available and will stay open through the spring.

Thanks to a generous donation from Wireless World in the Sioux Falls area and in Pierre, the fund-raising arm of the OLTDRT committee has established a Text2Give donation service.

By texting FLOOD to 85944, you can make a $10 donation to flood relief efforts. The $10 will be processed and charged to you on your next cellular phone bill. All area cell phone provider services are able to use this Text2Give program.

Money raised for flood relief will be disbursed through a system similar to those used by response teams from other disasters around the country. Trained case managers will be assigned to review each request for funds and work with those individuals requesting assistance. The funds are typically used when all other resources have been exhausted to meet any remaining unmet needs. Anyone in need of assistance should call the Flood Recovery Helpline at 605-224-1189.


STANLEY COUNTY HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Girls basketball---Tuesday, home vs. Sully Buttes, 6:30 p.m.
Gymnastics---Thursday, @ Huron with Pierre, 6 p.m.
Wrestling---Saturday, home for Stanley County Invitational, 9 a.m.

Football: Kyle Ricketts is the latest in a long line of All-State football players from Stanley County High School, stretching way back through the Dave Tate coaching years. Kyle was named to the Class 9AA All-State first-team as its center. Another Buffalo, Austin Lopour, earned honorable mention recognition on the All-State team.

Wrestling: In the season-opening quadrangular at Presho Tuesday night, the Buffaloes defeated Lyman, 42-39; defeated Todd County, 43-36, and tied Kimball-White Lake/Platte-Geddes, 42-42. Cody LaCompte, Cooper Carter and Daniel Slama all won all three of their matches for SCHS.

A PERSONAL REQUEST!

Even if you haven't had time all year to send in your and your family's personal news for the Midweek Update, your Christmas letter can serve that purpose!

If you send a Christmas letter to relatives and friends, please consider sending a copy to your Midweek Update editor, so we can incorporate some of your 2011 highlights in the "people news" section of the Update in weeks to come.

The address is: Parker Knox, 20 1/2 N. Willow St., Vermillion SD 57069.

WEDDING DAYS


April 13: Justin Jones/Theresa Frick.
May 19: Seth Parsons/Karae Englehart.
May 23: Maxx Vaudrin/Macy Gomes.
June 2: Eric Aadland/Angie Briguet.
June 9: Bret Graves/Caitie Wagner.
June 9: Christopher Dekker/Mallory Petersen.
June 16: Dominic Bottenfield/Abby Pitlick.
June 16: Chris Hoffman/Becky Barringer.
June 23: Jerid Maskovich/Jeanine Van Ash.
July 14: Gavin Van Zee/Samantha Hestdalen.
Aug. 31: Cody Stoeser/Cassie Rausch.
Oct. 19: Greg Barringer/Kayla Petersen.

RIGGS HIGH MUSICAL ONSTAGE NEXT WEEK

Riggs High School's winter musical, "Seussical," will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, Dec. 6 and 8. The performance includes many of the famous Seuss characters as they dance and sing their way through adventures in the Jungle of Nool.

The cast includes Justin Oakland as the boy who first discovers the magical hat which leads to The Cat in the Hat, Joey Knofcynski.
Others include the Horton the Elephant (Abraham Kanz), Gertrude McFuzz, the bird with the one feather tail (Adelyn Crabtree), the Whos of Whoville (Grant Erwin, Ryon Skaggs, Megan Holm, Savannah Jenkins, and Joni Willoughby); the mayor (Nick Johnson) and his wife (Megan Hanson), Mayzie La Bird (Rachel Howard), the Sour Kangaroo (Lydia Kanz) and the Citizens of the Jungle of Nool (Tanna Becker, Dylan Bennett, Kyra Bluestone, Tori Byer, Cassidy Fosheim, Alexandra Hillestad, Leandra Hoefener, Courtney Hagen, Haven Kenefick-Aschoff, Emily Ketteler, Allie Knofcyznski, Louis Mehlhaff, Matt Monfore, Jack Mortenson, Elizabeth Raecke, Kyle Sarringar, Lucas Schochenmaier, Joe Schueller, Madeline Schueller, Kat Schuetzle, Tory Snyder, Joe Tetzlaff, Cassidy Trapp Ashley Zimmerman).

Directors are Hyrma Zakahi, Rodd Bauck and Bethany Amundson. Former Pierre resident Robyn Starks Holcomb, now of the Dance Gallery in Sioux Falls, is the choreographer. Dances were taught by dance captains Tanna Becker and Madeline Schueller. They will be featured in a song that they choreographed. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")


DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT? #6

Outside a second-hand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING---BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

COUNTDOWN


2 days: Community & Youth Involved Center's Holiday Tour of Homes (Dec. 3).
10 days: Capital City Children's Chorus' "A Ceremony of Carols" (Dec. 11).
39 days: BCS national championship college football game (Jan. 9).
63 days: State one-act play festival, Aberdeen (Feb. 2-4).
64 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 5).
78 days: State gymnastics tournament, Brookings (Feb. 17-18).
85 days: State wrestling tournaments (B Rapid City, A Aberdeen) (Feb. 24-25).
87 days: The Academy Awards (Feb. 26).
98 days: State girls basketball tournaments (B Huron, A Spearfish, AA Brookings) (March 8-10).
99 days: State boys varsity hockey tournament, Expo Center (March 9-11).
105 days: State boys basketball tournaments (B Aberdeen, A Sioux Falls, AA Rapid City) (March 15-17).
112 days: All-State Band, Brookings (March 22-24).
127 days: Twins' season opener at Baltimore (April 6).
162 days: Co-ed charity softball tournament, Four Corners (May 11-13).
168 days: State boys tennis tournament, Rapid City (May 17-19).
172 days: State golf tournaments (B boys and B girls Rapid City, A girls Hot Springs, AA girls Sioux Falls) (May 21-22).
176 days: State track meets (B Rapid City, A Spearfish, AA Sturgis) (May 25-26).
187 days: South Dakota primary election day (June 5).
190 days: South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion (June 8-10).
239 days: Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, London (July 27).
270 days: Republican National Convention, Tampa (Aug. 27-30).
277 days: Democratic National Convention, Charlotte (Sept. 3-6).
341 days: General election day (Nov. 6, 2012).
352 days: Renewal of USD-SDSU football rivalry (Nov. 17, 2012).
799 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Sochi, Russia (Feb. 7, 2014).


SULLY BUTTES HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Wrestling---Saturday, @ Stanley County Invitational, 9 a.m.
Girls basketball---Tuesday, @ Stanley County, 6:30 p.m.

Football: Two Charger seniors were named to the Class 9B All-State football first team. Running back Herman Kleinsasser, who also was All-State last season when Sully Buttes was in Class 9A, was named to the offensive team. He had 1306 yards rushing, 16 touchdowns and 11 conversions this season despite missing two games due to injury. Defensive end Jalen Lamb is the other first-team All-Stater, based on 58 solo tackles and 35 assisted tackles despite the fact that most teams ran away from his side of the field.

Volleyball: Two Charger players, Taylor Hackett and Jaymi Schultz, were named to the Yellowstone Trail Conference's all-conference volleyball team.

WORDS TO NOT LIVE BY #5

Always remember you are unique. Just like everyone else.

FLOOD DELAYS OPENING OF NEW HOTEL, RESTAURANT


Water, specifically flood water, has delayed the opening of the new Pierre Clubhouse Hotel and Suites.



The facility, which has about 80 guest rooms and suites, a restaurant and 3,500 feet of conference meeting space, has been under construction since last year. It is located on west Sioux Avenue, near the current Ramkota Hotel and Ramkota Convention Center.



Regency Hotel Management, which also owns the Ramkota Hotel, had planned to open the facility by the start of the legislative session in January. But Regency Hotel Management board chairman David Sweet said the flood forced construction delays for many of the crew members and contractors. Sweet said the restaurant, RedRossa Italian Grill, could now open in January, but the rest of the hotel will likely open in late February or early March.



Despite not opening as early as expected, Sweet said the public will still enjoy the hotel, the suites and other features such as the courtyard. When the project was announced, officials said the new facility would employ 50 to 100 people with more than $8 million expected in new construction. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")


HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Oahe Capitals boys varsity: The league season begins this weekend when the Capitals head east. They will play in Brookings Friday (JVs 5:30; varsity 8:00) and in Sioux Falls Saturday (JVs 11:30, varsity 1:30). At the Rooster Cup tournament in Huron last weekend, the Capitals came home with a 3-1 record, defeating Vincent Massey of Brandon, Manitoba, 6-1; Deloraine of Manitoba, 3-1, and Grand Forks, 5-4, and losing to Thunder Bay, Ontario, 9-4. Kyle Mammenga was goalkeeper for the first and third games and Alex Meagher the other two. Austin Wagner had nine goals for the weekend, including a hat trick against Grand Forks, and one of his goals was the game-winner in that contest. Andrew Leif and Cash Anderson scored three times apiece and Joel Jochim, Alex Norwick and James Gilkerson once each.

Other Oahe Hockey Association games this coming weekend:

Friday: girls JVs @ Yankton, 7:45 p.m.; PeeWee A @ Fargo tournament.

Saturday: girls JVs @ Yankton, 7:45 p.m.; PeeWee A @ Fargo tournament; PeeWee B @ Mitchell, 9:30 a.m.; Squirts games at home---11 a.m., Oahe B vs. Mitchell Black; 1 p.m., Oahe C vs. Mitchell White; 3 p.m., Oahe B vs. Mitchell White; 5 p.m., Oahe C vs. Mitchell Black.

Sunday: girls JVs @ Yankton, 11 a.m.; PeeWee A @ Fargo tournament; PeeWee B home vs. Huron, noon.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Dakota State swimming (Jim McLain, Morgan McLain, Alex McLain): Jackrabbit swimmers compete next at the Falcon Invitational in Minneapolis Friday and Saturday. Their meet at USD was postponed because of dangerous travel conditions last month and has been rescheduled for Dec. 10.

Black Hills State basketball (Kristi Ryan, Bailiey Kusser, Logan Cowan): Highmore High School claims three alumni on the BHSU women's basketball roster. Kristi is a senior and the other girls freshmen. In a season-opening tournament at the College of the Ozarks in Missouri, Kristi was named tournament MVP and a member of the all-tournament team. She had a career-high 27 points in one game there and 12 rebounds in the tournament. BHSU later defeated Chadron State, 68-55, as Ryan had 11 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, Cowan a rebound and Kusser two points, one rebound and one assist. Last weekend BHSU lost a pair of games in Rapid City to Morningside, 69-58, and to Lindenwood (Mo.), 69-62. Kristi had 17 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks vs. Morningside and 14 points, four boards and two steals in the other game. BHSU hosts Dickinson State Friday night.

South Dakota swimming (Marcus Christianson): The Coyotes swim at the Falcon Invitational in Minneapolis this weekend. Their postponed home dual against SDSU has been rescheduled for Dec. 10.

Presentation football (Tate Rinehart): Tate, freshman offensive lineman from Onida, was named to the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) all-conference second team.

Black Hills State football (Devin Rounds): An All-Dakotas Transition Team was selected by coaches of the School of Mines, Black Hills State, the University of Sioux Falls and Minot State, four schools which are in that never-neverland between NAIA and NCAA Division II. This sort-of all-conference team included BHSU's junior kicker, Devin Rounds of Pierre, as its second-team special-teams kicker.

Purdue basketball (Sam Ostarello): The Fort Pierre junior is a starter for unbeaten Purdue, now 6-0. Purdue beat Bowling Green, 54-53, as Sam had six rebounds, two blocks and one steal although not scoring. In a 65-39 win over Tennessee-Martin she had 13 points (10 in the second half), three rebounds, an assist and a steal. In a 76-49 win over Chicago State Sam had eight points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. In a 61-48 win over Tulsa, she had nine pints, 10 rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist. And in an overtime 46-42 win over Kansas State, Sam had seven points and 11 rebounds. The Boilermakers have a tough assignment tonight (Thursday) at Duke, then host Texas A&M Sunday. The Sunday game can be seen on the Big Ten Network at 11 a.m. CST.

Augustana basketball: The Viking men defeated St. Martin's (Wash.), 70-54, and lost to Western Oregon on its home court, 60-58, in Monmouth, Ore., two weekends ago. They returned home to whip Dakota State, 83-69, behind 22 points each from Cody Schilling and Drae Murray and 12 from Leif Nomeland.

Black Hills State basketball (Mitch Foth): The Onida freshman hasn't seen varsity action yet. BHSU lost at Colorado Mines, 87-56, and at Metro State in Denver, 69-51. The Yellowjackets defeated Chadron State, 85-70; lost to Great Falls, 77-61, and lost to Dordt, 86-74. BHSU is home this weekend against Dickinson State and Rocky Mountain.

South Dakota State basketball (Katie Lingle, Steph Paluch): The Jackrabbits lost at Middle Tennessee State, 59-49, as Katie was 3-of-6 from the field and 0-for-4 at the stripe for six points with five rebounds, one block and two steals. Steph was 0-for-7 from the field, 3-of-5 from the line for three pints with four rebounds, one assist and two steals. SDSU returned home to beat Washington State of the PAC-12, 63-58. Steph had a career-high eight assists along with a steal, three rebounds and six points while Katie had eight rebounds, eight points, a steal and an assist. At Cancun, Mexico, SDSU lost twice. A humbling loss to Cincinnati of the Big East saw SDSU score only four points in the entire first half en route to a 55-22 loss. Katie had two rebounds and two steals while Steph had four points and two rebounds. SDSU also lost to Marist (N.Y.), 57-49. In that one Katie was 3-of-6 in field goals and 2-of-4 in free throws for eight points and four rebounds, and Steph was 2-of-9 and 2-of-2 for eight points, two assists and two rebounds. Last night the Jackrabbits cruised to victory in their Summit League season opener, 82-56 at Western Illinois. Both Pierre girls were in the starting lineup again. Katie had six points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals, and Steph had nine points, four rebounds and three steals. Now 4-3 overall and 1-0 in the Summit, SDSU continues league play Friday at IUPUI, then plays non-conference ball Tuesday at Arkansas-Little Rock.

South Dakota basketball (Alexis Yackley): The Coyote women whipped Northern Arizona in their season opener, 73-56, as Alexis had a career-high 12 assists along with six points, four rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. SDSU won in overtime at Creighton, 56-53, as Alexis scored 14 points, including eight during a 10-0 Coyote run in the first half, along with three assists and two steals. After Tempestt Wilson's field goal gave USD a 55-53 lead with 39 seconds left, Alexis blocked a Creighton three-point shot and USD got the rebound, and later a free throw, to salt away the huge win in Omaha. On Sunday USD rolled to a 24-0 lead to start the game in beating Viterbo of LaCrosse, Wis., 82-34. Alexis had six points, eight assists and five steals. On Monday night it was a similar blowout as the Coyotes led Tabor College of Kansas 46-8 at halftime en route to a 94-16 win. Alexis was 3-of-5 from the field for six points with a rebound, three assists and two steals. She and the other starters played less time than the reserves off the bench as Coach Ryun Williams did his best to hold down the mounting USD score. USD opens its first season of Summit League play tonight at IPFW and Saturday at Oakland (Mich.). Next Wednesday the Coyotes return to their non-conference schedule at Northern Iowa.

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyler Sarringar, Dusty Paulsen): The Tigers lost a dual to St. Olaf, 24-15. Dusty lost his match at 141 pounds, 7-0, and Tyler lost his 174-pound match, 9-6. DWU hosts Morningside for a dual Friday.

Princeton hockey (Matt Farris): Matt did not play in a 4-0 loss at Cornell but was back in the lineup the next night at Colgate where the Tigers lost 4-1. Last weekend in Denver, Princeton lost to Denver University, 3-0, but defeated Providence, 3-1. Now 3-7-1, Princeton is home in league play this weekend against Rensselaer and Union.

South Dakota men's basketball: The Coyotes defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 83-81, as sophomore Trevor Gruis sank two free throws with seven seconds left. He scored 15 points, Louie Krogman 16 and Charlie Westbrook 15. USD lost at Wyoming, 67-56, as Westbrook and Krogman each scored 13 and Steve Tecker 11. On Monday USD defeated Tabor College (Kan.), 69-63, for Coach Dave Boots' 600th career win. Westbrook had 21 points, Gruis 17 and Krogman 13 points with six assists. The Coyotes begin Summit League play tonight at Oakland and Saturday at IPFW.

South Dakota State men's basketball: The Jackrabbits won all three games in a tournament at Macon, Ga. They defeated Niagara, 79-71, as Nate Wolters scored 23, Tony Fiegen 14 and Griffan Callahan 13. SDSU whipped Sam Houston State, 77-60, behind Callahan's 21 and Wolters' 15. SDSU then beat host school Mercer, 74-61, as Wolters scored 16 and Fiegen 13. The Jacks lost at Nebraska, 76-64, despite a career-high 25 points from Callahan. Now 4-3, SDSU begins Summit League play tonight at IUPUI and Saturday at Western Illinois. On Tuesday the Jacks host Southwest Minnesota State in non-conference play.

Dakota Wesleyan basketball (Liz Lamb): The Tiger women lost to Briar Cliff, 96-70, as Liz was 3-of-11 from the field for eight points with three assists and two steals. In a 78-46 win over York (Neb.) she was 3-of-9 and 2-of-2 for eight points with a steal and four assists. DWU is at Hastings Saturday, home Monday against Dakota State and at Morningside next Wednesday.

Mount Marty basketball (Alexa Berg): The Lancer women lost to St. Mary's, 73-67 and to Concordia (Neb.) 67-61. Alexa in the latter game had 10 points and three assists. In a 69-63 win over Dordt, she was 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from the line for 17 points with five rebounds. MMC lost at Augustana, 84-44, as Alexa had five rebounds. Mount Marty is at Doane Saturday.

Mount Marty basketball (Spencer Yackley): The Lancer men defeated Concordia (Neb.), 61-51, as Spencer had 16 points, six rebounds and some decisive blocks. Concordia crawled to within one point, but Spencer scored with 1:21 left to keep the Lancers in the lead. In an 85-70 loss to Dordt, Spencer was 4-of-7 and 4-of-6 for 12 points. Last night the Lancers, trailing at one point by 78-62, rallied to within 79-76 with a 14-1 run, but lost at Northwestern, 80-76. Spencer had 11 points. MMC, now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the GPAC, plays at Doane Saturday.

ELKS AGAIN STUFFING STOCKINGS FOR STATE VETERANS HOME

Members of the Pierre Elks Lodge No. 1953 have begun their annual stocking stuffer Christmas program, which provides Christmas presents at the Veterans Administration Medical Center and the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs.



Items needed include white underwear, socks, sweat clothes, disposable razors, music CD’s, DVD movies, books and prepaid phone cards. Wrapped gifts to men and women also are welcomed.



