Vol. 22, No. 29; Thursday, March 31, 2022

Mar 31, 2022 | Parker's Midweek Update | 0 comments

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

April 1, the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other 364.
— Mark Twain

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
— FRIDAY
Baseball: at Sturgis, 5 and 7 p.m.
— SATURDAY
Track/field: at Brookings indoor invitational, 1 p.m.
Baseball: at Rapid City Central, 1:30 p.m.
— TUESDAY
Track/field: home for Bob Judson Invitational, 1 p.m.
Boys tennis: home for triangular (with Mitchell and Rapid City Central), 11 a.m.

All-State basketball: Pierre junior Lincoln Kienholz, who was a second-team All-Stater last year as a sophomore, has been named to the All-State first team this season. The other five players are all seniors—Caden Hinker of Mitchell, Marcus Phillips of Roosevelt, Mikele Kambalo of Washington, Drew Norberg of Watertown and David Alpers of O’Gorman.

Girls track/field: At the Ruth Marske meet in Brookings on Monday, Danielle Beck’s sixth-place finish in the high jump at 4’10” was Pierre’s best effort in girls events. She was also 11th in the 100-meter hurdles in :17.50 and 11th in the 300 hurdles in :53.01. In the shot put Emily Lingle placed 11th at 31’8″ and Maya Shorter 13th in 31’5 1/2″. In the 1600-meter run Autumn Iverson placed 11th in 5:44.61 and Brianna Sargent 14th in 5:49.48. In the 3200-meter run Mason Berg placed 10th in 13:56.39 and Avery Lisburg 12th in 14:13.64. Remi Price tied for 13th place in the triple jump at 30’1/4″.

Boys track/field: Canyon Jones soared 12’6″ in the pole vault and placed fourth at Monday’s Ruth Marske meet in Brookings for Pierre’s best individual finish. In the 800-meter run Jared Lutmer placed eighth in 2:04.85 and Hayden Shaffer ninth in 2:05.83. Mason Dell was 12th in the 3200-meter run in 10:51.78. In relays Pierre had a second-place quartet of Lutmer, Dell, Shaffer and Haeden Wheelhouse who ran in 8:47.67 in the 4×800 event. The 4×100
relay team of Tayshaun Agard, Vick Becker, Landon Bertram and Caden Thompson placed 10th in :45.48. The 4×400 quartet of Rylan Derry, Trevor Rounds, Keenan Scott and Jett Zabel finished 15th in 3:48.84. In that same event another Pierre team placed 12th in 3:45.98. Those runners were Devon Flottmeyer, Austin Foley, Canyon Jones and George Stalley.

STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
— FRIDAY
Track/field: at Sunshine Bible meet, Miller.
— TUESDAY
Track/field: at Bob Judson Invitational, Pierre.

All-State basketball: Stanley County senior Lathan Prince this week was named to the Class “A” All-State basketball third team.

Girls track/field: At Gregory’s season-opening meet Tuesday Cadence Hand placed ninth in the 100, sixth in the long jump and seventh in the triple jump. Taylee Stroup was eighth in the 100 and ninth in the 200. Carlie O’Conner was fourth in the shot put and sixth in the discus. Kaysen Magee finished sixth in the 400 and seventh in the 800. Sarah Fosheim was seventh in the 1600. The 4×100 relay team of Stroup, Raegan Taylor, Camryn Norman and Libby Harrington was fifth. The medley team composed of Stroup, Hand, Bailey Siedschlaw and Rachel Nemec was seventh.

Boys track/field: The Buffaloes opened the season at Gregory’s meet Tuesday. Andrew Fredericksen placed third in the 200 and sixth in the 100. Brenden Bothwell was fourth in the 200 and eighth in the 100. Tyler Lieferman was eighth in the discus. Cormac Duffy was fourth in the 400, fourth in the high jump, third in the long jump and third in the triple jump. The 4×800 relay team of Bothwell, Fredericksen, Colt Norman and Tyson Peterson was fourth.

