2 Broadcaster Press August 15, 2017 www.broadcasteronline.com Dave Says Home Improvement Debt? Dear Dave, I’m debt-free except for my home, and I’m considering having solar panels installed on the roof of the house. It would cost about $27,000. I have $80,000 in savings, but the company doing the installation will finance it all for just one percent interest. It’s almost like free money. My electric bills average around $310 a month, and I thought this would be a good way to save money in the long run. What do you think? Michael Dave Dear Michael, If you have to finance the project, my answer is no. My guess is the break-even analysis you’re trying to give me is the sales pitch your solar panel company gave you. That’s how they sell solar panels, but it doesn’t justify going into debt. You told me you have around $80,000 in savings right now. Why not just write a check? Let me ask you a question. What if you could borrow $10 million at one percent interest and put it in the stock market? Would you do that? Of course, not. It would be way too risky, right? Basically, we’re talking about the same kind of thing. I made you feel the risk by scaling things up in my scenario. You’re not feeling the risk right now because we’re talking about $27,000 instead of millions. This move wouldn’t bankrupt you, but wealthy people don’t do the kind of thing you’re talking about. Either pull the money out of your savings account and buy the panels, or don’t buy them at all! — Dave Ramsey Problem Plan Dear Dave, I make $48,000 a year, and I have $35,000 in credit card debt. I owe $25,000 on my home, and I was thinking about taking out a loan against my house to pay off the credit cards. Is this a good idea? Mike Dear Mike, I would never advise anything like this, unless it’s to avoid bankruptcy. Here’s the problem with that kind of plan. Most people who do that kind of thing don’t change their financial habits. In fact, they end up with a new mortgage and new credit card debt somewhere down the line. You need to start building a track record of paying off debt. Cut up the credit cards, slash your spending, and start living on a tight, written, monthly budget. Prove to yourself that you’re not going to take out a mortgage and turn around and run up a bunch of new credit cards. I want to see you not take on any new debt and reduce that $35,000 credit card bill dramatically over the next six months. If you can knock out half of it in a year, you can take care of the other half in another year or less. Then, you wouldn’t need a second mortgage! — Dave * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven bestselling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. Dakota Senior Meals Served at The Main Street Center & Town Square, “Meals on Wheels” Please call before 9:00am to schedule or cancel a meal at 624-7868. Menus listed below are August 16 – August 22. Menus are subject to change without notice. All menus are served with whole grain bread and 1% milk unless otherwise noted. Wednesday – Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce, Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Mixed Fruit Summer Meal Gap Free Lunch Program The Summer Meal Gap Free Lunch Program at the Vermillion Public Library will be serving lunch Monday through Friday from July 31st to August 18th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm or until food runs out. Lunch is FREE to children under 18 and their families. Menus listed below are August 16 – August 18. Wednesday – Chicken Nuggets, Fruit, Snack, Treat, Water Thursday – Double Cheeseburgers, Fruit, Snack, Treat, Water Friday – Sub Sandwiches, Fruit, Snack, Treat, Water Bergen Lutheran Church on Timber Road Ice Cream Social Wednesday August 16th Serving 5-7 p.m. The menu will include taverns, ice cream, pie, chips, drinks & hotdogs for kids Free Will Donation Thursday – Chef Salad with Turkey, Cheese, Egg and Tomato, Peaches, Oatmeal Blueberry Muffin Friday – Hamburger on a Bun, Tater Tots, Baked Beans, Pears Monday – Baked Pork Chop with Onion and Herbs, Baked Potato, Broccoli Corn Bake, Spinach Salad, Peaches Tuesday – Hot Beef Sandwich, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Corn, Sunshine Salad We’re all ears. Your opinion is something we always want to hear. Questions? Call, write us or contact Comments? us via e-mail and let us Story Ideas? know how we are doing. 201 W. Cherry •Vermillion, SD 57069 605-624-4429 • classifieds@plaintalk.net Missouri River/Vermillion Home • Custom built home on 1.38 acres • 1368 sq. ft. with 50’ of glass overlooking river • 26 x 40 shop building • Garden shed and fruit orchard • Rural water A story about how the Vermillion Lions Club makes sure bikers and motorists heading to and from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally have full stomachs. A report from the first meeting of the Law School Relocation Task Force, which was held Aug. 7 in Vermillion. Continued coverage of the Vermillion Grey Sox baseball team as it competes in the 2017 South Dakota State “B” Amateur Baseball Tournament at Cadwell Park in Mitchell. A story giving advice on how to prepare for the upcoming solar eclipse. And if you want to see: Reports and photos from the Princess Contest, the Achievement Days livestock shows, the community barbecue and the demolition derby at last week’s Clay County Fair. Coverage of the Aug. 15 meeting of the Vermillion School Board, which will work on an amendment to the school budget for a grant and will approve the hiring of classified and coaching personnel for the upcoming school year. Pick up this Friday’s Plain Talk! Local news since 1884! Here for you yesterday, today and tomorrow. 201 W. Cherry, Vermillion, SD 57069 605-624-2695 The Tattoo Sunday, after church, we loaded our harp into the van, then connected the van to the tent trailer. We were soon on our way to a music camp for our daughter Elliana to be part of an orchestra and a choir. We arrived at our destination shortly before five in the afternoon and rushed to the school where the practices would be held. We needed to unload the harp there, and one of the directors was waiting for us. He opened a gate to allow us to pull closer to the gym where the groups would practice. I unhitched the tent trailer so I could get the harp out, then drove the van to the door where he was waiting. I lifted the harp from the van, loaded it on the dolly, and rolled into the room where he said it needed to be. As my daughter took a minute to practice, the director told us about the camp. “This is one of the premiere music camps,” he said. “Students come from almost all of the western United States. We have music people from all over the U.S. come to help and to teach the students. Many of them volunteer