School Board hears scoreboard proposal
Modified: Wednesday, Mar 10th, 2010
Don Hansen and Jerry Sikkink from Daktronics presented a proposal for a new electronic scoreboard at the Tiger Stadium.
The football project would be similar to the Huron Arena scoreboard, which now brings in $16,000 in revenue each year.
Daktronics Sports Marketing is a marketing division of Daktronics that provides customized, unique marketing services to help schools fund new ...more

Those dogs will hunt
Modified: Wednesday, Mar 10th, 2010
In one photo, Kelly Sharp of Wessington prepares to shoot as his german shorthair, Zigy, flushes a chukkar, a Dakota Outdoor Gundog Series event held Saturday at Ringneck Retreat, which is located south of Hitchcock. Hunters from across the state and Minnesota took part in Saturday's event. The next scheduled Gundog Series event is scheduled for March 20 at South ...more

GOP gears up for 2010 election: 19 candidates speak at Beadle County’s Lincoln Day dinner
Posted: Monday, Mar 8th, 2010
Never has there been a clearer contrast in philosophy between the two major parties at the federal level as the next election approaches, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Friday in Huron.
"What they believe in is government," he said of Democrats who now control Congress. "We believe in freedom."
Jobs and the economy are two issues Americans care most about, ...more

Budget fight includes State Fair
Posted: Monday, Mar 8th, 2010
South Dakota legislators are heading into the last five days of the main run of the session preparing for yet another familiar fight, the state budget.
And once again, District 22 lawmakers are finding themselves seeking allies to defend funding for the State Fair. After about $380,000 was sliced from the appropriation two years ago, the Republican plan unveiled last ...more

Sharing ideas
Posted: Saturday, Mar 6th, 2010
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., center, talks to Larry Nickelson, left, and John Carr, both of Miller, at the Beadle County Lincoln Day Dinner held Saturday evening at the Huron Event Center. Full coverage of the event will be published in Sunday's edition.
PHOTO BY CRYSTAL PUGSLEY/PLAINSMAN ...more

High water expected: Projections show 89 percent chance of major flooding on James River in town
Posted: Saturday, Mar 6th, 2010
Gradual melting and minimal precipitation would lessen problems, but the latest projections show an 89 percent chance of major flooding along the James River at Huron, state officials say.
"You're in one of the hot spot areas," Gov. Mike Rounds said as he and other public safety officials met Friday morning with city, county and township representatives from Beadle ...more

State Fair funding up for debate
Posted: Saturday, Mar 6th, 2010
Trimming support once again for the South Dakota State Fair isn't something Gov. Mike Rounds agrees with, but as with other proposed cuts from Republican legislative leaders he said he expects a healthy, philosophical debate.
After legislators reduced state support for the fair by $350,000 a couple years ago, the GOP plan is to cut another $100,000.
Overall, Republicans are ...more

Herseth Sandlin won’t vote for current health bills
Posted: Friday, Mar 5th, 2010
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin doesn't support fellow Democrats who want to push health care reform legislation through the Senate through a reconciliation procedure requiring only 51 votes.
When it comes to the House, the Senate bill, as is, also won't get her vote, she said in a conference call Thursday.
Herseth Sandlin said she has serious concerns about the bill ...more

Flow of area stimulus money will increase with rise in temperature
Posted: Friday, Mar 5th, 2010
South Dakota communities will see increasing benefits with federal stimulus dollars as spring arrives and contractors get started on infrastructure projects, the state director of the Agriculture Department's Rural Development office said Thursday.
"I think that we're really looking at times when construction can start to open up a little bit," Elsie Meeks said.
"We haven't had time for it ...more

Bleeding blue and gold
Posted: Friday, Mar 5th, 2010
Wessington Springs fans cheer on their team during Thursday night's District 9B Championship game at Huron Arena. The Spartans fell, 73-59, to James Valley Christian. For more on all the area games from Thursday see Page 8 and 9. ...more

Profile of hope: Huron profiled for rebound after pork plant closure
Posted: Thursday, Mar 4th, 2010
A regional trade magazine profiled Huron in its February edition as a community that has rebounded and is doing well in the years since the Dakota Pork plant abruptly closed in 1997.
While the immediate loss of more than 800 jobs threw the city into a recession -- with unemployment reaching 9 percent a month after the plant's closing -- ...more

Thune’s bill to target incentives for small businesses voted down
Posted: Thursday, Mar 4th, 2010
Sen. John Thune's amendment to target tax incentives to small businesses by redirecting unspent money in the $862 billion stimulus bill failed on the Senate floor Wednesday.
It died 38-61.
In a conference call a few hours before the vote, Thune, R-S.D., said his bill would encourage small businesses to invest in new capital and hire workers.
Using stimulus money ...more

Iroquois father, son indicted on traffic death charge
Posted: Wednesday, Mar 3rd, 2010
An Iroquois father and son have been indicted on manslaughter charges in connection with the September 2008 traffic death of a Washington State woman in Huron.
Kyle A. Gross, 52, and Brady A. Gross, 23, made initial court appearances Tuesday. Each is charged with first-degree manslaughter and, in the alternative, second-degree manslaughter in the death of Barbara A. Walter, 59, ...more

