Category Archives: News

Peggy Sue Schmidt, 59

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Peggy Sue Schmidt, age 59 of Yankton passed away unexpectedly at her home Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017.

Mass of Christian burial was held 10:30 a.m. Dec. 22 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Yankton with Rev. Larry Regynski officiating. Burial of her cremated remains will take place at a later date.

On line condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.

Peggy was born June 3, 1958 in Colome, SD to Charles and Pauline (Leibel) Elliott. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Isidore in Colome Peggy married Steve Schmidt. She worked at the Human Services Center for about five years.

Peggy is survived by sons, Eric (Brandie) Schmidt of Boise, ID and Jeffrey (Jessica) Schmidt of Gregory, SD; daughter, Stephanie (Jared) Schwans of Yankton, SD; former spouce, Steve Schmidt of Yankton, SD; grandchildren: Evan, Ella and Read and brothers: Charlie Elliott of Bellevue, NE, Ernie Elliott of Inver Grove Heights, MN and Donald Elliott of Keokuk, IA.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Pauline and sisters, Carol and Mary Lou.

Magdalene “Megs” Doescher, 87

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Magdalene “Megs” Doescher, age 87, of Tea, formally of Winner, passed away on Dec. 19, 2017.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday Dec. 28, 2017 at the United Methodist Church in Winner. Burial will follow at the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27 at the United Methodist Church in Winner with a Prayer Service starting at 7 p.m.

Megs was born in Cumming County Nebraska, on Dec. 23, 1929, to Hank and Hilda Heinecke (Baer). She was the oldest of 6 children: Dave (Jane), Virgil (Barb), Carolyn (Jim), and Shirley, with one surviving brother, Butch (Joyce) of Tracy, CA. Her parents were first born citizens; with their families immigrating from Europe to Illinois just before the turn of the century. Megs attended Wisner, NE public schools.

In 1948, Magdalene married Richard Leroy Doescher. They made their home across north central Nebraska, South Dakota and Northwest Iowa. They retired to Sioux Falls shortly after Richard suffered a debilitating stroke in 1990.

Megs was a proud housewife and mother, held varying positions of church secretary to retail. She was a past active Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) Member, and taught Adult Christian learning throughout a substantial span of her life. She volunteered later in life while living in Sioux Falls at the Washington Pavilion and was named Pavilion Volunteer of the Year in 2012 along with holding a RSVP Volunteer for 25 years.

Megs thoroughly loved to sew, crochet and especially quilt. Her passion for crafts is readily apparent in several of her children and grandchildren. Known as the quilt lady, her motto of life was, “when life gives you scraps, make a quilt.” Those are words she lived by her whole life, having grown up in the depression era, there was never anything wasted in the Doescher home.
With Magdalene and Richard’s marriage, they have 4 sons and 4 daughters Rose (Joe, deceased in 2010) Enders Jenison, MI; Rick (Bev) Champaign, Ill; Randy (Linda), formerly from Mitchell, SD; Ronda (Harlan) Hanson, O’Neil, NE; Judy (Jack) Arthur Winner, SD; Cheryl of Sioux Falls, SD; Tom of Des Moines, IA; and Chris (Lisa) of Tea, SD. In addition to Megs and Dick’s children, she was blessed with 19 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and many friends that Megs so enjoyed her time with having tea parties.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick, both parents, and siblings: Dave, Virgil, Carolyn, and Shirley.

Megs learned to enjoy life after Dick’s death with her large trust of friends that spanned her entire life. She passed with a sense of fulfillment in her life, enjoying every minute right up to the last minutes baking and decorating Christmas cookies.

PUC Watching Federal Tax Plan Progress and Effect on Rate Payers

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While the nation’s eyes are on federal tax reform, South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission is eyeing the effect the proposed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will have on consumers of regulated electric and natural gas utilities.

Regulated utilities pass the costs of federal income taxes through to ratepayers. The revised federal tax proposal, which includes changes to corporate income tax, is anticipated to take effect Jan. 1, 2018. PUC Chairperson Kristie Fiegen this week requested the PUC staff begin evaluating how each of the state’s six investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities will reflect those tax changes in the rates paid by utility customers.

“Consumer protection is among the PUC’s top priorities,” Fiegen said. “If companies will experience a reduction in taxes, the expectation is those savings should flow to consumers.”

