On Thursday, Sept 1, the Blue Dragon Soccer team headed to the athletic complex to take on the Tigers, ready to prove to their fans on the home court that they had the moves. The team delivered, taking out Huron 4-0.
The team stayed on the home field on Tuesday, facing off with West Central. Unfortunately, the undefeated team took the Dragons to task, and finished the game 1-6 in favor of West Central.
They will get another chance to prove themselves at home on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. as they take on Dakota Valley.
On Thursday, September 1, the Lady Dragon Volleyball team headed to Baltic to take on the Bulldogs. After winning their first five out of six games this season, the Dragons experienced a bitter loss as the Bulldogs took a bite out of the Dragons' hide, losing in three sets at 21-25, 22-25, and 18-25.
Anna Jones
Garretson dropped the ball in the first two points of the game, allowing Baltic to start the point run. While the Dragons worked hard to close the lead, too many overshot kills kept the team from scoring, while the Bulldogs landed their ball just inside the line. With only two points to go before the end of the first set, Garretson made a run to snatch the win, closing the gap to 18-23 before the Bulldogs landed another famous just-inside-the-line attack. Despite getting the ball back, the rivals were unable to land that final point, allowing Garretson to gather three more points, taking the first set to 21-24. Unfortunately, a final attack by Garretson landed just out of bounds, giving Baltic the win.
Determined to change the course of the game, the Dragons started the second set on fire, gathering the first five points to Baltic's two. Garretson's lead held until a miscommunication resulted in Baltic getting back the ball, allowing the rival team to stretch the lead. This appeared to dishearten the Dragons, as they knocked the ball out of bounds and saw the lead stretch to 8-14. Refusing to go down easy, the Dragons again rallied, hitting a three-point run to close the gap to 15-17. They nearly cinched the set, looking at a 22-24 score with Garretson on the serve, but a failed serve into the net gave Baltic the set win.
The Lady Dragons came into the third set ready to win, but Baltic again settled the ball just inside the line to bring the score to 2-5. Despite solid comeback plays, Garretson just could not close that gap again, allowing Baltic to stretch the lead to 7-13. An out of bounds attack from Baltic gave Garretson the ball back with a score of 14-22, and they took advantage, shortening the spread to 17-22. With the winning point on the line at 18-24, an attempted bump sent the ball in the wrong direction, ending the set and the game.
Logan Bly (#2) led the team in kills, garnering 9 throughout the game. Aleah Wagner accomplished the sole ace, and Sydney Olson and Kaylin Koch got the blocks. Bly, Wagner, and Koch led in digs with 14, 11, and 10, respectively. Grace Hove had 19 assists.
The team will face Beresford as part of the Big East Conference on Thursday, starting at 6:00 p.m. in the Dragon's Lair.
While the governor and Republican-led Legislature push to expand access to firearms in South Dakota, a majority of voters favors restrictions such as waiting periods and age limits for some gun purchases, according to a statewide poll co-sponsored by South Dakota News Watch.
The poll of 500 registered voters showed that 60% of respondents support establishing a two-week waiting period to buy an AR-15 – a semi-automatic rifle originally designed for military use – and 54% support a minimum age of 21 for AR-15 purchases.
Results from Mason-Dixon poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters on July 19-22, 2022. Chart by Matt Jensen Marketing
Results from Mason-Dixon poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters on July 19-22, 2022. Chart by Matt Jensen Marketing
There is less agreement on gun sales in general, with 41% saying South Dakota’s laws should be stricter and 47% saying that they should stay the same. Only 11% responded that laws governing gun sales in the state should make firearms easier to acquire.
The random telephone survey was conducted July 19-22, 2022, by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy and was co-sponsored by News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota. The poll is part of the ongoing “South Dakota Matters” series of polls and panel discussions hosted by News Watch; the margin of error is plus or minus 4.5%.