Collection boxes are located at the American State Bank, all BankWest Pierre locations, Home Federal Savings Bank, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, all First National Bank locations in Pierre-Fort Pierre, Dakota State Bank in Pierre and Blunt, Dakota Prairie Bank in Fort Pierre, Draper and Presho, Oahe Federal Credit Union, Dakota Plains Federal Credit Union, VFW Post No. 2038, American Legion Post 8, Pierre Senior Citizens Center, the Zonta Club/Women’s Club, Oahe Inc./Aktion Club, Morris, Inc., Linn Medical Clinic, New Life Assembly of God Church, the National Guard Building, the Hughes County Courthouse and the Elks office.



Collections will continue through Dec. 16. Items will be delivered before Christmas. For more information, call Jerry Wattier at 224-5825 (work) or 224-8158 (home). (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")


A STORY

"Oh, I sure am happy to see you!" the little boy said to his grandmother on his mother's side. "Now maybe Daddy will do the trick he has been promising us."

The grandmother was curious. "What trick is that?" she asked.

"I heard him tell Mommy that he would climb the walls if you came to visit!" he replied.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE HELPS SWELL FLOOD RELIEF FUND

The ecumenical Thanksgiving service held in Pierre on Nov. 20 collected $1,082.97 for flood relief. A free-will donation was taken during the buffalo burger dinner held after the service. The money will go to the Oahe Long-Term Flood Relief Fund.



Father Mark McCormick, who is chairman of the Oahe Long-Term Unmet Needs Committee, said more than $106,000 has already been raised. He said the committee is reviewing 74 applications for assistance, having already awarded funds to from 10 to 12 applicants.

McCormick said there are many flood-impacted residents who have long-term needs and that it will take months to address them all.



About 200 people attended the meal. The thanksgiving service and dinner held at First United Methodist Church were hosted by the Pierre-Fort Pierre Ministerium. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")


PEOPLE NEWS


Jessica Lentz, a senior at Sully Buttes High School, was crowned Sully County Snow Queen for 2012 at the pageant in Onida recently. The Junior Snow Queen is Dannale Norris, a freshman at SBHS. Both will enter state competitions in Aberdeen in January.

The Christmas concert at the University of South Dakota, featuring all choral and instrumental music ensembles, will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday in Aalfs Auditorium at Slagle Hall. Pierre people involved include Jenna Feiler, Anthony Hunt, Carter Howard and Parker Knox. The entire concert will be taped by South Dakota Public Television for broadcast statewide on Christmas Eve.

Baseball can't be too far away if the American Legion Post 8 baseball-benefit breakfasts are beginning again! The first of this season will be served from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Legion cabin. It's an all-you-can-eat breakfast for just $3 or however much you wish to contribute beyond that for the benefit of the Post 8 baseball programs.

Riggs High senior Michael Hardwick has signed with Dakota Wesleyan University where he will play soccer for the Tigers starting next fall when he goes to college.

Georgia Morse Middle School band director Kerry Freidel has a new business. Pierre Music Guitar Shop opened in June at 103 E. Capitol Ave. He gives guitar lessons there, but the shop also handles such merchandise as guitars, keyboards, pianos, song books, drumsticks, harmonicas, etc.

Former Pierre resident Clint Harris, who directed the South Dakota Lottery while he lived here, retired last Wednesday after seven years as director of the Minnesota Lottery. At a ceremony and reception in his honor, the president of the Minnesota Twins was on hand to present Clint with a personalized Twins jersey, and Governor Pawlenty sent a recognition letter.

Arden Rapp wasn't able to be home in Pierre to spend Thanksgiving with his family since he has been in Virginia working for FEMA, doing earthquake damage assessments. He will, however, be home before his 70th birthday on Dec. 11, so all the Rapps can celebrate that occasion together.

Thanks to Becky Barringer, we have an update on news from her family, and there's a lot to report! For starters, there will be three weddings and a baby in 2012! Becky became engaged last April to Chris Hoffman (Riggs '00), and they are planning a June 16 wedding in Pierre. Becky still works as a transportation planning engineer for the state Department of Transportation, but she no longer works as a part-time teller at BankWest. Chris keeps busy working with his father in their concrete construction business, Hoffman Construction, while hunting and fishing a lot. The older Barringer brother, Dan, recently became engaged to Brandi Trautman (Riggs '01). Dan works for Nabors Drilling in the North Dakota oil fields, working two weeks on then taking two weeks off. He enjoys those two weeks of hunting and fishing off! Brandi has a 7-year-old daughter, Chloe, and she and Dan are expecting a baby boy in February. They are planning on having a wedding ceremony in January but will have a reception later in the year. Younger brother Greg Barringer recently became engaged to Kayla Petersen (Lyman High School '08), and they are planning an Oct. 19 wedding in Pierre next fall, the day before opening day of pheasant season. Greg says that is no big deal since you can't hunt till Saturday noon anyway. Greg also works in the oil fields for Nabors Drilling. He spends most of his free time with his 3-year-old son Kristopher and helping out on Kayla's family farm near Vivian. Kayla is a cosmetologist at the Headquarters Salon in Fort Pierre, and Greg and Kayla recently purchased their first home in Vivian.

Small world department: As I cashed a check in a local bank in Vermillion the other day, the teller behind the counter proved to be Pierre native and Riggs graduate Jeremy Adams' mother-in-law. I learned from her that Jeremy and his wife and their little boy---cute as a bug's ear---live in Iowa City.

Former Pierre resident Kiel Ford's wedding photo was in Sunday's Argus Leader. Kiel was married on June 24 to Emily Auch in Sioux Falls. They are living in Elk River, Minn., in the suburban area north of Minneapolis. Emily graduated from SDSU with a degree in biology, and Kiel graduated there with a mechanical engineering degree. He works as a mechanical engineer for Xcel Energy. His parents are former Pierre residents Marc and Sue Ford of Sioux Falls.

The Knox kids---including Jason and his wife Allison and son Parker of Rapid City; Ryan of Tucson, Ariz.; Heather and son Dylan of Rapid City, and Holly and her husband Nathan Perli and daughters Olivia and Audrey of Rapid CIty---were all in Sioux Falls for Thanksgiving and to attend the wedding Saturday of their cousin, Michael Knudson of Sioux Falls, to Kylie Sutton, a native of Flandreau. Heather and Holly were two of Kylie's three personal attendants, and Jason and Ryan both sang during the wedding ceremony at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.

Danielle (Ryan '03) and Paul Schroeder, a native of Miller, who were married on Oct. 15, live in Sioux Falls. Paul works in the IT division for Avera Health, and Danielle is a nurse on the ICU floor at Sanford while attending graduate school to become a nurse practitioner.

In case you missed it, the Pierre Capital Journal two weeks ago had a wonderful story on long-time resident Enid Hyde and the house she has called home for many decades. Find it at this link:
http://www.capjournal.com/news/keeping-house/article_c85a726c-0f20-11e1-bc5c-001cc4c002e0.html

In fact, Lance Nixon has had several great stories since joining the Capital Journal as its new managing editor. Another concerned Isaac "Boo" Vogel ('98), who, after learning his parents, Mike and Diana, are planning to move from Pierre to be closer to grandchildren (and children, I suppose!), decided to run a last marathon, 26.2 miles, in the city of Pierre, passing by some of the places that meant a lot to him as he was growing up and going to school in Pierre. Nixon's story on Isaac was in last Friday's Capital Journal. Titled "Bittersweet Farewell," you can try to find it on the newspaper's website at www.capjournal.com.

Our sympathy to the family of Marilyn England, who passed away Nov. 21 at the age of 82 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Services will be held at a later time. Her daughters are Joan England and Jean Mertens, and her son is Curt England.

Congratulations to John Burchill, who received the Doug Koester Officials Award presented during the football championships in Vermillion last month. The award for excellence in sports officiating and community service is named for the late Doug Koester, who himself was a sports official who lived in Pierre until his untimely death in 1988 while officiating a state championship football game. John has officiated football for 39 years, basketball for 28 years and softball for 26 years. You can find a story about John by Lance Nixon on the Capital Journal's website at www.capjournal.com.

Fort Pierre native Donny Kuper and his wife Abby are the parents of a daughter, Gracie Lee, who was born on her dad's 30th birthday Nov. 27, weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces. The Kupers live in Sioux Falls.

LeighAnn Dunn will graduate from the University of South Dakota on Dec. 17 with a master of arts degree in special education.

On Facebook this week Heather Mangan, who has begun a term as a Peace Corps volunteer in the African nation of Lesotho, posted her mail address, hoping for letters from friends back home (or anywhere else!). Her address is: Heather Mangan, PCV P.O. Box 264, Machache 130 Lesotho.

Nick Johnson, who is on deployment with the 200th Engineer Company in Afghanistan, was home for two weeks of R&R over Thanksgiving. His wife is the former Mallori Barnett.

Riggs High School's delegate to next summer's Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation state seminar will be Tatum Richards. Blake Dean was selected as alternate.

Long-time Pierre resident Cal Pottratz died Nov. 26 at Maryhouse at the age of 88. Services were held Wednesday at Trinity Episcopal Church. Our sympathy to his children---Louise (and Jim) Coull, Lynn (and Walt) Bixler, Nancy Kennedy, Laura (and Gary) Waack, Bob (and Mary) Pottratz and Ruth (and Ken) Miller and all of their families.

Dennis and Joyce Williams have been spending a lot of fall weekends on the road. They made it to three of their oldeset grandson's football games at Minnesota-Crookston where he is a freshman. He scored his first touchdown against defending Division II national champion Minnesota-Duluth. The Williamses also made it to one of their oldest granddaughter's hockey games. She has scored in every game so far and scored a hat trick in one of them. They also made it to Sioux Falls for 4 1/3 performances of "Barefoot in the Park" at Sioux Empire Community Theatre where son John and daughter-in-law Laura had the lead roles. (They were late one time and saw onlyl the third act!) In September Dennis and Joyce went on a seven-day Caribbean cruise with John and Laura, then two weeks later Joyce went to Hawaii for nine days with her 89-year-old mother and sister-in-law. All of the Williams family were home in Pierre for Thanksgiving except Chris and wife Lindsey since Lindsey had to work. They will all be together for Christmas (at New Year's time) at Paul and Christie Williams' home in Minnesota. Small World Dept.: While on the cruise, Joyce saw a woman wearing a University of Sioux Falls shirt. It turned out her son had been in John's class at USF. And at Volcano National Park in Hawaii, Joyce met a brother and sister who grew up in Milbank. Following up on my earlier column about whether to speak or not to speak to people you pass on the sidewalk, Joyce says, "Say hello because you never know who you are going to meet!"

Area singers participating in the chorus at the "Christmas on the Prairie" concert at St. Anthony's Church in Hoven this Sunday include Gene Weischedel, Marla Mosiman, Rodd Bauck, Karen Duenwald, Katie Duenwald, Larry Johnson, Michael Pangburn, Mary Ellen Garrett, Diane Kehrwald, Ben Orsbon, Kristi Vensand-Hall and Lauras Mehlhaff. Local students performing there with the Northern State University Chamber Singers include Michelle Monroe, Brandon Sieck and Megan Snow.

Long-time Pierre resident Lois Pier, who was perhaps best-known locally as the Welcome Wagon lady for many years, died Nov. 29 in Mesa, Ariz., at the age of 87. Services were held there Monday. She was a native of Highmore and was married to Jack Pier for more than 69 years. In addition to her husband, she is survived by son Jerry Pier in Pierre, daughter Sherilyn Turner in Arizona, son Don Pier in Oregon; grandchildren Craig Smith in Arizona, Laurel Smith Garland in California, Kristin Smith Shitara in Japan, Jon Pier in New Mexico, Jac Pier in New Mexico, Amy Pier Johnson in Montana and Chapin Pier in Oregon, and nine great-grandchildren.


NEOLOGISMS #2

The Washington Post published the winning submissions in its yearly neologism contest in which readers supplied alternative meanings for common words. This week's:

* Flabbergasted (adj.): Appalled over how much weight you have gained.

Also, The Post asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter and supply a new definition. This week's:

* Giraffiti (n.): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Iowa Energy: Riggs High and North Dakota State alumnus Michael Tveidt made the 10-man roster of the Iowa Energy, the Des Moines-based team in the NBA's Developmental League. The Energy opened their season with a 100-82 win over Canton, Ohio, and a 117-105 loss to the Skyforce in Sioux Falls. Michael played a total of 37 minutes, hitting six of 12 field-goal attempts for 12 points and garnering nine rebounds and one assist in those two games. Yesterday in a day game in Texas, Iowa lost to Rio Grande Valley, 134-108. Michael saw 18 minutes of action, going 0-for-2 from the field. He had one rebound and one blocked shot. Now 1-2, the Energy plays at Rio Grande Valley again tonight (Thursday), then will be home against Erie, Pa., Saturday and Sunday. The next time the Energy plays in Sioux Falls will be back-to-back on Jan. 6-7.

FIRST SNOWFALL WAS A RECORD-SETTER

Saturday, Nov. 19, was a record-setting day for snow in Pierre three different times.

The National Weather Service said the 9.5 inches of snow that fell that day set a record for any Nov. 19, breaking the old mark of 2.7 inches set in 1947. That amount also set a record for the greatest one-day snowfall in November, topping the previous record of eight inches on Nov. 9, 1998, and tied on Nov. 25, 2001. And the snowfall, when it melted to water, also set a new record in that category---.57 of an inch broke the previous record of .20 set in 1985. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

WORK YOUR SIOUX FALLS TRIP AROUND THE SYMPHONY

One of South Dakota's most unappreciated treasures, outside of the immediate Sioux Falls area, is the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Have you considered making your Sioux Falls trip for appointments or shopping some weekend when the Symphony has a concert scheduled at the Washington Pavilion?

Next event will be the Holiday Collage concerts on the evenings of Dec. 9-10 and the afternoon of Dec. 11. Special guests and holiday cheer join the orchestra for a wonderful family event.

The symphony's classical season continues on the evening of Jan. 14 as Maestro Delta David Gier leads the orchestra through Mahler's powerful 7th Symphony.

On Feb. 4 21-year-old Benjamin Beilman performs Jennifer Higdon's Violin Concerto, and the symphony also performs Brahms' 4th symphony.

On Feb. 25-26 the magnificent voice of mezzo soprano Margaret Lattimore returns to perform "From Everlasting to Everlasting" and the symphony plays two Ravel pieces as well as Mozart's Jupiter Symphony.

The symphony's pops series resumes March 10 with the music of ABBA!

There are many other programs yet to come during this 2011-12 season. For further information go to www.sdsymphony.org or call 605-335-7933 or 866-681-7376.

CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREES ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, Dec. 1: Noon to 1 p.m., Avon High School choir.; 5:30 to 6 p.m., Greenleaf Church, Miller.
Friday, Dec. 2: Noon to 1 p.m., White River High School choir; 5 to 6 p.m., Rapid City Christian School; 7 to 8 p.m., pianist Priscilla Hofer.
Saturday, Dec. 3: 11 a.m. to noon, Herreid High School choir and band; 1:30 to 3 p.m., Karen Huebner piano students; 3 to 5 p.m., Plainsfolk; 7 to 8 p.m., pianist Priscilla Hofer; 8 to 9 p.m., vocalist/pianist Sandra Kern Mollman (Vermillion).
Sunday, Dec. 4: 1 to 2 p.m., Nordic Nimble Fest, Brookings; 4 to 5 p.m., USD horn ensemble.
Monday, Dec. 5: 6 to 7 p.m., pianist Rep. Susan Wismer, Britton; 7 to 8 p.m., Michelle, Blaine and Madison Humann (piano, vocals, baritone, flute).
Tuesday, Dec. 6: 6 to 7 p.m., Huron High School orchestra; 7 to 8 p.m., pianist Donna Dettman.
Wednesday, Dec. 7: Noon to 1 p.m., Harrisburg High School choir and band.
Thursday, Dec. 8: Noon to 1 p.m., Clearfield Colony choir, Springfield.

STATE TREE IS A MEANINGFUL ONE TO ITS DONORS

The really big tree in the state Capitol Rotunda this holiday season is a special tree to the Justin and Melissa Flottmeyer family. The 35-foot blue spruce which has been designated as the South Dakota tree came from the Flottmeyer home on Buffalo Street in Pierre.



Melissa (Moore) Flottmeyer said the tree was going to be removed anyway for landscaping purposes. She said her husband thought it would be nice to donate the tree to the display.



What also makes it special is that Justin won't be home for the holidays because he is part of the South Dakota National Guard's 200th Engineer Company stationed in Afghanistan. Melissa said that, with the help of Skype, Justin was able to watch the tree being cut down last month.



The two-story tree is considered by some organizers to be one of the widest trees ever used in the display. It took crews about two hours to move the tree into the Capitol. It was then decorated by members of the Central South Dakota RSVP. Melissa Flottmeyer said her two children are getting a big kick out of having their tree part of the Capitol Christmas tree display. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")



RUNNING ON FUMES

(From the November newsletter of Countryside Hospice, Inc.)



Recently an individual called our office. They had a specific reason for calling, but the conversation soon moved to a year in review for the caller. As I listened, they told me of the physical and emotional issues that have cluttered the days and weeks. Family concerns, personal health, flood relocation and more have demanded not only emotional attention but created financial concerns as well. As they talked I made a list and a mental note---each and every day as we talk with people on the phone or meet them face to face, we need to remember that we have no idea what they are carrying around. The people who seem preoccupied, upset or just plain cranky may have very good reason. Unless we have the opportunity to really listen to their stories, we will never know.



Many people in our community are running on fumes. The floodwaters have receded, but the flood is not over and will not be for quite awhile. It has changed our community forever, and as the recovery phase continues, there will be for many relief and hope but for others just plain exhaustion. And as if that is not enough, we have everyday life filled with unexpected concerns and events. Life can be tough.



Please take care as the holidays approach. Excuse yourself from any activities that drain you emotionally or financially. Do what is important for your family, even if it is a break in tradition. This may be the year for fewer gifts and paper instead of china, or it may be the year for the biggest tree ever. Get a jumpstart on the things that you want to do and enlist help. 2012 is right around the corner---hopefully it will be a better year.


ADULT TRUTHS #2

Was learning cursive really necessary?

A BIT SELF-SERVING BUT A WONDERFUL E-MAIL NEVERTHELESS

How sweet it was to receive this e-mail from Janet and Jerry Eaton on the day before Thanksgiving!

"OK, this is the year! We are the parents of Mike Eaton, Class of '99, and Nicole, '96, and Bryon, '94. Every year at this time we look forward to your Thanksgiving column. In fact, I have copies of all of them since 2000! And that one is a copy of the article from the newspaper. I know what you are thinking. It was a difficult move from Pierre as that is where our kids spent most of their school years. We had subscribed to the Capital Journal for a time after we moved to Huron. Then each year when it was included, I made a copy from the Midweek Update. Again, I know. I worked at the church in Huron and kept the copies in a file. Whenever I was having a trying day, they were right there. So as I was printing your Thanksgiving reflections again this year, I decided I could no longer put it off. Every year I would think I should really tell Parker thank you, but he has no idea who we are! But this year, it doesn't seem to matter. You need to know how you make a difference. And so today as we leave Rapid City (we moved here in '05 after Jerry's year in Iraq) for our Thanksgiving trip to family east river, we have our copy printed, and we will again read it as we travel. We are always on the road headed somewhere for the holiday, and so we save it for the car ride. And this year since two of our three kids will be with us, I am bringing the whole folder! They will love it. So thank you. You are one of the things for which we are thankful."
--- Janet and Jerry Eaton

FOOTBALL CONTEST

Everybody had a good score last week among our 11 contestants, but Max Huber in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Ellen Johnson in Kansas City were best at 9-1. Jason Noyes in Sioux Falls, Shawn Hostler in Brookings and Greg Dean in Pierre were 8-2.

