On Monday, the Garretson City Council took a new look at allowing chickens back in city limits, and residents made a solid case for why the animals should be allowed under city ordinance.
New resident Erica Dellman had requested a fresh look during October's council meeting, and in the month between, had gathered with others who also wanted chickens within city limits. She had done some research and due diligence, and presented those results to the council.
Among those results were code enforcement and how that is accomplished in other small communities.
In 2016, when the animal ordinance was passed, the council had been deadlocked on whether chickens should be allowed in city limits. After an impassioned plea from community member Neal Albers at the first reading, the animals had been written into the ordinance as allowed. Albers, nor any other residents who were in favor of the ordinance passing as newly amended, had been unable to make the second reading and subsequent vote. Since the amendment had been added to the ordinance, Albers had been reasonably assured that the amendment was not in trouble.
Two motions at that second meeting to pass the ordinance failed, with half the council solidly for and half the council (and Mayor Tim Mullin) solidly anti-ordinance as amended with chickens allowed.
At the time, the stated reasoning was due to attraction of wild animals and enforcement. Without a code enforcement officer or a local police department, Mayor Mullin stated he was concerned that too many people would attempt to surpass any limits that were placed.
However, at the same time, the ordinance was amended to limit the number of pets to five per household.
In order to move the measure forward, councilor Richelle Hofer had motioned to remove chickens as allowed, and that passed with a 4-1 vote. The ordinance had then passed without argument, also 4-1.
At Monday's meeting, councilor Bill Hoskins queried why the council should be reconsidering the ordinance. Hoskins, along with Dave Bonte and Greg Beaner, had been on that council in 2016 and had made the first failed motion and had seconded the next failed motion. However, he pointed out they had spent considerable time already on the animal ordinance.
Council member Jodi Gloe responded that it was a new council. That meant different decisions could be made. Carrie Moritz of the Garretson Gazette stated she had covered that meeting, and noted that the rejection of chickens in the ordinance in 2016 had seemed like an afterthought. Albers, also in attendance on Monday, stated he felt much of the council at that time had not been well-educated on the care and keeping of chickens.
Dellman, who had called to other communities and asked how they enforced their ordinances with chickens, stated most did not have any issues with the animals. She pointed out that having provisions such as required square footage per chicken, a maximum number allowed, and a required permit ensured that few violations occurred.
Albers worked with Dellman to educate the council on what is required if chickens are desired by a resident, including consistent care and cleaning of the coop and chicken run.
"There is a job and you have a responsibility to your neighbors" to clean up after them, Albers said.
Dellman stated she was more than willing to do an educational workshop for those who are looking into owning chickens.
The council appeared to be amenable to the discussion, and determined that one way to prevent issues would to have a "one strike you're out" provision in the ordinance. This means that anyone who has a single nuisance violation in the past year would not be allowed to own chickens.
When asked about the potential of loose dogs, both Albers and Dellman pointed out that responsibility should fall to the dog owner, who should have the dogs leashed or contained per city ordinance, and the chicken owner, who should have the chickens contained in a run. If one or the other was not the case, then the owner of the offending animal would be the one responsible. If it was a wild animal, that would just have to be an accepted liability of owning the chickens.
Council member Greg Franka asked Dellman what maximum number of chickens might be the best. Dellman expressed a preference for 8 as she had a larger plot of land. Later, councilor Dave Bonte suggested delineating between land size, with up to one acre a maximum of 6, and an acre or more a maximum of eight chickens.
City Finance Officer Anna Uhl stated that she, too, had done some checking with nearby communities as to maximum numbers and whether permits were required.
Nine communities out of the 14 that responded allowed the animals, with five of the nine allowing a maximum of six chickens. Cost of a permit leaned toward $5 per license (with only one required for the maximum number of chickens). Residents in attendance found the cost reasonable. Uhl noted that building a coop and fence would require a building permit, too.
As a final point, Dellman pointed out that Garretson has the potential to draw several people to the community because it is semi-rural and can provide a self-sustaining lifestyle.
