Category Archives: Local

South Dakota State University men’s basketball team honored its seniors Zach Horstman of Winner and Cody Larson of Sioux Falls on Feb. 21.

The Jacks defeated Oral Roberts and the game marked Horstman’s final home game.

“You look at Zach’s  four years and I don’t think there’s been a more successful guy in the Division I era in terms of wins,” said coach Scott Nagy.

The coach said both Horstman and Larson are great students. “They’ll be great leaders in their community and I’m proud that I had a chance to have them in my life,” said Nagy.

By CANDY DENOUDEN, The Mitchell Daily Republic

KENNEBEC — Jenny Longville didn’t expect to get engaged for a while.

So when her boyfriend, Lance Engel, proposed during a mid-December trip to the Black Hills, Longville was surprised. Still — she said yes.

“My mom cried for two weeks,” Longville added with a smile.

Engel told Longville to get dressed up so the couple could go look at Christmas lights in Deadwood. It helped Engel honor Longville’s only proposal stipulation: She wanted to look nice.

“That was the only thing I had to work around,” Engel said with a laugh.

Longville, 26, and Engel, 29, met on New Year’s Eve last year, when Engel’s brother’s band played in Presho. They hit it off, and began dating soon after. Engel, of Winner, and Longville, of Kennebec, have made their long-distance relationship work. In the last few months, the couple and their families have banded together to support Longville, who was diagnosed with cancer in October.

Today is Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love and romance in all its forms. As Longville and Engel sat next to each other recently in Longville’s home in Kennebec, where she lives with her parents, Todd and Teresa, they described how they met, and how they decided that nothing — not even a Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis — was worth postponing their engagement.

“Ever since we met, it’s just been easy with her,” Engel said. “I don’t really see the cancer changing any of that.”

To Engel, the diagnosis provided all the more incentive to propose. He was at the doctor’s office when Longville first learned she might have colon cancer. Doctors wanted to wait on test results to be sure before diagnosing her. It was a shock, and Engel felt helpless — but not deterred.

“I knew I was going to find a ring for her, even before the cancer,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to show her I was in it for the long haul.”

Right from the start, Longville said Engel has been a strong support system for her. Any time she had doubts or concerns, Engel was there.

“He looked at me and said, ‘We’re going to get it,’ ” Longville said. “We decided we’re not going to think anything negative.”

They’ve maintained that positive focus, and try to juggle, work, wedding planning and Longville’s treatments. They have an Aug. 22 date set for the wedding, which will be in Winner. Longville, a Kennebec native and Dakota Wesleyan University graduate, said she plans to move to Winner once they are married, but will still work in Kennebec. She is excited for her first appointment to look at wedding dresses on Feb. 21.

Engel joked he was looking forward to the reception, but the part he’s most looking forward to?

“Im excited to say ‘I do,’ ” Engel said.

“Good answer,” Longville responded with a laugh.

Teresa, who jokingly described Engel as her “favorite child,” said she knew from the first time she met Engel that he was “the one” for her daughter.

“I’ve never seen her act that way,” she said.

Engel and Longville, often laughing and teasing, agree they “just clicked” from the start. They like to sing together, often in the car, watch movies, and Engel is trying to convert Longville into a football fan.

“We like to watch the Cowboys,” Engel said, which elicited a laugh from Longville.

“You like to watch the Cowboys,” she responded, but added: “It doesn’t really matter what we do. As long as we’re together, we have fun.”

‘I’m still me’

Longville was diagnosed officially on Oct. 28, four days after the colonoscopy where doctors told her she might have cancer. She got the call while she was at Kennebec Elementary, part of the Lyman School District, where she teaches junior kindergarten.

Winner High School Warriorettes have been invited to perform at the State A boys basketball tournament in Rapid City.

The girls will perform on Thursday, March 19, at the halftime of the first game in the evening.

The State A tournament will be held at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Winner Area Retired Teachers’ Association met on Feb. 18 at the Tripp County Library meeting room with 15 members and 10 guests present. President Trena Vandenbark presided over the meeting.

The WARTA members have been invited to participate in a book discussion on March 11 via telephone.  The book discussion will center on the book “Life Reimagined”. You may contact Trena Vandenbark or Donna Brozik for more information.

For the March meeting bring your favorite book .  Members need to turn in their volunteer hours at the March meeting.  It was announced that 68 fifth grade students from Winner and Colome wrote grandparent essays. The winners were announced and honored at the February meeting.  Reading their essays for the members were : Maya Vandenbark, Colome – 1st place, Katie Welker, Colome – 2nd place, and Caden Munroe, Colome – 3rd place.  Honorable Mention went to Kasie Leighton, Colome and Trinity Vrbka, Winner. Maya Vandenbark’s essay will now be entered in the state competition.

The next meeting for WARTA will be on March 18 at the Tripp County Library.

Roseland Chapter 113 Order of Eastern Star held its official visit on Saturday, Feb. 7. Worthy Matron Marlene Frantz and Worthy Patron Jack Frantz welcomed the associate grand conductress Jodee Back of Rapid City as their visitor for the day.

A school of instruction was held in the afternoon followed by an evening meeting.

The worthy grand matron Kristie Erickson, Aberdeen and worthy grand patron Dave True, Rapid City, were present for the day along with several other grand officers including Linda Nelson of Winner, Grand Electa.

Seventy members and visitors enjoyed the evening and the coin march was donated to ACTS (Assisting Children to Smile) Foundation and cancer research.

