May 17th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Quinten Burg of Wessington Springs has announced his candidacy for the state Senate in District 20, which consists of Aurora, Davison, and Jerauld counties.
Burg, 63, is a former District 22 legislator. The recent reorganization of legislative districts in South Dakota moved him into this new District 20.
“I want to continue to influence the future of our state,” he said. “That’s why I’m running for the state Senate. I’ve tried in the past to bring common sense ideas to Pierre that will help South Dakota over the long run.”
May 17th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Koch announces bid for Jerauld County States Attorney
A Wessington Springs High School graduate has announced his candidacy for the office of Jerauld County States Attorney.
Dedrich (Deach) Koch, who graduated from WSHS in 1977 will challenge Casey Bridgman for that office in the Tuesday, June 5 Jerauld County primary election.
A graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law, Koch lives with his wife Bonnie in Gann Valley.
He is experienced as a civil and criminal trial attorney. Koch is a former Deputy States Attorney and Human Resources Director for Custer County, South Dakota.
May 17th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Bridgman announces candidacy for State’s Attorney re-election
Longtime Jerauld County State’s Attorney Casey Bridgman, Wessington Springs, announced his candidacy for re-election to that office last week.
On June 5, 2012, Casey Bridgman will be running for the office of Jerauld County State’s Attorney on the primary Republican ballot. He will be challenged in that primary race by Dedrich (Deach) Koch, Gann Valley, who has already announced his candidacy for Jerauld County State’s Attorney.
Bridgman has been a Deputy State’s Attorney or the State’s Attorney for Jerauld County for the past 30 years.
May 16th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
SUBMITTED
Proceeds from the Thursday, April 26 chicken dinner at the Humm Dinger Convenience Store went to the cancer fund through Weskota Foundation. People enjoyed a delicious meal while helping out the cancer fund. Shown above are kitchen staff Evelyn Stuber, Karen Butterfield and manager Carol Van Bockern. There were 77 dinners served at $5.99 to raise a $461.23 donation.
May 15th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Sand Creek stream survey detects Topeka Shiners
PIERRE, S.D. – Reconstruction of Rosehill Dam, south of Wessington, (northwest of Wessington Springs) is being delayed because biologists who conducted a required stream survey of Sand Creek discovered Topeka shiners in the watershed.
The Topeka shiner is a federally listed, endangered minnow species found in eastern South Dakota’s clear, clean prairie streams.
Rosehill Dam was breached on July 29, 2010, after heavy rainfall.
May 13th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
TRUE DAKOTAN/DUKE WENZEL
THE LONG-AWAITED day for the Springs Auto parts inventory arrived on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Pronto Parts warehouse men Sam Knutson, Jim Adams, Bob Jerred, and Scott Richmond helped the Springs Auto crew Calvin Hinrichs (second from right) and Ed Schroeder (right), during the delivery. The Springs Auto parts inventory went up in flames during the 
January 3 fire that destroyed the downtown dealership. Springs Auto has been working overtime to get back into full business and the parts inventory is another major step toward that goal. Springs Auto is now located at the former Ampride convenience store location at the corner of Dakota Avenue and SD Highway 34 on the south side of Wessington Springs.
May 10th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Read more about this fire school inside this issue.
TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE
AN INSTRUCTOR RUSS HEGGEN GOES over some of the equipment (above) the firemen will be using during a class on farm extractions. It was part of the Central South Dakota District Fire Fighters School hosted by the Springs department last Sunday.
TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE
May 10th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, Pierre, wrote the following letter to the True Dakotan editor last week, concerned with a column that was written by State Represenatative Peggy Gibson, Huron. The Governor’s rebuttal is printed below. Also printed is the Gibson column that was released around May 1, 2012.
Objects to Rep. Gibson’s column
To the Editor:
May 8th, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
Fighting the Brain Drain
By Andrew Dellman, University of South Dakota Student
Students at WSHS painted and delivered “Spartan Buckets”, trash cans that promote school and community spirit last week. Shown are, back row: Dillon Garfve, Blake Messmer, Craig Shryock, Jevon Hohn, Alyson Palmer, Joe Hettinger. Front row: Taylor Sinkie, Whitney Reider, Lane Knipfer, Wyatt Stevens and Joe Hettinger (custodian). TRUE DAKOTAN/DUKE WENZEL
May 1st, 2012
by Craig Wenzel.
DUKE WENZEL
Long after the Christmas season has passed, a tree decorated with yellow ribbons stands at attention outside the home of Keith and Jenny Wetzel, Wessington Springs.
The tree, complete with red, white and blue lights, is in honor of the couple’s son, Jay Wetzel, who is now serving in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. He is a a heavy equipment operator with the South Dakota National Guard’s 847th unit from Sturgis/Belle Fourche/Spearfish.
Jay, (shown at right at the time of his deployment) has been in the Middle East 
since November-2011 and should complete his tour of duty this fall, in time for Christmas.