COUNTDOWN

1 day: Pierre high school baseball openers at Sturgis (April 1).
1 day: NCAA Division I women’s basketball Final Four, Minneapolis (April 2, 4).
1 day: South Dakota Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, Chamberlain (April 1-2).
2 days: Rapid City Marshals indoor football season opener (April 2).
2 days: NCAA Division I men’s basketball Final Four, New Orleans (April 2, 4).
3 days: Grammy awards, CBS-TV (April 3).
5 days: Pierre track opening meet (April 5).
5 days: Pierre boys tennis opening meet (April 5).
7 days: Major league baseball opening day (April 7).
7 days: NCAA Division I men’s hockey Frozen Four, Boston (April 7, 9).
7 days: The Masters golf tournament, Augusta, Ga. (April 7-10).
9 days: Riggs High jazz night (April 9).
10 days: Palm Sunday (April 10).
12 days: Fort Pierre city election (April 12).
14 days: Pierre girls golf opening meet (April 14).
15 days: Good Friday (April 15).
17 days: Easter (April 17).
22 days: Pierre Legion Relays (April 22).
26 days: Riggs High spring band concert (April 26).
30 days: Riggs High prom (April 30).
33 days: Riggs High awards night (May 3).
35 days: Pierre Educational Foundation’s Evening of Excellence (May 5).

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Dakota State men’s basketball: The Jackrabbits lost to Providence in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., 66-57. SDSU came within three points with 59 seconds left, but a questionable foul call on a three-point field-goal attempt gave Providence three free throws, and the game disintegrated from there. SDSU sustained its first loss since Dec. 15 and finished the year with a 30-5 record.

South Dakota women’s basketball (Chloe Lamb): The Coyotes enjoyed an exciting run in the NCAA Tournament, picking up two wins before being eliminated. At Waco, Texas, USD defeated Mississippi of the SEC, 75-61. Chloe was 7-of-14 (2-f-4 in threes) and 4-of-4 for 20 points with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Against the region’s #2 seed, Baylor of the Big 12, on its home court, USD started the game with an 11-0 run, led by 18-4 and led at halftime 34-23. The Coyotes held their lead for a stunning 61-47 victory. Chloe was 4-of-10 (3-of-6) and 4-of-4 for 15 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. The two wins at Waco moved USD to the Wichita Regional where a huge crowd of USD fans made Intrust Bank Arena seem like a home court to USD. The Coyotes almost pulled it off, too, coming up one play short in a 52-49 loss to Michigan of the Big 10. Chloe was 3-of-7 (0-for-2) for six points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. It was USD’s four straight NCAA tournament appearance. The season’s final record was 29-6. Except for one regular-season loss to SDSU in Brookings, the other five Coyote losses were all to major-conference foes—Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Northwestern and Michigan.

South Dakota State women’s basketball: Its large home crowds appealing to the WNIT tournament authorities, the Jackrabbits have been awarded with four straight home games, and the Jacks have won them all—87-57 over Ohio, 78-57 over Minnesota, 84-66 over Drake and 78-73 over Alabama. Now tonight (Thursday) SDSU hosts UCLA at Frost Arena in the WNIT semifinal at 7 p.m. on Midco Sports Network. The tournament championship game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network at 2 p.m. Saturday. The other semifinal game in the WNIT pits Seton Hall at Middle Tennessee State tonight.

Iowa Central Community College baseball (Jack Van Camp): The Tritons extended a winning streak to 14 in a row, taking two games from Minnesota West, 16-1 and 11-1, and one from Ellsworth CC, 15-5. ICCC then took two of three over Southeastern Community College, winning 6-1 and 9-3 and losing 6-4. The series against Southeastern CC opened conference play for the Tritons, who play this Saturday and Sunday at Ellsworth CC. The season record is 21-5 at this point. Jack did not appear in any of these six games.

Wyoming wrestling (Tate Samuelson): At the NCAA championships in Detroit, Tate scored a takedown in overtime for a 5-3 upset win over a Northern Illinois wrestler in the first round; lost 6-2 in the second round to a Cal Poly wrestler, and was eliminated with a 6-3 loss to an Oklahoma wrestler in the second round of consolation competition.

University of Sioux Falls track/field (Jessica Lutmer): At the Wayne State Classic, opening the outdoor season for the Cougars, Jessica placed third in the 1500-meter run in 5:00.57, and the 4×400 relay team on which she runs placed fourth in 4:40.49. USF goes to the USD earlybird meet Saturday.