"I know the last meeting talked about growth and getting new people in, and [a self-sustainable lifestyle] was just something that was appealing to us," said Dellman.
New Garretson resident Abigail Lexen, also in attendance, stated the belief they could have more sustainable food sources (including chickens) had been the reason they moved to town. Another new resident, Grace Horiuchi, pointed out how supply chain disruptions had been causing empty shelves at markets around the United States, and wondered when it would affect Garretson personally. She stated later that she also intended to have a large garden.
Mayor Beaner pointed out that as this was the first reading of the amended ordinance, no decisions could be made that evening. However, he invited all in attendance to come to December's meeting so they could answer any questions the council has during the second reading. At that time, they will vote on the amended ordinance to take chickens off the list as livestock and add a section to the current animal ordinance that pertains directly to fowl.
The meeting will be held on Monday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Legion Dugout.
Will chickens be allowed again in city limits? The council heard from local residents in favor of amending the animal ordinance, the Lady Dragons hit the ball to the State Tournament after winning at the SoDak 16 and the Region 3A semis, and the Garretson Community banded together to allow the Post #23 veterans to donate over $15,000 to Midwest Honor Flight. Plus much, much more!
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Will chickens be allowed again in city limits? The council heard from local residents in favor of amending the animal ordinance, the Lady Dragons hit the ball to the State Tournament after winning at the SoDak 16 and the Region 3A semis, and the Garretson Community banded together to allow the Post #23 veterans to donate over $15,000 to Midwest Honor Flight. Plus much, much more!
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Garretson had its second round of playoffs Thursday. With the upset win against Hamlin Oct. 21, 28-7, they were ready to take on a rematch with the Parkston Trojans on October 28.
The Blue Dragons had already won against Parkston earlier this year on September 3: Garretson 35, Trojans 20. Parkston varsity football has a record 7-2 while Garretson came into their last night’s contest with a current record of 5-4.
Junior lineman Jaden Richter stated, “We stack up pretty good. Our offensive line and defense is better than theirs is.” He anticipated an intense game.
And it was. While Garretson accumulated the yards, they fell short of punching it in three times within five yards of the endzone, including twice on the goal line. That opening was all Parkston needed as they took a small lead going into halftime but quickly added to it before the Blue Dragons scored in the fourth quarter. GHS football team is now done for the year since they lost their final game with Parkston, 7-34.
Parkston now advances into the semi-finals against Canistota-Freeman. The final record for Garretson’s 2021 season is 5-5.
The Garretson Lady Dragons advanced to the next round of the Region 3A Quarterfinals on Monday night, taking out opponent West Central in three sets.
At this point in regions, it's anyone's play, despite seed standings from the season prior.
Jaelyn Benson and Anna Jones on the block.
"We had just played West Central two weeks prior, so we were confident on what to expect," said assistant coach Kelsey Buchholz. "The girls were able to execute and advance to Thursday."
The game, which was switched to Monday instead of Tuesday due to schedule conflicts, was held in the Dragon's Lair. The first two sets the Dragons came out to play, winning the first set by 15 points and the second by 11 points. During the third set, the Dragons had some trouble executing their usual blocks and kills, giving West Central the chance to gather points. The Dragons were still victorious, pulling out the W 25-18.
"We are really playing it one game at a time," said Buchholz. "So our next focus is Thursday, and regardless of who we play, we need to take care of our side of the court, play our game."
The athletes truly dug in during this game, with scoreboard leaders Jaelyn Benson, Lily Ranschau, and Lexi Gawarecki getting 13, 10, and 9 digs, respectively. Alli Gawarecki, Kaylin Koch, and Maren Bonte had 7, 6, & 4 digs, respectively.
Benson had 30 assists and Ranschau led in kills with 13. Junior Logan Bly had 9 kills, while Anna Jones and Kaylin Koch accumulated 6 and 5, respectively.
Koch put 3 aces in the hole and A. Gawarecki had one ace.
