Our Towns 2020

OUR TOWNS BLACK HILLS PIONEER

SECTION 1 OF 3

2020 EDITION

The businesses, organizations and people making a positive difference in the Northern Hills.

Section

1

Section

2

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NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS DURING A PANDEMIC

HOUSING SALES A DRIVING ECONOMIC FORCE

CELEBRATING BANNER ANNIVERSARIES

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Page 2, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

Local businesses creatively adapt to COVID-19

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

NORTHERN HILLS — Online ordering, drivethrough and pickup services were the name of the game as area restaurants adapted to the challenges of COVID-19.

“It was adapt or die,” said Nick Caton, whose wife, Erin Caton, owns Barbacoa’s in Spearfish.

That was the case with many businesses in the Northern Black Hills. “Adapt or die.”

Some added services, some changed services. Some businesses added delivery and carryout options. Some businesses went strictly to online sales or online classes.

The Black Hills Pioneer visited with several business owners to discuss how they adapted to the ever-changing business environment amid the pandemic.

Caton explained that as soon as restaurants started to shut down across the country because of the pandemic, he knew he had to make major modifications for the restaurant if it was to survive. It was his quick thinking to renovate his space to include a drive through service, and adapt his menu, that ultimately saved the restaurant. As the effects of the virus began sweeping the country, and the CDC ordered non-essential businesses to shut down, it didn’t take long before Caton found a way to serve his customers.

“March 14 … was the last normal day of the world because I was at a race event that was full of people and

it was just normal,” he said.

“The next day, March 15, Ohio and Illinois ordered restaurants to shut down.

That’s when I knew the world was going to end as we knew it in the restaurant business.”

Just three days later, Caton said he had cleared the project with his landlord and hired a contractor to build the drive through — a major renovation for the entire restaurant. By March 20 the drive through space was completed, and on March 24 Barbacoa’s was once again open for business in accordance with all social distancing guidelines.

Caton said the change was actually an opportunity to improve the restaurant.

“I look at every opportunity to get rid of things that didn’t work for us all these years,” he said. “This was an opportunity to change for the better.”

One of those opportunities was training his customers to realize that it’s not always a good idea to put all available ingredients into a burrito. “The drive through requires that you very much limit customization because you need to get people through quickly. Ordering is the hard part, right. The longer you walk through the line and say ‘half of this and half of that,’ that doesn’t work in a drive through.

So, we really hammered on limiting customization to try and speed things up. Just because you have a myriad of ingredients doesn’t mean you should put them all on the burrito. That doesn’t make

Due to the pandemic, Barbacoas in Spearfish added a drive-thru window. Pioneer photo by Mark Watson them better or good. It’s certainly not more cost effective for us or for the customer, because we’re charging. This really helped us make a better product faster.”

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit remained open for delivery during the pandemic shutdown.

Pioneer photo by Alex Portal

Limiting customization also helped Caton control costs during the pandemic.

During the height of closures, Caton said Barbacoa’s never had to close its doors.

While there was a 20% reduction in sales, his net earnings were enough to offset that revenue reduction. “That was simply having better controls, and not just letting people get whatever they wanted,” Caton said. “So that made it survivable.”

Caton added that it was also during this time when he was thankful to be an independent business, rather than part of a national chain of restaurants.

“If I were Qdoba or Chipotle, or any other chain, that is the disadvantage is you have to wait. You can’t just do those things. Us little independent guys, it’s an advantage ot just say ‘I’m going to make a decision. I’m going to make something better and believe in what we’re doing and make it happen.’”

With the addition of the drive through, Caton said he also decided to keep his dining room closed — even while other restaurants started opening up.

“We’re kind of at a point in the world where people are learning to live with this pandemic,” he said. “That’s how I look at it. If you’re responsible, it is your responsibility to do responsible things. So, right now we have kept the dining room closed the whole time ... It’s about how can we function at a higher level to make this easier for people.”

Lisa Hardy, owner of Dickey’s off of Ames Avenue in Spearfish, said her experience with the pandemic closures was somewhat different. Hardy, who purchased the business on March 24, and who did not have employees when she opened in her new location, said the national closures and CDC INNOVATION Pg 7

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 3

Mask maker, mask maker, make me a mask Foundation for Health mask brigade sews more than 6,200 masks

By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

DEADWOOD — As the COVID-19 pandemic presented itself, they numbered a handful and their ranks quickly grew to 100. They sewed to save lives. And they made an immeasurable impact in the Northern Hills. They formed the Foundation for Health mask brigade and collectively, they continue to cover locals up for COVID. “We are over 6,200 masks, at this point, at the end of July,” said Foundation for Health Executive Director Laurie Wince. “And we have distributed over 5,100 to communities in the Northern Hills in one form or another, in huge quantities, small quantities, for everything from businesses to people who are struggling with oxygen levels. We’ve delivered to individuals, as well.”

The biggest goal when the foundation started their efforts in mid-March was to do the best they could with their resources to help the community and Northern Hills area with anything having to do with COVID-19.

“The board initially purchased a ventilator for LeadDeadwood Hospital so they would have a second one, so they would be able to transport people if necessary,” Wince said. “Then, ongoing, masks became a big topic of conversation and need in the news and in our community, so we decided that we would start a seed fund, purchasing fabric that would not exceed $3,000 until we reevaluated the situation because things were changing so quickly.”

Wince took the $3,000, bought fabric, called five quilters she knew to see if they would be interested in making the mask pattern that was approved by Monument Health.

“I contacted them, they said, ‘That would be great.’ I delivered the fabric to their porch, all washed, ready to go, and said to them, ‘If you know a couple of people that might be interested, give them a call and I’ll give them fabric, too,’” Wince said. “And so, the story begins, because after a week of that, I had approximately 26 women sewing and two men.

And, by another week, I had

The Foundation for Health mask sewing team had, at one time, 100 volunteers who made more than 6,200 masks. Courtesy photos 48. And after about three weeks, I had over 100 that I was delivering fabric to and picking up masks.”

Some were men, some were women, some were families. There were high school students, there were churches.

“It just went like wildfire,” Wince said. “And it was the most awesome thing to be part of. Very fulfilling. Just amazing how people worked together.”

Contributing to the amaz-

ing experiences that Wince had were a whole plethora of people who had specific reasons they were helping.

“For instance, there was a brother and sister. One lived in Colony (Wyo.). One lived outside of Lead. They wanted to make the masks together. One would cut, one would sew,” Wince said. “They wanted to do it in honor of their mother, who, in the ‘60s, had made triangle bandages in their living room for the Vietnam

cause, at the time. And they just really felt that it was a calling for them to take this opportunity to make some masks and they did.”

Another example is a gentleman from the Newcastle are who was very young and not a sewer, who worked for the Forest Service, wanted to make masks, and actually learned how to.

“I delivered his fabric and he and a co-worker ended up making quite a few of them,” Wince said. “He was deter-

mined that he would learn how to do it. And he did.”

Three people who were in the midst of chemotherapy who were trying to do something for others because so many people had helped them during their illness.

“They got fabric and they sewed with family members to give back to the communities,” Wince said.

There were also several husband and wife teams.

MASKS Pg 17

Page 4, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 5

‘Doc John’ continuing to work on COVID-19 treatments as local notoriety grows

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — Among friends and neighbors he is known as “Doctor John,” and those who have the distinction to use that term of endearment seems to be growing, as Dr. John Andrews gets to know the Lead community while he works from home to find treatments for COVID-19.

“I moved to Lead from North Carolina several years ago. This is a breathtaking part of the country and the people here are friendly and hospitable,” he said.

Many locals know Andrews from his weekly column that he writes for the Black Hills Pioneer, in which he discusses issues related to COVID-19. Others with whom he is closer know him as someone who is extremely knowledgeable about all things related to infectious disease — hence the nickname. In his professional circles, he is well known as one of the leading virologists in the country, and it’s that distinction that brought him out of retirement when COVID-19 ravaged the world.

“I don’t think I’m any better than my colleagues,” he said as he laughed off notions of being labeled a “hometown hero” af-

to reduce the time required for hoster he was honored with the S.D. pitalization of the sickest patients,” Hall of Fame’s Acts of Excellence he said. “They have since let that distinction. “We haven’t stopped study run a little longer and they developing drugs unrelated to the obtained a statistically COVID-19, we have just significant difference begiven fast-track priority tween the drug and the to development, approval, placebo in the numbers and at-risk manufacturing of deaths reported. So, we of drugs and vaccines that now know that Remdesivir have a potential role in works to prevent the prolimiting the pandemic.” gression of the disease Andrews knows a lot and improves survival. about the process for So, it’s a very significant approving drugs that drug. Available doses of can help with infectious Dr. John Remdesivir are limited diseases. With a Ph.D. in therefore it is distributed virology, immunology Andrews to the states based on need and microbiology, he reby the federal government.” tired to Lead after a 50-year career Andrews said he is also working in developing prescription drugs. on another treatment drug that He achieved a series of career shows promise. Though he cannot milestones in the 1980s, when he disclose specific details about the developed the first treatment drug drug, he said it could be next year for HIV. He has also served as the before it is ready to be released. director of the AIDS Clinical Trials “It’s a drug originally developed Group, and has worked on treatfor another indication,” Andrews ments for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, said of his work with a very small and Ebola and other major health pharmaceutical company. “But as care challenges around the globe. we learn more about the coronaviOne of the drugs he helped develop for Ebola years ago, Remdesivir, rus it became very suggestive that has been shown to reduce mortality this drug, originally developed for one condition, would be effective in rates and effectively treat hospitalpatients with coronavirus. There ized COVID-19 patients.

“Remdesivir was originally found are a couple of other drugs that I

am aware of that are the same sort, and they also show promise. The one I’m working on is going to be a late comer.”

But even the late-coming treatments, Andrews said, will be valuable against the COVID-19 fight, even after a vaccine is developed.

“Even with a vaccine we’re going to get some break-through disease, so there will always be a need for treatment.” he said. “It’s always a mixed bag. I was working on a vaccine for a while, but that was terminated because it didn’t seem to produce the necessary antibodies.”

In the meantime, while he works in Lead, Andrews said he has also been advising the Lead-Deadwood School District as well as local church officials about the school’s reopening plan.

“I don’t have an unbiased opinion because I am an infectious disease researcher,” he said. “Each school district should make its own plan and have the liberty to decide to open or not. Each location has a different set of circumstances. South Dakota now barely meets the minimum conditions for reopening as published by either WHO or CDC. However, I suspect that will change dramatically following the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.”

Page 6, Our Towns 2020

INTEGRITY MEATS

Integrity Meats is a custom and state meat processing plant. They carry South Dakota made cheese, Hutterite chickens, fresh and frozen cuts of meat, halves or whole sides of beef and pork, and a variety of ready-to-eat products including summer sausage, German sausage, jerky, beef sticks, keilbasa, pickled jalapeno Polish, and pickled eggs. They also offer wild game processing in the fall. Their excellent customer service allows them to put quality and honesty at the top of the list.

Serving customers for 20 years, stop by today at 404 Industrial St., Belle Fourche.

Jim and Kelli Ryan purchased K&K Kustoms in May of 2019, rebranding the business to emphasize RV repair in addition to the horse and utility trailer repair services already offered. Progress RV offers a wide range of RV products and services, with a friendly atmosphere and caring employees welcoming all jobs, large or small.

As camping and rodeo seasons wind down, now is the perfect time to make those repair lists and schedule appointments to fix all the little things you noticed during the summer.

And don't forget to winterize — they are happy to help with that as well.

For more information, visit ProgressRV.com, call 723-1132, or stop by their location at 18731 US Hwy 85 in Belle Fourche.

Sand Creek Printing in Belle Fourche is a full-service print shop offering signs, office/ janitorial supplies, direct mail services, and more. We are committed to quality work and customer service, and want to help you thrive.

Our designers will help create signs, business cards, marketing brochures, and more to make your business stand out.

Our monthly direct mail publication reaches 6,000 homes and businesses in Sturgis/ Whitewood, and we have many direct mail marketing options in the Rapid City area as well.

For rates and more information, please call Mona Heimbaugh, General Manager, at 892-4540.

We love our customers and are committed to serving you. We deliver in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Sturgis, Whitewood, Lead-Deadwood, Newell, Vale, and many other communities.

THE REAL ESTATE CENTER OF SPEARFISH

The Real Estate Center of Spearfish has been helping people buy and sell real estate since 1992. Eight Owner/Broker Associates, four Broker Associates, two Broker Assistants and three Office Coordinators are ready to assist you. With a combined experience of over 150 years in real estate, we know our business and can help you through the process!

Our dedicated support staff helps with every step of the transaction. This provides our realtors with more time to focus on sales, networking and excellent customer service to both current and potential clients. We invite you to join our satisfied clients. Let one of our brokers work with you on your next real estate transaction!

Visit spearfishrealestatecenter.com for the most up to date property listings and find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Black Hills Pioneer

National Mutual Benefit launches NMB Cares program SPEARFISH — National Mutual Benefit (NMB), a member-owned life insurance company based in Madison, Wis., launched a $100,000 community give-back program on April 21 called “NMB Cares”. This program was designed to help the communities where its three agencies are located during the coronavirus pandemic. National Mutual Benefit has an agency located in Spearfish, and approximately one third of the $100,000 will come to the Spearfish area.

“During these difficult times, it is important for us to make sure we step back and help those in need. National Mutual Benefit has a rich history of helping our members and communities in time of need and we wanted to do our part to support our communities, said Dan Shinnick, president and CEO of National Mutual Benefit.

NMB Cares is made up of several initiatives that are designed to make an impact in National Mutual Benefit’s communities. For its Hunger Stops Here initiative, NMB donated $20,000 to Spearfish Community Pantry, Inc, which is a non-profit, 100% volunteer pantry that serves 250 families in the Spearfish and St. Onge communities each month. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Spearfish Community Pantry, Inc. estimated their pantry saw a 30% increase in demand.

“We look at our pantry operation as a spiritual ministry and what a blessing it was to receive a call and find out that National Mutual Benefit had a donation for our food pantry. What perfect timing to receive a financial boost during these critical times when families are unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. These newly donated funds will assure the Spearfish Community Pantry will meet our obligation of providing a continuous food source to those in need,” said George Vansco, Spearfish Food Pantry board president.

Another NMB Cares initiative was Feed Our Heroes, which provided free meals to first responders, such as healthcare workers, police officers and firefighters, and their families.

National Mutual Benefit partnered with the local restaurant REDwater Kitchen to provide these free meals.

First responders called the restaurant to order a “Hero Box” meal to

National Mutual Benefit has launched it’s new community outreach program called “NMB Cares.” Pioneer photo by Paul Baker feed one to six people and show their employment ID when they picked-up their meals. The owner of Heisler’s Hardware, Pam Heisler, also provided a delivery service for front line workers who were on shift and not be able to leave their office.

“We want(ed) to provide easy and healthy meals for first responders and their families. They are busy keeping us all safe, and this is a way to thank them and make their lives a little bit easier right now,” explained Becky Helmberger, agency manager of National Mutual Benefit’s Dakotas Agency located in Spearfish.

National Mutual Benefit provided more than $6,500 to support this program, and free meals will be available to first responders in the area until the funds run out. Community members can support this program and thank local heroes by visiting nmblife.org/feed-our-heroes and donating money to sponsor a meal for a hero.

National Mutual Benefit also helped provide organizational guidance with other local volunteers to form a group called Spearfish Strong Community United. Helmberger said that once news of school closures hit the community, a number of civic-minded residents took action and began collecting funds and food for people who may be in need due to the impact of COVID-19 on the community.

OUR TOWNS Special Edition

is produced by the Black Hills Pioneer newspaper 315 Seaton Circle, Spearfish, SD 57783 (605) 642-2761 • (800) 676-2761 • www.bhpioneer.com Letitia Lister, publisher | Mark Watson, managing editor Sona O’Connell, advertising manager | Paul Baker, layout

Response to the call was so strong, the group quickly realized the need for professional financial advice; Helmberger said that’s when National Mutual Benefit came into the picture and Spearfish Strong Community United was born.

“With my end of it, (I helped to create) an account that funds could run through … so that people that contributed would have a tax deductible donation,” she said.

Helmberger said that National Mutual Benefit is structured to help organize community efforts through providing financial structure through their 501(c) 8 status, and through their volunteer driven outreach program.

The first phase of the effort was to raise money and awareness through a publicity stunt called “Rick on the Roof” in which Rick Radliff, a founding member of the group, camped out on the roof of Heisler’s Hardware with the goal of staying put until the group raised $15,000. After three and a half days on the roof, Helmberger said Spearfish Strong had raised $17,200 to fund their efforts.

In addition to Hunger Stops Here, Feed the Heroes initiatives, and the Spearfish Strong Community United project, National Mutual Benefit mobilized their entire membership of more than 30,000 through Members Take Action.

The publisher will not be responsible or liable for misprints, misinformation or typographic errors herein contained.

Publisher also reserves the right to refuse any advertising deemed not to be in the best interest of the publication. © 2020 BLACK HILLS PIONEER,

all rights reserved.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 7 Mother’s Day or visit them in nursing homes — they were sending flowers left and right. We were worried we would have to shut down, and social distancing guidelines were her then we tried to stay home for a day. introduction to operating her own There were constant messages when restaurant. Thankfully, she said the we were gone. It was a wonderful business was already set up to resurprise and very heartwarming.” ceive online orders No contact defor carry out and liveries did pose a delivery. challenge, though.

“Right as I bought Kennedy said deit we were open for livery drivers often a couple of days and missed seeing their then they shut all customers’ reactions the dining down,” to their gifts, and she said. “(Takeout they had to wait outand delivery) really side in their vehicles Nick Caton, picked up for us. to make sure flowers Barbacoas in Spearfish It seemed a lot of were picked up so people really liked they didn’t freeze in that. I’m sure that cold weather. really did save me.

Caton said during Otherwise I would the initial restauhave had to shut rant shut down last spring he did down altogether.” choose to close his restaurant, Other businesses also promoted on- Killians Tavern and Steakhouse. line, takeout and delivery orders in But rather than sit on his laurels order to keep their businesses afloat. during that time of closure, he was Lisa Kennedy, co-owner of Bloomers one of many business owners who Flowers and Gifts, said their busiused the time to improve his dining ness actually picked up during the room space for when he re-opened. pandemic.

He installed walls and plexiglass, and “Sometimes we feel like we have made table areas significantly more been busier (than normal),” she private and sound proof. said. “It seemed like we were busy “We feel that we improved our during that whole thing. It was really dining room tremendously,” he said. heart warming how people started “Just by chance, we made something sending each other flowers. People better and it happened to be better who couldn’t be with mom during with the COVID situation.” from Pg 2

INNOVATION

“

It was adapt or die.

”

Bloomers Flowers and Gifts in Lead made the change to flower delivery due to the pandemic. Courtesy photo

Lead Ace Hardware 145 Glendale Drive, Lead, SD 605-559-1110 www.acehardware.com

The helpful place.

• Live Pet Store • Pet & Ranch Supplies • Camping & RV Supplies • Welding Supply • Sporting Goods • Green House • Screen Repair • Clothing

• Key Cutting Including Chip Keys • Carpet Cleaner Rentals • Ammunition Sales • Personal Care Items • And Much More!

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 7:00 am - 7:00 pm Sun. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sturgis Ace Hardware 222 Junction Ave., Sturgis, SD 605-347-4031

sturgishardware@gmail.com

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 7:30 am - 7:00 pm Sun. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Page 8, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

Local grocery stores working hard to meet increased demands

Customers supporting local grocery stores now more than ever

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — Preserving the health and safety of employees and customers while working double time to ensure proper sanitizing procedures are followed and community needs were met has been the name of the game for the local grocery businesses.

During a time when many other businesses were forced to shut down amidst social distancing requirements, locally owned grocery stores faced a different challenge as they worked to meet increased customer demands.

“Our business is definitely up quite a lot to be honest,” said Jared Lueders of Lueders in Spearfish.

“We slowed a little in March, but not much. We are about 40 to 50% above average. It’s taxing on us because we’re not necessarily built for large volumes. But we’re getting by so far.”

When the pandemic began, grocery stores throughout the area began taking serious safety precautions, and the landscape of grocery shopping seemed to change overnight. Plexiglass shields were installed at registers, tape on the floor marked six foot distancing requirements, employees donned masks, and carts and baskets were constantly sanitized throughout the day.

“We went into daily sanitation mode,” said Steve Ralston, manager of Lead’s Lynn’s Dakotamart. “We still do that. We pulled all of our self-serve items like hot dogs from

Sharon Vanek, an employee at Lueders, fills an order called in by a customer. Pioneer photo by Mark Watson the C-store and single donuts. We pre-pack them now.”

Managers of Lueders in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, and Lead’s Lynn’s Dakotamart all said the customer response to the changes has been mostly positive. Unlike many national grocery chains throughout

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed what products grocery stores sell. Self serve items, such as hot dogs and donuts were removed at Lynn’s Dakotamart. At times stores face temporary shortages of certain items. Pioneer photo by Alex Portal

the country that require customers to wear masks, all three stores have maintained a policy to let people make their own choices.

“The biggest thing I hear is the customers asking if they have to wear masks or not,” Ralston said.

“We tell them ‘no, you’re not required to wear a mask. It’s up to you.’ I think the main people who ask that question are the tourists.

The general Lead community doesn’t seem to have a problem at all with it. If they want to wear a mask they do. If they don’t, they don’t.”

As more information about the pandemic has evolved, and people have become accustomed to a “new normal,” Ralston said one of the changes he has noticed is the decrease in volunteers needed to shop for others. In March, the Lead Lynn’s Dakotamart store enlisted the help of volunteers so it could begin offering shopping services for residents who were uneasy about venturing out of their homes. The service started with serving about 25 to 30 customers a week, and over time Ralston said that has decreased to about 10 every week.

“Those people we were delivering to are still coming to the store and shopping,” he said.

Customer demand through the pandemic has been huge, managers

said. Ralston and Lueders both said they have struggled with keeping lunchmeat in stock, and some other items’ availability comes and goes.

“In general it’s all hit and miss,” Ralston said. “For two weeks it might be orange juice (that is hard to get.) Then that comes back in stock, and then for two weeks it might be macaroni and cheese. It just varies.”

Lueders said his store has struggled to keep up with demand for items such as Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and baking products such as yeast and flour, but so far they have been able to meet their customers’ needs. Currently, he said the shortages have been for products in aluminum cans, such as beer and soda.

