News Archives - Page 29 of 105 - Big Sioux Media Sports Network

Thefts on the Rise in Dell Rapids

May 11, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids City Council heard a report of thefts on the rise in the community during their regular meeting on Monday, May 7th. Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office had Deputy Mitchell give the report to the council.

Deputy Mitchell reported that within the last couple of weeks the department has taken several theft calls, with most of the calls being things taken out of people’s cars or front porches. He noted they have taken a lot of vehicle break-in calls.

“I just wanted to let you guys know that’s been on the rise for some reason. I don’t know if it’s the warm weather or just people coming up from other parts of the state. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to remind people to keep their doors locked and to lock up their bicycles,” said Deputy Mitchell.

“Has it kind of been in one area or pretty much all over town?” asked Councilman Bill Smith.

Deputy Mitchell responded that the car break-ins have mostly been happening in the Garfield Ave and 7th St area.

“The report I took for bicycle was on the west side of town, west of Highway 77, so it’s been all over,” Deputy Mitchell also noted.

Abbott Awarded DSU Champion Scholarship

May 10, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Joseph Abbott pictured with Bob Preloger, interim vice president of Institutional Advancement at DSU. Photo courtesy of DSU.

MADISON, S.D. – Joseph Abbott, a student at Dell Rapids High School, was recently awarded the DSU Champion Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to high achieving students based on ACT scores and high school GPA.

Abbott will be attending Dakota State University in Madison, S.D. in the fall, majoring in production animation.

In 2017, DSU awarded over $1,284,764 in academic, athletic and other scholarships.

Dept of SD Veterans of Foreign Wars Announces First Ever Youth Baseball Grant Results

May 4, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Dell Rapids Baseball Association Receives Grant Dollars from SD VFW

Sioux Falls (May 4, 2018) – Department of SD VFW Baseball Chairman, Danny Frisby-Griffin, released the results of the program’s first Youth Baseball Grant Results. Drawing upon the initial set-aside funds and a generous donation from the Frisby-Griffin family, VFW Baseball was able to provide a total of $2500 divided among the following three grant applications: Selby Teeners, Dell Rapids Baseball Association and Webster Youth Baseball Association.

The new grant program was created to help ensure youth across South Dakota have an opportunity to participate in baseball. In addition to the grant program, the Department of SD VFW Baseball also created a Youth Baseball Community of the Year Award (monetary) and established a Veterans Program Donation process to allow VFW Baseball to donate to various VFW Veterans programs and initiatives.

Webster Youth Baseball Association plan on utilizing their funding to build a batting cage for the 8U, 10U and 12U baseball teams as well as their youth softball teams. Dell Rapids Baseball Association are also utilizing their grant to add an outdoor batting cage serving over 200 players. Selby Teeners are purchasing new uniforms in addition to other equipment required to provide play safe youth baseball.

“This is an awesome opportunity for the Department of SD VFW Baseball program to give back to the future leaders of our nation,“ said Frisby-Griffin. “And who knows, there may be a future major league player out there that just needed a bit of support to keep playing.”

ABOUT THE VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization.
Founded in 1899, the congressionally-chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With 1.7 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in 6,400 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.VFW.org or www.sdvfw.org.

CONTACT: Danny Frisby-Griffin, 402.332.7423, danny.frisby-griffin@outlook.com

Dell Rapids’ Students, Teacher Honored at NCWIT Ceremony

May 2, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

MADISON, S.D., May 2, 2018 –Twenty-seven young women from North and South Dakota have begun to write their life stories in the field of technology.

“We need to know the stories of women in computing today,” said Dakota State University President Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, “to awaken this generation of young women, and the next and the next, to their potential to participate and lead in the computer workforce.”

Eva Bradshaw, regional affiliate manager with the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), praised the achievements of “these brave young women” at the 2018 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award Ceremony held on the Dakota State University campus April 23.

Honorees in the North/South Dakota affiliate region from Dell Rapids High School include: Amanda Tomes, who received honorable mention and is planning a career in chemical engineering; and Bergen Weiland who also received honorable mention and is planning a career in artificial intelligence and robotics. Selection is based on the student’s aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.

Liza Mundy, the featured speaker, highlighted stories of other women in computing, women called into service during World War II. They are featured in her best-selling book Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers in World War II.

