Winner Community Playhouse will present a spring production Feb. 23, 24,
Feb. 29, March 1 and 2.
“The Hitchin Post” by Pat Cook is the play that has been chosen.
The cast includes Barb DeSersa, Doug Nelson, Cassie Shutt, Hayden
McMurtrey, Mary Backus, Ken Teger, Ron High Rock, Emily Moser, Dan Patmore,
Keith DeMers, Linda Nelson and Sandra York.
Ron High Rock is the director with Dan Patmore as the technical director.
The action in “Hitchin’ Post” centers around a general store in Flat Rock,
Texas. It is a hilarious slice of life outside a Texas town.
Persons who want to
learn the latest legislative news should attend the cracker barrel in Winner on
Saturday, Feb. 10. The event will be held at 4 p.m. at the Winner American
Legion. Winner Legion Auxiliary will host the event.
Attending will be
Dist. 21 lawmakers—Sen. Erin Tobin of Winner; Rep. Rocky Blare of Winner and
Rep. Marty Overweg, New Holland.
A small group of the 147th South Dakota Army National Guard band stationed
out of Mitchell will perform in Winner on Feb. 8. They will perform in the
Armory from 2:45 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.
Winner is one of their stops on a tour of schools.
Mission Essential Brass is a nine member ensemble. The band plays a
variety of music and has a high energy show.
The band is based in Mitchell and has seen overseas deployment to
Guatemala in 1991, Panama in 1996 Nicaeragua in 2002 and Suriname in 2018.
The band performs for military and civilian functions throughout the
region and is made up of musicians aged 17 to 60.
In addition to the concert and ceremonial bands, the 147th Band is
comprised of four unique music performance teams: Sgt. Rock, FTX, Drive On and
Mission Essential Brass.
Submitted Photo Ben Vandenbark, an 8th grader at Colome School, won first place in the state for the VFW Patriot’s Pen contest. He was the district winner that qualified him for the state competition in Pierre. Vandenbark is pictured with VFW officials. He represented Winner VFW Post 4674. His essay will be submitted to the national contest.
Ben Vandenbark, Colome, won first place in the state for the VFW Patriot’s
Pen contest.
The Colome 8th grader is the son of Matt and Kate Vandenbark.
His essay goes to the national competition. The top placers then travel to
Washington, D.C.
Vandenbark was the district winner which qualified him for the state meet
in Pierre. He represented Winner VFW post and auxiliary.
“How are you inspired by America?” was the essay theme.
His essay was about veterans, his grandfather and first responders. He
talked about how the veterans fought for our country and even when hurt
continued to fight.
Vandenbark was inspired by his grandfather who served in the Navy. He
wishes he could learn more about his grandfather’s time at sea and the ship he
was on.
Vandenbark also wrote about how first responders put themselves in danger
and help others. He noted how the first responders reacted during 9/11.
Patriot’s Pen gives 6th, 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to
express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills
while they compete for awards and prizes.
Conducted nationwide, this VFW sponsored youth essay competition
encourages students to use their minds and knowledge of America’s history and
their experience of today’s American society to write essays expressing their
views on an annual patriotic theme.
Mary Ann (Redl) Moorhead, 91, of Winner, SD passed away peacefully
surrounded by family at the Winner Regional Nursing Home on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
A private family Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, Jan. 16,
2024 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner,
SD. Burial followed in the Winner City Cemetery. An open public visitation was held on Monday,
Jan. 15, 2024 from 5-6 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with a
rosary beginning at 6 p.m.
Mary Ann Redl was born in Iroquois, South Dakota to John and Marie
(Brandrup) Redl on Oct. 26, 1932. Growing up in Deadwood, Mary Ann was an
active Brownie Scout and social butterfly which continued throughout her life.
She was proud to tell stories of her father playing Wild Bill Hickok in the
shootout reenactments as well as riding side-saddle in the Days of ‘76 Parade,
on her horse named Penny. She hosted her own radio show during her teenage
years where her vocals sang any song requested. Her personality shined as a
bartender helping her parents at the Inferno, which was built in an old mine
shaft near Terry Peak.
On May 24, 1951, she married the love of her life, Gerald Dean Moorhead at
the St. Ambrose Church in Deadwood. To this union, three children were born,
John, Cindy, and Gerri.
Mary Ann and Gerald moved to Winner, South Dakota to manage Modern
Cleaners raising their three children as Winner Warriors. They loved sports;
most notably yelling at each other over the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta
Braves. In 2003, the couple lost their son on a family hunting trip, which Mary
Ann never fully recovered from.
Known for her sugar cookies and silly jokes, Mary Ann could warm any room.