Overall, local grocery stores report that their customers have been very understanding of any changes or shortages that may occur.

In fact, Dave Kutz, manager of Lueders in Belle Fourche said, “as far as what we’re doing, people seem to be happy with it,” he said.

“I haven’t had too many negative comments on it. For the most part, everybody understands and they follow the rules. Business has been very good. It’s been busy and we’re up over last year. We have some people who are shopping more local than they did before, so that’s good.”

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 9

MakeSPACE serving community in arts, cycling and promoting equity

RE/MAX IN THE HILLS

Celebrating 22 years in Spearfish!

RE/MAX in the Hills opened their doors in July, 1998. Since that day, they have been dedicated to serving both buyers and sellers throughout the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, and Wyoming, providing listings for residential, commercial, multi-family and land real estate.

RE/MAX in the Hills has consistently ranked in the Top 5 for sales from the Northern Black Hills Association of Realtors.

CONSIGNMENT & PET SUPPLY Changing Spaces Consignment & Pet Supplies is a unique 3-in-1 store with a consignment shop, receiving and selling used furniture and household items; pet supplies; and Young Living Essential Oils.

Stop in at 830 N. 3rd Street in Spearfish to check out their unique inventory, or call 605-717-2897 for more information.

BUTTE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — MakeSPACE in Spearfish has proven itself committed to overcoming challenges of social distancing to meet community needs for physical activity, arts engagement, and social equity.

Started in March 2019, MakeSPACE is a non-profit organization that was formed as a Spearfish Partnership for Arts, Cycling, and Equity. The organization exists to provide programming that promotes the arts and literature; support people in the sport of cycling; and to promote awareness, education and acceptance for people of all backgrounds, races and creeds. The non-profit is governed by a working board of local residents, and directed by Elizabeth Freer.

“It really was built out of a couple of existing efforts around bikes, community based art, equity, and all of the different things we were doing were actually much more closely related than we previously thought,” Freer said. “So

we teamed together to achieve a lot more,” Freer said.

Starting with the youngest citizens of Spearfish and the Northern Hills area, Freer said one of its programs has been Mini Makers Kids, which had preschool children playing and learning in the space along with their guardians.

“We had retired nursery school teachers who helped set that up and equip it with appropriate tactile and safe exploration learning, sometimes around art and sometimes around music,” Freer said.

For older children, Freer said MakeSPACE worked with area artists and crafters to assist with after school programs. “That was a great collaboration with Kids Club Kids, and we’re looking at how to continue doing that safely as we learn more about what the schools will be doing.”

In a post-COVID-19 world, Freer said MakeSPACE is examining ways to continue bringing arts education and awareness to the community, using technology and re-

Butte Electric Cooperative is celebrating 80 years in business as a member-owned electricity utility, providing innovative products and services to over 5,000 members in Butte, Lawrence, and Meade counties.

The electric company demonstrates its commitment to its members and communities through its mission to continually improve customer services; to provide safe, reliable, and competitively priced electricity; and to continue to lead in developing communities for the benefit of its members.

Headquarters is located in Newell at 109 S. Dartmouth, with a Member Services Center in Spearfish at 1940 North Ave., Ste. 1. For more info., call 456-2494 or visit butteelectric.com.

MASON'S 5TH AVE. COMPLEX

Courtesy photos sources that are readily available. “We bring local artists in to elevate awareness of them and to give them a platform to teach the community,” she said.

“We are looking at doing those virtually this fall.

So, we can have materials available and then small Zoom interactions, where people can learn together and work together. We really have purchased very few supplies. They all have been donated as kind of a community art closet sitting at MakeSPACE. It’s really wonderful.”

Girls on Bikes is another program that the organization hosted for youth, working with bicycle professionals to teach girls how to effectively maintain and operate bicycles on road and mountain trails. Freer said last year’s week-long program was so successful that MakeSPACE decided to expand it into a six-week program this year.

MakeSPACE has also been instrumental in promoting writing and literature — supporting MAKESPACE Pg 19

Mason’s 5th Ave. Complex has evolved over 22 years into a “one-stop hometown-shop.” Bill and Sally Mason, along with daughter Beth, son-in-law Paul, and the Sutter grandchildren now run the complex which includes the Mason Jar Kitchen, a Phillips 66 convenience store, and Mason’s BuckStop Sporting Goods.

The Mason Jar Kitchen specializes in homemade “retro” food and is best known for its biscuits & gravy, fried egg breakfast sandwiches, homemade soups, banana bread, cheesecake, and chocolate no-bake cookies.

The gift shop has Belle Fourche Bronc wear, Center of the Nation items like strawberry margarita jam, locally made crafts, and jewelry.

Mason’s BuckStop adjoins the convenience store and offers live bait, licenses, new, used, and consigned guns, fishing, hunting, and camping supplies. This is where “B.S.” actually stands for “Better Service.”

The Mason & Sutter families would like to thank all the loyal customers who have helped make this complex the “#1 Station in the Center of the Nation.”

Page 10, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 11

Deadwood gaming bounces back amidst pandemic

Gaming has rebounded from April, when not a penny was bet, to June, which saw a 14% increase from 2019. Pioneer file photos

By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

DEADWOOD — While Deadwood was off to a rip-roarin’ start in 2020, just three months later on March 25, the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered every casino in town, with no gaming revenue racked up for six weeks straight.

But when Deadwood decided to open back up May 7, patrons reciprocated with open arms and pocketbooks, bringing numbers back up and over 2019 levels in less than two months.

Statistics released by the South Dakota Commission on Gaming (SDCG) showed a 12.14% increase in January, compared to the same period in 2019. Patrons dropped around $93.4 million in machines and on tables.

“What an incredible beginning for 2020,” said Mike Rodman, executive director of the Deadwood Gaming Association (DGA).

“January’s gaming numbers start our year out on a very strong foundation.”

An additional day made all the difference for Deadwood gaming establishments in February, as the Leap Year served to boost gaming revenues and February gaming numbers went on to ‘leap’ 10% prior to COVID-19 quarantine measures, with the SDGC reporting an $83 million handle and a 10% increase compared to February 2019 levels.

“Even with the extra

“

Deadwood gaming benefited by being one of the first gaming jurisdictions to re-open after the COVID-19 shutdown.

Mike Rodman,

Executive Director of Deadwood Gaming Association

”

day because of Leap Year, February’s gaming results show how strong Deadwood’s economy was before our world changed with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rodman.

By the end of March and in the midst of reporting another significant month of gaming gains, the DGA had switched its focus to working with Deadwood’s gaming operators to temporarily shut down their operations at high noon March 25, due to the pandemic.

March numbers were reported at the end of April when slots and saloons lay silent and the world waited and watched. And what a difference a week makes in the world of gaming.

Deadwood gaming took a 20% hit in March, compared to the same period in 2019, according to statistics released by the state gaming commission.

“As the numbers reflect,

Deadwood’s economy was on pace with last year until March 25, when our world changed with the COVID-19 pandemic and Deadwood shut down,” said Rodman.

“The loss in just gaming revenue for Deadwood’s gaming properties was over $1.5 million for the last seven days in March that we were closed.”

April, a month that saw an $89 million handle in 2019, was then an abyss.

For the first time in the history of Deadwood gaming, which opened Nov. 1, 1989, there was not a monthly revenue report issued by the gaming commission.

Moving on to May, gaming numbers took a pandemic produced 15% hit, as after taking a COVID-19-induced six-week sabbatical. Casinos reopened May 7 and by the end of the month, yearly revenue was down 24% compared to 2019.

In response to the pandemic, casinos have implemented various measures to comply with COVID-19 mandates for gaming establishments in Deadwood, including the installation of cubicle walls between machines, making hand sanitizer available, Plexiglass sneeze guards installed at the cage, social distancing players by turning machines off, requiring dealers to wear masks or face shields, among other changes.

Then, as summer started to swelter, so did Deadwood gaming.

Deadwood gaming num-

Pictured are shields between the games that were used during the pandemic. bers made an impressive 14% jump compared to June 2019 levels, but the strong showing wasn’t enough to boost overall industry numbers back to positive territory, as cumulative numbers remained 17% down compared to 2019.

“Deadwood gaming benefited by being one of the first gaming jurisdictions to reopen after the COVID-19 shutdown,” said Rodman.

“We were able to benefit by some pent-up demand for gaming play. While this $1.3 million dollar gaming increase is certainly a welcome relief to Deadwood operators, Deadwood still has a long way to go to make up the $11.4 million in previous gaming losses caused by the COVID-19 economic shutdown.”

Looking at Deadwood gaming’s pandemic plight, First Gold Hotel & Casino General Manager Steve Schaeffer said the bus cancellations that have taken place over the course of the year will most likely impact the outcomes of the bottom line for many companies.

“I would consider get-

ting no relief form the Department of Revenue to also play a part, as far as no reduction in the stamp fees and gaming taxes,” Schaeffer said. “As far as the rest of the year’s outcome, we will have to see what business looks like after the end of August and the first part of September, after all the summer events are over. It is my opinion that layoffs might be looming going into the fall and winter months.”

Moving forward, Celebrity Hotel & Casino Owner Ken Gienger believes that some of the lost gaming revenue can be made up.

“We saw that with June’s numbers,” Gienger said.

“Overall, we will be behind in the lost gaming and hotel revenue. How much we can recover in revenue is something that I don’t have any idea. A lot of it depends on how other states handle their pandemic responses.”

Gienger said that in talking with his guests, they are happy to be in Deadwood and are very appreciative of South Dakota GAMING Pg 14

Page 12, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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Our Towns 2020, Page 13

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Pioneer file photo from Pg 11

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“For the Celebrity it has been challenging in the fact that we reopened in late February (following an 18-month closure) then closed in late March and reopened again on May 11,” Gienger said. “When we reopened in May the hotel business came back first on the weekends and then slowly on the weekdays.”

Gienger said the stimulus plan and the extra $600 per week was a blessing for the workers in Deadwood and the industry is appreciative for that extra amount.

“But once we could reopen getting some of workers back to work was and still is a challenge,” he said.

“They were rightfully concerned about how the virus may affect them and how businesses were going to manage their workspace.

When you add in the fact that they were getting $600 extra a week, which is $15 an hour, some of employees had to weigh their choice of coming back to work at maybe a lessor amount in income and also be concerned about the virus.”

Gienger added that in the gaming industry, the suppliers casinos purchased product from were shut down, so when Deadwood reopened, there was a delay in getting some parts and machines from them.

“On the hotel side, some of the product we all need was out of stock, on backorder, and we all wanted to make sure we provided a safe environment for our workers and guests,” Gienger said. “We all made those needed changes in how we handle our rooms in both sale and making sure they were cleaned with product that not only handled germs, but also virus.”

But all in all, and considering the steady influx of visitors to town, Gienger is very optimistic about Deadwood gaming in the coming months.

“As we saw from June’s numbers, people were happy to be out of the house and wanted to have some fun,” Gienger said. “I feel positive

that Deadwood will continue to see positive numbers in hotel income, gaming revenue, and in all aspects of the retail sector. How much we can grow will depend on how other governors handle their states. If they keep their states open, people will want to continue to come to Deadwood and have an enjoyable safe time.”

Rodman said the DGA is hopeful the Deadwood gaming industry continues to see improvement from the COVID-19 economic shutdown throughout the remainder of the year.

“However, it will take at least 18 months or longer to hope to recoup the losses that the industry has incurred if there are no unforeseen setbacks for Deadwood,” Rodman said. “If all of Deadwood’s gaming businesses are able to survive the financial challenges they have had to face, we hope to cut our current year to date loss from today’s almost 17% decrease (at the end of June) to hopefully only about 8% down for the year.”

July numbers are reported at the end of August.

Rodman said that in order to make this happen, Deadwood businesses need additional governmental small business grants and loan guarantees and temporary liability relief provisions like those contained in the “SAFE TO WORK” Act. “Additionally, the potential November passage of sports wagering (Amendment B) will give Deadwood another tool to possibly entice a new customer type to Deadwood,” Rodman said, adding that events and concerts are an important part of the Deadwood allure and until the entertainment industry fully reopens and visitors feel safe to participate, it will slow the rate of recovery.

“We are fortunate for the good job that Deadwood operators and employees are doing in following the CDC guidelines which have so far kept COVID numbers low in our area,” Rodman said. “Obviously, no one has a crystal ball, but Deadwood has always faced adversity with cheerful optimism of what the future will bring, and this COVID challenge is no different.”

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 15

Local school cafeterias dish up nearly 254K meals for kids

By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

NORTHERN HILLS — When COVID-19 closed schools March 13, it didn’t close the cafeterias.

To the benefit of thousands, access to integral school nutrition programs — the emergency Grab ‘N Go feeding program instituted in March, coupled with the Summer Feeding Program beginning in June — saved the day with an estimated 253,765 meals provided in communities throughout the Northern Hills.

Spearfish School District Business Manager Craig Crosswait said his district dished up a total of 98,228 breakfast and lunch meals between March 23 and Aug. 2.

“We didn’t do it last year. This is the only year that we’ve done it, due to COVID-19,” said Crosswait.

“Our superintendent felt that it went very well. We certainly appreciated the partnership that we have

School districts in the Northern Hills handed out more than 250,000 meals to youth in the area amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Pioneer staff photo with Lunchtime Solutions, our food services management company and our employees that we have here in the school district that help distribute those meals. We thought it went exception-

ally well. I thought it was a great service that we provided the community.”

Lead-Deadwood School District Business Manager Margie Rantapaa said her district provided 20,288

breakfast and lunch meals March 23-Aug. 16, between the Grab ‘N Go and Summer Feeding Programs.

“This year the district was granted a waiver from the USDA to serve both

breakfast and lunch … as grab and go,” Rantapaa said.

“The families picking up the meals were very grateful for the meals and thanked the ladies for their efforts.”

Programs benefited those ages birth to 18, community wide.

Belle Fourche School District Food Service/ Special Education Secretary Brenda Whetham said her district served 80,573 meals from March 16-July 31.

“We really don’t have a comparison with a prior year because we have never served this time frame or to any child age 0-18 as we did during this emergency feeding program,” Whetham said. “Every child received breakfast and lunch free. We worked hard to provide this service and feel the Belle Fourche School District did make a difference for families in the area during this trying time.”

Meade School District Food Services Director MEALS FOR KIDS Pg 20

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Page 16, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

How SURF’s Education & Outreach Department adapted to COVID-19 Monument Health is a community-based health care system with a mission to make a difference, every day.

Monument Health offers care in 33 medical specialties and serves 20 communities across western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. With over 4,500 physicians and caregivers, Monument Health is comprised of five hospitals, eight specialty and surgical centers, and more than 40 medical clinics and health care service centers.

For more information or to find your nearest facility, visit monument.health or call 605-755-1000.

WELLS SUPPLY, LLC

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BELLE FOURCHE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Belle Fourche is a community with strong leadership and alliances to help make the development process seamless.

Belle Fourche Development Corporation, the city, the county, the school and business leaders within, help lead the way and tie it all together.

Our leadership is focused on aligning with companies to build community with workforce development and housing while helping with new business development, and business expansion, in and around Belle Fourche and our State Certified Ready Industrial & Rail Park.

The Belle Fourche transportation network drives you from ports to plains and coast to coast with Highway 85, 34, and 212 intersecting at the heart of the community. Only 10 miles from Interstate 90, our central location has extensive connection points complimented by the Rapid City Pierre & Eastern railroad, which sides at the Belle Fourche Industrial and Rail Park.

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The 120-foot section of truss being erected over U.S. Highway 85 last month. Pioneer photo by Alex Portal

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — Since its inception in 2007, the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) has focused on educating school children about, not only the work being done underground, but about the kind of opportunities science at large can provide.

“Every student deserves and engaging, high-quality, relevant, equitable, and rigorous science learning experience,” explained Debra Wolf, Education and Outreach director for SURF. “That was our ‘why,’ before (COVID), and it is still the ‘why.’ The ‘how’ has changed.”

Wolf explained that although the outreach aspect of the E&O Department took a hit during the pandemic, the education aspect was simply a matter of adaptation.

“We would go out to schools and do presentations,” she said. “In the fall and the spring, we’d bring kids up (to the lab) for fieldtrips and then we’ve always sent out our curriculum units and done teacher professional development.”

The E&O Department had to cancel many of its

The Education and Outreach Department had to meet virtually due to the pandemic.

Courtesy photo in-person events due to concerns over COVID-19, but Wolf said it was never a question of, “what do we do now,” just, “how do we do it.”

“We just decided that the things that we’d done faceto-face, we were going to figure out a way to do virtually,” she said. “And for the most part we did.”

The team took their cue from the virtual format being used by schools and businesses throughout the country and joined forces with Spearfish schools to bring their presentations directly to students who were learning from home.

“They wanted to make Thursdays ‘Sanford Lab

Science Thursday,’” she said. “We (weren’t) good at this virtual thing yet,” Wolfe said. “We (hadn’t) done it before, but we’re willing to give it a shot.”

Wolf said the experience being part of that virtual environment was invaluable to the E&O team, who were themselves, learning how to navigate the opportunities of video conferencing.

“We’d all been in Zoom meetings before, but we had no idea how to really use that platform effectively, so we started looking for things,” she said.

Wolf said the team pored over online instructional videos in order to famil-

iarize themselves with the virtual format.

“We had the luxury of taking March, April, and May, and trying a lot of stuff out,” she said. “It was hard, and frustrating, and yet we just learned a ton in the process. And then we were fortunately enough to basically use the teachers as guinea pigs to really work out the kinks.”

Wolf said the team was even able to adapt some of the hands-on activities, which would normally be done during an in-person presentation to the new format.

“In a face-to-face environment, sometimes we’d SURF Pg 20

The Black Hills Pioneer from Pg 3

MASKS “There was a group of women in Kadoka who had family members who worked in health care, here in the Hills,” Wince said.

“And they decided that they wanted to make masks for their family members here.

So, a group of women there called the Sewing Saviors got together and made hundreds of masks for us and sent them out here to the Northern Hills so that their family members here could have masks, if necessary.”

Witnessing the receiving side of the mask making effort was equally rewarding, as Wince received calls from people who were scared to venture out of their homes, on oxygen or at risk some other way.

“They called and asked if I would deliver masks to their house,” she said.

“Generally, if that was the case, they would ask for one. And I would say, ‘You probably need about five or eight because you’re going to have to launder them and you’re going to need to have plenty in case somebody comes by.”

Our Towns 2020, Page 17 Wince and her daughter delivered to a few people who were sheltering in place, as they were fearful of catching COVID-19.

“They were very, very grateful,” Wince said.

“Some were very tearful to have them.”

Sewing a mask takes around 30 minutes between cutting out the pattern on fabric and actually sewing it.

In March and April, when the mask making effort began, there weren’t masks available for purchase online or locally.

“So people felt a little bit of desperation,” Wince said.

“So when they received them, they were very thankful and a lot of them gave money, usually small amounts … which we did not require, but, of course, made them feel like they were helping in return.

There were some people, when I’d drop it off, they’d ask me if I would hug them, because they had not been hugged or touched by anyone. And I did. Because it was the most important thing in the moment.”

Wince said the effort has truly been a full-circle thing.

“The businesses that have needed masks have been so grateful and have given donations to help us keep going,” Wince said.

Nearly all the fabric has been ordered locally through Northern Hills small businesses, which have donated by giving substantial breaks in fabric costs.

“Thousands of dollars in discounts,” Wince said.

Knothole and Wild Rose are two.

The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority has made contributions, a matching grant from the Monument Health Rapid City Foundation has also helped as did donations from other businesses and individuals.

“It’s been pervasive,” Wince said. “And all of that money has gone into our COVID account, which has continued to allow us to purchase fabric to continue to have masks made.”

At this point, around 20 people are still sewing on a regular basis. and the rest are just waiting in the wings, should duty call.

“Some of them are addicted to it,” Wince said. “It’s really a testimony to what

you get back when you give to someone.”

Wince envisions the effort continuing, based on demand.

“I know I have 100 people who are willing, if I make a call,” she said. “Now with school starting, we are getting requests for children’s masks.”

For those wishing to help out with the cause, Wince said monetary donations, either large or small, are best.

“Because we are able to direct funds where it is needed most, as things continue to change with COVID,” she said. “As we go forward, we want to be prepared in order to help our communities in ways that present themselves as time goes on. If that continues to be masks, so be it. But if it becomes something else, we would love to be able to grow our fund, so that we are able to act quickly, if necessary, to assist the health and welfare of our community members.”

Wince can be reached at 892-5902. Donations may also be mailed to the attention of Laurie Wince, Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital, 61 Charles St., Deadwood, SD 57732.

Courtesy photo

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Page 18, Our Towns 2020

DEADWOOD-LEAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Deadwood-Lead Economic Development Corporation serves the communities of Deadwood, Lead, and Central City. Their mission is to promote the growth and development of existing businesses, attract and pursue quality new businesses, and create quality jobs in the immediate vicinity of the communities of Deadwood, Lead, and Central City.

The change in Executive Director has elevated the presences of the organization in all three communities which the Development Corporation serves. Through these efforts they have been successful in accomplishing many of the strategic initiatives for the growth and development of these communities.

As a local non-profit since their inception, they have helped to create and expand the jobs market by 93 and have invested over $32M in our communities.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Northern Hills school districts wrestle with back to school plans amidst COVID-19 pandemic

AMY CARLSON Amy Carlson is glad to be back in Spearfish! She attended BHSU from 88-91, where she fell in love with the city. She graduated with an elementary teaching degree and taught for 20 years in the Hoven/Faulkton areas. Amy then switched it up and worked at a small Faulkton restaurant, DOT T’s.

Now, she's happy to be back in Spearfish and joining the realty team of CENTURY 21 Spearfish Realty Inc. She loves the Black Hills area and all the outdoor activities available.

Amy looks forward to helping you find that special place you’ll call home. She can be reached at 380-8058 (cell), 642-4607 (office), or amycarlson@spearfishrealty.com.

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We appreciate your patronage and believe in integrity and honesty. Our staff is available to answer any questions and ensure your experience is a positive one. Stop in our Belle Fourche location at 311 National St. or call today at 892-2851.

Normal disruptions around Northern Hills school buildings in the summer would be hiring new staff and construction, such as this parking lot work at West Elementary School in Spearfish. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and school leaders are trying to make it as safe as possible to return to the classroom again this fall. Pioneer photo by Mark Watson

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

NORTHERN HILLS — Students and staff throughout the Northern Hills will be strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks under normal conditions during the school year. But that’s where the universal similarities end, and for some districts those encouragements could change to mandates if the COVID-19 pandemic shows significant spread.

