THOUGHT FOR TODAY

I cannot do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that I can do.
— Jana Stanfield

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
— THURSDAY
Wrestling: at Brandon Valley.
Boys basketball: at Douglas.
— FRIDAY
Boys basketball: home vs. Brandon Valley, 7 p.m.
Girls basketball: at Brandon Valley.
— SATURDAY
Wrestling: home for Pierre invitational, 10 a.m.
Gymnastics: at Rapid City Central invitational.
— TUESDAY
Girls basketball: at Aberdeen Central.
Boys basketball: home vs. Aberdeen Central, 7 p.m.

Girls basketball: The Governors lost to Mitchell, 45-41, despite being down by 17 in the first half. Ryann Barry was high scorer with 16 points. The game was plagued by a total of 50 turnovers by the two teams. On Tuesday Pierre led at Douglas by 26-0 in the second quarter and eventually won by 55-14. Reese Terwilliger had 13 points and Ayvrie Kaiser 11. Pierre’s record is now 3-6.

Boys basketball: After four wins to start the season the Governors’ losing skid stretched to four in a row with a 69-54 loss to Mitchell. The Kernels’ All-State star, Caden Hinker, scored 35 points. From a two-point deficit at 23-21 in the second quarter, the Govs saw Mitchell soar out to a 39-25 lead by halftime. Matt Hanson had 17 points and Lincoln Kienholz 15 for Pierre.

Girls wrestling: After duals against Huron and Watertown were postponed by weather, the Governor girls won the team title at the Harrisburg tournament Saturday with 124 points. Runner-up Canton had 97 points. Winning individual titles were Gianna Stangeland at 132 pounds and Ciara McFarling at 285. Other placers: Sydney Uhrig, second at 106; Ireland Templeton, second at 154; Shaylee Speck, fourth at 106; Kezrey Benning, third at 1120; Hattie Baldwin, third at 126, and Abbigail Lewis, fourth at 142. On Monday against Brookings the Governors got wins from Baldwin and Templeton via major decisions and Lewis by pin.

Gymnastics: At their own invitational meet the Governors placed fifth with 130.55 points. Mitchell was the team winner at 46.575.

Boys wrestling: Duals at home vs. Huron and Watertown Friday were weathered out. At the Jerry Opbroek meet in Mitchell the Governors were the team champions with 185 points, followed by Sturgis 172, Stevens 163.5, Watertown and Mitchell. Blake Judson was Pierre’s only individual champ at 138 points. Other placers: Alex Oedekoven, second at 106; Nate Williams, second at 126; Chase Carda, second at 145; Jayden Wiebe, second at 160; Josh Rydberg, second at heavyweight; Noah Williams, fourth at 120; Lucas Chamberlin, third at 170; Chance Carda, third at 182; Gavin Stotts, fourth at 195; Elijah Boutchee, fourth at 220. The Governors topped Brookings in a Monday dual, 51-20. Oedekoven won by decision, and Nate Williams, Tristan Spencer, Judson, Hayden Shaffer, Chance Carda and Boutchee all scored pins.

STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
— THURSDAY
Girls basketball: at Sully Buttes.
— SATURDAY
Wrestling: at Winner invitational.
Girls basketball: home vs. Herreid-Selby Area.
Boys basketball: home vs. Herreid-Selby Area.
— TUESDAY
Girls basketball: at Gregory.
Boys basketball: home vs. Sully Buttes.

Girls basketball: The Buffaloes lost to Lyman, 52-34, then beat up on McLaughlin, 60-17. The halftime score Monday night against McLaughlin was 40-2. Mattie Duffy scored 14 points, Taylee Stroup 12 and Jordyn Sosa 11.

Boys basketball: SCHS is now 7-2 after a 3-1 week. The Buffs placed third at the Jones County Invitational, beating Jones County, 48-25; losing in the semifinals to Lyman, 41-28, and winning the third-place game over Philip, 46-37. On Monday the Buffaloes beat McLaughlin, 56-43, led by Lathan Prince’s 17 points and Stran Scott’s 13 points and nine rebounds.

