Broadcaster Press 07 January 27, 2015 www.broadcasteronline.com Usually 20 to 30 aircraft fly in and the proceeds go towards the Vermillion Senior Citizens Center. 2013 statistics show that 84 percent of the traffic at the air field was for general aviation purposes. 15 percent was transient general aviation, and less than one percent was used for aircraft taxi operations. Data also reflects that from 2004 through 2009 there was an increase in local flight traffic at the airport. Lexy Schenk of Irene, left, was crowned Miss South Dakota 2015 and Marley Hanson of Vermillion was named Miss South Dakota Teen 2015 Sunday night in Brandon. (Courtesy of Future Productions LLC) panel of judges selected Lexy Schenk of Irene as Miss South Dakota USA 2015, and Marley Hanson of Vermillion as Miss South Dakota Teen USA 2015. Both titleholders will now advance and compete next year at the MISS USA and MISS TEEN USA national pageants. The competition, which is held annually, consists of three proportional segments: evening gown, swimwear and interview. Eligible young women must be between the ages of 14-26 and be unmarried residents of South Dakota in order to compete in the pageant. Lexy and Marley will each receive thousands of dollars in prizes and awards. Most importantly, they will have the opportunity to compete for the national titles of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA this coming year. Lexy will compete for the title of Miss USA 2015 on the live national on NBC next summer, and Marley will compete for the title of Miss Teen USA 2015 at the national pageant next year. The new Miss USA will go on to represent the United States in the MISS Universe competition, which is televised in over 130 countries worldwide. Multiple plaintiffs file lawsuit, injunction vs. City A large number of local property owners filed an injunction hand-in-hand with a lawsuit against the City of Vermillion to keep it from enforcing the current property maintenance codes for rentals. Paperwork was received by the County of Clay offices on Oct. 1. Aces and Eights, Card Bros LLC, Terry Amundson, Bye Real Estate, East River LLC, Five-Star Cottages LLC, Vermillion Rentals LLC, Hatle Investments LLC, Michael Heles, Timothy T. Heine, Sioux Empire Real Estate D/B/A M&W Services, Barb Iacino, Glen Lawrensen, Amaze Rental Properties, Ouellette Rentals LLC, and Plum Villa LLC are listed as the plaintiffs against “Vermillion City Council and its members,” and the City of Vermillion and its individuals. According to the injunction, the purpose of it is to give owners relief against certain aspects of these codes as they are written currently, Paulson confirmed. The lawsuit is now in progress and the injunction is in place to keep any more actions against these property owners from occurring that deal with these codes. Some of the issues pertain to the city not allowing properties to ‘grandfather’ some code exceptions in that pertain to buildings that fit more historical standards of construction at the time they were built. These properties met these codes at the time they were built and now the plaintiffs are being forced to bring buildings that met code to meet standards of today’s time. The International Building Codes set a parameter that states that any construction prior to a certain date does not have to fit a future code requirement unless there is something that causes an imminent safety issue. Bye set to wrestle for Cornhuskers Regan Bye will join his cousin at the Division I level. Bye, a senior at Vermillion High School, verbally committed Friday to wrestle at Nebraska. His announcement came three months after his cousin Brett, also a senior, committed to South Dakota State. Both wrestlers have been linked throughout their high school careers, capped off by both winning an individual Class A state championship last season. “We know that what we’ve done for the last ten years hasn’t been for nothing, it’s been influential,” Regan told the Press & Dakotan on Friday. “All the work we’ve done in the summers and in the mornings has paid off.” For Regan, a two-time state champion at 145 pounds, his college decision wasn’t all that difficult, he said. He and his family — including father Hazen, who is also the Vermillion head coach — visited Lincoln for Regan’s official visit on Sept. 26. It didn’t take long for him to know that was his future home, Regan said. “It was one of those feelings when you just know,” he said. Down at the Nebraska campus, Regan was able to spend time with the Nebraska coaching staff, which includes former national