TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/CRAIG WENZEL

 THESE PEOPLE HAD PLENTY TO CELEBRATE at the 2010 Wessington Springs Area Development Corporation/Chamber of Commerce awards banquet on Saturday, March 6. Weskota Manor Avera volunteer Loretta Couch (left) was presented the “Volunteer of the Year” award by the WSADC board of directors. Shown at center is Karen Fastnacht, a former school teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education, who is now a resident at the Manor. Loretta works closely with Karen, who enjoys grading elementary school papers and staying in touch with her education background. She also volunteers her time with other residents.Loretta is also a part-time employee in the activities department at the Manor. Also shown are activities employee Carol Steichen (back) and activities director Penny Wenzel (right). “I didn’t know if Karen would be able to keep her secret or not,” said her husband, Mike Fastnacht, after the banquet. “She was pretty excited for Loretta.” She did keep the award a secret and with the help of her husband, Rick, son and daughter Rich and Amanda, Loretta was pleasantly surprised.

I enjoyed seeing Katie’s picture with former Senator Gladys Pyle in this month’s column.

While providing ecology-friendly electrical power to portions of eastern South Dakota, a wind farm that sprouted up in the Wessington Hills is about to begin providing a punch to the Jerauld County economy.

Officials around Jerauld County area expecting a windfall of sorts as they await the arrival of tax money generated by a 34-tower wind farm near Wessington Springs.

The first annual payment should arrive sometime in April, according to Jerauld County Auditor Cindy Peterson.

 A blonde calls her boyfriend and says, “Please come over here and help me.. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can’t figure out how to get started.”

Her boyfriend asks, “What is it supposed to be when it’s finished?”

The blonde says, “According to the picture on the box, it’s a rooster.”

Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, “First of all, no matter what we do, we’re not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster.”

Jerauld County, Wessington Springs schools and two Jerauld County townships await the 2010 taxes, paid on the Springs wind farm during 2009. Who gets what…. where will it be spent? Next week’s True Dakotan takes a look.

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE WENZEL

 WHEN LAMBS BEGIN TO ARRIVE can spring be far behind? A mother ewe feeds her offspring in front of the barn at the Karen Wagner farm, west of Wessington Springs along SD Highway 34. Calving in the area should be in full swing over the next few weeks. Heavy snow could create a problem, or melted snow could also pose a problem trying to find a dry place to calve out.

Ten charges were filed against Tanner Easton, including a charge of vehicular homicide after a December–2009 roll over killed one passenger and left two others injured.

The accident happened on December 5 a few miles west of Alpena. Wessington Spirngs High School senior Jasmyn Knippling died as a result of injuries in the crash.

 A change in the assessments for agricultural land in South Dakota will have some effect on landowners according to a news release from the office of the Jreauld County Director of Equalization.

Beginning with the 2010 assessments (for taxes payable in 2011) agricultural land in South Dakota will be assessed based upon its productivity value. The Department of Revenue and Regulation (Department) contracts with the Economics Department of South Dakota State University (SDSU) to produce the “productivity value” or the “formula value” for the productivity valuation system. This value is the starting point for valuing all agricultural land in the state. This starting value is adjusted by the county Director of Equalization to ensure uniform and fair valuations. See more in your copy of the True Dakotan… (annual subscription $45.00 non-SD – PO Box 358, Wessington Springs, SD 57382)

Wessington Springs is happy to have such good people on the school faculty. The schools are full of outstanding teachers– and last year Charlotte Mohling was SD Teacher of the Year.  A week ago we had a story about Mary Gohring, a high school math teacher who was named SD Science Teacher of the Year.  And now THIS! We are presently working on a story for next week’s True Dakotan about a WSHS coach being named SD Coach of the Year. Wow! –Craig