Category Archives: News

Lorraine M. Dohmen, 86

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Lorraine M. Dohmen, 86, of Winner, SD passed away Monday, Nov. 29, 2021 at the Winner Regional Hospital.  Funeral services were scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 at the Immaculate Conception Church beginning at 10 a.m.  with visitation one hour prior to Mass.  Burial was Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 at 11 a.m. M.T, at the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Lorraine Maxine Earll was born April 28, 1935 to Lloyd and Geraldine (Schmidt) Earll.  The family was complete when younger sister, Marion, was born.  Lorraine was raised on a farm in the Witten/Carter area, graduating from Winner High School.  

  She was united in marriage to Norbert Ruhkamp and to this union, three daughters were born: Crystal, Tracy, and Tammy.

Lorraine had a strong work ethic, whether it was working for an employer or as a housewife.  She worked for several years at Bailey Rexall Drug as a sales clerk.  She enjoyed meeting and helping customers.  She also worked at the Winner Drive-In Theater, giving her daughters the opportunity to play on the awesome playground and see many movies on hot summer nights.   She taught her girls to work hard, be kind, and mind their manners.

In 1970, Lorraine married James Dohmen.  They enjoyed years of volunteer work, travel, hosting family events, and raising the girls.  As parents and grandparents, they were second to none!  Lorraine was a Junior Catholic Daughter counselor, a member of Court Mary Imelda Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, the Winner VFW Auxiliary, and the Colome American Legion Auxiliary. 

 Lorraine enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She attended many ballgames, concerts, graduations, weddings, and baptisms.    

Grateful for sharing her life are daughters, Crystal (Wayne) Pauli, Tracy (Cal) Swanson, and Tammy (Riley) Sargent; grandchildren Tara (James) Johnson, Jeremy (Heather Bieber) Pauli, Josh (Samantha) Pauli, Cally (Riley) Garrigan, Tanner (Ashley) Swanson, and Baley (Brandon) Moore; great-grandchildren Austin and Cade Falor, Destrie (Rachel), Dax, and Morgan Johnson, Elizabeth and Madison Pauli, Madelyn and Gracie Garrigan, Lucy and Sylvie Swanson, Kendall and Leslie Moore, and very special family friends, Kitty Little and John (Megan) Little, as well as numerous  nieces, nephews, and cousins who played significant roles in her life.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her husband, James Dohmen; parents, Lloyd and Geraldine Earll; sister, Marion Gregg; brother-in-law, James Gregg; mother-in-law and father-in law, William and Marie Dohmen; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Rosemary and Don Elsasser, and brother-in-law, Gene Dohmen.

Connot received a $50 grant from the Winner Area Retired School Personnel

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Keely Connot received a $50 grant from the Winner Area Retired School Personnel. Connot says she will use the grant to purchase items to help increase student engagement during lessons and flexible seating. Some items would be clipboards that students can use while doing homework and activities to do with students for reviewing and homework. Connot teaches 6th grade math and English language arts.

Decision Issued on recreational marijuana

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The South Dakota Supreme Court has issued the decision in Thom, Miller v. Barnett and In re Election Contest as to Amendment A. In a four-to-one decision, the Court held that Amendment A, as submitted to the voters in the November 2020 general election, violated the single subject requirement in the South Dakota Constitution. As a result of the constitutional violation, the Court has declared the amendment invalid.

The Court determined that the provisions of Amendment A embraced three separate and distinct subjects:

(1) Recreational Marijuana—by creating a comprehensive plan to constitutionally legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for all persons at least twenty-one years of age;
(2) Hemp—by constitutionally mandating that the Legislature pass laws regarding hemp; and
(3) Medical Marijuana—by constitutionally mandating that the Legislature pass laws ensuring access to marijuana for limited medical use for qualifying persons.

In reaching its decision, the majority opinion explained that the provisions involving recreational marijuana, hemp, and medical marijuana each have separate objects and purposes, which were not dependent upon or connected with each other.