The Dragons will be taking on Madison in Harrisburg tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m. The winner of this evening's game will advance to the SoDak 16, which will take place next Tuesday, November 9.
Author’s note: As we approach Veteran's Day I can't help but think of all the Post 23 members who are no longer with us. Wouldn't it be great if we could make a new friend for every one that passes on? I was recently introduced to Ron while playing golf and we hit it off and am pleased to add him to my dwindling list of friends. In visiting with Ron, it was obvious that he had a story that needed to be told and remembered. He has allowed me to share it with you and although not from Garretson, I think you will find it worth reading.
Ron Lewis showcasing his medals. (submitted photo)
It seems the value of family and friends become more important as we age. One sad aspect of getting older, is the loss of those close to us. However, the reverse side, which I really like about getting older are all the new people I continue to meet. It is always great to meet new special folks who become good friends. Ron Lewis from Brandon is one of those special people who I can call ‘friend’. In life we are all dealt a different deck of cards and we each handle those cards in different ways. The way Ron handled the cards given him was pretty amazing and worthy of recording. With his permission I have the privilege to relate some of his story and record those lessons in life for future generations.
For some, the Vietnam War seems like ancient history that took place before they were born. The Vietnam War was actually a prolonged struggle in an effort to prevent the spread of Communism, and it ran from 1955 to 1975. It resulted in over 3 million deaths (58,315 from the U.S. and 303,644 wounded). It is important that we remember and learn from history. There is no one better way to learn from than those who experienced firsthand what took place. Ron Lewis is another person who can tell us about some of his own “eye witnesses” to this piece of history. However, before we share some of Ron’s story let’s start from the beginning.
Ron was born Sept 26, 1945 to Wendell and Luella Lewis. He grew up on their family farm NE of Britton SD with one older brother and 3 younger sisters. He graduated from Britton HS in 1964 and went on to attend ND State School of Science majoring in mechanics. He married his HS sweetheart, Mary in 1966 and started ‘the good life’ working as a mechanic in Aberdeen. Life seemed too good to be true. One summer day in 1966 that all changed when he opened a letter from Uncle Sam saying “WE WANT YOU”.
Ron was not about to shirk his patriotic duty and found himself in Ft. Bliss TX for Basic Training. As luck of the draw would have it, his next assignment was Advanced Infantry Training at Ft. Polk Louisiana. After infantry he was given a short 3 week leadership training class. As Ron told me some of his experiences, I could tell in spite of everything that happened there, he had not lost his sense of humor. So follow along as Ron told me his story.
“In the back of my mind I knew all along that I was going to end up in Viet Nam. We don’t like it but I had an obligation to answer the call when our country needs us. Thinking back I really didn’t know what to expect in Viet Nam. It was midnight as we descended to land and everyone was nervous. To avoid becoming a flying target all our lights were turned off as we approached the landing field. After we landed I had to go to the bathroom and was told the latrine was way over there. But I spotted this outhouse not far away so thought I’d go there. I soon realized it was an ‘officer’s only latrine’ but it was a nice unoccupied 5 hole outhouse so I went in. I proceeded to do my duty and when the door opened I expected some high ranking officer would chew me out. Instead in came two Vietnamese women who sat down on each hole beside me to do their own duty. We didn’t communicate but at least I knew I wasn’t the only one who disregarded the ‘officers only’ sign.
"We were all hungry and they had a huge mess hall and were serving food 24/7. To our surprise they had fresh milk and we loaded up on milk. It turned out the milk wasn’t so fresh and everyone who drank it became sick and were vomiting all over the place. I knew I needed to get out of there or my next duty would be cleaning up all the puke.
"After that things happened pretty fast. I was assigned to the 25th Infantry and a specialized elite unit called the ‘Wolf Hounds’. Squad leaders were often the first fatalities and had to be replaced. Within a month I was promoted to SGT to replace a fallen squad leader. Every day we had a seek and destroy mission. The first 6 months we repeated a 3 day routine. 1st day seek out and destroy, 2nd day be on 100% alert outpost and 3rd day be on 50% alert outpost. We got very little sleep and always had to be alert to an ambush or snipers. No mess kitchen followed us into the jungle and we had to survive living off the land. I’m not proud of what we did but we did what we had to do to survive. Our food was not cooked to perfection and for 50 years I would not eat another chicken.
