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Highway 115 Work Continues in Dell Rapids

November 11, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The construction on the Highway 115 Project has continued slowly throughout the months of 2018, but Dell Rapids City Administration still believes that the majority of the concrete work will be completed before the end of the year.

City Administrator Justin Weiland gave a report to the Dell Rapids City Council during their regular meeting on Monday, November 5th. Weiland mentioned that he thinks T&R Contracting will get the main paving done yet this year, and that is what the contract states. The contract does also roll into June of 2019 for finish work. Weiland mentioned that the city probably won’t see the trails poured or the seeding done this year.

“They’re going to have to come in and play cleanup in the spring,” Weiland said.

Weiland also mentioned an issue was recently discovered with the project. The bridge elevation just west of the four-way stop was designed at a lower elevation than the design for the road elevation. The issue was not caught before construction, but plans are for that issue to be fixed. Weiland mentioned that the road diversion has not been removed yet, and he thinks once the rest of the concrete is complete west of the bridge, traffic will be routed back to the diversion to fix the elevation issue. Weiland also said that he wasn’t sure exactly how T&R Contracting plans to fix the issue, but it will be fixed. A temporary blacktop patch has been put in place to allow traffic through while concrete work continues.

Not only has the project been delayed, and now has an issue with the bridge elevation, the city of Dell Rapids has also seen a decline in sales tax revenues. The council was presented with numbers for September, and once again the sales tax revenues were down compared to 2017. July was down 11.68%, August was down 23.24%, and September was down 6.7%.

“This highway project, in my opinion, has affected sales tax within the community. The biggest thing that we want to make sure is that people’s trends haven’t changed, or they haven’t altered their habits,” Weiland said.

He also mentioned that once the majority of the project has been completed, they city plans to work with the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and media outlets to get the word out to people that the city is “back open for business”.

Papa’s Pub & Eatery To Open Their Doors Early December

November 5, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

David and Rebecca Ohayon
Photo courtesy of Tammy Chamley, Dells City Journal

Dell Rapids will be welcoming a new restaurant to Main Street. Papa’s Pub & Eatery will be opening soon for all to enjoy.

David and Rebecca Ohayon are the proud new owners of Papa’s Pub & Eatery. Rebecca is a graduate of Dell Rapids St. Mary. “We chose Dell Rapids for a few different reasons, and it all came together so perfectly,” Rebecca explained. “The family connection first and foremost. We wanted to be in a community where we wouldn’t be just another place to eat, such as Sioux Falls. We wanted to be some where we could make a name for ourselves. We also love unique buildings, and David is a history buff, so the minute we walked into the Opera House building, he was in love.”

Opening a restaurant in Dell Rapids has been on the Ohayon family’s radar for quite some time, unfortunately, the timing was never quite right. “This time around, it just all fell into plac,e and that’s how we landed in Dell Rapids,” the Ohayons stated. “We think very highly of the city of Dell Rapids, and it is a beautiful town. We also understand the need for a casual dining experience in town. We would love to fill that need, while becoming a part of the growth of Dell Rapids.”

Papa’s Pub & Eatery is named after David’s late father, Daniel. “We know his father is with us every single day, so naming this restaurant in honor of him just made perfect sense,” Rebecca said.

Together, David and Rebecca have over 30 years in the restaurant industry. “From dishwasher to operations director, we have done it all,” Rebecca explained. “David is well versed in both the kitchen and the front of house, whereas I strictly stay in the front of the house.” The Ohayons also have a leadership team in place that has many, many years of restaurant experience in the dining room as well as the kitchen. “David’s management style is unbeatable,” Rebecca explained. “You work with him, not for him, and I truly believe that is why he has been extremely successful everywhere he has worked.” David throughout the years held many positions with companies such as Spezia, On the Border, Johnny Carinos, Beef ‘O’ Bradys, The Willows at Willow Run and more. “After seeing him work so hard for others, I am glad he is finally going to do it for himself and our family,” Rebecca stated. Rebecca has worked in the restaurant business as well, at places such as The Monarch Steakhouse, Cody’s Tavern and Grill, The Minnehaha Country Club and Johnny Carinos.