The drafters’ failure to comply with the single subject requirement in the South Dakota Constitution Article XXIII, § 1 meant that voters were unable to separately vote on each distinct subject embraced in Amendment A. The Court noted in its decision that the Proponents of Amendment A failed to identify a single “instance when voters in another state have been asked to approve a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana, medical marijuana, and hemp in a single vote.” One member of the Court issued a special writing joining the majority in finding a violation of the single subject rule, and expressing the view that a violation of the single subject requirement is not necessarily fatal in all instances; but adding that here there was no argument or proof that South Dakota voters would have adopted Amendment A in the absence of the medical marijuana and hemp provisions.

A separate opinion was filed by another member of the Court, concurring in part and dissenting in part, that focused on the long history of the initiative in South Dakota, the deference to be paid to initiated constitutional amendments passed by the voters, and the belief that Amendment A appropriately contains parts of a comprehensive plan addressing the related issues of recreational marijuana, medical marijuana, and hemp. Based on the conclusion that there was no single subject violation, the writing also addressed whether Amendment A is a constitutional revision that should have been submitted to the voters through a constitutional convention rather than by an initiative and concluded that it was not a constitutional revision.

Finally, the Court unanimously held that (1) the circuit court properly dismissed the election contest filed by Thom and Miller; (2) neither Thom nor Miller had standing to challenge Amendment A, but Governor Noem’s written ratification of Miller’s declaratory judgment action allowed for the action to proceed as if it had been commenced by the Governor; and (3) the challenge to Amendment A was not required to be brought before the election.

The Court’s opinion can be accessed on the UJS website at https://ujs.sd.gov.

Lil’ Feller in Winner has been sold to RF Buche

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The Lil’ Feller has been sold to RF Buche, who owns a chain of Buche Foods and Gus Stop Convenience Stores.  Buche will take over on Tuesday November 30th, 2021.  The store will be open during the transition with no disruption to customers. 

The name will change to The Gus Stop and will remain open 24 hours.  Charge customers will stay the same along with the same process with their charge card.  All current Lil’ Fellers team members will be making the jump to the GF Buche Co team and will keep their years of service with the Buche Company.  “Brian has a built a great team and we are excited to work with his team,” said RF Buche. 

“We are looking for a manager as well as a few other positions so please go to buchefoods.com if you have an interest in full or part time.”  Stated RF.  All GF Buche Co team members are able to get up to a $2,000 sign on bonus as well as great benefits and competitive wages.  “So if you are looking for a change or just want some extra spending money, please check us out” said Buche.  

The Gus stop deli will be enhanced and the casino will be expanded along with the same great service Brian and have team have provided to Winner for many years.  More updates and the new look is scheduled for mid-2022 and the store will remain open to customers while that happens.

“Brian Schaeffer has worked very hard and has done a great job for the community of Winner.  He has left big shoes to fill but I think Winner will love the finished product.” stated Buche.  “We hope everyone stops in to say hello!”

RF’s dad, Robert named the first “Gus Stop” convenience store in 1998 after the GF Buche Co. founder Gus Buche.  RF also has a 13-year-old son named Gus.  Obviously, RF hopes for Gus to continue in the family business. 

GF Buche Co was founded in 1905 by RF’s great grandfather in Lake Andes and the company has remained in the Buche family since.  Currently the company has 20 locations throughout South Dakota consisting of grocery, convenience, auto, and hardware stores along with a Taco Johns location and another Taco Johns coming to Winner in the spring of 2022.

Pravecek named to Elite 45

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Charley Pravecek of the Winner football team, has been named to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45.

Each year the Argus Leader selects the best football players in the state.

Pravecek was both a guard and tackle for a Winner team that was thoroughly dominate. Pravecek led an offensive line that rushed for over 3,600 yards this season.

He was almost as dominant as a defensive presence for the Warriors. He had 36.5 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks on a Winner team that rarely gave their opponents room.

“Defensively, he was dominant. He played with incredible effort and technique,” said coach Trent Olson. “He was one of the best linemen I have ever seen in 11B.”

Named honorable mention in the Elite 45 was Kaden Keiser of Winner. 

