Severe Storms Take Aim at Area over Weekend

June 22, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Three severe storms rolled through Dell Rapids and the surrounding areas in less than a 60-hour period from Friday, June 19th through Monday, June 22nd. The first storm hit the area around 6:30 Friday evening. Storm clouds rolled into the area from the north west and dropped hail that was estimated at 1.75″ in diameter. The second storm to hit the area was during the early morning hours on Saturday. Around 3:30 a.m. a severe thunderstorm roared through the area with winds that were estimated at between 60-70 mph. The storm brought down many tree branches and left a mess at the campground and parks. The severe weather continued in the early morning of Monday. Another quick moving severe storm moved through the area that produce high winds. While Dell Rapids did not get hit with the worst of the high winds in the latest storm, more large tree branches came crashing down in town and a part of the grandstand at Rickeman Field ripped off the back of the stand. The worst of the Monday morning storm stayed a few miles south Dell Rapids and hit Garretson.

Rickeman Field Grandstand Replacement Reconsidered

June 16, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

After no action was taken on the Rickeman Field grandstand replacement project during the June 1st meeting, the Dell Rapids City Council voted to submit the project for bidding after hearing from Dell Rapids Baseball Association board members during their regular meeting on Monday, June 15th.

Several members of the DRBA spoke in favor of replacing the grandstand in hopes of having the council change their mind on the project. DRBA board member Bruce Mogen mentioned that the grandstand has been in place since the early 1960s, and the north side addition has been in place since the late 1960s.

Mogan said, “Two questions I kept hearing about…’Does Rickeman Field get used?’ I know between two amateur teams, a legion team…four teener teams…we have somewhere between 50 t0 60 baseball games during the summer. We also host many tournaments. Second question is, ‘Is there value?’ I think the value is again for the fans. All those people that come to town, they spend their money at our businesses.”

Councilman Mike Geraets thought another project should be done first before replacing the grandstand. “There are some repairs that need to be done (to the grandstand). But it’s still useable to me. It looks like we need to update our comfort station, and we have the ability to do that now that we have the sewer across the river.”

Councilman David Sommerfeld agreed that a comfort station is needed, but felt the grandstand should come first. “I agree with Mike that we need a comfort station, but I think right now we need to take care of the bleachers. One thing is our insurance company doesn’t like it. This has been talked about with our insurance company for the last three to four years.”

City Administrator Justin Weiland mentioned to the council that the grandstand has been brought up to the city by the insurance company for the last nine to ten years. Recommendations were made to do a structural report on the grandstand dating back to 2006.

Seating capacity for the new grandstand would be estimated at around 175 with four handicap accessible spots in the front. The current grandstand currently is estimated to hold 250 people including the north stand.

“We are talking about replacing just the main section of the grandstand, not the north/south piece. That can go away until we have a future need, and I don’t think we will see that for a while,” said Clarence Fjellanger.

DRBA board member LeAnn Kerzman added, “One little thing to consider too, we used to take a stipend for the DRBA, and we quit doing that a few years ago. And that’s when we started doing the improvements in the rest of the parks…We did give up our annual request in order to see budget improvements to the park capital assets.”

Sommerfeld motioned to put the Rickeman Field grandstand project out for bid. Mary Klockman seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 6-1.

Smoke Fills Dell Rapids High School

June 3, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids High School filled with smoke Wednesday morning (June 3rd), and fire crews were called to the building at around 9:30 a.m. Fire departments from Dell Rapids, Baltic, and Colton along with the Minnehaha County Emergency Management and Sheriff’s Department were called to the scene.

Firefighters were on the roof during the morning to investigate the cause of the smoke. Reports indicate that the smoke was mostly contained in the west/northwest part of the building. Crews were using fans to clear the smoke from the building.

Dell Rapids assistant fire chief Clarence Fjellanger mentioned that an air exchange unit’s burnt motor and wiring caused the smoke to fill the high school side of the building. The school building did not receive any fire or smoke damage. Superintendent Summer Schultz noted that only minimal damage to the air exchange unit was found.

Dell Rapids Little League Hosts Baseball Tournament

May 31, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Little League held their annual 12U baseball tournament on Friday, May 29th through Sunday, May 31st on diamonds A, B, E, and F. This year 12 teams from around the area participated in the tournament: Dell Rapids ERC, Dell Rapids T&C, Dell Rapids Jody’s Collision, Hills-Beaver Creek Red, Hills-Beaver Creek Blue, Crooks Stangs, Brookings Pizza Ranch, Brookings CF Promo, Brookings Century 21, Brookings Superior Homes, Brookings First Bank & Trust, and Brookings Dakota Abstract & Title.

