Rocket Workshop

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A rocket workshop was held for Tripp County 4-Hers. The workshop was on putting together a rocket out of a kit and it was taught by John Janecke. Youths will have a chance to launch the rockets during Mid Dakota Fair. Ryken Kaup and Jackson Grossenburg hold their rocket models.

Kristina Schaefer, David Bangasser, David Nelson and Steve Bumann Elected as SDBA 2021-2022 Officers

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David Nelson, President/ CEO, First Fidelity Bank in Burke, elected Vice Chair for its 2021-2022 Board of Directors

PIERRE, S.D.– The South Dakota Bankers Association (SDBA), the professional and trade association for South Dakota’s financial services industry, elected officers for its 2021-2022 Board of Directors. The SDBA is honored to have the following individuals serve as officers:

•  Chair: Kristina Schaefer, General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer, First Bank & Trust, Sioux Falls

•  Chair-Elect: David Bangasser, Southern Region President, Dacotah Bank, Sioux Falls

•  Vice Chair: David Nelson, President/CEO, First Fidelity Bank, Burke

•  Immediate Past Chair: Steve Bumann, CFO, BankWest, Inc., Pierre

The official election took place at the SDBA’s Annual Business Meeting held on June 15 in Rapid City. The term for the new officers is effective now through next year’s Annual Business Meeting.

Vice Chair David Nelson:

David Nelson is president and CEO of First Fidelity Bank in Burke. Before joining the bank in 1995, he worked as an investment representative for American Express. Nelson has a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a master of business administration from the University of South Dakota and attended the Graduate School of Banking in Wisconsin. He has Series 7, 63 and 65 national securities licenses.

Nelson is a member of the Burke Business Promotion Corporation and the Platte Area Foundation Board. He is past president of the Platte Development Corporation and previously served on the Platte Chamber of Commerce Board, St. Peter’s Catholic Church Council and the Platte Black Panther Booster Club Board. Nelson is a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Nelson and his wife, Bernadette, have been married for 42 years. They have three grown daughters and seven grandchildren.

Farmers union day camp

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Participants in a Farmers Union camp included Keegan Feyereisen, Kord Littau, Isabella Bigelow, Kenzie Olson, Emily Connot, Tenlie Rohde, Chord Blotsky, Olivia Bigelow, Braxton Mashek, Kayleigh Olson, Tuvan Klein, Justis Connot, Justin DeNoyer, Chase Blotsky, Brooklynn Olson, Dashia Clark, Madison Thieman and Meadow Thieman.

Tripp County Farmers Union hosted “Cooperation: Celebrate the Connections” day camp in Colome on June 21.

Youth spent the morning focused on learning more about the history of Farmers Union and cooperatives through fun and engaging activities building strong communication and team building skills. Soil health and composition was the lesson for the year before making a fun tic tac toe game to take home. 

Skatetown hosted the event and there was  skating which is always a fun time and great way to spend time with friends.

Campers received a T-shirt and a ticket to send in for the SD State Fair.  

Chaz Blotsky helped with the camp,  Retta Mansheim and Audrey Keierleber  coordinated the camp, and CHS and Farmers Union Insurance supplied T-shirts

Highway 44 Platte-Winner Bridge Project Update

Engineering design is underway for the proposed Highway 44 Platte-Winner Bridge over the Missouri River.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) design team is in the process of developing designs for the new bridge and associated new roadway alignment on either side of the river. Starting in May 2021, this design process has included the collection of geologic information about the new alignment.  In order to collect information in the river, SDDOT contracted with a barge company to provide access for our drilling equipment on the water. That work on the river was completed in June.  Our design team has moved out of the water to collect geologic information for the portions of the project on land. Recognizing that much of the sampling work is set to take place in the Snake Creek Recreation Area, we are trying to limit our work to weekdays and avoiding the July 4th holiday, when recreational activity is at a peak. Current plans are for the sampling to be complete in mid-July.

Overall progress on the project remains on track for completion of environmental studies later this year.  When the project’s Environmental Assessment is completed, SDDOT will conduct public meetings to share findings of the study and present related mitigation items such as improvements at the Snake Creek Recreation Area.  Construction of the new bridge is still planned to begin in late 2024.

Project documents, including the Corridor Study, are available for viewing on the project web site www.sd44bridge.com.

Judyne “Judy” Kathryn Dougherty, 78

Judyne “Judy” Kathryn Dougherty went home to Jesus on June 6, 2021 at the age of 78.

Judy was born to Ed and Ida (Sorenson) Ishmael on July 20, 1942 in Wagner, South Dakota.

Judy was married three times and often said that her first two husbands gave her her children and her last gave her unconditional love.

On Sept. 20, 1983, she was united in marriage to that last love, Wayne Dougherty.  They began their life together in Vermillion, South Dakota. Wayne’s career took them to Custer, South Dakota and eventually Springfield, South Dakota where they lived for 22 years. It was there that Judy found her calling in healthcare. She worked for  Avera home health and the Springfield assisted living center where her desire to help others was truly fulfilled until she retired at the age of 65.  In 2012, Judy and Wayne moved to Renner, South Dakota to be closer to her daughter and grandson.