"I learned an important lesson one of my first encounters as squad leader. I was looking ahead with night goggles always looking for danger. All of a sudden I spotted 3 helmets less than 50 yds. away. We opened fire with everything we had. We never hit a one! They were smart, fast and had their own home court advantage. My lesson quickly learned--never underestimate them. I later learned there were underground tunnels everywhere and some of them as long as 25 miles.
Ron Lewis during the Viet Nam war. (submitted photo)
"In another fighting encounter I clearly saw a women carrying her small baby. They all disappeared in the tall woods. To make a long story short, we eventually had to call in an air strike. I later learned the woman was a nurse trying to help their wounded. There was no underground tunnel there for her or her baby to escape.
"One strange thing about that jungle was I never saw or heard a bird. Perhaps they were smarter than us and got the hell out of where all the shooting was going on. The firepower of airstrikes were beyond description. In the heat of battle mistakes are made. On one occasion a miscalculation of coordinates resulted in 30 of our men being killed by friendly fire before the coordinates were corrected.
"During my entire tour of duty we never took a prisoner. Our orders were to kill and complete a body count. It was kill or be killed with sometimes combat engagements we were within 5 yds. of each other. Visibility is poor and sometimes it’s hard to know who the enemy is.
"The hardest part was losing buddies. Billy and I looked after each other and always had each other’s back. On one assignment he hit a trip wire and it blew him in half. I lost 34 men in my squad and after a while you don’t want to get close or even know their names. I had a nickname for everyone. We were tired and miserable in sweltering heat and always soaking wet (no socks or shorts and even our toenails dropped off). No one wore rank or dog tags (which made for difficult body ID but silence and stealth was more critical). You had to be mentally and physically strong to survive. I learned to cry without shedding a tear.
"On another encounter a sniper took out two of our men and I got mad and lost what most would consider common sense. I just went after that sniper and by the time I got closer to him I could tell he was already wounded laying on his back with his bolt action rifle across his chest. I couldn’t see him clearly in the tall sugar cane but told him in Vietnamese to surrender. When I heard his rifle bolt action open and close--I fired first. I received the Army Commendation Medal.
"I will never forget the day of May 16. A 51 caliber machine gun was taking out our men. I couldn’t believe it but our orders were to charge and to overrun that machine gun. Soon we were laying there like sitting ducks and 3 men were already killed. If we didn’t charge and overtake it we would have all been killed. Our seven remaining men tried to overrun that machine gun. Two of us made it and I got within close enough range to take it out with a hand grenade. For that I was awarded the Bronze Star of Valor and a 3 day pass.
"After about 6 months I was finally granted some much needed R and R. I went to Hawaii and met my wife. We rented a convertible and had a grand time. At the end of R and R, the last thing I wanted to do was go back to fighting. I was sure I’d never get out alive or in one piece. As I walked to board my plane I hesitated and a Colonel walking behind me must have known what I was thinking. He said ‘soldier, keep going-don’t look back’. And so I did and returned to fighting in the jungle.
"After I was getting short (30 days left) they thought I’d had seen enough combat fighting and was assigned to base loading choppers with supplies and helping identify bodies at the morgue. The morgue was a horrific place and those assigned there had an awful job. They did their best trying to drain the last blood before putting dismembered parts in body bags. However, my duty was short lived as a major battle started and I was told they needed me back.