Dakota Wesleyan track/field (Cobey Carr, Morgan Oedekoven, Abby Ferris): At Buena Vista’s meet in Iowa, Cobey place eighth in the 100-meter dash in :12.18, and his 4×100 relay team placed second in :46.40. Abby placed sixth in the 400 in 1:13.75. DWU goes to USD’s earlybird meet Saturday.

South Dakota State track/field (Addy Eisenbeisz): Addy did not compete at Emporia State’s meet in Kansas. Jackrabbit athletes go to USD’s earlybird meet or to meets at Stanford and San Francisco in California this weekend.

South Dakota Mines track/field (Erick Colman): At Black Hills State’s meet Erick placed seventh in the hammer throw at 159’9″, 10th in the shot put at 43’5 1/4″ and 28th in the discus at 106’8″. The Hardrockers go to MSU-Billings’ meet Saturday.

Texas State baseball (Peyton Zabel): The Bobcats were rated #20 in the nation in this week’s poll. Now 20-6, they go to Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., for Friday, Saturday and Sunday games, then play at Texas A&M next Tuesday. Texas State took down Arkansas State 13-7, 2-1 and 5-4 and lost to Incarnate Word, 4-2. Texas State took two of three over Coastal Carolina, winning 7-4 and 13-9 and losing 7-5. In that loss Peyton pitched the ninth inning, facing six batters, giving up two earned runs, three hits and a walk while retiring men on a strikeout and a flyout. That inning gave Coastal a 7-0 lead, then the Bobcats scored five in the bottom of the ninth before the game ended. On Tuesday Texas State lost at Sam Houston State, 12-9. Peyton pitched the eighth inning, facing five batters, getting a strikeout, a flyout and a groundout, walking one and allowing one hit.

Black Hills State track/field (Frank Becker): At the Yellowjackets’ home meet Frank placed seventh in the 400 in :52.07. His 4×400 relay team finished second in 3:29.97. BHSU goes to MSU-Billings’ meet Saturday.

Dakota State track/field (Houston Lunde): At Wayne State’s meet in Nebraska, Houston tried the hammer throw for the first time as a college athlete and placed 18th at 127’3″. He also placed 22nd in the shot put at 35’2″ and 26th in the discus at 107’1″. The Trojans go to USD’s earlybird meet Saturday.

Northern State baseball (Spencer Sarringar): The Wolves’ conference openers against Winona State were canceled. But since then the team has gone 3-2 in NSIC play. In a 4-1 loss to Concordia-St. Paul Spencer was 0-for-5 and walked once. In a 4-2 win over CSP he was 0-for-2 but walked twice. Northern beat Upper Iowa, 3-2, as Spencer was 0-for-2 and had one sacrifice. In a 4-2 win over Upper Iowa he was 1-for-3 and walked once. He went 0-for-4 in a 16-6 eight-inning loss to Upper Iowa. Now 8-10 overall and 3-2 in the NSIC, Northern is home for a pair against Wayne State next Wednesday after facing USF for a doubleheader today (Thursday).

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It’s hard for me not to look at you and not see my mom. Not to see my cousins, one of whom had to come here and sit behind you. She had to have your back. I see my ancestors and yours. But don’t worry, my sister. Don’t worry. God has got you. And how do I know that? You’re here, and I know what it’s taken for you to sit in that seat. You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.”
— U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (New Jersey) at the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

ZESTO SHERBET SCHEDULE

Thursday: maple.

PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES

  • Football will be strange for awhile this fall. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman not on Fox games but on Monday Night Football on ESPN? What?!!! Al Michaels not on Sunday nights but with Kirk Herbstreit on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, not on Fox? (I’m not paying for Thursday night games, but you go ahead if you are that dumb.) So that must leave Mike Tirico and Drew Brees to do the Sunday night games on NBC. (I think I’ll mute the TV sound.) As for Sunday afternoon games on Fox, it sounds as if Kevin Burkhardt will be the lead announcer, and he is a good one. That means he will do the Super Bowl, too. As for CBS games, we will still have Jim Nantz (“Hello, friends!”) and Tony Romo. And it sounds as if Kirk Herbstreit will still be with Chris Fowler on the ESPN college prime-time game on Saturday nights. But let’s put all of this off. It’s baseball season!
  • Tickets to individual shows at the Black Hills Playhouse will be on sale each day starting this Friday. The box office is open at 605.255-4141 from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. MDT or online at www.blackhillsplayhouse.com. Here again is this summer’s schedule: June 3-10, “The Mountaintop”; June 18-July 3, “The Odd Couple”; July 13-31, “Cinderella”; Aug. 10-20, “Something Rotten.”

