Category Archives: Local

The Winner Community Playhouse will present the comedy “The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church” Dec. 4-5 and Dec. 11-12. The play will start at 8 p.m. each evening.
For reservations, persons can call the playhouse at 842-1958.
The play is directed by Michele Hagenlock with Dan Patmore as the technical director.  The cast includes: Molly Connot, Kara Connot, Sam Patmore, Kallie Foudray and Emily Moser.

The play is funny when the ladies meet to organize a relief effort for homeless in Guatemala. They are greeted with a small mountain of community donations—but one woman’s junk is another woman’s treasure and that pile of stuff in this little church basement is hiding a thing or two.

Organizations can start putting up Christmas trees on Nov. 30 in the Tripp County Courthouse in Winner for the annual Christmas in the Courthouse.
Trees can be put up through Dec. 6 and persons need to contact the 4-H office at 842-2585 to sign up.
The Christmas in the Courthouse open house will be held Dec. 11 starting around 5:30 p.m. There will be entertainment and refreshments.
It is a chance for people to look at the beautiful decorated trees that will fill two floors of the courthouse.
There will also be an essay contest for Tripp County 4th graders. The winner will win a bike provided by Bikes for Kids.
Tripp County Commissioners sponsor Christmas in the Courthouse.

By Kenndal Turnquist

Have you ever though about the meaning of freedom? Freedom is a beautiful word. Freedom means many things to many different people, but to me it means the power or right to speak or act or think as one wants.

Freedom doesn’t come without a high price. It comes with many responsibilities. Our freedom was definitely hard to accomplish. Freedom comes with all the blood, sweat, and tears of all our fellow Americans. Americans have fought in many wars for the freedom that we have. “Responsibility is the price of freedom,” by Elbert Hubbard.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag,” that is something that I say everyday proudly. When I say the Pledge of Allegiance I think of all the things that people have done so we can say it freely. Every time you lay down your head at night, you should think about how an American died for you. “Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life,” by Bob Marley.

What are some of our freedoms? Freedom of speech is the right to say or express anything you want. Freedom of education is getting to teach whatever you want. Freedom of religion is guaranteed in the 1st amendment. Freedom of religion is the right to practice his or her religion, or no religion at all. Freedom of assembly is the right to hold public meetings and form associations without inference from the government. The freedom we have today also reminds me of the places where freedoms don’t exist yet. “Freedom is never given; it is won,” by A Phillip Randolph.

Freedom is one of the most important words in my life. It is one of the biggest blessings in life and should not be taken for granted. Overall, freedom has made a huge impact on my life.

My View of America
By Molly Connot

“America is another name for opportunity” (Emerson, 1841)-Ralph Waldo Emerson…When I think of America, I think of an incredible nation that was formed from nothing and turned into something amazing. We are more diverse than any other country, because our foundation was made on so many different people. We have courage and know what bravery truly is. Americans are full of patriotism every day. My views are touched with absolute love and appreciation of this incredible country.

America was literally built form the ground up. One of our greatest advantages is our diversity. We don not all fit into one specific group. We are given choices on everything. In school, we are given options with our classes. In our government, we have choices from what political party we side with or what and who we will be voting for. No one in America can say that we do not have options because they are given every year on the first Tuesday following a Monday of November. We also has much variety of people in our country. We have different religions, different cultures, and of course, different people. Variety is what makes America great and keeps us thriving. The opportunities we have in America are endless and our diversities makes them even better.

Americans have bravery and courage and it is present always. Since our country’s beginning, we have had the courage to fight for what we believe in. In today’s society, we still have that same courage. We do not fight just wars, though, we fight for rights and freedoms. Women and minorities have fought for the right to be treated the same as a white male, and keep fighting today. In the war aspect of things, our soldiers fight for our freedoms and other countries also. Our soldiers help keep the peace in other countries and keep us safe from them also. Our courage and bravery make the United States of America a different place from any other.
If you ask someone from another country to identify an American, they always say that Americans have very strong patriotism. Americans are never ashamed to say that WE ARE AMERICANS AND PROUD! The people know and love our country for all that it stands for. We are able to say we have democracy that we know works because we continuously working at it. Our democracy gives the people power and still keeps us from having crazy chaos. Americans have the ability to find compromise in everything and anything. This also gives Americans the ability to voice our opinions loud and proud. We gives us differences from the other countries, but the best types of differences.