Final Coffee with the Legislators forum Saturday
Posted: Wednesday, Mar 3rd, 2010
The last in the series of Coffee with the Legislators forums begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at the municipal building in Huron.
Invited to speak to constituents and answer questions are Sen. Tom Hansen, R-Huron; Reps. Peggy Gibson, D-Huron; and Quinten Burg, D-Wessington Springs; of District 22, and Sen. Art Fryslie, R-Willow Lake; and Reps. Kristi Noem, R-Castlewood; and Brock ...more

Spring melt: City officials begin plans to minimize probable flooding
Posted: Tuesday, Mar 2nd, 2010
With the James River already nearing flood stage, Huron city officials are moving forward with plans to minimize problems as the deep snow pack begins melting in earnest.
City Engineer Mike Wever briefed the commission Monday on steps several city departments are taking now.
Flood stage at the gauging station near the bridge is 10 feet, and the river is ...more

Two HHS debaters qualify for nationals
Posted: Tuesday, Mar 2nd, 2010
BROOKINGS -- Two Huron High School students qualified for the national tournament and the team finished fourth in the final standings at the Northern South Dakota NFL National Qualifying Tournament here last weekend.
The two qualifying students are Natasha Hernandez in humorous interpretation and Kortny Sterrett in dramatic interpretation.
Two students qualify in each event for the nationals. Joining Hernandez ...more

Time running short, answers still needed in Pierre
Posted: Monday, Mar 1st, 2010
With nine days left in the session, Rep. Quinten Burg, D-Wessington Springs, still doesn't know how the Appropriations Committee he sits on will cover the $30 to $40 million budget shortfall.
But he sees nothing wrong with dipping into reserve funds instead of finding all of the money through budget cuts. Gov. Mike Rounds also wants to use reserves.
Local ...more

Veterans speak up for Operation Free
Posted: Monday, Mar 1st, 2010
Spending billions of dollars to buy oil from hostile countries makes no sense when they are using the money to recruit insurgents to kill and injure American troops, a former Marine Corps sniper from Arkansas said Friday in Huron.
Matt Victoriano served two tours in Iraq. He and three other military veterans are in South Dakota as part of an ...more

Huron Community Foundation ready to accept grant applications
Posted: Monday, Mar 1st, 2010
The application period for the 2010 Huron Community Foundation annual grants begins Friday and has a deadline of April 9.
Foundation grants totaling $20,000 will be available.
Despite difficult economic times when many organizations are cutting back, the Huron Community Foundation is proud to announce it is increasing its annual availability for grants. It is possible due to the excellent ...more

Huron plays host to science bowl
Posted: Monday, Mar 1st, 2010
The Greater Sioux Falls Home-Schooled team swept through the 17th annual South Dakota Regional Science Bowl, beating defending champion Aberdeen Central in the finals, here Saturday.
A total of 29 teams participated in the daylong event held in the Huron Event Center.
The event was first scheduled for Jan. 23, but postponed because of inclement weather.
Finishing third in the ...more

Commission puts wheel tax on ballot
Posted: Saturday, Feb 27th, 2010
Beadle County commissioners are hoping the third time is the charm in their effort to double the wheel tax to raise more money for deteriorating roads and bridges.
Rather than imposing the tax increase and facing another potential referral to a public vote, commissioners have decided to put the question on the ballot themselves.
Moving forward now means they can ...more

Uncontested is the word this spring in Huron
Posted: Saturday, Feb 27th, 2010
Don't mark April 13 as Election Day on the calendar.
There won't be one in Huron.
Two incumbents on the City Commission were unopposed as of Friday's 5 p.m. deadline for filing nominating petitions, and two newcomers will replace two incumbents choosing not to seek re-election on the Huron Board of Education.
Mayor David McGirr and Commissioner Kerwin Haeder were ...more

Health care still divides state’s Washington delegation
Posted: Friday, Feb 26th, 2010
As President Obama and members of Congress sparred in a nationally televised daylong health care summit, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., said she was hoping "today's discussion goes beyond talking points."
Consensus emerged on several issues, while Democrats and Republicans stood firm on others. Some still hold out hope for a public option.
"But in my opinion it's not a ...more

Plans for plant resubmitted
Posted: Friday, Feb 26th, 2010
A new variance request to allow for the construction of a byproducts facility to process turkey offal from the Dakota Provisions plant in Huron will go before the City Commission in late March.
Greater Huron Development Corporation and Dakota Gobblers LLC submitted a new joint application for the variance on Wednesday. The original application was withdrawn last week because of ...more

Finding a niche in Huron
Posted: Thursday, Feb 25th, 2010
According to Jan Cederquist, she has been a librarian since she was 5 years old, so the Huron Public Library gained a lot of experience and love of books when she began her job as library director Jan. 29.
Cederquist and her husband, Kevin, visited Huron over New Year's and even got snowed in for an extra day. That was ...more

Back to Work: Jobs bill is first step, Democrats say; others say it increases burden
Posted: Thursday, Feb 25th, 2010
A jobs bill that Democrats say is just the first round in the effort to put Americans back to work is being criticized by some for increasing the budget deficit and further laying the burden on future generations.
The bill passed 70-28 and heads back to the House.
"I think it's a good start," Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said in ...more

Prospective nursing students attend Nursing Maze
Posted: Thursday, Feb 25th, 2010
Thirteen prospective nursing students attended the Nursing Maze recruiting program Wednesday at the Huron Community Center.
The potential nursing students were given information on how to enroll and apply for scholarships.
Adele Jacobson, administrative chair of the DWU nursing program at Huron, said she currently has 13 sophomores and 11 freshmen in the class, along with three students who are ...more