News

On Sunday, March 31, brothers Jerry and Guy Marts were each awarded a Quilt of Honor in a ceremony at the Berean Church in Gregory. Quilts of Valor are awarded to service members or veterans who have been touched by war as a way to thank them for their service and sacrifice to our nation.

Commentary by Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA The U.S. Senate just passed a resolution of disapproval to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implementing a trade policy the agency estimated would injure American ranchers by up to $24 million annually. But history tells us the USDA is notorious for grossly understating the economic injuries its trade policies are causing American ranchers.

Mykala Voita recently announced her candidacy for State Senate in District 21. Encompassed within District 21 are the hardy people within the counties of Tripp, Gregory, Charles Mix, Aurora, and Douglas counties. Mykala is a Gregory County born and raised resident, whose family has deep roots planted in the county six generations deep. Mykala resides outside of Bonesteel, SD with her husband, Justice, and two children: Ember & Asher.

The Freeman Network for Justice and Peace is hosting the first of what will be a series of programs offering a closer look at the ongoing Hamas-Israeli conflict Sunday afternoon, April 7 at the Freeman Community Center auditorium located at 224 S. Wipf Street in Freeman.

Chamberlain, SD auctioneer Chisum Peterson of Peterson Land & Auction LLC, recently completed his training at the prestigious Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI). Developed by the National Auction Association (NAA), the CAI program is the industry’s premier training program for auction professionals.

Commentary by Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA How do we begin fixing America’s economy, an economy that has been offshoring manufacturing and production for decades, resulting in a trade deficit in goods of over $1 trillion in 2023; and that has shifted from a producer of goods to a service provider; and that has lost 5 million manufacturing jobs during just the past two decades; and that has seen the purchasing power of middle Americans shrink but continues nevertheless to overtax them; and that within just the past five years has become a net importer of, of all things, food?

SDPB staff and producers will host a community conversation at the Burke Community Center 822 Main St., Burke, SD, on April 11, 2024, to collect stories for a future episode of Dakota Life Burke. Community members are invited to stop by anytime between 2-4:00 p.m. and 5-7:00 p.m. to share their stories and learn more about Dakota Life.

Gregory County FFA members had an early morning on Monday, March 18, as they competed in the Tri Valley CDE contest, held at the W. H. Lyons Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls. This was the first time we competed in this contest. Results are as follows: Ag Mechanics, 6th out of 41 teams: Carson Peck, 5th; Jamsion VanderPol, 39th; Dawson York, 46th; Hunter Hitchcock, 97th; Mason Simison 119th Agronomy, 24th out of 36 teams: Ben Stevicks, 71st; Riki Bruns, 84th; Bella Duerfeldt, 90th Floriculture, 10th out of 45 teams: Regan Graesser, 3rd; Adelyn Veskrna, 66th; Libby Krcil, 71st; Vanessa Fischer, 90th; Lily Jacobsen, 102nd; Daytona Paris, 107th; Allison Walker, 148th Horse, 14th out of 25 teams: Morgan Peck, 39th; Wyatt Vomacka, 57th; Tamara Imhof, 70th Livestock, 30th out of 49 teams: Jes VanderPol, 53rd; Ava Kerner, 118th; Shyanna Steffen, 155th; Mattie Kerner, 158th Meats, 17th out of 25 teams: Leo Mosterd, 32nd; Morgan Tietgen, 84th; Alex Songer, 92nd Natural Resources, 22nd out of 44 teams: Matthew Smith, 52nd; Bryce Bartling, 107th; Iker Diaz Montilla, 124th; Arthur Jaffray, 160th Vet Science, 21st out of 45 teams: Avery Zeisler, 49th; Aubree Miller, 73rd; Naomi Hanson, 107th; Ella Sperl, 136th This was the biggest contest the chapter has been to, with over 60 schools and almost 2,000 students competing. The members were scheduled to attend the district contest in Scotland on March 26, for the chance to compete at State, but that has been rescheduled for April 4.

Missing and murdered indigenous persons have garnered more attention in recent years after cases have gone sometimes decades with no answers. Library Director Tara Engel is doing her part to help with this. She has qualified for a grant through the South Dakota Humanities Council to bring in speakers to the Gregory Public Library for at least two sessions to help create more awareness about the issue.

The Gregory Youth Wrestling Club returned from the state tournament held in Rapid City, SD, on March 15-17, 2024, with 12 place finishers, two of which brought home a state championship. This is the largest group Gregory has taken to the state tournament in recent history.