"Everyone has heard of the TET-OFFENSIVE which was the beginning of the end of the war. This was like going from the frying pan into the fire. The first 48 hours I was there it was never dark because of all the sheer firepower and explosions going off all around you. There was no place to hide so you tried to find the best protection possible—next to or behind dead bodies. Sometimes the stench was so bad you had to find another body. Anyone who has hunted knows the sound of a rifle report when it is a solid kill hit-I heard a lot of those ‘thugs’. (Editor Note-I can’t imagine what that must have sounded like when you know it was a dead comrade that took the bullet meant for you). I received my second Bronze Star. Again I don’t know how I survived but fortunately my time was soon up and I was told to turn in my rifle and board a 727. I said I wouldn’t turn in my rifle until I was on that plane and they didn’t argue with me. There were no seats and we all laid on the floor as they put big straps across every row of soldiers.
"We landed in San Francisco and all I wanted to do was get back home. By then I knew the best thing to do was tell them what they wanted to hear so they wouldn’t keep me there. At the airport there were protesters everywhere and I didn’t really know what was going on. Finally they let me go home for some R and R before returning to Ft. Bliss. When I got to Ft. Bliss they said, based on my experience, they wanted me to help train new officers who were going to be sent to Viet Nam. I really didn’t want to do that and as I was talking to a guy about wanting to get back home on the farm he said he could help. Before I knew it he had made the right connections and I was given an early out to help my dad farm.
"I remember going to Fargo where they gave me my discharge physical. After running some tests everyone got real excited and said my ‘triglycerides’ were off the chart and rushed me by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital. There some Dr. was giving me a bad time about wanting to get VA disability pension for my high triglycerides. I told him, ‘hell I don’t even know what a triglyceride is and all I want to do is get back home’.
"I got back home and just tried to get back to that of a normal farmer raising a family. I used to do a lot of hunting but I gave away or sold all my guns (I acquired some again later but have no intention of killing anything). I was involved with community and joined our American Legion Post and served as Commander of our Color Guard. About 2 years after returning home I was working in the shop when a big black Limo pulled into the yard. Someone in a military uniform stepped out and said General so and so wants to talk to you. So I was dumbfounded--what did I do now to get in trouble! The General told me that after reviewing my service record they wanted me to serve on the local draft board for Marshall and Day County. I had no desire to do that and told him so. He gave me his card and said give me a call if you change your mind. Later as I thought about it, I decided it might be a good opportunity. I called and was appointed and after serving two months I was the head of the draft board (eventually included Brown County). Between the times I was chairman and when the draft ended 2 years later, we never drafted another person.
"Farming was tough and 18% interest rates were squeezing many out. It appeared the best thing for our family was to let my dad continue farming while I got a job. I was offered a manager position in California but turned that down. Cenex in Wisconsin offered me a truck driving job and I soon after became a dispatcher. Before long a manager position opened in Aberdeen and they asked if I would take that. Soon IA and NE were added to our region and I was ask if I would move to Sioux Falls and take over as regional manager. I did and we kept growing, expanding and specializing which allowed us to even do work for our competitors and this worked out very well.
"In 2010 I retired and have been enjoying the good life. I enjoy working in my shop, fishing, golfing and traveling. We have been spending our winters at our home in Florida. Mary and I raised two daughters and now have 5 fantastic grandchildren. We also enjoy spending time with family and friends at our cabin on Lake Poinsett."
When I ask Ron about his thoughts on young people entering the military he said his feelings were mixed. “Unfortunately some politicians and high ranking generals put money and other things ahead of a real concern for people. In war there is little respect or value to life. When I was drafted my pay was $97.00 a month. Today’s government is subsidizing everyone and almost everything. Military pay and benefits are sometimes better than the private sector. If we have future wars I’m afraid they will be far different and not won with bullets and bombs. It could impact everyone considering our vulnerability of things like our food and water supply or our power grid. Just look what Covid has done to our country and the world.”
In conclusion, I realize it was not easy to share many of the above experiences. Even though Ron saved many lives he does not consider himself a hero but someone who did what he had to do. You won’t see a purple heart with his other metals but he should have one. When Billy was killed Ron was also wounded but he patched himself up and just kept going (never reporting it). Ron will never forget Billy or his other lost comrades. However, knowing Ron as I do, the number of men who might have lost their lives would have been far greater without his bravery and leadership. We thank you Ron for your service, sacrifices and sharing a small part of your story. We just scratched the surface and Ron should write his own book.
