Opinion

As the festive season approaches and our hearts fill with warmth and joy, let us take a moment to reflect on the local businesses in Gregory. By choosing to shop locally for the holidays, you’re not just buying gifts but investing in the well-being of our neighbors, the vibrancy of our town and the resilience of our community. This holiday season lets unite in a collective effort to make a difference, one local purchase at a time.

oem As we celebrate Veterans Day, it is important for all of us to take a step back and remember the reason for the holiday. Throughout our nation’s history, brave men and women have stepped up to serve the United States of America.

Colonel Dodge, who was the chief engineer of the Union Pacific Railway, gathered valuable statistics regarding the wholesale slaughter of the buffalo which followed the extension of the railroad across the great plains west of the Missouri and in Texas. He indicated that the building of the Union Pacific Railway in 1886 - 87, from Omaha to Cheyenne (which at the time was in the Territory of Dakota) cut through the center of the great buffalo range.

For many of us the holiday season is a time of joy and family togetherness, but, as we age, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can become overwhelming and isolating. As we all rush to the many events that happen during this season, it can be easy to forget about our loved ones who may be residing alone at home or in a care facility. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, “as many as 1 in 3 community-dwelling older adults experience loneliness. Rates of loneliness among older adults are two times higher in long-term care settings than in community settings”. It’s more important than ever to be supportive of and attentive to our loved ones in ways that keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. Here are a few ways to encourage your elderly loved ones during the holiday season.

There are many honors and responsibilities that come with my job, but none are more humbling than visiting one-on-one with our veterans and their families. Hearing their stories – stories that need to be told – is inspiring.

It’s plain and simple – only girls should play girls’ sports. This is a matter of basic biological fairness.

C ounty C ourthouse N ews Magistrate Court Zackary Allen Matthew, 27, Tampa, FL, speeding on a state highway, fine $99.00, court costs $50.00, surcharges $28.50. C ourt William Donald Fosberg, 66, disorderly conduct, court costs $100.00, surcharges $28.50, jail 30 days, suspended 26 days, credit 4 days, conditions: comply with the 24/7 sobriety program or the electronic alcohol monitor testing (SCRAM) or 90 days; pay to the clerk of courts all ordered fines and costs pursuant to the payment plan; obey all federal, state, and local laws, and municipal ordinances for 360 days; no possession or consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs, including marijuana, or controlled substances without a current prescription from a physician from whom you are receiving medical treatment, or any other substances that are used with the intent to become intoxicated for 360 days; voluntarily submit to a PBT or UA at the request of any law enforcement officer or court services officer for a period of 360 days, and pay for any costs associated with that testing; submit to a warrantless search by law enforcement of your person, home or vehicle for the presence of alcohol, illegal drugs, including marijuana, and controlled substances, for a period of 360 days; not enter any bars for 360 days, that being any business establishment that sells alcoholic beverages as its primary business.

The Omaha Daily Bee reported on May 21, 1885 that: “The American buffalo is virtually an extinct animal. There are few to be found now where millions roamed and grazed ten years ago. In 1815 the buffalo ranges extended as far east as Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa; in short, the Mississippi River marked the eastern boundary of their grazing grounds.”

Looking forward to legislative session As we close in on the start of legislative session, I have been meeting with my team to discuss how we can deliver the best possible results for the people of South Dakota during those weeks. I am also working on my budget.

M arriages Michael John Gregerson, 33, Gregory, SD, to Barbra Jane Kalenda, 39, Gregory, SD, October 14, 2023, Gregory, SD. Kurt Kendall Braun, 26, Gregory, SD, to Lauren Lee Svatos, 25, Gregory, SD, October 14, 2023, Gregory, SD.