During the war years a majority of men were called into service, forcing the military to look at other sources for intelligence department workers, namely school teachers and students at women’s colleges. “Global war is the mother of innovation and inclusion,” Mundy said.

Today global war involves cyber security issues, and there are not enough men to fill workforce needs in technology, Griffiths said, so “the ongoing success of our world depends on getting more women into computing.”

Guest speaker Linda Daugaard, first lady of South Dakota, said the Aspiration award winners represent “a rich and ready source… of highly qualified young women ready to enter the computer or information technology area.”

Bradshaw noted that NCWIT’s Aspirations in Computing organization can provide a long-term community for female technologists by encouraging persistence in computing through continuous engagement and ongoing encouragement at each pivotal stage of their educational and professional development.

Two educators were honored at the event as well. Tina Boldt-Belden, technology coordinator and high school computer teacher at Estelline School District, was this year’s teacher award winner. Runner-up was Scott Headrick, K-12 technology integrationist and high school personal finance and business math teacher at Dell Rapids Schools. Also honored was DSU freshman Alexis Vander Wilt, a collegiate national finalist.

Presenters included the Dakota State University faculty Dr. Pam Rowland, Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, and Rob Honomichl. Sponsoring partners for the 2018 event were Dakota State University, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, AT&T, SBS CyberSecurity, and DSU’s CybHER program.

This is the twelfth season of the Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC), and the seventh year with regional affiliates. The South and North Dakota region honored eight winners at their first event in 2013.

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These April 23, 2018 photos provided by Dakota State University:

NCWIT AWARD winner – Amanda Tomes was honored at the April 23 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award ceremony held at Dakota State University. Also pictured are guest speaker Liza Mundy (left), First Lady Linda Daugaard, and DSU President José-Marie Griffiths (right).

NCWIT AWARD winner – Bergen Weiland was honored at the April 23 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award ceremony held at Dakota State University. Also pictured are guest speaker Liza Mundy (left), First Lady Linda Daugaard, and DSU President José-Marie Griffiths (right).

WINNING TEACHER – Scott Headrick was honored with the NCWIT North/South Dakota Affiliate runner-up teacher award. Also pictured are guest speaker Liza Mundy (left), First Lady Linda Daugaard, and DSU President José-Marie Griffiths (right).

Dakota State University is a public university located in Madison, S.D. DSU offers technology-intensive and technology-infused degrees in a variety of majors, from the associate to the doctoral level. Strategic partnerships with governmental entities and corporations have bolstered DSU’s position as a technologically forward-thinking institution. Both online and on-campus programs have been recognized for their quality, affordability, and graduates’ job placement records, which are 100 percent for several majors. Enrollment for Fall 2017 was 3,307. For more information, contact Jane Utecht, Strategic Communications Coordinator at mediarelations@dsu.edu, 605-256-5027, or visit the DSU website at dsu.edu.

Ahlers Selected for Emerging Leaders Program

May 1, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – State Representative Dan Ahlers (D-Dell Rapids) has been selected to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, an annual seminar sponsored by the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Rep. Ahlers will join 44 other legislators from 42 other state who were selected to participate in the Program.

“It’s an honor to be selected to the Emerging Leaders Program,” said Rep. Ahlers. “I am humbled by the opportunity to be South Dakota’s representative at this prestigious event, where I can both learn about important national issues and trends in state government and share with others South Dakota’s values and vision of leadership.”

Legislators were selected to participate in the Program based upon criteria including the candidate’s long-term commitment to public service and keen interest in self-development, as well as a demonstration of the skills and aptitude to attain positions of greater political responsibility.

According to SLLF, the key objective of the program is to develop the leadership potential of emerging political leaders for the challenges of the 21st century. This will be accomplished through a highly interactive program that focuses on:

Analysis and feedback on elements of personal leadership style.
Awareness of the importance of values and ethics in governance and public service.
Gaining perspective on the importance of the role of the state legislature in contemporary American politics.
Recognition of the importance of legislators as consensus builders and facilitators of compromise.

Rep. Ahlers represents District 25 in the South Dakota Legislature, which includes parts of Minnehaha County.