The menu will be mainly American fare with some of David’s experiences and cultural background sprinkled in. Papa’s Pub & Eatery will offer other types of food such as Mexican and French along with other countries in the Mediterranean region as weekend features. “The menu isn’t quite finalized, but you can expect to see a few appetizers, burgers, steak/chicken/shrimp entrees, pastas, salads, specialty sandwiches and soup options,” Rebecca explained. Papa’s Pub & Eatery will offer a lunch menu, dinner menu, children’s menu as well as desserts. A full bar will also be included in the restaurant.

David and Rebecca have four children, Mia (10), Quinn (4), Andre (almost 2) and Genevieve (6 months old). Whether it be a weekend of competitive softball, soccer tournament or gymnastics meet, the Ohayon family enjoys every minute of life with each other. “We stay extremely busy with four children, but they keep our hearts full, and that’s what matters most,” Rebecca said. “The greatest things in life aren’t things.”

“Obviously, the timing was right for Dell Rapids as well as our family,” Rebecca explained on why choosing to open a new restaurant. “It has always been a dream of David’s to have his own place, and we would talk about the different locations throughout the country that we would move to, but somehow, family always kept us grounded here. Opening Papa’s Pub & Eatery in Dell Rapids will give us a place where we can share our love and passion for food and people!”

Papa’s Pub & Eatery plan to be open Tuesdays-Thursdays 11am-9pm; Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm. “We will eventually consider opening on Sundays in the morning,” Rebecca explained. “We want to offer an atmosphere for everyone – family gatherings, date night, business lunches, rehearsal dinners, you name it!” Papa’s Pub & Eatery plans to open their doors early December.

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Dell Rapids, SD 57022
Tel: 605-428-5600
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Dells Elves Fundraiser Set for November 17th

November 2, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Elves fundraiser is set for Saturday, November 17th at Norby’s Bar and Grill starting with a meat raffle at 5:00 p.m. and the live auction at 7:00 p.m.

Dells Elves is a group of ladies who host a fundraiser every year to donate funds to the Christmas for Our Kids organization. As a committee they ask local businesses and individuals to donate items for the live auction and raffle items. The funds raised from the event benefit families that are nominated through Christmas for Our Kids program. Last year the non-profit organization helped 146 children and provided gift cards to 60 families from the Dell Rapids community.

Donations are still being collected for this year’s fundraiser event. They also have boards at Norby’s where people are able to purchase a square on for a chance to win a 55-inch TV, ½ processed hog from Bob’s Meat in Chester, a Remington 243 rifle with a gun case and box of ammunition, and a Mossberg Maverick 88 20 gauge shotgun with a gun case and box of ammunition. Dells Elves have also partnered with the Quarry Rock Church for a raffle for the opportunity to win five guns, and all the proceeds will go to the Dells Elves to put towards the total raised. This year for the live auction, there will be something new and exciting. They are calling it Santa’s Top 5. The group will be picking five donations and have them arranged on a special table. Then they will auction off Yeti cups for a chance to pick one of the items. More details on this will be disclosed as the event comes closer.

Last year the fundraiser event raised $26,000 dollars for this wonderful cause. The group takes a portion of what is raised to donate to a couple other groups at the discretion of the committee. In the past tey have donated to both food pantries in Dell Rapids. As a committee, they strive to make this event more memorable every year. The goal is to raise a little more than the year before. Without the help of all the local businesses and individuals who donate and all the community support that shows up for the event, the group wouldn’t be as successful as they are every year. The committee that holds this fundraiser consists of about 10 ladies, and they all strive to make it a huge success.

There are so many ways an individual or business can help with the fundraiser. Donations are accepted up until the night of the event. Dells Elves encourages everyone to come to Norby’s Bar and Grill in Dell Rapids on Saturday, November 17th for the big event. The evening will begin with a meat raffle hosted by the Lions Club at 5:00o p.m. The live auction will then start at 7:00 p.m., and raffle items are available from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. After the live auction is over, the drawing for the TV, ½ processed hog, two guns and also the Quarry Rock Church raffle will be held. Need not be present to win those items.

