Voters took to the polls on Tuesday, April 9th, to select two new city council members, a member for Ward 1 and a member for Ward 4. Lee Burggraff and Gary Haak won their respective ward’s votes.
Voters Will go to the Polls on April 9th
Tuesday, April 9th, Dell Rapids voters from Wards 1 and 4 will have the opportunity to go to the polls and cast their votes for current or new representation. For the ward 1 race, voters will decide who their representative on the Dell Rapids City Council will be between Gary Haak and Hubert Tool, both seeking their first term on the council. In Ward 4 the race is between incumbent Carrie Testerman and challenger Lee Burgraff. Voting takes place from 7:00 a.m. Tuesday through 7:00 p.m. at the Dell Rapids Fire Station.
Dell Rapids School Board Meeting: 4/8/13
The Dell Rapids School Board will hold a regular meeting on Monday, April 8th, at the MS/HS DDN Room at 7:00 p.m. Some of the items on the agenda include approval of the financial report, athletic approvals and motions, and discussions about channel 19. The full agenda can be found here.
UPDATE: Fatal ATV Accident in Dell Rapids
A four-wheeler accident in Dell Rapids on Sunday afternoon, April 7th, turned fatal. The accident occurred around 2:00 p.m. around the area of Washington Avenue and Fourth Street. The Dell Rapids man that was killed was 44-year-old Brian Koster. According to reports, Koster was doing repair work on the ATV before taking it for a test ride at which time it went out of control causing it to flip. Big Sioux Media will be posting the funeral announcements as soon as they become available.
Jazz Ensemble Places Second at Festival
The Dell Rapids High School Jazz Ensemble participated at the SDSU/Brookings Optimist Jazz Festival in Brookings Thursday, April 4th. The group received 2nd Place in Class A competition. They also received “Outstanding Trumpet Section” and “Outstanding Rhythm Section” awards for their performance. Jayme Damm and Zane Lodmell also received “Outstanding Soloist” awards.
Junior Sioux Wheelers Qualify for National Tournament
The Sioux Falls Junior Wheelers wheelchair basketball team, made up of youth with lower extremity conditions (spina bifida, childhood cancer, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, and other conditions that impact motor skills) that limit their opportunities to participate in standard athletics, have qualified for the national tournament for the first time in 12 years. The tournament is being held April 17-22 in Louisville, KY. The kids have worked very hard, and going to Nationals would create lifelong memories and also give them a chance to connect with other youth facing the same challenges they do. Several of the players come from families that do not have the financial resources to travel to the tournament on their own. Right now the team needs help raising funds to send the team to the national tournament. The goal is to be able to fund a bus, hotel accommodations, and meals for the team and their families. The goal is to raise $12,000 by April 15th.
Jon and Andrew of the Junior Wheelers
The Junior Wheelers have a connection to Dell Rapids. Jon Anderson, born with spina bifida, is a member of the team and a senior this year. Mike Mitchell and Hunter Gronli, both from Dell Rapids, are juniors on the team as well. The youngest Junior Wheeler is Andrew at 7 1/2. Andrew was recently named the Wheelers conference tournament MVP.
If you would like to make a donation to the Sioux Falls Junior Wheelers, checks can be made out to Junior Sioux Wheelers and sent to:
Junior Sioux Wheelers
c/o Rod Anderson
47148 240th St
Dell Rapids SD 57022
Dell Rapids St Mary Carnival a Huge Success
The 2013 St Mary’s Carnival and Auction held on Sunday, March 24th, was a huge success. The auction and carnival appears to have grossed around $245,000, which will immensely help with the school budget. Winners of the big ticket items were:
- Last Man Standing $5000 – Buzz & Pat Huewe
- ATV – Kalya Wolles
- TV – Lexi Scherff
- Mystery Box – JoAnne Lee
- Hog Processing – Allen Moore
Dell Rapids City Council Met April 1st
The Dell Rapids City Council met in session Monday, April 1st, and was faced with a full house of concerned citizens wanting to give their input on a couple of the items on the agenda. The first big splash dealt with the Chamber of Commerce request for an outdoor event permit for Quarry Days on June 21st. The permit request is for a ‘concert/entertainment’ to be held at the City Park band shelter with multiple musical groups performing. Members of the Chamber requested a time range from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am, but the council reduced those hours from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am after comments from the public regarding past events of this nature. Most of the concern from the public was on the ‘intoxicating behavior’ of some of the people once they leave the fenced in area. Chamber President, Katie Luttmann, said very tight volunteer control would be put in place to help prevent potential problems. The council did give their approval of this outdoor Quarry Days event. Big Sioux Media will be listing some of the local bands performing once contracts have been agreed upon by the Chamber committee and the groups.
