WHS Students Named All Conference

Three members of the Winner Lady Warriors basketball team have been named to the Big Dakota all-conference team.

Chosen were Morgan Hammerbeck, Gabby Kocer and Madyson Frazier.

Winner won the conference with a 7-0 record.

On the boys side, Brady Fritz was named to the Big Dakota all-conference.

Brandon Volmer was named to the SESD all-conference.

WHS Track Team Preparing for Season Opener

Winner High School track team is gearing up for the first meet of the season.

Weather has not bee in their favor as snow, ice and rain have not made for ideal conditions for practice.

The first big meet in Winner will be the Bill Pistulka Invitational which will be held on Saturday, April 7.

Last year the boys team took fourth place at the state meet. Senior gone from that team are Kayleb Brozik, Drew DeMers, Luke Engel, John Kludt, Cameron Kuil, Izak Moleterno, Isaac Naasz, Jayden Schroeder, Krockett Krolikowski.

Returning lettermen this year are: Kade Watson, Riley Calhoon, Brady Fritz, Joren Bruun, Colton Schroeder and Levi McClanahan.

The numbers are low on the boys side this year. However, there are returners who have state meet experience. Riley Calhoon is one of two seniors on the team and the other senior is Levi McClanahan. Calhoon was on relays at state and helped the 4×100 and 4×200 place at state a year ago in Sioux Falls.

We look for Riley to run the relays and get him in some open events,” said coach Larry Aaker.

Fritz competed in the triple jump and long jump at state and was on the 4×100 team and an alternate on the 4×200.

McClanahan is a strong thrower in the shot put and discus and will be the leader in the weight department.

Nolan Sachtjen will return as a sprinter as he was out last season with a knee injury. Shea Connot is out for track this season and will throw the shot put and discus

Bruun ran on the relays at state and Watson qualified for the two mile last year.

Leading the Winner Lady Warriors team are several letterwinners including Elisabeth Duffy, Meagan Blare, Tedra Vrbka, Skyler Hansen, Alexis Richey, Sidda Schuyler, Ellie Brozik, Madison Thieman, Charlotte Shopene, Katherine Jankauskas, Saige Schuyler, Morgan Hmmerbeck, Jaynee Gregg, Kelsey Sachtjen and Aryn Meiners.

Lost from graduation are Chloe Bartels, Sam Schuyler and Kyran Meek.

The Lady Warriors have several returners who have experience at the state meet. Senior Duffy will be the leader in the hurdles as last she ran both the 100 and 300 at state.

Richey was in a couple of events and ran on some relays.

Brozik qualified in the 100 and ran relays. Saige Schuyler ran the 800 and 4×800 with Sidda Schuyler running the mile and two mile and placing in the two mile. Sidda was also on relays.

Morgan Hammerbeck was in field events with Hansen running hurdles and a couple of relays. Shopene and Sachtjen competed in relays.

Blare will run middle distance with Gregg throwing the shot put and discus and Meiners running distance races.

The assistant coaches are: Glenn Carlson, Jaime Keiser, Brett Gardner, Lindsey Foster, Robin Curtis and Jayd Schuyler.

The 2018 WHS track schedule includes:

April 5—Todd County Invitational

April 7—Bill Pistulka meet in Winner

April 10—Miller Quad

April 14—Corn Palace Relays in Mitchell

April 14—Rescheduled Gregory meet

April 17—Big Dakota Conference in Chamberlain

April 20—American Legion Relays in Pierre

April 26—Cecil Johnson Invitational in Presho

May 1—Meet of Legends in Burke

May 4-5—Howard Wood in Sioux Falls

May 8—SESD Conference in Wagner

May 17—Regional in Mission

May 25—State in Spearfish

May 26—State in Rapid City

Eight Lettermen Lead Colome Track Team

The Colome High School track team has two returning lettermen on the boys side and six on the girls side.

The boys lettermen are Beau Bertram and Michael Supik.

The letterwinners for the girls are Saydee Heath, Kaydee Heath, Haley Krumpus, Matrix Noteboom, Abby Kortan and Jaclyn Laprath.

Also on the boys team are Rhett Bertram and Evan Cole.

Other girls out for track are Bailey Hoffine, Alice Rehnberg and Jordyn Seegers.

The outdoor season for Colome will open April 3 at the South Central Conference meet in Gregory.

On March 20, some of the Colome athletes ran at the indoor Dan Lennon Invite in Vermillion.

Charles Hosford is the head coach. Assistant coaches are Ben Connot and Mende Supik. Grace Campbell is the manager.