Geurts Awarded DSU Champion Scholarship

May 1, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Photo provided by Dakota State University: Guerts with Bob Preloger, interim vice president for Institutional Advancement at DSU

Photo provided by Dakota State University: Geurts with Bob Preloger, interim vice president for Institutional Advancement at DSU

MADISON, S.D., May 1, 2018 – Andrew Geurts of Dell Rapids, S.D. was recently awarded the DSU Champion Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to high achieving students based on ACT scores and high school GPA.

Geurts will be attending Dakota State University in Madison, S.D. in the fall, majoring in cyber operations.

In 2017, DSU awarded over $1,284,764 in academic, athletic and other scholarships.

Free Spring Rubble Site Days Nearing

April 27, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The free rubble site days for this spring are nearing in Dell Rapids. The Dell Rapids City Council approved May 3rd (Thursday), May 5th (Saturday), and May 12th (Saturday) as the three free days for the rubble site.

As a reminder the Rubble Site is licensed by the State of South Dakota and is restricted to trees, branches, untreated wood, construction and demolition debris, sheet rock, plaster, concrete, carpet, furniture, mattresses, grass, yard and garden waste and leaves, and large household appliances. Fees are enforced by volume and type of material. Dell Rapids residents only.

Unaccepted items include household waste, cardboard, plastic (of any kind), small electric appliances (TVs, stereo equipment, microwaves), toys, and bikes with tires, shingles, asbestos, tires, hazardous materials, fiberglass.

Council Approves Upcoming Events

April 23, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids City Council approved two upcoming events during their last regular meeting on Monday, April 16th.

The first outdoor permit event that was approved was for a “Worship Under the Stars” event for Wednesday, May 9th. Some students from the Dell Rapids High School Impact group will be hosting a “clean-up” day at the City Park during the day. In the evening the group, along with Dell Rapids Connections, will be hosting a worship event in the evening from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. with music. The second event that was approved was the annual Memorial Day Parade and park service that will be held on Monday, May 28th. Both of the events were approved with the fee waived.

In other business during the meeting, the council approved the transfer of the Retail On-Off Sale Malt Beverage license of Pizza Ranch from the previous owners to the new owners, Sirwick Inc. The council also approved the next pay request for KHC Construction for the Waste-Water Treatment Facility SBR Project. A preliminary plan request for Spruce Glen additions along with Resolution No. 2018-05 (Adopt Minnehaha County Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan) were also both approved.

Randall and LeBrun Win School Board Election

April 12, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids School Board will have a new member when the new board is formally introduced later this summer. Jacque LeBrun along with incumbent Troy Randall were voted to three-year teams for the Dell Rapids School Board on Tuesday, April 10th.

Randall’s current term along with Steve Stofferahn’s term were up for election this year as they both expire in July.

Randall, LeBrun, and Denise Cavigielli were all vying for the two open positions. There was a 10.6% voter turnout for the election. Randall received 276 votes, LeBrun had 222 votes, and Cavigielli received 174 votes.

Stofferahn did not seek re-election, and he will come off the Dell Rapids School Board when his term ends after serving since 2012. Randall and LeBrun will join current board members Matthew Weiland, Jody Schumaker, and Jeff Traill.

Magician Tries to Help Youth Avoid “Social Media Land Mines”

April 9, 2018 by Submitted

Cyber Safety & Magic don’t usually go together, but on Thursday, May 3 students at Dell Rapids and Dell Rapids St. Mary will be learning about social media safety in an unexpected & engaging way!

Teaching students about social media safety is critical. Whether it’s getting addicted to technology, posting hateful things, hurting reputations, meeting people online or tarnishing your online reputation. It can be dangerous.

Magician and “edu-tainer” Robert Hackenson Jr. is slowly changing how teens post and use technology. This amazing presentation has allowed students across the country, in 46 states and counting, to see and understand what to post and what not to post.

His presentation infuses card tricks, eye-catching props, and illusion in a way that engages students while reinforcing the educational lessons. Every piece of magic, story, video clip, etc. is used to deliver a message and make it memorable, without making light of this serious issue. His presentation helps start a conversation amongst students about social media safety and responsible posting. It makes them think not only about their own safety, but also about how they can keep their peers safe.

Hackenson will also give a parent presentation on Wednesday, May 2nd starting at 7:00 p.m. in the Dell Rapids MS Commons area. The Dell Rapids Connections group will be serving refreshments.

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