HOCKEY ROUNDUP

Oahe Capitals boys varsity: Capitals coach Steve Steele was honored as South Dakota Hockey Coach of the Year.

Aberdeen Wings: The Wings took two from North Iowa, 4-3 in a shootout and 4-3 in overtime, then split with Austin, losing 4-3 in overtime and winning 3-1. Aberdeen is home vs. Bismarck Friday and Saturday.

Sioux Falls Stampede: The Herd lost two of three against Fargo, then beat Omaha 5-2 and lost to Sioux City 5-2. Sioux Falls plays at Tri-City Friday and Saturday and at Sioux City Sunday.

NCAA Division I men’s Frozen Four: The semifinal matchups at Boston next Thursday, April 7, have Michigan vs. Denver and Minnesota vs. Minnesota State. The national championship game will be Saturday, April 9.

Minnesota Wild: The Wild has a seven-game winning streak going. They beat Chicago 3-1 and Vegas 3-0, then won three consecutive 3-2 overtime games over Vancouver, Columbus and Colorado, and finally beat Philadelphia 4-1. Minnesota is home vs. Pittsburgh Thursday, at Carolina Saturday, at Washington Sunday and at Nashville Tuesday.

BASEBALL ROUNDUP

Minnesota Twins schedule:
Thursday: Boston, noon.
Friday: Atlanta, noon (BSN).
Saturday: Tampa Bay, noon (BSN).
Sunday: Baltimore, noon (BSN).
Monday: Boston, noon (BSN).
Tuesday: Boston, noon.
Thursday: Regular-season opener, Seattle, 3 p.m. (BSN).

Pierre Trappers: According to a news release from the Expedition League office, there will be only four teams in the league this summer—the Pierre Trappers, the Sioux Falls Sunfish, the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs (Minot) and the Red River Pilots (Grand Forks).

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Rapid City Marshals: The new indoor football team will play its regular-season opener at home against Topeka this Saturday.

Sioux Falls Storm: The Storm won over Bismarck, then lost to Iowa, 45-31. Now 1-1, Sioux Falls plays next Monday at Quad City.

BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Boys state tournament championship game scores:
* AA: Sioux Falls Roosevelt 54, Sioux Falls O’Gorman 52 (overtime).
* A: Dakota Valley 82, Sioux Valley 56.
* B: De Smet 49, Lower Brule 26.
All three of the state champions were unbeaten all season against South Dakota opponents, and Roosevelt and Dakota Valley had perfect seasons.

Sioux Falls Skyforce: The Force lost to Rio Grande Valley and Iowa, then split two-game series against Birmingham and Oklahoma City. Sioux Falls plays Thursday and Saturday at South Bay.

NCAA Division I men’s basketball Final Four: The semifinal matchups on Saturday have Villanova vs. Kansas at 5 p.m. CDT and Duke vs. North Carolina at about 7:45. Both games as well as the national championship game Monday night will be on TBS.

NCAA Division I women’s basketball Final Four: The semifinal games Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis will pit South Carolina vs. Louisville at 6 p.m. CDT and Stanford against Connecticut at 8:30. Those games as well as the national championship game Sunday night will be on ESPN at 7 p.m. CDT.

GOLF ROUNDUP

PGA Champions Tour (Tom Byrum): The Champions Tour has been idle for two weekends. Play resumes this weekend at Biloxi, Miss., with the Rapiscan Systems Classic.

SOCCER ROUNDUP

Minnesota United FC: The Loons defeated San Jose, 1-0, and after four games in the MLS season remain unbeaten. With a 2-0-2 record, the Loons will be home against Seattle at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Men’s World Cup: If they play then as they did last night in a 2-0 lackluster loss in Costa Rica, the U.S. Men’s National Team will have a short stay in Qatar at the World Cup in November and December. But at least they will be there, having qualified this time after missing out on the World Cup entirely last time.

