Monthly Archives: October 2018

The developer of the Keystone XL oil pipeline plans to start construction next year, after a U.S. State Department review ordered by a federal judge concluded that major environmental damage from a leak is unlikely and could quickly be mitigated, a company spokesman said.

TransCanada spokesman Matthew John said the company remains committed to moving ahead with the project following years of reviews from federal and state regulators.

A portion of the pipeline will pass through Tripp County.

The company has already started preparing pipe yards, transporting pipe and mowing parts of the project’s right of way in Montana and South Dakota. TransCanada said in court documents it does not plan to start construction in Nebraska in the first half of 2019.

The report issued on Sept. 21 from the Trump administration’s State Department drew criticism from environmental groups who say they’ll continue to fight the project they view as an environmental threat.

The updated, 338 page report was released a little more than a month after a federal judge in Montana ordered the U.S. State Department to conduct a more thorough review of the pipeline’s proposed pathway after Nebraska state regulators changed the route.

The original environmental impact study was issued in 2014, before Nebraska regulators approved a longer “mainline alternative” route that veered away from the company’s preferred pathway.

President Trump approved a federal permit for the project in March 2017, reversing former President Barack Obama’s decision to reject it amid concerns over greenhouse admissions.

The report said the $8 billion, 1,184 mile pipeline would have a “negligible to moderate” environmental impact under its normal operations and continuous monitoring and automatic shut off valves would help company officials quickly identify a leak or rupture.

Additionally, the report said TransCanada has a response plan in place that should mitigate the effects if it’s implemented quickly.

Critics of the project have raised concerns about spills that could contaminate groundwater and the property rights of affected landowners.

In court documents from the Montana lawsuit, TransCanada’s attorneys said they believe all the pending lawsuits will be resolved before construction begins.

The pipeline would carry up to 830,000 barrels of crude oil a day from Canada through Montana, South Dakota to Steele City, Neb., where it would connect with the original Keystone pipeline that runs down to Texas Gulf Coast refineries. The State Department has noted that TransCanada has a lower overall spill rate than average in the pipeline industry.

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

In his years of coaching football, Dan Aaker of Winner has never had to worry about a shooter at game.

But that all changed Friday night when the Warriors played the Cubs in Chamberlain.

A suicidal man fired a shot at the practice football field right before the start of the football game.

Chamberlain police chief Joe Hutmacher said the incident began around 4 p.m. when authorities were notified of a man writing a suicidal post on Facebook. The man led police on a chase which ended at the practice football field.

“You could hear the sirens coming and I am in focus mode for the game. I do not think the sirens are coming to the field,” said Aaker in an interview Sunday afternoon.

The head coach explained he looked off to the side and saw a car coming onto the practice football field. “Our assistant coaches did a tremendous job of getting our players off the field and back behind the grand stand. At that point we did not know if the car was going to continue onto the playing field.”

An announcement was made that all fans had to clear the grandstand. Chamberlain had officials helping to get people to safe place behind the grandstand. There were a lot of people at the game as it was Chamberlain’s homecoming and a lot of Winner fans were in attendance to follow the Warriors.

Aaker noted here was a law enforcement vehicle right behind he car and he was not going to let that car come onto the football field.

“I saw everything. I saw the person in the car fire a shot. He fired the shot while in the vehicle. Then, three to four more law enforcement vehicles arrive.”

An all clear was given over the public address system but they had to take it back as the police had not given the all clear yet.

When the man was taken away the players were allowed back on the field and the game started at around 7:30 p.m., about a half an hour late.

“I was glad the individual involved was not seriously hurt and no else was hurt,” said Aaker. “I hope he gets some help that he needs and gets some peace in his life. It could have been a lot worse,” said the coach.

Aaker believes the individual was not out to hurt people. But he noted it sure makes you think if there was a true active shooter.

Aaker said this week the Winner administration will take a look at how well the Winner School District is prepared.

“We have emergency action plans at all our facilities but how detailed are they for a shooter,” he said.

Aaker said he did not notice any difference in the team as they went on to play a wild game that ended with the Warriors on top 42-40.

Katie Welker of Colome took first place in doubles at the at the Epiphany Gun Club youth trap shoot on Sept. 23.

There were 39 young shooters participating.

Welker was third in handicap, 40/50. She competed in the 13-14 age division.

Sam Naasz and Tyrel Haley, both of Winner, are candidates for homecoming king at Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell.

Haley is majoring in biology and psychology and is a member of the DWU football team. Haley is a graduate of Winner High School and is the son of Jim and Tracie Haley.

Naasz is majoring in athletic training. He is a member of the DWU football team and athletic training club and serves as the athletic training club president and the South Dakota student representative to MAATA. Naasz is a graduate of Winner High School and the son of Brian and Sharon Naasz.

Blue and White Days is Oct. 8-14. Coronation is at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8.

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Winner Community Playhouse has brewed up a delightful comedy just in time in Halloween.

“Two Witches, No Waiting” is a fun-fill play which combines some veteran actors on the Winner stage and some newcomers.

The play opened this weekend. It will be presented Oct. 4, 5 and 6 with curtain time at 7:30 p.m. For reservations persons can call 842-1958.

