Category Archives: Local

The Sounds of Christmas will be held Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Winner Catholic Church.  All area musicians are invited to share some of their music.  There will be a free will offering which will be given to the Winner Ministerial Association.  At the end of the program all participants will come to the front of the church to lead the singing of Christmas hymns.

Persons who would like to participate are asked to call the Methodist church office at 842-0854 or the Catholic Church office at 842-3520.

All participants are asked to check in with Vicki Covey or Jan Ringstmeyer when they arrive at the church and the church will be open at 6 p.m.

The tradition of the Sounds of Christmas was started by Moyra Pospisil Martin in 1991 and the purpose was for sharing of music.  This has become a favorite holiday tradition in Winner during the Christmas season.

Kelsea Kenzy Sutton will be the fifth generation of the Lillibridge family to work at First Fidelity Bank. She will be joining the bank as an Assistant Compliance Officer beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Her duties will include making sure the bank and all its branches are following all national and state banking laws and regulations, as well as professional standards and accepted business practices.

Kelsea is a graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder Colorado, where she received her BA in English and History. She then attended the University of South Dakota at Vermillion where she completed her law degree and also a Master’s degree in History. Kelsea was previously employed as an associate attorney by Johnson Pochop and Bartling, a law office located in Gregory, South Dakota.

Kelsea is married to Billie Sutton and they have one child named William (Liam) John Sutton. They reside in Burke, South Dakota, and enjoy being active members of their community.

Shayden Drey and Kray Krolikowski, both of Winner, and members of the University of Sioux Falls football team, have been named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference fall all-academic team.

To be eligible for this honor, students must be a member of the varsity traveling team and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher.

Furthermore, the student must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at that institution.

An annual event, signifying the holidays are just around the corner, is being held this weekend. The Winner Regional Foundation Board’s annual Holiday Festival will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, at St. Mary’s Hall. The event kicks off with a wine and beer social at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30.

Throughout the evening, many fun activities take place, all in the name of charity. The purpose of the Holiday Festival is to raise money to advance the quality of healthcare in the region through the support of Winner Regional Healthcare Center. All of the proceeds from this year’s Festival will go towards helping raise the necessary $3 million in local donations for Winner Regional’s expansion and renovation project. There are several opportunities throughout the night to help support this very worthwhile cause.

The Merry and Bright Ornament Sale is an opportunity to purchase 1 of 100 ornaments for $20. Each ornament is entered into a drawing to win 1 of 10 great prizes. Ten of Santa’s best stockings are up for auction throughout the night. Each stocking ranges in value from $300 to over $500 in cash or merchandise! A very popular fundraiser is the 12 Days of Christmas. Twelve beautiful ornaments are sold throughout the Live Auction and one winner’s name will be drawn to win the grand prize of a 15 piece Real Life Nativity Creche.

Bubbles and Bling is an exciting fundraiser that pairs champagne and diamonds! 200 glasses of champagne will be sold for $20 each. Each glass is numbered and two numbers will be drawn as the lucky winners of stunning diamond jewelry pieces.

Each year, various community partners are extremely generous in their support of the Holiday Festival and donate a wide variety of wonderful items for the Silent and Live Auctions held at the Festival. Items range from the latest in flat screen TVs, to shotguns and unique, handcrafted furniture. Following the Live Auction, guests can celebrate with dancing to the Tami Hall Band or simply enjoy the music and holiday atmosphere.

“We have a lovely meal planned, a beautiful, festive atmosphere created and many wonderful items to win. It’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday season, and it’s all for a great cause!” stated Jody Engel, foundation director.

With colder weather coming, now is a good time to make sure your vehicle is up to winter’s icy test.

AAA suggests using this eight-point, do-it-yourself inspection checklist:

· Battery. Check for loose cables and corrosive buildup. Make certain your battery is fully charged. If it’s more than two years old, have it tested.
· Radiator. Fill as needed with 50/50 blend of anti-freeze and water.
· Windshield washer / wiper blades. Add no-freeze windshield-wiper fluid to the reservoir. Replace worn wiper blades.
· Belts. Make sure drive belts are tight but not cracked, glazed or frayed. Belts should not deflect more than half an inch when pushed with your finger.
· Hoses. Check for leaks, bulges and cracks. Make sure clamps are secure.
· Oil, transmission and brake fluid levels. Change oil and replace oil filter. Check your owner’s manual for the proper way to check your vehicle’s transmission and brake fluid levels.
· Air filter. Replace air filter every 7,500 miles or when dirty.
· Tires. Tire tread should be at least 1/16 of an inch on normal tires (past Lincoln’s head when inserting a penny into the tread, head first). Tires lose a pound of pressure for every drop of ten degrees Fahrenheit in the outside temperature. Inflate to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure (check owner’s manual or sticker on doorjamb).