Fiegen expects that analyzing the effect the tax plan will have on each regulated utility will be a complex and time-consuming process. “Once the details of the tax reform are made clear, the PUC will move with all haste to ensure ratepayers will be paying no more than what they should,” she stated.

Action by the PUC regarding utility rates will be conducted through official, docketed processes. The docket related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act can be viewed on the PUC’s website at www.puc.sd.gov, Commission Actions, Commission Dockets, Gas & Electric Dockets, 2017 Gas & Electric Dockets, GE17-003 – In the Matter of Staff’s Request to Investigate the Effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on South Dakota Utilities.

 

Stay Safe Over the Holidays

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December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving month. Remember to use a designated driver to get home safely. If you are under 21 years of age, do not drink alcoholic beverages. Possessing and/or consuming an illegal drug in South Dakota is illegal. If you are legally taking prescription medication, read the safety label. Side effects of prescription medication can often impair an individual. Driving a motor vehicle while impaired is illegal in South Dakota.

Christmas is just around the corner and that means an increase in holiday traffic. It is easy to get distracted thinking about the errands you have to run, which gifts to buy, and holiday travel plans. Your safety is the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s top priority as well as my priority. I ask that you focus on the priorities at hand. If you are driving, then pay attention to the road. Weather changes, reduced daylight hours, snow, freezing rain, blizzards, and animals coming onto the roadway are things to be aware of. Try to refrain from using your cell phone while you are driving. Driving with snow or frost covering your windows is a violation of the law. Take the time to clear all of your vehicle’s windows of the morning frost for optimal visibility.

Take the time to think about and plan for the upcoming holidays. For those of you traveling over the holidays, take a moment to check the weather forecast before departing on a trip. Be prepared for roadside emergencies such as a fully inflated spare tire and tire changing tools, food, water, warm clothes, and a blanket. Remember to bring your cell phone and charger. You do not want to be a stranded motorist without the proper equipment. Use equipment such as seatbelts and child safety seats properly. Ensure you and your family arrives at your destination safely.

I wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas. Take the time to enjoy life, family, and friends. Be Smart. Be Safe. Stay Alive.

Trooper Justin Schmiedt
South Dakota Highway Patrol

Gov. Daugaard Approves FirstNet Opt-In For South Dakota

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Gov. Dennis Daugaard has given approval for the establishment of a public safety broadband network that will provide South Dakota’s first responders with advanced communication technologies. The new wireless broadband network will be built, operated and maintained by FirstNet using AT&T’s existing infrastructure as a foundation.

“We deal with our fair share of severe weather and natural disasters in South Dakota. Our first responders need to have access to communication technologies that work whenever and wherever needed,” Gov. Daugaard said. “FirstNet will create a single, interoperable system across our state to aid first responders in protecting citizens.”

FirstNet was established by Congress in 2012. The decision on opting in is left to each governor and states participate at no cost.

Local entities will be able to choose whether or not to subscribe to the services. AT&T has yet to announce specific rates for those wanting to participate, but says that they will establish a highly competitive pricing structure for public safety entities.

 

Fascinating Facts about New Year

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1 England didn’t adopt January 1 as New Year’s Day until 1752, more than 150 years after Scotland. Before that the year began on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.

2 The first French Republic changed its calendar in 1793, fixing New Year at the autumnal equinox. Thirteen years later, Napoleon reinstated the Gregorian calendar now in general use.

3 Over a quarter of the globe’s population celebrate the Chinese or lunar new year. The Year of the Rabbit will begin on February 16. This is a time to repay debts, make sacrifices to gods, and distribute ‘lucky money’.

4 The ancient Egyptians, Chinese and Romans all celebrated New Year on different days. Even within western Christianity, the day has drifted, with Christmas Day, Easter Day and March 1 and 25 all popular. Because the festival was linked to the pagan event of Saturnalia, early Christians called for the New Year to be marked by prayer, fasting and ‘humiliation’.

5 The most emotional New Year’s Eve party is at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, where hundreds of thousands toast the reunification of Germany.

6 In Papua New Guinea, villagers mark the New Year by banging drums and burning bamboo sticks.

7 In Islamic countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, partying will be subdued during Ramadan. Israel, meanwhile, observes the western New Year, but there is a Jewish New Year in September.

8 India, which is 82 per cent Hindu, opts for the international New Year on January 1. Tamil, Sikh and Punjabi New Years are independent celebrations on different dates. And Nepal will celebrate between April 17 and 18.

