January 28, 2020 • Page 14 Year In Review January 2 Ron and Jan Bertsch Honored for Decades of Service to their adopted hometown have been chosen at this year’s 2018 “Citizens of the Year”. A reception in their honor will be held at a later date. Longtime sports official and sports personality Colin Kapitan passed away unexpectedly last week at age 78. Kappy (as he was called by many people) officiated at many regional high school and college basketball or football games. January 5 Eugene “Mean Gene” Okerlund, 76, formerly of Sisseton, South Dakota has died. He was a pro wrestling interviewer who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. The first baby born at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in 2019 was Aaron Martin-Morales, weighing seven pounds and three ounces, is the son of Lieta Morales Cabrera and Gilberto Martin Martinez of Yankton. January 6 President Trump said Friday he could keep parts of the government shut down for months or even years. He said Democratic leaders failed in a closed door meeting to meet his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico. ing and Gary Swensen. January 10 After a fatal traffic accident a Yankton family will donate their daughter’s organs to help others. Brad and Rhonda Bender will donate their daughter, Brooklyn’s organs. The family asked if her liver would be a possible match for her best friend’s mother who is in need for a liver transplant. The Benders were able to call her friend Keeley’s mom and tell her she was a match. Avera staff said they had never in the 30 years of doing organ transplants; had a direct donation and transplant before. Several of Brooklyn’s organs were given to others; she was able to save four people with her life. January 11 The Yankton County Commission approved a conditional use permit for an ethanol plant to be built at Napa Junction. January 12 Stockmen’s Livestock Market held a rollover auction to raise money for the widow and children of Kyle Mueller who died in an accident on January 3. The partial government shutdown has become the longest closure in U.S. history. A solution couldn’t come soon enough for the 800,000 government workers who didn’t get paid on Friday. January 7 Kristi Noem was sworn in as South Dakota’s first female governor with her husband First Gentleman Bryon Noem by her side. A four term congresswoman, she is trading Washington, DC for Pierre as the 33rd governor of South Dakota. A 21 year old Wisconsin man, Jake Thomas Patterson was arrested in Jayne Closs abduction and her parent’s deaths in October 2018. Jayne’s parents were killed and she was abducted but she managed to get away and notify a neighbor who in turn notify authorities. January 9 The Yankton County Commission swore in three new commissioners Cheri Loest, Joseph Healy and Dan Klimisch took the oath of office yesterday. They join fellow commissioners Don Ketter- January 15 Curt Wayne Adams Sr. was sentenced to 18 year in the South Dakota State Petitionary for the 2016 officer involved shooting in the 600 block of Green St. in Yankton. 5 YEARS IN BUSINESS 6 YEARS IN BUSINESS 9 YEARS IN BUSINESS 11 YEARS IN BUSINESS 2019 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com President Trump rejected a short term fix to reopen the government, Monday he declared he would “Never ever back down”. Negotiations continue with Democrats over his demand for 5.7 billion to build the wall along the U.S. –Mexico border. The government shutdown battle between President Donald Trump and newly elected Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is becoming a political battle. Trump issued a letter to Pelosi just before she and other lawmakers were set to depart on a previously undisclosed trip to Afghanistan and Brussels. Trump said it was a public relations event and it would be best if they remain in Washington and continued negotiations to reopen the government. 17 YEARS IN BUSINESS 17 YEARS IN BUSINESS February 8 Ribfest is set to return to downtown Yankton this June. Jeff Dayhuff announced his plans to continue the tradition and has set June 1 as the date for this year’s Ribfest. February 14 Sheila Gestring was inaugurated as the University of South Dakota’s 18th President. She replaced Jim Abbott, who is retiring. She becomes the second alumni and woman to hold this office. Today is day 28 of the government shutdown. President Trump said he would make a major announcement on the shutdown and the border. The President and his aides said he will not budge on his demand for $5.7 billion for his border wall. February 15 Yankton’s third Valentine’s Day Community Support Sack was delivered by Avera Sacred Heart Hospital and the Yankton Catholic Respect for Life. They delivered 200 totes filled with toiletries to Pathways Shelter for the Homeless, River City Domestic Violence Center and the Human Services Center. As part of their community project for Catholic School week the students at Sacred Heart Elementary School filled the totes. February 1 Tonya Graff, Yankton Hy-Vee store director is retiring this week after 34 years of service to the company, nine of them here in Yankton. South Dakota made national news as the 13th state to pass a law that dispenses with requirement that law abiding people need to have a permit in order to legally carry a concealed weapon. February 16 Yankton High School senior Oliver Dickman is speaking out about a personal matter, his identity as a transgender male and the impacts of legislation currently being considered in Pierre. He is one of a number of youths in the state of South Dakota who is facing a harsh truth. There are five new inductees into the Yankton High School Hall of Fame. Michael Cwach, Haley Haas, Scott Luken and Ted & Jennifer Powell. 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One of those in attendance from the Yankton area was Debra Bodenstedt of the USS South Dakota Commissioning Committee. January 18 The board of the Chopper Johnson Foundation recently donated $1,600 to help RTEC upgrade to a 30 watt laser in its engraver. Enjoy our authentic Mexican food, prepared from 100% authentic recipes in a YEARS IN BUSINESS beautiful, relaxing atmosphere. 13 reception will be part of the “Evening with the Arts”. 