2 Broadcaster Press July 28, 2015 www.broadcasteronline.com Without Missing A Beat WW II Vet Gives Rare Drum Set To The National Music Museum Vermillion, South Dakota (20 July 2015) -- There wasn’t a dry eye in the exhibit hall at the National Music Museum in Vermillion recently, as 90-yearold World War II vet and life-long drum enthusiast Roger L. Kehm sat down to skillfully play, one last time, on his vintage 1942 Slingerland “Radio King” drum set, before donating it the NMM. It was an understandably emotional moment for Mr. Kehm. “This drum set was really special to me. I have so many great memories of playing,” he said. Kehm has played since he was 17 (which would seem to confirm popular claims about drumming’s long-term cardiovascular and intellectual benefits). A Sioux Falls native, Kehm purchased his Radio King drum set from the John Sampson Drum shop in Sioux Falls before he graduated from high school in 1942. While anticipating being drafted, Kehm and some of his buddies organized a small dance band, playing for dances at the Sioux Falls USO. He also played with the Varsity Club dance band at South Dakota School of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts (now South Dakota State University) in Brookings, before being drafted in 1943. Kehm served in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed on the South Pacific islet of Atafu, working on the then-secret Loran (Long Range Aids to Navigation) program. After the war, Kehm enrolled at the South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City, where he played with the Clyde Keyes Combo and the Sophisticated Swingsters. As a veteran, Kehm continued to play his drums professionally for several decades at American Legion Clubs, VFW halls, and other regional venues. He performed for many years with the Milt Askew Orchestra at the Arkota Ballroom in Sioux Falls. Introduced between 1936 and 1937, the “Radio King” was Slingerland’s flagship product. Unlike other drums of the era that were built with layers of wood, the “Radio King” sported drumshells made of steam-bent maple. Kehm’s drum set includes a bass drum/footpedal/spurs, a snare drum, two cymbals, wood block, cow bells, two tom-toms, and a Hi-Hat cymbal stand. The Radio King was Slingerland’s most famous product line through the mid-1950s. Until Labor Day 2015, Kehm’s beloved rare drum set will be part of the World War II section of the NMM’s special summer exhibit “Banding Together: The American Soldiers’ Musical Arsenal.” After the exhibit comes down, the drum will take its place in the NMM’s outstanding antique and vintage drum collection. At press time, the NMM’s Facebook post about Mr. Kehm’s drum donation had surpassed 63,300 Facebook views, making it the most viewed, most liked, DARA LOHNES most shared, and most commented on Roger Kehm donating his beloved 1942 “Radio King” drum set to National Music Museum Facebook post ever. the National Music Museum, Vermillion, South Dakota, June 2015 Partner Proposals To Protect And Restore Critical Wetlands In South Dakota HURON – The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of $17.5 million in financial and technical assistance nationwide to help eligible conservation partners voluntarily protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on private and tribal agricultural lands. “USDA has leveraged partnerships to accomplish a great deal on America’s wetlands over the past two decades, said Chad Kacir, Acting State Conservationist with NRCS. “This year’s funding will help strengthen these partnerships and achieve greater wetland acreage in South Dakota and throughout the nation.” Funding will be provided through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP), a special enrollment option under the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program’s Wetland Reserve Easement component. It is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Under WREP, states, local units of governments, non-governmental organizations and American Indian tribes col- laborate with USDA through cooperative and partnership agreements. These partners work with willing tribal and private landowners who voluntarily enroll eligible land into easements to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on their properties. WREP was created through the 2014 Farm Bill and was formerly known as the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program. Wetland reserve easements allow landowners to successfully enhance and protect habitat for wildlife on their lands, reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater and provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. The voluntary nature of NRCS’ easement programs allows effective