SULLY BUTTES CHARGERS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
— THURSDAY
Girls basketball: home vs. Stanley County.
— SATURDAY
Wrestling: at Winner invitational.
— TUESDAY
Boys basketball: at Stanley County.

Boys basketball: The Chargers defeated Miller, 57-45, led by Landon Hepker’s 17 points, Dwight Kinney’s 17 and Thomas Farries’ 11 points. Games against Langford and Timber Lake were postponed.

Girls basketball: The Chargers defeated Miller, 41-23, as Lydia Hill scored 18, Stevie Wittler 10 and Ally Wittler nine. On Tuesday the girls won at Timber Lake, 54-41, led by Stevie Wittler’s 20, Hill’s 13 and Addy Chicoine’s 10 points.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Simplify, slow down, be kind, and don’t forget to have art in your life—music, paintings, theater, dance, sunsets.
— Eric Carle

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

Northern track-field (Rachel Guthmiller): At UMary’s meet Rachel placed sixth in the weight throw event with a heave of 44’9 3/4″. Northern competes Friday in SDSU’s Division II meet.

Wyoming wrestling (Tate Samuelson): In a 32-6 dual loss to Iowa State, Tate lost his 184-pound match, 4-2. In a 22-14 dual loss to North Dakota State, he won his match bny 11-3. Wyoming is home for a dual vs. Oregon State Saturday.

Augustana track/field (Elizabeth Schaefer): The scheduled meet at Minnesota State last Friday was canceled due to a winter storm in that area. Augie sends its athletes to SDSU’s Division II meet Friday.

Augustana women’s basketball (Katie Bourk, Aislinn Duffy): Augie won both games on its North Dakota road trip. In a 79-71 win at Minot State, Aislinn was 8-of-13 (1-of-4) and 6-of-7 for 23 points with 10 rebounds, seven assists, a blocked shot and two steals. When Augie won at Mary, 83-75, Aislinn was 3-of-11 (0-for-2) and 2-of-2 for eight points, seven boards and seven assists. Now 9-5 overall and 5-5 in the NSIC, Augustana is home vs. Minnesota-Duluth Friday and St. Cloud State Saturday.

Black Hills State track-field (Frank Becker): At a home meet Frank placed second in the 400-meter run in :53.46 and fourth in the 200 in :24.28. BHSU stays home for its Dave Little meet Friday and Saturday.

South Dakota State track/field (Addy Eisenbeisz): At NDSU’s Bison Cup meet Addy placed second in the high jump at 5’6″ and third in the triple jump at 36’1/4″. The SDSU women placed second in team standings as did the men’s team. SDSU stays home Saturday for its own Jim Emmerich invitational.

South Dakota State men’s basketball: The Jackrabbits defeated Omaha, 95-86, and beat Denver, 80-62, to improve to 15-4 overall and 6-0 in the Summit. SDSU travels Thursday to St. Thomas and Saturday to Western Illinois.

South Dakota State women’s basketball: The Jackrabbits rebounded from their USD loss to beat Omaha, 72-49, and Denver, 87-43. Now 10-8 overall and 6-1 in the league, SDSU is home vs. St. Thomas Thursday and Western Illinois Saturday.

South Dakota State swimming (Morgan Nelson): The Jacks’ dual against St. Cloud State was canceled by the winter storm. SDSU swims Saturday at USD.

South Dakota Mines track/field (Erick Colman): The Hardrockers remain idle until a meet at BHSU Jan. 29-30.

South Dakota women’s basketball (Chloe Lamb): The Coyotes won two more Summit League games. In a 79-51 win over Denver, Chloe was 6-of-8 (1-of-1 in threes) and 1-of-1 for 14 points with four rebounds, six assists and a steal. Then USD whipped Omaha, 68-45, as Chloe was 4-of-9 (1-of-5) and 3-of-4 for 12 points with two rebounds, five assists, a block and three steals. Now 14-4 overall and 7-0 in the league, USD is home Thursday against Western Illinois and Saturday against St. Thomas.