WORDS OF WISDOM

April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden.
— Marty Rubin

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, March 31:
Gable Uhrig, Livia Tveidt, Jenny (Ness) Hofer, Chad Gusso, Annie (Fuller) BonneCarrere, Brittany Mehlhaff, Brandon Heckenlaible, Jennifer Merkwan, Brady Goff, Mia Ellefson, Linda Brooks.
— 5th anniversary, Scott/Katrina (Reimnitz) Hesla.

Friday, April 1:
Andrew Murphy, Theodora Boolin, Paul Williams, Caden Blair, Leon Blumhardt, Reagan Haefner, Steve Wegman, Justne Berven, Lindsey (Suedkamp) Griffith, Meghann (O’Day) Kjolsrud, John Knox, Bronson Blow, Justin Gilmore, Shelley (Marone) Locken.

Saturday, April 2:
Daneen (Bickett) Koppman, Dianne (Bickett) Nielsen, Joyce Koistinen, Emerson Mohlman, Reece Mohlman, Sasha (Kean) Bishop, Susanne Harmon, Mary Hiller, Sandra Peterson, Joni Lingle, Krista (Schmidt) Sarvis, Laurie Kelley, Aaron Rumpca, Dalila Deal, Aria Bollinger, Dustin James, Olivia Deffenbaugh, Stephanie Wells, Greta Deffenbaugh, Brandon Kucker.

Sunday, April 3:
Ava Williams, Tom P. Maher, Erin Maher, Whitney (Palmer) Flottmeyer, Charlotte Gustafson, Jesse Scharnweber, Scott Decker, Lori (Stulken) Blom, Frank Pautz, Roseanna Ogan, Bryce Palmer, David Jensen, Charles Edelen, Seth Parsons, Dawn (Garrett) Kaiser.
— 1st anniversary, Eric/Cindy (Sonnenschein) Sprenkle.

Monday, April 4:
Blaine Harrowa, Thad Bauer, Tyler Mattheis, Noah Wulf, Marinda Archer, Avery Williams, Blaine Nicholas, Sandra O’Day, Hattie Stofferahn, Madyson Mitchell.
— 8th anniversary, Eric/Missie Schmidt.

Tuesday, April 5:
Jon Herman, Mikaela Hoy, April Chicoine, Julian Smith, Jo Mikkelsen, Landon Badger, Troy Docken, Chase Cooper, Angie (Huxford) Pfleger, Ken Stofferahn (#88), Ian Rounds, Levi Hanson.
— 47th anniversary, Doug/Pam Peterson.
— 47th anniversary, Frank/Kathy (Hoover) Pautz.

Wednesday, April 6:
Laura Mehlhaff, Lacy (Nielsen) Fike, Heather (Nystrom) Klinger, Ashley (Pries) Brewer.

Thursday, April 7:
Brian Hosman, Eric Unkenholz, Crystal (Boehmer) Lindekugel, Brian Mills, Anthony Johnson, Vivian Asmussen, BryAnn (Becker) Knecht, Adam Chick, Jayden Madden, Sandee Smith, Judith Smith.
— 38th anniversary, Kevin/JoAnne Hipple.
— 43rd anniversary, Bob/Kris Schneider.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

The state Department of Health is now reporting COVID-19 statistics only once a week rather than daily. Yesterday’s report (March 30) showed there to be 154 new cases in the state in the past week and 43 hospitalizations statewide. The death toll since the pandemic began has reached 2,883 with three additional deaths in the past week.

Meanwhile, the pandemic is far from at an end. In Shanghai, China, where the population is 26 million, the city has instituted a city-wide lockdown to try to handle a new outbreak. Oh, their freedoms!

NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS

Kevin Hipple, Hughes County manager for 16 years, last week announced his upcoming retirement from that position.

Riggs High alumna Kristen Job is a special education Ph.D. student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders. She was shown on a university video last week, discussing her interest in helping twice-exceptional students who are gifted and talented while also falling into one of the special education categories.

The 69th annual Hayes Drama Club play, “Interruptions,” will be performed at the Hayes Hall at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The ticket price is only $5 per person, and there will be free-will concessions available.

