News

Big temperature swings aren’t unusual in this part of the country, but the weather we’ve had lately could be called extreme. The end of January had us enjoying mild temperatures in the 50s, but once February arrived, we had snow, sunshine, gusty winds, and unpredictable temperatures.

The Gregory County Board of Commissioners examined bids from 19 companies for gravel hauling, dust control, and equipment rates at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. All were accepted, giving the highway superintendent flexibility in choosing the best contractors for different jobs. See the county minutes for a detailed accounting of the bids received.

Jeremy Jensen, founder and owner of Jensen Design Build, had more than a building application and an offer for contract for deed on a lot in the Grandview Addition to discuss at the regular meeting of the Gregory City Council, Tuesday, February 18, 2025. He also took the opportunity to recall his company’s past in the community, provide an update on ongoing projects, and give a glimpse to the plans he has for the future in Gregory.

Avery Zeisler and Nick Kenzy will be among dozens of their highachieving FFA peers to receive their State FFA Degree at the 97th South Dakota State FFA Convention, April 3-5, 2025, at Dacotah Bank Center in Brookings, SD.

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On Wednesday, February 19th, members of the high school band took part in the instrumental small group contest hosted again in Gregory. The day had a slow start as a lot of schools arrived later in the morning due to the cold weather. Gregory had 14 entries in the contest. Twelve of those entries scored high enough to earn a superior and get a medal. Groups need 31-35, solos need 26-30, percussion groups/solos need 21-25 to earn a superior. Those earning a superior were: Savanah Lozano — French horn solo (26), Piper Bartlett- flute solo (26), Madi Graber — timpani solo (24), Madi Graber — marimba solo (24), Madi Graber and George Timanus — marimba duet (24), George Timanus- piano solo (27), Madi Graber-piano solo (26), Piper Bartlett and Heydan Westfallflute duet (33), Percussion Group (24), Clarinet Choir (32), and Saxophone Ensemble (35) Those missing out on medals were Charissa Ring- alto sax solo (25) and Mia Haines piano solo (25) The jazz band received scores of 34, 32, and 26 from the three judges.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 1st, at 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m. at the Burke Civic Center! This year, 15 talented 4-H youth will showcase their culinary skills as they prepare a dish, participate in a nutrition interview, and create a place setting. This exciting event helps them prepare for the Special Foods Contest at the South Dakota State Fair. We invite the community to stop by and cheer on these young chefs as they put their skills to the test! For any questions, please contact the Gregory County 4-H office.

Commentary by Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA President Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, which is run by Elon Musk and referred to as “DOGE,” is now asking the public to direct message the agency with insights on finding and fixing waste, fraud, and abuse relating to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that USDA will release the first tranche of funding that was paused due to the review of funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The South Dakota Department of Corrections is providing notification to law enforcement and the public about the pending release of state prison offender Dillon Harrington. Harrington, age 30, will be released from prison February 27, 2025, after serving the entirety of his sentence for possession of a controlled substance from Beadle County.