When I ask Ron if he believed in ‘Guardian Angels' he said, “If there was ever an example of a walking talking miracle, I am surely it.”
Ron’s final words of wisdom were, “We come into this world alone with nothing and leave the same way. Life is short so do what you enjoy and do it while you still can."
by Katy Beem, reprinted with permission from South Dakota Public Broadcasting
VanHolland celebrates after cinching the game-winning kick in the first game of the season. (Photo by Peyton Abraham)
It’s a scene that plays outside most South Dakota high schools every fall: as the late afternoon sun turns autumnal gold over the grass and turf of practice fields, coaches whistle and shout to football and soccer players running drills and practice games.
At one such Friday practice in Garretson earlier this fall, head football coach Chris Long and his players were in a bit of a pickle. With only a week before their first game, the Blue Dragons were on the turf working their Points After Touchdown, or PAT. They needed to make some decisions about their kicker. “We’d had some guys kick in practice a little bit, and they looked like they could maybe do it, but we knew we had to make some changes because one of our kickers was our holder and another was our possible snapper,” says Long. “So, we went to PAT and we failed miserably. We just couldn’t get the ball through.”
Meanwhile, on the grass field nearby, head girls soccer coach Amber Williamson and her team were practicing when the time had come for the two teams to switch fields. “Coach Long, as we’re passing between the two sports, says, ‘Hey, we’re struggling to find a consistent kicker,” says Williamson. “‘Do you have anyone on the soccer team who could kick a field goal?’ And I said, ‘Well, we’ve got quite a few who could try for you. That’s what we do!’”
Dylan Kindt and Jenna Van Holland (Gazette file photo)
Long had seen the soccer players kick before during homecoming at the powderpuff football game. “Those girls end up kicking PATs,” says Long. “I asked and I was mostly joking, but half-interested. And Coach Williamson said, ‘Well, I’ve got some girls who’ve got really strong legs.’”
Four soccer players gave it a try, kicking off the tee. “A couple of the girls did a nice job, Jenna (VanHolland) being one of them,” says Long. Next Long ran the whole play. “We upped the ante with snap, place, hold. They struggled for the first two or three kicks, but Jenna, literally after the second or third time, got her timing down, her footwork down. She made everything. She kicked and we got it done. I said, ‘I know this is quick to make a decision, but I’m interested if you’re interested.’”
Jenna, a junior, was. “Right away, she was like, ‘I want to do it,’” says Williamson. “She’s a go-getter, both on the soccer field and a football field. She just right away bounced right in.”
VanHolland conferred with her parents. Jenna has played soccer since she was four-years old and her mother had concerns. “My dad (Travis) was all for it,” says VanHolland. “And my mom (Angela) was like, ‘What if you get hurt for soccer?’ She was a little hesitant. She called both of my coaches and was like, ‘Are you sure this is the right thing to do?’ She reached out to a ton of her friends and was like, ‘Should I let my daughter do this?’ But she ended up being okay with it. She probably saw that first game, too, and was like, ‘Okay, this is....’”
Angela VanHolland actually didn’t see that first game – at least not her daughter’s kick. Feeling a little too nervous, Angela went behind the bleachers and listened for the crowd’s reaction.
Jenna was nervous too, but support poured in before her debut in a game a mere five practice days after she signed on. “I don’t know how many family members reached out to me and told me, ‘I got your back,’ and, ‘You’re going to do great,’” says Jenna. “I have so much support from all my family and friends. So thankful for all that. And every time I step out on the field, I have eight head taps. I can count them. Some of them are harder than others. Some of them I maybe close my eyes, but I’ve eight head taps on the way in and on the way out, regardless if I make it or not. I couldn’t do it without all of them. You know what I mean? I can’t kick without those points first, so couldn’t do it without them.”