Jerry Somsen of Webster, whose older brother is Lowell Somsen of Pierre, started experiencing tremors in his hands after returning from Iraq in 2005. Last year he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. So far the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has denied disability coverage after his exposure to toxic burn pits while in Iraq. Reporter Stu Whitney’s story for South Dakota News Watch was published last week and covered on local TV newscasts. Jerry Somsen retired in 2009 after 23 years of National Guard service. The VA’s position in this matter is that no link has been established to date between the exposures to burn pits and Parkinson’s. “Hopefully this (attention) will help a lot of people like me who went over their healthy and are feeling pretty ragged right now,” Somsen said in the story.

In a ceremony in front of the Riggs High student body last week, geometry and algebra teacher Nichole Bowman was presented with the Milken Family Foundation award given to outstanding teachers. Besides a trip to Los Angeles to be part of a forum on education, Bowman will receive $25,000 to do with as she wishes. Three previous South Dakota recipients of the Milken award were present for the ceremony as were Governor Noem and representatives of the foundation. Bowman is the second Riggs teacher ever to receive the award. Shana Davis was the first. Nichole is one of only 60 teachers nationwide to receive the Milken award this year.

Tom Johnson and his wife, Parker, who live in Minneapolis, revealed they are expecting their first child this summer.

The funeral for Halona Hall, 65, Big Bend, was held at the Big Bend Community Center on March 21. She passed away March 16 at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital. Halona was the oldest of six children of Bud and Dee Hall and graduated from Riggs High School in 1965. In 1978 she married Mike Hackett, and they became the parents of three children. Halona worked in the local hospitality industry as well as tribal affairs until poor health forced her to retire in 2012. She spent many years in kidney dialysis. Survivors include her children, Chev (Liz) Hackett, Candace Hackett and Courtney (Alice) Freng; eight grandchildren, and four siblings, Marianna Nelson, Frank Hall, Chris (Melissa) Hall and Angela (Allen) Slaughter.

Fort Pierre’s municipal election is less than two weeks away on Tuesday, April 12. Scott Deal and Carl Rathbun are candidates for a Ward II city council seat. Incumbent Gloria Hanson and challenger Jim Hoffman are vying for the mayor’s office.

Alisa (DeMers) Bousa, after 16 1/2 years with the South Dakota Bankers Association, is beginning a new job with Project Solutions Inc., based in Rapid CIty. Alisa will work remotely from home in Pierre.

Justin and Karli (Larsen) Williams are the parents of a son, Kieran Mitchel Williams, who was born on March 9. He weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20 1/2 inches. He joins twins Olive and Asher, 6 1/2, in their family.

Tia Kafka will be the new CEO at the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce. Since 2019 she has been director of the chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to that, she worked as communications director for the Department of Social Services.

You may not have known him as Bruce Crist, but you likely knew or at least had heard of Wicker Bill. The well-known local outdoorsman and sporting guide passed away Tuesday. Funeral details and other arrangements can be found at www.isburgfuneralchapels.com.

Former Pierre mayor Gary Drewes of Rapid City will be unopposed for re-election to his seat on the Pennington County Commission.

Two long-time Beck Motor Company employees marked milestones this week. Salesman Bob Jeffries was recognized for his 31 years there, and Steve Parker, title clerk and cashier, marked his 30th anniversary with the firm.

The first six graduating classes from Sully Buttes High School (Classes of 1971 through 1976) are planning a joint reunion during the 100th Sully County Fair, which will be held in Onida Aug. 11-14. Contact a class representative for details.

Pat Duffy, who has been a pillar of the Fort Pierre community for decades and responsible for so many achievements and accomplishments for the benefit of the city, will be honored at a retirement reception in the Community & Youth Involved Center. It will be a come-and-go event from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 9.

Jon LaFramboise, 58, died March 12 in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Wyoming. His funeral was held March 22 at the Fine Arts Building of the Central States Fairgrounds in Rapid City. Jon spent his early childhood in Utah until his family moved to central South Dakota. He became the oldest sibling of 12 adopted children. He attended Riggs High School and Utah State University. Jon returned to Pierre to work with his adoptive father’s Eagle 2000 architectural and engineering firm. Jon married Sheridan Thomas, and they and their son moved to Rapid City where they had another son. He worked for Scull Construction for four years, then he and Matt Leon formed Tru-Form Construction in 1995. Jon remained a co-owner until his death. He was an avid snowmobiler. Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Sheridan; his sons, Dane and Jesse; 12 siblings and many other relatives. Among those who preceded her in death were his biological father Michael Coffman, and his adoptive parents, Lyle and Karen LaFramboise.