This week's games (some games are Friday so send your winners no later than 6 p.m. Friday):
1. Texas @ Baylor
2. Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State
3. Iowa State @ Kansas State
4. Big 10 championship: Michigan State vs. Wisconsin
5. PAC-12 championship: UCLA @ Oregon
6. ACC championship: Virginia Tech vs. Clemson
7. SEC championship: Georgia vs. LSU
8. NFL: Atlanta @ Houston
9. NFL: Denver @ Minnesota
10. NFL: Green Bay @ New York Giants

'WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA' PROGRAM SET FOR MONDAY

A formal presentation will be held in Pierre as part of the program called “Wreaths Across America” next Monday.



The South Dakota Funeral Directors Association will take part in the national effort, which pays tribute to fallen veterans of all wars during the Christmas season. The Wreaths Across America story started in 1992 when a non-profit organization from Maine started a tradition of putting wreaths on the headstones of the nation’s fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays. This year’s national wreath laying at the cemetery in Alexandria, Va., will be held Dec. 10. This year, over 400,000 wreaths will be placed nationwide as part of the Wreaths Across America Project.



The Pierre ceremony will be held at Capitol Lake at the Flaming Fountain Veterans Memorial on Monday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m. The speakers will include Morrie Comes, president of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association, and Maj. Kenn Kerfont of the South Dakota National Guard. Some other participants in the ceremony will be Pierre Post 8 American Legion, Pierre VFW Post 2038, Oahe Marine Corps League, Vietnam Era Veterans Association and the Disabled American Veterans. The national anthem will be performed by the T.F. Riggs High School Chamber Choir under the direction of Rodd Bauck. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")


PARKER'S COLUMN IN THE CAPITAL JOURNAL 12-2-11

Pierre grads find highs and lows as young teachers

There was a time---for all of one week---when Mallory Petersen considered becoming a veterinarian. Then her cat died, and so ended those career plans.

Mallory quickly returned to considering teaching as a career, and now she is among several outstanding young people from Pierre who have taken up that line of work in the past couple of years. Not so coincidentally, in most of their cases they had shining examples in their lives who were profound influences in their decisions.

We visited this week with four Riggs High School alumni who are now teachers---Matt Gill in his first year at Miller after a year at Grant-Deuel; Erin Titze in her second year at Bison; Jacob Shoup in his second year at Flandreau, and Mallory in her first full year at Newcastle, Wyo.

It hasn't taken any of them long to learn to appreciate the highs a teacher enjoys after a spectacular day and yet to anticipate the lows that come with a disappointing day. The life of a typical teacher has many of both extremes.

"When students understand what I am teaching them, that makes my day!" said Matt, who teaches Algebra IA, Algebra IB, geometry, Algebra II and integrated math at Miller High School after his first year which also included five class preparations at the school in Revillo. "It also makes my day when the students feel comfortable enough to ask me questions and we get to know each other." He advised the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Grant-Deuel and has just organized a similar huddle at Miller.

Among the negatives of his job are preparing for five different classes each day, disciplining students and commuting 70 miles one way to school each day.

Erin, too, lives for those "Aha!" moments her students experience. "When the lesson is over and I know I've taught them something new, that's the best feeling," she said. "Building relationships with the students, having them stop in after school or between classes to say hi is one of the highlights of my job."

Fortunately those aspects offset the frustration of having students who put forth little or no effort and who think math to be unnecessary. Erin has six class preparations---seventh grade math, Algebra I, Algebra II, applied math, geometry and pre-calculus---while serving as sophomore class advisor, head track coach and Quiz Bowl advisor.

Jacob, who teaches geometry and Algebra II at Flandreau while coaching the boys junior varsity basketball team and leading the Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle, said his good days stem from positive interactions with the students or a positive response to what they did in class for the day. "That could be either good attitudes or a willingness to learn," he said, "or when you see that light bulb go on!"

Most of his headaches result from negative interactions with students---dealing with poor attitudes and disciplining, for example. "One of the biggest challenges is trying to motivate students to even want to be in school and want to learn," he said. "It is exhausting to come every day with so much energy and you get nothing back."

Newcastle knew what it was getting so far as Mallory is concerned because she was doing her student teaching there in 2009-2010 when suddenly the band director's position opened up, and she filled in for the rest of the term. Then she was hired on her own for this year. She works with band students in grades 5-12, and she considers herself lucky to have a job which she can't really call a job. "I am getting paid to do something I absolutely love," she said. "Every step the students take to becoming better musicians and better people makes my day."

On the other hand, though discipline is part of any teacher's job description, it isn't Mallory's favorite. "I am already known to not let anybody get away with anything," she said, "and the cool thing is they respect me more for it."

Matt (Riggs '05 and SDSU '09) is married to the former Kacy Hutchinson, who now is K-12 counselor in the Stanley County district. As late as his freshman year at college, he vowed he would never teach, but after changing his major from engineering to math and realizing how much he enjoys teen-agers, he was more open to the influence of his dad, brother and grandfather, all of whom were or still are teachers.

One of his early thrills from teaching came last year when he left Grant-Deuel. "The staff told me how much they appreciated me, and the students told me how much they learned during the year," he said. "I will always remember the strong relationships with students and staff there." Another high point came from starting FCA there.

Erin (Riggs '06 and University of Mary '10) is single but has been in a relationship for three years. She recalls going home from school and "playing school" with the youngsters in her mom's daycare. "About the time I was in junior high I realized how much I enjoy math, and I was good at it," she said. "One of my math teachers, Mr. (Steve) Robinson, had an even greater influence on my decision to become a math teacher. He was such a positive person and had such an enthusiasm for teaching."

She considers herself fortunate to have found a position at Bison, population 300 in isolated northwestern South Dakota. "The community is wonderful and so supportive. They opened their arms and welcomed me," she said.

Jacob (Riggs '05 and University of Sioux Falls '10) was married last summer, and his wife, Chezarae, teaches at O'Gorman Middle School in Sioux Falls. The Shoups live in Dell Rapids, halfway between their respective schools. "I grew up wanting to make a difference some way somehow in people's lives," he recalled, "and as I got older I enjoyed working with kids. My sister was a huge influence on my life because she became a teacher, and I saw the impact some of my own students had on students and on me, such as Mr. (Jay) Mickelson and Mr. (Steve) Robinson. I wanted to be a part of that."

His involvement with the FCA huddle at Flandreau has been one of the great highs of his young career for Jacob. "There are a lot of negatives in the culture where I work and some 'norms' that are normal for students but shouldn't be," he said. "It's been amazing to have God work through me to make a small impact on the students and the community."

Mallory (Riggs '06 and Black Hills State '11) is engaged to Norfolk, Neb., native Christopher Dekker, who is working on his master's at the University of Idaho. They will be married in Pierre on June 9. When she was in high school, Mallory volunteered to help her church's education coordinator and taught several sections of Wednesday School there. She became drum major of the Emerald Regiment at Riggs High, and up there in front of the band she knew instantly her love of music and children would make her a music educator.

Watching her humble band of 16 total members astound the Newcastle community as they marched in a homecoming parade and performed a halftime show was one of her joyous teaching moments so far. But there have been others---a special education student who rocked his cymbals solo in a patriotic number, a middle school band whose members have shown skills learned in band to be helpful in life outside school, seeing her students excited about music even when the school places its emphasis on other curriculum areas.

All four of these young educators are pondering whether and when to pursue advanced degrees. For now, however, they are enjoying getting their roots planted in the education profession, making a difference if only at the pace of one student at a time. And they are already aware that the perception of teaching as an "in at 8:00, out at 3:00" job is about as far from reality as one can get.

"High school is a tough time for kids," Jacob said. "They are bombarded with decisions and choices to make, and many of their lives are worse than we may ever know. My biggest conclusion about teachers is this---as soon as you see yourself as 'just a teacher,' then you have underachieved as one."

CHRISTMAS ELF SPREADING GOOD WILL IN PIERRE AGAIN

Someone out there again this holiday season is urging people to help others. In what has become a tradition, $25 money orders are anonymously mailed to Pierre-Fort Pierre local governmental entities, businesses, media outlets and organizations. There is no signature; only a printed note that says “In the spirit of Christmas please use this small gift to help someone LOCAL and in need. With the influence you have encourage others to do the same.”



There is no exact number of how many such donations are sent. But those who receive the donations say the money is used as requested in the letter.



City commissioner Jeanne Goodman received such a letter this week. She again matched the $25 with a personal contribution of another $25 and asked other commissioners to do the same. Goodman said her contribution will be sent to Pierre Area Referral Service. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

 

Vol. 12, No. 12; Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011
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MAYOR WANTS CITY TO BE READY IF THERE'S A 'NEXT TIME'

Mayor Laurie Gill doesn't want a next time, but she said last week the city needs to be ready in case there is.

During Tuesday night’s city commission meeting, Gill announced that she has asked city staff to start preparing contingency plans in case there is a flood situation again. Speaking on Wednesday’s “Ask the Mayor” program on KCCR Radio, Gill stressed that there is no indication that there will be flooding again next year. But the mayor said the city needs to have plans in place.

One thing Gill has been most vocal about is the short time period---only a few days---that the city and its residents had to prepare for the flood in May. Gill said the city’s organizational structure---having a city administrator and division directors---helped the city make decisions quickly. Gill said city staff will be reporting back proposals to the city commission during the winter months. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Over-prepare, then go with the flow.

NEW VETERANS MEMORIAL IN FORT PIERRE

In Stanley County all veterans who have served are now getting their true recognition. The playing of "Taps" by Ann DeVany and Lloyd Schipper was part of Friday afternoon’s dedication of the new Stanley County Veterans Memorial located on the south side of the Stanley County Courthouse.

Stanley County Commission chairman D.D. Jacobson was a Vietnam War veteran. He was part of a Navy unit that protected soldiers returning home from Vietnam from anti-war protesters. He said this is a better way to thank veterans.

The memorial was done by Dakota Classique Rock and was sculpted by Louis Still Smoking. There are insignias of all military branches on the memorial plus a bench where people can sit. Jacobson said the area is a chance for people to come, sit on the bench and reflect on the monument’s meaning.

Vietnam veteran David Carlisle, who helped convinced the county commission to move forward with the project, said the memorial is not just a tribute to those county residents who served in wars and conflicts but is also for those residents who served during peacetime. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

DUELING PIANOS SHOW COMING FRIDAY NIGHT

Pierre native Ryan Merriam ('94) and his partner in music, Andy Gibson, will present their Dueling Pianos show at the AmericInn in Fort Pierre from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Friday. This is a program sponsored as a fund-raiser by the Capital Area Soccer Association. Advance tickets are $15 for a single and $25 for a couple. At the door the prices will be $25 and $35, respectively. Tickets can be obtained online at www.pierresoccer.com or in person at All-Around Graphics, Pier 347, Say What Designs, Office Plus and BPro.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, Nov. 17:
Jessica West, Tessa Bollinger, Claire (Taylor) Tipton, Aaron Goehring.

Friday, Nov. 18:
Brendan Whitebird, Joe Jungman, Tom Hindman, Chris Voller.

Saturday, Nov. 19:
Chris Pope, Alice Geraets, Rob Shoup, Taylor Lindekugel, DeeAnn Stevens, Rachel Zuercher, Bethany Goeden, Brad Waltman, Mike Anderson, Jim Sampson, Aiden Dykstra, Kaid Knox, Kylor Knox.

Sunday, Nov. 20:
A.J. Neuberger, Cammy (Clark) Theeler, Jerry Tveidt, Blake Dean, Ryker Tieszen, Austin Wagner, Sarah Magdanz.

Monday, Nov. 21:
Thomas Voeltz (#25). We fondly think of Tyler Wilcox today on the sixth anniversary of his death.

Tuesday, Nov. 22:
Jesse Herra, Will Nebelsick.

Wednesday, Nov. 23:
Sarah (Zellmer) Aguilar, Gage Deal, Jenny Weingart, Wendy (Kaiser) Wulf, Allyson Pierce, Erin (Schiefelbein) Jones, Laurie Johnson, Tom Tipton, Elaine Konechne, Benjamin Saniuk, Cody Van Houten, Kerry (Ingram) Rounds.

Thursday, Nov. 24:
Jared Boyer, Tucker Stoeser, Pam Kean, Janet Hofer.

Friday, Nov. 25:
Matt Mancuso, Kyle Hollingsworth, Cliff Garber, Cadi Imsland, Ken Koistinen. 8th anniversary, Jamie/Crystal Dvorak.

Saturday, Nov. 26:
Melissa Kirkpatrick, Ben Blair, James Berreth, Tom Martin, Julie Bright, Kristin (Rausch) Haugebrauck, Christina (Zellmer) Nath, Andrew Berreth, Brian Myers. 1st anniversary, Jeff/Taya (Dockter) Runyan.

Sunday, Nov. 27:
Matt Flyger, Randy Briese, Elizabeth Baumgart. 7th anniversary, Gary/Bobbi (Martin) Drewes. 7th anniversary, Boice/Jamie (Mesteth) Hillmer.

Monday, Nov. 28:
Maxx Vaudrin, Kim Deffenbaugh, Kacie Schneider, Katie (Zeller) Murphy, Travis Lindekugel.

Tuesday, Nov. 29:
Michael Hardwick, Reid LeBeau, Dallas Cronin, Luke Steece, Marcie (Fuhrer) Holsteen, Kayla Prince, Sarah Burger, Josh Tetzlaff, Ashleigh Baker.

Wednesday, Nov. 30:
Robbin Volmer, Izzy Ellwanger, Lynsey (Meyer) Anderson, Jeannene Libby, Darrell Welch, Chris Boom, Elizabeth Heidelberger, Mary (Storsteen) Dieken, Jake Stewart, Michael Gardner, Cole Hoelscher, Joanna Peterson.

VETERANS DAY OBSERVED IN PIERRE SCHOOLS

Eleven times Friday morning, the solitary bell rang. The bell rang 11 times at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month as a symbol of the anniversary of the end of World War I. It also was part of the Veterans Day ceremony taking place in the Riggs High School theater.

More than 1,000 veterans and Riggs students attended the ceremony, which included salutes to veterans, music and readings. State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Craig Price, who served nine years in the South Dakota National Guard, said the day is important to him because he comes from a military family.

Event organizers have combined the traditional local Veterans Day event with the high school now that school is held on the holiday. Price says it is important to make sure young people understand the day’s significance.

Veterans Day observances were held in all six Pierre public schools. Superintendent Dr. Kelly Glodt said such programs underscore why it is good to have school on Veterans Day. He said the district may some day look at the idea of holding school on other such observant holidays like Presidents Day, Native American Day and the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

St. Joseph Elementary School in Pierre also held a Veterans Day program on Friday. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

VOCABULARY #4

Committee: A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.

FATHER, SON REUNITED VISUALLY AT VETERANS DAY PROGRAM

Thanks to a group of Stanley County School staff, a young student got to see his dad just in time for Veterans Day.

As part of Thursday’s Veterans Day program for Stanley County school students, organizers decided to try something different. With the help of the Skype video system, teacher Vera Cronin said the group thought it would be a good idea to link up a soldier deployed overseas with his child who is a student at the school and to make it a surprise.

The group settled on Sgt. Anson Juelf and his son Zac, a Stanley County kindergartner. Cronin said that, when Juelfs appeared on the screen, his son was indeed surprised. Cronin admitted organizers weren’t sure if the surprise was going to happen. The Skype system hadn’t worked during a few practice sessions. But she said when it did, it couldn’t have gone any better. Cronin said there were few dry eyes in the gym when Zac got to see his dad. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

Mount Marty basketball (Alexa Berg): The Lancer women lost to Valley City State, 54-51, as Alexa scored 11 points, then handed Jamestown its first loss in seven games in overtime, 81-74, as Alexa had eight points. On Tuesday the Lancers defeated Grace College of Omaha, 92-44. Alexa was 1-of-4 from the field for three points. Now 5-2, MMC plays St. Mary's in Omaha tonight, hosts Concordia (Neb.) Saturday, hosts Dordt Tuesday, plays at Augustana Nov. 26 and plays at Northwestern Nov. 30.

Mount Marty basketball (Spencer Yackley): The Lancers defeated Ashford (Iowa), 67-61, to open their season, and Spencer had 11 points and nine rebounds. MMC lost to Clarke (Iowa), 68-61. The Lancers romped at Presentation on Tuesday night, winning 66-49, as Spencer was 3-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 at the stripe for nine points with eight boards and three steals. Now 2-1, MMC hosts Concordia (Neb.) Saturday and Dordt Tuesday and plays at Northwestern Nov. 30.

Dakota Wesleyan basketball (Liz Lamb): DWU's women lost to Jamestown, 96-52, as Liz was 0-for-7 from the field and 4-for-4 from the stripe for four points with three rebounds and two steals. In a 76-71 win over Valley City State, Liz was 1-of-4 in field goals and 2-of-2 in free throws for four points with two rebounds. On Tuesday night DWU defeated Dakota State, 76-65, and Liz was 3-of-8 in field goals for seven points along with three assists. DWU hosts Briar Cliff Saturday and plays at York (Neb.) Tuesday and at Dordt Nov. 30.

South Dakota State football (Alex Parker): The Jackrabbits closed the season with three straight wins, including 27-7 at Western Illinois Saturday. SDSU finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference and have high hopes for the future with Austin Sumner at quarterback for three more seasons.

North Dakota State cross-country (Travis Fitzke, Alec Espeland): The Bison men were 15th at the NCAA Midwest Regional in DeKalb, Ill. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma were 1-2, both qualifying for the national meet. Travis placed 47th among 171 runners in the 10K race in 32:29.78. The winner was Minnesota's Hassan Mead in 31:16.87. Alec placed 88th in 33:44.28.

Augustana football (Tanner Foth, Brian Long): The Vikings finished at 6-5 overall and 5-5 in the NSIC with a 38-7 win at Upper Iowa.

South Dakota football (Kyle Cichos): The Coyotes completed a perfect home schedule with a 6-0 record at the DakotaDome, beating Missouri S&T, 48-14. Now 6-4 overall and 2-1 in the Great West, USD plays at North Dakota at 1 p.m. Saturday with a share of the conference championship at stake.

South Dakota State men's basketball: The Jackrabbits won impressively, 82-76, at home over Western Michigan, the favorite to win the MAC championship. Nate Wolters had 32 points and 11 assists and Tony Fiegen had 16 points. On Monday night in Minneapolis, the Jacks trailed Minnesota 32-30 at halftime and led the Gophers 44-39 with 14:36 left, but Minnesota went on an 18-1 run, capitalizing on 18 Jacks turnovers and won 71-55. Wolters scored 20, Taevauan Prince 13 and Chad White 11. Last night the Jacks lost at Georgia, 72-61, but the Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference had to rally from a seven-point deficit during the second half. Wolters scored 15 points and Prince 13. SDSU will be back in Georgia, this time in Macon, Monday through Wednesday, playing Niagara, Sam Houston State and Mercer College. On Nov. 26 SDSU plays at Nebraska.