Living in America is unlike any other place. America was built on diversity and differences that we still have today. We have incredible patriotism that makes the American people separate from any other. America’s bravery and courage makes this place an incredibly safe and amazing place to grow up in. I am proud to say that America is where I am from and that will never change.

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Circuit Judge Kathleen Trandahl of Winner related her experiences as a judge to the Winner High School government classes on Nov. 4.  She has served as a judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit for 21 years. She was appointed by the late governor Walter Dale Miller in 1994.

She recalls the day she received the telephone call telling her of her appointment.  Trandahl was attending a funeral at the Methodist Church in Winner and was told she had 15 minutes to get home and take a phone call from the governor.  “I was thrilled to get that call,” she said.

Winner Elementary School celebrated Red Ribbon Week Oct. 26-29. The purpose of the week is to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

A discussion was held on “healthy drugs” (medicine) and taking or using them in the right way.  The students have also been talking about keeping each other safe from bullies which was a part of safety week.  Monday was SOCK it to drugs and bullying day and the kids wore crazy socks.  Tuesday was DREAMS of a bright future and the students got to wear their pajamas.  Wednesday was Red Out drugs day and the students wore as much red as possible.  Thursday was I Can say no to drugs and bullying—students were to bring a canned food item to donate to the food pantry.

Through the generosity of the Winner Elementary students, families and school staff the school was able to donate seven boxes of nonperishable food items to the pantry.

Samantha Novotny and James Hartman, doctors of physical therapy, have joined the staff of Winner Physical Therapy. Both started work here this summer.

Novotny graduated from Winner High School in 2008. In 2012, she received a degree in athletic training from South Dakota State University. Novotny then went to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and graduated in May with a doctor of physical therapy.  Novotny is married to Cody Novotny and they have an 8 week old daughter, Lennyx.

Hartman, originally from Hartford, graduated from West Central High School in 2008 and is a 2012 graduate from SDSU with a degree in athletic training.
Hartman went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for his doctor of physical therapy degree graduating in May.  Hartman said his grandparents, the late Albin and Alta Sunquist, were from the area having lived north of Dallas. “I liked the area and enjoyed the opportunity to fish and hunt,” he said.
Hartman and his wife, April, are expecting their first child.

Appointments can be made with Novotny and Hartman in Winner at 842-7188 or Burke at 775-2621.

The Tripp County 4-H Recognition Event will be held Monday, Nov. 16, at the Tripp County 4-H Center. The event will start at 7 p.m.

Tripp County 4-Hers will be honored as well as adults from the Tripp County area.  Refreshments will be served following the program.

The A’Cafellas will present a barbershop chorus concert Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Winner Community Playhouse.  They will also perform that afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Dixon Town Hall in Gregory.

The featured guest quartet will be Armchair Chorderbacks from Kansas. This group has been senior champions of the central states district.  “I’ve Been Everywhere” is the theme of the concert.   Afterglow will follow each show. This will include refreshments and more singing.

For reservations persons can call 842-1958.

Government offices in Winner will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

The Tripp County courthouse will be closed as well as the Tripp County Library.  The Winner city office will also be closed on Veterans Day.
State and federal offices in Winner will be closed Nov. 11.

The Winner Post Office will be closed on Nov. 11 and there will be no city or rural mail delivery.  All financial institutions in Winner and Colome will be closed on Veterans Day.

There will be no noon meal served at the Winner Senior Citizens Center on Nov. 11.

Southern Plains Behavioral Health Services and Main Gate Counseling will be closed on Veterans Day.