South Dakota men’s basketball (Max Burchill): The Coyote men won twice, 80-71 over Denver and 105-70 over Omaha. Now 10-7 overall and 3-3 in the Summit, USD goes to Western Illinois Thursday and up to St. Thomas Saturday.

Morningside men’s bowling (Alex Badger): The Mustangs men’s team finished 65th of 68 schools at the Midwest Collegiate Invitational at Addison, Ill. Next on the schedule is the Coe College Invitational at Cedar Rapids Feb. 5-6.

Mary wrestling (Lincoln Turman): The Marauders’ dual against St. Cloud State Saturday was canceled by the winter storm. Mary wrestles an NSIC dual at Upper Iowa Saturday. then goes on to Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha Sunday.

Colorado Mines women’s basketball (Liz Holter): The Orediggers won in Rapid City over South Dakota Mines, 91-62. Liz was 4-of-9 (1-of-5 in threes) and 2-of-2 for 11 points with a rebound, seven assists and three steals. Colorado Mines, now 13-1 overall and 8-0 in the RMAC, stays home in Golden Friday vs. Colorado-Mesa and Saturday vs. Westminster.

Dakota State track/field (Houston Lunde): At Mount Marty’s meet Houston placed 10th in the shot put at 36’8″. DSI competes Friday at SDSU’s Division II meet.

Mount Marty College men’s basketball (Lincoln Jordre): The Lancers lost to Dakota Wesleyan, 53-40. Lincoln did not play in that game. After facing Midland last night, Mount Marty is home vs. Morningside Saturday and on the road to Jamestown next Wednesday.

Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball (Nick Wittler): The Tigers defeated Mount Marty on Sunday, 53-40. Nick was 3-of-12 (0-for-3 in threes) and 0-of-0 for six points with one rebound, one assist and a steal. DWU goes down to Hastings Friday and to Doane Saturday, then plays at home next Wednesday against Dordt.

Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyson Johnson): In a 15-3 dual loss to Morningside Tyson won his 157-pound match, 4-2. In a 29-19 loss to Jamestown, Tyson won by major decision, 11-2. He won again in a 3-1 decision in his team’s 24-20 loss to Dickinson State. DWU competes Friday and Saturday at the Missouri Valley invitational in Marshall, Mo.

Dakota Wesleyan track/field (Cobey Carr, Morgan Oedekoven, Abbigail Ferris): At Dordt College’s meet Cobey placed 11th in the long jump at 19’5 1/4″. Next on the schedule is SDSU’s Division II meet in Brookings Friday.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“We all are flying high in some ways and falling flat on our faces in others. Nobody has it all figured out. It’s our job to cheer each other on, lift each other up and push each other to keep going at our best. It matters whom we surround ourselves with. We need to be better to each other. We’re all we have.”
— Amy Weatherly

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

South Dakota’s ever-mounting pandemic death toll has reached 2,573 and will surpass the 2,600 mark by this time next week. The latest Department of Health report showed 392 currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 as well as 32,761 active cases statewide.

Other pandemic-related happenings this past week:

• The Douglas School District at Box Elder and Ellsworth Air Force Base returned to masks for a two-week period beginning this week due to the surge in COVID cases there.
• The conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court stopped President Biden’s COVID vaccination rule for large American businesses but allowed his healthcare workers vaccination mandate to remain in place. As soon as this decision was announced, Starbucks was one of the first businesses to remove its own requirement that its employees be vaccinated by Feb. 9 or face a weekly COVID test.
• Last Thursday’s state Department of Health report showed that 606 students and almost 100 teachers in the Rapid City school district were sidelined by COVID and other illnesses.
• The Canistota school district closed for five days due to much sickness (COVID, flu and strep throat). Twenty-three percent of students and staff were out of school last Wednesday.
• In the Rapid City school district Rapid Valley, Black Hawk and Canyon Lake elementary schools and North and South middle schools closed last Friday due to widespread illnesses and staff absences, giving those students a five-day holiday weekend during which officials hoped the sicknesses would dial down.
• Hot Springs put its middle school and high school on all-virtual learning all of last week.
• In Minnesota the Rochester public schools went to online learning for a two-week period.
• In New York the Broadway theaters’ mask and vaccination policy was extended through April 30.
• Custer Lutheran Fellowship decided masks are now required at all church services and events.
• A federal judge ordered the North Allegheny School District near Pittsburgh to reinstate its COVID mask mandate.
• In South Dakota a second child under age 10 has died from COVID-19. This death occurred in Minnehaha County while the earlier fatality was in Pennington County.