2502 Fox Run Parkway 605.260.1701 eltapatio-sd.com Sudbeck Painting, lnc. Commercial • Residential • Interiors • Exteriors • Finish Woodwork Keith Sudbeck Free Estimates • Call: (605) 661-0796 2209 E. Hwy. 50 sudbeckpaintinginc@yahoo.com “A trusted name in real estate” Lewis & Clark Realty, Inc. KFC Taco Bell 2504 Fox Run Parkway 605•665•4433 224 W. 3rd, Yankton • 665-9383 1920 Broadway, Yankton • 665-2225 www.yanktonareahomes.com www.yanktonareahomes.com Take out hours: Monday - Sunday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM Parents and the transgender youth are worried about these bills facing the legislators. Payless Shoe Source is closing all of its 2,100 remaining stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico by the ends of May. Payless filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in April 2017 and closed hundreds of stores as part of its reorganization. February 18 Longtime Director of Habitat for Humanity Julie Dykstra of Clay and Yankton counties is stepping down at the end of June. The Charlie Bender family has gifted $1 million to Mount Marty College in honor of the late Charlie Bender for renovations to the Laddie E. Cimpl Arena and an endowed scholarship for business students. A new court will also bear his name. Joan Schild is retiring after 34 years of teaching at Stewart elementary school, she has been with the Yankton School District for 19 of those years, and she is a native of Yankton and actually attended the school where she now teaches. February 20 The Yankton Boy’s and Girl’s Club recently decided to raise the age limit for elementary school students in order to address space requirements caused by the popularity of the club. The first graders will now be serviced at the Academy site in Stewart Elementary. February 21 Local attorney David Knoff was appointed to be a judge on the First Circuit Court by Governor Dennis Daugaard. He fills a vacancy left by former Circuit Judge Steven R. Jensen who was appointed to the South Dakota Supreme Court. February 24 U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem said she strongly wants to shut down any discussion of closing the Yankton Federal Prison Camp. Noem is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of South Dakota. President Trump’s recent budget cuts calls for the closing of two of the seven stand alone minimum security federal prisons. The Yankton Camp opened in 1988 and employs 100 and houses nearly 600 inmates. February 26 Mike and Gerrie Healy were honored as this year’s Citizens of the Year at a reception held Sunday at the Yankton Elks Lodge featuring community and state figures like South Dakota Lt. Governor Matt Michaels who served as master of ceremonies. February 28 The clock is ticking on City owned land currently occupied by the Yankton Youth Soccer Association on the former Human Services Center campus, but soccer officials are fundraising and planning for a new soccer complex. City Manager Amy Nelson said there have been ongoing discussions between the two entities. March 1 Following a large drug bust last year at the Mike Durfee State Prison the inmates have plead guilty. The attorney general is handling the case. March 4 The Yankton Bucks Boys Basketball team is headed back to the state tournament in Rapid City after defeating Huron in the open round of the “SoDak 16”. March 5 The South Dakota High School Activities Association is considering moving the 2019 state football championships away from Vermillion during the renovation project at the Dakota Dome. The Dive In Yankton committee accepted a donation from MidAmerican Energy for $25,000 for the new aquatic center that was approved by voters last year. Yankton‘s Scott Kooistra is being inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall Of Shine during the state tournament March 14-16. March 6 The Yankton County Commission has decided they will advertise for a new zoning administrator immediately to fill the current vacancy left by Pat Garrity who remains on indefinite personal leave and the deputy administrator was removed from her position. Mount Marty College is partnering with the City of Yankton in the building of the new fieldhouse which will cost an estimate $15 million. March 7 A Scholarship has been set up to honor the late Phyllis Hunhoff. The scholarship will be available in 2019 the scholarship will go to a person who has a business degree. March 8 Yankton officials are making plans for a Summer Air Show to be held to celebrate the City of Yankton’s 150th birthday. One of the main forces behind the event is Jake Hoffner, an avid pilot and Yankton City Commissioner. The Yankton County Sheriff’s office is asking the public for help in locating a missing woman who was last seen on Friday; Tamara Laramboise was reported missing by her family on Tuesday. President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for tax and bank related frauds. Most are related to his work advising the Ukrainian politicians. March 11 The City of Yankton is asking for the public’s input on the future of Westside Park. The museum is vacating the land and moving to the Mead Cultural Education Center on the grounds of HSC. A public meeting is planned for April 1. March 12 Doug and Kelli Schieffer gave a gift of $125,000 to the Yankton School district to be used for parking lot improvements to Crane-Youngworth. Both are graduates of Yankton High School, they asked for a committee to be formed to see if matching funds could be raised. The committee is headed by Kevin Lien; the project is set to start beginning in April and should be complete by the end of summer. March 15 Blizzard conditions threatened the Yankton area yesterday, city officials are beginning to take stock after receiving 3 inches of rain on the already frozen, saturated and snow packed grounds across the area. The 2.89 inches of rain from Wednesday broke the old record set in 1913 and also the biggest one day rainfall that Yankton has ever recorded in March. The city closed AuldBrokaw trail and many roads. The Spencer Dam near Niobrara, Nebraska was breached on Thursday; this caused the Corp of Engineers to raise the levels of the Gavins Point Dam releases. The water will be increased to 90,000 cubic feet per second. March 18 With flood waters receding we are now able to access the damage caused by the storm. Sections of Yankton’s Auld-Brokaw Trail are severely damaged and will be closed for the foreseeable future. The Yankton Bucks Boys Basketball team finished fourth in the South Dakota State Class AA Boys’ Basketball Tournament in Rapid City. The Yankton Cheerleaders were named the “Spirit of Six” winners for the South Dakota Class AA Boys’ Basketball tournament. Yankton Broadcaster Scott Kooistra was inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball coaches hall of Fame.