In this play Arlene Marcus, played by Tami Comp and Elzbeth, played by Barb DeSersa, are known far and wide in South Texas as friendly, charitable and a little eccentric. This is understandable because they are also known as witches. At least that’s the story, especially the one spread by their housekeeper Opal Dunn (played by Emily Moser), just before she vanishes without a trace.

Sheriff Jed Abercrombie (played by Tim Meldrum) seems a little shy about investigating for some reason which bothers Elzbeth who has a crush on the lawman.

Arlene’s son Jeremy (played by Andrew Taylor) tries to keep a lid on things by trying to get the sisters to see their house. And who wants desperately to buy the property? Eunice Sternwood (played by Mary Marso), his fiancés mother. Of course, Sternwood did not reckon on dealing with people who read bumps on her head, a “recipe book” full of spells and potions and getting lost in Elzbeth’s mystery room.

Jeremy already has his hands full so what happens when he seems to be falling in love with the Bonnie (played by Brandy Biggins), the new housekeeper.

Hanna Rowe plays the Catherine Sternwood, the fiancé of Jeremy. She is a feisty spoiled socialite.

The cast all do a wonderful job.

This play is a heady brew of twists and turns where barn owls spy on people through windows, closets fly open and the house itself seems to be alive as declared by Arlene.

The play is directed by Sandra York who does a wonderful job of getting the most out of her characters.

Dan Patmore is the technical director and designed a set that fits the play.

So if want to spend an enjoyable evening at the play, come to the Winner Community Playhouse Oct. 4, 5 and 6.

The Tripp County shotgun and muzzleloader shooters concluded the 2018 shooting season in Mitchell on Sunday Sept. 9 at the Mitchell gun club at the State 4-H match. It has been a terrific and fun year for the shooters.

In the beginner division of shotgun, Oren Sargent won the skeet competition with a score of 23/50 clays. In the junior division Katie Welker won the skeet competition with a score of 39/50 clays broken. Jude Sargent was 3rd place skeet shooter with 30/50.

In the junior sporting clays Jude Sargent was 3rd hitting 21/25 targets and Katie Welker was 5th hitting 20/25. In the trap competition Katie Welker was 5th place junior breaking 88/100 clays. The junior team consisting of Katie Welker, Jude Sargent, George Clark and Hunter Shippy won 1st place skeet team, 1st place sporting clays team and 2nd place trap team.

In the senior division the team consisting of Tane Pravecek, Wade McClanahan, Jesse Larson and Austin Olson took 1st place in the skeet competition and 2nd place in sporting clays. Also in the senior division the team of Luke Hennebold, Jack Ducheneaux, Caleb Vandenbark, and Parker Baker won 4th place in skeet, 1st place in sporting clays and 4th place in trap. Caleb Vandenbark was one of four shooters in the state chosen for the 2019 shotgun team to go to the national shoot in June of 2019. In the qualifying matches that took place over the summer Jude Sargent was 1st place in match one with a perfect 25 and Katie Welker was 3rd place with a 22/25. In match two Luke Hennebold was 1st place with a perfect 25 and a streak of 51 targets hit.

Tripp County had 3 muzzleloader shooter attend the state match. Parker Baker, George Clark and Hunter Shippy. George Clark was the 3rd place junior shooter and Parker Baker was the 5th place senior shooter. Parker Baker was named to the team to go to the national shoot in June of 2019. The coaches for the shotgun shooters are Tim Pravecek, Mike Pravecek, Rod Clark and Robert Daughters. The coaches for the muzzleloader shooters are Carmen Baker, and Ray Neyens.

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Tim Bjorkman, Democratic candidate for South Dakota’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, was in Winner last Wednesday visiting with voters.

He had been in Platte before coming to Winner and then was headed to Martin and on to Rapid City to speak with the stockgrowers.

Bjorkman took time for an interview with the Winner Advocate.

He says the right way to win is not taking money from special interest political action committees. If elected, he says he believes in term limits for members of Congress.

“Bjorkman is a former circuit court judge in the First Judicial Circuit where he served for 10 ½ years.

“If a judge would take money from one side of the case and decided the outcome, we would be rightfully appalled,” said Bjorkman. “We have members of Congress who take hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars from special interests. It’s something we should not tolerate as people.”

The candidate says there is a need for a strong independent voice for South Dakota. The candidate says he is a person who brings a more non partisan approach to Congress. Every day as a judge I was required to do the right thing without regard to the parties involved,” he said.

The candidate has conducted town hall meetings across South Dakota and has been in debates with the Republican candidate Dusty Johnson. Other debates with Johnson are planned prior to the Nov. 6 election.

Bjorkman says one of the big issue is health care reform.

He says the affordable care act is flawed and the current Congress promised better and cheaper health care. “It was a dismal failure,” he said.

Bjorkman says if elected he is committed to working across the aisle to help come up with common sense solutions.

“We need to light a fire under our congressmen and give them a sense that they are there to do the people’s work. We need to have people with a heart of service who go, serve their time and then return home.”

Bjorkman noted that tariffs are another big issue. He noted that the framers of the constitution gave Congress the sole authority to impose tariffs.

The candidate noted the tariff on soybeans has driven the price of soybeans down which will be a huge loss for South Dakota.

Bjorkman says he is big supporter of country of origin labeling. “I want to eat American steak and I want to know where our meat comes from,” he said.

The candidate says he has taken a position of several issues. “We will continue to press our case,” he said.