Articles
Head of city Park and Rec set to retire
The longtime director of Mitchell’s Park and Recreation Department is retiring. Randy Ahrendt, 58, is leaving the position after 20 years. His last day will be Arbor Day, April 30, which will be a fitting day to end the career of a man whose duties include the care of more than 12,000 trees in the city.
Senators turn focus to loans
The rift between South Dakota’s U.S. senators caused by health-care reform has now turned to the portion of the legislation that impacts the student-loan industry.
The Senate is considering a “fixer” bill aimed at amending portions of the newly adopted health-care legislation. The bill includes language inserted by House Democrats that would eliminate the private lending option for federally guaranteed student loans.
Stadium bids come in $400,000 over budget
Bids for the demolition and reconstruction of the Joe Quintal Field stadium are about $400,000 over budget, but Superintendent Joe Graves said Friday he will recommend spending the extra money.
RELATED CONTENTFlooding on James concerns officials
Authorities remain concerned about flooding on the James River near Mitchell, but concerns about flooding on other local bodies of water are subsiding.
The U.S. Geological Survey announced Wednesday that the James River just east of Mitchell reached its second-highest recorded level, at 24.94 feet and rising. That’s 7.94 feet above the 17-foot baseline flood level, and just 0.39 feet below the record of 25.33 set in April 2001.
Officials: End of watershed project won't spell doom for Firesteel, Lake Mitchell
Two watershed project managers say efforts to clean up the waters of Firesteel Creek and Lake Mitchell will continue, regardless of what happens to the Firesteel Creek/Lake Mitchell Watershed Project.
The project’s funding is scheduled to expire June 30. Dave Kringen, the project manager, said an April 5 meeting about the project’s future should answer many questions.
Council shaves $105,000 off Dr. Lucky’s assessment
The Mitchell Board of Equalization recommended Monday evening at City Hall that $105,275 be shaved off a local business’ assessed value.
The county director of equalization’s proposed 2010 value for Dr. Lucky’s Bar and Grill, located at 205 N. Main St., is $230,275. That’s the same as the 2009 value, but it’s a 407 percent increase over the 2008 value of $45,455. The assessed value is used in calculations to determine a property owner’s tax bill.
Herseth Sandlin, Thune push for stronger EPA blockade than Johnson
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin reiterated her support Thursday for a stiff-arm of the Environmental Protection Agency on its plan to regulate greenhouse gases, one day after Sen. Tim Johnson advocated a more measured approach. Sen. John Thune, meanwhile, has been advocating against EPA regulation of greenhouse gases for months.
Lake committee looks at circulators to fight algae blooms
Water circulators could soon be proposed as a method for reducing algae blooms on Lake Mitchell.
The Lake Mitchell Advisory Committee heard a presentation Wednesday afternoon at City Hall from the SolarBee company, which is headquartered in Dickinson, N.D. The company has installed hundreds of its SolarBee circulators in various types of waterbodies.
City’s debt drops by $1.8 million
The city of Mitchell’s long-term debt decreased by about $1.8 million in 2009, according to a report provided to the City Council earlier this month.
Finance Officer Marilyn Wilson presented the city’s annual financial report to the council March 1. Included in the report is a single-page summary of each of the city’s long-term debts.
S.D. senators still in opposite corners of health-care debate
South Dakota’s U.S. senators remain entrenched in opposite corners of the health-care reform fight.
Each conducted his own conference call Wednesday with reporters. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, said he supports the pending legislation and considers this to be one of the most important moments in his two-plus decades of congressional service. Defeat of the health-care bill, he said, would be tantamount to a defeat of Social Security in the 1930s or Medicare in the 1960s.
Columns
Opinion: In digital age, political firestorms easy to create
With the convenience and affordability of e-mail, it’s entirely too easy to create a political controversy these days.
All one needs to do is read or hear something, experience a knee-jerk reaction and e-mail those reactionary feelings to the media in the form of a news release.
The following textbook example was issued last week by the South Dakota Republican Party.
Opinion: ‘Peanuts’ on its way out
In September, I received a letter stating that United Feature Syndicate had sold the “Peanuts” property to Peanuts Worldwide LLC. Until that point, we had been paying United Feature Syndicate for the right to publish “Peanuts” comic strips in our newspaper for as long as anybody around here can remember.
RELATED CONTENTOpinion: Kloucek's appeal evident at recent dinner
It should have come as no surprise to anyone at last week’s Planning and Development District III Legislative Dinner that Rep. Frank Kloucek positioned himself to speak first.
RELATED CONTENTOpinion: Water in sump hole is real first sign of spring
Spring has arrived.
Never mind your calendar.
Never mind that we’re only two days removed from an overnight low temperature of 5 below zero.
Never mind that we have 10 inches of snowpack.
Just trust me. Spring has arrived.
Opinion: SOS for small towns
Last week, Gov. Dennis Daugaard referenced the largely forgotten name of Robert S. Vessey to make a point about the fleeting nature of power and fame.
Daugaard, addressing the Legislature during his first State of the State address, said it was 100 years ago when Vessey became the first governor to deliver a State of the State address in the then-new Capitol building in Pierre.
Opinion: Don’t overlook impact of candidates’ spouses
I’m both horrified and entertained by the “Jaywalking” segment on Jay Leno’s late-night television show.
The gag is simple: Jay walks out on the street with a camera and a list of trivia questions that pretty much every American should be able to answer, and he stops people and asks the questions.
Opinion: 'Westernizing' The Daily Republic
I’m a sucker for all things western, and I don’t make any attempt to hide it.
The fascination started early. When I was a toddler, one of my first words was “bupablo” — my attempt to say “buffalo” — and I cherished a stuffed-animal buffalo that my parents bought for me. Shortly after my daughter was born, one of the first gifts I gave her was a stuffed-animal buffalo I bought at Wall Drug. We — or I, to be honest — named it “Chippy.”
Opinion: Widespread moderation not likely in eating or politics
When I was in high school, I traveled through Germany as part of a tour for students who’d studied the German language.
The first week, I stayed with a host family. My host mother was an enthusiastic and prolific cook, and she offered a memorable pearl of wisdom to me one day as I was enjoying the fruits of her culinary labor.
“All food is good for you,” she said, “in moderation.”
Opinion: Explosions may be more preventable than we think
Shouldn’t we be doing more to prevent house explosions?
In just the past three years, there have been four house explosions in our little part of South Dakota. One caused a death, two left their single occupants badly injured, and one occurred when nobody was home. Three were caused by natural gas leaks, and one was caused by a propane leak.
Opinion: Time to enforce ‘food for votes’ law
In the wake of the Nov. 2 election, I’m tired of hearing politicians talk.
I’m especially tired of hearing them talk — and never act — on so-called “food for votes” scandals.
On Oct. 14, The Daily Republic was among the first to report that Democratic voter feeds and early voting rallies scheduled that day on the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations — plus one held previously on the Pine Ridge reservation — were allegedly illegal.
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