“This tournament is a great way for teams to get a chance to play other teams they don’t see on a regular basis in their leagues. This year was a fantastic tournament…all the teams seemed to be pretty evenly matched. Most of our games were decided by just a couple of runs, and I think if not all the teams won a game this weekend, a large majority of them did,” said Dell Rapids Little League President Matt Larson.

This year’s tournament was divided into four pools of three teams each. Each team played the other two teams in their pool during games on Friday and Saturday, and then the each team was given an additional game on Sunday. The four pool winners competed in a championship round to determine the champion of the tournament.

“We had a lot of excitement all weekend long. At any given time during the weekend, there were cheers erupting from at least one diamond if not more. That’s what it’s all about for us. We love seeing and hearing kids getting exciting about the game. Our board members heard on many occasions from coaches all weekend that not only were the kids exciting about playing, but the coaches themselves learned that some of their players could play different positions than what they normally play when they were asked to do so. That’s another reason we love hosting this tournament,” Larson said.

Superior Homes from Brookings emerged as the 2015 champion after defeating the Crooks Stangs in the final game on Sunday afternoon.

Larson also added, “I want to thank all the volunteers who gave their time to help make this tournament a success. Not only did we luck out with weather this year, but we had so many helpers to make the tournament run smooth. We had folks who worked on preparing fields before games, worked in the concession stand, organized all the umpire assignments, donated home-made goodies or hot dogs….all those things help make this tournament a success. A lot of these things may go unnoticed, but our board appreciates every bit of help. The Dell Rapids Little League community steps up year after year from the players, to parents, to coaches and board members to make sure we put on the very best tournament we can, and I can’t thank them enough.”

Remembering Those Who Served

May 25, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Thank You

Dell Rapids Cemetery Board Starting Fund Raising Effort

May 18, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Cemetery is a non-profit organization. It is governed by a nine member board of directors. The Board function is to manage the upkeep of the cemetery and monitor the finances of the perpetual care trust. The fees associated with the cemetery are set based on the expected yearly expenses. Any projects the board pursues need to be financed independently.

After much discussion at the annual meeting, the board has decided to start fundraising with the intent to surface all the roads in the cemetery. The cost of pouring each concrete section is approximately $5500. There are 28 road sections in the cemetery, so the total cost of surfacing all of the roadways is just over $150,000. The board understands that this project will need to be completed in phases and will depend on the generosity of the families whose loved ones are interred in the cemetery with regard to how long this major project for the Dell Rapids Cemetery will take.

To make it easy for those inclined to make donations, Mark Kahler and Ross Brende will volunteer to accept and coordinate the donations. Donations may be sent to Kahler Funeral Home, 107 W 4th St., Dell Rapids, SD 57022. Please indicate that the donation is meant for the cemetery concrete surface project.

The Dell Rapids Cemetery originally platted on August 6, 1881. One of the first wagon trains to come to the Dell Rapids area was 1872. Some of the first interments in the Dell Rapids Cemetery were John Thorne in 1874 and Rhoda Dutcher in 1894. In 1906 the price of a cemetery lot was $25. Prior to 1906 the Dell Rapids Cemetery was owned and maintained by the City of Dell Rapids. The Dell Rapids Cemetery Association was incorporated April 7, 1905 at which time the association took over full control of the cemetery. The pillars were erected by Chris Paulson for $351 in 1911. The original pillars still stand today. In 1913 the board members of the association voted to officially name the cemetery. The name they voted on was The Grand View Cemetery, today it’s known as the Dell Rapids Cemetery. In 1918 the cemetery expanded the cemetery and bought the north five acres from Nels Jensen those acres are still being farmed by the Jensen family. Today the cemetery contains twelve blocks with over 3300 burials with close to 600 veterans, and over 90 Odd Fellow burials and 3 Daughters of the American Revolution burials.

Notable Burials:
Susanna Hunt is the niece of Morman Founder, Joseph Smith
William McFarland, locked away South Dakota’s first inmate, known as South Dakota’s first turn key.
John January, was a prisoner at Andersonville during the Civil War, due to malnutrution and disease he had to amputate his own legs to save himself.
Thomas Lyons: ran the trolly to cross the big sioux river before bridges, his wife, Maria Lyons was the first known Rebekkah in the state of South Dakota.
Abigail Ervin, her father was part of the original colonist that broke away from England, he was even present when Cornwallis surrendered.

Nohava Elected as SDFDA President

May 15, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Douglas G. Nohava, CFSP, CPC, of Minnehaha Funeral Home in Baltic, Colton, Dell Rapids, and Garretson, SD, was elected as President of the South Dakota Funeral Directors Association (SDFDA) at their annual state convention held on May 6-8 at the Best Western PLUS Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, SD. This year’s convention marked the association’s 116th anniversary. Nohava was sworn into office by his father, Myron G. Nohava, a past-president of the SDFDA.