Advocates of stiffer gun regulations have focused on the AR-15 because it has been used in several high-profile mass shootings, including the May 24, 2022 tragedy at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman shot and killed 19 children and two teachers before being killed by law enforcement officers, who were heavily criticized for their delayed response.
Results from Mason-Dixon poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters on July 19-22, 2022. Chart by Matt Jensen Marketing
Results from Mason-Dixon poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters on July 19-22, 2022. Chart by Matt Jensen Marketing
“We’ve had a series of mass shootings, and I think they’re still on people’s minds,” said Michael Card, an emeritus professor of political science at USD. “Especially when they involve children and other vulnerable people. That is more likely to send us as a society to think that maybe this is something we need to control a little bit more.”
Card added that the much-scrutinized law enforcement response in Uvalde – which led to the firing of the school district police chief on Aug. 25 – “cast doubt on the (National Rifle Association) maxim that the only way to fight a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun. There were lots of good guys with guns who didn’t do anything that day.”
Emily Thomas, South Dakota chapter representative for Moms Demand Action, a national gun safety organization, volunteered with the group following a 2015 shooting incident at Harrisburg High School, where a 16-year-old student shot the principal in the arm with a handgun before being tackled and restrained. Thomas’ son was a student at the school at the time.
“That was the worst day of my life, not knowing if my son was alive,” she said. “You become a little numb, but then I realized that we can’t become numb. So many people have done that, thinking that dealing with gun violence and school shootings is just how it is, but this is not the way that any of us want to live. No one is pro-gun violence.”
The News Watch poll revealed a partisan divide, with Republicans more likely to be satisfied with the status quo. Of Democrats surveyed, more than three-fourths (76%) said laws surrounding firearms sales should be stricter, compared with 14% of Republicans. Most Republicans (67%) favored keeping the laws as they are, with only 18% saying gun laws should be less restrictive.
Of the Independent voters polled, a majority (55%) said gun sales laws should be stricter, while 40% wanted them to stay as they are and just 6% wanted to make them less strict.
Card said the poll results could reflect a reaction to legislation supported by Gov. Kristi Noem in recent years to make guns easier to purchase and carry in South Dakota. But he also acknowledged that conversations about gun control are different in some U.S. urban areas than in South Dakota, where sport hunting is part of the culture.
An estimated 55% of South Dakota adults have guns in their homes, a percentage that ranks ninth highest among all states, according to the Pew Research Center.
U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, noted in June that the AR-15 – dubbed “America’s rifle” by the NRA for its modify-friendly design and minor recoil – is used by South Dakotans for shooting prairie dogs, a statement that drew ridicule in some circles while ringing true in others.
Card, who grew up in Timber Lake “with a shotgun and .22 rifle behind the seat of my pickup,” also spent five years in Ohio’s largest city, Columbus, where his neighbor was an emergency room doctor.
“She told me that if a shooting victim came in, they usually still had a gun on them,” he recalled. “It was a completely different world than rural South Dakota, where guns are typically used on varmints or for hunting. Growing up here, it was very clear that if you point your gun at something, you intend to kill it. That leads to a certain amount of respect for firearms.”
South Dakota gun laws have become more lenient under Noem, whose Hamlin County ranch roots and support for Second Amendment rights are central to her political profile. Just weeks into her term in 2019, the governor signed a law that allowed people who can legally possess a firearm to carry concealed handguns without a concealed carry permit. That action was praised by the NRA but came despite concerns from law enforcement agencies such as the South Dakota Sheriff’s Association and South Dakota State’s Attorneys Association.
During the 2022 session in Pierre, Noem signed bills to eliminate fees for concealed carry permits (for use in other states or to expedite background checks) and to clarify the state’s “stand your ground” firearms law, providing greater burden-of-proof protections for those who use deadly force and claim self-defense.
Those actions helped elevate South Dakota from 29th in 2020 to 7th in 2022 on a ranking of “best states for gun owners” published by “Guns and Ammo Magazine,” which also praised the state’s “permissive NFA (National Firearms Act) environment.”
