Gregory fans have now learned not to leave the state track meet early as the boys team title again came down to the final race of the meet. Last year Luke Stukel had to catch one runner in the 4x400 to give the team a tie for first place. This year it was Luke again, who had one runner to pass for another tie for first and two to win the team title.

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Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson announces that a petition submitted for an initiated amendment was validated and filed by her office today. This ballot question would establish a right to abortion in the Constitution of South Dakota. The title for the ballot question will be Constitutional Amendment G, and it will appear on the 2024 General Election ballot on November 5, 2024.

On Thursday, May 16, I was asked to travel with the Governor to the Southern border. Three legislators, myself included, headed to Texas in the early morning to talk to our South Dakota National Guard.

Near the end of May, we will celebrate Memorial Day, a day in which we will honor and mourn all our nation’s military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms, liberty, and independence while serving in the United States Armed Forces. May is also Military Appreciation Month, a special time for honoring and recognizing the contributions, sacrifices and service of the members of the armed forces, past and present.

The Gregory varsity football team hosted the 20th youth football camp at Mike Dacy field last week. Ninety-four campers ages six to twelve attended the event to learn more about the great game of football. Gregory football players and coaches were instructors for the camp and opened each session with football fundamentals, drills, and skills. Campers were sent to different stations around the field to practice running, tackling, passing, catching, and blocking utiliz-ing cones, bags, and pads. After a much-needed popsicle break all campers were split into teams for flag football games. All campers received a camp tee shirt and some grass stains free of charge.