South Dakota men's basketball: The Coyotes lost their opener at Nebraska, 65-48. Louie Krogman had 16 points and Charlie Westbrook 10. USD fell to 0-2 with a Tuesday night loss at Eastern Washington, 70-61. Westbrook had 16 points and Brandon Bos 10. USD hosts Nebraska-Omaha Sunday afternoon, goes to Wyoming Tuesday and hosts Tabor College (Kan.) Nov. 28.

Presentation football (Tate Rinehart): The Saints concluded their first-ever football season with a record of 3-7 overall and 3-6 in the UMAC conference. Presentation lost Saturday at home to Greenville College, 41-17. The Saints' offensive line, where Tate was a starter, was No. 1 in the conference in quarterback sacks allowed---zero!

Black Hills State football (Devin Rounds): The Yellowjackets won the Homestake Trophy, beating the School of Mines, 41-21, and finishing the year at 3-7. Devin had a busy day, kicking six points-after-touchdown. He was also 2-of-3 in field goal attempts, making them from 24 and 27 yards and missing from 34 yards. Devin also had eight kickoffs for 491 yards, averaging 61.4.

S.D. Mines football (Andy Smith): Andy's senior season ended as Tech lost at Black Hills State, 41-21. Andy kicked the point-after following each of the Hardrockers' three TDs. He also had three kickoffs for 143 yards, averaging 47.7. Mines finished at 1-10.

Northern football (Tate Senftner, Terrelle Walker): The Wolves defeated Mary, 39-36, on a last-second field goal. Northern's five wins this season alone match the total Northern win total of the previous three seasons. NSU was 5-6 overall and 4-6 in the NSIC.

South Dakota State volleyball (Amanda Stout): The Jackrabbits lost to UMKC, 3-1, as Amanda had 12 digs, then lost to USD, 3-1, as she had seven digs. SDSU finishes at 14-18 overall and 7-11 in the Summit League.

Princeton hockey (Matt Farris): Matt was not in the lineup either night as Princeton lost to St. Lawrence, 3-2, but defeated Clarkson, 3-0. Now 1-4-1, Princeton has a pair of road conference games this weekend at Cornell and Colgate, then comes all the way west to Denver to play Denver University Nov. 25 and Providence Nov. 26.

South Dakota basketball (Alexis Yackley): The Coyote women open their season at home Friday against Northern Arizona, play at Creighton Tuesday, then return home Nov. 27 against Viterbo College (Wis.) and Nov. 28 against Tabor College (Kan.).

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyler Sarringar, Dusty Paulsen): The Tigers opened the season with a 42-3 dual win over the University of Regina from Saskatchewan. At 141 pounts Dusty won his match by a 5-4 decision, and Tyler did the same in his match at 174 pounds. The next day DWU hosted its DWU Open. At 141 pounds Dusty won 5-3 over a Northern wrestler, lost 5-4 to a guy from Ridgewater College (Minn.), won 11-0 over a Northwestern wrestler, then lost 3-1 to an Augustana opponent. At 174 Tyler started with two pins---in 3:40 over Ridgewater and in 2:49 over Augustana, then lost 18-13 to Northern and lost 7-6 to Jamestown. DWU wrestled St. Olaf last night, goes to Concordia's Cobber Open in Moorhead, Minn., Saturday, then wrestles Nov. 30 at Northern.

South Dakota State basketball (Katie Lingle, Steph Paluch): The Jackrabbits opened the season impressively, bombing St. Cloud State, 74-35. Steph was 3-of-3 from the field for six points with two boards, three assissts and a steal. Katie went 2-of-5 from the field and 1-of-2 at the line for five points with six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. On Sunday SDSU went to 2-0 with an 84-73 win over Utah State, the 54th different Division I team State has defeated in women's basketball since the Division I era began with the 2004-05 season. The Jacks are now 138-21 on their home court in Coach Aaron Johnston's tenure. Steph had 13 points, five assists and three steals Sunday while Katie had 11 points and seven rebounds. SDSU plays at Middle Tennessee State tonight, hosts Washington State of the Pac-12 Sunday, plays Cincinnati and Marist in Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 24-25 and goes to Western Illinois Nov. 30.

Black Hills State basketball (Mitch Foth): Idle last week, the Yellowjacket men play at Colorado Mines and Metro State in Denver this weekend.

Purdue basketball (Sam Ostarello): The Boilermaker women opened their season with a 75-45 trouncing of IUPUI. Sam had eight points and five rebounds while tying her career high of four blocks. Purdue is at Bowling Green tonight, home against Tennessee-Martin Sunday and Chicago State Tuesday and then plays in Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 24-25 against Tulane and Kansas State.

Augustana men's basketball: After giving Minnesota a good tussle in an exhibition game last week, the Vikings opened their season Tuesday in the Sioux Falls Arena against city rival USF, which will next year be a fellow member of the NSIC. The Vikings won it, 64-63, as Cody Schilling scored 28 points and Cam McCaffrey 15. Augustana goes to Monmouth, Ore., this weekend to play St. Martin's (Wash.) and Western Oregon. Tuesday the Vikings are back home against Dakota State.

Editor's note: OK, I realize we don't have any local college athletes playing on the SDSU, USD and Augustana men's basketball teams, but those are three teams I follow, so I will include them in this report each week anyway, exercising editor's privilege!

Dakota State volleyball (Mandi Atkins): The Trojans ended their season with a 16-22 record, losing twice at a tournament in Phoenix. DSU lost to top-seed LaSierra (Calif.), 3-1, and lost to fourth-seed Mayville State, 3-1. Mandi had five digs, one set assist and two service aces against LaSierra and six digs and one set assist in the Mayville match.

South Dakota swimming (Marcus Christianson): The Coyotes lost a 148-93 dual at Wisconsin-Green Bay. Marcus placed sixth in the 50-yard freestyle in :23.30 and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle in :50.50. He swam first leg on the USD "B" team in the 400 freestyle relay, which placed fourth in 3:25.60. On Saturday in the Border Battle meet at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the USD men were third behind UW-Milwaukee and UW-Stevens Point. Marcus swam second leg on the 200 freestyle medley relay team, which was eighth in 1:31.44, and swam second leg on the 400 freestyle relay "B" team, which placed seventh in 3:23.10. Individually he tied for 14th in the 50 free in :23.01, 14th in the 200 free in 1:54.04 and 17th in the 100 free in :50.47. USD hosts SDSU in a 1 p.m. dual Saturday at the DakotaDome pool.

Black Hills State volleyball (Kylee Lamb): The Yellowjackets' season ended with an 11-21 record. At the NCAA transitional tournament in St. Charles, Mo., BHSU lost to William Jewell 3-0, lost to Sioux Falls 3-0 and defeated McKendree (Ill.) 3-0 to capture fifth place.

South Dakota State men's swimming (Jim McLain, Alex McLain): In a triangular at St. Cloud, Minn., the Jackrabbits defeated Wisconsin-LaCrosse, 178-63, and lost to St. Cloud State, 151-90. Jim placed fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:03.81 and sixth in the 200 individual medley in 2:04.67. He also swam second leg on State's "A" team in the 400 medley relay, which placed second in 3:38.29. Alex had a pair of thirds---in the 200 freestyle in 1:47.74 and the 100 backstroke in :55.43. He also swam second leg on the Jacks' "A" team in the 400 freestyle relay, which placed second in 3:15.64. SDSU will swim a dual at USD Saturday afternoon.

South Dakota State women's swimming (Morgan McLain): The Jackrabbit women defeated Northern Iowa, 189-105, in a dual meet. Morgan had a pair of individual firsts---in the 400-yard individual medley in 4:36.17 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:26.96. She also swam on State's 400 medley relay team, which won its event in 4:36.17. SDSU takes on USD Saturday in Vermillion.

Dakota Wesleyan soccer: Four Pierre athletes at DWU earned postseason recognition from the Great Plains Athletic Conference. On the women's side Yutzil Rodriguez was named second-team all-conference and Linsey Peterson earned honorable mention. On the men's team Eric Christianson was named second-team all-conference and Dane Hagen earned honorable mention recognition.

RIGGS GRADUATE COLLECTING COATS AGAIN THIS YEAR

Jodi (Cowan) Harder is continuing her amazing help for the homeless in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area by opening her Ministering Angels Closet facility once a week so the less fortunate can obtain free clothing.

Recently she had more than 300 people come in on one night alone. She is in need of winter coats in all sizes---men's, women's and children's.

Jodi's mom, Jean Cowan, will be going to Minneapolis on the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, and will be able to transport whatever coats people could donate no later than Tuesday night, Nov. 22. If you are able to donate a coat or two, please drop them off at 110 E. 4th St., in Pierre and leave them on the front porch if Jean is not home.

Jodi thanks the Pierre-Fort Pierre community for its continued generosity.

WE PAUSE FOR A STORY

"Do you believe in life after death?" the boss asked one of his employees.

"Yes, sir," the new employee replied.

"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss continued. "After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you."

MRS. TETZLAFF RECEIVES BANKWEST'S EDUCATOR AWARD

Christine Tetzlaff has been honored for helping make education a little more special for her students. Tetzlaff, a third grade teacher at Buchanan Elementary School, Monday afternoon received the BankWest Investor in Education award.

BankWest President and CEO Charles Burke III said Tetzlaff fits well this year’s Investor in Education theme of “Special People with Special Gifts.” Burke said one thing he noticed about Tetzlaff is how she gets her students involved in different projects, all designed to enhance their education.

Tetzlaff has been at Buchanan for 20 years and is the first Buchanan teacher to win the BankWest award. She received a crystal apple and a $1,000 continuing education grant.

Megan Cash, a reading and writing instructor at the Pierre Indian Learning Center, was the runner-up this year. She received the marble apple award.

This is the 17th year the Investor in Education has been awarded. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

WEDDING DAYSbr>
Nov. 19: Michael Kaiser/Macy Welsh.

Nov. 19: Jared McPherson/Kimberly Weischedel.

Nov. 25: James Sleger/Jill Rounds.

Nov. 26: Michael Knudson/Kylie Sutton.

April 13: Justin Jones/Theresa Frick.

May 19: Seth Parsons/Karae Englehart.

MMay 23: Maxx Vaudrin/Macy Gomes.

June 2: Eric Aadland/Angie Briguet.

June 9: Bret Graves/Caitie Wagner.

June 9: Christopher Dekker/Mallory Petersen.

June 16: Dominic Bottenfield/Abby Pitlick.

June 23: Jerid Maskovich/Jeanine Van Ash.

July 14: Gavin Van Zee/Samantha Hestdalen.

Aug. 31: Cody Stoeser/Cassie Rausch.



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EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AWARDS THIS FALL'S MINI-GRANTS

Twice annually, the Pierre Educational Foundation awards mini-grants to students, educators, and groups within the Pierre School District. Since the mini-grant program was established in the fall of 1996, more than $119,000.00 has been awarded to various educational projects.

The goal of the mini-grant program is to encourage teachers to focus beyond standard curriculum; sharpen instructional ideas and techniques that can be adapted by other teachers and schools; raise the educational performance of students of all ages; and offer solutions for urgent educational challenges.

The Pierre Educational Foundation has awarded the fall 2011 mini-grants to the following teachers and projects:

$483.00 to Ryan Noyes and Scott Neu at Georgia Morse Middle School for “Dynamic Demonstrations.” This grant will allow Noyes and Neu to purchase science equipment and supplies for a series of science demonstrations for 8th grade students.

$300.00 to Denise Harford at Washington Elementary for “Learning Center Upgrades.” This grant will allow Harford to purchase a phonics pad and listening CD player for the learning centers in her kindergarten classroom.

$586.00 to Amber Stout at Jefferson Elementary for “Nature Watch.” This grant will allow Stout to purchase science kits that provide students with hands-on learning that also promotes the teaching of many 3rd grade standards.

$1,000.00 to Lisa Bahe at T.F. Riggs High School for “Riggs Disc Golf Course.” This grant will allow Bahe to develop a permanent disc golf course on the Riggs school grounds.

The Pierre Educational Foundation promotes the further educational development of the Pierre Public School District students, staff and graduates by the delivery of quality educational opportunities and resources. The Pierre Educational Foundation is a perpetual fund designated to support innovative / creative projects intended to enrich life-long learning, and dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the tradition of excellence in the Pierre Public Schools.

For more information on the Pierre Educational Foundation, visit www.pierreeducationalfoundation.org or contact Kim Brakke at (605) 222-7781 or kim@pierreeducationalfoundation.org.

STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

Today at Sioux Falls:

* "B": Parker vs. Faith, Herreid/Selby Area vs. Northwestern, Arlington vs. Hanson, Edgemont vs. James Valley Christian.

* "A": Sioux Falls Christian vs. Redfield/Doland, Aberdeen Roncalli vs. Rapid City St. Thomas More, Wagner vs. Gregory, Mobridge/Pollock vs. Elk Point-Jefferson.

* "AA": Rapid City Stevens vs. Huron, Sioux Falls Roosevelt vs. Sioux Falls Washington, Aberdeen Central vs. Mitchell, Sioux Falls Lincoln vs. Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

All three tournaments' championship games will be televised on S.D. Public Broadcasting Saturday---Class "B" at 3:30, Class "A" at 6 p.m. and Class "AA" at 8 p.m.

IT'S TIME FOR A WINTERTIME BLONDE JOKE

Last year (she says) I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive double-pane energy-efficient kind, and today I got a call from the contractor who installed them. He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn't paid for them. Hellllloooooooo. Just because I'm blonde doesn't mean that I am automatically stupid! So I told him just what his fast-talking sales guy had told me last year---that in one year these windows would pay for themselves! Helllllooooooo, it's been a year, I told him.

There was only silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just hung up. He never called back. I bet he felt like an idiot.

COUNTDOWN

5 days: Capitol Christmas trees lighting ceremony (Nov. 22).

8 days: Pierre's holiday parade of lights (Nov. 25).

14 days: Pierre Players' "A Christmas Story" (Dec. 1-3, 9-11).

16 days: Community & Youth Involved Center's Holiday Tour of Homes (Dec. 3).

24 days: Capital City Children's Chorus' "A Ceremony of Carols" (Dec. 11).

53 days: BCS national championship college football game (Jan. 9).

77 days: State one-act play festival, Aberdeen (Feb. 2-4).

80 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 5).

92 days: State gymnastics tournament, Brookings (Feb. 17-18).

99 days: State wrestling tournaments (B Rapid City, A Aberdeen) (Feb. 24-25).

101 days: The Academy Awards (Feb. 26).

112 days: State girls basketball tournaments (B Huron, A Spearfish, AA Brookings) (March 8-10).

113 days: State boys varsity hockey tournament, Expo Center (March 9-11).

119 days: State boys basketball tournaments (B Aberdeen, A Sioux Falls, AA Rapid City) (March 15-17).

126 days: All-State Band, Brookings (March 22-24).

141 days: Twins' season opener at Baltimore (April 6).

176 days: Charity co-ed softball tournament, Four Corners (May 11-13).

182 days: State boys tennis tournament, Rapid City (May 17-19).

186 days: State golf tournaments (B boys and B girls Rapid City, A girls Hot Springs, AA girls Sioux Falls) (May 21-22).

190 days: State track meets (B Rapid City, A Spearfish, AA Sturgis) (May 25-26).

201 days: South Dakota primary election day (June 5).

204 days: South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion (June 8-10).

253 days: Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, London (July 27).

284 days: Republican National Convention, Tampa (Aug. 27-30).

291 days: Democratic National Convention, Charlotte (Sept. 3-6).

355 days: General election day (Nov. 6, 2012).

366 days: Renewal of USD-SDSU football rivalry (Nov. 17, 2012).

813 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Sochi, Russia (Feb. 7, 2014).

RIGGS HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Cross country: Freshman Rachel Propst was named to the Class AA All-State team for girls cross country.

Cheer/dance: At the state tournament in Brandon, in the cheer division Pierre placed third in stunting-tumbling small-group and first in stunting-nontumbling small group. In the dance division Pierre was fourth in pom large-group, third in kick large-group and first in hip hop small-group. Sioux Falls Washington was the overall grand champion with Pierre seventh among 15 teams.

Volleyball: Sophomore Kaitlyn Severyn was the only sophomore voted to the all-conference volleyball team by Eastern South Dakota Conference coaches.

Football Academic All-State: Seniors Joe Snyder and Joe Tetzlaff were named to the South Dakota Football Coaches Association's Academic All-State team.

Winter sports opening nights: gymnastics, Dec. 1 with Stanley County @ Huron; wrestling, Dec. 3 @ Watertown 8-team dual tournament; boys basketball, Dec. 9 home vs. Watertown; girls basketball, Dec. 9 @ Watertown.

PARAPROSDOKIANS #2

Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and then beat you with experience.

RIGGS FRESHMEN LEARN TO SAVE LIVES
By Lexi Gusso, Riggs High Governor Staff

Todd Palmer's freshman health classes got the opportunity to gain a skill used to save lives. Julie Moore, who works for the St. Mary's Foundation AED program, visited Palmer's classes to demonstrate the use of AEDs (automated external defibrillators).

Moore taught students how to use the devices and allowed them to gain hands-on experience.

AEDs are portable electronic devices that can automatically diagnose potentially fatal cardiac disruptions. AEDs contain placement pads which, when placed on certain parts of a victim's chest, analyze heart rhythm and administer an electric shock to reestablish a normal pulse if necessary.

Certification is not required to use AEDs, which can be found in many local buildings. Many AEDs actually give simple step-by-step instructions for use in the event of an emergency.

"Everyone should learn how to use AEDs. Possessing knowledge that can keep someone from dying is very valuable," Palmer said.

DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT? #5

In an office: AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD.

CLASSMATES TODAY, LEADERS TOMORROW: STUDENTS TRAVEL TO GAIN LEADERSHIP SKILLS
By Matt Monfore, Riggs High Governor Staff

Several students traveled to expand their skills by attending leadership conferences this summer.

Seniors Liz Knutson, Bailey Armstrong, Lexi Gusso and Halle Bowman attended Youth Business Adventure (YBA) at the BHSU campus in Spearfish. The purpose of the camp is to help South Dakota high school students and teachers better understand the American private enterprise system and how business operates within it.

Bowman was encouraged by Jasper DesLauriers, her dance instructor and YBA advisor, to attend the event.

"I got to meet a lot of neat people and listen to some great speakers. I learned how to talk to people in a businesslike manner, and it was something that I enjoyed doing," Bowman said.

YBA attendees go to listen to presentations by a variety of speakers and business owners. They also got to create, market and film a commercial for a product of their design.

Juniors Nathan Ellenbecker and Jasmine Fosheim attended the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference at Dakota State University in Madison. "HOBY was by far the most eye-opening experience this summer, and I hope the experience for the next students to attend is as great as it was for me," Ellenbecker said.

