News

The Burke Riding Club hosted its jr. rodeo on Saturday, August 12, 2023.

Hometown girl Michelle Birkeland will begin her career with the Gregory School District this year as a paraprofessional. A Gregory High School graduate, Birkeland went on to obtain an associate of applied science degree from Mitchell Tech.

From July 30th to August 11th, the music department had 24 total students attend Rushmore Music Camp. Twenty kids, grades sixth - ninth attended the Junior High Rushmore Music Camp held in Aberdeen, and four high school kids attended camp help at Camp Judson in the Black Hills.

Ronald Reagan had a famous line he often used during campaign debates: “Well, there you go again.” I think about that line every time Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) resurfaces. Representative Dusty Johnson recently joined Senator Thune and Senator Rounds bringing forward an MCOOL bill, and once again, agriculture will be debating the need for MCOOL legislation. This is very disappointing to me because I feel there are far more important issues to agriculture that we should be talking about as we are working on a new Farm Bill. The current Farm Bill expires in September and issues such as MCOOL detract from the critical issues that must be in the new bill.

The South Dakota Democratic Party ousted Jennifer Slaight-Hansen as state chair on Saturday amid accusations that she violated party rules and created a hostile work environment for staff. The party`s State Central Committee voted 57-0, with two abstentions, to remove Slaight-Hansen.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) recently launched a version of the Behavioral Health Voucher Program, offering funding assistance for mental health services to employees of statelicensed and registered childcare providers.

Gregory County 4-H held their 2023 Achievement Days at the Burke Rodeo Arena August 5-8. Saturday kicked off Achievement Days with a dog demonstration by Sawyer Tietgen at the Burke City Park right before the Dog Days parade. Display exhibit judging started Sunday, August 6th, at the Burke Civic Center, with a dessert bar stocked with desserts made by 4-Hers.

Zucchini season is in full swing - unless the squash beetles have invited themselves to your garden. Regardless of how many or few hills of this summer staple we plant, it seems to come much faster than we can use it. So, before you start sneaking it onto your neighbors’ porches, freeze some to use in recipes throughout the winter. Or try one of the following recipes - or one of a multitude that can be found online. It doesn’t even require much creativity to sneak some of this mild vegetable into just about any recipe.

Suzanne Braun, head cook for the Gregory School District, was first up as the regular meeting of the school board was called to order at 5:30 p.m., Monday, August 14. Braun had applied for and been awarded a grant totaling $149,750 for kitchen upgrades at the school. She explained that the grant hasongoing requirements that she will have to meet throughout the year. One of the things she plans to do is start a student food council in which students will help research different recipes.

Prairie View Gospel Barn will host The Craguns for an evening of music, laughter, and faith on Sunday, August 20. The doors will open at 5:00 for a hamburger or cheeseburger meal, and the concert will begin at 6:30 p.m.