Face covering recommendations, and the fact that the back to school plans in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Lead-Deadwood and Sturgis will remain fluid throughout the year, are among the few similarities between districts, as students, teachers and staff prepare for what could be an unprecedented year of uncertainties.

The Meade County, Spearfish and Belle Fourche schools also allow parents who do not feel comfortable sending their kids back to school in a traditional setting the option to participate in an online learning school format. However, students who use these formats will be required to finish the online schooling for a semester, and will not be permitted to switch between online and live classroom instruction. In Lead-Deadwood, a remote learning model will be available for students throughout the year, and parents can choose to switch from in-class instruction to remote learning at any time.

Other highlights to back to school plans include the following:

Spearfish School District

The Spearfish School District plans to start school Sept. 8, and has also implemented three categories of guidelines in its back to school plan, with each implementing more stringent requirements that are based on the COVID-19 spread within the community. The various categories are based on the number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations at Spearfish Monument Health, as well as the percentage of cases within the school building population.

Decisions to change operational categories will be made after consulting with the S.D. Department of Health, the S.D. Department of Education, and local health officials.

The first category, which has the least amount of restrictions, will be implemented only if there are zero COVID-19 related hospitalizations over a seven-day average period at Spearfish Monument Health, and a 2% or less of active cases within the same time period. Under this category masks will be highly recommended but not required for staff and

students. They would be requested to be worn within confined settings such as science labs, chorus rooms; group collaborations and densely populated classrooms, where everyone will be asked to wear a mask. It also requires students to be taught how to properly wear masks, as well as good hygiene practices. Visitation to the schools will be limited, and all visitors will be subject to screenings. Additionally, while parents will be encouraged to transport their children to school and other activities, those who are riding the bus will be required to wear masks and adhere to strict seat assignments.

The second category implements more stringent requirements within the school, including required facemasks for staff and students in sixth- through 12th-grades. Under Category 2, non-essential visitors will not be permitted in the schools, and all large group gatherings will be suspended. Schools will move into this category when it is deemed that there has been sustained transmission, with a high likelihood of confirmed exposure within communal settings and the potential for rapid spread. This category will be used if there are between one and five hospitalizations at Spearfish Monument Health within a seven-day average period, and 3-9% active COVID-19 cases within the building populations.

BACK TO SCHOOL Pg 22

The Black Hills Pioneer from Pg 9

MAKESPACE both young and seasoned authors in their various endeavors. Last winter the organization hosted 18 of 21 scheduled author discussions before COVID-19 forced cancellations in March. “Local authors come for an hour and present on their writing,” she said. “One of the last ones we had scheduled that didn’t happen was BHSU Creative Writing students coming and presenting their work. When we did that in previous years it was often the first time they had presented their writing outside of a classroom setting. It is a committed group of people who are interested in dialog with others. It’s been a great way to get people out of the house safely in the winter and just to engage with other people that they might not have met.”

In addition to promoting arts, literature and cycling, Freer said a very important component of MakeSPACE has been promoting equality among all. Earlier this year they facilitated that with book discussions, but with current anti-racism campaigns gaining national attention she said the effort has been elevated.

“Given the current climate around George Floyd, we realized that there is a lot of work on antiracist education that needs to happen in every community,” Freer said. “It’s not

Our Towns 2020, Page 19 just our community, but it’s understanding how that is applicable to where we are. So we have started facilitated discussions.”

One of those discussions, done in a virtual “Town Hall” setting, hosted about 70 people who discussed what antiracism looks like in rural communities.

When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted people to stay home and distance themselves from others, Freer said MakeSPACE shifted its focus to help creative minds help meet community needs. Using grants from the S.D. Community Foundation, the Spearfish Community Foundation, Med5 Credit Union, United Way of the Black Hills, Friends of the Northern Hills Training Center, and Monument Health, the organization purchased discounted materials from Dakota Quilt Company in Spearfish and The Bakery Fabrics in Belle Fourche. Those materials were then made available to citizens to make masks that were donated to Monument Health, area nursing homes and assisted living centers, and to local individuals and businesses. So far, she said, they have donated 5,000 masks.

“So then it was connecting the creative community, providing the materials, and giving the people a sense of purpose and connection,” she said. “We want to make the community safe with that.”

Currently, Freer said medical facilities in the area have report-

YOUR

FIRST

ed a sufficient supply of masks.

Therefore, she said the organization’s next focus is to try and provide masks to the school district for student use. “Particularly for bussing, we may be able to help, as well as provide masks for students who don’t have them but wish to wear them.”

But, Freer said one of the challenges for continuing to meet the community need for masks is keeping volunteers motivated.

“Our biggest issue is that people are kind of tired out. So (we need to) find ways to increase the motivation and to show that need again,” she said. “Helping to tell that story is very appreciated. It is not over. We have protected our kids by having them at home and not at summer camps and at the pool, the way we normally would. But time will tell.

I think that diligence and keeping up with what we’ve been doing is very important. We still have 25 to 100 masks that are being made each week, which is not insubstantial.

But we were making a couple hundred a week before when this started.”

Another post-COVID-19 program from MakeSPACE is a direct financial assistance program. Through its COVID Relief Cash Fund, MakeSPACE can provide up to $500 for residents who need help to make ends meet. The funds are derived from cash donations that are specifically earmarked to help those in

need. The program is scheduled to “sunset” at the end of the year, when any unused funds will be donated to another local non-profit such as the Spearfish Food Pantry. So far MakeSPACE has provided about $4,500 in assistance with the program.

“It’s a fairly easy application process to help with housing assistance, food and other urgent needs,” she said. “We have not seen as many requests, but we have been able to help a number of people and we’ve also been able to help connect them to a number of other resources through Volunteers of America and United Way. It shows the strength of partnerships when our community organizations come together.”

Overall, Freer said she is excited about the success MakeSPACE has had in its first year of operation, and she is looking forward to the future of serving the Spearfish and Northern Hills community. All of the programming at MakeSPACE, Freer said, is provided on a donation basis, and grant funds are available to ensure that all citizens can participate in activities regardless of their ability to pay.

“I think one of the advantages of MakeSPACE is that the board is open to being very nimble and flexible, and changing to stay in line with our mission,” she said.

For more information about MakeSPACE programming and mission, visit http://makespacesd.org/

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Page 20, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer from Pg 15

from Pg 16

MEALS FOR KIDS

SURF do this card sort activity,” she said. “We figured out how to make Google slides out of them, basically PowerPoint slides, that the kids themselves could manipulate virtually.”

Another major aspect to the E&O department is its professional development program for teacher, which it holds ever summer.

“It’s just exploded this summer.

And we’ve done it all virtually, not like an online class, but where we all came together on Zoom,” Wolf said.

The program helps prepare teachers for the coming school year by educating them on the science and innovations coming from the Sanford Lab, as well as familiarizing them with the materials used in the curriculum kits they send out.

This summer, however, Wolf said there was an additional layer to the program.

“Not only were we teaching Sanford Lab science and good science teaching strategies, but we were also modeling how to teach using Zoom,” she said.

Because the team had become so proficient with the intricacies of teaching and presenting through virtual formats through partnering with teachers at the beginning of the pandemic; they were now able

Pioneer photo by Alex Portal to impart all that they had learned to a broader range of educators throughout the state to prepare them for an uncertain school year, navigating very different learning landscape.

“We were planning for a maximum of 180 teachers and we wound up with 232 teachers,” Wolf said.

“How do we leverage this technology to actually make something where kids still build relationships with each other and talk with each other and do hands-on things with each other? The feedback we’ve gotten from teachers has been amazing.”

Wolf said it’s been a rocky few months for the E&O Department, but the continued support of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority and the dedication of the team to continue their mission has been the lighthouse in the choppy waters of the COVID storm.

“They could very easily say, ‘in these times we have to focus on underground science and I’m sorry E&O,’ but they are completely committed (to supporting the Education and Outreach program) and it means the world to us,” she said.

Rhonda Ramsdell said her district served 38,690 students breakfast and lunch as part of the Emergency Feeding Grab ‘N Go Program March through May, for a total of 77,380 meals served during that time period.

“Then, beginning in May through August 7, we served 12,427 lunches to students. We also served adults on one program and seniors on another,” Ramsdell said.

A total of 2,397 adults were served on a $10,000 grant from Black Hills Area Community Foundation.

“Then we worked with Senior Meals Program and we served seniors, as well, all summer,” she said.

“We served 1,198 seniors.”

All summer feeding programs through the Meade School District were in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and were lunches.

“We were pleased with the participation,” Ramsdell said. “Things went fairly smoothly. It was a learning curve, definitely. We were reinventing the wheel almost continually. It’s just not been done before. It was a learning experience for all of us.”

The grant from the community foundation has been exhausted and the seniors program has solely moved back to Sturgis Meals on Wheels.

“We were just helping them take some of the pressure off,” Ramsdell said.

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 21

BHSU plans for safe re-entry to campus amid pandemic

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — Faculty and staff at BHSU are excited to welcome students back to campus in the fall, and they continue to work on a COVID-19 re-entry plan that will outline protocols for the coming year.

“We’re trying to bring back as much of a normal classroom setting as we can, while still trying to maintain the health and safety of campus, and the communities that our students, faculty and staff live in,” said Kristen Kilmer, assistant director of communications for the university.

Throughout the summer, faculty and staff at Black Hills State University have been working on a 27-page re-entry plan that outlines important aspects of student life, including classes, residence hall and dining services, athletics, student activities, and more. A taskforce with representatives from academics, the registrar’s office, facility services, the Dean of Students, athletics, admissions, residence life, student engagement, public safety and students have been working on the plan, and its full text can be viewed at www.bhsu. edu/COVID. “It’s a flexible plan because we know changes may have to come about as we go along through the semester,” Kilmer said.

“One of the most noticeable changes is going to be with different events and activities, so that we don’t have too many people in one place at the same time.

There will be suggestions for social distancing.”

The Board of Regents mandated that all universities in the state begin the fall semester with everyone wearing masks in public indoor spaces. That policy would be reviewed in 30 days.

Kilmer went on to explain that small spaces such as laboratories and studios will require face coverings.

The re-entry document states, “Meticulous adherence to public health practices including hand hygiene, physical distanc-

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When students return to Black Hills State University this month, they will find a plan and guidelines to keep them as safe as possible from contracting COVID-19. Pioneer photo by Mark Watson ing, proper cough/sneeze etiquette, frequent sanitizing of common and high traffic areas, symptom assessment, temperature checks, and face coverings in public areas shell be the new campus normal.”

It goes on to explain that disinfectant wipes will be available for students to use to disinfect computer and other commonly shared surfaces, and that commonly touched areas in classrooms, such as tabletops and chairs, will be disinfected between classes. It also outlines specific protocol for frequently sanitizing all facilities on campus, and it calls for the hiring of additional custodial staff to handle the increased work.

The re-entry plan also requires six-feet of separation between students and faculty in the classroom.

While Kilmer said classroom protocol is still being discussed, the document states that classroom capacity will be determined by allowing a minimum of 36 square feet per person, as well as a safety allowance of 10-feet from the front of the classroom to the front row seating. In lab settings and other confined areas where social distancing is more difficult to maintain, the document calls for using barrier shields and facemasks.

“I don’t think they are limiting class sizes,” Kilmer said. “They are looking at models to ac-

commodate students.

Some options are for some people to go to class one day, and some people to go to class another day.

There are hybrid options where you’re not in the classroom, and you can watch it through Zoom or a recording. All of those are under consideration at this point.”

Some other options under consideration include utilizing Meier Hall and Woodburn Theater for larger classes, and moving smaller classes into the larger, vacated rooms.

As much as possible, the document calls for maintaining instruction that involves student participation from a distance.

“Our goal is to meet the needs of students with as much face-to-face and hands-on learning as we provide during any other semester,” the document states. “Additionally, we must do this while keeping students safe, meeting the guidelines established by the CDC. The task force recommends that we do not, as general policy, recode classes or create connected, online sections for face-to-face classes.

We think doing so would cause confusion and unnecessary work for staff, faculty and students.”

However, the plan does call for the university to invest $96,000 in extra laptops and wireless microphones that will allow instructors to deliver

their classes via Zoom Chat technology, in order to allow students to have remote access when it is needed.

“For example, if Spearfish were to see a huge increase in cases and students didn’t feel safe going to class, there will be a lot more flexibility as far as being able to enter their classes via Zoom or watch recordings,” Kilmer said.

Immediately upon moving on to campus, residential students will notice a change, Kilmer said.

Moving into the dorms will be a staged process that stretches over three days, in order to decrease the number of students who are in one place at the same time. In addition to required physical distancing throughout facilities, and highly recommended face coverings, the university will establish isolation and quarantine rooms in Bordeaux Hall and the Yellow Jacket apartments.

Overall, Kilmer said the goal at BHSU is to welcome students to a normal university setting as much as possible, while maintaining health and safety.

Plans are fluid as of press time, but she encouraged all interested parties to continually check the website at www.bhsu.edu/ COVID for updates.

Fall athletic events, with the exception of cross country and golf have been postponed to the spring season.

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Page 22, Our Towns 2020 from Pg 18

BACK TO SCHOOL A third category that calls for school closures and immediate return to a remote learning model will be implemented if there is a large-scale, uncontrolled community spread that includes communal settings. This category will be implemented if there are at least six or more COVID-19 related hospitalizations at Spearfish Monument Health, and at least 10% of the school building population has tested positive for COVID-19.

The district is also offering a virtual learning experience.

Lead-Deadwood School District

The only district in the Northern Hills that did not approve a phased reopening plan, the LeadDeadwood School District’s plan begins with parents having the choice of sending their children back to the normal school setting with modifications; utilizing remote learning opportunities from home; or homeschooling. Superintendent Dan Leikvold explained that parents who choose the remote learning option would enjoy all of the support and materials, including lesson plans, from the school district, while parents who choose to homeschool would be “on their own.” Though other districts placed time requirements on their remote learning options, the Lead-Deadwood School District gives parents the option to change their mind and switch between options.

The Lead-Deadwood plan also introduces a “hybrid model,” for going back to school. The model includes some students in a face-to-face instructional setting, while others are doing remote learning. Then, at regular intervals the students will switch positions. Leikvold said while this model would be the most effective for social distancing, it is also the most complicated to implement. While the school is not expected to immediately adopt this mode of learning, it remains in the back to school plan as an option.

Under the district’s reopening plan, facemasks will be strongly encouraged, but not required. The exception to this rule will be on the busses, where students will be required to adhere to a seating chart, and wear facemasks at all times.

Parents who want their children to ride the bus will have to reserve

The Black Hills Pioneer seats for them in two-week intervals, renewing their reservations regularly.

The facemask requirement was a strong contention among school board members, who ultimately voted 3-2 in favor of strongly encouraging masks. The reopening plan does call for the school to designate “red” zones, or places such as hallways, where social distancing cannot be accomplished and masks should be used, and “green” zones, such as in classrooms, where masks are encouraged but not required.

The back to school plan does not require temperature checks, however students will be screened using a CDC list of COVID-19 symptoms.

Building principals Tim Kosters and Mark Jacobs have been tasked with developing learning models for their respective students, with an official plan to be presented Aug. 18.

“I think a better approach is to go to full remote learning and to slowly bring students back in small groups of three to five, intermittently,” Leikvold said.

As far as extracurricular activities go, the back to school plan calls for the district to follow guidelines set forth by the S.D. High School Activities Association, and to allow parents to transport their own children to out-of-town activities. Fan attendance could be limited at some events, with facemasks strongly encouraged.

Under the plan, visitors will not be allowed past the building office without permission from the principal. Recess at the elementary school will be condensed to smaller groups, and lunch will be spread out in different areas to allow for smaller groups.

Overall, Leikvold reported that school officials continue to work on parameters to follow for possible COVID-19 related school closures.

Meade County School District

In Meade County, where elementary and secondary education schools vary widely in size and demographics, the school has created three phased plans that will begin when school starts Sept. 8. The level of COVID-19 spread within the schools will dictate the phases and different schools will not necessarily be in the same phase at any one time.

The first phase will be implemented if there are no possible COVID-19 cases detected within the school building, and will entail a normal school setting with some preventative modifications. Under this phase, face coverings will be recommended when social distancing is

not an option, large group gatherings will be limited, student movement will be controlled as much as possible and table partitions will be installed wherever possible. The phase does not allow for visitors past an administrative entry point, except for times of scheduled visitor access by appointment, at which time the visitors will be required to wear a mask until social distancing is accomplished. The phase does require face coverings to be used on busses, encourages parents to transport their own children whenever possible, and allows parents to transport their children to extracurricular activities that are held out of town. The plan includes increased and scheduled cleaning and disinfecting procedures, including rearranging desks to accommodate social distancing. The Phase 1 plan also calls for all extracurricular activities to be held as scheduled, with spectators urged to wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines.

The second phase will be implemented if there are a few isolated cases of COVID-19 within the school buildings. In this phase schools will be open, but individual classes or departments may be closed if needed. Restrictions are slightly tighter under this phase, and include facemask requirements for all staff, as well as for students in fifth- through 12th-grade, when social distancing is not an option. Students in preschool through fourth grade will be highly recommended to wear masks.

Additionally, schools that operate in this phase could have instructional delivery adjusted for the classes or departments that have to be temporarily closed. Extracurricular activity attendance, such as for ball games, could be limited to only parents, or the activities could be limited to “live stream only” attendance. The phase also calls for the cancellation of all assemblies and large group gatherings where social distancing is not possible.

Under the district’s third phase, which will be implemented if there is significant COVID-19 spread within the school buildings, the schools will be closed and all activities cancelled for a minimum of 10 days.

Phase three will require the school to move to a remote learning model until COVID-19 cases within the school have subsided.

Meade School District Superintendent Don Kirkegaard said that under the current COVID-19 conditions, the larger schools within the district would most likely start the school year in Phase 2.

The Meade School District plan also includes guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which says “The AAP strongly advocates that all planning and policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. Policy makers should

acknowledge that COVID-19 policies are intended to mitigate, not eliminate, risk. No single action or set of actions will eliminate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but implementation of several coordinated interventions can greatly reduce that risk.”

Belle Fourche School District

The Belle Fourche School District plans to have its staff return to school on Aug. 16, with students following the week of Aug. 31. Belle Fourche High School principal Mathew Raba, who authored the back to school plan with Elementary School principal Julie Hatling, said during that first week of school half of the student body will attend on Monday and Wednesday, while the remaining half will attend Tuesday and Thursday. During this time, teachers will orient students to the new COVID-19 regulations within the district. Then, on Sept. 8, all students will return to a regular schedule.

Raba said that the plan makes social distancing a top priority.

Though it does not require students or staff to wear facemasks, they will be expected to carry one at all times for use when social distancing is not possible. Water fountains, Raba said will be restricted to bottle fillers only, and therefore students will be encouraged to bring their own water bottles. Visitors will be limited within the building, and large gatherings such as assemblies or field trips could be modified or suspended.

Under the reopening plan, students will be highly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks on the bus. The plan calls for regular use and sanitation of busses, as well as hand sanitizer made available for student use.

Three phases of operation are also included in the Belle Fourche plan, though specific practices were not immediately clear. Under Phase 1, the district will operate with normal precautions as outlined throughout the plan. Phase 2 will be implemented if there are isolated cases within the building, and calls for the school to engage in additional procedures to reassess processes to identify gaps in strategies, allow for contact tracing, deep cleaning and more.

Phase 3 will take effect if there are substantial COVID-19 cases within the school buildings, and would include increased precautionary measures, including staggered schedules and blended learning.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 23

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The Black Hills Pioneer

OUR TOWNS

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2

Pioneer photo by Alex Portal

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Northern Hills housing market booms amidst pandemic

2020 • BLACK HILLS PIONEER

By Wendy Pitlick Black Hills Pioneer

NORTHERN HILLS — Gov. Kristi Noem’s decision to keep South Dakota open amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Northern Hills housing market to boom.

Jason Tysdal, president of the Mount Rushmore Area Association of REALTORS, said when the pandemic first swept the nation and governments started to shut states down, the real estate market slowed a bit as people tried to determine how to react to the crisis. But it wasn’t long before people started to notice South Dakota as a state they wanted to live in.

“After the first week, our real estate market revved up,” Tysdal said. “We started getting calls all over the place.

Then, further into it, we started getting calls like ‘we’ve been thinking about moving for quite awhile and this is putting us off the fence right now and we want to get here. So, now it’s busy, especially with tourist season.”

Tysdal said in previous years the attractions of the Black Hills would be the primary focus for most visitors.

But in 2020 they appear to be driving

around, taking back roads, and calling the numbers on the realtors’ signs.

Their reasons for wanting to move here range from South Dakota’s lack of income tax and lower cost of living, to more political leanings.

“Their bars and restaurants and shops and all of that are being shut down,” he said. “They like what South Dakota did by not shutting down. Most of what we’re seeing is people who have been looking at the Northern Hills or western South Dakota for some time. Or, they’re seeing articles in various magazines.

Some of it came from us not closing down and the publicity that Kristi Noem has gotten.”

Growing industry, cultural activities, and recreation opportunities have also been factors in the booming housing market, he said. “We just have a lot to offer,” he said.

Of the growing numbers of out of state buyers, Tysdal said a small percentage of people are in such a hurry to get out of their state and into South Dakota, they are buying properties without actually visiting them first.

Technologies such as Facetime and Zoom have allowed sellers to show

and sell their homes to people before purchasers are able to travel.

“I think that’s a dangerous way to do it,” he said, cautioning all buyers against committing to purchases for properties they have not physically seen. “Some people insist on wanting to do it, and they just buy it and deal with (problems) later. You’re better off being able to have a contingent on viewing it at some point. I think you are better off seeing it, because you can only see so much with a video.”

Interest rates are also a major motivation for buyers. Tysdal said while interest rates vary, right now they average from 2.75-4%. Those rates are also causing people who already live in the Northern Hills to take a fresh look at upgrading housing and land holdings.

Overall, Tysdal said every kind of property in the Northern Hills, whether it is single-family homes or acreage, is selling like crazy. In a market that definitely favors the seller, he said it seems realtors need more listings to meet the demand.

“Everything is moving,” he said. “If you have a decent home, priced corHOUSING MARKET Pg 2

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HOUSING MARKET rectly, then the homes are getting purchased.”

Buyers are not only purchasing more properties, but they’re typically paying more for them too.