HOBY students were encouraged to learn and utilize their personal strengths to become better leaders. Notable speakers were Dusty Johnson, Jamie Utt, Emily Pieper and Travis Kiefer. The goal of HOBY was to "Empower, Lead and Excel."

Fosheim also enjoyed her week. "As cliche as it may sound, HOBY was seriously a life-changing experience for me," she said.

Riggs junior Jackson Schumacher attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine at the University of California-Berkeley. He was nominated to attend by Latin teacher Jay Mickelson and was accepting after filling out and sending a resume.

The forum offered information and workshops on a wide variety of medical fields from dentistry to cardiology. Jackson was able to watch a live knee surgery, and he received college credit in leadership.

"I recommend this opportunity to anyone. It definitely helped me figure out what I want to do in the future," Schumacher said.

These students have come to the 2011-12 school year with an arsenal of new skills and perspectives.

HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Oahe Capitals: Concluding their exhibition season, the Capitals lost twice in Mitchell over the weekend. It was an 8-3 loss on Friday night and an 8-4 defeat on Saturday. In the first game Elliot Shoup-Owens scored on James Gilkerson's assist, then Austin Wagner scored off a Will Gordon assist to give the Caps a 2-0 lead. A Gilkerson goal off a Wagner assist tied the game at 3-3, but Mitchell scored five goals after that. Kyle Mammenga was in goal. In the Saturday game Alec Norwich's goal tied the game at 1-1. Later Wagner scored off assists from Shoup-Owens and Gilkerson, Cash Anderson scored unassisted, and Gilkerson scored unassisted. Alex Meagher was in goal and faced 41 shots. Next action for the Caps will be at the Rooster Cup tournament in Huron on Friday through Sunday, Nov. 25-27, although some players will be at the Senior Showcase in Brookings this weekend.

Lady Capitals: Some of the girls will be at the Senior Showcase in Brookings this weekend. The team next plays at home vs. Watertown on Sunday, Nov. 27, with the JVs at noon and the varsity at 2 p.m.

Bantam B: Nov. 18-20 @ Mankato tournament.

PeeWee B: Nov. 18-20 @ Worthington tournament; Nov. 25 @ Brookings, 6:15; Nov. 26, home vs. Rushmore, 4:00; Nov. 27, home vs. Rushmore, 8 a.m.

PeeWee A: Nov. 25 @ Brookings, 8:15; Nov. 26, home vs. Rushmore 6:00; Nov. 27, home vs. Rushmore, 10 a.m.

NEOLOGISMS #1

The Washington Post has published the winning submissions in its yearly neologism contest in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words:

Coffee (n.)---the person upon whom one coughs.

Also the Post asked readers to take any word from the dictionary; alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition:

Bozone (n.)---the substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating.

PEOPLE NEWS

Onida area native Abby Pitlick and Iowa native Dominic Bottenfield are planning to be married on June 16 in Des Moines.

Where in the world is McKayla Marso? She and the rest of the national touring company of Monty Python's "Spamalot" are in Folsom, Calif., tonight through Saturday. The rest of their schedule prior to their holiday break: Sunday, Lancaster, Calif.; Monday, San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Tuesday, El Cajon, Calif.; Wednesday, Queen Creek, Calif.; Nov. 25-27, Reno, Nev.; Nov. 30, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Dec. 1-3, Fort Collins, Colo.

Attention, New England: The Paradise Fears band from Vermillion is completing its tour with All-Time Low. The bands are in Portland, Maine, tonight; Providence Friday and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Saturday. Then they will hook up with another band and tour with them for a couple weeks with stops included at these points: Nov. 27, Syracuse; Nov. 29, Toronto; Nov. 30, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Dec. 2, Canton, Ohio; Dec. 3, Covington, Ky.; Dec. 4, St. Louis; Dec. 7 Lincoln, Neb., at the Bourbon Theatre; Dec. 9, Oklahoma City; Dec. 10, Dallas. Paradise Fears will also perform at the Varsity Theatre in Minneapolis on Dec. 28. Check their Facebook page for further details.

Eighth-grader Jebben Keyes and fourth-grader Kyla Keyes, the children of former Riggs High runner Jim Keyes and his wife Tracy, have both qualified for the National Cross-Country Championships in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Dec. 10. At the USA Track & Field Dakota Association Championships meet in the wind in Aberdeen, Jebben was first in the youth division (ages 13-14), running the 4,000 meters in 14:46, and Kyla was first in the bantam division (ages 9-10), winning the 3,000 meters in 15:08.

Mark Monday, Nov. 28, on your calendars to perhaps spend the lunch hour in the Capitol Rotunda amid the Christmas trees. The Northern State University choir will perform there at 12:15 p.m. as well as at Riggs High at 9:30 a.m. and at Stanley County High at 2 p.m. The choir will be accompanied by the NSU Chamber Singers and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. There will also be a performance from the NSU Opera Theatre and members of the percussion ensemble and brass choir.

Blunt native Jason Christenson, who graduated from Sully Buttes High School, is on deployment in Kuwait. Upon receiving a recent care package from BankWest's Onida branch, he wrote a letter to the bank people which was reprinted in The Onida Watchman. Here are some excerpts: "People like you make our mission a privilege rather than a job. It is an honor to serve our great nation and to know that the American people support what we do. I am honored to call the Sully Buttes area my home. The weather here has cooled over the past few weeks. It stays warm during the day, but there is a brisk chill in the morning. The wind blows the sand into small drifts, which remind me of a South Dakota snowdrift, only a darker color. Our unit, the 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, the "Pacesetter Battalion" from Fort Riley, Kan., is stationed at Camp Virginia Kuwait and is responsible for ensuring all U.S. combat troops make it home safely with all of their equipment. We help transport equipment, personnel and supplies from the Iraq combat zone to the Kuwaiti ports. Once loaded on the ships, the Navy has the responsibility to get the equipment to the U.S. We are busy as so many troops and equipment are flowing out of Iraq right now. It is a very rewarding job because we see soldiers who will be in the motherland very soon."

Tracy and Brittney (Nuttall) Binger are the parents of a daughter, Salera Jean Binger, who was born on Oct. 31, weighing 9 pounds, 12 ounces. She joins a brother, Grayden, and a sister, Brienna, in the Binger family. They will be moving from Pierre to Norfolk, Neb., later this month.

Former Stanley County and Pierre teacher/coach Bruce Bresee, now head coach at Spearfish, was named Region 4 Football Coach of the Year by the South Dakota Football Coaches Association. He and other honorees were recognized during last Thursday night's game at the state high school championship games in Vermillion.

Attention, Riggs High Class of 1982: Plans are underway for the 30-year class reunion to be held next summer. Any readers of the Update who can provide addresses for '82 class members are asked to send them to Marc Hoelscher at mfhoelscher@pie.midco.net.

Landon Busch, who spent some of his elementary school years in Pierre and who now is a senior at Brookings High School, has indicated he will be attending Kansas State University and playing baseball for the Wildcats. Landon was an All-State selection in high school baseball. For the Brookings American Legion team, which placed third at the state tournament, he had a pitching record of 7-1 with an earned run average of .068 with 103 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched. He was also considering Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota State and the University of Sioux Falls. His parents are former Riggs High coach Mike Busch and his wife, the former Dawn Hunsley.

Randy Hartmann recently attended the Air Force/Army football game at Colorado Springs with his 1982 classmate, Jim Kelly. Randy was decked out in his Air Force attire, and Jim, an Army veteran who lives in Elizabeth, Colo., was clad in his Army attire. They enjoyed ribbing each other throughout the game, and both had their moments---Army led 14-0 at halftime, but Air Force won 24-14. Jim was disabled while serving our country in Central America with the airborne division during the time the United States was ousting Noriega from power.

As I passed through the Muenster Center to pause at a TV set to catch college scores Saturday after the USD game, it was a treat to run into USD alumni Dusty and Jacquelyn Johnson and their two boys from Mitchell.

Holly Bonnichsen (Sully Buttes '09) has been nominated for membership in Golden Key International Honor Society for having been ranked in the top 15% of her class at USD.

Tom and Ashley Yackley of Onida are the parents of a second daughter, Emily Anne Yackley, born Oct. 31 and weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measuring 20 1/2 inches. She joins a sister, Jane Elizabeth, in their family. Meanwhile, Tom's twin brother, Andy lives in Shakopee, Minn., with his wife Debbie and their son Owen. Their older brother, Mark, and his wife Lori live in Harrisburg.

Now that his college football career has ended at the School of Mines, Andy Smith was to undergo surgery this week to repair a torn meniscus in his right (kicking) leg that has dogged him all season. Andy will graduate from Mines next month with a degree in electrical engineering, and he has a job in Idaho Falls, Idaho, waiting for him beginning in January. He and his older brother, Steve, are going to Hawaii after Christmas to celebrate Andy's graduation and to have one last trip together before Andy enters the workforce. Steve is a software engineer who lives in Broomfield in the Denver suburbs. He plays kickball and broomball but no more soccer. Andy, on the other hand, plans to play soccer again after his knee heals from the surgery.

Carol McKee of Rapid City, formerly of Pierre, was inducted into the South Dakota Soccer Hall of Fame over the weekend. She served on the Capital Area Soccer Organization's board as well as coaching several teams in Pierre in the 1990s. She also became the first and only woman to referee in a state tournament in 1996. Another Pierre individual honored by the South Dakota Soccer Association over the weekend was Vickie Samuelson, who was named the Administrator of the Year for the state organization. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")

For Joey Knofczynski, it was not your ordinary college interview. The Riggs High School senior two weeks ago got a chance to interview for Harvard. Joey says the interview took place with a Harvard recruiter at the public defender’s office in Rapid City. Joey admitted interviewing for Harvard was something different. Joey, who is also the Riggs student body president, said he plans to consider other schools, including South Dakota universities as well, but if he is accepted by Harvard, he said it would be difficult to turn down. Both Knofczynski and fellow Riggs student Courtney Sargent also recently were named National Merit Scholar semifinalists. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Samson Boutchee, who has been a visible presence in the Pierre schools for eight years, is leaving that position after this school year. Boutchee has been serving as the department’s School Resource Officer for Riggs High School. He has decided to go back to being a patrol officer. Chief Bob Grandpre said Boutchee has provided a positive law enforcement influence for students. Grandpre said the search for Boutchee’s replacement has started and that the appointment will come from among existing department officers. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Gene Horn, former superintendent of the Onida school district and then the first-ever superintendent of the Sully Buttes School District when it was formed in 1970, and his wife Vi will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary on Nov. 23. They don't want a party, but their family encourages a card shower for this 50th anniversary. The Horns' address: 433 - 32nd Ave. NW, Watertown SD 57201.

Belated 60th birthday greetings to Karen Leuning, who celebrated this past Tuesday.

Peyton Zabel, a sixth grader at Georgia Morse Middle School, is state champion in Punt, Pass & Kick. He won the boys 10-11 division at the state finals in Vermillion Saturday. Peyton now goes to the Metrodome for the Vikings regional competition on Dec. 4 prior to the Vikings-Denver game. Another Pierre student, Sydney Palmer, also competed at the state finals in her division. The Zabels, after the competition in Vermillion, hurried to Sioux Falls so Peyton and Grey could play with their team in a basketball tournament at Memorial Middle School. The Roosevelt-Washington state championship football game was on the TV screen there at that school, and at halftime of that game Peyton's PP&K victory was announced on TV. That's how the Zabels found out he had won.

Blake and Randi (McQuistion) Norman are the parents of a daughter. Addisyn Corinne Norman was born Nov. 14, weighing 7 pounds and measuring 19 1/2 inches.

The football officiating team of Paul Schreiner, Tate Gabriel, Charles McGuigan, Kelly Stout and Mark Gageby was selected to work the Class 11B championship game at the DakotaDome in Vermillion last Thursday night. They had one of the best games of all as Tri-Valley scored in the final two minutes to defeat McCook Central-Montrose, 18-14.

Our sympathy to the family of an elegant lady, Bertha Sonnenschein, who passed away this week at the age of 83. Services will be held at 10 a.m. this morning (Thursday) at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. She was probably best known to the most people for her 41 years of work as a women's clothing retail clerk at Feinstein's, Beverly's and Christopher Banks stores. Her survivors include two sons, Clayton and his wife Sharon of Harrisburg, and Gaylord and his wife Cathy of Pierre; two daughters, Diana and her husband Syd Stevens of Palm Springs, Calif., and Judy and her husband Gary Larson of Pierre; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

The Pizza Ranch restaurant in Rapid City, owned by Terry Larsen and Steve Cronin among others, has become one of the vendors in the food court at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. They also sell their pizza during Rapid City Rush hockey games.

Les Mitchell, 73, a fixture in the downtown Pierre business community for 21 years as the store manager at Karl's TV & Appliance, died Nov. 5 at St. Mary's Healthcare Center. He had come to Fort Pierre in 1957 to work on the dam. Services were held Nov. 11 at Feigum Funeral Home. Our sympathy to his wife of 53 years, Pat; their son Rocky and his wife Cindy; and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

We also extend sympathy to the family of Vern Adams, a 1934 graduate of Pierre High School, who died Nov. 10 at Maryhouse. He was a World War II veteran and worked for 31 1/2 years for the U.S. Postal Service. Services were held Monday at Ss. Peter & Paul Church. Our sympathy to his wife Hazel; sons, David, Mark and Greg, all in Pierre; daughters Kay King in Sheridan, Wyo., Peggy Hillmer in Pierre, and Elaine Gillen in Hermosa; 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

In Rapid City last Sunday afternoon a new brown granite Fallen Officers Memorial was unveiled at the intersection of Anamosa and Greenbriar streets on the north side of the city to mark the spot where Rapid City police officers Ryan McCandless and Nick Armstrong were gunned down on duty on Aug. 2.

Tate Gabriel calls to your attention that the date is already set for the second annual charity co-ed softball tournament out at Four Corners. The weekend is May 11-13, 2012. For information contact Tate on his Facebook page.

Loren Pospisil of Fort Pierre passed away at the age of 68 on Nov. 13. Services are planned for 10 a.m. Friday at St. John's Catholic Church in Fort Pierre. Our sympathy to his family, including son Loren Pospisil Jr. in Nebraska; his daughters, Barbara Zimmer in Wisconsin, Katherine Pospisil in Fort Pierre and Sandra Hedman in Canton; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.


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Pierre Young Professionals/strong>

www.pierreyoungprofessionals.com


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STANLEY COUNTY HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Football: Senior Thomas Tolton was named to the South Dakota Football Coaches Association's Academic All-State team.

Winter sports opening nights: wrestling, Nov. 30 @ Lyman quadrangular; gymnastics, Dec. 1 with Pierre @ Huron; boys basketball, Dec. 10 home vs. Bennett County; girls basketball, Dec. 6, home vs. Sully Buttes.

SULLY BUTTES HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Football: Seniors Jordan Lamb, Jalen Lamb and manager Jessica Lentz were named to the South Dakota Football Coaches Association's Academic All-State team.

Winter sports opening nights: wrestling, Dec. 3 @ Stanley County Invitational; boys basketball, Dec. 10 @ Northwestern; girls basketball, Dec. 6 @ Stanley County.

WORDS TO NOT LIVE BY #4

Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

SPORTS NOTES

* One wrestler we want to follow from time to time, even though he doesn't have any connection with us locally, so far as I know, is Logan Storley of Webster, who won six straight state wrestling championships. He is now a freshman wrestling for the University of Minnesota. At the recent Daktronics Open in Brookings, he won the championship in his decision, scoring two major decisions, two decisions and one technical fall during his day's work.

* Upcoming live college basketball on MidCo Sports Net includes USD's men vs. Nebraska-Omaha at 2 p.m. this Sunday; Augustana's men against Dakota State at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and North Dakota State's men against Fresno State at 7 p.m. Nov. 26.

CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREES DISPLAY MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, Nov. 29: noon to 1 p.m., Northern State University choirs.
Wednesday, Nov. 30: 6:30 to 7 p.m., Pierre Indian Learning Center singers.
Thursday, Dec. 1: noon to 1 p.m., Avon High School choir; 5:30 to 6 p.m., Greenleaf Church and Friends from Miller.

FORT PIERRE GETS ITS TREE, TOO

Christmas---or at least the Christmas tree---has come to Fort Pierre. On Wednesday a crew cut down a Black Hills spruce estimated to be 40 feet tall at the home of Lyle and Phyllis Kenzy. That tree will become the city's Christmas tree to be placed at the end of Main Street.

For years the city looked out of town to get its Christmas tree, but Fort Pierre Economic Development Corporation executive director Dave Bonde said in the past three years residents have donated a tree to the city. Bonde said the Kenzys planted this tree in about 1970 when they built their house at 210 N. 6th St. The tree was scheduled to be cut down anyway, so the Kenzys thought it would be best to get some further use out of it.

The tree will be officially lighted on Friday night, Nov. 25, as part of a citywide celebration. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

I WISH I HAD SAID THAT FIRST

If you deliberately plan to be less than you are capable of being, you will be deeply miserable for the rest of your life. --- Abraham Maslow (with thanks to whoever posted this on Facebook this week!)

DONATIONS OF TURKEYS ENCOURAGED

Thanksgiving turkeys are needed by the Feeding South Dakota Food Bank. Director Russ Hofeldt said his goal is to collect 75 turkeys that can be provided to the Food Bank’s members organizations. He said those turkeys would then be distributed by the organizations to individuals and families so they can have a holiday meal.

Hofeldt said the turkey drive will take place all week this week, and he hopes to collect all donations by Monday, Nov. 21. Anyone willing to donate a turkey can drop it off at the Food Bank, located at 2900 Airport Road, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. People with questions can call Hofeldt at 494-3663. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

PERSONAL NOTES

One "no" voter in the recent events center election in Sioux Falls, which passed by a 58-42 percent margin, had some reality in his/her thinking, unlike a lot of the sore losers. This person wrote in a letter to the editor of the Argus Leader: "Dwelling and complaining will not change it, so rather than continuing the argument, we should now work together to make it successful. Those of you who hope for its failure have nothing but selfish motives and are maybe the reason the 'no' vote failed. If we are going to build it, let's build it right."

Dawn Magee was another who commented on my recent column about people who do or don't speak to each other as they pass on the sidewalk. She and her sister-in-law, Diane Magee, were in New York City in October and were surprised at how friendly people were there when approached. Dawn suggests perhaps it was her Midwestern charm and Diane's west Texas charm that won them over! The ladies buzzed around the city via subway, took in a lot of the sights and saw "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway. Dawn also mentioned she and her kids, Katie and Daniel, met up with her husband Jack in Dallas on Oct. 28, and they ventured to Jack's alma mater, Texas A&M, for their football game with Missouri. They enjoyed being at Kyle Field with 86,000 football fans, and they saw an overtime game, the tailgating, and a campus tour from Jack, who graduated from A&M in 1989.

If you are one of those blessed souls who still send Christmas cards---you know, like in the U.S. Mail?---take note that my address changed this year to 20 1/2 N. Willow St., Vermillion SD 57069. That will save the postal people the trouble of forwarding.