Jenna VanHolland takes on an opponent on the soccer fieldin September (Gazette file photo)
Coach Long addressed the nerves and unknowns in the pregame. “Before the game, we sat as a group and I said, ‘we’re really happy to have you guys here,’” says Long. “And I talked about some of the heroes I had on this team. There’s some guys that really did a lot of good things in the off-season. They’re my heroes. And I said Jenna being here when it’s really a no-win situation for her. I mean, she’s putting herself out there in front of everybody, and if she doesn’t make it, people expect that.”
As luck would have it, the game went into overtime. “It transpired that we had the chance to kick the game-winning PAT,” says Long. “We sent her out there. A great snap, a great hold. And then she absolutely drilled that one.” Jenna’s kick won Garretson the game 43-42.
Mom Angela knew it went well when she heard the crowd roar from her spot behind the bleachers. Jenna remembers the before and the after. “My head was totally blank,” says Jenna. “I just remember trying to not to think about it because if I think about it, I knew it was not going to go well. I just remember walking out in the field, and all the boys were really supportive and then ran out after I kicked it. Everybody was jumping up in the air and was all over me in this huge huddle. And I got so many hugs from all the guys and it was the best.”
Coach Williamson says Jenna is the full package. “On the field, Jenna is a tremendous competitor. She plays usually a full 80-minute game for us. She’s fiery. She is aggressive. Any ball in the air, she’s going to do everything she can to get there. Off the field, she is quiet. Cool, calm, and collected. But she’s a great student, a great student athlete. She’s just kind to others. I mean, she’s just a great all-around kid.”
“I think at a young age soccer taught me what hard work meant,” says Jenna. “I just always enjoyed having a place that I could work hard in and soccer taught me that. I mean, that’s my place. I never even thought that was an option to play on the football team, not going to lie. It kind of felt like a joke at first and it kind of ended up working out. It was crazy. I’m not going to lie. Going to the first football game with a bunch of boys is eye opening. And ever since the first game it’s consistently gotten better.”
SDPB’s Nate Wek contributed to this story.
(Editor’s note: The Gazette has featured Jenna VanHolland several times, but it’s very nice to see her get statewide recognition for her achievements, so I felt it was proper that this story be printed in our newspaper as well and we thank South Dakota Public Broadcasting for their graciousness in sharing this story with us.)
The 69th All State Chorus and Orchestra performed in Rapid City on Oct. 30 at the brand-new Monument Event Center across the street from Rapid City Central High School.
By its very nature, All State Chorus and Orchestra takes the best of the best of the young music makers in South Dakota and puts them into one great show, but this year was particularly good. You could feel the students' energy and eagerness. The sound in crescendo was both immense and bold, and when the music called for pianissimo, it was quiet and dignified. The raw power of over 1200 of the best music students in South Dakota was on display and they delivered an excellent performance and Garretson musicians did their part well. South Dakota Public Broadcasting did a live broadcast of the even and often Garretson students could be seen front and center on live television.
Abrianna Doppenberg was our orchestral flutist. She played in All-State band last April. All-State is high caliber, but they truly performed well, achieving the quality of a professional symphony orchestra, playing difficult and challenging music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Samuel Colerige-Taylor, and Igor Stravinsky.
The All-State Chorus was unable to perform last year because of COVID-19 safety protocols. This made the choir hungry, and ready to take a bite out of this music. They had extreme energy, and their directors channeled it well. From classical Latin works to modern rock & roll, the exuberance was outstanding. Every piece brought the audience to their feet with cheers and applause, and it was well earned every time! GHS Choir singers this year were Gabriel “Gabe” Johnson (bass), Drew Pederson (tenor), Morgan Damman (alto) and Morgan Moritz (soprano).
Whatever these Garretson students choose to do in their lives as they grow, we can truly hope that music stays rich in their lives. If you missed the performance, and wanted to catch it, SDPB typically rebroadcasts over the holidays.
SIOUX FALLS – After recent reports of lower insurance costs, this week, the Minnehaha County Commission looked to shift some of those savings into employee salaries.