COUNTDOWN

8 days: Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo, Rapid City (Jan. 28-Feb. 6)
14 days: State one-act play festival, Rapid City Central (Feb. 3-5).
15 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Beijing (Feb. 4).
22 days: State gymnastics meet, Mitchell (Feb. 11-12).
24 days: Super Bowl LVI, Los Angeles, NBC-TV (Feb. 13).
25 days: Valentines Day (Feb. 14).
32 days: Presidents Day (Feb. 21).
35 days: State wrestling tournaments, Sioux Falls Premier Center (Feb. 24-26).
36 days: State Bantam B hockey tournament, Expo Center (Feb. 25-27).
37 days: NSIC men’s/women’s basketball tournaments, Sioux Falls Sanford Pentagon (Feb. 26-March 1).
37 days: Minnesota Loons MLS season opener (Feb. 26).

HOCKEY UPDATE

Oahe Capitals boys varsity: Idle last week, the Caps get back to business at home Saturday against unbeaten Rushmore and Sunday against Aberdeen. Faceoff times are 6 p.m. Saturday against the Thunder and 4 p.m. Sunday for the Aberdeen game.

Oahe Capitals girls varsity: The Capital girls almost staged a miracle comeback. They trailed Rushmore 5-0 but battled back to within one goal before losing by 5-4. Ashton Lee scored twice and Alyssa Stahl and Brylee Kafka once each. Abigail Stewart Fromm made 16 saves in goal. The girls go to Aberdeen for an 8 p.m. Friday game.

Minnesota Wild: The Wild won big over Anaheim, 7-3, and lost to Colorado in a shootout, 4-3. Minnesota plays at Chicago Friday, at home vs. Chicago Saturday and at home Monday against Montreal.

Badlands Sabres: The Sabres swept a weekend pair over Sheridan, 5-1 and 7-3. Badlands plays Friday and Saturday at Great Falls.

Aberdeen Wings: The Wings lost two to Bismarck, 5-2 and 4-1. Aberdeen goes to Austin for Friday and Saturday faceoffs.

Rapid City Rush: It was a rare three-game sweep for the Rush over Wichita by scores of 4-1, 3-2 and 5-3. Rapid City is home for Friday, Saturday and Sunday games vs. Idaho.

Sioux Falls Stampede: The Herd lost to Lincoln Friday, then dropped a 6-2 game to Omaha Saturday. Sioux Falls is home vs. Tri-City Friday, then goes to Omaha Saturday.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

NFL playoffs TV schedule (times are CST):
— SATURDAY
Cincinnati at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., CBS.
San Francisco at Green Bay, 7:15 p.m., Fox.
— SUNDAY
Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay, 2 p.m., NBC.
Buffalo at Kansas City, 5:30 p.m., CBS.

FOOTBALL CONTEST #27

Last week in the contest covering the six NFL wild-card weekend games, Jason Noyes got them all correct, so he gets 20 points as our first perfect score of the entire season. At 5-1 for 9 points each (each of them had the Cowboys’ game wrong) were Kyle Richards, Mikal Kern, Levi Neuharth, Thomas Voeltz and Dawn Magee. At 4-2 for 8 points each were David Ludwig, Seb Axtman, Jon Boer, Greg Deam, Randy Pool and Nathan Vetter.

This week, since there are only four games to pick, a contestant will get 10 points for 4 correct, 9 points for 3 correct and 8 points for 2 correct. Pretty easy way to get points this week!