Randy Hartmann's son, Josh, a member of the cadet corps at the Air Force Academy, sent a link to a speech by Brig. Gen. Mark Welsh, the commander of the U.S. air forces in Europe, to the cadets. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFBpxB5zgnY

Mark your calendars for Thanksgiving Day when S.D. Public Television will rebroadcast the All-State Chorus/Orchestra concert at 1 p.m. (Also on Public Radio at 8 p.m.) SDPTV will also have the South Dakota Elementary Honors Choir on at 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

When you view Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on television, watch for the South Dakota state float on which Neil Diamond will be riding. I always like to tell people that, back before he was Neil Diamond (that is, before he was a household name), I saw him perform at Slagle Hall at USD as the lead-in act to a Peaches & Herb concert. That must have been something like 1972.

There will not be a Midweek Update next week.

A brand-new event is being planned in Vermillion. The first South Dakota Shakespeare Festival will be held on June 8-10 outdoors in the rock amphitheater in Prentis Park, and "As You Like It" will be the play to be performed in 2012. For continuingly updated information as the date draws nearer, go to www.sdshakespearefestival.org.

THE WEEK'S BEST E-MAIL

The English language has some wonderfully anthropomorphic collective nouns for various groups of animals. We all are familiar with a herd of cows, a flock of chickens, a school of fish and a gaggle of geese. However, less widely known are a pride of lions, a murder of crows (as well as rooks and ravens), an exaltation of doves or larks, and, presumably because they look so wise, a parliament of owls.

Now consider a group of baboons. They are the loudest, most dangerous, most obnoxious, most viciously aggressive and least intelligent of all primates. The proper collective noun for a group of baboons is, believe it or not, a congress. Yes, it's true; a congress of baboons.

To which we will make no further comment.

FOOTBALL CONTESTS (TWO OF THEM!)

For this past weekend Jason Christenson, who is on active duty in Kuwait, won with an 8-2 record. At 7-3 were Mikal Kern in Wyndmere, N.D., Greg Dean in Pierre, Faye Paulsen in Pierre and Jason Noyes in Sioux Falls.

For this coming weekend's 10 games, send me your winners to parker_knox@hotmail.com by noon Saturday or "comment" on my Facebook page where the games are listed:

1. Kansas State @ Texas

2. Oklahoma @ Baylor

3. USC @ Oregon

4. Nebraska @ Michigan

5. South Dakota @ North Dakota

6. Iowa @ Purdue

7. Boston College @ Notre Dame

8. SMU @ Houston

9. NFL: San Diego @ Chicago

10. NFL: Arizona @ San Francisco

For the games to be played on Thanksgiving weekend, send me your winners by noon Friday, Nov. 25:

1. Alabama @ Auburn

2. Arkansas @ LSU

3. Notre Dame @ Stanford

4. Florida State @ Florida

5. Iowa @ Nebraska

6. Penn State @ Wisconsin

7. Ohio State @ Michigan

8. South Carolina @ Clemson

9. Michigan State @ Northwestern

10. NFL: Chicago @ Oakland

BIG BAND DANCE SET FOR FRIDAY

They will be dancing up a storm at Riggs High School Friday night. The annual Big Band Dance, sponsored by the Pierre Fine Arts Booster Club as a fundraiser for the Riggs band program, will feature music by the Riggs jazz band as well as the local Over Forte orchestra.

Tickets are $5 each. The event will run from 8 to 11 p.m. in the Riggs gym. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

BOBBI'S CHILI IS A WINNER

The local Harley Owners Group (HOG) in Rapid City held a chili cook-off competition recently, and Bobbi (Martin) Drewes was the winner with her Chuck Wagon Chili for the Crockpot.

The recipe:

1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried Mexican or regular oregano, crumbled between your fingers
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
4 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery, including leaves
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 jalapeno chilies, roughly chopped
One 12-ounce bottle dark Mexican beer, such as Negro Modelo
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons corn flour (not cornstarch)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
chopped green onion, for garnish
sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

Combine the chili powder, cumin seeds, cayenne, cinnamon, oregano, bay leaves and brown sugar in a small bowl; set the spice mixture aside.

Add the beef to a medium bowl and season with the pepper and 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a 12-inch or larger skillet over high heat. Add enough beef to fill the pan and cook until nicely browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the browned beef to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding the remaining vegetable oil between batches as necessary.

Add the onions, celery and 1 tablespoon of the remaining salt to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapenos, and spice mixture and cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in the beer, tomato paste and crushed tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in the chocolate, corn flour, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer this mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook the chili on high, undisturbed or stirring only once during cooking, for 6 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro and parsley. Serve the chili hot in bowls, topped with grated cheddar, chopped green onion and sour cream.

Note: Leftover chili may thicken up and need to be reheated with a little low sodium broth.

ADULT TRUTHS #1

I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

TREES BEING READIED IN CAPITOL ROTUNDA

Next Tuesday night the lights go on for the annual Capitol Christmas tree display, but before then, a lot of work has to be done.

Monday saw the first of the 90 or so trees be moved into the Capitol. That included the 35-foot blue spruce tree that was donated by Justin and Melissa Flottmeyer from the yard of their home on Buffalo Street in Pierre. It will serve as the South Dakota tree and be decorated by the Central South Dakota RSVP.

All of the other trees will be moved in this week. Groups from across the state will decorate the trees this weekend. After the grand lighting ceremony next Tuesday night, the display will then be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Dec. 26. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING SET FOR SUNDAY

An ecumenical service of Thanksgiving regarding the response to the flood takes place Sunday. The service, entitled “The Rainbow After the Flood: Hope, Promise and Thanksgiving,” will be held at the First United Methodist Church at 4 p.m.

Musical groups include Surprise Package and an ecumenical choir with a special guest. There also will be speakers from the community.

A dinner of buffalo burgers and pie will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. All proceeds from a freewill offering there will go to the Oahe Long-Term Flood Relief. The event is sponsored by the Pierre-Fort Pierre Ministerium. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

NEW MUSIC ORGANIZATION COMING TO RIGGS HIGH

The Pierre school board gave its approval on Monday to starting the state's first music honor society at Riggs High School. Bethany Amundson, band director, was joined by choral director Rodd Bauck in making a presentation to the board about the Tri M Music Honor Society.

Tri M is affiliated with and sponsored by the National Association for Music Education. Amundson told the board that, if it allowed Riggs High to have the first Tri M chapter in the state, it would encourage students in their music pursuits. She said Tri M will give Pierre students access to more options such as teens in other parts of the state who live closer to college music programs and events.

The board voted to pay the $100 annual fee to start the Riggs Tri M chapter, and Amundson said she is excited that Pierre will have the first chapter in the state.

Amundson said Tri M members will get a chance to attend group activities like the Pierre Concert Series and live music gatherings. She said they will also work to be a self-sufficient chapter, and the students will help spread music appreciation through the younger grade levels.

For students to apply, Amundson said they will have to have a minimum 2.5 grade-point average, maintain nothing less than a "B" in music classes and show leadership at the school, in the community and in the music classrooms. Amundson hopes to have an induction ceremony for the new Tri M chapter before Christmas break this year. (News courtesy of Dakota Radio Group's "My Daily News.")

PARKER'S THANKSGIVING COLUMN 2011

"When you're worried and you can't sleep," Irving Berlin wrote as the lyrics of one of his songs, "just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings."

That thought crossed my mind again on a Saturday morning in October, a rare day with no wind, when the sun was out, the tree leaves were glorious, cross country runners clad in various colors were warming up on the course on the north side of Vermillion, high school bands in the distance were outside the DakotaDome warming up for a festival, and all---for an hour at least---was well with the world.

At Thanksgiving time for many years I've written a column for whoever would bother to read it. Since you have chosen to do so, let me say "Happy Thanksgiving." May you and yours find just as many things for which to be thankful this year as I have on my list:

Four perfect grandchildren, all of whom live in the same city now . . . bookstores . . . Charlie Coyote . . . warm pumpkin pie topped with Cool Whip . . . the uniqueness of South Dakota where, no matter where you go, you can find somebody who knows somebody who knows you . . . the hometown newspaper in the mailbox each week . . . fellow walkers who cheerfully say "Hello" and "Good morning" as we pass on the sidewalks . . . the Black Hills Playhouse . . . the music of "Les Miserables" . . . deviled eggs.

"Touch 'em all, Justin Morneau" (or any other Twin who is healthy enough to be in the lineup) . . . my hour with a morning cup of coffee over a copy of USA Today in the MUC . . . the glorious sound of music in the renovated auditorium at Slagle Hall . . . pumpkin bread . . . the rush of seeing a car bearing a license plate from home . . . memories of Duke, Queenie, Buppy, Tippy, Malcolm, Bud, Maggie, Oliver and all the other dogs who have graced my life . . . homecoming parades . . . the view out across the valley from West Main.

Four children who as adults have become each other's strongest friends, defenders, protectors and supporters . . . train whistles at night as the freights rumble through town down below the bluffs . . . hot chocolate . . . the scent of rain in the air . . . Duke Blue Devils basketball . . . a Tom & Jerry on a frosty holiday morning . . . Minneapolis-St. Paul . . . the first glimpse of the DakotaDome roof while coming down I-29 . . . Octobers . . . playoff baseball such as we had this year . . . sweet potatoes smothered in marshmallows.

Easy crossword puzzles . . . people who stop to watch Oliver stalk squirrels on the campus and then continue on their way smiling . . . "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and the memories it evokes . . . the talented and personable young men and women of the USD music department who welcome me into their midst each day . . . cheerful supermarket workers we get to know on a first-name basis . . . Summit League basketball tournaments . . . Handel's "Messiah" . . . summer baseball evenings . . . strawberry shortcake.

Memories of Mom, Dad and Grandma Maggie amid regrets they never got to know my grandkids . . . the Sound of USD marching band . . . the Christmas trees in the Capitol Rotunda . . . the ultimate tribute to an organist---a compliment from Jack Noble . . . a surprise e-mail from someone from whom I haven't heard in a long time . . . the military men and women on deployments and the supportive families keeping things going at home . . . a harvest moon . . . seeing the light in the tower of Old Main out my kitchen window . . . a Louie Krogman 3-pointer to beat the buzzer . . . Zesto.

"Free popcorn Fridays" at the MUC . . . Garrison Keillor and "Prairie Home Companion" . . . wind chimes . . . the USD brass choir . . . getting green lights on Cherry Street all the way through town . . . turkey pot pies . . . the ladies and guys at the public library . . . the nervous energy of a vocal student as his or her recital time approaches . . . my fellow surviving members of the OHS Class of '56 . . . a penny on the sidewalk . . . brownies . . . South Dakota sunrises and sunsets . . . Wrigley Field and the Cubs, hopeless as they may be.

Sunday mornings from their early quiet time to powerful hymns, choir anthems and messages to coffee and conversation afterward . . . peanut butter and jelly sandwiches . . . Bob Bowker and his cronies on Tanager radio broadcasts . . . the Paradise Fears boys . . . hot apple cider . . . the first blooming flowers in the spring . . . the first sight of the lights of Pierre from 15 miles out . . . the sun streaming through stained-glass windows . . . Capitals hockey . . . riding the Light Rail downtown to a Twins or Vikings game . . . cross country meets . . . memories of students in Wessington Springs, Huron, Blunt and Onida over 18 years of teaching.

My daily hour with the USD opera class . . . families together at a Christmas Eve service . . . Greg Merrigan's signature voice at USD games and the state track meets . . . hot dogs on a grill . . . a university president who rolls down his car window to talk about one's dog . . . rhubarb in any form . . . the exhilaration of Game Day at USD---the tailgating and the band's arrival, the pre-game show, the howl of the coyotes and the roar of the motorcycles, the third-down alarm bells and the band's fight songs, Will Powell's astounding receptions, and "that's another Coyote first down!" . . . public servants who live the part . . . people who say they enjoy reading The Midweek Update.

Memories of my Pierre years . . . the kids growing up in that wonderful old house on Prospect . . . the Over Forte big band . . . Pierre Players musicals . . . Governor sports and music and drama and all the rest . . . working as a cashier at Mr. Kundert's Dakotamart . . . greeting customers through the drive-up window at BankWest up on the hill for seven years . . . Capital Journal "people pages" day after day after day for 16 years . . . the Kiwanis Singers . . . the Emerald Regiment's indoor marching band concerts . . . hundreds of us wearing green at state basketball tournaments . . . Post 8 baseball . . . the river view from the Verendrye Monument hill . . . community chorus concerts . . . the Capital City Children's Chorus . . . a walk in the gulch.

The College World Series . . . the sense of family that pervades a community theater cast . . . friends who ask "How are you?" and really want to know the answer . . . shuffling through leaves while strolling across campus . . . a phone call from one of the kids or a friend to reassure me they arrived there safely . . . Washington, D.C. . . . sing-alongs of musical theater music . . . Nicholas Sparks' latest book . . . the pizza guy's knock on the door . . . relaxing with friends on a rare night out somewhere downtown . . . the "Skol, Vikings" fight song and those rare occasions we get to sing it.

Thornton Wilder said, "We can be said to be alive only in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." May we be aware of ours not only on Thanksgiving Day but each day beyond as well.

 

Vol. 12, No. 11; Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011

CORPS OF ENGINEERS RESPONDS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently concluded eight open house sessions and public meetings in cities, including in Pierre last Wednesday, throughout the Missouri River basin to listen to the concerns of citizens as part of the Annual Operating Plan development.

"The past two weeks have been incredibly beneficial, and we have listened intently to the people we serve," says Brig. Gen. John McMahon, Northwestern Division Commander. "The top priority of the Northwestern Division is to responsibly prepare for the 2012 runoff season.”

The Corps will change its approach to Missouri River Mainstem operations as a result of the public meetings. First, the Corps will assume a more flexible posture as water is evacuated through the system for the remainder of the fall and early winter. "We will get as much water out of the system as possible as weather permits and the repair work allows," says Jody Farhat, Chief of the Water Management Division.

The Corps says it will take an aggressive stance with winter and spring releases and communicate more frequently and more broadly as the 2012 season unfolds.

Farhat will conduct bi-monthly conference calls. During those calls, the dialogue will continue with federal, state, county and local officials, Tribes, emergency management officials, independent experts and the press to discuss conditions on the ground and current Corps’ reservoir release plans and forecasts. Audio files of the conference calls will be available.

A primary concern raised in the public meetings was the Corps’ strategy to only evacuate water from the reservoir system back to the designed amount of flood control storage. "We set the target in late July as an initial first step to safely drawdown historic releases in time for people to get back into their homes, farms and businesses, and for the Corps and state agencies to begin making repairs as quickly as possible," says McMahon.

The reservoir system was designed with 16.3 million acre feet of flood control storage, which equates to approximately 22 percent of the storage in the reservoir system. Given record runoff, the Corps has initiated a technical analysis to determine how much more reservoir space might be reserved for flood control purposes

Comments on the draft plan were taken during the series of public meetings. Written and email comments will be accepted through Nov. 25. Email comments should be sent to: Missouri.Water.Management@nwd02.usace.army.mil.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars. --- Les Brown

D.I. INFORMATIONAL MEETING FOR PARENTS TONIGHT

Remember those years when there were so many Odyssey of the Mind (now Destination ImagiNation) teams in Pierre that we at the Capital Journal had three full pages of team photos each spring? Maybe those years will never return, but it's not too late to start a D.I. team for your students and their friends for this school year. Read this about an information meeting tonight (Thursday):

An informational meeting for parents whose children are interested in being part of this year's Destination ImagiNation program will be held at 5:15 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Buchanan Elementary School. D.I. is a creative problem-solving program which teaches chlidren creativity, teamwork and problem-solving. Those who cannot attend this meeting should contact D.I. coordinators Doris Stiles at doris.stiles@k12.sd.us or 224-1698 or Alicia Schoenhard at schoenhards6102@msn.com or 494-0101.

RIGGS HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week's schedules:
Competitive cheer/dance---Saturday, @ state tournament, Brandon.

Volleyball: The Lady Govs lost to top-seeded Aberdeen Central on opening night of the District 3AA tournament, 3-0, on set scores of 7-25, 13-25 and 13-25. Whitney King had six kills, Kaitlyn Severyn five kills and Ashley Polak nine assists. That moved Pierre into a third-place match in order to stay alive for a state tournament berth, but on Tuesday night Mitchell ended the Pierre season with a 3-1 win in the third-place match. Down 2-0, the Lady Govs won the third set, 25-19, but lost the fourth, 25-17, after Mitchell had won the first two sets, 25-15 and 25-16.

Cheer/dance: Pierre teams were seventh and ninth at the ESD conference meet in Brandon.

CHRISTMAS 2011 --- BIRTH OF A NEW TRADITION?

(Editor's note: The following came in an e-mail this week from former Pierre resident/teacher Mary Fredrichs of Forestburg. Plenty of food for thought in this, as well as Christmas gift ideas!)

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods---merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans.

There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. It is time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit into a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese-produced wrapping paper?

Everyone gets his hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Chinese-made flat-screen TV? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a gazillion owner-run restaurants all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks, this isn't about big national chains---this is about supporting your hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people sell beautiful quilts, stockings, spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five-dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US (We the People), encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we could not imagine.

This is the new American Christmas tradition! This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

WEDDING DAYS

Nov. 11: Lee Rausch/Jessica Schultz.
Nov. 19: Michael Kaiser/Macy Welsh.
Nov. 19: Jared McPherson/Kimberly Weischedel.
Nov. 25: James Sleger/Jill Rounds.
Nov. 26: Michael Knudson/Kylie Sutton.
April 13: Justin Jones/Theresa Frick.
May 19: Seth Parsons/Karae Englehart.
May 23: Maxx Vaudrin/Macy Gomes.
June 2: Eric Aadland/Angie Briguet.
June 9: Bret Graves/Caitie Wagner.
June 9: Christopher Dekker/Mallory Petersen.
June 23: Jerid Maskovich/Jeanine Van Ash.
July 14: Gavin Van Zee/Samantha Hestdalen.
Aug. 31: Cody Stoeser/Cassie Rausch.

PIERRE'S BETHANY JOCHIM: A SCIENTIST IN THE MAKING

By Steve Young, Sioux Falls Argus Leader

A young woman with a passion for the piano and ancient languages is making a name for South Dakota in the research world of physics. Bethany Jochim of Pierre, who graduated this past May from Augustana College, learned this week that she has been awarded the prestigioius Leroy Apker Award by the American Physical Society.

The honor recognizes outstanding achievement in physics by undergraduates. Two prizes are awarded---one to a student from a doctorate-granting institution and one from a non-doctorate-granting school. Djordje Radicevic of Princeton is the other honoree.

"It's a pretty big deal," said Eric Wells, associate professor of physics at Augustana. "Augustana hs never had the winner before."

Jochim's selection comes in part for her research work with extremely short laser pulses and how they interact with and control individual molecules. That work, funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, could one day lead to new ways of controlling chemical reactions and creating new materials. In her four years at Augustana, she also had five research articles published in mainstream, peer-reviewed scientific journals. She has presented the results of her projects at physics meetings in Atlanta and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

"I'd put her undergraduate record up against anyone I've ever seen as an undergraduate," Wells said.