Her giggle and smile was contagious and her inviting soul welcomed anyone to
call her “Grandma.” She loved to bowl
(2005 SDWBA Hall of Fame Inductee), foster any animal (squirrels included),
play cards, sing her school song, and spend time with family and friends alike.
Her pure joy was watching and cheering on her grandkids and great grandkids no
matter their accomplishments, big or small, in-person or on a live stream.
Mary Ann was an expert in the kitchen and in the woodshop with Gerald. Her
famous kitchen recipes were: sugar cookies that melted in your mouth, pies that
nobody could replicate, and egg rolls that caused family disagreements of who
would get the last one. In the last months of her life, she was able to share
her joy of cooking homemade noodles for the other residents at the nursing
home.
She is survived by her daughters Cindy (Doug) Osborn, Winner; Gerri
(Chuck) Mosset, Sioux Falls; special nephew, Billy (Amy) Reiser, Wagner;
daughter-in-law, Lori Schrader, Winner, 12 grandchildren: Cody(Brandy), Casey
(Laurie), TJ (Michele), Cassidy (Matt), Brady (Jamie), Jamie (Jason), Chelsey
(Matt), Dustin, Corey, Rachele (Justin), Randi, and Becca along with 22 great
grandchildren, her sister-in-law, Jan Redl, several nieces and nephews and
anyone who would consider her their grandma.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Gerald, favorite son, John,
parents John and Marie, her sister, Phyllis, and three brothers, Jack, Bill and
Donny Redl.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo A large crowd attended the property tax meeting held Jan. 10 in Winner. A presentation was made by the S.D. Department of Revenue.
By Dan Bechtold
Editor
A large crowd filled the courthouse community room to learn more about
property taxes and what citizens can to help capture growth in Tripp County.
Members of the S.D. Department of Revenue conducted the meeting.
Since all members of the Tripp County Commissioners attended the meeting
this was a special county commissioners meeting.
Chairman Larry Wilcox stressed the meeting was not about zoning as the
commissioners are not in favor of zoning on the county level.
Giving the presentation for the Department of Revenue was Robin Carlson,
education specialist and along with her was Patty Caster.
Property tax is the primary source of revenue for local governments.
Property that is taxed is owner/occupied, other and agricultural land.
Carlson explained that growth and CPI can be used to help with a county’s
budget. That growth is new buildings or additions and that is what local
assessor Janience Weber wants to capture. She wants people to notify here
office when they add onto a build, build a new structure or tear one down.
Carlson went over how growth is calculated. She also explained that if a
county does not use the CPI they can store it for three years.
Also explained was the mill levy and how levies are calculated.
Weber talked about discretionary formula that aids in new buildings.
The formula reduces the amount of taxes persons pay over a five year
period.
Many of the people attending the meeting said they did not know about this
discretionary formula. This formula is an economic development tool.
Weber said new growth helps captures those dollars to make up the budget
and hopefully kept the levy down.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Bill and Joan Ferguson were named the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce farm/ranch family of the year. The presentation was made by Cody Jorgensen. Pictured from left are Joan Ferguson, Mike Scott, executive director of the Chamber, Cody Jorgensen and Bill Ferguson.
The
Winner Area Chamber of Commerce Farm family of the year recently retired but they have proven to be
excellent farmers and innovative in farming practices, expense control, crop
rotation and conservation practices. Bill and Joan Ferguson have been married
for 60 years.
Bill
grew up in Idaho and Joan grew up in Quinn South Dakota. In Bill’s early years
his family would come back to his grandfather’s farm in the Winner area to help
with wheat harvest.
Bill
is a graduate of South School of Mines. After college they lived in Indiana and
later in Boston, Mass. During that time
Bill worked with computer control systems.
They
decided to move to South Dakota in 1975 to start farming.
During
1975 to 1980 they mostly raised wheat, summer fallow and a little milo if
needed.
Bill
started to make some changes, still raising wheat and milo but started being more involved in eco farming and no till practices Bill started to see the advantages of no till
farming practices with improved health of the soil and better land conservation
practices.
Another
area Bill has been involved with starting back in 1996 was the implementation
of precision ag practices. This was the time of the introduction of yield
monitors in combines.
Starting
in the 70s’ raising primarily wheat and then started raising corn in 2000 and
followed shortly by soybeans. Current
crop rotation is winter wheat, milo, corn, soybeans, sun flowers and spring
Wheat.
With
Bill and Joan’s farming practices their land was ideal pheasant habitat. In
1997 they began doing paid hunting. They opened a hunting lodge in 2000. The
Fergusons have some of the best wild pheasant hunting in the state of South
Dakota. One of the things that Bill said that helped his pheasant population is
the use of a stripper head during wheat harvest.