Judy was a recovering alcoholic and was very active in the alcoholics anonymous program. She had 42 years of sobriety upon her death.

Judy enjoyed being outdoors, especially camping. If the sun was out, you would find her outside with a book in her hands. Judy always called things as she saw them but did it in such a kind and loving manner.  It was because of this that she had many friends. Anyone who came in to contact with her, will remember how she gave the best hugs,  the kind that could put a person spirit back together.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband Wayne; sons  Terry Anderson (Linda), Sioux City IA, Tim Anderson (Carolyn), Tomball TX, Toby Anderson (Kara), Sugarland TX, Kirk Dougherty, Sioux Falls SD; daughter, Bonnie Dougherty, Renner SD, Karen Hall, Sioux Falls SD; 17 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; sisters Sylvia Jean Uecker, Wagner SD, Janice Fisk (Warren), Rapid City SD. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, first husband Rodney Anderson, second husband Nordean Thorson, stepdaughter Darcy Jean Dougherty and stepdaughter Kendra Woods.

A celebration of life was held on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at Miller Funeral Home Southside Chapel in Sioux Falls.

Howard Hogrefe, 95

Private family services for Howard Hogrefe, 95, Gregory, were held June 28.

Howard Henry Hogrefe was born Dec. 27, 1925 in Burke, South Dakota to Henry and Agnes (Tasler) Hogrefe.

Howard attended school in Burke and later the family moved to Gregory where he graduated from high school in 1943.  He participated in all sports, but especially in football.  In the fall of 1943, he enrolled at the University of South Dakota with his eye to play football and major in pre-law.  However, the US was heavily involved in WW II at that time and there would be no football.

Howard left school and enlisted in the Navy.  Once he completed his military training he was shipped to the Philippines and worked for a floating dry dock as a medical corpsman.  When the war ended he received an honorable discharge and returned to Gregory.  He began working for his father at Hogrefe’s Clothing.

On April 11, 1948, he married the love of his life, Frances Anna Pochop.  To this union three sons were born: Louis (1949), Kent (1950) and James (1952).  The family was complete in 1954 when a nephew, Terry Cerney, came to live with them.  He was raised by Howard and Fran as a son and brother.

In September of 1952, the family moved to a ranch northeast of Lucas along the Missouri River.  The summer of 1961, Don Naper of Gregory approached Howard about purchasing his men’s clothing store.  Howard and his family moved back to Gregory in the fall of 1962.  Naper Clothing became Hogrefe’s Clothing.  Howard developed and expanded a very successful men’s clothing store on Gregory’s busy main street.  September of 1971, he added a second store in Winner, South Dakota.  As times were changing and his sons growing up with no interest in the clothing business, Howard sold the Gregory store to Skip Sievers in January of 1973 and the Winner store to Jim Stukel in January of 1974.

Howard returned to the ranching business with two of his sons, Kent and Jim.  He continued this endeavor for the remainder of his working life.  He semi retires and enjoyed traveling from coast to coast with his wife.  In 1981, Howard made a trip to Germany to visit his relatives.

Howard and Fran continued living in their home for 50 years.  As his health began to decline, he entered the Butte Nursing Home in June of 2018.

Over the years, Howard reflected on his time in the Navy during WW II and how the country came together for a common goal.  He enjoyed GHS football and also followed SDSU football on WNAX radio for many years.  He was an avid reader and spent many hours at the library.  His favorite books the Louie La Mour Westerns.

Howard passed away peacefully to his eternal home on June 22, 2021, at the Butte Nursing Home in Butte, Nebraska.  He was 95.

 Howard was preceded in death by his parents: Henry (1966) and Agnes (1986).  His only sibling, Richard Amand Hogrefe (2019).  Also a very special cousin, Werner Wischmann (1975) and aunt Ann Tasler (1971), his brother-in-law George Pochop and nephew Rod Pochop.  .

 Howard is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 73 years, Frances Anna; his sons: Louis (Vicki) Hogrefe of Spearfish, SD; Terry (Julie) Cerney of Wesley Chappel, FL; Kent (Linda) Hogrefe of Gregory, SD; and Jim (Janice) Hogrefe of Dallas, SD; as well as 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Mary Ann Muxfeldt. Dorothy Uecker, Mary Hogrefe, Fran Pochop and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jim and Marilyn Pochop.

Howard always had a saying, “Do as I say and not as I do

Cowboys earn spot at national

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These students earned a spot at the national high school rodeo finals in Lincoln, Neb., July 18-24. Pictured from left are Jesse Larson, 4th in high school trap shooting; Linkyn Petersek earned first in tie down roping, steer wrestling and boys all around; Riley Shippy was second in bull riding and Saydee Heath, first in breakaway roping.