February 18, 2020 • Page 6 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com It’s Time To Prepare For Spring Flooding And That Includes Flood Insurance Valentine’s Day Questions By Daris Howard My roommate, John, drove the rest of us crazy. He was always burning something when he cooked, and most of the time he just cooked beans. In addition, his diet of beans made him a veritable methane volcano, continually spewing forth toxic gas. Whether it was cooking, destroying the bathroom, By Tina Titze whether they need flood you can do now to help financially devastating. or just generally messing up the apartment, he had a Director, Office of insurance. protect your home and Without flood insurance, masterful talent akin to the god of chaos. But John had Emergency Too many times last family. Here are some most residents will pay one big thing going for him that I definitely didn’t have. Management year, I heard people steps you can take: out of pocket or take He was really good looking. Not that I thought he was, South Dakota say they didn’t think Protect your out loans to repair and but the girls sure did. They swooned around him so Department they could get flood property. Make sure replace damaged items. much that it made a person sick, or, in my case, maybe of Public Safety insurance, or didn’t your sump pump is South Dakota’s a bit jealous, especially with Valentines’ Day coming Anyone who has need it, because they did working properly and Department of Public up. grown up in South not live in a floodplain. consider a sump pump Safety and its Office of Valentines’ Day was on a Saturday, and that was the Dakota can tell you how The truth is that if you with a battery. Move Emergency Management day of the girl’s preference dance. Since it wasn’t comimportant it is to keep live in a city or county valuables to higher are taking steps to mon for a girl to ask a guy out in those days, the preferan eye on the weather. that participates in levels. Declutter drains prepare as well. We are ence dance was the one time they could show a guy Weather extremes are a the National Flood and gutters. Install working with counties that they really liked him by being the one to initiate part of life here and in Insurance Program, you check valves to prevent to review flood maps, fact we take pride in our can get flood insurance, sewer or water from identify areas of concern, the invite. The campus population was fifty-six percent feability to handle weather regardless of whether backflowing into your and address gaps. We are male, so statistically, every guy had a good chance. that many others cannot. you live in a designated home. If your utility also working with FEMA There were a few girls I liked, and I really hoped one The last year was no floodplain. And, if you boxes are at ground to conduct outreach of them would ask me. Of course, all nine of us guys in exception and many live where it rains, it can level or below, consider to local floodplain the apartment had similar hopes, so in mid-January we South Dakotans are flood where you live. elevating them. administrators and still feeling the impact Flooding is the Be sure your family insurance agents to keep created an apartment pool as to who would be asked first, second, third, etc. No one except John put him of last year’s storms number one natural is ready with emergency them well informed and that resulted in federal disaster in the United supplies in case utilities answer questions in their first on the list, and no one except myself put me as disaster declarations for States, yet less than half are cut off or you have individual communities. last. Many of my roommates thought that since I was a varsity athlete, I would be asked first. 63 of our 66 counties. of all flooding events to evacuate. Keep extra And in the coming I, however, knew that wrestling didn’t draw a great Unfortunately, with result in a federal batteries, charging weeks we will be out in crowd of female admirers, and I was rather shy. My forsaturated ground and disaster declaration. In devices, medications individual communities the high river levels we South Dakota last year, and pet supplies in your across the state to bring ays into dating were quite limited. But what was huare already experiencing, the average amount of kit. Store important more attention to spring miliating to the rest of us was that John had six invites before any of the rest of us even had one. But, finally, it is time to prepare housing assistance from documents in a flood preparedness for spring flooding FEMA was about $4,000 waterproof container and through public meetings. everyone in our apartment had received one except me. I won the apartment pool for that, consisting of once again. This year’s to eligible residents, consider scanning them Together we can use two gallons of ice cream, but that was little consolaheightened risk of spring while the average into an email so you have this time well, to be as tion as we approached the Monday before the dance flooding means it is insurance claim for a digital copy. ready as possible. For and I still hadn’t been asked. John started to rub it in crucial that we start flooding last year paid In addition to more information about until my other roommates, understanding how I felt, preparing for spring more than $29,000. With preparing your home flood preparedness and threatened his life. flooding now. flood insurance, you’re and family, talk with your flood insurance, visit There was one girl, more than all of the others, I When it comes to able to recover faster insurance agent about https://bready.sd.gov/ hoped to go out with. Her name was Bonnie, and she preparing for spring and more fully. flood insurance and info/floodinfo.aspx. was the only girl in my Fortran programming class. She flooding, one thing that At the same time, your flood risk. Flooding was beautiful with long dark hair and big brown eyes. concerns many people is there are other things can be emotionally and There were more than fifty other guys in the class, but she happened to sit by me. I was the best programmer, and she liked to check her work against mine. I decided I would ask her out, but I didn’t dare ask her for Saturday, sure she would have already asked someone to preference. I thought maybe I would ask her to a movie for a different day. On that Monday I mustered all of my courage as I went to class. Just before class started, I