and come at their own expense year after year.” When we finished there, I hitched the tent trailer back up, and we went to the campground. Almost every one of the camp spots was full. We started visiting with the people there and learned that many of them were like us, there for their children to go to the music camp. Even though we had the music camp in common, the diversity was greater than the commonality. Some parents were teachers like us while others were wealthy businessmen. There were people of different races and from almost every walk of life. Despite the differences, we all soon became friends. I had to go home for a few days to work and to take care of commitments for our other daughter. When I went back to the music camp for the final concerts later in the week, Elliana had some fun stories to tell. Her choir teacher was one of the people who had volunteered to help. He was a big, burly man who wore shortsleeve shirts. At the curve of his right arm, where the shirt sleeve ended, part of a tattoo could be seen. At first, because of his size, he made everyone nervous, so no one dared ask him about it. But as time went on, and the students in the choir realized he was just a big, fun-loving softie, their fear of him faded away. Finally, the day came when he asked if anyone had any questions, and one of the students raised her hand. “What is your tattoo?” the girl asked. The choir director laughed and pulled up his sleeve. There on this big man’s arm was a Disney tattoo. It had Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and many other Disney characters. The students laughed, having expected something more rugged. “Why did you get that?” a boy asked. The orchestra director smiled. “Well, you see, I have always loved everything Disney. In fact, I have taken my choir to the competition there every year. We never did very well, always placing last or close to last. But one year I couldn’t get my class to settle down and work. So I came up with this brilliant idea. I told them if they would work, and if we won the grand prize at Disneyland, I would get a Disney tattoo. I figured it was a safe bet since we had never even come close to winning before. “My students got in and worked, and we had a great year. I still didn’t think we had a chance of winning since my school was small compared to the other schools we were competing against. But when we got to the competition, my small choir sang with such heart that they had the sound of a choir twice their size. We ended up winning, and, well, that is why I have a Disney tattoo.” That night, as Elliana’s choir director lead the choir in an incredible performance, I had to laugh at Mickey’s head poking out to watch from the director’s sleeve. Call: 605-659-1229 TODD’S ELECTRIC SERVICE “The Line To Power” Design/Build • Fiber Cabling • Commercial • Residential Service Calls • Boom Truck with Auger • Trenching Serving the Beresford and Vermillion Areas Stories you missed this week because you’re not a Plain Talk subscriber By Daris Howard Tell them you saw it in the Broadcaster! 1-800-560-2518 1221 Cornell St., Vermillion, SD • 605-624-5642 201 NW 13th St., Ste. 3, Beresford, SD • 800-560-2518 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids for renovation of the Vermillion Chamber & Development Corporation (VCDC) Office will be received by the VCDC, 116 Market Street, Suite 103, Vermillion, South Dakota, 57069, until 2:00 P.M., on Tuesday, September 5th, 2017, at which time said bids will be publicly opened, read aloud and tabulated at 2:00 P.M. of said day, with said bids to be presented to the VCDC Board at either the next succeeding special or regular meeting, all in accordance with Board policy. Bids will be received for the following contract: Why settle for just a slice … Vermillion Chamber & Development Corporation Office Renovation All bids shall be made in accordance with project specifications attached to, and made a part of, the proposed contract documents. Project specifications are on file at the Office of Koch Hazard Architects, 431 North Phillips Avenue, Suite 200, Sioux Falls SD 57104-5933 and the VCDC office, 116 Market Street, Suite 103, Vermillion, South Dakota, 57069. They may be examined at both locations. Digital copies of the project documents may be obtained by contacting Puetz Corporation, 800 North Kimball Street, Mitchell, South Dakota, 57301, 605-996-2276. When 100% of your retail market receives The All bids and contracts shall be made in accordance with, and subject to SDCL 5-18, Broadcaster. Each bid must contain a certified check, a cashier's check or draft for five percent (5%) of the amount of the total bid items, such check or draft to be certified or issued by either a State or National Bank, and payable to the VCDC, or in lieu thereof, a bid bond for ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid, such bid bond to be issued by a surety authorized to do business in the state and payable to the VCDC. Said certified check, draft or bid bond guarantees the execution of a contract and shall be held by the VCDC until said contract is executed. (SDCL5-18-6 and 13-20-7). 5-19, 5-20, 5-21, 5-22 and the provisions set forth in the specifications. The Broadcaster is the primary medium The VCDC Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids or parts thereof, and to successful waive any irregularities. businesses have used to reach By virtue of statutory authority, preference will be given to labor, materials, prodtheir customers for ucts and supplies found or produced within the State of South Dakota. over 50 years. Your Broadcaster A resident bidder is allowed a preference as against the bid of any bidder from carries more any other state enforcing or having a preference for resident bidders, equal to such advertising than all preference. other local media combined. And, A pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 23, 2017, like our at 2 East Main Street, Vermillion, South Dakota, 57069, customers, at 1:00 PM. we continue to grow. th th Published August 18 & 25 , 2017 Why settle for just a slice … When 100% of your retail market receives The Broadcaster. The Broadcaster is the primary medium successful businesses have used to reach their customers for over 50 years. Your Broadcaster carries more advertising than all other local media combined. And, like our customers, we continue to grow. Broadcaster Press 201 W. Cherry St. 624-4429 Why settle f just a slice … When 100% of y retail marke receives The Broadcaster The Broadcaster is primary medium successful businesses have used to reach customers for ove years. Your Broadc carries more adver than all other local combined. And, lik customers, we continue to gr Broadcas 201 W. Cherry 624-4429 1x8