“We could not make this event such a huge success without the support of the community, the support of Norby’s Bar and Grill for letting us take over their place the night of the event, and also to Landmark Realty and Lee Burgraff for auctioneering and his staff for donating their time the night of the event,” said committee member Serena Campbell.

If you have any questions or would like to donate an item please contact Serena Campbell at 605-321-9310.

NBC Today Show to Visit Dell Rapids Theater

November 1, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dells Theatre in downtown Dell Rapids will be getting a visit from NBC’s “Today” TV show on Thursday, November 8th. “The Today Show” will be taping a special segment on the Dells Theatre for Small Business Saturday, which is on Saturday, November 24th this year.

Film crew from “The Today Show” will arrive in Dell Rapids about 11:00 a.m. and will be in the community until about 8:00 p.m. They will be filming around Dell Rapids, but their main concentration will be on the Dells Theatre.

As part of this event, the Dells Theatre will be showing a special advance showing of “The Grinch”. First National Bank of Dell Rapids is sponsoring tickets for those that are attending the movie that evening.

The Dells Theatre invites everyone to get in on the fun with NBC’s “The Today Show” filming and advance showing of “The Grinch”!

Dell Rapids Subway Has Ribbon Cutting

October 28, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Subway held a ribbon cutting with the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and open house on Friday, October 26th. Subway is under new ownership and management. William Leshovsky and his ownership group have acquired the Dell Rapids Subway. This is the seventh store for the ownership group. They also own stores in Brandon, Tea, Vermillion, and three in Sioux Falls. Leshovsky also used to be a regional manager for Subway, and the Dell Rapids store was one of the stores in his area.

One of the biggest changes people will notice is that the TCBY area is no longer a part of the Dell Rapids Subway. Leshovsky mentioned during the event that the previous owner took all of the ice cream equipment after the change in ownership.

During the ribbon cutting, Subway served sandwiches to the group.

Large Crowd Enjoys Downtown Trick-or-Treat Event

October 27, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

With the area enjoying a beautiful evening, hundreds of dressed-up children lined the streets of downtown Dell Rapids for the 9th Annual Downtown Dell Rapids Trick-or-Treat event hosted by the downtown businesses on Friday, October 26th.

Not only were the young trick-or-treaters able to go business to business getting candy, they had other events to enjoy such as train rides, Mr. Twister balloon twisting, photo areas, and bouncy houses.

Because of the wonderful weather for the event, many businesses said they went through over a thousand pieces of candy!

Local Vocalists to Participate in the 2018 South Dakota All-State Chorus & Orchestra

October 23, 2018 by Submitted

Over 1,000 of South Dakota’s best high school vocal and instrumental musicians will gather in Rapid City for the 66th Annual South Dakota All-State Chorus and Orchestra on Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27. The All-State activities will culminate with a Grand Concert at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center beginning at 7:00 p.m. (MT) on Saturday evening, October 27th. Concert tickets can be purchased at www.gotmine.com, or at the box office in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The doors of the Civic Center will open for the Concert at 5:30 on Saturday evening.

Four students from Dell Rapids St Mary and eight from Dell Rapids will be among those that will be performing. Courtney Geraets, a 4-year All-State Choir Award recipient, Paige Bunkers, Jon Bares, and Noah Dennis will be representing Dell Rapids St Mary. Kat Fletcher, Amy Meyer, Mercedes Lodmell, Abby Stauffenecker, Alex Saxon, Andrew Weiland, Peyton Gleason, and Thomas Petrik will be representing Dell Rapids.

The annual All-State Chorus & Orchestra, sponsored by South Dakota High School Activities Association, is the largest interscholastic high school music activity held in South Dakota. The 2018 All-State Chorus includes 928 singers representing 145 South Dakota high schools. The All-State Orchestra is comprised of 156 musicians from 22 schools.

