January 24, 2017 • Page 8 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Taking On The Meth Problem Obtain Firewood from In-State Sources PIERRE, S.D.- Camp fires or fire pits are becoming a common sight year round in South Dakota. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) reminds people to get firewood from the local area to prevent transportation of unwanted forest pests into and around the state. South Dakota Department of Agriculture forest health specialist Dr. John Ball says, “There are nearly two million forested acres in South Dakota and an additional one million acres of non-forested land with trees. Many states in the Great Plains region near South Dakota have areas under quarantine for pests such as emerald ash borer (EAB), gypsy moth and Asian longhorned beetle.” Federal law makes it illegal to move any regulated items from quarantined zones out of those states and into South Dakota without a state or federal inspection certificate or a stamp certifying compliance of proper treatment, such as a heat treatment. Dr. Ball says, “While firewood is the vector for movement, it's not campgrounds anymore. It is firewood moved to homes carrying the unwanted insects, hence the increase in pest discoveries, such as EAB, in more residential neighborhoods.” Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture's mission is to promote, protect and preserve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit SDDA online at http://sdda. sd.gov or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SD Ag Chat podcasts can be found in the Ag News section at http://sdda.sd.gov/news. You may subscribe, free of charge, through Google Play Music, iTunes or from https://sdagchat.podbean.com/. New At The Library Here’s what’s new at the Yankton Community Library this week: ADULT BOOKS • The Antiques by Kris D’Agostino; Fiction • The Dark Room by Jonathan Moore; Fiction • Dead Cold Brew by Cleo Coyle; Fiction • Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson; Fiction • The Old Man by Thomas Perry; Fiction • Whiplash: How to Survive Our Faster Future by Joi Ito; Nonfiction • If Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining a Human Body by James Hamblin; Nonfiction ADULT AUDIO BOOKS • True Faith and Allegiance by Tom Clancy; Fiction ——— Did you know that you can reserve an item from home? Staff will then notify you as soon as the item is available. By Gov. Dennis Daugaard: I recently heard a story about a young man who was exposed to meth as a child. The young man, named Chris, grew up around meth and the violence that the drug brings. Like any normal kid, he wanted attention from the adults in his life. But while most kids are trying to gain approval by getting good grades, making the basketball team or winning a role in the school play, at 12 years old Chris began to use and deal meth to receive that attention. Using and dealing led Chris to get into fights and to start stealing. At age 17, Chris overdosed. Meth is a problem in South Dakota. Like other states, we are seeing an increase in methamphetamine trafficking and more meth-related arrests and convictions. To address the epidemic, we need to stop meth from coming into our state, prevent meth use and help those who are addicted. I am joining with the attorney general to propose a joint drug interdiction task force, comprised of four new Highway Patrol officers, joined by designated agents of the Division of Criminal Investigation. The attorney general and the Department of Social Services are also both focused on educating young people about meth, and a legislative Pancake Breakfast Slated For Tabor TABOR — The Tabor Chamber of Commerce will hold a pancake breakfast on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Tabor American Legion Hall. Serving will take place from 9:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. The menu will include pancakes, sausage patties, eggs, coffee and juice. Proceeds will go toward a scholarship fund. BULL SALES Church Benefit Talent Show, Meal Feb. 4 Yankton’s Riverview Re- formed Church, 1700 Burleigh St., will present Riverview Reformed Church Youth “Riverview’s Got Talent” meal and show Saturday, Feb. 4, at the church. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. There will be a ham meal, with the show starting afterwards. This event is a fundraiser for high school seniors to go to Rocky Mountain High this summer. Junior high school youth are doing an Urban Plunge Summer 2017. Tickets for this fundraiser are $10. For more information, call (605) 665-9204 or email rprc@iw.net. BULL SALES ARE COMING UP Be sure to get your advertising in! Contact a marketing representative at the MV Shopper MV Shopper M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y 319 Walnut Street • Yankton, SD 57078 605-665-5884 • 800-743-2968 M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y Fax: 605-665-0288 www.missourivalleyshopper.com interim committee considered this issue as well. Starting this year, the managers of state anti-meth programs will meet regularly to coordinate these efforts and maximize their impact. For those who are on probation or parole, I am proposing measures to reinforce good behavior and to punish bad behavior. We will establish a mandatory sanction of required jail time for anyone on probation or parole who fails a drug test. This will guarantee swift and certain sanctions for offenders who choose to use drugs. Conversely, to help those who are already addicted to meth, I am proposing we incentivize effective completion of treatment. We will allow supervision to be terminated early for parolees and probationers who stay clean, complete treatment and don’t violate the terms of their supervision for at least a year. Offenders who complete all court-ordered treatment within one year will be given one opportunity to reduce a drug possession or ingestion charge from a felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor. This option would only be available once for each offender. I am also recommending grants to expand HOPE 24/7 Probation to all counties. HOPE 24/7 is similar to the successful 24/7 program for alcohol offenders. HOPE 24/7 has been implemented in ten counties, and provides intensive probation and treatment for serious drug offenders, who are required to take random drug tests to ensure that they stay clean. Meth is an extremely addictive drug that ruins homes and destroys lives. Meth changes brain functions and affects the central nervous system. Those who use the drug may experience paranoia, delusions, severe tooth decay and skin sores. Trying meth just once can lead to death. Thankfully, the young man I described is still with us, and he has been sober for a year now. When Chris moved to South Dakota, he was arrested for having drugs in his vehicle and placed in the juvenile justice system. That is where his journey to recovery began. These reforms have the potential to help those who, like Chris, enter the criminal justice system because of a drug addiction. There will be more opportunities for offenders to receive help and fight the vicious family cycle of drug abuse. The proposals will save our taxpayers money, make our communities safer and, ultimately, bring more South Dakotans to begin the journey to recovery. Grandparent Scam Continues To Target South Dakota Seniors PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley is again warning South Dakota seniors that the grandparent scam has resurfaced targeting all parts of the state. The scam begins with a telephone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild or other family member and requests money for a critical situation. Consumers need to be aware that the scammers are getting better at targeting their victims by the use of the internet and social media - they are doing their homework to make the call sound more legitimate. Some calls have multiple scammers on the line impersonating the “grandchild’s” attorney. The “attorney” indicates that they have already made an agreement with a judge and all they are waiting for are funds to be received in order for the grandchild to be released. If the scam works, the victim will wire money and by the time the senior realizes what happened, the money is long gone and most likely not recoverable. Tips to avoid becoming a victim: • Ask several personal questions in- cluding something that only a grandchild would be able to answer like a nickname, name of a family pet or special family tradition. This will help determine if this is a fraud or not. • Independently contact the grandchild or parent of the grandchild the scam artist is claiming to be at a known phone number. • Do not fill in the blanks for the caller. If the caller says, “This is your granddaughter,” ask “which one?” or “where are you calling from?” The caller is looking for answers that will assist them in the scam. • Be cautious if the caller asks you to not tell anyone else, like the parents, because he or she will get in trouble. It is all part of the scam. If you believe the call is fraudulent then contact your local law enforcement agency. Those who have already sent money should contact the Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or by email at consumerhelp@state.sd.us. MV Shopper 665-5884 MV Shopper M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y In Print and Online!