According to statistics from the Mount Rushmore Area Association of REALTORS, at this time in 2019 the average price of a single family, existing home was at $268,000. In 2020, that price has jumped up to $305,000. For new construction people paid an average of $330,500 per house in 2019. In 2020, that figure jumped up to $382,000.

While Tysdal said his office does not distinguish between lot sizes or multiple acreage sites when taking statistics, the average piece of land in the Northern Hills sold for about $78,800 in 2019, and in 2020 that average went down to $74,500. However, he said those averages could be deceiving since realtors have a variety of listings that range from half-acre lots to five, 10, 40 and more acres of land. That variety makes it harder to track average price statistics for land.

“That’s been big on the inquiry list, people looking for acreage,” he said. “Land is appreciating and staying fairly steady. It’s increasing a little bit because we’re running out of buildable lots closer to downtown areas. Some of your outer areas of

Pioneer staff photo subdivisions are getting bought out.

We are going to be in need of some lots here.”

Overall, Tysdal said people are enjoying the land in the Northern

Hills, and everyone seems to want a piece of this beautiful country.

“They’re a saying that they’re not making any more of it, so a lot of people don’t mind buying it and

sitting on it,” he said. “The word has gotten out. So people who have seen the area are coming here, and they’ve decided that this is a great place to live.”

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PO Box 584, Deadwood 578-1333 Club 722-5224 Secretary

If you’ve been around the Hills for a while, there is a good chance that your children, or even you, have directly benefited from the Elks. We sponsor numerous programs including: • One of the largest privately funded scholarship programs in the country • Hoop Shoot • Supports the D.A.R.E. in schools • Activities and needs specifically for Armed Services Veterans at Ft. Meade.

• The annual Easter Egg Hunt in Deadwood • Lead-Deadwood Middle School Student of the Month • Youth Appreciation Banquet honors the achievements of over 300 students and their families from around the region • Contributes to the Post Prom events in all of the area high schools • Sends a high school student representative to Boys and Girls State each year • Additionally, we answer many individual funding requests for those in need and food drives for local families The Deadwood Elks Lodge lounge, located on the second floor of the Elks building on upper Main St. in Deadwood, sports a full bar. Renovations have restored its magnificent view overlooking Deadwood’s Main Street and Outlaw Square. Members enjoy one of the best vantage points for taking in Deadwood’s many busy events. The Lodge is available for private rentals as well.

Lounge Open at 5 pm Thursday Saturday

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 3

Spearfish bringing new housing options to growing workforce

ACE HARDWARE LEAD & STURGIS

The helpful place.

There are 5,000+ Ace Hardware stores that are locally owned and operated across the globe. We are committed to being "the Helpful Place" by offering our customers personal service, quality products and knowledgeable advice. Each store is unique and tailored to meet the needs of the local community.

Ace Hardware of Lead has been open for 4 years at 145 Glendale Drive — 605-559-1110 Sturgis Ace Hardware opened in November of 2018 at 2222 Junction Ave. — 605-347-4031

Blackstone Lodge and Suites is nestled against a black slate mountain in the quaint town of Lead. From family suites to executive king suites, we are able to accommodate any traveler.

Relax in our three outdoor hot tubs, and enjoy six local craft beers on tap in Hangar 7 lounge (as well as all your favorite domestic beers and wine). Start your day with complimentary hot breakfast. We also offer free shuttle service to Deadwood and back.

View availability and book your stay online at blackstonelodgehotel.com, call us at 605-584-2000, or stop in to 395 Glendale Drive in Lead.

Pictured is the plans for “Sky Ridge” housing development. Courtesy graphic

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — In order to address the need for affordable housing to support the growing workforce in Spearfish, city officials have begun moving forward with a workforce housing development newly dubbed “Sky Ridge.”

“Every single state-level meeting that I go to, this is part of the discussion across the state, we don’t have workforce, and we don’t have workforce housing, so which comes first,” said Spearfish Mayor Dana Boke.

The city recently purchased 136 acres of land from Vieland LLC, in the Elkhorn Ridge subdivision for $1,496,000, with 20 acres being donated to the city so a sports complex could be built along with the development. The development is along Colorado Boulevard, west of Exit 17 and to the south of the boulevard.

Dream Design International, Inc. (DDI), in Rapid City was selected to work with the city to create a layout for the site.

“We’re (the city) very good at building roads and putting in water mains and maintaining streets and maintaining sewer,” said Mike Harmon, city administrator for Spearfish. “(DDI) are capable of bringing a significant number of homes to market. They have constructed over 6,000 homes in Rapid City, they’ve participated in over 20 TIFs (tax increment financing),

and added $900 million in valuation to Rapid City, so this certainly isn’t their first rodeo so to speak.”

The city developed an agreement with DDI, which outlines some of the parameters and stipulations for the project.

“The development agreement stipulates the relationship between the city and DDI in terms of how this development will work, and the restrictive covenants govern the ability of the home owner to resell their property and not recap or experience a net profit for a period of time,” Harmon said.

Construction of the homes is expected to take place in five phases with minimum of 30 homes constructed each year for four years, and the remainder of the homes being built in 2026.

In order to keep the homes under the South Dakota Housing Development Authority’s first-time homebuyer’s purchase price limit, which is currently set at $275,000, the homes that will be built in this project have been broken down into three categories.

Category one homes must make up at least 40% of the development, and be priced between $100,000 and $175,000 with a minimum size of 800 square feet of finished living space not including the garage. These homes must have a minimum of a one-stall garage and two driveway parking spaces for a total of three off-street parking spaces as defined

by Spearfish city ordinance.

Category two homes must make up at least 40% of the development, and be priced between $175,000 and $225,000 with a minimum size of 1,000 square feet of finished living space not including the garage.

These homes must have a minimum of a two-stall garage.

Category three homes would make up the rest of the development, and be priced between $225,000 and $275,000 with a minimum size of 1,200 square feet of finished living space not including the garage.

These homes must have a minimum of a two-stall garage.

Harmon said he’s proud that 80% of the houses in this project will be priced under $225,000 as it addresses the need for less expensive home-buying options for lower income professionals.

“We strive to make this an affordable housing project, and to the extent we can, limit competition with the private sector,” he said.

To that end, the city has built in a section of the agreement, which limits who can purchase the homes while they are still under construction depending on which tax bracket the buyer falls into.

Category one homes will be restricted to buyers who fall into the federal 12% income tax bracket.

Category two and three homes will be restricted to buyers who fall under the federal 22% income tax NEW HOUSING Pg 19

Our mission at the BFACC is to encourage healthy living by promoting recreational, educational, cultural, and social activities for the citizens of the Northern Hills. We strive to provide fun opportunities for all by offering a variety of activities including community events, group fitness classes, youth and adult sports programs, and swimming lessons.

Our facilities include a pool, walking track, gymnasium, weight and cardio rooms, racquetball courts, meeting rooms, and an auditorium.

The BFACC is here to serve you! Stop by in person at 1111 National Street, give us a call at 605-892-2467, or check us out online at bellefourche.org.

Werlinger Auto Body Repair is a full-service auto body and collision repair shop. We are family owned and operated and have served the Northern Black Hills area for 35 years. Whether you have been in an accident or are looking to repair hail damage, we are here for you.

Call today and see why Werlinger Auto Body Repair of Sturgis is a different type of collision auto repair shop — where our MISSION is 100% customer satisfaction.

Stop by and visit us at 3441 Whitewood Road, Sturgis, or call 605-347-5550 and we'll make sure to get you and your vehicle back on the road!

Page 4, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

Need for housing continues in Sturgis

Although 250 new homes have been built in Sturgis in the last five years, the vacancy rate remains virtually the same meaning everything that is being built is filling up.

Pioneer file photos by Deb Holland

By Deb Holland Black Hills Pioneer

STURGIS — The need for housing in Sturgis will continue to increase over the next five years, a recent housing study has shown.

In 2014, the city of Sturgis and Sturgis Economic Development Corp (SEDC) partnered to hire Community Partners, Inc., with a goal of conducting a housing needs study to determine unmet housing needs, examine future trends and provide future housing recommendations for Sturgis.

That study was updated again last year and results revealed.

“This means that we are growing. People want to live here, raise their families and spend time in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota,” said SEDC Executive Director Amanda Anglin.

She said one of the goals of SEDC is develop infrastructure in the community.

That is done by creating a diversity of fully developed sites, buildings and housing for expanding and new businesses and industries, as well as encouraging the development of residential housing.

The 2014 study identified a rental housing market vacancy rate of .7%. A healthy

market range is 3-5%. To meet demand, the study indicated that 135-145 rental units would be needed from 2014-2019 and for 22-27 owner-occupied housing units to be constructed annually over the five years for a total of 135 owner-occupied units.

Armed with that information, SEDC and the city of Sturgis identified property options and developers. The 2014 housing study helped foster the Dolan Creek subdivision (113), Sierra Vista Apartments (32), Canyon View Estates (18) and Wildflower Townhomes (4) developments. These four developments helped significantly with the housing needs in Sturgis by creating 131 owner-occupied homes and 36 rental units, Anglin said.

When the study was repeated in 2019, it showed that the rental vacancy rate increased slightly to 1.9% with need for an additional 152-175 rental units. Owneroccupied housing needs also increased to 40-45 units annually with 225 owner-occupied units needed over the next five years. The study recommended a 2.5-year supply of available lots to meet the demand.

The city has identified at least two potential sites for residential housing development. They include 22 acres

Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie shows the plans for the Marcotte Development to Jesse Blakeman and Kathy Christenson during an open house at the Sturgis Community Center. at the Sturgis Fairgrounds and The 60 acres of land on the Marcotte property just off Elk Road by way of Dolan Creek Road and Moose Drive.

City officials hope the developments will bring nearly 150 homes to the community.

Dream Design International of Rapid City was chosen as the developer of the Marcotte property located to the south of

Interstate 90 between exits 30 and 32.

The concept for the Marcotte property is melding housing into a park-like setting.

Hani Shafai, president of Dream Design, said the Marcotte property is a beautiful piece of ground that lends itself to providing a range of housing options which are sorely needed in Sturgis. He said houses would range in price from

$200,000 to $400,000. From 90 to 100 homes may be built on the property.

The plan calls for a 25acre park with a public walking trail system within the subdivision linking to existing trails, a large park pavilion, a play structure (somewhat like the one now located west of the Sturgis Community Center), a large vehicle and trailer parking lot, and possibly a splash pad.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 5

Community Partners Free & Confidential: Pregnancy Testing Ultrasound Confirmation Information on Options

Lead – deadwood Kiwanis CLub A local service club dedicated to providing assistance to our local youth and community.

Chartered in 1925, the Lead Deadwood Kiwanis Club has been actively supporting the Lead and Deadwood communities for over 90 years.

Other than our main club, we have three clubs in the area to help with service projects and fundraising activities: the Lead-Deadwood High School Key Club for high school students, the Builders Club for middle school students and the Noon Kiwanis Club, a satellite club that meets at the Sled Haus at noon on the first and third Wednesday of the month.

Some of the projects we support include:

The Prospector Bowl & The Community Birthday Calendar

$1,000 Scholarships for 2 graduating Seniors • Teen Court American Legion Boys & Girls State • Jr Class Post-prom • Meals on Wheels • School Signs • Handley Rec Center Preschool • HOBY • Library Audio Books • Lead-Dwd HS Art Club • Lead-Dwd HS Speech & Debate • Lead-Dwd HS Athletics • Community Christmas Meal • Rob Lester: Halloween Bags NeighborWorks Kidwierd • The Lord’s Cupboard • Junior Achievement • Dictionary Project for 3rd Graders Lead-Deadwood Elementary Triathlon • Cloth-A-Kid • Optimist Club Dental Bus • Sing at Golden Ridge Assisted Living Facility

Main Club Meetings every Monday night at 5:30 p.m. at the All-in-One in Lead. The public is welcome.

605-642-4140 • bellapregnancy.com

Anyone interested in learning more, please contact a Kiwanian or call 920-8635.

Page 6, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

Community Partners INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE TOGETHER Young Life began with a few simple ideas about sharing the truth of God’s love with adolescents. Those simple ideas have become time-tested methods for reaching out to middle school, high school and college students in friendship and hope.

Our mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow their faith.

We accomplish our mission by ...

• Praying for young people.

• Going where kids are and building personal relationships with them.

• Earning the right to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

• Providing fun, adventurous, life-changing and skill-building experiences.

• Inviting kids to personally respond to the Good News and walking in friendship with them regardless of their response.

• Preparing kids for a life-long relationship with Christ and a love for His word, His mission and the local church.

• Working in community alongside like-minded adults (volunteer leaders, committee members, donors and staff).

The Spearfish Foundation for Public Education board of directors would like to thank the Spearfish school district administrators, teachers and staff for their continued hard work and dedication to the students of our district.

We truly appreciate their efforts in helping every student continue to learn in the classroom and virtually on-line. The SFPE is here to support our teachers and the educational needs of our students. We also thank our local families, businesses and community members for their financial investment and continued support of the additional educational opportunities for our schools!

The Spearfish Foundation for Public Education is a non-profit 501c3, volunteer organization that is committed to the long-term success of the Spearfish public schools. Our mission is to prepare students to be the kind of leaders our community, state and country need. We unite the community and schools through financial investment in educational programs designed and instructed by our teachers and staff.

For more information go to: www.spearfishschools.org

825 Heritage Dr. • Spearfish, South Dakota

642-WEST (9378) | www.westernheritagecenter.com info@westernheritagecenter.com High Plains Western Heritage Center contains a five-state regional museum founded to honor the old west pioneers and the Native Americans of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska.

The museum features a wide range of western artifacts including displays honoring the cattle and sheep industry, the Native American, blacksmithing, saddle making, natural history, mining, forestry, and, of course, the cowboy and rodeo.

Country Jamboree Cowboy Supper Show and Buffet

August 18 & 25; Septermber 1, 8 & 15 Starting at 5:30 pm Adults: $30 • 6-12: $15 Under 6: Free Show Only: $15

Contributions in recent years have allowed for a spacious theatre complete with sound system, a Transportation Room that includes a stagecoach, chuck wagon, a “Tally-Ho” wagon, buggies and sleighs. Outside displays include a oneroom schoolhouse, log homestead cabin and antique farm equipment.

The Heritage Center thrives due to the many individuals and businesses from the area that contribute time, labor, materials and finances. Grain and hay are donated to feed live longhorn steers, which are displayed in the front pasture from May through October.

The Heritage Center, as an important regional community center, is available for rent to individuals, groups and organizations looking for a beautiful and unique venue for their event.

We believe that life is found in Jesus and that every student deserves to know what life can hold for them.

From club and camp to Campaigners and other activities, teenagers will have a blast laughing, trying new things and being with their friends.

605-645-9589

www.spearfish.younglife.org

If you wish to financially supporty YoungLife a check can be mailed to: YoungLife P.O. Box 1136, Spearfish, SD 57783 or gifts can be made online.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 7

Community Partners

Sturgis Golden K Kiwanis mission is to improve the world one child and one community at a time.

The Sturgis Kiwanis Food Pantry, a 501.c.3, has served individuals and families in Sturgis and Meade County since 1991. Managed and operated by Sturgis Golden K Kiwanis volunteers and with citizen volunteers, the Pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 am to 11:45 am to serve those in need.

Cash donations can be sent to Sturgis Golden K Kiwanis, P.O. Box 4136, Sturgis, SD 57785.

Donations of food can be made at the Pantry during business hours.

The Adams Museum is the Black Hills’ oldest history museum. In 1930 pioneer businessman W.E. Adams founded the Adams Museum in downtown Deadwood with the purpose of preserving and displaying the history of the Black Hills. He donated the building to the City of Deadwood.

Travel through three floors of dynamic exhibits that shine a light on Deadwood’s legends and outlaws, chronicle the city’s progress and its notorious businesses, and detail the advancement of frontier transportation. Discover Potato Creek Johnny’s original gold nugget and explore

54 Sherman Street Deadwood, SD 57732 605-578-1714

More information can be found on our Golden K Kiwanis Facebook page.

The Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center (HARCC) serves as a destination appealing to historians, genealogists, authors, scholars, and the general public. It is a research center with a reputation for providing thorough assistance in multi-disciplined fields of study. The facility is designed to host a variety of public programs, workshops, concerts, and lectures that appeal to a diverse and multi-generational audience.

The HARCC preserves and makes accessible hundreds of thousands of original records documenting the history of Deadwood, the Black Hills, and the Homestake Gold Mine.

The archival collections include over 15,000 photographs; original diaries, correspondence, and scrapbooks; blueprints and architectural drawings; business records; and legal documents detailing civil and criminal litigation, water rights actions, and railroad concerns.

Open year round to the public, the HARCC is wheelchair accessible.

Document and photograph reproduction rates are available.

Business hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Masks are currently required to be worn by researchers and visitors to the HARCC. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you.

the beautiful and unique natural history of the Black Hills.

In addition to exhibits on all three levels, a gift shop is located on the main floor.

Open year round, the Adams Museum is wheelchair accessible. A suggested donation of $5 per adult, $2 per child is appreciated. The museum is free to members. Call 605722-4800 for information on group tours. Deadwood History, Inc. has made necessary modifications, standards, and practices to our properties in order to minimize the effects of COVID-19.

DeadwoodHistory.com

Live re-creations of the town’s rich history started in 1924 through the Days of ‘76 celebration and award-winning rodeo.

The celebration began as a way to honor Deadwood’s pioneers – the prospectors, miners, muleskinners, and madams who poured into the Black Hills in 1876 to settle the gold-filled gulches of Dakota Territory.

A remarkable collection of pioneer, cowboy, and American Indian artifacts are displayed in two unique galleries. A firearms exhibit presents nearly 100 rifles and includes numerous examples of rare guns.

The connection between Buffalo Bill Cody, his Wild West Show, and Deadwood are highlighted as Cody’s show was the inspiration for the first Days of ‘76 Celebration. Over 50 wagons, buggies, carriages,

and stagecoaches on display highlight the important role early frontier transportation played in the settling of Deadwood. Sound has been incorporated around various wagons and carriages to make the experience memorable.

The gift shop is located on the first floor. Admission is $8 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 – 12, and free to children 5 and under. The museum is free to Deadwood History members.

Open year round, the Days of ‘76 Museum is wheelchair accessible. Call 605722-4800 for information on group tours.

Deadwood History, Inc. has made necessary modifications, standards, and practices to our properties in order to minimize the effects of COVID-19.

150 Sherman Street Deadwood, SD 605-722-4800

18 Seventy Six Drive Deadwood, SD 605-578-1657

DeadwoodHistory.com

DeadwoodHistory.com

Page 8, Our Towns 2019

Lynn's Dakotamart is dedicated to being the "better choice" grocery store. They pride themselves on great customer service, providing groceries at a value, operating clean stores and having employees that care.

Today, Don, and Jim Feist, the second generation of the Lynn Feist family, operate nine full-time grocery stores in South Dakota with locations in Sturgis, Lead, Belle Fourche, Faith, Custer, Hot Springs, Martin, Pierre, and Ft. Thompson; one Dollar Giant store in Rapid City; a stand alone liquor store in Rapid City; and two convenience stores, one in Lead and one in Hot Springs. The corporate office is now located in Rapid City.

Lynn's Dakotamart has been in business for more than 51 years.

DAKOTA LUMBER

Dakota Lumber, located north of Belle Fourche, is a second and third generation lumberyard that has been locally owned and operated by the Bowman Family, who are proud to have served Belle Fourche and the surrounding communities since 1979.

Stop by 18751 US-85 in Belle Fourche for all your home project needs or call 892-4041.

Sundance State Bank Loan Production Office is an extension of our main bank located in Sundance, WY, which has been operating since 1895. We are an independently owned community bank that continually provides the necessary fi nancial products and services for our valued customers to successfully achieve their fi nancial goals in an ever-changing economic world including commercial, agricultural, consumer, and real estate loans.

We can be reached at our Spearfi sh location at 725 N. 12 Street; by phone at 605-559-2265; or online at www.sundancestate.bank.

What started as a love for baking and creating custom cakes for close family members has grown into a full-time business venture for Sheila Erhart, owner and head baker of SME's Treats in Belle Fourche.

From wedding cakes to breads and one-ofa-kind-dessert creations, the motto here is: "You dream it, we make it!" The team at SME's Treats prepares each confection custom and fresh-to-order, and Sheila prides herself on exceeding the expectations of her customers.

She was honored to be voted Best Bakery of the Northern Black Hills for 2020.

SME's Treats has partnered with Blue Spruce Coffee Truck and Hut, who carry a variety of single-serve baked goods. For information on custom orders, visit smestreats.com or call 569-6257. SME's Treats can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or at 1302 4th Ave. in Belle Fourche.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Major milestones nearly a mile underground

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — In late October 2019, the next generation dark matter detection experiment, LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ), reached a significant milestone as the cryostat that houses the time projection chamber, the detector comprised of more than 500 photo magnifying tubes (PMT) which will be used in the experiment, made its way from the surface lab where it was assembled, to the Davis campus on the 4,850-foot level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF).

“For us that’s a big milestone because one of the big risks is that it just doesn’t fit,” said Jeff Cherwinka, LZ chief engineer.

“We tried to make (the cryostat) absolutely as big as we could, because the bigger it is, the better sensitivity we have for the science. But, of course we were limited by the size of the hole (in the ground).”

The highly-sensitive vessel had to be meticulously wrapped, packed and shielded before it was taken out of the clean room environment where it was assembled and hauled to the Yates Shaft where it was carefully tethered to the bottom of an elevator cage and lowered to the 4,850 level at a painstakingly slow pace. While the ride to the 4,850-level typically takes around 13 to 15 minutes, the cryostat’s trip took closer to 45 minutes.

“We did it right. It could not have been any bigger,” Cherwinka said with a laugh. “There were a few scratches on the side of the shields. It was very smooth and controlled but it could not have been any bigger.”

With the cryostat secured within the Davis Campus, scientists and engineers can now begin assembling the LZ experiment in earnest, and once complete, fill the inner cryostat with the 10 metric tons of liquid xenon, which will be the key to possibly detecting dark matter.

“We’re hoping that very occasionally (dark matter) might interact with the ordinary matter that makes up our experiment (liquid xenon), and if it does … we hope to see that interaction,” said Carter Hall, a physics professor from the University of Maryland and project manager for LZ. Hall explained that the prevailing theory about dark matter is that it is a Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) much like neutrinos, which scientists know are created from the radioactive decay for atoms. Dark matter, however, is not created, but has coexisted with ordinary matter within the universe since the Big Bang.