Contest #27 (send your four winners to parkerhome16@hotmail.com by Saturday morning, Jan. 22):
(1) AFC: Cincinnati at Tennessee.
(2) AFC: Buffalo at Kansas City.
(3) NFC: San Francisco at Green Bay.
(4) NFC: Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay.

MIDCO SPORTS NETWORK SCHEDULE

Thursday, 7 p.m.: Women’s basketball, USD vs. Western Illinois.
Thursday, 7 p.m.: Women’s basketball, SDSU vs. St. Thomas (MS2).
Friday, 5:30 p.m.: Women’s basketball, Northern vs. Upper Iowa (MS2).
Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Men’s basketball, Northern vs. Upper Iowa.
Saturday, 1 p.m.: Women’s basketball, USD vs. St. Thomas.
Saturday, 2 p.m.: Women’s basketball, SDSU vs. Western Illinois (MS2).

BASKETBALL UPDATE

Sioux Falls Skyforce: The Force had an 0-3 week, losing to Memphis, 113-105 and 107-99, and losing to South Bay, 117-113. Sioux Falls plays at Stockton Thursday and Sunday, then at Agua Caliente Tuesday.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves lost to Memphis, 116-108; beat Golden State, 119-99, and won at New York, 112-100. After playing at Atlanta last night, Minnesota is home vs. Brooklyn Sunday and on the road out to Portland next Tuesday.

GOLF UPDATE

PGA Champions Tour (Tom Byrum): The Champions Tour begins its 2022 schedule Thursday through Saturday at the Mitsubishi tournament in Hawaii.

PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES

• The most disgusting piece of news I read this week (and as always there was a lot!) concerned a piece of legislation making its way through the Florida legislature, promoted by a governor of guess-which-party. This bill prohibits schools in that state from teaching any bit of history which causes white people “discomfort.” This sounds like something that would happen in South Dakota. Apparently our legislature and the governor’s office haven’t caught wind of this idea yet.
• If you are one who sends birthday cards to special people, here is your best opportunity so far this year. Hazel Baumberger, who spent many years with her late husband Art in the southwestern part of Sully County just north of Pierre, will be 106 on Saturday next week, Jan. 29. Yes, I said 106. She lives at ParkWood Apartments, 400 ParkWood Dr., Pierre SD 57501.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, January 20:
Emersyn Jeanotte, DeNeil (Hosman) Taylor, Greg Chapin, Eleni Wright, Andrea (Miller) Baker, Amber Kelley, Ryan Anderson, Katie Bartel, Jason Richards, Dorinda Timmons, Sue (Brink) Joachim, Kirsten Wilcox, Austyn Norman, Kaitlin Thomas, Lucas Stoeser, Kathy (Walker) Blackburn.
— 4th anniversary, Allan/Sarah (Zellmer) Johnson.

Friday, January 21:
Doug Paxton, Justin Artz, Jean Hertel, Monte Pullman, Nate Sprenkle, Becky Thompson, Parker Parsons, Mary (Jordre) Jensen, Daniall Deis, Isaac Heymans.
— 18th anniversary: Jesse/Whitnehy (Palmer) Flottmeyer.
— We fondly remember Pam Steece on her birthday.

Saturday, January 22:
Bob Joachim, Jon Boer, Burkelee Kenefick-Aschoff, Brian Thompson, Tracy Roberts, James Watson, Maddox Dokken, Jason Sulzle, Mike Schuh, Matt Boyer, Charis (Fouts) Blanchette, Mark Sweetman, Dustin Boes, Mark Venner, Paula (Adam) Burchill.

Sunday, January 23:
Heidi Jennings, Eric James, Adam Johnson, Erica Flyger, Melissa (Moore) Flottmeyer, Derk Campbell, Peyton Zabel, Jan Hartland.

Monday, January 24:
Andrew Powers, Jackie Yackley, Pam Brandner, Jeff Holcomb, Nancy Grunewaldt, Mary Thorson, Lynnsey Briese.