champion and Olympic gold medalist (Jordan Burroughs). “It might have wowed his mom more than anyone,” Hazen Bye joked. The culture around the Husker program was one that impressed not only Regan, but his family, his father added. “The program is very impressive in how much they stress academics, and the team aspect,” Hazen Bye said. “They’re all friends in the wrestling room, and the coach has really surrounded himself with good guys.” November 2014 Airport operations still going strong Aviation is a popular American pastime for many individuals as well as a speedy method of transportation. As rural communities such as Vermillion continue to grow, it has become apparent that having an airport is a necessity. “This airport is the front door to the community,” said Denny Martens, caretaker of the airstrip located south of town. Martens has been working in aviation for 57 years, and his words are wise. “My wife and I used to have a flying service here. Then I went to fly for USD,” Martens said. “Then I retired in 2002.” Harold Davidson Field, commonly referred to around town as “the airport” is a quiet space one mile south of Vermillion. Many Vermillion residents may remember attending fireworks displays there on the 4th of July or watching small planes land from the bluff. “There is a lot of business traffic here, people who fly into Vermillion for business,” Martens said. “It’s really important.” Harold Davidson Field is what is known as a general aviation field, and is classified as so. There are over 20 aircraft based at the field, many of which are single engine planes. The remaining aircraft are multi-engine machines. The newly resurfaced runway is 4105 feet long and is owned by the city. “People have built their own hangars which is a very common thing,” Martens said. Martens and his wife host a fly-in pot luck for area pilots and aviation folks in their personal hangar each third Wed. of the month from April through Nov. It’s a time for the aircraft enthusiasts to get together and exchange ideas, thoughts and tips with each other. Each Aug. the Harold Davidson Field hosts a flyin pancake breakfast. The community is invited to come watch planes from a 100 mile radius, and sometimes more, land at the airport. 53 YEARS IN BUSINESS ‘Sober Indian, Dangerous Indian’ documentary raising awareness of a bleak situation A screening was held on USD campus last Friday for a new documentary titled “Sober Indian Dangerous Indian: A Story of Empowerment through Sobriety.” The film highlights the issue of alcoholism, its effects on the Pine Ridge Reservation and the part played by the beer vendors in Whiteclay, Nebraska, specifically focusing on four individuals. “There’s hundreds of thousands of lives lost because of the alcohol and the predatory sale practices,” said John Maisch, director. According to the film, Whiteclay Nebraska, population 12, consists of four convenience stores which sell approximately four million cans of beer per year. Over 85% of families on the reservation are impacted by alcohol abuse and there is only one seven-bed inpatient treatment facility. “As we speak, right this moment some family is terrorized because of some drunk fool who procured alcohol this afternoon in Whiteclay, Nebraska,” said Frank LaMere, Native American activist in the question/answer session following the screening. “That’s the reality of this. John Maisch has shown us the ugliness of Whiteclay.” Maisch is a Nebraska native and current resident of Oklahoma. “The topic was really of interest to me because I served as a regulator as an assistant Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma in the late 90’s then I served as a prosecutor for the Oklahoma liquor control board for five years,” Maisch said. “It was at a conference in 2012 that somebody said ‘What do you think about Whiteclay since you’re from Nebraska? You’re a liquor regulator, you have to have an opinion.’ I said I don’t know anything about it.” According to Maisch, he quickly formed a personal connection with the issue. “In a six month period I learned about Whiteclay, my son was born and my mother was struck with a terrible illness,” he said. “I was really able to see the circle of life and how fragile it really is so that’s why Whiteclay really hit home to me.” Maisch said the fact that there are many who do not know of the issue is the reason he chose to make the film, though he recognized that many in the audience at USD last Friday are familiar with the subject. “I wanted to tell the story of Whiteclay to people who aren’t as close to it,” he said. “I was at Stanford law school six months ago and very few people had any idea of what’s going on. You know about the issue. Many of you have lived with the issue. This is very personal to you.” Maisch stated in the question/answer session that he is well aware of the negative effects a documentary of this nature may have but hopes for the best reaction. “I hope that this will be treated in a respectful way,” he said. “I know that’s a fine line. I know that you run the risk, when you’re raising public awareness, not crossing the line to where you exploit people and their suffering and I think we worked really hard not to.” December 2014 Where do they go from Here? It’s never a good time for something bad to happen to anyone especially around the holidays. Unfortunately for the residents of Vermillion Assisted Living, 809 N. Norbeck Street, and its owner – Bare Assets LLC, times couldn’t be rockier for just under a dozen people now forced to uproot. Unless a private donation would be made to help with the costs of upgrading the building – the central issue of the close – in less than a month the long-time business will be no more. On Monday, administrators for Bare Assets LLC came down to Vermillion to tell what were once 11 residents that the facility would be closed on Jan. 1 and an immediate need for placement in new facilities is now required. Those particulars are up to debate according to Vermillion Assisted Living employees and residents, but one thing is certain: There are people who are concerned about where they will be living within the 605-624-3511 1016 E. Cherry St • Vermillion, SD 105 East Cherry Street Vermillion, Vermillion, SD 57069 605-677-5214 www.vermillionfcu.com www.vermillionfcu.com 56 YEARS IN BUSINESS 77 YEARS IN BUSINESS month. “It’s sad here, very sad,” Stephanie Baysinger , who just moved into the facility on Oct. 30, said. “People are crying all the time…there’s an attachment to what is their home. We are being forced out. I was just starting to get used to my new room, and starting to like it. I just had my mom down over the weekend and we fixed up my room. “I am scared, but I believe I will be able to find a place to go. I am just worried if I will be able to do that. If not, I could end up homeless.” Moving itself is not the issue, but the idea that these residents are not moving on their own terms and being given such a short time to prepare. Changing domiciles is considered one of the most stressful events for anyone, but when someone has very little time and say over a potential new home, that only adds to the turmoil. “I think they are getting away with something,” resident David Hansen said of the decision made by Bare Assets. “I was told they would have two years to get help from the state to fix this place up and here he just wants us out. The owner says we have until the end of the month and the administrator tells us we have to be out by the 17th so we are getting two different stories.” It doesn’t help Hansen much knowing that he is fighting liver cancer just after battling colon cancer. “I just got off of the (chemotherapy) machine (on Thursday), I have 10 more treatments, and my next treatment is on the 16th,” Hansen said. “Then they want us out of here by the 17th.” Brad Halver, a member of the Bare Assets LLC group stated that his people did in fact give the residents and employees proper notice. “We followed exactly what the state requires us to do,” Halver said. “The administrator followed all guidelines needed in closing Vermillion. I am confident we (handled it correctly). “When I went down there (on Monday) I told them on the first of January we would be closed. They were all given a letter saying that we regret that the facility would be closed and that the residents would be placed. If there isn’t an opening where they request to go, then we will have to look to something close to it. Where they are requesting to go, that will be the first place we look to place them, but we can’t guarantee a spot either.” UNIVERSIT Y UNIVERSITY CL& ForNERS CLEANERS EFormall Wear A ma Wear Tuxedo Tuxedo Rentals u tals Hospital • Clinic Nursing Home • Senior Living Apts 20 South Plum Street • Verm 0 Street Vermillion re ermillion YEARS IN BUSINESS Expert health care FOR ALL AGES care 79 80 YEARS IN BUSINESS BROADCASTER PRESS ROADCASTER 201 W. Cherry • Vermillion • Phone: 605-624-4429 W. Vermillion www.broadcasteronline.com www.broadcasteronline.com 105 605-624-2655 130 Award-Winning News Coverage Since 1884! 201 W. Cherry • Vermillion Phone: 605-624-2694 www.plaintalk.net YEARS IN BUSINESS YEARS IN BUSINESS