Monthly Archives: April 2015

By Hot Springs Star staff  

HOT SPRINGS – At the command, “Sergeant Jerke, Front and Center!” Army Korean War veteran Clarence Jerke, formerly of Winner,  jumped to his feet and walked to the front of the auditorium during the Resident’s Council meeting at the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs.  Unbeknownst to Jerke, he was about to receive a long-overdue medal for his service.

As State Home Director of Operations Randy Meyers read from a letter signed by Kim Dae-jung, the President of the Republic of Korea and dated June 25, 2000, State Home Superintendent Brad Richardson pinned the Korean Service Medal to Jerke’s shirt front.

The Korean Service Medal was awarded by the Republic of Korea in 2000, 50 years after the start of the conflict, as a way to thank the American Servicemen and women for their efforts in safeguarding the country.

By Dana Hess for S.D. Newspaper Association

PIERRE, S.D. – Policies dealing with student-athlete safety will be studied during the next year for possible implementation, the South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors was told by staff April 21.

The study will be led by SDHSAA Assistant Executive Director John Krogstrand who attended a meeting about athlete safety.

“I came back scared,” Krogstrand said of the meeting the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National American Society for Sports Management that dealt with high school athletic injuries.

Key areas covered at the meeting included emergency action plans, sudden cardiac arrest, contact and concussions and heat exposure.

“These are real things that happen,” Krogstrand said of the incidence of heart attacks in young athletes.

He said many schools have automated external defibrillators but the speakers at the meeting pointed out that the machines may not be charged or properly maintained.

Krogstrand said he learned that heat exposure isn’t necessarily just an occurrence in Southern states.

“It can take place anytime, anywhere,” Krogstrand said.

The states that had rules in place to guard against these injuries had one grim similarity.

“It seemed like every state, before they’d address these issues, kids would die,” Krogstrand said.

During the next year, SDHSAA staff and sports medicine experts will work on policy recommendations to bring to the board.

“We really need to do a better job of this within the next 12 months,” Krogstrand said.

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Transportation says it is against the law to plant crops within the right of way of a public road and it also can be a safety hazard for motorists.

According to director of operations Greg Fuller,  the purpose of the highway right of way is to create an obstruction free area for the safety of the traveling public. Farmers who unlawfully plant crops in the right of way can create a visual obstruction and possibly limit sight distances for motorists, especially near intersections.

Tall crops also can cover important signage and create cover for deer and other wildlife. That gives motorists less of a chance to see wildlife in time to avoid a serious accident. Highway right of way also is used by utility companies to install gas lines, power lines, telephone lines and fiber optic cable. Plowing and tilling can damage these lines and create a potentially dangerous situation for farmers, utility workers and area residents. It also can cause possible service interruptions.

Along with safety concerns, farming activity in the right of way can create erosion and landscape changes that can affect proper drainage, clog culverts and jeopardize the stability of the shoulders and the roadbed itself. Right of way widths can vary depending on location. Landowners should verify where the right of way line is prior to farming. If there are any questions on where the right of way line is, they should contact their local region or area DOT office.

Contact information can be found on the SDDOT website: HYPERLINK “http://www.sddot.com/contact/”http://www.sddot.com/contact/.

USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Bruce Jones announced  that $463.8 million was invested in rural South Dakota communities from October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014.  As outlined in HYPERLINK “http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/SD2014ProgressReportUpdated.pdf”South Dakota’s 2014 Progress Report, the program funds assist housing, business and community development, water and waste water, energy, distance learning and telemedicine, electric companies and telecommunications. Water and waste water funds are limited to communities of less than 10,000 population. Community facility funding is available to towns of 20,000 population or less. Businesses and industries in communities with up to 50,000 residents can obtain funding through the business programs.

“USDA Rural Development is pleased to assist rural communities with their infrastructure needs and support efforts to improve the quality of life for rural residents living in South Dakota’s rural communities,” said Jones.  “We look forward to continuing to meet the needs of rural residents in Fiscal Year 2015.”

Rural Development’s investment include $7 million in South Dakota rural businesses, supporting 37 projects; $196.8 million in loans and grants to build, repair, rehabilitate, and purchase homes – the agency obligated 71 direct loans and 1,465 guaranteed loans; $6.9 million in community facilities loans and grants – the 26 projects included funding for schools, fire and safety equipment to benefit 6,378 rural South Dakota residents; and $238 million through 32 infrastructure projects to provide reliable and clean drinking water, waste treatment systems, electric power, and telecommunications services in about 40 rural communities in South Dakota.

For example the Deuel Area Development, Inc. (DADI) received a USDA Rural Development Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG), now known as HYPERLINK “http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-business-development-grants/sd”Rural Business Development Grants,  and leveraged it with other funding to provide technical assistance to small businesses in eastern South Dakota; the Mni Waste’ Water Company will soon have a new water treatment plant connected to an abundant water supply – the Missouri River – thanks to USDA Rural Development HYPERLINK “http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-loan-grant-program/