From the other perspective, Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocating for gun restrictions and against gun violence, ranks South Dakota 46th on its list of states with safe and effective gun policies, placing the Mount Rushmore State in its “national failures” category.
State Rep. Aaron Aylward, R-Harrisburg, said that renewed calls to regulate gun sales following high-profile shooting incidents are primarily a result of political posturing.
“Just look at Chicago, where shootings are a daily occurrence – do we hear about every one that happens?” said Aylward, 36, a former Libertarian candidate who changed his party affiliation to Republican and won office in 2020. “A lot of this is just the media or whoever is trying to get a story out and use certain situations to their advantage.”
Aylward sponsored a bill last session to allow state agencies to refuse to cooperate with federal gun regulations that would create a “chilling effect” on the local gun industry. Noem’s office didn’t offer support for the measure, which failed in the House after multiple amendments.
In the News Watch poll, women (61%) and people over 65 (61%) were significantly more likely to support banning the sale of AR-15s to people under 21. Federal law places the minimum age to purchase rifles or shotguns at 18, but state or local ordinances can raise that minimum age.
Six of the nine deadliest mass shootings in the United States since 2018 were carried out by men 21 years old or younger, according to the Violence Project, which maintains a national database of mass shootings. Many of those shootings involved semi-automatic rifles.
Of the respondents polled in South Dakota, 76% percent of Democratic voters strongly support raising the age limit to 21, while 41% percent of Republicans strongly oppose such a change. Of Independents, 53% strongly support raising the age limit.
— This article was produced by South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit journalism organization located online at SDNewsWatch.org.
We got an update from Team Tayden’s Danielle Grohs for this weekend’s events. Team Tayden will take their 10th ride on Saturday Sept. 10th, 2022, starting at the Bullet Bar in Sherman. As usual, signup will be at 10:30 a.m. with launch at 11:45 a.m.
“It’s hard to believe that ten years have gone by, the ride just gets bigger and more awesome,” Grohs said. “I don’t know how to explain it, more and more people joining us every year. We’re so proud of what we’re doing, and there is no way we ever envisioned this becoming this big. We could never have done it on our own, and we’re just so proud to be a part of it. It started just as friends and family, and now has become a sea of faces and names that I do my best to remember, but inevitably fail. I just can’t hold it all in. There are a few people I want to mention though who’ve helped in a big way already this year. Jared Sutton, Ron Luke and Dennis Evans, Vince and April Brouwer, volunteers.”
When the Gazette spoke to Danielle, she said they had just finalized the motorcycle, car and bus route; and done their trail run. The ATV route was still being determined as well, but she expected it to finalized soon.
“We’re also waiting to find out who our next sponsored child is going to be,” she said. “Just waiting on the folks at Sanford Castle to make their recommendation to us.”
Grohs said Gazette readers and riders should check their website and social media feeds to see the latest up to the minute information on the state of this year’s ride.
“It all comes together by the day of the ride,” she said. “But I do want to let people know that the bus is full. That’s something we’ll plan on doing next year too, as it filled up quickly, but not quickly enough if you understand what I mean. I didn’t want to book two busses unless we knew we could fill up the first one, and since we did then we’ll know that for next year.”
The Poker Run itself is $20 per hand, $5 per extra card with cash payouts in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. There will be raffles, a live auction hosted by Jared Sutton of Sutton auctions, the Lunch Shack will be selling food and there is a free burger meal for riders/drivers. However, a free will donation would be appreciated. The ride will start with a flyover and the Garretson Fire Department will lead the convoy out of Sherman. The route will be to Crooks, Eagan, Trent, Jasper and then back to Sherman.
Husets Speedway fans will be happy as Chuck McGilliveray will be there with his sprint car. Grohs also wanted to update our previous sponsor list to include the Mike and Kati Johnson family.
Make the ride up to Sherman this Saturday, and donate your time and money to helping children fighting cancer.