The 2018 track schedule includes:

April 3—South Central Conference at Gregory

April 7—Bill Pistulka meet in Winner

April 10—Gregory Junior High meet

April 12—Menno Relays

April 14—Gregory meet

April 19—Flyer Invite in Freeman

April 19—Platte JH meet

April 23—Great Plains Conference junior high meet in Centerville

April 24—Great Plains Conference in Burke

April 28—Platte Relays

May 1—Meet of Legends in Burke

May 3—Lyman JH meet

May 4-5—Howard Wood Relays in Sioux Falls

May 8—Ft. Randall Invite, Avon

May 17—Regional in Scotland

May 25-26—State meet in Rapid City

Governor Signs Micro-Brewing Legislation; Additional Alcohol Bills

Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed Senate Bill 173, which removes barriers for microbreweries by increasing the production limit to 30,000 barrels of beer per year and allowing microbreweries to self-distribute their product.

“This is an economic development win that will help our homegrown craft breweries grow and thrive,” said Gov. Daugaard. “Previously, South Dakota law capped microbreweries at 5,000 barrels of beer per year and prohibited an in-state microbrewery from selling its product directly to a retailer. The changes will allow us to better compete with our surrounding states which allow self-distribution and have higher distribution caps.”

Gov. Daugaard also signed five additional alcohol-related bills below today:

· HB 1313 – an Act to revise certain provisions regarding the licensing of certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers.
· HB 1146 – an Act to revise certain provisions regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages by passengers aboard vehicles operated by licensed carriers.
· SB 178 – an Act to provide certain exceptions from alcoholic beverage provisions regarding events conducted by certain civic, charitable, educational, fraternal, or veterans organizations.
· SB 187 – an Act to establish certain provisions regarding the licensing of wine manufacturers.
· HB 1067 – an Act to revise certain provisions regarding the licensing of wineries.

Gov. Daugaard added, “South Dakota’s alcohol laws were written over 80 years ago, after prohibition ended, and they have been amended many times. I thank legislators for passing these bills which streamline and modernize our statutes, so that they make sense for a 21st Century economy.”

Attorney General Jackley’s Legislation to Combat Meth and Opioids Signed into Law

Attorney General Marty Jackley extends his appreciation to the South Dakota Legislature and Governor Dennis Daugaard for signing SB 63 and SB 65 into law that will strengthen enforcement for distribution and manufacture of methamphetamine and distribution of opioids in South Dakota.

“America is living a meth and opioid epidemic and it is directly affecting South Dakota families and communities. This legislation will give our men and women in law enforcement the tools they need to protect our communities and send the right message to drug dealers that South Dakota is off-limits,” said Jackley.

Senate Bill 63

• Increases the penalty for the distribution and manufacturing of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine that includes to minors.

• Provides for a mandatory state penitentiary sentence for the distribution and manufacture of methamphetamine or distribution of opioids. Current law provides for mandatory sentences that are not consistently applied.

• A court would have discretion to go below the mandatory sentence if the court makes written findings that a defendant meets the following criteria that are designed to protect communities and to assist law enforcement in stopping drug distribution:

(1) the defendant does not have a prior violent felony

(2) the defendant did not use violence or credible threats of violence or possess a firearm or other dangerous weapon

(3) the defendant did not induce another participant to use violence or credible threats of violence or possess a firearm or other dangerous weapon in connection with the offense;

(4) the defendant was not an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of others in the offense; and

(5) the defendant has truthfully provided to the State all information and evidence the defendant has concerning illegal drugs;

(6) the offense did not result in death or serious bodily injury to any person.

Senate Bill 65

• Enhance penalties for persons who distribute and manufacture controlled substances when a person dies as direct result of using that substance  any person who for consideration intentionally and unlawfully distributes or manufactures a controlled substance and another person dies as a direct result of using that substance would have their sentence of the principal felony enhanced by two levels.

Bids Opened for County Highway Shop Building

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Bids were opened for a proposed highway shop at the March 13 meeting of the Tripp County Commissioners.

Four bids were received and representatives from the companies attended the bid opening.

The base bids include: Summit Construction, Platte, $1,856,000; Puetz Inc., Mitchell, $1,799,000; Sharpe Inc., Ft. Pierre, $1,858,000 and First Dakota Enterprises, Ft. Pierre, $2,070,000.

Each company bid several add ons such as shop cooling, infloor tubing and compressors.

The commissioners tabled all the bids.

Also attending the meeting was Loren Schaeffer of Brosz Engineer.

Janiece Weber, the new director of equalization, told the commissioners she will be sending out improvement forms so persons can list additions to farms or new additions to buildings in town.

Weber received permission to attend a conference in Rapid City May 22-25.

Laura Kahler, 4-H advisor, told the board persons have been selected for the summer assistant.