9Thailand will hold unofficial celebrations on January 1. The ‘formal’ celebrations in April feature a national water fight.

10 Ethiopia won’t celebrate New Year until September 11. The country has stuck to the old Julian calendar, which fails to reflect the true length of the year.

Beth Wilcox Bratton to be Inducted into Hall of Fame

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Beth Wilcox Bratton will be inducted into the Winner School Hall of Fame on Dec. 21.

Winner will host Bon Homme in a boys and girls basketball double header on Dec. 21. The ceremony for Bratton will be held at the halftime of the girls game.

Wilcox Bratton graduated from Winner High School in 1999 where she participated in basketball, volleyball and track.

She competed on the varsity level in basketball from her 8th grade year on earning Southern Plains Conference all-conference honors from 1995 to 1998 and Big Dakota all conference honors from 1996-1997.

In 1997, Beth helped lead the Lady Warriors to a third place finish at the State A basketball tournament and was named to the 1997 and 1998 Class A all state teams.

She holds the State A tournament record for most 3 pointers and steals.

In track, she placed 2nd in the long jump and fifth in the triple jump at the 1997 state track meet.

After high school, she obtained a degree in criminal justice and psychology. She pursued a career as an attorney and received her law degree from USD in 2006.

Since law school, Beth has clerked for three superior court judges, she has worked as a part-time court commissioner and has become the first associate to be offered a partnership where she practices. She practices law in the state of Washington.

Beth and her husband, Nathan, have three boys: Jensen, Mason and Rayden.

 

Pheasants Forever Youth Council Members Spent Time in Winner

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By Dan Bechtold, Editor

Whether hunting in Kansas, Wisconsin or South Dakota youth on the Pheasants Forever National Youth Leadership Council share a similar bond.

Shelby Scott of Winner is a member of the national council and recently hosted three other members of the council at a pheasant hunt.

The youths, members of the local Pheasants Forever chapter and adult leaders of the national council enjoyed a steak supper at Lazy J Grand Lodge in Ideal last Sunday.

The visiting youths were Kyle Holden and Hunter Sperle, both of Menomanie, Wis. and Jared Austin of McPherson, Kan.

Elsa Gallagher of Missouri and Rich Wissink, who work with the youth council, accompanied the visitors to Winner.

Second Public Meeting Held on Replacing Platte-Winner Bridge

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By Dan Bechtold, Editor

The public learned more details about plans to replace the Platte-Winner bridge at a public meeting in Winner on Dec. 12.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation hosted the meeting to outline the proposed plans and the progress the department has made since unveiling the project in May. When the project was first announced last spring a public meeting was held in Winner.

Plans are to replace the long Platte-Winner Bridge sometime in 2024-2025. The new bridge will be in a different location but somewhat close the current bridge. Traffic will be maintained on the current bridge while construction is going on.

Last year the state DOT completed a statewide major bridge investment study. That study recommended the SD44 bridge over the Missouri River should be replaced sometime in the mid-2020s. The existing SD44 highway alignment between highways SD47 and SD50 has also experienced numerous landslides since the current bridge opened in 1966, resulting in extensive repair and mitigation expenses.

The DOT has collected data and used public and agency input from the first meetings to prioritize the area where a new river crossing should be located.

Tim Thoreen of HR Green of St. Paul, Minn., consultant project manager, said since the project will impact the Snake Creek Recreation Area, architects and project managers have been working closely with state officials to ensure the route chosen for the new bridge is as efficient as possible for all entities.

Architects are anticipating the new bridge to be the same style as the current one but expanded from 28 feet wide to 36 feet wide. Architects want the new bridge to last for 100 years.

Figures show that 900 vehicles cross the bridge on a daily basis and estimates are that will expand to 1,400 vehicles by 2050.
Based on input and data analysis, more than 20 criteria were developed for the evaluation of an initial set of bridge location options. The DOT has screened down the number of alternatives to three after a comparison of each alternative.

Some criteria appear to be the key factors that will be instrumental in the final determination of a preferred alternative location. Some of the criteria looked at include geotechnical conditions, impact to recreation resources (specifically Snake Creek Recreation Area) and cultural resources.

Some people at the meeting questioned whether the current Platte-Winner Bridge could be repurposed as a pedestrian and bike path. Thoreen said that will probably not happen. He said the liability of making that bridge a pedestrian bridge is not worth it.

A third set of public meetings about the project are planned for the summer of 2018.