Roseland chapter meets monthly on the third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Three Winner 5^th grade girls competed in the 2015 Corn Palace regional spelling bee in Mitchell on Feb. 14.

Hattie Hespe, Shayla Bice and Adienne Lewis attended along with teacher Jamie Schomp.

Schomp said the three girls represented Winner Elementary School very well.

Bice and Lewis did not make it past the first round along with a majority of other students.

Hespe made it to round 2 after spelling the word “cabal” in round 1. She had tough luck with her second round word “veracity.”

The Corn Palace Regional Spelling Bee awarded three top places. Sixth grader Mackenzie Christensen, Huron, won first; 6^th grader Aubrey Rutledge, Huron, won second and Heidi Tirrel, 8^th grader from Mitchell Christian won third.

In conjunction with National Career and Technical Education Month, nearly 40 student leaders came to Pierre, Feb. 10-11 for the South Dakota Career and Technical Student Organizations’ Legislative Shadow Day.

Students, legislators, cabinet members and state agency staff kicked off activities with an evening social Feb. 10. The next day, students shadowed legislators at committee meetings and observed House and Senate floor sessions.

Among the students was Molly Connot, president of the Winner High School Chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America and FCCLA State Vice President of Membership.

“CTSO Legislative Shadow Day is always a special day in Pierre,” said Tiffany Sanderson, director of career and technical education for the South Dakota Department of Education. “Students get a taste of the political process and learn about opportunities for public service. Legislators enjoy the chance to share what they do and learn about these young leaders’ experiences.”

Five CTSOs are active in South Dakota: DECA – an association of marketing students, Future Business Leaders of America, FCCLA, FFA, and SkillsUSA – an association of trade, technology and health occupation students.

CTSOs allow students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom through competitive events; develop leadership and employability skills; and serve their communities.

Career and technical education seeks to equip students with core academic skills and the ability to apply those skills for careers and life. CTE emphasizes employability skills like critical thinking, responsibility and technical skills related to specific career pathways.

Divine Concrete, Bonesteel,  announces the addition of partner, Sara Nolan. Sara is the sister of owner/general manager Andy Divine, and daughter of founders John and Kathy Divine. She brings nearly a decade of experience in the construction industry to the well diversified staff of Divine Concrete.

Sara graduated from Bonesteel/Fairfax High School in 2000 and went on to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Business/Spanish/German from the University of Minnesota. After the completion of her degree, she began her career in sales with the Hilti organization. Hilti produces construction tools and innovative applications for the construction industry.

She held various roles within Hilti and, over the course of 9 years, relocated with the company on several occasions. In 2009 she completed her MBA with Regis University of Denver, CO. Sara and her husband William Nolan, originally from Butte, NE, are excited to move back home to raise their family. They have an 18 month old boy, Connor, and another son due in April.

“I am extremely excited to join the Divine Concrete team. I look forward to working with a great group of colleagues and gaining a greater understanding of the business,” says Sara. “I have long admired the persistence and hard work my parents and brother have contributed to the organization to make it the success it is today.”

Andy Divine shares that excitement. “Divine Concrete is growing rapidly,” he says. “The progression and direction this company is taking, makes the addition of another owner essential.”

Divine Concrete is based in Bonesteel, with redi-mix batch plants also located in Colome, SD and Spencer, NE. “We are currently expanding our infrastructure in Colome. Dirt work began for a shop building in January and we will base a construction crew out of Colome beginning with this 2015 season,” adds Divine. It is this type of growth that made Andy realize he could use a hand. Sara had expressed interest in the past of becoming part of the family business, and given her professional experience, it was a natural decision. “Sara will do a great job,” says Andy.

Divine Concrete celebrates 40 years of business in 2015. They began in 1975 with the redi-mix plant in Bonesteel, and have since developed into a full service concrete company, offering professional concrete construction services for residential, commercial, and agricultural projects, as well as a full line of quality precast products including feed bunks, storm shelters, septic tanks, and steps. “40 years is a big deal,” says Andy, proud of this accomplishment. “We pride ourselves on delivering quality products in a timely manner, with courteous and knowledgeable employees,” he adds, “we look forward to continuing that tradition.”

Several Colome High School students placed at the Region V vocal contest in Kimball on Feb. 11.

The solo superiors were: Halley Shippy, Destannie Noteboom, Megan Seegers, Callie Heath, Trenton Seegers and Jeremiah Yeaman.

Duet superiors were: Halley Shippy and Destannie Noteboom

Duet excellents were: Destannie Noteboom and Callie Heath; Trenton Seegers and Kylie Debus.

Girls small ensemble superior were: Callie Heath, Dacy Maier and Megan Seegers

Boys small ensemble superior were: Jeremiah Yeaman, Trenton Seegers and Holden Thieman

Large group ensemble superior were: Halley Shippy, Destannie Noteboom, Kaylea Bolton, Melissa Bettcher, MaCallie Bettcher, Trenton Seegers, Holden Thieman, Jeremiah Yeaman, Kylie Debus, Dacy Maier, Callie Heath, Megan Seegers and Elisabeth Duffy.

The small group ensemble receiving a good were Kaylea Bolton, Melissa Bettcher, MaCallie Bettcher and Elisabeth Duffy.

Area students have been named to Mitchell Technical Institute fall president’s list.

Winner students on the list are: Aryn Novotny, accounting; Grant Toman, Kyle Mathis, both agricultural technology; Jesse Brunmeier, electrical construction and maintenance; Brittney Hansen, precision technology specialist.

Also on the list is Trevor Shiell, Colome, welding and manufacturing technology.