Bill
and Joan have been great supporters of the Winner Area. In 2011 The Chamber
started the Sharpshooter Classic, Bill and Joan were and are still strong
supporters of the event. Bill and Joan sponsored the first Young Gun team ( a
team of 6 kids 12 to 18 involved in shooting sports) that participated in the
competition. Bill and Joan are good
farmers are great people.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Fenenga DeSmet & Company received a 55 year service award from the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce. Pictured from left are Dan DeSmet, Gary Fenenga and Jonah Sachtjen.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Marty’s was named the business of the year at the Winner Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet on Jan. 11. Marty Flakus, owner of the business, right, is presented a plaque by Mike Scott, executive director of the Chamber.
So many
times, in our small communities we have the tendency to look at what we don’t
have in our community ( Walmart, shopping malls, etc) instead of looking at
what we do have and appreciate our businesses and what they do offer.
Winner Area
Chamber of Commerce honored a business
that most other small communities look at and wish they had a business like this in their
communities.
Marty’s is
the Chamber’s business of the year.
This
business began in Winner in 1989, by a local boy (Marty Flakus) moving back to his hometown Winner. At the time he was living in Superior, Wis.,
working for K Mart. He moved back to Winner and purchased the men’s store from
Carl Sperling that was located where the
current Chamber office is. In 1994 he moved to the mini mall his current
location and started carrying men’s & ladies fashion. Marty handles men’s,
women, accessories, tux rentals, dry cleaning services (if you can remember
back when we needed to get our film developed that is where you dropped our
film off to be printed).
In addition
to a great selection of fashions to choose from he provides great service and
honest opinions. That is how Marty has built his business with quality
products, a well merchandised store, and excellent personal customer service.
Leslie “Les” Sherwood
Jr., 49, of White River, SD passed away at his home on Saturday, Dec. 16,
2023.
Funeral service was
held on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the Wood Community Hall in
Wood, SD. Burial followed in the Winner
City Cemetery.
Leslie “Les” Howard
Sherwood Jr. (49) was born prematurely to Peggy Lee Bowers-Sherwood and Leslie
Howard Sherwood Sr. on July 21, 1974, In Winner, South Dakota. Leslie grew up
in and around the Wood and White River areas. Learning ranching from his father
Les Sherwood Sr. and mechanics from his step-father Roy Moran Sr. He was always
learning and teaching something new along the way throughout his life.
He graduated from
White River, South Dakota in 1992. After he attended technical school in
Watertown, South Dakota where he became a certified diesel mechanic.
Throughout his adult
life he worked for various implements using his mechanical skills, as a ranch
hand at a few different locations and as a mechanic at Wagner Auto in Pierre,
South Dakota. He later pursued his dream of working on his family’s ranch outside
of Wood, South Dakota, where he stayed. Les is known for his kind heart, loving
words, calming demeanor, love and his acceptance of everyone he met along his
journey. There was never a time that Les would not make sure that he could take
his grandbabies out to the pasture to see the cattle and the horses or even to
let them go with him to feed in the mornings. Among all of Les’s hobbies he
enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family. Along with the yearly camping trip
where he could enjoy family and boating. Les especially enjoyed all of the
hunting adventures he went on with his brother Henry Moran.
Les passed
unexpectedly on Dec. 16, 2023 in the early hours of the day. He will be missed
by all.
Survived by his wife,
Vickie Sherwood. His daughter Sierra Boren, son Damian Bingen (Megan) Aberdeen,
South Dakota, Jarred Bingen (Brittany) Witten, South Dakota, Trey Bingen
(Maddie) Burke, South Dakota. Along with his 6 grandbabies, Raphael Jax, Reese James,
Delilah Belle, Kensley Mae, Jackson Leslie, and Ryker Joel. Survived by his
father Les Sherwood Sr. (Lois) White River, South Dakota, Siblings Tonya
Copeland (Rich) Rapid City, South Dakota, Misty Moran (Kelly Wright Sr.)
Pierre, South Dakota, Henry Moran (Rose Larvie) White River, South Dakota,
Harold Moran (Audra) Letcher, South Dakota, Berton Moran (Cassie Jones)
Mitchell, South Dakota, Lisa Sherwood (Tyler Harter) White River, South Dakota
and Brother-in-law Gabe Schumacher Wosley, South Dakota. Bonus siblings,
Joelene Hamilton, Roy Moran Jr., Tim Moran (Breanna) and Jewels Moran. Along
with several nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by
his mother Peggy Lee Moran, sister Karin Schumacher, niece Kateri Knife,
Maternal and paternal grandparents and several aunts and uncles.
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