The other topic that brought a lot of discussion and comments from local businesses regarded the ‘council’s passage’ at a previous meeting allowing the closure of the downtown area to parking and traffic for a movie production ‘without asking the opinions of the local businesses’. Dalton Coffey had previously asked and was granted permission for the filming of the downtown area with stores closed on Sunday, April 28th, and no parking in front of the stores. Several businesses objected to ‘how the request was made to the council and passed’ without the businesses knowing about that event permit. It has been determined that the Sunday closure date is now April 21st with the film makers needing to work around some of the businesses that will remain open, such as the movie theatre. The council will be writing a policy detailing the communication and responsibility of notifying businesses and residents of such permit requests before passing them.
Dell Rapids St Mary Recognized as an “Outstanding” High School Student Council by SDHSAA
The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) announced that 31 South Dakota high school student councils have been recognized as being “Outstanding Student Councils” for the 2012-13 school year. This is the 23rd year this statewide program has been sponsored by the SDHSAA to recognize those South Dakota high school student councils that meet or exceed the rigorous standards of excellence that are necessary to achieve the “Outstanding Student Council” designation. Student councils that achieve this recognition can best be described as being very active within their school and community throughout the school year. Outstanding Councils excel in having a well-rounded program of activities and projects which benefit both their school and their community throughout the school year.
The “SDHSAA Outstanding Student Council” program requires each participating student council to complete a self-evaluation of their organizational structure and their successful completion of projects in a variety of areas. The evaluation also considers the involvement of the student council in their school and community. James Weaver, SDHSAA Assistant Executive Director, stated “The High School Activities Association recognizes the student councils that have met the stringent standards and criteria demanded by this program. The 31 student councils that have been recognized this year, are well organized, highly motivated and have met the rigorous standards necessary to be declared outstanding. The self-evaluation focuses on the structure of the student council as well as the positive involvement of the student council in the activities of their school and community.”
To be recognized as an “Outstanding Student Council”, each council was involved in projects in the areas such as “Community and School Service”, “Health, Safety or Chemical Awareness”, “Education”, “Leadership”. Completion of projects in a wide range of areas was necessary to fulfill a variety of goals for the student council. Each school receiving the “SDHSAA Outstanding Student Council” award has demonstrated a desire for self-improvement and individual growth by participating in leadership workshops and conventions, as well as other educational programs.
The 2012-13 “SDHSAA Outstanding Student Council” Award recipients are:
- Aberdeen Central High School – Advisor: Kevin Rook
- Custer High School – Advisor: Jean Diedtrich
- Dell Rapids St. Mary High School – Advisor: Joni Smith
- Edgemont High School – Advisor: Scott Corbett
- Estelline High School – Advisor: Julie Rieckman
- Faith High School – Advisor: Deanna Fischbach
- Harding County High School – Advisor: Laura Johnson
- Harrisburg High School – Advisor: Michael Amolins
- Herreid High School – Advisor: Janelle Rossow
- Huron High School – Advisor: Angie Klein
- Irene-Wakonda High School – Advisor: Landra Knodel
- Lead-Deadwood High School – Advisor: Gary Linn
- Lemmon High School – Advisor: Linda O’Donnell
- Lennox High School – Advisor: Mary Stack
- Lyman High School – Advisor: Tom Authier
- McCook Central High School – Advisor: Tracy Chase
- Mitchell High School – Advisor: Nancy Leach
- Philip High School – Advisor: Pam DeJong
- Pierre T. F. Riggs High School – Advisor: Cally Swanson
- Rapid City Central High School – Advisor: Cassie Furchner
- Rapid City Stevens High School – Advisor: Courtney Pool
- Sioux Falls Lincoln High School – Advisor: Jennifer DuBois
- Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School – Advisor: Michele Jensen
- Sioux Falls Washington High School – Advisors: Sandy Hoff & Kristy VanMeerteren
- Sturgis Brown High School – Advisor: Judith Javersak
- Sully Buttes High School – Advisor: Wanda Meyer
- Vermillion High School – Advisor: Beth Knedler
- Wall High School – Advisor: Ronda Wilson
- Wessington Springs – Advisor: Sandra Jones
- Winner High School – Advisor: Mona LaCompte & Lorna Phillips
- Yankton High School – Advisor: Becky Tasa
**PRESS RELEASE
SDHSAA
P.O. Box 1217, Pierre, SD 57501
Telephone: (605) 224-9261
Dell Rapids Public Moves Final Day of School to May 10th
The Dell Rapids Board of Education met in session Monday night, March 25th, and approve the amending of the final day of school. Due to snow days, the board agreed that May 10th will be the final day of classes pending there are no more snow days throughout the remainder of the school year. Graduation will still be Saturday, May 11th. There was a request from the public to have a discussion on the next agenda regarding the ‘community access channel 19’. A report for the summer Haven food program was presented and it was agreed upon with one change that the vendor with the agreement would give a 2-week cancellation notice instead of a 60-day notice for cause. The Old Dutch Inn will provide the food program under the agreement. The board then adjourned to go into executive session for personnel matters. The next meeting is slated for Monday, April 8th.