turned to her and said, Sioux Falls, SD – Make-A-Wish® and his family shared stories from the impact Make-A-Wish has had “Uh, Bonnie, I was wondering if you . . .” I didn’t get a South Dakota has been granting his wish, including highlights of on 1,508 kids, their families and wishes for children with critical the two Boston Bruins games our communities over the past 35 chance to finish asking because just then the teacher illnesses since 1984. On Feb. 11 in they attended, Ryker’s celebrity years in South Dakota,” Sue Salter, slammed his books on his desk and spoke in an angry Brookings, the chapter celebrated meeting and skate on the ice with president and CEO of Make-A-Wish tone. “It has come to my knowledge that a few of you the granting of its historic 1,500th Tuukka Rask, and their interaction South Dakota said. “Wishes bring young men have asked our student secretary out and wish come true, a milestone the with the entire Bruins team, from out the best in everyone, giving then tried to get her to give you advance copies of my chapter crossed when it granted the players to the highest levels of children and their families hope, tests! She has been honest and never even tried to look seven-year-old Ryker’s wish to management. strength and joy when they need at them herself. And let me tell you that asking her out meet NHL goalie, Tuukka Rask of Tuesday’s celebration it most. Today we celebrate all for that reason is the height of rudeness. If it happens the Boston Bruins. highlighted the significance of the the wishes that have come true The 1,500th wish was official chapter’s 1,500th wish, and its thanks to the volunteers, generous again, I will personally take care of the matter. It would be best if none of you to ask her out while you are my when wish kid Ryker returned vision to grant the wish of every donors, boards and staff, and all students.” from Boston on Jan. 5. During the eligible child. those wishes yet to come.” I knew that Bonnie was the department student sec1,500th wish celebration, Ryker “We are overjoyed to celebrate retary. I hadn’t had any such thoughts in mind, but now I knew I couldn’t ask her for fear she might think that was what I wanted. My heart sank. When the teacher finished his angry discourse, she turned to me. “Was there something you wanted to ask?” PIERRE — The South is open three days a the applications for Schrank reminds I felt so discouraged I couldn’t even look her in the eye as I shrugged and answered, “No.” Dakota Driver License week and the Vermillion licenses and license people that they have Each evening as my roommates talked about their exam stations in station is open one day renewals.” 180 days prior to the Vermillion and Yankton a week. Driver License Schrank says the new expiration date of their fun plans for Saturday, I left the apartment so I wouldn’t have to listen. follow this schedule: Director Jane Schrank schedule calls for the license to renew. As programming class ended on Tuesday, Bonnie The Yankton station says the change was Yankton exam station to For information asked, “Are you excited about the dance on Saturday?” made to accommodate be open every Tuesday, about online renewal I just shrugged. She looked at me with surprise. public demand. Thursday and Friday. or what documents are “Aren’t you going?” “We have seen Hours are 7 a.m.-5:30 needed for a license I shook my head. more people using the p.m. for the station, renewal and a list of “Haven’t you been asked?” Yankton exam station which is located in the exam stations, clock on Again I shook my head. 1915 Broadway, Yankton in recent months,” Janner Building at the to: http://dps.sd.gov/ On Wednesday, Bonnie handed me a program. Benson Ag Sales, Glass Repair & Replacement she said. “Having that Human Services Center, licensing/driver_ “Would you mind going through my code and checking Meridian tenders- logo 3113 Spruce St. licensing/. my output?” Home • Auto • Business site open another day gives the staff The Vermillion exam The Driver Licensing sed 2 and 4 box tenders “I’d be happy to,” I said. “When do you need it more time to process station will be open program is part of 240 bulk and 990 fuel trailer back?” from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. every the South Dakota “I hate to put any pressure on you, but I kind of need an find a new or used tender Thursday. The station is Department of Public it by tomorrow,” she said. for your needs. located at 11 E. Cherry Safety. “Okay,” I replied. “I’ll get it done.” -741-1999 - 402-741-2350 St. After class, I went to my apartment, but all of my roommates were talking about their fun plans for Saturday, so I went to the library to study so I wouldn’t have to listen. I did all of my homework, and then I pulled out Bonnie’s program. I traced through the logic. I Used 2 and 4 box tenders quickly realized the output was spelling something. Used 240 bulk and 990 fuel trailer Still, it didn’t dawn on me that it was more than a norMaster Gardeners We can find a new or used tender mal program until I realized it had spelled my name. 2020 for your needs. I quickly worked through the rest and found the output to be, “Daris, will you go with me to the preference 402-741-1999 • 402-741-2350 dance on Saturday?” I quickly put together a program in return that simDEADLINE Friday & Saturday MARCH ply output, “Yes!” 15TH April 24 & 25 I had a lot of fun being with Bonnie that night. And since she invited me first, I didn’t feel any reservation CONTACT FOR PRICING asking her out after that. And to this day, when I look 402-370-4040 OR MADISON-COUNTY@UNL.EDU at computer code, I will remember what was one of the most creative dance invites I ever have. Make-A-Wish® South Dakota Celebrates The Granting Of Its 1,500th Wish Schedule For Driver Exam Stations Ron’s Auto Glass 605.665.9841 Benson Ag Sales TENDERS VENDERS WANTED PLANT FAIR & MARKET St. Benedict’s Annual Bazaar & Dinner Bake Sale/Kid’s Games Bingo & Raffle Sunday, February 23rd • 11AM-2PM 1500 St. Benedict Drive, Yankton Join Us For A Delicious Meal Adults $11 • Preschool-5th $5 • 3 & Under FREE Menu: Broasted Chicken (Caterted by Central Catering), Mac & Cheese, Potatoes, Corn, Salads & Desserts Jamesville Township Annual Meeting Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 7:30 p.m. Kevin Kirschenmann Residence MV Shopper M I S S O U R I VA L L EY CLASSIFIEDS IN PRINT & ONLINE To place your ad call... 605.665.5884