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On February 29th, the following Andes Central band students participated in the annual Honor Band held at SDSU: Keeva Weddell (Trumpet), Riley Boettcher (French Horn), and Bradley Dangel (Percussion). The students went through an audition process and were chosen out of a pool of students throughout Minnesota and South Dakota. The students spent a day and half rehearsing with their new band and then performed at 3:00pm in the new performing arts building on campus. Congratulations on making it into this prestigious band!
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March is Music in our Schools Month, and because of this there are many opportunities in school to get involved in the arts. The South Dakota Music Educators Association hosts a 4-6 Festival Choir each year to allow students to perform with others outside of their school, and receive an opportunity to perform music they would not usually perform. A select group of Andes Central 4th-6th grade students performed in this choir festival in Mitchell on March 2nd. Mila Hopkins, Adara Hopkins, Tyson Cournoyer, Luke Dangel, Lexi Schoenfelder, and Sutton Stluka were chosen, and performed five songs at Mitchell’s Performing Arts Center. The group did an excellentjob representing Andes Central and should be very proud of their involvement in music. Courtesy Photo
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The 95th session of the South Dakota Legislature is nearly over with 4 days left this next week and veto day which is the 30th of March. The final week will be very busy, as this week was, while we get through all the remaining Senate bills. The budgets for FY 20 and FY 21 are nearing completion and by the closeout of session, with negotiations between House, Senate and the Governor’s office, we will leave Pierre with a balanced budget.
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Our nation has a large and growing public health problem called suicide. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and it is preventable. The Centers for Disease Control indicates suicide was responsible for more than 47,000 deaths in 2017, resulting in about one death every 11 minutes and it affects all ages. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people 10 to 34 years of age, the fourth leading cause among people 35 to 54 years of age, and the eighth leading cause among people 55 to 64 years of age.
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Everyone is waiting and working on the budget with the appropriations committee’s in the Senate and House. The waiting comes because we won’t know until all the legislation is done. March 9, legislative day bills have to be finalized. The working revolves around getting the absolutely best required funding for the agencies, then allocating the amount we have after that. The negotiations begin about where to direct those funds. Examples would be on going funding which locks us in our future spending such as giving 2% or more to schools, 2% or more to state workers and 2% or more to community care providers. Let me be very direct here. There is not enough money to do that without borrowing from reserve funds and jeopardizing our bond rating or raising taxes, which we are not considering. There is also one time money needs, items such as buildings, repairs, for suppression that we pay for one time this year.
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The second to last week of session has now come and gone and we are in the home stretch of the 2020 Legislative Session. I only have one update this week as it relates to bills that I am carrying this session. HB 1257 did pass the Senate last week and is now on the Governor’s Desk awaiting a signature. This week I want to take a bit of time to highlight a few bills that I think are important but maybe have not gotten a lot of attention.
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The Hot Springs VA and the entire community have been providing care to America’s veterans for more than 110 years, earning it the nickname “The Veterans Town.” This facility was the first - and only - original National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers that was built for short-term medical needs and not a long-term veterans’ home. It is renowned for its successful post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse treatment facility nestled in the tranquility of our Black Hills. There is no community so dedicated to making certain The Veterans Town delivers the services our heroes have earned.
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