Hayley Miller, who teaches science courses at Sully Buttes High School, has been named the Teacher of the Year in the Agar-Blunt-Onida school district.

Calvin Jones and his wife, Inga, remain in the nation of Montenegro while working to get friends and relatives out of war-torn Ukraine. Last week Calvin released his rendition of “Schedryk,” which was recorded with the Taurida International Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2017. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sales of the recording will go to two charities helping victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The charities’ names are Loads of Love and Music Mission Kiev. A story on this project was published by People magazine. You can order the recording from the ITunes store.

Stanley County High senior Evan Nordstrom signed his letter of intent to attend Dakota Wesleyan University and play football there.

Heather Mangan and her husband, Ethan Fife, of Casper, Wyo., became parents on March 22. Their daughter, Matilda Mangan Fife, weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and measured 19 inches. The maternal grandparents are Tony and Shiela Mangan of Pierre.

Karissa Guthrie’s boyfriend, Owen Beyer, was rushed to a hospital in Lansing, Mich., over the weekend. A blood clot in an artery leading to his kidney was discovered. A heart scan showed positive results there. A Facebook post by his mother said he will be fine but will “have 1 3/4 of a kidney.”

Governor Noem this week announced the appointments of Joan Adam as secretary of health and Michael Houdyshell as secretary of revenue.

Theresa Stulken, 77, died March 24 at the Highmore Health Care Center. A memorial service was held Wednesday at Feigum Funeral Home. She is survived by two sons, seven grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and a brother, Philip Severyn of Presho. She was preceded in death by 10 siblings.

The Riggs High music department announces two separate Variety Night programs to be held at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 8-9, in the main gym at Riggs. The programs will feature the Riggs jazz bands as well as soloists and groups who were rated superior at this spring’s regional contests. The two programs will be different each night. No admission will be charged although concessions will be on sale. Prior to those events, however, there will be a solo and ensemble festival in the band and choir rooms at Riggs High School at 5:30 p.m. next Monday, April 4, featuring many of the students who competed at regional contests, whether they won superior ratings or not. There is also no admission for this program.

Elizabeth (Lamb) Salmonson, a native of Onida who has been with BankWest in Mitchell for eight years, has been promoted to the position of branch manager of BankWest’s Mitchell bank. In Mitchell where Liz and her husband, Travis Salmonson, live with their three young children, she is also on the board of directors of Mitchell United Way and a member of the Connect Mitchell group within the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce.

Justin and Krista (Schmidt) Sarvis are coaches of a Spearfish third-grade boys basketball team that includes their son. They won three games over the weekend to take the title in their division of the Queen City Classic tournament.

Pierre residents Julia Jones, Jay Mickelson and Dr. Tom Huber as well as Kathy Coulter of Sioux Falls recently returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

Effie (Melvin) Hunsley passed away at Avantara in Pierre on March 26 at the age of 102. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at Feigum Funeral Home, followed by a memorial service there. Effie graduated from Pierre High School in 1937 and married Warren Hunsley that same spring. They made their home in rural Hughes County where they raised Hereford cattle and ranched. In the mid-1980s they sold their ranch and moved to a home on River Road in Pierre where Effie lived until 2020. She is survived by her son, Roger (Carole) Hunsley of Louisville, Ky.; her grandson, Brad (Stacey) Hunsley of LaVista, Neb.; two granddaughters, Jackie (Jeff) Rondini of Chicago and Anne Nikkel in South Carolina; four great-grandchildren, and a sister, Joyce Norman of Kennewick, Wash. Among those who preceded her in death were her husband; her parents; six sisters, Zora Thompson, Jessie Whitney, Madeline Fratzke, Dorothy Hewlett, Mary Gabert and Donna Betsnger; two brothers, Wilbur Melvin and Warren Melvin, and an infant brother and sister.

Chance and Erika (Rounds) Stoeser became the parents of their seventh child on March 14. Their new son has been named Tarrent John. He weighed eight pounds, 11 ounces, and measured 21 1/2 inches. The Stoesers live in Sioux Falls.

PONDER THIS

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
— Douglas Adams

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