Latest news with #MitchellRepublic
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Midweek Update May 28 on the Best of Mitchell with Josh Moody and Steve Van Genderen
May 27—MITCHELL — The Best of Mitchell results are here! Hear from Josh Moody and Steve Van Genderen, owners of Dakota Physical Therapy and True Fitness in Mitchell, whose businesses won multiple categories in Best of Mitchell. The publication is live as of Wednesday, May 28 and will be online and inserted in the printed edition of the Mitchell Republic. More than 15,000 votes were cast in the contest. So what's made DPT and True Fitness successful? "We've invested in the community," Van Genderen said. "And the community does just an outstanding job supporting us. We're a small business in a little bit of a bigger town. When you get into the market we're in, we compete against larger companies. And it's just really good that Mitchell continues to support small businesses." Moody and Van Genderen are both positive on Mitchell's future and its progress. "From the bike trails around the lake that are constantly being improved and maintained by an amazing group, the lake project, the Corn Palace potential, the soybean plant, little businesses that are gradually turning into bigger just like our story," Moody said. "Who's the next story for Mitchell? I hope there's a bunch of them, and we're excited to see their progress and how we can maybe interact with those folks and how we can keep growing Mitchell."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Terry Aslesen sees important work ahead as he seeks second Mitchell school board term
May 23—EDITOR'S NOTE — This is the first of three profiles of candidates running for the Mitchell Board of Education on June 3. The profiles are presented in alphabetical order, beginning with Terry Aslesen. Profiles for candidates Kimberly Lofgren and Deb Olson will be published in future editions of the Mitchell Republic, respectively. MITCHELL — Terry Aslesen has given decades of his life to education in the Mitchell School District. An alum of the local public school system, he served as a teacher and administrator for 43 years, helping launch successful programs such as Second Chance High School and the dual credits program. Implementing block scheduling was another highlight of his time as a district employee. Since retired, he ran for the Mitchell Board of Education in 2022, emerging as one of two candidates to top a field of six to take his first three-year term on the board. Currently seeking his second term, he said his motivation to serve the students and district remains the same since he first entered the field. "I don't think anything's more important than education," Aslesen told the Mitchell Republic in a recent interview. "And you can't stay excellent if you stay the same. The world is evolving and changing so quickly, so you have to constantly be looking at — how do we get better?" Aslesen, 68, wrestled with that question in his first term. He said he's seen progress in the right direction during his time on the board. As part of the board, he has established himself as a member with broad institutional knowledge, with extensive experience as a student, teacher and principal. He reaches back into his own history with the district for perspective on today's educational environment, often spurring discussion on spending, policy reform and student opportunity. His approach puts the student educational experience at the forefront, he said, and one of the most important factors in that formula is having good teachers at the head of the classroom. Aslesen said changing and streamlining policies for bereavement leave, improved salaries, professional and sick leave and the extra-curricular pay helped make the district a more appealing environment for high-grade instructors. "If you don't have great teachers, you'll never have a great school, no matter what you do. It doesn't matter how good the buildings you have are or what curriculum you have, it starts with teachers," Aslesen said. "We had some horrible policies. We had two sets of policies on several things." Aslesen was pleased with other aspects of the last three years. The addition of an attendance liaison and literacy coaches to the staff have helped take steps toward addressing attendance issues and improving student reading skills. He stood firm when he felt the board hastily approved a new fingerprinting policy for visitors to the school, and lobbied to have it modified to be more welcoming to parents who want to take part in classroom activities, or to volunteers with organizations like Junior Achievement, who share real-world life and job experiences with students. The addition of all-day begindergarten and the approval of new cell phone policies for the high school and middle school were also positive developments in his time on the board, he said. And he has enthusiastically embraced board planning session meetings, which are now held on occasion to give the board time to discuss short and long term goals without the pressure of the need for immediate vote on a subject. And, of course, the new high school building that is nearing completion and will welcome district staff and students at the start of the 2025-26 school year, is a major improvement to the district. Aslesen was a prime proponent of building the school and its accompanying athletic facilities at the same time instead of over a period of years after the COVID-19 pandemic spiked construction prices. He strongly believes that was the correct move, and credits the public with making that a reality after a bond vote to complete the work passed