“We have this hypothesis that in fact the dark matter is right here in the laboratory with us, but we’ve just never seen it,” he said, gesturing around the room. “Our experiment’s

Pioneer file photo job is to try to see that dark matter here in the laboratory, here on Earth.”

Because dark matter is invisible, the hope for LZ is not to visually confirm its existence, but instead to see the resulting reaction caused from a collision between a dark matter particle and the nucleus of a liquid xenon atom.

“The idea is, if an unseen particle comes in and scatters off this xenon nucleus, we can see the nucleus recoiling,” Hall explained. “If it’s an invisible particle we can’t directly see the incoming particle, we can see these nuclei recoiling.”

Because xenon is extremely dense in its liquid form, researchers hope it will give the photo magnifying tubes’ the best chance at detecting the energy given off by the collision.

“Just like a cue-ball bouncing off a billiard ball, the target xenon nucleus would recoil and scatter,” Hall said.

“It would then slow down and deposit its kinetic energy … into the liquid Xenon fluid and our detector (the PMT). Its whole purpose is to be very, very sensitive to seeing that deposited energy.”

When LUX, the first-generation dark matter detector at SURF completed its experimental cycle in 2016, it was the largest and most sensitive dark matter detector of its kind on the planet; however, it hadn’t detected any reactions like the ones described

by Hall. In the three years since LUX, other, larger dark matter detectors have been built in other countries, but have yet to find evidence of the elusive particle. LZ looks to reclaim the distinction of being the world’s best chance at detecting dark matter.

“When we look up in the sky we can see ample evidence for the existence of this dark matter by the way it gravitationally effects galaxies and galaxy clusters and the way that the universe has evolved,” he said. “If we did see WIMPS, it would be straight forward to draw the conclusion that those WIMPS make up those big gravitational structures that we see out in the universe.”

Because LZ, like LUX, is designed to detect dark matter only if dark

matter can be detected as a WIMP, Hall said there is a possibility that if the experiment runs through its five-year cycle without any positive detections, it could still be a massive step forward in understanding dark matter because it would have eliminated that possibility and would give scientists a clear path to pursue other hypothesis’.

“If it does not see dark matter it will really have sort of eliminated what has been the leading hypothesis for what dark matter might be for about 30 (to) 35 years,” he said.

Hall said that scientists are convinced of the existence of dark matter, but are only scratching the surface of the possibilities that gaining an understanding of dark matter could bring.

“Science has been studying ordinary matter here on Earth since Aristotle and we’ve learned a lot about ordinary matter. (The detection of dark matter is) going to tell us that there’s this whole other ‘dark’ universe that’s out there, which we know is out there, but for the first time we’re going to be able to have it in our hands in a laboratory where we can actually start to study its properties, try to understand how it’s related to the ordinary matter if it is, how it fits in. Knowing these details can tell us a lot about how the universe evolved to look the way it does today.”

Hall said he feels very privileged to be a part of the LZ experiment taking place at SURF. “The ‘gee whiz’ factor is really through the roof for an experiment like this,” he said. “A large number of people have wanted in (on) this experiment because the question is so fascinating and the experiment is very, very promising; so folks are coming from all over the United States and all over the world, coming here to SURF … because we all share this vision of wanting to search for the dark matter and do something that hasn’t been done before.”

LZ is on track to being switched on this year, and although its final readings won’t be taken until 2025, it’s already marking major milestones in SURF’s search for dark matter.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 9

City on the rise, coming from down low

After Homestake, Lead’s future looks brighter than ever

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — When the Homestake Gold Mine ceased mining operations in Lead in 2001 it left a major economic void for the town. Fortunately, less than a decade later, the Sanford Underground Research Facility stepped in to fill that gap.

“In 2005-2006, when I got here, there still where some doldrums left over from Homestake closing and there was a ‘woe is me,’ component to the whole town, but none the less we’re strong, and it’s a pretty cool little town to live in,” said Mike Stahl, Lead city administrator, who also worked as an engineer for Homestake until it closed. “There was kind of a workforce component to this community back when Homestake was still a powered operation. … They were the prime operator for a job in the town of Lead.”

Stahl said while Homestake was up and running, the highly successful company was an active component in the infrastructure of the city. However, when Homestake shut down, city officials lost a valuable partner in maintaining that infrastructure.

“The people that stayed here in town, they reminisce about the days of yore, how it used to be, and I suppose that’s a good historic component, but sometimes that turns to a lament and that doesn’t do anybody any good,” he said.

But an experiment set up in the 1960s by a pioneer in the field of neutrino research named Ray Davis helped to lay the ground work for one of the biggest comeback stories in Black Hills history.

“When Homestake announced they were shutting down, there were some people with an interest in doing something with science,” Stahl said.

Through the tireless efforts and forward-thinking of top state-wide and local officials, the under-

CENTURY 21 Spearfish Realty, Inc. is a fullservice real estate company. We are committed to providing the best real estate experience by delivering EXCEPTIONAL Quality Service, we have been doing it for over 67 years! Our real estate knowledge and expertise includes everything from residential, to vacant land/ lots, commercial investment properties, multifamily residences, vacation & recreational properties as well as farm & ranch properties.

Our experienced and creative agents stay current on the ever-changing real estate market in the Black Hills. Stop by the office or give us a call – 605-642-4607.

CHIP SHOT GOLF

Pioneer file photo ground space once excavated by the Homestake Mine has since been occupied by a state-of-the-art research facility, which has begun to breath new life into the old mining town.

“This is a great sight and it has a lot of capability; there are a number of areas where the infrastructure is pretty dated and needs to be improved and modernized,” explained Mike Headley, executive director of the Sanford Lab. Headley said the lab employs over 170 people and operates with a $30 million budget from the Department of Energy.

“We do work very hard to keep as much of the money as we can within the state,” he said.

There are 29 active experiments taking place at the Sanford Lab, beyond that, there are a number infrastructure projects currently underway to prepare for even more growth.

“Really what we’re trying to do is get the sight to a point where we feel comfortable that it’s going to operate reliably for several decades into the future,” Headley said.

At the core of Sanford’s infrastructure growth is the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, and the Long Baseline

Neutrino Facility currently being constructed, which has brought a new sort of company workforce to Lead.

“A lot of the jobs at the lab are going to be of a temporary nature, but temporary may be a couple years,” Stahl said. “Whereas with Homestake, 500-600-700800-jobs, (were) permanent. Until they weren’t.”

The new workforce being brought to Lead through the Sanford Lab has caused a slow, but steady, resurgence of commerce to the city since Stahl has been tracking the sales tax.

“Sales tax represents activity in a community,” he said.

Stahl said the Sanford Lab brought with it an untapped potential for the city’s economy; a potential some have already begun to capitalize on, and some are just starting to see.

“When they started talking about this first phase (of the lab) that we’re in now … they invited everybody (in town), open door, and they filled the rooms up,” Stahl said.

“Because first off … people want to know, and second there was a component of, ‘how can I help,’ and of course there’s a component of, ‘how can I benefit.’ But that’s fair because that’s what business

is. Business is, ’how can I help what you need and how can I benefit from it.’”

Since 2007, with a few exceptions, the City of Lead has seen its sales tax numbers grow, and in 2019 it broke the $1 million mark for the first time in recent memory.

“What can you say, that’s a good thing,” Stahl said. “A lot of that sales tax came from the purchase of some of the stuff that’s going on up at the lab. The contractors had to pay sales tax and stuff like that. But, they also bring people into town.”

Stahl said whether it’s the construction and growth of the Sanford Lab, the contractors that are flowing into town for work and play, or the boost to the morale of its residents, he looks for Lead to continue on its upswing and remain a vibrant and possibly even more integral component to the success and prosperity of the Black Hills.

“I think that there’s a strong confidence in the community from everybody,” he said. “It’s a cool place to live, Lead. In five minutes you can do a lot of things, you can get all your groceries, you could go to some really great bars, or you go in the bushes and never see anybody for a day.”

Golf your way around the globe as you play the largest selection of world class golf courses in simulation. Improve and challenge your skills inside the official On-air simulator of the Golf Channel.

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Stop by at 306 Cliff Street in Deadwood, call 605321-2613, or visit their website at chipshotgolf.net.

PETE'S CLOTHING HODGE BOOTERY

Lee and Sheila Hodge took over ownership of Pete's Clothing in October 2019, and have continued to cater to the working cowboy and cowgirl. Every member of the family can find authentic western wear including hats, shirts, belts, and gloves.

In addition to these traditional staples, the Hodges have expanded their inventory to include over 450 pairs of boots on display.

Stop by their Belle Fourche location at 500 State Street, or call 605-892-4773.

Potential clients should choose Dakota Home and Ranch Real Estate, LLC if they are seeking a professional experience with integrity and care for the client. Our goal is to assist all of our clients no matter the property type, in their journey to purchase or sell their home, ranch, or business. It is of utmost importance to us that we help our clients discover the best property to meet their needs and circumstances and to educate both sellers and buyers about the entire process of listing and selling.

We are privileged to work with buyers and sellers in Wyoming and South Dakota with residential, ranch/farm land, as well as commercial property. With the 40+ years of combined real estate experience we are able to draw on that experience to best suit the correct broker with the client's needs.

We can be found at 1411 5th Ave. Ste. B, Belle Fourche or dakotahomeandranch.com. We can also be reached by phone at 605-645-8938 (Gloriann Ruby); 605-645-1314 (Fred Wilson); or 605-347-1167 (Artie Gifford).

Page 10, Our Towns 2019

ROGER BECK AGENCY Exceptional service. Quality experience. A commitment to the community. That’s what sets Farmers apart from the rest.

As your local Farmers agent, I can review your coverage, discuss available discounts and review any additional opportunities and coverage options that can benefit you. I offer a Farmers Friendly Review, so as your insurance needs change over time, your coverage can do the same. With a broad range of insurance products including Home, Auto, Life, Business and Financial Planning, I can help cover all areas of your life.

605-347-4562 • 1241 Sherman St., Sturgis

DEADWOOD RECREATION & AQUATICS CENTER

Deadwood Recreation & Aquatics Center has everything you need for fitness and fun!

Our facility features a water slide, zero entry pool, lap pool, indoor walking/running track, racquetball/squash court, cardiovascular equipment, weights, basketball court, sauna, and a new hot tub.

We offer affordable memberships ranging from daily to six months, with special pricing for families, single adults, children, seniors, and high school students.

Deadwood Recreational Center is located at 105 Sherman Street. For more information, visit our page on the City of Deadwood site at www.cityofdeadwood.com, or call 578-3729.

FRONTIER GLASS OF BELLE FOURCHE

Roger & Diane McNary relocated to a new location South of Belle Fourche in August 2015.

This has given them more room for service work in their new state of the art facility. Roger has been doing glasswork since 1984 and in 2008 the couple purchased Frontier Glass of Belle Fourche.

Servicing customers all over the Northern Hills from Rapid City to Buffalo, SD the small team provides friendly quality service to their loyal customers. While auto glass repair is their main focus, they are also able to provide home glass needs, including custom glass table tops, fireplace glass, screens, glass shelving and more.

Frontier Glass is insurance approved and they welcome you to stop by and see them.

Sturdevant's Auto Parts has been a regional leader in parts, accessories, and equipment for over 90 years, with 49 locations throughout South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska, including local stores in Central City and Belle Fourche. Sturdevant's has been locally owned since 1922, and its history has spanned nearly a century as it moves into its fourth generation.

The Sturdevant Company is a proud employer of veterans, which make up 16% of its total employee base. Sturdevant's has seen many changes as it has evolved and grown to meet customer needs; however, one thing that remains steadfast for this locally owned family business is its core values of integrity, quality products, and commitments to the needs of the customer.

Belle Fourche: 1413 5th Ave., 605-892-2658 Central City: 101 US Hwy. 14A, 605-578-3552

The Black Hills Pioneer

Conveyor system construction for lab experiment continues despite some setbacks LEAD — A pre-excavation project that will prepare for crews to dump 400 tons of rock per hour into the open cut is going well, despite a three-week setback related to COVID-19.

Josh Willhite, project manager for the construction, said the project has crews from KiewitAlberici Joint Venture (KAJV), along with local subcontractors, building a conveyor system that will haul excavated rock from the 4,850-level of the Sanford Lab to the Open Cut. Construction includes building a skip loading system that will dump rock into a crushing system, which will take the rock from 14 inches down to 3 inches, so it is able to be transported through the conveyor.

From the crushing system, the rock will be stored inside ore bins that are cut into the underground rock.

The first of two conveyor systems will start from the bottom of the storage bins, and will run along the Tramway Level, 2,000 feet underground. From the Tramway level, the first conveyor system will be 2,378 feet long, with a purpose of transporting the rock from underground.

That rock will come out right above Gold Run Park in Lead, where a large steel shoot will be constructed to transfer the rock to a 1,838foot long second conveyor, which will transport the rock across the highway, into the open cut. The second conveyor, Willhite said, will be elevated, and will be silent except for a low rumble that will be heard when the rock tumbles down the side of the Open Cut. Even the noise from that dumping point, he said, will be mitigated as crews bury a tunnel of the last section of the conveyor.

“If you’ve ever been around a gravel quarry, it’s not super loud,” Willhite said. “It’s just a light rumble. We’ve cut a slot through the berm that hides it from view of the Open Cut and that will actually get reburied. So, the

A large crane works to lower a conveyor system that will be used to dump about 400 tons of rock per hour into the Open Cut. The conveyor system is part of the project to build the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility at the Sanford Lab. Pioneer photo by Wendy Pitlick actual conveyor discharge will be below the top of the berm, which will help isolate the noise further.”

Willhite said Kiewit Alberici Joint Venture, along with several local subcontractors, have been working on the pre-excavation phase since November of 2018. But the most visible parts of the construction, where crews are building the second conveyor system, started in December last year. Amidst COVID-19 concerns, the S.D. Science and Technology Authority temporarily shut the work down from March 25 to April 16. After that, crews were allowed to work on the surface conveyor system, but they have not yet been allowed underground access to continue that part of construction.

The entire pre-excavation phase was slated to be completed by December.

However, Willhite said the project delay will depend on when crews can resume work underground.

“We have not gotten a full return to work,” he said. “We have not been authorized to continue work underground. Until we can actually get back underground and get that work going, it’s going to be pretty difficult to project when we will be done with the entire project. The conveyor is one part of the entire pre-excavation scope of work. We’re back working

on that and that conveyor should be done this fall, as planned. But there are other aspects of that that will be delayed for the system that supplies material to the conveyor.”

Mike Headley, executive director of the Sanford Lab, explained that the entire lab staff, as well as contractors and scientists, are expected to adhere to strict safety protocols that are in line with CDC guidelines in a post COVID-19 world.

After April 16, the Sanford Lab allowed KAJV to bring 25 field staff back in for work, but underground access remained limited to maintenance and necessary operations.

“Obviously since this is called pre-excavation, this is everything to prepare us to be able to excavate next year,” Willhite continued as he explained the underground construction that will facilitate excavating a massive cavern for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). “There are certainly some ways that we may be able to do some excavation next year even if we end up having to finish some of this work that we had planned to (be done with) sooner. We’re working together with the SDSTA to try and minimize the impacts of this.”

But for now, Willhite said highly visible work along the second conveyor

will start to ramp up over the next month. On Friday, a large crane was on site to help set the conveyor system deep into the open cut.

Over the next weeks, crews will be working to bury the conveyor through a tunnel, and build supports and trusses for the system.

All of this construction is for the first stage of the project to build the Far Site Conventional Facility for the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility that will house the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). When it is completed, scientists will study neutrinos by shooting a beam of the tiny particles from Fermi National Laboratory near Chicago, through the earth to a massive cavern detector on the 4,850-foot level of the Sanford Lab. The Sanford Lab section of the project has been named the Far Site Conventional Facility.

From the start of construction in 2018, to operating the experiment, the long-term project is expected to last 40 or more years.

Overall, Willhite said he is very pleased with the support the project has received from Sanford Lab officials.

“We have had very good support from the community and the city, and from the S.D. Science and Technology Authority,” he said. “We really appreciate that support.”

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 11

Community Partners History at High Noon

The meticulously restored 1892 Victorian mansion with original contents chronicles Deadwood’s transition from a raucous mining camp into a prosperous and technologically rich city. The home recounts the triumphs and tragedies of two of Deadwood’s founding families. The Queen Anne-style home was built by pioneer businessman Harris Franklin, complete with stained glass windows, thoroughly modern 19th century plumbing and electricity, hand-painted canvas wall coverings, and telephone service. W.E. Adams purchased the home in 1920, and after his death in 1934, Adams’ second wife, Mary, closed the doors.

The home sat silent for almost 60 years. In 1998, under the direction of the City of Deadwood’s Historic Preservation Commission and the Adams Museum, historic preservation experts painstakingly restored the mansion to its former glory. A new tour script has been introduced this season along with new artifacts on display. The home is open daily in the

summer when the beautiful gardens are in full bloom. During the fall and winter, the historic home serves as a stage for special and private tours. The Adams House Gift Shop features a diverse selection of unique merchandise and specialty gifts. The Historic Adams House is wheelchair-accessible on the first floor.

Summer hours are May through September; open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

October and April hours are, Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Sundays and Mondays. Closed November through March, but open for holiday tours and group tours with advance notice.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 – 12, and free to children 5 and under.

The museum is free to Deadwood History members. Call 605-722-4800 for information on group tours. Masks are currently required to be worn by everyone while inside the Adams House. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you.

22 Van Buren Street Deadwood, SD 57732 605-578-3724 DeadwoodHistory.com

Play Productio ns Book Clubs

Art is the HeArt of Our Community Founded in 1979, the mission of the Sturgis Area Arts Council is “to initiate, sponsor, and conduct public programs to further the development and awareness of and interest in the arts.” To achieve this goal, we work closely with all facets of our community. We rely greatly upon donations and sponsorships from local individuals and businesses.

We encourage local participation by presenting programs using local artists.

Support the Arts Council by becoming a member.

Visit the website for more details. sturgisareaartscouncil.org saacpublicity@hotmail.com

Concerts

Artist of the Month

At our center, we have: Social Events Birthday Celebrations Exercise

SPEARFISH SENIOR CENTER 1306 N. 10th St. Spearfish, SD 57783 605-642-2827 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Keeps seniors thriving!

Our Senior Center is a non-profit and appreciates your tax-deductible donation.

Card Playing Line Dancing Crafts & Quilting Dominoes Writers Group Medical Equipment Snooker/Pool Mahjong Handicap Access Community Gatherings Book & DVD Library Education Seminars Fundraisers Rummage Sales

Page 12, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

Deadwood Chamber of Commerce Recognized as one of the most Progressive Tourism Organizations in South Dakota

NEW DEADWOOD CHAMBER MEMBERS A Black Hills Taxi Ace Handyman Services Angel's Attic Uncorked American Legion Post 31 Axbow, LLC Bacteria Busters Badlands Security Vacation Properties Black Hills Cabin Rentals Bloomers Flowers & Cakes Bodylab USA ND & MT

The Brothel Burnouts Pizza Company Canfield Business Supply Celebrity (reopening) Dakota Equipment Rental Dakota Taxi Delzer Chiropractic Explore Fitness & Adventure FogNDroz Vape Shop Golden Crest Farm Golden Hills Lodge

Gold Star Catering Haunted History Walking Tour Hearst Library His & Hers Ale House and Wine Bar Historic Deadwood Tours Home Instead Sr. Care Iron Horse (reopening) JJ Advisory Group Jacobs Brewhouse and Grocer

BE A PART OF ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CHAMBERS IN SOUTH DAKOTA • Internet Directory Listings & Links - Award-winning website with over 1 million unique visitors per year.

• Membership Official Guide Listing - 100,000 printed annually. Large distribution across a four-state region in 550+ locations. Also distributed to meeting planners, travel shows, mailed to individual inquiries, included in relocation packets and downloaded thousands of times on Deadwood.com annually.

• Membership Electronically - Chamber membership list.

• Relocation Inserts - Provide us with your information and we will mail it out with our initial replies.

• Convention Welcome Packets -We will include your information in thousands of attractive welcome packets to conventions and meetings held in the city and surrounding communities.

• Monthly Mixers - A personal invite to all monthly mixers with an opportunity to share your business information and talents with our members in a relaxed atmosphere.

• Visit & Ribbon Cutting - Put your business in the news with a visit from the Deadwood Chamber Staff.

• FAM’s - Familiarization Tour host. Deadwood is asked to host many tour group leaders, travel agents and travel writers to familiarize them with our area. Only members are included.

• Economic Information - Community profile, demographic information, general business statistics and business development assistance.

• Annual Events - The biggest and best events in the region bring tens of thousands of people to the area.

• Welcome Center Board Room - Free use of the board room for business meetings.

• Wild Bill Coupon Booklet - Thousands of coupon books are printed and distributed to Deadwood visitors each year. It is a one-time only coupon and entitles discounts or special promotions from participating Chamber member buinesses.

• Free Publications - Each year the Deadwood Chamber prints, distributes and mails multiple promotional pieces featuring Deadwood Chamber businesses including: Visitor Guide, Deadwood Map, and more, only available to members.

• Deadwood Gold Bucks - Chamber member gift certificate redemption program.

• Training Program - Free training programs are available to Chamber members, their managers and employees. Available programs include: hospitality training for frontline employees, hospitality training for owners and managers, and FAM tours for frontline employees.

• Information Centers - The Deadwood Chamber manages the information centers in Deadwood and only our members are featured. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Deadwood Visitor Centers annually.

Lou Lou's Bombdiggity Lucky Horse Stagecoach Stop Marta's DEADWOOD Doghouse Maverick Black Hills Souvenir Mel’s Little Free Library Midnight Star Mr. Wu's Oz & Cathy Enderby

Park Bench Apparel/ AJ Screening PatchStop - Deadwood Original Mountain Gifts The Pink Door (new location) Sander Sanitation Shepard of the Hills Shiloh Rescue Stress Relief Snitches Twelve Sage Pines, LLC

DEADWOOD CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Louie LaLonde – President Michelle Fischer – Vice President Tom Koth – Secretary Susan Kightlinger – Treasurer

Tom Rensch Kip Mau Lonnie Strong Steve Schaeffer David Schneiter

Chris Walker Weston Pleinis Carolyn Weber David Ruth Jr. Dale Berg

Leo Diede Dr. Dan Leikvold Mike Trucano Kevin Kuchenbecker Jeanna Dewey

DEADWOOD CHAMBER STAFF

Lee Harstad, Executive Director Dory Hanson, Controller Ingrid Hayward, Membership Director Sarah Anderson, Event Coordinator Amanda Kille, Marketing & Sponsorship Director Dawn Burns, Sales Director Brittany Schoenfelder, Marketing & Events Specialist Robin Carmody, Information Specialist

OUTLAW SQUARE STAFF

Bobby Rock, Outlaw Square Director Jesse Allen, Outlaw Square Operations Manager

INFORMATION CENTER STAFF

Mike Olsen, Information Center Manager Ally Scheurenbrand, Phyllis Fleming, Guy Gregory, Sam Grant, French Bryant, Jean Mackley For more information on Membership with the Deadwood Chamber, call 605-578-1876.