The guest conductors for the 2018 All-State Chorus & Orchestra Concert are Dr. Phillip Swan from Wisconsin, and Dr. Anthony Elliott from Michigan. Dr. Swan will conduct the All-State Chorus while Dr. Elliott will lead the 2018 All-State Orchestra.

During the All-State Grand Concert, the South Dakota Music Educators Association will recognize several high schools and individuals for their contributions to music in South Dakota. The SDHSAA will also recognize one of its 2018-19 Distinguished Service Award winners.

Additional information which might assist with other news or feature stories about the All-State Chorus & Orchestra are available at the South Dakota High School Activities Association website (www.sdhsaa.com). Once on the SDHSAA home page, please go to “Fine Arts”, then “Music”, then “All-State Chorus and Orchestra, and the following information can be found at this site:

1. Guest Conductor Biographical Information about this year’s All-State conductors

2. All-State Chorus & Orchestra Rehearsal Schedule – this is the schedule that will be followed during the two days of All-State rehearsal and concert performance

4. All-State Chorus & Orchestra Concert Ticket Information

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Media Contact: Brooks Bowman, SDHSAA Assistant Executive Director (605-224-9261)

District 25 Candidate Forum – October 22nd, 2018

October 21, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

A candidate forum will be held for the South Dakota District 25 Legislative candidates on Monday, October 22nd, at 6:30 p.m. at the Dell Rapids Elementary School commons.

The main focus of the forum will be education issues, however, candidates will be allowed time to address non-education issues as well. Questions to the candidates can be submitted to Dr. Summer Schultz in the District Office or during the forum.

Refreshments will be provided and candidates will spend time visiting after the forum. Everyone is welcome. For those that are unable to attend the forum, Big Sioux Media will be streaming the event. The video for the webcast is at the bottom of this page.

Some Projects Nearing Completion in Dell Rapids

October 20, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

A few of the projects that have been happening in Dell Rapids this summer and fall are nearing completion.

The Garfield Avenue Improvement project had its final pay request during the Dell Rapids City Council’s regular meeting on Monday, October 15th. The contractor has just recently finished some grading and reseeding work, and the punch list items being completed. The council approved the final pay request on this project.

The water tower repainting project is also nearing completion. The painting of the tower has been completed inside and outside. The “Dell Rapids” lettering has also been completed on the tower. Testing on the paint, cleaning up the site, and then getting the tower refilled are the final steps to close out this project.

Another project that is also about complete is the Sioux River Red Rock Trail Scenic Overlook Extension project. All of the concrete has been installed, and the back-filling and grading has been completed. The seeding has not been completed at this time. The plan is to dormant seed the areas in early November. Some punch list items are also needing to be completed before the project is completely done.

The Rickeman Comfort Station project is also continuing to move forward. The excavation and concrete work has been completed. It was reported during the council meeting that the roofing materials are ready to be installed. After the roof is done, the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical to be done on the building. The expectation by the contractor is that the building will be finished by the end of November.

My School Bucks Fee to be Paid by Dell Rapids School District

October 14, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

During their last regular board meeting on Monday, October 8th, the Dell Rapids School Board approved a change to the Heartland Payment Solutions agreement to have the My School Bucks service charges be paid by the district instead of parents.

When the feature for online lunch payments was introduced, the district knew that someone had to pay the $2.49 fee to have the service. Up until this point in time, the charge has been passed to the families using the online payment option. However, the district has been trying to brainstorm ideas of how to change that. Just recently the district was told by the state that the school can use food service fund dollars to pay that service charge.

“Because our food service fund has a good balance, I just recommend that we give this a try, see how it works, see if it helps with negative lunch accounts, but no matter what, our families are going to go ‘Thank you’,” said Dell Rapids Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz.

Not only will this change help take the burden off of families to pay the service fee, Dr. Schultz is also hoping it will save time and burden on secretaries to handle lunch money checks and help save time on administration of negative lunch account balances.

“We’ve made so many good changes to the food service, this is that last one where it does cost us a little bit, but it just helps the program overall,” Dr. Schultz also said.

The motion to make the change was approved unanimously by the school board.

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