integration of wetland restoration on working landscapes, providing benefits to farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program, as well as benefits to the local and rural communities where the wetlands exist. Proposals must be submitted to NRCS state offices by July 31, 2015. Projects can range from individual to watershed-wide to ecosystem-wide. Under a similar program in the 2008 Farm Bill, NRCS and its partners entered into 272 easements that enrolled more than 44,020 acres of wetlands from 2009 through 2013. Most of these agreements occurred through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). In South Dakota, parts of Roberts and Grant Counties are in the MRBI area. Through partnerships, MRBI identifies high-priority watersheds where focused conservation on agricultural land can make the most gains in improving local, state and regional water quality. The new collaborative WREP will build on those successes by providing the financial and technical assistance necessary for states, non-governmental organizations and tribes to leverage resources to restore and protect wetlands and wildlife habitat. Through WREP, NRCS will sign multi-year agreements with partners to leverage resources, including funding, to achieve maximum wetland restoration, protection and enhancement and to create optimum wildlife habitat on enrolled acres. WREP partners are required to contribute a funding match for financial or technical assistance. These partners work directly with eligible landowners interested in enrolling their agricultural land into conservation wetland easements. This announcement builds on the roughly $332 million USDA has announced this year to protect and restore agricultural working lands, grasslands and wetlands. Collectively, NRCS’s easement programs help productive farm, ranch and tribal lands remain in agriculture and protect the nation’s critical wetlands and grasslands, home to diverse wildlife and plant species. Under the former Wetlands Reserve Program, private landowners, tribes and entities such as land trusts and conservation organizations enrolled 2.7 million acres through 14,500 agreements for a total NRCS and partner investment of $4.3 billion in financial and technical assistance. Visit NRCS’s ACEP webpage to learn more about NRCS’s wetland conservation options. Home Country CHEVROLET BUICK - GMC SLIM RANDLES JerrysCars.com Over 15 Vehicles UNDER $10,000 & 10 Vehicles UNDER $6,000 209 W. Cherry St., Vermillion 605-624-4438 Two Locations to Serve You! Locally Owned and Operated Since 1972 3211 E. Hwy. 50 • Yankton, SD 605-665-4540-• 800-526-8095 745 E. Hwy 46 • Wagner, SD 605-384-3681 • 800-693-1990 O r v i s i t u s a t : w w w. m a r k s i n c . c o m Doc was the first one in at the Mule Barn truck stop this morning, so he got to pick, and he chose the round table instead of the philosophy counter. If you asked him why, he couldn’t tell you, but some days are just round table days, while others lend themselves to counter proposals. In 15 minutes the round table had a quorum of homespun philosophers, practical FOR RENT 4 Bedroom home acreage for rent August 1st Beresford Area, 20 minutes from Vermillion. Quonset, 2 car garage, many updates. Call 605-360-9656 or 605-334-1816 Join Us! Retirement Open House for Joyce Kayl Stop in to celebrate Joyce Kayl and her retirement after 32 years with CorTrust Bank. Open House Wednesday, July 29th 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM 101 W Main St • Vermillion Raise your expectations. Member FDIC 624.4461 cortrustbank.com jokers, and scientific greatness. “Puts me in mind,” said Bert, “of the time we were in the mountains and I was suddenly surrounded by a mountain lion.” “So what did you do about it, Bert?”] “I died, of course.” Cracker packets flew. While Bert was returning the packets to the packet container, Herb picked one of them up and examined it. “Stealth,” he said. “What’s that, Herb?” “Stealth. These cracker packets, I mean. Just have a look at them. See how they are designed, so that the crinkles on the flat side are just crinkly enough so the radar won’t bounce back a strong signal? And of course if the packets are flying sideways, there’d be no discernible bounce at all.” “Stealthy cracker packets?” said Doc. “Well sure. You noticed how each of us was able to make a direct hit on ol’ Bert there? He had no warning. Design is everything, isn’t it?” Cracker packets flew once again. Good thing Herb’s radar was turned off or we wouldn’t have scored as many hits as we did. ---------Keep up with the world dilemma think tank on the Home Country podcast. http://starworldwidenetworks.com/index.php/musicstarworldwide Tell them you saw it in the Broadcaster!