501 Historic Main St. Deadwood, SD

605-578-1876 www.deadwood.com

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 13

View these properties and more on our website:

metroplains.com

From property management to development services, we work hard to maximize each asset’s value and promote an exceptional quality of life for our residents and owners.

Sturgis

Spearfish

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BUTTE RIDGE APARTMENTS

Whitewood

FAITH

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Hot Springs MOUNTAIN VIEW APARTMENTS

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LINCOLN AVENUE APARTMENTS

Do you have a property that could use our management services?

Give us a call at

605-347-3077!

1222 MAIN ST., STURGIS, SD • 605-347-3077 • WWW.METROPLAINS.COM

Page 14, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

Big Brothers Big Sisters returns with office in Spearfish

By Mark Watson Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Black Hills has a new office in Spearfish.

In 2009, a grant enabled the organization to open an office in the Northern Hills.

But those funds dried up and the office was forced to close.

“We decided, ‘if we are going to close the office in the Northern Hills, we’re not going to leave those kids high and dry,’” said Nicole Burdick, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Black Hills.

Staff members thought that as children in the program turned 18 and aged out, the need for mentors would wane.

Just the opposite happened in the Northern Hills.

“What has happened is that we get more and more requests in the Northern Hills for services,” Burdick said.

When she became the director in 2014, she made the goal of returning an office to the Northern Hills within three years.

But it wasn’t until this year when the organization was granted funds by 100 Women of Spearfish, a philanthropic group, that that dream was realized.

As Burdick was debating how to spend the money, a friend asked her what was she has always wanted. Soon after, another friend told her of

an office space available in Spearfish. The stars aligned and the office is located at 1140 N. Main St., Suite 12.

“The possibilities are endless for what this means,” Burdick said.

This year in the Northern Hills, there have been 23 matches and another eight more waiting to be matched, she said.

Who is the perfect “little” as the children are referred to?

“Any kid whose parent comes to us and say they have a need – whether is be a single mother, or a single father, we’re starting to see that a lot more, kids who just need someone on their side,” she said.

BIG BROTHERS Pg 19

Courtesy photo

The Black Hills Pioneer

By Deb Holland Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 15

Vision Piedmont a catalyst for the community

PIEDMONT — Vision Piedmont was established as a catalyst for future growth of the city of Piedmont.

What began as a way to ignite conversation about the future of a historical South Dakota community, is quickly taking steps to become the official Economic Development Organization of Piedmont, said Vision Piedmont organizer Lane Shull.

Piedmont is a community with a long history and a great story that goes with it. Bordered by Interstate 90 on one side and the Black Hills National Forest on the other, it is a prime location for visitors and adventurers, Shull said.

“While Rapid City is just a 10-minute drive, Piedmont maintains the rich feel of a small town, which adds to its appeal,” she said.

“Vision Piedmont is dedicated to the growth and development of this community by fulfilling the wants and needs of its residents in such a way that is appealing to visitors both near and far,” Shull said.

Shull herself has invested in reviving the community.

Her business, Willow General Store, is housed in the former M.M. Cooper Variety Store built in 1910 in Piedmont.

“We feel a great deal of gratitude for Willow General Store to have the opportunity to be welcomed by these walls,” she said.

The quaint little shop on Main Street in Piedmont sells everything from horse-hair brooms and handmade quality gardening tools to backpacks, pottery and linen bedding to locally made ice cream and refillable station of liquid soaps.

The store is inspired by the necessities carried in early century general stores, yet with an abundance of modern-day appeal—a careful mix of old and new.

Piedmont was incorporated about 10 years ago and the population has grown to just over 1,000.

Vision Piedmont works alongside city hall and the city council to reach goals and maintain the small feel, all the while growing business and population, Shull said.

“In order for Piedmont to flourish in the next century, conversations need to be had about econom- Lane Shull has invested in reviving the community of Piedmont. Her business, Willow General Store, is housed in the former M.M. Cooper Variety Store built in 1910 in ic development,” she said.

Piedmont. Courtesy photo

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A family owned business that is located in Sturgis, where they make both Northern variety grape wines as well as country wines from the best fruits they can grow and buy from South Dakota producers.

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Page 16, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

The Fish Factor

Aquaponic farm floats fresh food The Olive Branch is a unique, eclectic mercantile, locally owned. It focuses on handmade items and features merchandise made in the USA including women’s and children’s apparel, home decor, jewelry, custom woodworking, greeting cards, and so much more.

The Olive Branch endeavors to be a blessing to their customers and their community where everyone feels welcome. Stop by to browse and shop in Belle Fourche at 501 State Street. You can reach them at 605-723-1111 or visit their Facebook Page at The Olive Branch.

RANCH A

Ranch A provides a beautiful, serene setting to get away from it all and relax — whether that means hiking, fishing, or sitting back with a good book, Ranch A can serve your needs.

Remodeled in 2019 and retaining its historic feel, the Pete Smith Cabin sleeps up to 18 and has meeting space on the ground level. The Ranch A Lodge can accommodate up to 48 people, and with amenities including a commercial kitchen and gathering hall, can easily handle large groups such as weddings, family gatherings, and business or church groups.

Ranch A is six miles down Sand Creek Road from I-90 at Beulah, Wyo. For more information, call 307-643-3101 or visit rancha.com.

SILVERADO FRANKLIN HOTEL AND GAMING COMPLEX

The Silverado Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex offers unique lodging, dining, and gaming experiences. Guests can stay in one of the historic hotel rooms, enjoy a meal at the Legends Steakhouse or the Silverado Grand Buffet, and take in all the gaming Deadwood has to offer, right here. With so many options and so much history, it's no wonder they were voted #1 in 8 categories in the Best of the Black Hills Contest! Their friendly employees and immense history provide a unique, one-of-akind experience.

Stop by at 709 Main Street in Deadwood, call us at 605-578-3670, or check out all we offer on our website, silveradofranklin.com.

THE REAL ESTATE CENTER OF SPEARFISH LORI CALDWELL DEVRIES Lori is an owner at the Real Estate Center of Spearfish and sells both residential and commercial properties. She has over 15 years of real estate experience in the Black Hills, and over 30 years of insurance experience. She has found that selling real estate and insurance have been a good fit for her, as well as her customers.

She came to college in Spearfish in 1982 and fell in love with the area. After graduation, she moved to the Denver area for five years. Lori was able to relocate back to Spearfish in 1992 and has never left. She enjoys hiking all over the Black Hills, skiing, kayaking, and many other outdoor experiences as well as sporting and cultural events in the area. She looks forward to serving your real estate needs, whether you are ready to buy and sell right now or sometime in the future. It is never too early to start planning.

Lori can be reached at 641-7529 (cell), 642-2525 (office), LoriCaldwellRealEstate.com, or stop by the office located at 140 W. Jackson Blvd.

Alexa Garro examines the lettuce crop grown at Garro Farms’ aquaponic greenhouse northeast of Belle Fourche.

Pioneer photos by Lacey Peterson

By Lacey Peterson Black Hills Pioneer

BUTTE COUNTY –– A Butte County couple is putting fish to work in a new aquaponic greenhouse, growing fresh, locally-grown lettuce that now lines Northern Hills grocery shelves.

He is a Black Hills and Wyoming native, she’s from northeast Iowa, and together, Chris and Alexa Garro, owners of Garro Farms, have mastered the art of mimicking a natural ecosystem that combines traditional aquaculture with hydroculture in the ultimate symbiotic system.

It just so happens that the work fish naturally do, eating and producing waste, is the perfect fertilizer for growing plants.

And boy do those fish grow a lot of plants when they get to work.

The best of both worlds

Aquaponics uses the best of all the growing techniques, utilizing the waste of one element to benefit another, mimicking a natural ecosystem.

Alexa said it represents the relationship between water, aquatic life, bacteria, nutrient dynamics, and plants that grow to-

gether in waterways all over the world. Taking cues from nature, aquaponics harnesses the power of bio-integrating those individual components — exchanging the waste byproduct from the fish as a food for the bacteria, to be converted into a perfect fertilizer for the plants, and return the water in a clean and safe form to the fish — just like mother nature does in every aquatic ecosystem.

“If we were to let this system just hang out and never touch it, it (the bacterial symbiotic process) would happen naturally,” Alexa said. “It’s kind of like nature wants to make it work, and then we just provide the facilities.”

The system has found shortcuts around common agricultural issues.

While gardens can be located in your backyard, industrial farms are often thousands of miles from where their food is consumed. This requires extensive transportation, refrigeration, and packaging to get the food from farm to table.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, by instead using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. While hydroponics solves many

soil-based issues, it also offers its own problems.

Traditional hydroponic systems rely on the careful application of expensive, man-made nutrients made from mixing together a concoction of chemicals, salts, and trace elements.

For the Garros, through aquaponics, they merely feed the fish and monitor the system carefully, and grow fresh, bountiful greenery that you could have on your table the day after harvest.

The Arpan setup

Garro Farms, located approximately 18 miles northeast of Belle Fourche on Arpan Road, is home to the 2,400 square-foot commercial-scale greenhouse. Chris, utilizing second-hand materials, built the greenhouse with the ultimate goal — to supply fresh produce to the Northern Hills and Wyoming areas all year long.

“It took some imagination to get it to this,” Chris said. “And I hope other people follow suit, too.”

Although there are numerous types of aquaponic systems, the Garros selected deep-water culture, or raft-based growing, that

uses a foam raft which floats in a 12-inch deep channel filled with fish effluent water that has been filtered to remove solid wastes. Plants are placed in holes in the raft and the roots dangle freely in the water.

In 2018, Chris implemented a smaller backyard experiment in aquaponics and found the plentiful rewards it could provide. He said the property had only a limited amount of available space, forcing him to get creative, making aquaponics the perfect solution to offer healthy, high-yielding fresh produce.

The system’s water starts out in a 500-gallon in-ground tank and is pumped into the tank where the fish thrive.

From there, the nutrient-rich water flows through a solids filter and into a bacterial conversion tank before being piped into the “beds” where the plants roost while they grow.

“And then back again,” Alexa said. “So, it’s all a big cycle. The plants clean out that nitrate, and it comes back to the fish.”

The system circulates approximately 4,500 gallons of water each hour, Chris said.

And the system works

The Black Hills Pioneer well.

“Almost every single thing that comes out of this, there’s no waste byproduct,” she said, adding that other than adding iron to the water, Garro Farms doesn’t provide any additives to the process. “Otherwise, it’s completely self-sustaining. The older the system gets, the more efficient it works, and the more balanced it gets.”

“We figured out how to basically get as much production in this size (of) greenhouse as we would get out of something four times this size,” Alexa said. “So, by taking the square footage and doing a certain crop rotation that he did, that’s how we get (the amount of production).”

Currently, the farm grows six types of lettuce — green oakleaf, rouxai, adriana, salanova red incised, green incised, and butter crunch. They also cultivate microgreens, grown under natural sunlight in the greenhouse, including pea shoots, purple-stemmed radish, and sunflower. But that’s not all; the Garros are experimenting with herbs like cilantro and culinary sage.

“To be this new and have the right levels and everything producing was a stroke of genius on Chris’ part,” Alexa said.

Without the rotation the Garros utilize, Chris said it would be next to impossible to get the amount of growth production.

“We can do between 50,000-74,000 heads of lettuce out of here a year,” he said. “And if I had done it the conventional way and not moved anything, if we just put in the water and let it grow … they need quite a bit of room when they get bigger and we’d of cut that (production) in a quarter.”

From the time the seeds are planted, the plants are full grown and ready for market in about 35 days, Chris said.

“We’re not using any special seed or anything like that,” he said.

“We’re trying to provide ideal conditions, and if you give something ideal conditions, … it just does better.”

What about the fish?

As one of the main components in an aquaponic system, the fish are an important focus for the Garros.

Chris said he stocked his 1,500-gallon fish tank, which is above ground and separate from the water tank, with 50 pounds of fathead minnows several months ago.

The type of fish is atypical for an aquaponic setup, Chris said.

“This is pretty experimental, too, because I haven’t read about anybody doing that with bait fish,” he said.

Due to the proximity to the Belle Fourche Reservoir and wanting to keep product procurement as local as possible, the farm gets the minnows from the Wheel In Bait Shop.

The local supply is handy but, Alexa said the fish species is particularly hardy when it comes to handling the area temperatures, whereas other fish species typically used in

Our Towns 2019, Page 17

TACO JOHNS OF DEADWOOD

Chris Garro shows the long roots under some herbs growing at the greenhouse. other aquaponic setups like tilapia, koi, or goldfish would struggle in the South Dakota conditions.

So, what happens when the fish get too big and the balance is thrown off?

“The cool thing about it is we’ll trade these out for smaller ones with the bait shop,” Chris said.

A 50-pound batch of minnows will likely thrive in the greenhouse for around six months before needing to be traded out for smaller ones, he said.

“Most people factor in because they either do a huge, massive, million-dollar scale building, or they have a little backyard system,” Alexa said. “So, they either want to eat the fish or they’re factoring it into their revenue plan. For us … it’s so weird fitting that middle ground where we’re not a million-dollar facility but we’re not a 500-gallon backyard system. What worked for everybody else will not quite work here, especially in South Dakota in the wintertime.”

Pandemic curveball meets ingenuity

The current pandemic conditions put a slight kink into the Garros’ plans.

Chris said that the pandemic conditions related to COVID-19 have caused a supply shortage for some of the supplies needed for the greenhouse, requiring them to operate on a smaller level until more supplies arrive.

“And we don’t even have this thing (the aquaponic bed) like a quarter of the way full, and this is (producing) about 860 heads (of lettuce) a week,” Alexa said.

In about a month, Chris anticipated the greenhouse would likely be at around three-quarters capacity.

Even through the rough conditions, Garro Farms is rising above and plowing through the roadblocks.

The farm’s produce is already on the shelves of Lueders Food Centers in Spearfish and Belle Fourche, Lynn’s Dakotamart in Belle Fourche, Bee’s Knees Natural Foods in Spearfish, Grocery Mart in Sturgis, and Bearlodge Bakery in Sundance, Wyo. Soon, that will likely expand.

Alexa said they’re in talks with some restaurants all the way to Rapid City,

hoping to provide locally grown, healthy options everywhere.

“We had such a good response from everybody. All the stores we’ve sold to … they’re selling out weekly,” Chris said.

The bigger picture

The couple, who, between the two of them, has ranched in Montana, worked in the Bakken oil fields, done professional construction work, and worked in radio and news outlets, decided they wanted a new direction in life.

“It’s good work, and I didn’t mind it,” Chris said. “But, doing something like this, to me, is a bigger thing. Growing food, to me, is more important.”

The farm expects to be able to keep a consistent level of inventory in terms of production, year-round.

“The way that we’re going to get away with that is the grow lights,” Chris said. “In the wintertime, I’ll probably put them over all the beds.

You need 10-15 hours of sunlight (each day).”

The couple was uniquely drawn toward growing lettuce. Chris said that around 95% of the country’s lettuce comes from the California region.

“There’s no reason we can’t grow this locally like this,” he said.

“Lettuce is just one crop that you can’t really get it in mass in the winter in South Dakota,” Alexa said.

“This is something that everybody that I talked to had the same problem, ‘I buy lettuce, it goes bad; I buy lettuce, it’s not really what I wanted.’

We just kind of went, ‘lets focus on this and get it going.’”

The pandemic conditions have highlighted to the couple the importance of having a local supply chain.

“If we can do this here, I think it’s possible pretty much anywhere,” Chris said.

Chris said he hopes to continue to grow the business, bring on staff, and someday, produce for most of western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming.

Although the farm sold its first batches of lettuce to local stores in mid-April, the couple is already expanding on the greenhouse, planning a 12-foot addition to the front to accommodate a packaging area.

At Taco John’s®, they serve traditional Mexican food—with a twist. By fusing bold American flavors with south-of-the-border spice, they have defined their signature menu. From their trademark Potato Olés® and freshly prepared tacos, to their infamous breakfast burritos and made-in-house tortilla chips, you’ll always find something to crush your craving. Come see why their customers become life-long fans.

They have been locally owned and operated for 23 years. Visit their Deadwood location at 86 Charles Street.

HomeSource Furniture & Floors is a family owned and operated business specializing in high quality furniture, flooring, and home decor. With a passion to walk with you each step of the way in making your house a true home, HomeSource strives to offer a wide variety of brands and styles to appeal to every taste and any budget.

Since moving to a larger and newer building in 2019, HomeSource has been able to offer even more to their customers including carrying a variety of top-selling selections in stock. With over 100,000 sq. ft. of flooring, from carpet and tile to luxury wood and vinyl, you are sure to find the perfect fit for your home and family.

Stop by the new Spearfish location at 2535 E. Colorado Blvd., visit homesourceff.com, or call 642-3822 to explore a tremendous variety of options for your home.

Founded in 1983, MetroPlains Management, LLC has grown to become the Upper Midwest's leading provider in the affordable housing industry. We currently manage over 5,500 housing units and approximately 435,000 sq. ft. of commercial space throughout South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Our specialty services include property management, commercial property management, market analysis, accounting, asset management, compliance consulting, and physical asset managing.

With over 30 years of experience, our dedication and quality service allow us to strive professionally through managing commercial, retail, or residential properties.

For more information, call 605-347-3077.

NATIONAL MUTUAL BENEFIT DAKOTAS AGENCY

National Mutual Benefit’s Dakotas Agency has provided life insurance products and annuities to the Dakotas area since 1973. Led by Agency Manager Becky Helmberger, FICF, the local office is in the Heritage Business Park in Spearfish.

Over the past year, the NMB Dakotas Agency has continued to grow their award winning team and helped launch a relief effort, where NMB donated a total of $100,000 to communities in response to COVID-19. Through the NMB Cares initiative, NMB donated almost $7,000 to REDwater Kitchen to feed local heroes, donated $20,000 to Spearfish Community Food Pantry to support families in need, and engaged members to help our community through member grants.

On Jan. 1, 2021, NMB will officially be consolidating with Western Fraternal Life to form an even stronger and more financially secure organization! Reach out today to learn more about how NMB can help protect you and your community — visit www.nmblife.org or call their office at (605) 642-4778.

A0720

Page 18, Our Towns 2019

West Tire & Alignment is a family owned business that has been active in the community for over 50 years. They were honored as Ag Business of the Year in 2011, and owners Don & Delores West served as Black Hills Roundup Parade Marshalls in 2015. They are long time supporters of community events and organizations.

West Tire & Alignment offers tires for your ATV, garden, farm, car, pickup, or industrial use. They also carry interstate batteries and can perform alignments for your vehicle.

Stop in their location at 601 Butte St., Belle Fourche, or call 605-892-2001.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Rec path expansion project seeks to connect Spearfish

STURGIS LIQUOR

Sturgis Liquor has been serving the community for over 80 years. This full service, off sale liquor store has the largest selection of beer, wine, and spirits in the region, and carries many popular seltzers.

They are also the exclusive outlet for Officially Licensed Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally Jack Daniels Single Barrel Decanters, and engraved gifts.

Sturgis Liquor is open 7 days a week, so stop in at 1075 Lazelle St. in Sturgis and check out the everyday low prices and monthly specials.

They can also be reached at 347-5953.

SUBWAYS OF BELLE FOURCHE

Craig and Tara Knapp have been offering classic sub sandwiches, wraps, and salads to the Belle Fourche community for more than seven years as Subway franchisees.

A new location was established in July 2020, offering traditional dine-in options as well as a drive-thru featuring a unique self-serve kiosk — for the first time, customers can get the Subway they love without leaving their cars!

Stop by the new store at 1819 5th Avenue in Belle Fourche to try the kiosk, or check out the interior and order your favorites in classic Subway fashion. This location is in addition to the store at 10982 US Hwy 212, Belle Fourche.

ROBERT P. BURNETT AGENCY

BARB HALE JEANETTE RUST SHELLEE FINLEY Office Manager Service Specialist Sales Specialist

RACHEL WOODROOF Sales Specialist

The Robert Burnett Agency of American Family Insurance has been awarded the American Star Excellence in Customer Experience Certification. Bob's agency has earned the highest praise from customers for consistently providing outstanding service.

"Outstanding service is what our ROBERT BURNETT Agent customers expect," said Bob. "We want to empower our customers toward the future they dream of by protecting what matters most to them.

My team wants to help people get the most out of their insurance by assuring they have the coverages they need and eliminating the ones they don't."

The Robert Burnett Agency is fully staffed with five licensed professionals who offer a full line of products including home, auto, life, business, and farm/ranch protection. The office is located at 204 Main St., Spearfish.

Spearfish is known for its recreational rec paths, and a new initiative from the city seeks to connect the northern rec path system, with the southern. Pioneer file photo

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — To help keep the community connected and serve as a means of travel throughout the city, the Exit 8 rec path project received a $400,000 grant from the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

“It’s been in the works for the last couple of years … we worked with the Park, Rec, and Forestry Advisory Board to kind of come up with a couple route options,” said Tyler Ehnes, Spearfish Parks and Rec director.

“Basically our goal was to connect the Exit 8 area, the reserve and all the other subdivisions along the way … with the current rec path in town.”

Ehnes said the proposed project will consist of three new miles of path to be constructed extending from the Spearfish Forest Products ball fields; along Hillsview Road, up to McGuigan Road; east

through a parcel of land managed by the Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation; then back the McGuigan Road; under the Exit 8 underpass, which is maintained by the South Dakota Department of Transportation; and connect to the Reserve subdivision.

“Spearfish has grown tremendously to the north and that part of town is kind of isolated as far as alternative transportations go so we really wanted to hit it from a safety standpoint,” he said.

Ehnes said as the city was looking into funding the project, they came across a Transportation Alternative Grant issued by the DOT, which is given to municipalities that are looking to install alternative routes for residents to move throughout town while mitigating hazardous road conditions. Ehnes said he and his team had to assemble a 15-minute presentation

in order to apply fro the grant.