with an overwhelming majority. Aslesen said his experience and input from the public and his fellow board members guide him in his decision-making process. He listens, he asks questions and tries to take in the perspective of all district patrons. Working together is important to ensuring the best educational experience for the students, he said. "I have a lot of community input that I'm receiving and you got to listen. You don't always have to agree, but you got to listen," he said. "Sometimes, out of the blue, you get some of the best ideas given to you that you've ever heard, or somebody improves on something. All of us are smarter than any one of us, so I try to get feedback whenever I get the opportunity." As he eyes a second term, Aslesen said there is more work on the horizon. With the new high school nearing completion, the board can now look at other upgrades that may be needed. Air conditioning is needed at the gymnasiums at the middle school and L.B. Williams Elementary School, he said. The middle school gym also could use LED lighting. He also hopes to have more discussion on the fate of the old MHS. Some parts of it, such as locker rooms and parking for football games or track meets, could still be utilized to benefit the district, he said. Another option could be offering it to the city or county as potential office space, or repurposing it for daycare or apartments. When it comes to the students themselves, Aslesen would like to see even more kids taking part in activities, a proven method for keeping attendance figures high. To enhance that further, it might be worth exploring a four-day school week, he said. Under that setup, away activities could be scheduled primarily on Fridays and Saturdays, while home activities could still be held during the week. That's less time on the road during class time and more time in the classroom for students, Aslesen said. "It's something worth looking into. We always need to be evolving and we keep adding and adding activities, and kids keep missing more and more and more school time. And the research says that it's not good for the kids to miss what's in the classroom. Just like attendance, if the kids aren't there, they're not learning everything they're supposed to be learning as much as they could be," said Aslesen. "So I'd like to see if there are opportunities for us to restructure so that activity kids wouldn't miss as much." He is also interested in exploring the benefits of opportunities like the Careers class, a semester-long class that sees students hear from parents or other community leaders about professions around Mitchell. The class is still offered but not required, something Aslesen feels could be beneficial. There is work to do and discussions to be held, but he's looking forward to the challenges and whatever the future may hold. "I think that I would be a vote for making their schools for the children in this community the best they can possibly be. I'm constantly looking for how we can make it better. Because if you're not moving forward, you're going backwards," Aslesen said. The election for the Mitchell Board of Education will be held Tuesday, June 3. Absentee voting has begun and can be done at the Davison County Auditor's Office until 5 p.m. June 2, and voters will be able to vote in person June 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Davison County Fairgrounds.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Charges dismissed against Mitchell woman in fatal I-90 crash
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways May 7—MITCHELL — A Mitchell woman who was previously facing criminal charges in connection with a fatal crash on Interstate 90 in 2024 has had those charges dismissed. Stephanie Elder, 57, was previously charged with second-degree manslaughter and reckless driving following an Aug. 21, 2024, crash that resulted in the death of 64-year-old Leonard Kocer, of Wagner. On April 25, dismissal documents were filed by South Dakota Assistant Attorney General Ryan McFall. According to Tony Mangan, communications director for the South Dakota Attorney General's Office, the decision followed discussions with Kocer's family. "After consultation with the family, it was decided not to further pursue the matter," Mangan told the Mitchell Republic. Elder, a court reporter with the South Dakota Unified Judicial System in the First Judicial Circuit, was initially cited for careless driving and not wearing a seat belt. She was later indicted by a grand jury in November on the higher charges. A jury trial had been scheduled for later in May in Chamberlain. Three South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers testified before the grand jury. Additionally, a commercial truck driver traveling eastbound on I-90 captured the crash on a dash camera, footage that was reviewed during the investigation. The crash occurred near Pukwana, about 60 miles west of Mitchell. According to a report from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, Elder's 2007 Ford Mustang and Kocer's 1997 Ford F-150 were both traveling westbound when the Mustang struck the rear of the pickup. The collision caused Kocer's vehicle to leave the roadway and roll. Kocer, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and later died at a local hospital. While the criminal case has concluded, a civil lawsuit filed by Kocer's son, Rhian Kocer, in late December remains listed as pending in the state's online court system. The lawsuit seeks damages and requests a jury trial. In court documents, Elder admitted to briefly looking at her phone before the crash but also stated that Kocer had been driving at a slow speed. Northern Plains Justice, the firm representing Rhian Kocer, declined to comment on the case, and Rhian Kocer declined to speak with the Mitchell Republic.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mitchell Republic earns nine honors at annual newspaper convention