New teachers and new faces are a normal part of starting a school year, but this fall the Garretson School District began with two new faces in administration with Principals Chris McGregor and Katie Hoekman.
Principal Katie Hoekman interacting with students on the first day of schoolPrincipal Chris McGregor
The reception "has been wonderful so far," said McGregor, who took on the role of Middle School/High School Principal. "The staff is great; the kids have been very good. I've met some of the parents and community members, and it's been very positive." He's looking forward to integrating more into the community, and Garretson offers many of the amenities he enjoys, such as golf, hunting, fishing, camping, and kayaking.
McGregor was serving as principal in Scotland, SD (near Yankton) when the call to be closer to family and the open position coincided. He grew up in Salem, graduating from McCook Central High School in 1995. His parents continue to live there, while his sisters live in the Lennox area.
A soft-spoken and approachable individual, McGregor started his career as a history and government teacher. His goal as a high school teacher was always "to help make good citizens of everybody, make good neighbors." He believes showing real life examples of what students will be facing in life helps them connect with the information and understand why it's important.
He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from University of South Dakota and taught for eleven years before becoming a principal. He continued as principal for twelve years prior to coming to Garretson, starting at the Parker School District and then the Scotland School District.
McGregor is glad to be moving into the Garretson School District, which has nearly twice the number of students as his prior schools. Garretson, which is similar in size to Salem, offers a bit of familiarity for him.
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The Gazette catches up with the two new principals at the Garretson school now that they've had a couple weeks under their belt, fall sports are in full steam ahead mode as they take on opponents in football, cross country, soccer, and volleyball, and the Ride for Tayden will be taking place this Saturday at 11:00 a.m., plus more!
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The Gazette catches up with the two new principals at the Garretson school now that they've had a couple weeks under their belt, fall sports are in full steam ahead mode as they take on opponents in football, cross country, soccer, and volleyball, and the Ride for Tayden will be taking place this Saturday at 11:00 a.m., plus more!
SIOUX FALLS, SD – Sept. 6, 2022 – With summer vacations in the rearview mirror, AAA is encouraging anyone planning to fly over Thanksgiving or the year-end holidays to look ahead – and book ahead – to save money and minimize the risk of flight delays and holiday disruption.
“Flyers are experiencing three pain points: increased expense, reduced inventory and the possibility of delayed or cancelled flights,” said AAA South Dakota spokesman Shawn Steward. “Booking holiday travel now should help to address all of these issues.”
Staffing and other pandemic-related issues have dramatically disrupted the airline industry, forcing several major airlines to reduce the number of routes they are servicing, and fewer routes mean fewer seats. Airfares, which have increased 20% in the past year, will likely continue to rise in the coming months.
“By booking air travel now, flyers afford themselves greater choice and greater flexibility, increasing the opportunity for a positive, stress-free travel experience,” AAA’s Steward added.
AAA offers tips to increase savings, decrease risk of delays and disruptions
AAA offers 10 tips to ensure the best flying experience and minimize risk of disruptions:
Look for flights that leave in the morning, allowing extra time throughout the day. Flights later in the day are more susceptible to an increase in cancellations, rescheduling or delays due to weather, short staffing or other unforeseen circumstances.
Try to fly a day or two ahead of when you want to start your vacation or need to be at your destination so if your flight is delayed or disrupted, you don’t lose the whole trip.
Schedule long layovers, with a two-hour minimum to allow plenty of time for unexpected delays so you can make your connecting flight.
Buy travel insurance to protect your investment and choose a policy that provides coverage for travel interruption and additional expenses.
Check in online or via the airline mobile app at least 24 hours in advance, print a backup copy of your boarding pass if possible and take a copy of your e-ticket with you.
Review your airline’s commitment to consumer protections to understand your rights as a passenger, particularly regarding delays, cancellations and rebooking requirements.