When driving on ice or snow, remember that the trick is taking it slow and easy.

Skidding is caused by hard acceleration or braking, going too fast for conditions, and by quick, jerky movements with the steering wheel. Anticipate lane changes, turns and curves and slow down in advance. Aim high in steering, far down the road.

Allow yourself extra time – and be sure to clear all windows before starting to drive.

If your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, gain extra traction by placing heavy objects (cinder blocks, bags of sand) in the trunk of your car or in the bed of your truck. The sand can also be used to spread in front of power wheels to gain extra traction on ice. Clay-based kitty litter also works well.

Carry a winter trouble kit with you: good working flashlight with extra batteries, warm clothing (gloves, hats, scarves), blankets, jumper cables, cellular telephone and battery-charging cord, first aid kit, simple tools, ice scraper, snow brush, snacks, drinking water and paper towels.

The Johnson Strings will present a Christmas concert on Dec. 10 at the Assembly of God Church in Winner at 7 p.m.

Prior to the concert, there will be a supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

This award winning university trained family of eight combines instrumental expertise and tight vocal harmony to create a powerful performance. Their fiery fiddling, rich depth, soulful melodies and genre-breaking style draws listeners into the musical experience.

The public is invited to come and enjoy the music.

The South Dakota Law Enforcement Training Academy graduated 44 officers from across the state. Kyle Swedland of the Winner Police Department was among the graduating class and is pictured with South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley. All graduates of the basic course must complete a 13 week program. The basic certification course is overseen by the South Dakota Law Enforcement Training Academy under the Office of the Attorney General.

“Congratulations to the graduating class for receiving their law enforcement certificate. On behalf of the law enforcement community and the people of the State of South Dakota, I thank you for your dedication to public service,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley

Swier Law Firm, Prof. LLC is pleased to announce the expansion of its nationally recognized legal practice with the addition of Rebekkah Steinwand.

Rebekkah will be joining the law firm’s office in Sioux Falls as a key member of the Family Law Practice Group. Her practice is focused on adoption, divorce, custody disputes, parenting time, paternity, guardianships, and protection orders.

“We are pleased to have Rebekkah join Swier Law Firm,” said Scott Swier. “Adding Rebekkah enhances the depth of our team and demonstrates the firm’s commitment to growing the Family Law Practice Group,” added Swier.

“I am excited to join Swier Law Firm because of its focus on legal excellence,” . Steinwand said. “Swier Law Firm is a firm that is receptive to innovation and change that provides value for our clients. Its values align well with my goal of striving for the best possible outcome for our clients. I look forward to being a part of the firm at this exciting time.”

Rebekkah earned her bachelor of arts in political science from Gustavus Adolphus College where she competed in intercollegiate athletics for the Golden Gusties. She earned her law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law where she was active in the area of children’s legal issues.

Two Winner men convicted of criminal trespass were sentenced on Nov. 10 by U.S. Magistrate judge Mark Moreno.

Jeremy Schroeder and Kirby Kartak, both 37, were sentenced to jointly and severly pay the Rosebud Sioux Tribe $600 in restitution, to each pay $300 fine, to write letters of apology to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and to pay a special assessment to the federal crime victims fund in the amount of $5.

Schroeder and Kartak were indicted by a federal grand jury on April 13. Both pled guilty to a joint plea and sentence

The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on Dec. 2, 2014. Schroeder and Kartak, drove heavy equipment into the Oyate Whacanku spirit camp near Rosebud and removed approximately 30 large hay bales which were being utilized to form a windbreak at the camp. Schroeder claimed to have an ownership interest in the hay, which was harvested on a separate tract of land owned by the tribe. Schroeder had previously leased the land on which the hay was harvested.

The spirit camp was designed as a cultural and spiritual camp for activities associated with tribal opposition to the construction of the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline. Several tipis and a sweat lodge were erected at the camp and the camp was blessed by tribal spiritual leaders.

With the first snow of the season, city residents are reminded to slow down when driving and be careful when driving on ice.

The Winner Police Department reminds drivers to clear the winds before hitting the road in winter weather. Also clear snow from headlights and back brake lights.

After a snow fall, the city will issue a snow alert and persons are reminded to listen to the radio or watch for notices on TV. During a snow alert, vehicles need to be removed from the street until the street is plowed curb to curb.

Persons can also sign up at the city office to get notices of alerts on their smart phones.

Persons are also reminded when a storm is approaching to get campers and trailers off the street so roads can be plowed.