Apr. 28—ABERDEEN, S.D. — The Mitchell Republic won nine awards at the South Dakota NewsMedia Association annual convention, which ran April 24-26. The Mitchell Republic's ad staff won three awards and its editorial team earned six individual honors. The newspaper competes in the highest division based on the population of its residing city. Each of the Mitchell Republic's advertising staff earned an award, including Ethan Poore's second-place recognition for best two-column ad. Lorie Hansen took third place and Tom Stevens second in best ad with a local photo. In the news competition, Mitchell Republic photographer Adam Thury took second place for best portrait photo and third place for best sports photo. Reporter Jennifer Leither took second place for best spot news story. Editor Luke Hagen won three awards, including first place for best social media usage, first place for best spot news photo and third place for best local government reporting. Sioux Falls Live , a sister publication to the Mitchell Republic that is also owned by Forum Communications Co., earned four awards. Patrick Lalley took first place in best state government reporting, third place in local column and third place in best headlines. Sioux Falls Live sports reporter Matt Zimmer took third place in the sports column category. The entries for the 2024 SDNA Better News Media Contest were judged by members of the Louisiana Press Association.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Winner City Council member calls for resignation of town's mayor
Apr. 8—WINNER, S.D. — A member of the Winner City Council on Monday night called for the resignation of the city mayor, citing inappropriate sexual and racial comments allegedly made by the city official. The comments came during the public commentary portion of the April 7 meeting of the Winner City Council. "I'm standing here tonight to ask you, Mr. Mayor, to resign effective immediately," Jeremy Clay, a member of the city council who has been serving since 2018, said at the meeting. "During your time in the official capacity of the mayor of Winner, you've made several sexual and racist statements while conducting official city business." Clay spoke for several minutes near the beginning of the meeting outlining the alleged offenses of Brad Schramm, who serves as mayor of the community. Those accusations included sexual comments made toward city employees and officials, as well as racial comments made to others. Clay said Schramm had made sexually inappropriate comments to Felicia Hughes, another member of the Winner City Council, as well as to Harly Koenig, who serves as the finance officer for the city. He told the Mitchell Republic on Tuesday afternoon that both comments were made while conducting city business and that he personally witnessed both incidents. He also made reference to a pair of racial comments, including use of the N-word, that he had been told about by another city official and through other "city channels." He said he was not present for either of the two racial incidents he cited at the Monday night meeting but believed them to be true. Clay stated his wish for Schramm to resign his position several times during his presentation, and closed by iterating that point again. "Mr. Schramm, you are an embarrassment to the city of Winner and a legal liability. I request you, sir, to resign effective immediately," Clay said. Public commentary at public meetings is generally used to allow the public to speak on matters of city interest that may not otherwise be included on the official agenda. Clay told the Republic that his comments came as a member of the public as opposed to speaking as a member of the Winner City Council. After Clay had finished his commentary at the meeting, Schramm offered a brief response. "Thank you for that, Mr. Clay. And if you want to take things out of context, that's your responsibility," Schramm said. "If you're going to disparage me, Mr. Clay, you better have your facts right." Clay said that he attended a committee meeting Tuesday morning at which Schramm was present and said that the interaction between the two at that time was "civil," but the mayor gave no indication of any intention to resign. The Mitchell Republic reached out to Schramm by phone for comment but had not heard back by the time this article was published. Clay told the Republic Tuesday that he stands by the comments he made Monday night. "They're true. I would not have taken to the podium and spread false information. It was time the public heard these things," Clay said. "The entire council is aware of it. And these are just the ones I've heard, there have been many more that I've been told about." Clay said the city council has no legal recourse to remove Schramm from office, and claimed that if it had such an option, it would have been used by now. He said that the mayor can be recalled by public petition, but said that he would not initiate that process himself. The main goal was to get the information out in the open at a public meeting, which he did Monday night. "I'm not going to (initiate a recall petition). I feel like I had a responsibility to the people of the city of Winner to bring it forward and make them aware," Clay said. "I would say it would be up to the public. I feel I did my part, I made the public aware of what's being said."
