Category Archives: Local

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.

Tevis McIntyre retired Oct. 30 from Winner Regional Healthcare Center after 31 years of service.

He started at Winner Regional in December of 1984. He started as a night watchman as no doors to the facility were locked back then.  As he proved his worth as a night watchman, there was not much to watch any longer so he was given a list of things to do at night like changing light bulbs. This is how his role in the maintenance department began.

McIntyre says the highlight of working at Winner Regional was the good people he worked with. “I enjoyed it or I would not have stayed,” he said. “I might not have gotten it all done but there is always something to do.”
 He hopes to spend more time in Arizona in the winter.

Winner Oral Interp team members traveled to Yankton for the Lewis & Clark Invitational competition.

Those competing in Poetry were Taylor Audiss and Megan Brozik. In Serious were Kallie Foudray, Shannon Duffy, Korrina Willams, Eleanor Moleterno, Taylor Audiss and Emily Moser. In Oratory were Shannon Duffy and Kenzie Irick.

Readers Theater included Kenzie Irick, Emily Moser, Eleanor Moleterno and Janine Bartels. Next for the Oral Interp team is the local elimination contest.  The local elimination contest is to see which selections will advance to the Region contest held Nov. 16th at Cedar Shores in Oacoma.  Local eliminations will take place November 6, 2015 at 7pm in the Winner Community Playhouse.

The South Dakota Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) recently held the 2015 Fall Leadership Training at the Crossroads Hotel in Huron, South Dakota. The theme for the event was “FCCLA: EmPower – MePower.” The theme speaks to making the right choices and committing yourself to making a positive impact within your family, your school, FCCLA and your community. The logo shows the reverse “MePower” to illustrate that the power to affect this change lies within us all.

Students were challenged to improve their communication and leadership skills in today’s workforce arena. Two students from Winner High School FCCLA joined over 300 FCCLA members from across the state on October 4-5 to participate in Rookie Camp, Power Training, State Officer Training, or State Leadership Team Training. Rookie Training attendees learned about National Programs, Star Events and basic information about FCCLA. Power Training incorporated dynamic leadership activities, team building activities, Knowledge Bowl, and various National Program presentations that expanded students’ knowledge of FCCLA. State Leadership Team members were trained and identified the 2015-2016 State FCCLA service projects. The SD FCCLA Current Trends Leadership Team has chosen the national program, Student Body, as its current issue for the 2015-2016 school year. The Trends Team will use the Student Body National Program and focus on physical, mental, emotional, and social health of teenagers and their families.

The National Outreach Team chose to focus on a national focus, Lead2Feed. This service learning program nurtures a new generation of leaders while working to end local and global hunger. Abi Leyden, FCCLA State Officer, assisted with training for Rookie Training participants. Molly Connot attended State Leadership Team training and planning. They are members of the Winner FCCLA Chapter. Kris Brockhoft, local FCCLA adviser, attended the training and presented adviser workshops Rookie Training sessions.

FCCLA stands for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and was first established in 1945 and in South Dakota in 1946. Family serves as the central focus of this organization. This career and technical student organization prepares youth to assume their adult roles in society as wage earners, community leaders, and caring family members by giving them important life skills needed to thrive in their families, careers and communities.

Two Tripp County 4-H shooters competed at the state 4-H muzzleloader match held at the Mitchell Trap Club in Mitchell.
Megyn McCarthy placed first in the junior division. Shannon Weller placed 6th in the senior division and she qualified to be on South Dakota’s muzzleloader team to compete at the national 4-H championships next June in Grand Island, Neb.