Jochim, 22, was a student at Riggs High School in Pierre when she was first introduced to physics and discovered the lure of problem solving. Her teacher had talked one day about the "Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle," a key early discovery in quantum theory, and the seed was planted.

"I think I've always been more inclined toward science," Jochim said by phone from her apartment at Kansas State University where she is now pursuing a doctoral degree in physics. "A lot of my pastimes when I was younger involved doing experiments that kids do. So when I was introduced to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, it wasn't a detailed introduction, but enough to tell me that I wanted more."

Wells said when Jochim was first considering Augustana, he asked---as he did all students---what she wanted to be when she grew up. The typical answers tended to be long-winded and veered in many different directions. Jochim said, simply, "I want to be a scientist."

After a few moments of silence, when nothing more was forthcoming, Wells said, "OK, good, we can help you with that."

Her freshman physics textbook was 1,000 pages and included 1,200 problems combined in the back of all the chapters. Wells requires students to answer 300 of them. Jochim did them all.

She also spent summers at Kansas State doing research as part of a collaborative effort between that university and Augustana. That experience created in her a desire to teach at the university level some day and to continue research as well after she finishes the five to six years it will take to get her doctorate degree.

"I've thought it would be neat to end up at a place like Augustana," she said. "I'd put a lot of effort into teaching, but also involve students in research the way my instructors involved me."

When she isn't doing research with lasers, Jochim plays the piano for the relief it brings from daily stress. She also has a fascination with ancient languages such as Greek and Latin. She believes they will improve her proficiency in English and lead to her becoming a better writer when she is putting together future articles.

It should be a bright future, Wells said. "She has the ability. With research, if you know beforehand how to make a big breakthrough, it's probably not a big breakthrough. Some of it is serendipitous. Bethany certainly has a lot of talent and a lot of drive. She has as good a chance to succeed as anyone."

The American Physical Society, which bestowed the Apker award on her, apparently sees that talent, too.

"I was shocked but really honored, too," she said. "It will mean a lot to me for the rest of my life." Jochim receives $5,000 for the award and an allowance for travel to the American Physical Society conference where the award will be presented. Additionally Augustana College receives $5,000 to support ongoing undergraduate research.

THOUGHTS 'BORROWED' FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S FACEBOOK STATUS

Today can be a healthy, unusual day for you and for others if you take time to give someone a smile . . . to express a word of kindness . . . to lend a helping hand to someone in need . . . to write a note of gratitude . . . to give a word of encouragement to someone who is temporarily overcome with problems . . . to share a portion of your material possessions with others.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Dakota State football (Alex Parker): The Jackrabbits won their Hobo Day game, 45-34 over Southern Illinois. The season ends for the Jacks this Saturday at Western Illinois.

North Dakota State cross country (Travis Fitzke, Alec Espeland): Idle last weekend, the Bison compete this Saturday at the NCAA Midwest Regional in DeKalb, Ill.

Augustana football (Brian Long, Tanner Foth): The Vikings scored a go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left, but Wayne State kicked a game-winning field goal at 0:13 to beat Augustana, 34-32. Now 5-5 overall and 5-4 in the NSIC, Augustana closes the season this Saturday at Upper Iowa.

North Dakota soccer (Kristi Hestdalen): The Sioux won their first game in the Great West Conference tournament in Newark, N.J., over Howard University, 2-0. Kristi stopped all three shots against her for her fourth shutout of the season. In the semifinals UND had to face top-seeded Utah Valley and lost 4-2. Kristi had seven saves in that one. UND's season ends with a record of 6-9-3.

Dakota State volleyball (Mandi Atkins): Mandi played in two of the three sets as DSU lost to the School of Mines, 3-0, Saturday. With a record of 16-20, DSU now goes to Phoenix to play in the A.I.I. Independent Tournament where the Trojans will play LaSierra (Calif.) and Mayville State (N.D.) in pool play Friday and Saturday.

South Dakota swimming (Marcus Christianson): The Coyotes, idle last week, swim at Wisconsin-Green Bay today (Thursday).

South Dakota football (Kyle Cichos): The Coyotes didn't have a game last week. Their final home game is Saturday against Missouri S&T at noon.

S.D. Mines football (Andy Smith, John Ziadat): The Hardrockers dropped to 1-9 for the year with a 17-0 loss to Dickinson State. The season ends Saturday with a 4 p.m. game at Black Hills State.

Dakota State football (Cliff Monroy, Matt Wright, Jordan Jenkins): The Trojans finished their season with a 1-10 record after a 6-0 loss to Mayville State Saturday.

Presentation football (Tate Rinehart): The Saints lost at Westminster College in Missouri, 17-10, and are now 3-6 overall. The last game of the season is at home Saturday at 7 p.m. against Greenville College.

Dakota Wesleyan men's soccer (Dane Hagen, Austin Munyon, Eric Christianson, Doug Gordon): After winning their first-round game in the GPAC playoffs last week, the Tigers lost to Midland University in the semifinals, 3-1. The season ends at 9-9-1.

South Dakota State swimming (Jim McLain, Alex McLain): The Jackrabbit men, idle last week, resume their season at St. Cloud State Saturday.

Black Hills State football (Devin Rounds): An interception late in the game set up BHSU in good field position for the game-winning field goal kicked by Devin for a 10-7 win over Minot State. The Yellowjackets end the season at home Saturday against the School of Mines.

Northern State football (Tate Senftner, Terrelle Walker): The Wolves won their second straight, 42-21 over Minnesota State-Moorhead to improve to 4-6 overall and 3-6 in the NSIC. NSU closes the season at home Saturday at 1 p.m. against Mary.

South Dakota State volleyball (Amanda Stout): The Jackrabbits lost at Southern Utah, 3-1, but concluded the road trip with a 3-1 win at Oral Roberts. Amanda had 11 digs in that match. On Monday night SDSU lost to the #12 team in the nation, Northern Iowa, 3-0. Amanda played in all three sets and had nine digs and one service ace. SDSU is home for UMKC Friday and USD Saturday.

Princeton hockey (Matt Farris): The conference season began with a 4-3 win at Harvard and a 5-3 loss at Dartmouth. Princeton is home this weekend against St. Lawrence and Clarkson.

Dakota Wesleyan women's soccer (Linsey Peterson, Yutzil Rodriguez): In the first round of the GPAC playoffs DWU and Concordia remained tied, 1-1, after double overtime, so the match went to a shootout where Concordia won, 4-3. Yutzil scored DWU's goal in regulation time on a corner kick. The loss ends the season for DWU.

Black Hills State volleyball (Kylee Lamb): Kylee had 10 kills in a 3-0 win over Dickinson State. BHSU also lost to Minot State, 3-0. The season ends this weekend in Missouri at the NCAA candidacy tournament for schools in transition to NCAA Division II. BHSU will play Lindenwood (Mo.) and Sioux Falls in pool play.

South Dakota State swimming (Morgan McLain): The Jackrabbit women resume their season Saturday at Northern Iowa.

Black Hills State basketball (Mitch Foth): No box score is available on the BHSU website, so we don't know if Mitch played, but BHSU lost an exhibition game to DWU, 74-59. The Yellowjackets open the regular season Nov. 18-19 at Colorado Mines and Metro State.

South Dakota State basketball (Steph Paluch, Katie Lingle): The SDSU women went to 2-0 in exhibition play with a 76-50 win over Southwest Minnesota State. Kaite was 3-of-7 from the field for six points with a rebound, an assist and a steal in 13 minutes. Steph was 3-of-3 for six points with two boards, three assists and a steal in 18 minutes. SDSU opens the season for real at home Friday against St. Cloud State at 8 p.m. and Sunday against Utah State at 2 p.m.

SDSU basketball note: Pierre's Steph Paluch is the subject of this week's "Jackrabbit Spotlight" question-and-answer feature at www.gojacks.com.

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyler Sarringar, Dusty Paulsen): The Pierre connection on the DWU wrestling team had a great opening day Saturday at the York Open in York, Neb. Dusty and Tyler both placed second in their weight classes, and both were among eight Tiger wrestlers who qualified already for the national meet at the end of the season. Dusty had a win and two decisions before losing in the finals of his weight class by pin. Tyler won twice by pins and lost a 9-5 decision in the finals of his class. This weekend DWU is home Friday for a dual against the University of Regina (Sask.) and Saturday for the DWU Open tournament.

Mount Marty basketball (Spencer Yackley): The Lancers won an exhibition game in Chamberlain over the School of Mines, 72-68. The season opens at home this weekend against a pair of Iowa schools, Ashford and Clarke. On Tuesday MMC goes to Presentation.

South Dakota basketball (Alexis Yackley): The Coyote women are awaiting their season opener Nov. 18 at Northern Arizona.

Purdue basketball (Sam Ostarello): In their exhibition opener Purdue's women defeated Edinboro, 86-73. Sam had 12 points (including 6-of-7 in free throws) and a team-high 15 rebounds. On Sunday the regular-season opener will bring IUPUI to Purdue.

Dakota Wesleyan basketball (Liz Lamb): The Tiger women won their opener over Trinity Bible College, 66-49. DWU hosts Jamestown and Valley City State this weekend and goes to Dakota State Tuesday.

Mount Marty basketball (Alexa Berg): The Lancer women won their opener over Oglala Lakota College, 101-42, as Alexa was 3-of-8 from the field for eight points with two assists, a rebound and two steals. At a tournament in Fremont, Neb., Mount Marty defeated William Penn (Iowa), 89-68. Alexa had two points but did a good defensive job on William Penn's leading scorer. The next day MMC lost to Bethel (Ind.), 52-70, as Alexa had a team-high 18 points, including five three-point field goals. Mount Marty hosts Valley City State and Jamestown College this weekend and Grace University of Omaha Tuesday.

STANLEY COUNTY HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Volleyball: The Lady Buffs season ended with a 3-0 loss to Mobridge-Pollock in the semifinals of the district tournament on set scores of 10-25, 5-25, 9-25. Stanley County's record was 2-23. Shelby Gienger had three service aces and Hailey Norman three blocks and three kills.

PUBLIC MEETING ON STATE BUDGET PROCESS ANNOUNCED

How South Dakota collects and spends money should reflect its citizens' shared values---our consensus about needed public services in our state and how they should be financed. For many taxpayers though, the state budget process is confusing. Furthermore, they are not aware of opportunities to take part in the discussion.

The Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce and Oahe, Inc. will co-host a luncheon and discussion from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, in the Chamber of Commerce building. The public is invited to take part in a nonpartisan budget discussion, learn about state budget basics and begin a consensus-building discussion. Local legislators will be invited to attend as "distinguished listeners."

Topics will include: (1) transparency of the budget process; (2) opportunities for citizen input into the budget process; (3) revenue adequacy (are there funds enough to provide basic services?); (4) revenue fairness (are taxpayers in similar situations paying equal taxes?); (5) K-12 services and spending; (6) Medicaid services and spending (human services, health care, long-term care); (7) additional topics of local concern.

The public is invited. A free meal will be served, but please RSVP to Chuck Quinn at 224-4501 or cquinn@oaheinc.com before the end of the business day Dec. 2.

"South Dakotans Talking---A Community Discussion on South Dakota's Budget Choices" will be facilitated by SDSU Extension Community Development and the South Dakota Budget & Policy Project with funding from the Bush Foundation and the Northwest Area Foundation.

PONDER THIS

Your children get only one childhood.

COUNTDOWN


2 days: Cheer/dance state tournament, Brandon (Nov. 12).
7 days: State volleyball tournaments, Sioux Falls (Nov. 17-19).
12 days: Capitol Christmas trees lighting ceremony (Nov. 22).
21 days: Pierre Players' "A Christmas Story" (Dec. 1-3, 9-11).
23 days: Community & Youth Involved Center's Holiday Tour of Homes (Dec. 3).
31 days: Capital City Children's Chorus "A Ceremony of Carols," 6:30 p.m., Methodist Church (Dec. 11).
60 days: BCS national championship college football game (Jan. 9).
84 days: State one-act play festival, Aberdeen (Feb. 2-4).
87 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 5).
99 days: State gymnastics tournament, Brookings (Feb. 17-18).
106 days: State wrestling tournaments (B Rapid City, A Aberdeen) (Feb. 24-25).
108 days: The Academy Awards (Feb. 26).
119 days: State girls basketball tournaments (B Huron, A Spearfish, AA Brookings) (March 8-10).
120 days: State boys varsity hockey tournament, Expo Center (March 9-11).
126 days: State boys basketball tournaments (B Aberdeen, A Sioux Falls, AA Rapid City) (March 15-17).
133 days: All-State Band, Brookings (March 22-24).
148 days: Twins' season opener at Baltimore (April 6).
189 days: State boys tennis tournament, Rapid City (May 17-19).
193 days: State golf tournaments (B boys and B girls Rapid City, A girls Hot Springs, AA girls Sioux Falls) (May 21-22).
197 days: State track meets (B Rapid City, A Spearfish, AA Sturgis) (May 25-26).
208 days: South Dakota primary election day (June 5).
260 days: Summer Olympics opening ceremonies, London (July 27).
291 days: Republican National Convention, Tampa (Aug. 27-30).
298 days: Democratic National Convention, Charlotte (Sept. 3-6).
362 days: General election day (Nov. 6, 2012).
373 days: Renewal of USD-SDSU football rivalry (Nov. 17, 2012).
820 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Sochi, Russia (Feb. 7, 2014).

SULLY BUTTES HIGH SPORTS ROUNDUP

Volleyball: The Chargers, after defeating Sunshine Bible 25-12, 25-16, 25-17 in the semifinals of the District 5B Tournament, won the championship Friday night over Faulkton, 3-0, on set scores of 25-21, 25-15, 25-21. That put Sully Buttes into the regional championship match Tuesday against Herreid/Selby Area, but the Chargers fell short in a 3-0 sweep. All three sets were tight and close with Herreid/Selby winning by 27-25, 25-21 and 29-27 to earn a state tournament trip.

WORDS OF WISDOM

The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well. --- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, Nov. 10:
Kyle Kafka, Sara (Dvorak) Becker, Joe Wieseler, Ryan Noyes, Anne Rounds, Garrett Pochop.

Friday, Nov. 11:
Carson Wyly, Rosa Iverson, Danielle Trujillo.

Saturday, Nov. 12:
Anita Nicholas.

Sunday, Nov. 13:
Casey Buechler, Kris Hewlett, Kimberly Nelson, Barb Olson, Clark Kraemer, Courtney Donnan, Colin Alexander, Shelli Ness, Steve Miller.

Monday, Nov. 14:
Brandon Brown, Josh Boyle, Emma Aadland, Dakota Bixler, Alison (Drewes) Haas, Sandy Spencer, Hana Bloomberg.

Tuesday, Nov. 15:
Lisa (Ries) Kramer, Shane Hollingsworth, Karen Leuning, Therese (Blake) Schultz, Rik Drewes, Robert Nagle.

Wednesday, Nov. 16:
Daniel Magee, Leonard Powell, Wes Sepcner, LaTonya Anderson, Jack Merkwan, Chad Uhrig, Hollie Stutesman, Kris Schaffer.

PEOPLE NEWS

Sandi Durick of Pierre has been elected president of the National Rural Health Association. The NRHA is a national nonprofit organization with more than 20,000 members whose mission is to provide leadership on rural issues through advocacy, communication, education and research. Durick, who has been with the state Department of Health since 1979, will serve as president-elect of the organization starting Jan. 1 and will become president in 2013. She has worked in several positions with the Department of Health. She has been the rural health administrator since 2007. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Sean Tousley (Riggs '99) and wife Megan Tousley are expecting their first child---a girl---in February. Sean and Megan have been married for six years and live in Englewood, Colo. The grandparents-to-be are Jane and Terry Tousley, former residents of Pierre, now of Heber City, Utah, and Ruth and Roy Heitritter of Sheldon, Iowa.

Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" has its final weekend at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux Falls, as presented by the Sioux Empire Community Theatre, this weekend at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Pierre native John Williams and his wife Laura were pictured in full color on the cover of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader's entertainment magazine last week. They are playing a married couple in the play, the first time they have played lead roles opposite each other.

Mildred Merriam passed away recently in Huron at the age of 93. Services were held in Huron on Oct. 29. Mrs. Merriam was a retired teacher. Among her survivors are two sons, Rick Merriam in Pierre and Allen Merriam in Huron, as well as 11 grandchildren, including Ryan and Tyler Merriam; 22 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. Our sympathy to all of the Merriam family.

Apparently the link to the video of the FISHDOCTOR band, including Pierre's own Jared Lindbloom, with the video directed by Andrew Kightlinger, was not correct in last week's Midweek Update. Jared tells us this one should be good to go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz_C7Ns3-Uk

James Reed, 74, Pierre, died in Sioux Falls on Oct. 26. He was a retiree from the Corps of Engineers who later worked part-time after retirement at Dakotamart and economart stores in Pierre. Among his survivors are his wife, Priscilla, in Pierre; daughters Linda Nelson in Sturgis and Susan Reed in Spearfish, and son Byron in Mankato, Minn.

When South Dakota State University recently honored the Coughlin Alumni Stadium all-time team on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the stadium, among the honorees returning was Sully Buttes High alumnus and SDSU graduate Monte Mosiman of Chanhassen, Minn. Fifty football players who excelled during the 50 years of the stadium's existence were named to the honor team. Monte's wife Nicole and three daughters joined him in Brookings for the ceremony held at halftime of a football game there last month.

Funeral services were held at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sioux Falls Monday for John P. Jones II, 82, who passed away Nov. 3 at the VA hospital there. Mr. Jones and his family came to Pierre in the '50s. He owned the Capitol News Agency, a magazine distributorship, as well as the St. Charles Mobil station. Then he was general manager of the Holiday Inn from 1964 to 1978. While in Pierre, he was active in the Jaycees, the Elks, the Chamber of Commerce, the fire department and the Shriners, and he served as city magistrate and lay magistrate for the county. Since 1989, he and his wife of 56 1/2 years, Frances, had lived in Sanford, Fla. Their five sons include David, Jeff, Roger, Mike and Tom, and he is also survived by 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Our sympathy to Roxy Thielen and Kim Van Den Hemel and their families on the death of their brother. Bradley Becker, 59, died of cancer last week in Springfield, Mo.

Michael Tveidt (Riggs '06), who last spring completed an outstanding collegiate basketball career at North Dakota State, was drafted in the fourth round of the NBA D-League draft by the Iowa Energy based in Des Moines. Tveidt was the 58th player selected. A 6'7" forward from Pierre, he was a two-time all-Summit League second-team selection and finished 12th on the NDSU all-time scoring list with 1,408 career points. He graduated from NDSU in May with a bachelor's degree in public relations and advertising. He was a three-time honoree on both the Summit League all-academic team and the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence. Michael is one of 17 players invited to the Energy's training camp, which began this weke. The 17 are a combination of players chosen in the draft, returning players and local tryout attendees. A final 10-man roster has to be declared by 5 p.m. Nov. 23. Iowa's season opens Nov. 25 against the Canton Charge in Canton, Ohio, and Nov. 26 against the Skyforce in Sioux Falls.