Just last week, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation launched its Airline Customer Service Dashboard website: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard, which compares information about services that U.S. airlines provide to mitigate passenger inconveniences when the cause of a cancellation or delay was due to circumstances within the airline’s control.
Plan to arrive two hours before domestic flights and up to three hours for international flights. Parking garages, TSA security checkpoints and other airport services may have long lines.
Download and familiarize yourself with the app of the airline you’ll be flying. Most airlines allow you to check in for your flight, access boarding passes, track your bags, and change/cancel a flight. Plus, some airlines promote in-flight entertainment through their app.
Download the Flight Aware app to track the routing of your plane throughout the day leading up to your departure, which helps to determine if you will incur delays, miss your connection or need to take action early.
Enroll in pre-screening programs for shorter, quicker lines, such as TSA PreCheck, Clear or Global Entry.
About AAA
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 63 million members nationwide and more than 100,000 members in South Dakota. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, access a COVID travel restriction map, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit www.AAA.com.
Visit https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/south-dakota-state-of-create to learn more
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Tourism, in partnership with the South Dakota Arts Council, has announced the launch of the free State of Create mobile-exclusive passport highlighting arts and culture across the state.
The State of Create passport comes as the second of a series of passports launched by the Department of Tourism to encourage users to experience rural, off-the-beaten path, or local attractions across the state. This passport focuses on the arts scene in South Dakota including festivals, sculptures, historic theaters, galleries and more.
Passport users can win prizes for their participation in the program.
“Following the success of our first passport program, South Dakota Great Finds, we are eager to launch this second series focused on the state’s vast arts and cultural scene,” said Jim Hagen, Secretary of the Department of Tourism. “This passport highlights so many fantastic locations across the state. We are excited to introduce visitors to arts-related places and events they may not have previously known about.”
The pass can be accessed on TravelSouthDakota.com and delivered to users’ mobile devices, with no app download necessary. The program is free and available to residents and visitors alike.
To facilitate the program, the Department of Tourism partnered with a technology company called Bandwango. Bandwango has successfully launched successful gamified check-in programs with destinations across the United States and Canada.
The South Dakota Department of Tourism is comprised of Tourism and the South Dakota Arts Council. The department is led by Secretary James D. Hagen.
PIERRE, S.D. – The eighth cohort of Build Dakota Scholarship Fund students will begin classes this month, helping to fill the gap of essential workforce needs for South Dakota.
Build Dakota aims to support students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota’s technical colleges to fill the state’s technical career fields with skilled professionals. The scholarships cover tuition and fees, books, equipment, and other related program expenses for eligible programs within nine high-need industry areas at South Dakota’s four technical colleges.
In-state and out-of-state students of all ages are eligible to apply. Scholarship applicants must be accepted into their approved program of interest. Recipients of the scholarship must enroll full-time, complete their educational program on schedule, and commit to stay in South Dakota to work in their field of study for three years following graduation.
This year over 80% of scholars are backed by an industry partner, meaning these students are guaranteed a job upon completing their degree. Industry partners provide a match with scholarship dollars. In return, students commit to working for the industry partner for three years following graduation. With workforce recruitment challenges facing businesses across the state and nation, Build Dakota offers security and stability for businesses who invest in their workforce through the industry partner program.
Each technical college manages their own industry partner program, working with local businesses and economic development organizations to find future employment opportunities for Build Dakota scholars in high-need workforce areas. This cohort is supported by over $3.1 million in funding from industry partners across the state.
Build Dakota Scholarship winners from the Garretson area include Amber Hulscher (Medical Laboratory Technology, Lake Area Tech), Braxten Roozeboom (Diesel Technician, Lake Area Tech), Samantha Kruger (Medical Labratory Technician, Lake Area Tech), Emily Morgan (LPN, Southeast Tech), and Zachary Shellum (Diesel Technology, Southeast Tech).
Applications for the 2023-24 school year open in January 2023. To learn more about the Build Dakota Scholarship visit BuildDakotaScholarships.com.
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