Thank you all for your sympathy expressed at the passing of my dad, Jack Hartinger. Whether you expressed sympathy by a hug, spoken words, a card, a meal, cookies, flowers, masses, memorial donations, or love and prayers. It is all so very much appreciated. We live in a beautiful community.

The South Dakota State Square, Folk, and Round Dance Association, is sponsoring the Fall State Square Dance Festival in Hermosa, SD. The event will be held on September 13 and 14, 2024, and will be hosted by the Southern Hills Promenaders Square Dance Club. The theme of the festival is 'Circle Left to Hermosa'. The Fall Square Dance Festival activities will begin with a Trails End Dance Friday evening, September 13, 2024, with Dan Hopper, Gillette, WY as the caller and Lurita Fugier, Hermosa, SD as round dance cuer for the evening. The Trails End dance begins at 8:00 p.m. All sessions will be held at the Hermosa School Gym at 11 4t Street in Hermosa, SD. On Saturday, September 14, 2024 there will be a Plus Dance beginning at 9:30 a.m. with Dan Hopper calling. The Fall Festival begins at 1:30 p.m. on September 14. The South Dakota Square Dance Association callers will do the calling for the afternoon. Mike Erk, Hot Springs, SD will be the afternoon Master of Ceremonies, and Lurita Fugier, Hermosa, SD will be the afternoon round dance cuer. There will be business sessions before the 7:30 p.m. Grand March. Mike Erk, Hot Springs, SD, will be the evening Master of Ceremonies and Lurita Fugier, Hermosa, SD, will be the evening round dance cuer. The public is invited to view any and all sessions.

Girl Scout Troop #40623 has been busy this summer working on earning their Bronze and Silver Awards. After completing our Outdoor and Media Journeys last summer, the girls started discussing options that could educate and impact our community. They finally decided on their project titled “Get off Gadgets and Go Outside”.

Olivia Lou Reiser of Gregory, SD, was among 569 graduates who received degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during a combined graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremony on August 17, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

At the August 14, 2024, meeting of the Gregory County Historical Society, Richard and Juanita Peterson of Wewela, SD were there to donate items to the Gregory County Historical Museum in Dallas, SD. The couple donated a Lakota Sioux peace pipe, and tokens from Lucas.

Commentary by Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA America’s political and societal winds shifted a long time ago. Prior to the mid-70s, which would be about 50 years ago, America both respected and supported familyscale farmers and ranchers who grew and raised America’s food, and there were a lot of them. At the time, America had about 2.3 million farmers and ranchers.