“Talk about a whirlwind; 15-minutes to present, basically, your case for $400,000,” he said. “You have a million and a half dollar project that you’re throwing at them and you’re trying to cover the highlights.”

Ehnes said they put together a video presentation showcasing some of the hazards faced by folks trying to use the area for jogging, cycling, and walking as it is now with very little right of way, then they created a video simulation of what the proposed path would look like, and how it could help keep users safer as they travel.

“It was literally a simulation of what the path would look like and how it would be laid out through the whole property,” he said. “I think that really helped our cause because they could see, really, what currently is happen-

ing and then if we were to get the money and make this project happen, what it could look like.”

In addition to the grant from the state, Ehnes said the city also received a $100,000 grant from South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department, and he said they plan to apply for another $400,000 TA Grant next year.

The grants received this year will help get the ball rolling on phase one of the rec path, but Ehnes said now that DOT money is being used, the state will need to do its own inspections as things progress.

“One downside to receiving the grant is because of how the grant is administered and then basically, the process of it, we have to back this project off at least a year,” he said.

“Once we get through their process and the fed process; as long as we can meet all of their requirements, it really should be a ‘good to go,’ type thing.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 19

from Pg 3

from Pg 14

NEW HOUSING

BIG BROTHERS

bracket. The federal income tax brackets are set by the IRS, and can change from year-to-year. The federal 12% income tax bracket in 2020 for a single filler ranges from $9,876 to $40,125, and $19,751 to $80,250 for a married couple filing jointly. The federal 22% income tax bracket in 2020 for a single filler ranges from $40,126 to $85,525, and $80,251 to $171,050 for a married couple filing jointly.

“What that means (is), if I’m in the 12% tax bracket, while that home is being constructed, I have first right of refusal on it. The day that we, the city, issue the occupancy permit, that purchase then becomes available to anyone in any tax bracket,” Harmon explained.

One of the restrictive covenants laid out in the agreement stipulates that if the homeowner sells the home within the first two years of purchase, they must remit to Spearfish the excess of the resale price over the original purchase price including closing costs and reasonable real estate agent fees and documented costs of improvements.

The development agreement passed through council as written with a five to one vote.

Mayor Boke said she hopes that by incentivizing home buying in Spearfish, the community will continue to grow and become a hub for a thriving workforce and their families in the Black Hills.

“As homes in Spearfish do, these are going to appreciate in value quickly, but we just need to have some homes available for that entry-level service professional looking for their first home and looking for something that’s affordable,” Boke added.

The first phase infrastructure bid opening is slated for Sept. 15. A date to begin the work has not yet been scheduled.

A stigma staff members are trying to turn around is the belief that only children who are at risk or those with behavioral problems are the only ones served.

“The majority of kids we serve are amazing,” Burdick said.

“They may be victims of circumstance beyond their control.

But they are resilient, they are amazing, they are good kids.”

Many times, she said, parents will discuss their children’s behavioral issues with the staff members, and when those kids are matched with their “bigs” those issues go away.

“They are just looking for someone on their side,” she said.

“It is amazing when they have that safe, trusting, person on their side.”

Burdick said she has to look no further than herself to see the benefits of a mentor.

“I was one of those kids who needed a mentor,” she said.

“When I look back now at my life, there have been people strategically placed in my life who have mentored me through some pretty difficult stuff.”

Burdick said that while she and her mom were close, there were things she was not com-

Courtesy photo fortable talking about with her mom.

So she is planning for her own daughter to enroll in the program.

“There is going to be a point where my daughter is not going to want to talk to me,” she said.

And that is not necessarily a bad thing, Burdick said.

“There are other people out there that you can look to for guidance and direction, and someone to hang out with,” she said.

Burdick encouraged adults

s l l i H n r e h t r o Ser ving the N 2 Years! for over 1

We can replace auto glass in a flash for less!

• Auto, Truck & RV Glass • Rock Chip Repairs

Auto Glass Replacement Specialist

FRONTIER GLASS Of Belle Fourche

• In-Shop or Mobile Service • Insurance Approved

19048 US Hwy 85, Belle Fourche, SD Call 605-892-2052 or 1-800-292-2052 Locally Owned

who are interested in becoming a mentor visit the organization’s website, bigmentors.com, and fill out an application.

There are interviews, a background check, and training required. She said the bigs are asked to commit at least one year to the program.

A lot of times, Burdick said, parents whose children are grown are among the best mentors.

“They’ve been there, done that,” she said. “They have the life experience.”

Pool Walking track Gymnasium Weight & Cardio Rooms Racquetball Courts Theater Group Fitness Classes Youth & Adult Sports Programs

BELLE FOURCHE AREA COMMUNITY CENTER Promoting a Healthy Community for 28 Years!

Swimming Lessons Day Passes or Memberships available!

Stop by for a tour and to learn more!

Check out our website at www.bellefourche.org Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @BFACCSD

1111 National Street, Belle Fourche, SD (605) 892-2467

Page 20, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

Your Full-Service Printshop!

“The #1 Station in the Center of the Nation” 510 5th Ave. • Belle Fourche, S.D. • 605-892-4564

MASON’S

BuckStop “Where B.S. Stands for Better Service”

WE DELIVER:

Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Sturgis, Whitewood, Lead, Deadwood, & Newell. Call for more information!

We have COVID -related items!

514 5th Ave. Belle Fourche, S.D.

605-892-0630 Open Daily

!

W E N

The

COPY | FAX | LAMINATING | DIRECT MAIL | POSTERS FULL COLOR PRINTING BANNERS | COMMERCIAL SIGNAGE YARD SIGNS | VEHICLE WRAPS | REALTOR SIGNS WIDE FORMAT PRINTING | PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS OFFICE SUPPLIES | JANITORIAL SUPPLIES LASER ENGRAVING | RUBBER STAMPS

The former Spearfish store is under new ownership and is relocated to the Belle Fourche address.

BELLE FOURCHE 523 E. Grant Street 605.892.4540 | 605.642.4061

t a E d a e L in Hangar 7 Lounge

BOSS

Serving food until midnight every night!

MENU ITEMS:

86 Charles St., Deadwood 605-578-3975 Locally owned and operated for 20 years.

Pizza, Nachos, Chicken Wings, Corn Dogs ... and more!

395 Glendale Drive, Lead | 605-584-2000 | blackstonelodgehotel.com

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 21

Community embraces Outlaw Square in its inaugural year

HOWDY'S NEWMART

This hometown grocery store is located in a 1915 brick building downtown and has been in business for 38 years.

There is a great selection of grocery items along with produce, dairy, meat department and deli with fresh made sandwiches. If they do not have what you are looking for, they will do their best to get the item in for you. All 18 employees pride themselves on taking care of the customers 110%, because service to the customer always comes first.

They are located at 219 Girard Ave. in Newell, and can be reached at 605-456-1660.

Bunney's is your one-stop auto body and collision repair shop. With 130 years of combined experience, these collision repair specialists can handle damage resulting from accidents, hail storms, and run-ins with deer, including glass replacement and repair.

Bunney's works with all insurance companies, so save yourself time and stress by letting their experts get your vehicle back on the road — and in the meantime, loaner cars are available.

Visit bunneysbodyandcollision.com, stop by 118 5th Ave. in Belle Fourche, or call 892-2802.

Pictured is Outlaw Square nearing completion in October. Pioneer file photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson

By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

DEADWOOD — Kids are frolicking in the splash pad after breaking in the ice skating rink over the winter; adults are taking a load off; square-goers are sprawled out on the Astroturf taking in live music or a fun family movie; and those enthralled with the Wild West are immersing themselves in Deadwood Alive re-enactments on its generous stage.

All now have a Historic Main Street place to take a breather, as Outlaw Square, Deadwood’s new public gathering space, dedicated to its citizens and nearly 2 million visitors annually, nears the end of its inaugural year.

Outlaw Square Director Bobby Rock said Outlaw Square has changed the fabric of downtown Deadwood by creating a place Deadwood lacked.

“And that’s a true gathering place for locals, their families and visitors,” Rock said. “Visitors to Deadwood now have a place to rest with the children after enjoying the gun fights, stagecoach or any of the many businesses in Deadwood.”

Outlaw Square opened Dec. 6, 2019 and with it, immediate acceptance of the new GLICE skating rink.

GLICE is a synthetic material that allows for skating with ice skates.

“The Christmas break really showed how much having that rink meant,” Rock said. “We literally had a line down the street for skate rentals and passes. Then, as the

winter season progressed, it gave the residents another outdoor activity option to go along with snowmobiling, skiing, and snowshoeing. We even had the Deadwood Elementary School kids here for their gym class during March.”

Outlaw Square hosted special events throughout the summer including movie nights, a farmer’s market, music, and more.

“Vast Broadband’s Monday Movie Night has been received quite well,” Rock said. “It’s great to see families come down and stretch out on the turf with their blankets or relax in their lawn chairs and enjoy a great movie together under the stars. Lots of them have been bringing their favorite take-out and having a family dinner while enjoying the movie.”

The Wednesday concert series has been going great guns, as well, despite a few setbacks.

“Even though we had to replace a few acts, it’s still been greatly received and well attended,” Rock said. “This, too, has given the local residents a chance to come on during a non-event time and enjoy some great entertainment. It’s an open container event, so all of Main Street has the chance to provide beverages to those that request a fill-up in their event cups.”

And finally, Deadwood History Family Fun Night has been just what the name implies.

“It’s exactly what we hoped it would be — fun,” Rock said. “The staff from Deadwood History comes down and provides some fun in-

teractive activities that relate to Deadwood’s History and adventure.

The kids have been completely digging it. In fact, one of the best ones so far is when they brought in owl pellets. They talked about owls around Deadwood and then they examined some pellets and found some wild stuff.”

Residents and visitors alike can also enjoy one unique Deadwood experience.

“The 6 p.m. Thursday Deadwood Alive gunfight takes place on the stage and it’s added so much because a lot of those visiting families stick around after the gunfight and take part,” Rock said.

Rock said Outlaw Square has definitely helped out during the pandemic, providing a place for people to spread out.

“When we have our events everyone seems to respect their neighbor’s space,” Rock said. “During the beginning, when Deadwood reopened, it gave the Deadwood Alive troupe the chance to create that social distance needed to make it work in getting the performances up and running for the season. With the gazebo, it gives them an added venue to use for added programming.

When there are Main Street events, we are able to accommodate them on the stage so they can continue with gunfights. We’ve been working well together in communicating the needs of each other to make sure those visitors can experience what Deadwood Alive does.”

OUTLAW SQUARE Pg 22

Opened in December 2017 by Dr. Brandie Rainboth, DPT, OCS, Spearfish Physical Therapy is a welcoming space for patients of all diagnoses to recover and heal. They specialize in the treatment of muscle and joint pain, and recovery from injury or surgery, with a special interest in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and running injuries.

Spearfish Physical Therapy is the only physical therapy clinic in the Northern Black Hills that is owned and operated by a physical therapist who has both a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and is Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy.

Visit spearfishpt.com or call 605-559-0381.

Black LAUNDRY & Hills DRY CLEANING

Black Hills Laundry & Dry Cleaning, owned by James “Clark” Sowers and son Randy Sowers, meets the dry cleaning and laundering needs of the entire Northern Black Hills and Rapid City.

Belle Fourche Laundry & Dry Cleaning is a State Street staple, continuing to serve the community after more than two decades. While Sowers & Son have opened many self-serve laundromat locations throughout the region, the Belle Fourche plant remains the source of all dry cleaning, with services including uniform cleaning, medicals, alterations, and more.

All of the laundromats are open 24/7 and provide amenities such as small to extra-large machine capacities, free internet access, and pickup and delivery service in town. Each location also provides a drop-off site for dry cleaning and laundering services.

Belle Laundromat is located at 710 8th Ave. in Belle Fourche. While this location is not attended, assistance can be obtained by visiting Belle Fourche Laundry & Dry Cleaning right around the corner at 711 State St., or by calling 723-6301.

Other laundromat locations include Spearfish Laundry & Dry Cleaning at 712 Canyon St., 722-9400 and Sturgis Laundry at 2014 Main St., 347-8429; as well as Laundry World and two French Cleaner locations in Rapid City.

Page 22, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

from Pg 21

OUTLAW SQUARE Rock said that while gaming remains the lifeblood of Deadwood’s economy, Outlaw Square is a great complement in that it fills a gap that was formerly missing on Historic Main Street.

“It’s doing what it was intended to do – provide a gathering place for locals and visitors alike,” Rock said. “A place to showcase and variety of weekly programming events and provide something other than gaming. Gaming will always be the lifeblood of Deadwood and we are so appreciative of those Deadwood businesses that have stepped up to support Outlaw Square. Now those local families and visitors have another option to enjoy in the heart of Historic Main Street. Also on hot days the fountains have been a huge hit. One of our favorite comments we hear, not just from rally goers but everyone that walks by, is ‘Is that real grass?’ We like to watch people and we can tell the ones that just have to come down and touch it to see if it’s real. The other comment is, ‘Is this new, wasn’t this a parking lot?’

And we proudly say ‘Yes it was.’”

Rock said that every day is a new adventure at the square and sometimes, quite surprising.

How the square came to be

In 2014, the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, in concert with the city of Deadwood, formed a Deadwood Revitalization Committee to facilitate discussions and build consensus on developing a series of goals for economic development for Deadwood within the context of historic preservation. One of the major items on this list was Outlaw Square.

Consultant Roger Brooks surveyed Deadwood and provided ideas for a Square and other revitalization efforts.

Over time, the Revitalization Committee changed its name to the Main Street Initiative, but the goal of a public gathering space never did change.

Located at the corner of Deadwood and Main Streets in the location of the former

Pioneer staff photo Franklin Motor Lodge and where Deadwood city hall sat in 1952, Outlaw Square comes at a cost of around $5 million and took many local and state partnerships to come to fruition.

A $2 million original commitment was made by the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission in the fall of 2017, contingent upon the Main Street Initiative Committee securing matching funds to get the project off the ground.

The project was greenlighted in October 2018, as then-Gov. Dennis Daugaard committed the full $2 million required to match the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission’s $2 million commitment from discretionary economic development future funds and combined, the $4 million in funding finally brings the project to fruition.

At the Outlaw Square grand opening, Daugaard recognized many of the key

players in the development of Outlaw Square and spoke of the meetings that helped move the project forward over the years.

“It’s been a long haul for many of you,” Daugaard said. “On behalf of the state, I am a very lucky man to be able to distribute a few dollars in a discretionary situation and this was one of them, but I must say that no community comes together like Deadwood does and nobody puts it on the line like Deadwood does, so congratulations and enjoy your great Outlaw Square.

Merry Christmas.”

The total project, including realignment of Deadwood and Shine Streets and city creek retaining wall brought the total cost of the project to $4.8 million.

“It is a great asset for the community, residents and visitors alike,” said Outlaw Square Project Lead and Deadwood Historic Preservation Officer Kevin Kuchenbecker. “I’m very

pleased with the number of families and youth using the GLICE. And I’m proud to have been part of the public/private partnership that created this through both the city and Main Street Initiative and the respective leaderships of Mayor Ruth and Chairman Bill Pearson.”

Bill Pearson, chairman of the Main Street Initiative, said it has been a persistent effort to reach the goal of providing Deadwood residents and tourists a place to gather and interact with the history of Deadwood.

“I was overwhelmed by the community’s support and glad to see that they recognized what had been accomplished,” Pearson said. “It can only go from good to great from here.”

Appearing next at Outlaw Square Weekly programming

continues through Sept.

8 at 7 p.m. This includes: Monday movie nights; Tuesday farmers market through October; a concert series on Wednesdays; and on Thursdays, the family fun night.

“We have Kool Deadwood Nites coming up, which will consist of a Wednesday Concert with Surfin Safaries, then we will move the Max XXL 240” screen center stage and simulcast the Main Street concerts so guests can socially distance, enjoying the concerts while relaxing in the square,” Rock said.

Plans are for a Friday double feature movie night to kick off Labor Day weekend Sept. 4.

The Deadwood Jam will take place Sept. 18 -19 at Outlaw Square and more activities are planned throughout the fall.

The GLICE skating rink is scheduled to be installed Nov. 16.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2019, Page 23

Western Dakota Tech opens Whitewood Center Renovations will allow for spring semester opening

WHITEWOOD — Western Dakota Tech (WDT) President Dr. Ann Bolman described a ribbon cutting for the college’s first satellite campus, located in Whitewood, as “a dream come true in carrying out our mission.”

Bolman’s remarks were prefaced by Whitewood Economic Development Organization (WEDO Executive Director Robert Hill and Director of Operations Chris Chiller.

“We are a small, but aggressive economic development organization,” Hill said. “Our mission is to bring new business growth through complementary industry, affordable workforce housing, and adult education and we have found a partner in Western Dakota Tech that we can build an economic ecosystem around this flagship institution for years to come … we’re very excited to start this partnership.”

Chiller said the occasion was very momentous for Whitewood.

“It never occurred to me that we would have a college in Whitewood, and here we are, in the presence of Western Dakota Technical College,” Chiller said. “Our members, in supporting us, allowed us to do the work necessary to put the package together to make this work. Lawrence County

overcome barriers, and we have had is loaning us the money to do this finding an off-site facility or facilities entire project out of their economic on our list of things development fund. that we would like They’re also exto do for five years, tremely excited to since I’ve been at have the presence Western Dakota of Western Dakota This is an amazing Tech,” Bolman said.

Technical College partnership and “This is an amazhere in Lawrence ing partnership County … we’re exopportunity for and opportunity cited about what’s students in the for students in the coming and we’re Whitewood area, excited about what Whitewood area, for employers in we just finished.” for employers in this area, and for Bolman said the this area, and for Western Dakota educational faciliTech to carry out its ty is very much a Western Dakota mission. It’s amazvision of Western Tech to carry out its ing what can happen Dakota Technical College and a dream mission. It’s amazing when partnerships come together.” come true for the viwhat can happen Renovations on sion of the college. when partnerships the building that will “We have known house Whitewood for many years that come together.

Educational Center Western Dakota Dr. Ann Bolman, are slated to begin Technical College is soon. The plans the only technical President at for the campus college in Western Western Dakota Tech has taken a slight South Dakota, and setback. Western we know that there Dakota Tech offiare a lot of miles and cials learned that the cost to clean the sometimes bad weather in-between facility daily, in light of COVID-19, the campus in Rapid City and our would cost a tremendous amount — students, so we have found ways to

“

”

nearly as much as the lease price.

College officials are working through the hiccup and still plan on opening the facility. The facility will also house WEDO’s official office.

Following building remodeling, WDT plans to host admissions and financial aid events in the location this fall. The goal is to offer a licensed practical nursing program spring 2021 semester, pending approval by the Higher Learning Commission.

The nursing program will potentially include 16 students and up to three instructors.

It is hoped the satellite campus will grow to feature more programs and general education classes in the future.

WDT thanked WEDO, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the city of Whitewood, and the Lawrence County Commission, which have partnered with the college to provide technical education for good-paying, in-demand careers for Northern Hills residents, close to home.

“We really do see this as part of our necessary strategies for how to get technical programming out to people who need to figure out ways to get a career started or to move forward,” Bolman said.

Page 24, Our Towns 2019

The Black Hills Pioneer

OUR TOWNS

Section

3

SECTION 3

OF

3

Pioneer photo by Wendy Pitlick

2019 • BLACK HILLS PIONEER

80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally one for the ages

By Deb Holland Black Hills Pioneer

STURGIS — The 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was supposed to be a milestone year for the event. It may have been just that, but for reasons other than record crowds.

When all is said and done, estimated attendance at this year’s Rally could be down more than 7.5% from last year’s 490,000. Garbage collection, an annual indicator of attendance, was down about 12% from a year ago.

But given that people from Canada and other international destinations couldn’t even come this year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, organizers are quite happy with the turnout. Usually, international visitors make up 5-10% of the Rally crowd.

“I don’t think anyone

really anticipated that we would have anywhere near the number of people that we had. A decline of at least 25% is truly what I was anticipating,” Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie said Sunday.

The number of first-time attendees at this year’s Rally was “huge,” Ainslie said.

“It was incredible to see that,” he said. “And the average attendee was far younger than what it has been in the past.”

Ainslie believes some made the last-minute decision to come to Sturgis after seeing the July 3 celebration at Mount Rushmore on the national news.

“People were telling us they wanted to escape from their state where they had been locked up. They wanted to be able to get to a

place where they could still be socially distant, but be able to enjoy a fun and free time,” he said.

Sarah Bright and her husband, James, of Lone Grove, Okla., were among the first-timers at this year’s 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

She said they decided about two weeks before the Rally to make the trip.

And, as first-time rallygoers they had lots of fun taking in the scenery of the Black Hills and looking at all the different bikes that people rode to this year’s Rally, she said.

“We’re planning on coming back next year,” she said.

Early on in Rally week, which spanned from Aug. 7-16, Sturgis garnered national media attention because the event was seen as

the largest gathering in the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calls came in from national television outlets such as CNN, Fox News, Public Broadcasting, The Weather Channel, NBC, CBS and ABC. Some worried that Sturgis would become a super-spreader of the coronavirus because people attending the Rally were not wearing masks.

Rod Woodruff, owner of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground, said he observed people being COVID conscious.

“People did their riding and would come back. They stayed more in their own little pods or groups in the campground. That’s just fine,” he said. “I don’t think anybody got infected be80TH RALLY Pg 3

Page 2, Our Towns 2020

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Our Towns 2020, Page 3

The photos show parking and activity on Sturgis Main Street. The photo at left is from Friday, Aug. 3, 2019, during the 79th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Crowds were large in anticipation for the jump of Main Street by motorcycle daredevil Cole Freeman. The photo at right is Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. Pioneer photos by Deb Holland from Pg 1

80TH RALLY cause they were here.”

Woodruff characterized this year as one of the smoothest Rally operations that the Buffalo Chip has experienced in its 39 years in business.

“The people who came were just extra nice and enthusiastic,” he said. “The people were here because they love just to be free and make up their own minds about how to live their lives and who to associate with.

They were here enjoying that at a peaceful gathering.”

The vast majority of attendees at this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally were very respectful and courteous, Ainslie said.

“Sometimes politicians believe they have to instruct and mandate how people should act. The reality is that Americans can be adults and do the right things by themselves,” he said. “This week showed that Americans are smart and they are trying to protect themselves as well as others. They were taking personal responsibility very seriously.”