Overall, commissioners voted 4-0 (Jeff Barth was absent) to raise all county salaries by at least .5% for 2022.
Some employees will be receiving larger increases to make their compensation more inline with the current job market.
For example, it was unanimously approved to raise the salary of the lowest paid county employees from $9.70–10.25 up to $12–12.75 per hour.
Human Resources Director Carey Deaver did mention that only eight people fall into that pay category, but she wanted the county to keep pace with private sector entry level positions.
However, being employed with Minnehaha County does allow for upward career mobility, as well as health care and retirement benefits that may not be available in other jobs.
Commissioners also approved the addition of three new part-time positions in the treasurer’s office to help implement recent recommendations to increase services there.
Treasurer Kris Swanson told the commission how her office has already implemented some of the recommendations by making the window for disabled customers more “user friendly,” as well as opening all windows from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Previously, the customer service windows in the treasurer’s office had only been opened from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Swanson said, the three new part-time employees will be able to greatly help the workload in her office, and there was discussion about having trained people available to move into full-time positions that may become available in the future.
‘There must (may) be more money!’
To paraphrase author D.H. Lawrence, the county is looking at a windfall of $37.5 million, but those funds may become even more beneficial depending on action by the U.S. Congress.
Auditor Ben Kyte reported on action in Washington to allow more flexibility for spending money allocated to the county by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The original intent of the $1.9 trillion allocated by Congress was for Coronavirus relief, but senate Bill 3011, which was passed by a unanimous voice vote, is to allow States and local governments to use coronavirus relief funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act for infrastructure projects, improve the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund, provide Tribal governments with more time to use Coronavirus Relief Fund payments, and for other purposes.
Kyte said, South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives, but it has not yet come up for a vote.
When it does, Kyte said he would keep the commission informed on that future action by Congress.
Commissioner Jean Bender added she was glad to see Rep. Johnson sponsoring this legislation and hoped the House would have the same unanimous voice vote on the bill.
Other briefings
Commissioners also heard briefings by two local agencies providing services to the community.
The first was by representatives from the Glory House, a “half-way house” which helps those who had previously been incarcerated integrate back into the community.
Glory House interim president Nicole Dvorak talked about an increased emphasis on addiction and correctional behavioral health programs to add to more affective treatment with their clients.
While she didn’t have exact numbers, Kittams said that of current Glory House clients, about 85 to 90% were currently employed, stating the main people unemployed were those who just moved in from correctional facilities.
In another briefing, Janet Kittams of the Helpline Center told commissioners about changes in the 211 Helpline system with the addition of a statewide 988 phone number to help with mental illness and other “at-risk” problems.
While she explained the 211 Helpline will still be able to direct people to mental illness and crisis services, it is more intended to help people access certain social services, such as housing needs.
988 is more of a “crisis line,” and mental health experts will be available there to help people with those issues.
The 988 phone number will be rolled out in July of 2022.
The next meeting of the commission will be on at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, on the second floor of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
There is always time allotted for the public to speak on non-agenda items.
2017 Veterans Day program at the Garretson School. (File photo)
On Thursday, November 11 the Garretson School District will honor our nation's veterans with a program in the New Gym starting at 2:15 p.m. The program, which will have song and speech by Elementary, Middle School, and High School students, will also coincide with the school's "Lunch with a Veteran" service that is being provided next week.
Lunch will be offered for free to area veterans, who will eat with students. Veterans (and their spouses) can choose one date and time. Meal offerings include chili cheese fritos with beef or chicken sandwich on Monday, hot pepperoni sub sandwich or cheeseburger on Tuesday, chicken ranch pasta or corn dog on Wednesday, tator tot hot dish or chicken nuggets on Thursday. Times available include 10:40 a.m. with 3-5th grades, 11:20 a.m. with 6-8th grades, 12:00 p.m. with K-2nd, 12:45 p.m. with 9-12th grades. RSVP forms are available at the Legion meeting being held tonight (Thursday) or by contacting Bob Bennett today.
