The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) says that the construction project to renovate S.D. Highway 53 in Tripp County was recently awarded by the Transportation Commission. The contract for this construction project includes cold milling one inch from the current in-place asphalt concrete to restore profile and crown, placement of a new two-inch lift of asphalt surfacing over top of the milled surface, erosion repair, pipe repair, and approach guardrail upgrades.

Over the past few months, the Winner Regional Health and Wellness Foundation has been active in the community in an effort to secure funding for a 3D mammography. As noted in previous articles, this equipment and service agreement comes at a price tag upwards of $300,000.00. While we are not quite there yet, the Foundation has been incredibly fortunate for the generosity of the Stanley-Jones Trust which awarded $40,000.00 towards the cause. Initially, they awarded the Foundation $25,000.00 for the new 3D mammography; however, through their focus on healthcare, they recently awarded another $15,000.00. Their support demonstrates their commitment to central South Dakota and ensuring that communities have the necessary equipment to provide equal access to healthcare. Their contribution has had a significant impact on helping the Foundation move closer towards its goal.

Gregory Elementary graduated 37 kindergarteners on Tuesday, daughter of Jamie and Chris VanDerWerff. Kindergarten May 10, 2022 at the Gregory Memorial Auditorium. The teachers are JoAnna Lanz and Kaitlyn Steffen. kindergarten speaker was eighth grader Asia VanDerWerff, (Submitted photo)

Nature has a way of humbling us, of stepping into our lives with previously unthought power and reminding us what truly matters. That's how I felt these past two days while surveying storm damage across much of South Dakota.

John Joseph Ishmael, 40, Winner, SD, speedinG on a state highway, fine $39.00, court costs $50.00, surcharges $28.50. Ramee Jo Hanson, 19, Burke, SD, speeding on other roadways, fine $59.00, court costs $50.00, surcharges $28.50..

Please join in a critical look at the razzle-dazzle of the news about the crises facing us all. We are now learning to live with COVID so we can get on with our lives. The US has passed 1 million deaths from the virus. Those of us who are vaccinated aren’t afraid of using masks and taking precautions so we don’t have to worry. Not wearing a mask became such a symbol of defying big government regulation, and vaccination became so political in this country, I wonder what would have happened if the vaccine had been called the Trump vaccine. There are so many side effects from the pandemic and its effect on people’s lives that total recovery will take a long time. But vaccine research had given us new vaccines for the rest of the world. The shutdown in China illustrates the problem of a dictatorial government which does not have an effective vaccine, and President Xi Jinping must keep control of the virus to get his dictatorship renewed. When their economy is shut down, it affects availability and prices of things here.