Nohava, a funeral director for 10 years, will serve on the Executive Board of the SDFDA as state president for the 2015-2016 association year. He graduated from the University of Minnesota’s Program of Mortuary Science in 2004. He has been employed with Minnehaha Funeral Home since 2005 and is licensed in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Doug is also a Licensed Insurance Producer in South Dakota and Minnesota and currently represents United Heritage Life Insurance, a funeral insurance provider. In 2010, Doug received the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) designation from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. To attain the CFSP designation, Doug completed 180 hours of academic, professional, and public education activities. In 2013, he became a Certified Preplanning Consultant (CPC) through the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). Since 2012, he has also served on the NFDA Disaster Preparedness Resource Group and is also a Region 8 Team Member of the Department of Health and Human Service’s Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (D-MORT).

Doug is a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Garretson, and the Garretson Commercial Club. He is also a certified firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, and fire service instructor with the Garretson Volunteer Fire Department and currently serves as the department’s 2^nd Assistant Chief. He and his wife, Karly Hegge, have two daughters, Kalyce and Amity.

The South Dakota Funeral Directors Association is a professional association that represents the funeral service professional and the funeral home establishments in the state. The Association provides education, legislative representation and public relations statewide.

Left to Right: Dist 3 President Michael Wight of Wight, Comes, Sogn Funeral Chapel, Watertown; Dist 4 President Jim Schriver of Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary, Aberdeen; President Doug Nohava; President-Elect Chad Osthus of Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel of Watertown; Vice-President Dan Krugman of Welter Funeral Home, Huron; and Immediate Past President George Bittner of Bittner Funeral Chapel, Mitchell.

For More Information Contact:
Tammy Kerr, Executive Director
SD Funeral Directors Association25654 431^st Ave.
Spencer, SD 57374-5800
Phone: (605) 246-9466
Email: tkerr@triotel.net

New City Council Members Take Office

May 11, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The new members of the Dell Rapids City Council took office on Monday, May 4th, during the council’s regular meeting. Mike Sterud is representing Ward 3, replacing Craig Lauritzen. Mary Klockman is representing Ward 4, replacing Chad Andrews. David Sommerfeld was re-elected in Ward 1, and Paul Miles was re-elected in Ward 2.

Mayor Scott Fiegen recognized Lauritzen and Andrews for their service on city council before the new council commenced.

Along with the new members of the council taking office, committees were also determined during the meeting. Mark Crisp was nominated as President, and Miles was nominated as Vice President. Sommerfeld, Crisp and Miles will serve on the Finance and Utilities Committee. Sterud, Gary Haak, and Lee Burggraff will serve on the Policies and Procedures Committee. Mike Geraets will serve as Minnehaha County Economic Development Association/Dell Rapids Economic Development Corporation liaison. Mary Klockman will serve as Library Board liaison.

SD Elder Abuse Task Force

May 6, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

During the 2015 South Dakota legislative session, SB 168 established an Elder Abuse Task Force which will be studying financial, physical and emotional abuse of elderly South Dakotans. The task force is charged with making recommendations to the SD Legislature on policies and legislation to effectively address the issue. Appointed members will serve until January 1, 2016. Included in the seventeen member task force is Rep. Kris Langer from Dell Rapids. The first meeting will be held later this summer.

Dell Rapids High School Student Wins SD/ND NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

May 5, 2015 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Dell Rapids High School student Shauna Brech has received the North and South Dakota NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. The award, sponsored by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), the East Dakota Educational Cooperative – Career Link Program, Sanford Research, and the Great Plains Girls Collaborative Project, recognizes high school women for their computing-related achievements and interests as part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology.

Brech was one of just eight award-winners who were selected from high schools across the two-state area for their outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology and computing, solid leadership ability, good academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.

“The awards committee was impressed with Shauna’s willingness to look beyond the classroom in her attempts to develop new skills. Her ability to seek out and find broadcast technology projects really demonstrates her initiative and entrepreneurial spirit. We admire her for that and are eager to see what she does next,” said Kristy Jackson, regional NCWIT awards chairwoman.

These regional award winners were formally recognized during an event in Sioux Falls SD. Regional winners are now eligible to compete for exclusive internships and scholarships, which are designed to further support their career aspirations.

“Encouraging young women’s interest in technology careers is critical: our workforce needs their creativity and their innovation,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT.

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) works to correct the imbalance of gender diversity in technology and computing because gender diversity positively correlates with a larger workforce, better innovation, and increased business performance. Increasing the number of women in technology and computing also has the potential to improve the design of products and services to better serve a more diverse population, and increase economic and social well-being by providing more women with stable and lucrative careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Kristy Jackson, Career Link Program Manager
NCWIT, regional awards coordinator (SD/ND)
East Dakota Educational Cooperative
715 East 14^th St.
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
kjackson@edec.org
(605) 367-7680 x 120

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