Tuesday, January 25:
Seth Hipple, Irene LaFurge, Luke LeBeau, Zoey Ann Hanson, Shawna Erickson, Stephanie Bowers, Nate Neufeld, Stephen Nielson, Jonathan Kreycik, Mary Joyce Rounds, Aidan Dozark, Reed Ludwig, Audrey Perli, Tawna (Williams) Millington.

Wednesday, January 26:
Solomon Erlandson, Ruth Rehn, Owen Schnabel, Sandi (Ahrendt) Beckman, Logan Bouchie, Dustin Ortbahn, Diana Tibbs.
— We fondly remember Luke Melius, who passed away 10 years ago today.

Thursday, January 27:
Shana (Holsteen) Read, Maxwell Fergen, Karen Wyly, Tanya (Hoagland) Hardiman, Andy Woster, Peggy (Huebner) Urquhart, Rory (Groseclose) Mennenger, Karen (Fossen) Cudmore, Megan (Linn) Bertsch, Matt Kelley, Aidan Javurek-Humig, Matt Jensen, Josh Schwartzkopf.

NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS

Twila Baade, 55, died Jan. 11 at Kelly’s Retirement Home. A gathering of family and friends took place last Saturday morning. Twila grew up in the DeGrey area and attended Riggs High School. She married Muryl Paxton in 1986. Twila worked at OAHE Inc., ran her own home daycare and was a manager at Cowboy Country. She is survived by three children, Brittany Paxton, Trevor Paxton and Timbar Wright; two grandchildren; her father, Fred Baade, and her sisters, Nancy Ponton, Nila Hasker, Norine Riis, Renee Baade, Connie Fehrman and Jody Clarambeau.

Steven and Jessica Cronin of Rapid City are the parents of a son, Crue Kamp Cronin, who was born Jan. 14. He weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured 20 3/4 inches. He joins a big sister, Myah, in their family. Crue is named after uncle Shane Cronin’s cancer battle team, Cronin’s Crew, and Jessica’s maiden name of Wehrkamp.

Thelma King, 85, a long-time elementary teacher in this area, especially at the Blunt elementary school, died Jan. 14. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Feigum Funeral Home with a prayer service there at 6. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Faith Lutheran Church. Thelma grew up in Wisconsin and graduated in 1955 from Mukwonago High School. She attended Luther College in Iowa for teacher certification. After marrying Lowell King in 1959, they moved to his hometown of Blunt. Thelma later completed her teaching degree at Black Hills State and spent much of her adult life as a teacher. For the last four years she has lived with her husband at Edgewood Senior Living in Pierre. Survivors include her husband, Lowell King; their children, Trudie Feldman of Blunt, Matt (Beth) King of Pierre, and Nancy (Bob) Knutson of Wasilla, Alaska; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Named Fine Arts Performers of the Week at Riggs High last week were the members of the Riggs art team. They and their works placed third at the Lakota Nation Invitational (LNI) art competition in Rapid City just before Christmas.

Shirley (Westphal) Hiller, 86, Onida, died Jan. 13. Her funeral was held Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Onida. Shirley attended school in Onida, then married Marvin Hiller in 1953. They became the parents of five children, three of whom died in infancy. She spent all of her adult life as a homemaker. Shirley is survived by two sons, Wade (Rondha) Hiller and Wesley Hiller; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Among those who preceded her in death were her parents, her husband, three infant children and three sisters.

At a special meeting this week the Pierre school board approved a bid from Sharpe Enterprises of Fort Pierre to build an expansion on to Buchanan Elementary School. The bid is for $8.3 million. Construction is slated to begin at the end of this school year and continue for 18 months. (News courtesy of Today’s KCCR News.)

Former Sully Buttes band director Lee Ferguson died last week at the age of 66. His funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23, at Tri-Valley High School in Colton where he was band director after leaving Onida. Burial will take place at Deadwood at 2 p.m. Monday. Lee had a 33-year teaching career, starting with five years at Wall, 11 years at Sully Buttes and 17 years at Tri-Valley. He also was part of several dance bands, including Camino One, Vigilante and Bangtail. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Caryn Ferguson; his daughter, Athena Ferguson; his stepson, Cameron Lynch; a granddaughter, and a sister, Lynn Klink.