Lil’ Feller changes ownership

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Brian Schaeffer is retiring as owner of Lil’ Feller in Winner. He has sold the business to R. F. Buche who took over on Nov. 30. Lil’ Feller opened in 1984 in Winner.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

The ownership of Lil’ Feller in Winner changed hands  yesterday (Nov. 30).

Brian Schaeffer sold the business to R.F. Buche. The business will be called Gus Stop 6 and there will be a new manager.

Lil’Feller Covenience Store in Winner opened in October 1984 and was built by Dwight and Brian Schaeffer.

Schaeffer explained he was talking to one of his suppliers about the idea of selling the business. The supplier said she knew someone who might be interested. She put Schaffer in touch with Buche and the two were able to come to a deal.

“I am blessed to have found R.F. to take over the business,” said Schaeffer as he sat his office the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Buche plans to keep the business open 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Schaeffer says he has good employees. He feels fortunate  to have all the customers who have been here year after year. “They are the ones who made the place go,” he said.

The first Lil’Feller store was in Miller in 1981 The Schaeffers owned six Lil’ Feller stores in Valley City, N.D., Carrington, N. D., Lemmon, Mobridge, Miller and Winner.

Of the  six, the only store left is the one in Winner.

Brian noted  did not want to be on the road that much so he sold off all the stores to concentrate on the one in Winner.

The store in Winner was originally Car Care Center. It was torn down to build the new convenience store. There have been two additions in 1989 and 2005. The additions expanded the size of the building. In 1993, new gas tanks were put in and  a new canopy was built.

Brian said his dad came up with the name of the convenience store. Brian’s mother, Mona, drew the lil feller figure which was a combination  of two to three characters put into one.

Brian is amazed at how many people he sees who have worked at Lil’ Feller.

Cal Berg was the first manager. In December 1985 Craig Schaeffer became the manager and Brian worked the night shift.

Brian explained that his dad always insisted the store be open 24 hours a day more as a convenience to the community.

Barb Lovejoy was hired as the manager in 1991  and she hired Diann Suess as the assistant manager.

Brian and Lovejoy managed the store together starting in 1996.

Brian talked about some of the long time employees incuding Judy Edwards, Donna Papke, Carolyn Reiss, Delores Palmer. “They were a fun crew. They would dream stuff up and I always said those were my smooth years because I did not have to worry about emploees”

Nancy Turgeon

Brian said one of the biggest challenges was getting someone to work the midnight to 7 a.m. shift.

“I   would work at Schaeffer Oil during the day and come here and work the midnight shift,” said Brian. He did that for nine months.

Finally, he found two guys to work that shift and they are Duncan Reidl and Paul Cornell and for two years Orville Schroeder worked the night shift.

“Finding Duncan for the midnight shift was a blessing,” said Brian.

Duncan has worked at Lil’ Feller for five yeas, Paul for 10 years and another long time employee is Nancy Turgeon who has worked there for 10 years.

Also working at the store since 2012 is Chris Schaeffer who served in the military and came back to help his dad at the store. “I needed someone and Chris just pitched in.”

Brian says he enjoys getting up in the morning and going to work. “I am going to miss a lot of the people who come through the door every morning.”

Schaeffer says he plans to take a year off. He and his wife. Jan, hardly have had any time to travel. Brian has missed family gatherings due to working at the store.

As he leaves the store on Nov. 30  he says Lil’ Feller has treated him well and will be in good hands with Buche.

Holiday festival is Dec. 4

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The holiday festival sponsored by Winner Regional Foundation will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4, at St. Mary’s Hall.

The social hour will begin at 5 p.m. and the dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.

There will be a both a live and silent auction. There will be wonderful items to bid on in the live auction. Following the live auction there will be a dance.

The event is essential to help support numerous improvements at Winner Regional Health. The primary focus where the money will go this year is to raise $15,000 for a security alarm for the long term care center. Money will also be raised, an additional $40,000, for a 3D software for the CT scanner.

Silent auction items and live auction items are to be brought to St. Mary’s Hall on Dec. 1 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The  success of the festival is a community effort with the purchase of tickets, bidding on items and the donation of live and silent auction items.

Come and enjoy a wonderful evening filled with the joy of the holiday season.