Brooke Schroeder was hired at 480 hours for the summer and Sydney Peters for 80 hours. Commissioner Chip Schroeder abstained from voting as Brooke Schroeder is his daughter.

Permission was given to purchase a new gator for the Tripp County ambulance service. Paul Schueth of the ambulance service said TransCanada has given a $5,000 grant toward the purchase of a new gator.

Kathie Cole, co-ambulance director, said the new ambulance has arrived and it was on display outside the courthouse.

The next meeting of the commissioners will be March 27 at 10 a.m.

City Council Hears Reports

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Winner City Council met Monday night and heard reports from city administrators.

Police chief Paul Schueth reported there were 89 inmates in jail on Monday.

Brent Gill, public works director, reported on cleanup efforts after the last ice and snow storm. He said there were a lot of tree branches down from ice on tree limbs.

Karla Brozik, executive director of the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce, presented her quarterly report.

She said the Taste of Winner was held on March 20 with 11 entries.

Plans are in the works to continue the Winner Summer Nights which was a success last year. She said dates selected will include June 14, July 12, Aug. 9 and Aug. 30. She asked permission to have one block of Main Street blocked off those evenings for this event.

Brozik added the barbeque pit row will be held on Aug. 4 and also requested a part of Main Street be blocked off.

A public hearing was held on the application to transfer the on sale liquor license from Wings and More to St. Mary’s Hall for a wedding reception on April 28. The council approved the application.

The city will advertise for hay land bid for the landfill for this summer only.

The city will advertise for 2018 asphalt bids.

Kaylea Littau was advanced two steps for completion of state of South Dakota training requirements for a communications officer/911 dispatcher. Her salary was set at $17.58 per hour.

Employment was offered to Hanna Peterson as a summer intern for a control desk operator in the jail and her salary was set at $14.75 per hour with no benefits.

The council accepted the resignation of full time dispatcher Cami Woodward and moved her to part-time effective April 2.

The city will advertise for a full time dispatch worker.

The council approved the cancellation of Patrick Falencik’s hangar lease agreement and approved the transfer of the lease to Howard Aviation.

Put on first reading was Ord. 899 which deals with vacant structures.

Second reading was given to Ord. 898 which is a supplement to the appropriations ordinance. This is for funds that were donated to the cemetery to purchase software for tracking purposes.

The council voted to purchase twin 48 inch culverts for drainage ditches along Pine and Plum Street in the amount of $16,000. The city received a grant of $10,000 for this project.

Approval was given for purchase of 36-inch culvert to extend the drainage from the bass pond. The cost is $13,300. The city will obtain an easement from the landowner.

A discussion was held on a water line for the airport. Gill explained this will be an extension to a 6-inch line and will include a lift pump.

The Britton addition for housing was discussed.

Approval was given to rent an excavator for four weeks to clean out some ditches.

Final closeout approval was given for the airport apron expansion phase I at the Winner airport.

FFA Members Place in CDE Competition

Forty Winner FFA members participated in the District 4 Career Development Event in Platte on March 13.

The biotechnology team took first with Andrew Taylor, 1st; Sam Marts, 2nd; Casey Stickland, 3rd; Ryan Sell, 5th.

Also placing were: floriculture—Madyson Morehart, 1st; livestock fourth place as a team, Luke Hennebold, 4th; meats—Colton Schroeder, 6th; ag mechanics—Alex Schaeffer, 11th ; farm business management—Brandon Volmer, 6th; vet science team first place, Savannah Vogel, 1st; Kayla Bachmann, 2nd; Katy Lantz, 3rd; Daesha Klein, 4th; Heather Rowe, 5th; Abigail Pajl, 6th; natural resources—Aaron Gilchrist, 9th.

Local Anglers Place at Regional

Twenty South Dakota anglers competed in the 2018 Academy Sports & Outdoors BASS Nation Central Regional Tournament held March 7, 8 and 9 on Toledo Bend Reservior in Many, Louisiana.

Local anglers competing were Shane Stiehl, Eric Storms and Bryce Hauf all from the local Borderline Bassmasters club. The other anglers representing South Dakota were from other BASS clubs in the state.

The Central Region consists of 19 states who each had a twenty member team and all anglers competed on March 7th and 8th. The two days of competition was a field of 380 anglers that were paired together as boater and non boater, but competed against other boaters and non boaters. The top 62 boaters and non-boaters moved on to fish on Friday March 9. Each man who survived the cut had two goals – to represent his state proudly and to lock up a spot in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship which will be held on an undisclosed date and fishery later this year.

Shane Stiehl placed 20th overall on the boater side and Bryce Hauf placed 48th on the non boater side and they will be representing South Dakota at the Championship later this year.