Pierre native Rodger Hartley and his wife, Joanna Lawler, are co-directing Black Hills Community Theater’s midwinter show, “Men in Boats.” That show will run on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons for three weekends starting Jan. 28. Two other Pierre natives, Jason Knox and Holly Knox, have been selected for the cast of BHCT’s musical, “Urinetown,” which will be staged March 18-27.

Dorothy McBride, who with her husband Jack lived in Pierre between 1972 and 1978, died at the age of 91 Jan. 13 at Seven Sisters Nursing Home in Hot Springs. While she was in Pierre, Dorothy worked at State Publishing Company and the Capitol café. She is survived by four children.

Shelby Guthrie, who just graduated from the School of Mines in December, is working as a legislative intern during the current session.

Long-time Riggs High librarian and teacher Robert Townsend passed away at the age of 92 Jan. 17. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, at Feigum Funeral Home. Mr. Townsend was born on Long Island, N.Y., and graduated from Great Neck High School there in 1947. He worked for an uncle on a farm near Langford, S.D., and attended Northern State College. He met his wife, Ardis, there, and they were married in 1951. Bob transferred from Northern to Huron College, and after he earned his degree, he and Ardis both taught at Hecla. Bob spent two years with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. When he came home, the family moved to Aberdeen where he earned his master’s degree at Northern. Bob was high school principal at Bristol for seven years and at Highmore for two years. In 1966 he came to Pierre as a consultant with the Department of Education. He joined the Riggs High School staff as librarian and taught driver education, retiring in 1992. After his retirement he volunteered at First United Methodist Church and the Cultural Heritage Center. Survivors include two sons, Robert (Kristen) Townsend and Ronald (Deb) Townsend; six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife and his parents.

According to the Capital Journal, Riggs High principal Kevin Mutchelknaus will be leaving the school at the end of the school year to return to the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte school district as an education specialist. He was part of that district before coming to Pierre in 1995. During his 23 years in Pierre he has been at Riggs High for 16 years, 11 of them as principal.

Pierre native Chris Voller, a firefighter/paramedic with the Billings, Mont., Fire Department, was presented his captain’s helmet Monday, 15 years almost to the day after he graduated from the department’s recruit academy.

Merlin Kirschenmann, 69, died at home Jan. 15. His funeral is taking place at 11 a.m. this (Thursday) morning at Faith Lutheran Church. Merlin graduated from Harrold High School in 1972. He worked at Neele Kruse Construction, the Pierre school district, Parsons’ Bargain Barn, Slumberland Furniture and Wegner Auto. Merlin married Lois Lord in 1979. He is survived by his wife; his daughter, Tina; his sons, Darren and Jason; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; his brother, Arthur (Linda) Kirschenmann, and his sisters, Alma (Jerry) Lappe and Kristy (Pete) Severson.

Heather (Knox) Sazama will be one of five panelists at Freedom Expo 2022 at the Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City this Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The event, happening during National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, has this theme: “An informed community is a community where it is harder for trafficking to operate.” Heather is an assistant U.S. attorney with the Department of Justice at the U.S. attorney’s office in Rapid City.

Gregory Schaefer, oldest of the three children of Troy and Kim (Merkwan) Schaefer of Rapid City, has returned home to Rapid City to work in the pharmacy field for Monument Health. After earning his pharmacy degree from SDSU, Gregory spent a year of pharmacy residency at St. Cloud, Minn.

Pauline Brehe, 98, Agar, passed away Tuesday at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre. Services are pending through Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg.

In Rapid City fire chief Jason Culberson is asking for more personnel due to an expected rise in city growth and the reported increase in calls the department answered in 2021.

PONDER THIS

“People often ask me if I’m passing the torch. I explain that I’m keeping my torch and using it to light the torches of others because only if each of us has a torch will there be enough light.”
— Gloria Steinem