Kimberly Weischedel of Onida, who works as an operations assistant at First National Bank in Pierre, will be married Nov. 19 to Jared McPherson, a Sturgis native, who is a diesel technician for Morris, Inc. Kim and Jared both attended Lake Area Technical Institute at Watertown.

Blunt native and Sully Buttes graduate Jason Christenson is currently on another deployment overseas, this one in Kuwait. He said in an e-mail recently that this deployment is very different from any other he has been on because there is very little threat there. He said he finds it frustrating that many of the contractors on whom the Army is reliant these days who see their job opportunities dwindling as troops leave nearby Iraq bail out prematurely and leave their messes for the Army to clean up. Jason's wife Wanda and their children are home at Fort Riley in Manhattan, Kan. Jason and Wanda have been separated by deployments for four of their 10 years of marriage, "but," he said, "that is the life we chose when we elected to stay in the service. I am lucky to have such a great supporting family." Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, so the Christensons are great K-State fans. Jason recently stayed up till 2 a.m. Kuwait time to watch the Kansas State-Oklahoma football game while running on a treadmill. "At least I got in a great two-hour workout from the ordeal," he said.

Ryan Knox, who moved from the Twin Cities to Tucson, Ariz., in mid-October, began work last week as a bartender/server at the Radisson Suites' bar called Breeze.

Shirley Donahue, who was a kindergarten and fifth-grade teacher in the Pierre schools for 23 years, died Nov. 1 at Dorsett Healthcare Center in spearfish after a 10-year struggle with chronic health problems. A native of Cresbard, she attended South Dakota State University and earned her teaching degree at Black Hills State University. She taught at Miller and Edgemont before coming to the Pierre school system. She is survived by two daughters, Kelly Wheeler in Custer and Kathleen Hood in Spearfish; a son, Mike Donahue in Spearfish; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and long-time companion Bill Engels of Pierre.

The employees at BankWest's Onida branch sent care packages to several deployed soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq who have ties to the Onida community. The packages included homemade cookies, breads and snack mixes plus things like jerky, chips, coffee, cards and personal hygiene items. They included a copy of The Onida Watchman in each box. The soldiers did what any Watchman reader would do while in another country---they had their picture taken holding a copy of the newspaper for its "Watchman On The Road" feature. Pictured were SSG Jeff Wright, son-in-law of Wayne and Barb Heien; SPC Austin Green, grandson of Sharon Archer; SFC David Serbousek, son of David and Jennifer Serbousek; SSG Bill Weischedel, son of Dale and LaVonne Weischedel; SSG Nick Johnson, who is employed by Joe Matzen of Onida; 1SG Robert Slaba of Blunt, an employee of Wilbur Ellis, and SPC Bryan Slaba of Aberdeen, son of 1SG Robert and Norma Slaba. The soldiers also included this note with the photo: "We from the 200th Eng. Co. wish to say thank you for the care packages you sent us. We are one big family here, or it seems that way with everyone from South Dakota. We take great pride taking care of each other. It is also our job to protect what we know we have and that is the freedoms that we enjoy with our families and loved ones. For that we know the sacrifice we make is worth it. We are enclosing a photo of all the soldiers here on Camp Leatherneck who have ties to the Onida area. We would like to acknowledge the ones who are keeping the home fires burning till we return. Thank you for the care packages."

Newly-inducted members of National Honor Society at Stanley County High School are Cade Larson, Seth Van Den Hemel, Bailey Tibbs, Rickey Ackley, Madison Hand and Hailey Norman. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")

Anthony Hunt is part of a 10-member cast that will present this fall's USD opera, Mozart's "The Magic Flute," on the campus at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. The students also performed the show for the first time at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls yesterday morning and will be at Yankton High School next Monday noon.

By an amazing, unexpected majority of 58% to 42%, Sioux Falls voters decided that that city---and thus South Dakota!---will have a new events center. The present Sioux Falls Arena opened in 1962. Construction on the new facility is expected to begin next summer.

TWO RIGGS SENIORS ACHIEVE MERIT SEMIFINALIST STATUS
By Samantha Beck, Riggs High School Governor Staff

Every year over 1.5 million high school students take the PSAT test nationwide, but only 16,000 of them are named National Merit Scholar semifinalists. Seniors Joey Knofczynski and Courtney Sargent are two of those 16,000.

Last year Sargent and Knofczynski took the PSAT with hopes of qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. Their test scores were high enough to qualify them as two of 50,000 students who received recognition in the program. In September they were notified that they had become semifinalists.

Being recognized in the program will help Sargent and Knofczynski in the quest for college scholarships.

"I think it will help with getting into college a lot because I think both of the colleges I'm looking at have good programs for finalists plus scholarships for semifinalists. Plus I've already got a ton of mail from schools saying 'congratulations on being a semifinalist,'" Sargent said.

When they were named semifinalists, Sargent and Knofczynski each filled out an application to become one of 15,000 finalists. Both students say that becoming a finalist would be an honor and would help them with plans for the future.

Sargent and Knofczynski agree that the process wasn't that difficult and was well worth it. "I would tell other kids to take the PSAT because I didn't think I would get it and I was really surprised when I did," Sargent said. "Keep your possibilities open."

VOCABULARY #3

Chickens: The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead.

CHILDREN'S CHORUS PLANS CHRISTMAS CONCERT

"A Ceremony of Carols" will be performed by the Capital City Children's Chorus and guest musicians at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at First United Methodist Church in Pierre with Barb Newman as conductor and Donna Dettman as accompanist.

Guest musicians will include Anna Vorhees of Augustana College on harp, James Weaver on cello, Karen Lindbloom on organ and Pierre native Andrew Wulf on oboe.

PERSONAL NOTES

* The administration at Riggs High School has decided not to allow dance studios or any "outside groups" to use the Riggs theater during the month of May 2012. Among those affected is the Forney-Cronin Dance Studio, which for 61 years dating all the way back to Marge Forney's studio's earliest years has been holding its spring dance concert on Mother's Day weekend. The rationale given by the administration is something to the effect that May is "hectic" at the school with semester tests, graduation, scholarship night, athletic events, etc. How many of these are held in the Riggs theater? Graduation---no. Athletic events---no. Semester tests---no. Scholarship night and spring music concerts have always been able to fit into the theater during May in the past. Anyone interested in supporting the plea of the Forney-Cronin Studio and the other dance studios is encouraged to contact school board members in advance of next Monday's meeting and/or attend the meeting when the studio's request that the decision be reviewed will be presented before the board at its 6:30 p.m. meeting at McKinley School. Pamela Cronin was told the earliest she could schedule use of the Riggs theater would be Memorial Day weekend. Phone calls and input from her and numerous parents have so far met with no progress in resolving the situation. We respectfully hope the school district people will reconsider their decision.

* Isn't it interesting that dance studios, hockey teams, soccer teams, et al., are considered "outside groups" when almost 100% of their members are Pierre School District students?

* The news that rocked South Dakota last week was former Gov. Bill Janklow's announcement, during a press conference in his law office in Sioux Falls, that he is dying of terminal brain cancer. The most pathetic people in the state last week were those who, under the veil of anonymity, submitted comments to the Argus Leader editorial page's online message board to the effect that his illness is "karma" and "what goes around comes around." Janklow served two eight-year terms as governor, and there's no denying he was a hands-on governor who made major decisions and very minor decisions. He was outspoken, and that made him the source of many people's ire. Now is not the time to express that ire publicly.

* Some thoughts that immediately came to my mind when I heard the news of Janklow's situation were these. I was in my early years on the staff at the Pierre Capital Journal when he took office as governor the first time. He didn't wait until Inauguration Day on the first or second weekend of January but instead chose to be sworn into office at midnight on New Year's Day. I recall, with camera in hand, climbing atop one of those old steam-heat radiators in the governor's office to get a good view from which to take photos of the moment. Another memory occurred from one of his inaugural receptions; just which year it was, I don't recall, but the receiving line was held in the Riggs High gym. I recall vividly going through the line to shake the governor's hand. But by that time his right hand had swollen to enormous---and obviously painful---size from having shaken hundreds of hands for hours. By the time we reached him he had decided he had to use his left hand for hand-shaking.

* When my second son Ryan was still a youngster---he must have been about 6 years old---he already knew where the governor's office was because we had visited the Capitol often. In Ryan's mind there was no reason why a guy couldn't stop in to see the governor, so all on his own---and frighteningly, by himself!---he went from our house on Prospect across from the courthouse, got safely across the highway (Euclid) and two other busy streets to reach the Capitol. He went in to invite Governor Janklow to our house for Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately the governor wasn't there that day. But imagine my surprise when our phone at home rang one day just prior to Thanksgiving, and the voice on the line---I instantly knew who it was---asked if Ryan were home. I called Ryan to the phone, and he and the governor had a conversation, Janklow explaining kindly and patiently how much he appreciated the invitation to dinner but that he and his family were planning to go somewhere else for the holiday. From that day forward, we had a new respect for the governor. Later Ryan was able to visit the governor's office, sit at the big desk and have his photo taken there.

* We Minnesota Twins fans have been violated! Ever since the sixth game of the 1991 World Series, television announcer Jack Buck's call of Kirby Puckett's game-winning home run, "And we'll see you tomorrow night!", has "belonged" to the Twins. In fact, in one of the displays of famous radio and TV calls in Twins history, that very call by Jack Buck is one of those prominently displayed. But now in Game 6 of this year's World Series, his son, Joe Buck, I know, was just honoring his dad's memory exactly 20 years and one day after he made that call by saying, as the Cardinals won Game 6 also on a home run by David Freese, "And we'll see you tomorrow night!" OK, I get it, but you Cardinal fans need not think for one minute that you get to claim that TV call. It belonged to us first and it always will.

* On a recent night for about an hour's time, my cellular phone died, and I couldn't get into my Hotmail account. All at the same time! I felt absolutely alone in the world. Isolated! Cut off! The little gremlins behind my e-mail account were saying the account had been temporarily closed because it had been hacked so I would have to change my password. (Just try doing that if you want an exercise in frustration!) I was beginning to panic about all of the stuff I have saved on my Hotmail account and how I was going to get the Midweek Update sent out and on and on. Finally I managed to achieve the creation of a new password. My e-mail was restored. So eventually was my cell phone service, too. It's hard to believe that as recently as 15 years ago I had neither a cell phone nor e-mail and somehow survived.

* It's been a marvelous four or five weeks of music here in Vermillion on the university campus. With the auditorium in Slagle Hall finally renovated and restored after what seemed like an eternity (more like three years), the South Dakota Symphony came down to perform a grand-opening concert on Dakota Days weekend. Marvelous! The university choirs, after three school years of performing in a local church because Slagle was not available, got back "home" for their fall concert. What sound in that place! And on Nov. 2 the Skinner organ, which hadn't been played for more than two decades but which now has also been restored, was rededicated in a masterful concert by David Higgs from the Eastman School of Music in New York. Incredible! Now as the school year progresses, almost all of the music department's major concerts will be held in the auditorium, now called Aalfs Auditorium at Slagle Hall. On Nov. 16, for example, the marching band will have its first indoor spectacular there. I can't begin to imagine what that will sound like!

* Last week's column in the Update and the Capital Journal about passing people on the sidewalk (whether to speak to them or not?) rang a bell with Pierre native Renee Rodgers, who has been living in midtown New York City for the past few months. "At the beginning, I enthusiastically gave greetings on the street," Renee wrote to me. "I have since reverted to everyone else's tactic of becoming a faceless zombie just trying to get around all the obstacles (which i used to call people!) Your article made me realize that the lack of replies I received is probably not because all people are rude but because they are shocked--(a stranger paid attention to me in NY??!). I am excited to get back out there with my South Dakota mentality and surprise a few zombies today!"

* Last week we suggested there might not be a Midweek Update this week. Obviously that was wrong because here it is. Next week, however, may be a different story. We'll see.

PARAPROSDOKIANS #1

Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
(All games on S.D. Public Broadcasting)

Thursday:
2:30 p.m.---Class 11A, Dell Rapids vs. West Central.
7:30 p.m.--- Class 11B, Tri-Valley vs. McCook Central/Montrose.

Friday:
11 a.m.---Class 9B, Avon vs. Waverly/South Shore.
2:30 p.m.---Class 9A, Wall vs. Canistota.
7:30 p.m.---Class 9AA, Kimball-White Lake vs. Bridgewater/Emery-Ethan.

Saturday:
7:30 p.m.---Class 11AA, Sioux Falls Roosevelt vs. Sioux Falls Washington.

RIGGS HIGH STUDENTS HELP FEED SOUTH DAKOTANS

By Samantha Beck, Riggs High School Governor Staff

Student Senate and Youth Involvement Program (YIP) members can be found at the Pepsi building packing boxes with food for the hungry on the first Thursday of every month. "It's called 'Feeding South Dakota,'" Student Senate and YIP advisor Darlene Neiles said.

"We fill 1,200 boxes for the elderly in our region. The boxers are filled with cereal, juice, canned items, etc. Some adult groups from around the community also come like BankWest and PILC," Neiles said.

YIP and Student Senate members have fun and meet new people while helping around the community. "I go for YIP and Student Senate, but I also like to go just to help out," senior Kortney Schmitz said. "The most fun part is being part of the huge assembly line, talking with all sorts of people and getting something accomplished."

The volunteers also work to fill all the boxes with nonperishable food items. "It's hard work. You are doing the same thing over and over, but it's a lot of fun. I try to get everyone to sing while they work!" Neiles said.

Any student, regardless of involvement in YIP or Student Senate, is encouraged to help out at the Feeding South Dakota building on the first Thursday of every month. Students are given the opportunity to do some great local volunteer work alongside their classmates and friends.

"It is very rewarding and fun, and we could use all the help we can get," Neiles said.

FOOTBALL CONTEST

The contest games were tougher last week. The best score was 6-4 recorded by Eric Robinson and Shawn Hostler.

This week's games (send your 10 winners by noon Saturday to parker_knox@hotmail.com or "comment" on my Facebook page under the listing of the contest games):
1. Oregon @ Stanford
2. Nebraska @ Penn State
3. TCU @ Boise State
4. Michigan State @ Iowa
5. Michigan @ Illinois
6. Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
7. Texas A&M @ Kansas State
8. NFL: Detroit @ Chicago
9. NFL: New York Giants @ San Francisco
10. NFL: Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati

HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Oahe Capitals: The defending state champion boys varsity team opened the season with a pair of exhibition losses to the South Dakota U16 all-star team, 3-1 and 2-1 at the Expo Center last Saturday. Kyle Mammenga had two great games in goal, according to Coach Rob Kittay. The Caps, who lost 10 players to graduation from the state championship squad, got their first-game goal from Will Gordon off an assist from Elliot Shoup-Owens. Jordan Reiss scored the Caps' goal in the second game. The season continues this weekend with two more non-league games at Mitchell at 8 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday.

DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT? #4

In an office: WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEPLADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN.

TERRY WOSTER'S COLUMN IN THE MITCHELL DAILY REPUBLIC

A good teacher is a gift to a classroom

The world would be a sorry place if we didn't pause to note the passing of Shirley Donahue.

To say she was a teacher doesn't begin to describe the blessing that her long life was to a couple of generations of school children, especially those fortunate enough to have grown up within the boundaries of the Washington Elementary School here in Pierre.

My kids were among those lucky young people. By the time they were school-age, we lived in a corner house four blocks west of the school, an easy walk to a wonderful old building filled with a wonderful staff, none more so than Shirley Donahue.

I can still remember my daughter, getting ready for her first day in first grade at Washington School, telling her kindergarten-bound younger brother how much he was going to like Mrs. Donahue.

"She is so-o-o-o nice," the big sister told the little brother as they stood in the morning sun in the back yard, getting their first-day-of-school photograph taken. I suppose that all across the town that morning older siblings were telling their younger brothers or sisters the same thing.

Shirley Donahue was 82 when she died. Seeing the age in the obituary gave me a start. It never occurred to me to think of her as having an age. I mean, she was never young to me. All the years I knew her, she was mature and self-assured. But she was never old. She had such a lively spirit, and she showed such passion whenever she talked about teaching or children or the extraordinary things that happened in every classroom on the most ordinary of days. Age was never something I associated with Shirley Donahue.

I came to know her through my children, obviously. But I discovered that she had been following some of my writing about the state Legislature and politics and government activity almost from the time I began reporting for The Associated Press. She talked easily about things going on in government, asking questions about personalities and policy debates, generally showing that she paid fairly close attention to current events.

During one of those conversations she asked if I'd come and speak to one of her classes about writing and newspaper work. By that time she was teaching fifth grade, I believe it was. She told me she had a couple of students who showed an interest in and a talent for writing. She asked me just to spend part of a class period talking about writing and language and why it matters to be able to communicate.

I told her I didn't have time. She ignored that and suggested two or three dates that would be good for the class if one of them would work for me. I told her I wouldn't be much good talking to grade-school students. She ignored that, too, and continued planning for my first visit.

What's a person to do? The woman taught my kids, for heaven's sake. She knew more about teaching and classrooms and children than I did. Eventually I agreed as she knew I would. She didn't take "no" without a fight.

When I arrived at her classroom with a dictionary in one hand, Shirley Donahue broke into a big smile. When I told her students that, at their age, I carried a similar dictionary everywhere I went and looked up the meaning of each new word I heard, a lasting relationship was cemented between me and the teacher.

For years after that, I spoke to her classes. Each year when she called to schedule the visit, she'd remind me to bring a dictionary. I told her once that it seemed to me the kids looked at me like I was a nerd when I talked about the dictionary. "Don't let them fool you," she said. "They're listening."

Maybe they were. I know they listened to her, year after year. I know they learned from her, year after year. Any good teacher is a gift to a classroom full of students. Shirley Donahue was an inspired teacher and a gift indeed.

FIRST SATURDAY IN DECEMBER MEANS ANOTHER TOUR OF HOMES

Fort Pierre's Community & Youth Involved Center will be having its 26th annual Holiday Tour of Homes fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets will be available at American State Bank, BankWest locations, Card & Candy, and The Hollywood Shop in Pierre and at First National Bank and the C&YI Center in Fort Pierre for $10 each. Tour homes will be announced later.

A salad lunch will be served prior to the tour from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Sutley Senior Citizens Center for $5.

Complimentary coffee and cookies will be served from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the senior center for all ticketholders.

For further information on the event call Pat Duffy at 223-2701.

PROGRESS BEING MADE AT GOLF COURSE

Hard work and good weather this fall have allowed more progress than expected to be made on flood repair at Hillsview Golf Course.

City Administrator Leon Schochenmaier told city commissioners Tuesday night that not only has the repair work gone well, but they now believe the repair cost to the golf course will be lower than initial estimate of $920,000.



While the cost may be lower, Schochenmaier cautions that doesn’t mean the course will open sooner next year. He said they are still shooting for a midsummer opening for at least some of the course.



Besides the good weather that has remained, Schochenmaier said the help of numerous volunteers has been valuable. (News courtesy of "Today's KCCR News.")