Ainslie said people just wanted some degree of normalcy again after being quarantined in an attempt to lessen the spread of the coronavirus. Many states issued stay-at-home orders because of the virus, but South Dakota never did and only encouraged people to self-isolate.

Sturgis businessman Rod Bradley said he also noticed that people who decided to come to Sturgis this year seemed to be happy to be at the Rally.

“I think they feel fortunate that we decided to have the Rally because they wanted to come,” he said.

Bradley, who co-owners The Hotel Sturgis on Sturgis Main Street with his wife, Cassie, said they had the hotel completely booked for the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Then COVID-19 hit.

People from out of the country had to cancel reservations as did others who felt they were in the vulnerable category for COVID-19.

“We decided we were going to be fair with everybody so sent back some deposit refunds,” he said.

Others asked if they could roll-over their reservations until next year which the Bradleys did.

“We were full, then we weren’t full. We filled it back up over time with people who decided they wanted to come here,” Bradley said Wednesday.

Bradley said he’s happy the city decided to forge ahead with this year’s Rally.

“It all goes back to finding a balance between the public health and safety and the economy,” he said.

Still, some worried that allowing so many visitors to congregate in Sturgis would put residents at risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Ainslie said city officials received no word from either local or state health officials about increased COVID-19 cases in Sturgis because of the Rally.

“We’ve heard of no spikes either of local patients or Rally attendees,” Ainslie said. “There is still an incubation period of three to 14 days.”

He noted that there has been an influx of tourists for the past six weeks in the

Black Hills, yet the state still has one of the lowest infection rates in the country.

Ainslie said surveys of Rally attendees also shows that those who did come spent more money this year.

That was especially true at grocery stores and the cityowned liquor store which could show an increase of nearly 27% in 2020, he said.

Although that was good news for Sturgis Liquor, it was bad news for downtown bar owners.

“They would come into town and have one or two beers, have lunch or dinner, buy their T-shirts and head back to their campsite,” Ainslie said. “There wasn’t nearly as much intermixing among people. Instead, people spent a lot more time with the group of people they

came with.”

Virginia Rhodes, of Cycle Shirts, which operates at the epi-center of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally – Lazelle Street and Junction Avenue, said business at the 80th Rally was great.

“I didn’t bring enough.

We’re gonna’ run out,” Rhodes said Thursday as she straightened shirts on the tables in the parking lot of Black Hills Federal Credit Union.

Rhodes was among vendors from across the country who waited to find out if the city of Sturgis would cancel this year’s Rally amid a global pandemic. But the Sturgis City Council voted to go ahead with the Rally with some modifications. The decision came down to the fact that city officials knew Rally-

goers would still come, so the city better be prepared.

The COVID-19 pandemic version of the Rally had no opening ceremonies, no B-1 fly-over of Main Street, no bands or contests at HarleyDavidson Rally Point, and no photo towers.

But it did have hand-sanitizing stations on Main Street as well as a nightly disinfecting of the downtown sidewalks.

Ainslie said one thing that wasn’t missing from this year’s Rally was smiles.

“So many people that were here were so appreciative that there was a place that they could come and feel somewhat normal again,” he said. “I had hundreds of people commenting that it was wonderful to see people smile again.”

Page 4, Our Towns 2020

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Our Towns 2020, Page 5

Radio play off to a good start

BELLE FOURCHE –– The Belle Fourche Area Community Theater is thinking outside the box with their most recent production, “Jupiter & Mars,” to offer entertainment to the area and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s something we’ve talked about doing in the past,” said Derek Olson, executive director of the community theater. “(And) with everything going on, it kind of became the perfect opportunity to try it.”

On July 28, the group presented the premier episode of “Jupiter & Mars,” a nine-episode audio play written by community theater alums and performed entirely online.

The group had a number of shows planned for the summer but the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to postpone or cancel, pushing the group to consider other creative options to give the community an entertaining outlet.

That’s where the idea of an audio play production was born.

“It’s all going to be online,” Olson said.

The group thought it would be fun to make an entertaining audio production, modeling it after radio dramas that were popularized a century ago.

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For now, only the first three epBut COVID-19 pandemic condiisodes have been scheduled as the tions didn’t make it easy. The group group is still working on the remainpersevered. Every part of the proing six episodes. duction — from auditions, to pracThe series will continue into the tice and recording to production fall. work, was handled “It’s an interestonline. ing exercise to try “It’s not quite the because we can’t same,” Olson said of necessarily get evrecording an audio It’s something we’ve erybody to every production instead talked about doing in recording,” Olson of the typical stage said. “So, we’ve the past. (And) with had to record other show. “I think it’s taken a little bit for everything going on, people at different everybody to get times and then I’ll it kind of became the just cut them in latused to it. But now that they’re getting er.” perfect opportunity there, they’re doing Due to the online to try it. really good.” nature of this pro “It’s just a difduction, the group was able to collabferent animal from Community Theater, orate with some what everybody Executive Director community theater is used to. You’re alumni who no lonso used to walking ger live in the area. around on stage or “So, we have somebody helping people being able to see your face from Yankton helping out; we have … to emote,” he said. “So, since you somebody from Chicago (Ill.); we have to do it all with your voice, it’s have somebody in Wyoming that been a little bit of a learning experihave been helping us write the epience for our actors.”

More than 30 people are participat- sodes, which has been really cool,” Olson said. “And then we even have ing in the production. a few other alumni who are able to For the first three segments, the group released the premier episodes record that are characters in the show.” every other Tuesday – on July 28, “It’s been kind of fun,” he said.

Aug. 11, and Aug. 25.

“It’s really sad that we don’t have “We’re going to do premiers for theater in quite the way we would each episode,” Olson said, adding like it to be this year but this is still that after the release of the premier, kind of given us an opportunity to the audio productions will be avail-

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have something.”

The episodes will be free to watch but the group is seeking good will donations to fund the program.

“The shows would have been the places where we made most of our money for the year,” he said. “But we haven’t been able to do any … so we’ve been kind of brainstorming new ideas of things to do.”

There is a link on the group’s website if members of the public are interested in donating to the cause.

“We wanted to get this out to everybody for free,” Olson said. “We kind of understand everybody’s in different places right now. So we decided that this would be something we offer and just, if people can … we’re going to be encouraging donations.”

In anticipation for the premier of the first episode, the community theater was holding online silent auctions on Facebook to bolster the fundraising efforts.

“The whole COVID situation has been pretty hard on us as an organization,” Olson said. “We were just gearing up to do a big sponsorship push when everything happened, so we decided not to go after that because we know businesses themselves are hurting.”

Although times are trying for many organizations currently, Olson said the group is looking toward the future positively.

“We’re feeling good; we’re not going to shut the doors or anything like that,” he said. “We’re looking to RADIO PLAY Pg 8

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Page 6, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

Artemis House celebrating 40 years of advocacy

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — What started out as little more than a group of concerned citizens looking out for their neighbors is celebrating 40 years of growth and success protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence.

“It started out like a network of people who recognized that this is a problem (and wanted to) do what they can,” said Ayesha Meer, executive director of the Artemis House.

Meer explained that Lora Hawkins and a small group of advocates spearheaded the Women In Crisis Coalition (WICC), which would become Artemis House in Spearfish, in 1979.

“At that time various volunteers opened their homes to women and their children,” Hawkins said via email. “In those days there was only the most limited recognition that men could be victims as well.”

The group and support gradually grew, but it always operated on tiny budgets.

“I did lots of public speaking in an effort to erase myths, raise awareness and support, and generate donations,” Hawkins said.

As awareness and financial support for the group grew, the coalition was able to offer more and more service to victims, including extended

Ayesha Meer, center, took over as executive director of Artemis House in 2019, putting her passion for victim advocacy and education to use in the area. Pioneer photo by Alex Portal hotel stays and legal help. However, the WICC soon realized victims needed a place to heal, a place they could call “home.”

“As time went on, we recognized that there was a need for a (permanent) shelter,” Meer said. “The people who are coming in here have dealt with an enormous trauma.

They need to feel safe and they need to feel like they’re being respected, they need to feel like they can live and recover from their trauma in

dignity.”

The WICC was transformed into the Artemis House and gained 501(c) (3) status. As a non-profit entity, the Artemis House would now be eligible for state and federal funding.

“The marriage license tax was a helpful legal step,” Hawkins said.

“A portion of the cost of a marriage license (in South Dakota) goes towards funding domestic violence prevention programs,” Meer added.

Artemis House still partners with

several businesses and organizations throughout the Black Hills to help raise funds, as well as accept personal donations from individuals in the community.

“We will always take things like cleaning supplies, diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, those things,” she added.

Meer said there are many myths about domestic and sexual violence, mostly concerning how complicated it can be to escape a situation once a victim realizes there’s a problem.

“Sometimes going through the trauma of abuse, you don’t feel like you have the power or the capability to survive on your own,” Meer explained. “You’ve been conditioned into thinking that (the abuser) is the only way that you can live.”

Additionally, Meer said when people realize they are being victimized by domestic violence, they may not be immediately ready to make the drastic change of uprooting their entire lives and leaving, so the Artemis House offers support group sessions to those facing domestic and sexual violence.

“There’s something really valuable to be gained in speaking with others that have been through a similar experience and feeling like you’re not in this alone,” she said. “We want to offer support in the way people want to receive it.”

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 7

Deadwood Jam funky, free, and 30 Music festival to celebrate anniversary Sept. 18-19 with free admission

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DEADWOOD — With three decades of rockin’ tunes played under the sun and stars, this year’s Deadwood Jam moves to the Outlaw Square stage Sept. 18-19, and offers free admission.

While the list of bands has not been finalized as of press time, rest assured, the mix will mirror year’s past and a star-studded line-up.

From the time the first Jam band cranks up Sept. 18 until the evening headliner, it’s all courtesy of the tireless volunteer efforts of the Deadwood Jam Committee and hundreds of hours spent staging Deadwood’s premiere outdoor music festival, as 2020 marks 30 years of rockin’ tunes.

Deadwood Jam Chairman Brandon Harvey, who has served on the Jam board more than 10 years, said the event is free admission, due to the generous help of sponsors, the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, and the city of Deadwood.

“In the past, our band budget has been anywhere from $100,000 to closer to that $60,000 range,” Harvey said. “With the new venue, it’s set up to be more of a communi-

Pioneer file photo ty event.”

Evolving into a Black Hills September staple, dozens of Jam bands have descended upon Deadwood, each leaving their unique musicianship’s mark on this outdoor music festival that traditionally ushers in fall and whose volunteer staff work tirelessly and tenaciously to provide an outlet for those with a passionate penchant for varied music styles all rolled into one weekend.

Styx, Blues Traveler, Grand Funk Railroad, Wilson Pickett, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Arlo Guthrie, John McEuen and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Johnny Lang, the Atlanta Rhythm Section and many more have all graced the Jam’s outdoor concert stage setting.

Bill Pearson, who led the effort for a decade, said traditionally, nearly a dozen acts perform during this fall outdoor music festival.

“It started out as an event to bring people to the community of Deadwood as an economic development tool and a festival to provide different music genres for music fans to enjoy and it still fits that bill, following our format of 10 bands, Friday and Saturday, rang-

ing from new pop and Americana acts and tried and true Blues and rock acts,” said Pearson, who has been involved with the Jam since its inception in 1990.

Committee member Mel Dennis, who, too, has been involved with the Jam from its beginning, said the Jam was started by John McEuen, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

“Every time we pulled it off, it was a miracle,” Dennis said.

Dennis said that McEuen had the idea to put a stage spanning Deadwood’s Main Street, and the inaugural event took only three months to plan.

“John, with his guidance, showed us how to do it right. And it’s like a family. People who come to the Jam know how to do it right. They come with their raincoats, their folding chairs, wrapping up in blankets.

They don’t care. They just want to come to the Jam.” Deadwood Jam founding member Louie Lalonde said that one of the most important lessons McEuen instilled in the minds of the Jam board is that the Deadwood Jam is not just one genre, it’s for all types DEADWOOD JAM Pg 8

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Page 8, Our Towns 2020 from Pg 7

DEADWOOD JAM of music.

“And over the years, our acts have run the gamut,” Lalonde said previously. “Blues to jazz to reggae to rock to country, folk. We have touched every type of genre

The Black Hills Pioneer throughout the Jam years, and this is what the Jam is all about … we get together and celebrate music and the chance to hear great music in the fabulous town of Deadwood.

There isn’t anything else like it.”

A volunteer base of around 50 people come together to stage the Jam, while the non-profit board consists of 12 members.

Looking back over the years, Dennis and Lalonde agree the most memorable Deadwood Jam was in 2001, only days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“9/11 forced us to cancel the Jam that Friday,” Lalonde recalled. “… The next night, John McEuen and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were all there, and they lit a can-

dle, and the crowd all held hands while they played ‘May the Circle Be Unbroken.’ It was incredible. I couldn’t help but be proud to be an American and glad to be in that moment right then. It was magic.”

In addition to the Deadwood Jam, there are numerous live musical events held throughout the town at casinos and bars.

Pioneer file photos from Pg 5

RADIO PLAY just keep us afloat until things can get a little bit more normal.”

“It’s been so fun, we’re actually talking about doing more of these (types of shows) later on, even once we’re back to having live stage shows,” he said.

Jupiter & Mars is about a disgraced journalist, Maxine Jupiter, who has to move back to her hometown of Belle Fourche to start again.

While doing a report on a slightly odd at-risk-youth ranch on the outskirts of town, she met a young man, Mars Mitchell. Mitchell has a troubled past that he claims is because of mind control inflicted on him at the camp. Together, the two

of them must unravel the mysteries and dangers of the Calamity Ranch, a place that is much more than it seems.

So far, the production has been a big hit, Olson said.

“It’s been good; people have been enjoying it,” he said. “We’ve gotten some good comments.”

The group is currently taking its first break while the next episodes

are being written and produced.

“We don’t have an ETA (estimated time of arrival), though,” Olson said, adding that he expects the next batch of episodes to be ready to be released within the next month or so.

Olson said that episode links will be found on the community theater website: www.bellefourcheact.com.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 9

Northern Black Hills Rotary Club turns 25

By Alex Portal Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — For 25 years, the Northern Black Hills Rotary Club has been working behind the scenes to help area non-profits continue their good works.

“Locally we’re just all about supporting other area non-profits,” said Hans Nelson, who has been a member since 2017.

Nelson explained that the Rotary was first established in 1905 to raise money for Polio research.

“That’s the international mission for Rotary, to eliminate the polio virus … and it has been very successful to the point where I think there are two countries where there’s still a little bit of an epidemic,” he said.

Since then, area chapters of the club have started to focus on financially supporting local non-profit organizations that exemplify the “six avenues of service,” which are the tenants of the Rotary.

Nelson said the six avenues are: promoting peace and conflict prevention resolution; fighting disease; providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; saving mothers and children; supporting education; and growing local economies.

“All of our decisions and where we support are based on those six avenues of service,” he said.

Pioneer file photo While most service organizations hold fundraisers throughout the year to fund their philanthropic endeavors, the Northern Black Hills Rotary only has one major fundraiser event each year, the Bingo, Beer,

Brats, and Polka event; the majority of its funding comes from a business that was started in the club’s name shortly after it was founded. The club runs a pipe and drape rental business which provides portable

partitioning for special events, conventions, and expos throughout the area.

“There are those black, nice clean ROTARY CLUB Pg 22

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Page 10, Our Towns 2020

MACK'S AUTO BODY, LLC

The Black Hills Pioneer

Dakota Five-O race to turn 20

For over 27 years, Mack's Auto Body has been offering the following "in-house" services: frame, body & spray facility; and plastic media stripping. Owner Eugene Mack takes pride in all his work and is a "handson" boss involved in every aspect of the job.

Mack's Auto Body backs their work with a 100% warranty.

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First National Bank has a history and commitment to customers that goes back to 1934. Since commencing operations in Pierre, S.D., we've been proud of our tradition as a family-owned business and the connections to the communities we serve.

Over the years we've grown, adding more locations and banking products, but always continuing to offer our customers personalized service. We take great pride in treating each and every one of our customers with the attention and care they deserve. First National Bank will always be your community bank, committed to doing what's right for our customers in this generation — and the next.

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Founded in 1980, Spearfi sh Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to improving lives by creating economic opportunities for the Spearfi sh community and its residents. SEDC’s primary areas of focus are business retention and attraction, workforce recruitment, and entrepreneurial support. SEDC is committed to “growing business by nature.”

For more information on joining SEDC and making an even greater economic impact in our community, contact SEDC at 642-3832 or visit spearfi shdevelopment.com.

BLACK HILLS PHYSICAL THERAPY

Celebrating 25 years of serving the Black Hills communities, we are a private physical therapy practice committed to on-going education to meet our clients' goals, and get them back to what they enjoy.

Our exceptional staff of Doctors of PT includes: Jens Matson, DPT, Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Certified Manual PT — with advanced skills for evaluation and treating all musculoskeletal conditions; Maria Matson, PT, DPT — a highly skilled, fluent Spanish speaking manual orthopedic PT with special interest in the treatment of pregnancy-related conditions and women's health, and as a certified instructor, adds alignment-based yoga to her practice; and Cathy Sulentic Morcom, PT, DPT — over 37 years of clinical practice with advanced manual therapy skills, orthopedics, hand therapy, and is certified in industrial medicine providing clients and businesses ergonomic education, on-site treatment programs, Functional Capacity testing, and work screens.

Our dedicated team is committed to exceptional service, from your first phone call to your successful completion of care. We look forward to working with you. Visit bhphysicaltherapy.com, 520 N. Canyon St. in Spearfish, or call 605-642-7996.

Pioneer file photo by Jason Gross

By Jason Gross Black Hills Pioneer

SPEARFISH — What started out as a hobby has morphed 20 years later into an event bringing roughly 700 racers to the starting line each Labor Day weekend.

The first Dakota Five-O mountain bike race in 2001 brought 81 riders to the starting line. Event co-organizers Perry Jewett and Kristi Jewett believed the race could grow each year.

“It had all the right elements from the beginning, and we just kept building on what was there, to make it better and continue to grow,” Kristi Jewett said. “Our motto has been ‘putting the labor back into Labor Day weekend.’”

Unfortunately, this year the race will be held virtually. The “DaCovid Five-O” will be held from Sept. 4-30.

The 50-mile race begins at the Spearfish City Park.

Perry Jewett said this event started for simple reasons.

“We wanted to have an event that started and ended in town,” Jewett said.

“I wanted to showcase the beautiful riding of the northern Black Hills.”

Perry Jewett said he also wished for a challenging, long-distance bike ride.

Community members cheer on the riders, which

Kristi Jewett said makes it fun for them.

“The Black Hills, in general, is somewhere riders can come and bring their whole family to enjoy a family vacation, along with a bike race. So, everyone wins,” Kristi Jewett said.

Enthusiasm and intimacy of the event are what Jewett recalled most vividly from the first year.

He said there was not as much trail work done as is the case now.

Registration is capped at roughly 700. Those quotas are normally filled in 90 minutes or less, including less than 44 minutes in 2019. Race-day registration is not allowed.

That cap is to reduce excessive wear and tear on the course. It also prevents the course from being too crowded for the riders.

Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club members perform maintenance work on the course. Jewett credited that, in part, for the quotas filling quickly.

“It’s a trail built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers,” Jewett said. “The community really embraces the race.

The riders still appreciate it when they come to town because of the community.”

Jewett said sustainability is the event’s biggest goal.

“You’re going to put the

work into it that you can keep people interested and keep them coming back year to year,” he said.

Another aim is for the riders to come away feeling satisfied. Jewett said organizers cater to all riders and work to make everyone feel welcome.

Phil Busching won the men’s overall title in 4 hours, 8 minutes and 15 seconds during that 2001 debut year. Nancy Busching earned the women’s overall title in 4:53.48.

One of the event’s biggest changes over the years is the steady growth.

Others center on the four waves of bikes leaving the starting line, adding more aid stations, increasing cash payouts, and including more single track to the trail.

However, one thing has always stayed constant: the Labor Day weekend.

Weather is cooler during that time of year, but there is another reason for the chosen time.

“We liked the idea of having the race on a three-day weekend so that people coming in from out of state would have a few travel days, and maybe some extra days to vacation in the Hills,” Kristi Jewett said.

The event has always included an after-party. Spearfish’s bike coop started a bike week leading up to the event

sometime around 2007.

Bike events associated with “Downtown Friday Nights” began about 2014.

A bacon station is one of the race’s unique aspects.

Jewett said the amount of bacon increases each year, with current totals up to 60 pounds.

Kristi Jewett said a person rode a unicycle in the race one year, with several riders wearing unusual costumes.

Some out-of-the-ordinary things occurred before or after the race. A tornado took out about six miles out of the course a few months beforehand.

A tornado hit again this summer forcing crews to spend hours clearing the trail. A storm dumped five inches of snow on the course one weekend after a race.

Perry Jewett said some aid stations have evolved into party zones, complete with live music.

Spectators set up camp along the trails, and Jewett said that really adds to the atmosphere.

Where does Perry Jewett see this event in the next few years?

“I just hope to keep it sustainable,” he said. “We plan to just kind of see what the future holds.”

Perry Jewett said the event could turn into more of a festival-type environment, with additional vendors and a downtown race.

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 11

Page 12, Our Towns 2020

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Our Towns 2020, Page 13

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Leading Ladies Marathon

By Jason Gross Black Hills Pioneer

celebrates female runners

SPEARFISH — Many people regard running a marathon as a life-altering event, including the creator of the Spearfishbased Leading Ladies marathon that celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2019.

“To plan for, commit to, train, and complete the marathon distance is a fulltime job,” said Elaine Doll-Dunn, who began this event to celebrate female runners and include those between the ages of 8 and 80 years. “One must be physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually involved.”

Doll-Dunn said anything can happen over the 26.2-mile distance. Injury lurks, fatigue a certainty, and she regards the finish as a miracle.

“This kind of heroism transfers to real life,” she said.

“Once you’ve done a marathon, you know you can do anything.”

Lead Country Club serves as the starting line for the 26.2MARATHON Pg 15

PIoneer file photos by Jason Gross

The Black Hills Pioneer from Pg 14

MARATHON mile full marathon race, with the 13.1-mile half marathon beginning just north of Savoy. The full marathon has a seven-hour time limit and is a Boston Marathon qualifier.

Both races wind their way through Spearfish Canyon and end at Spearfish City Park. While they have always featured female runners, male runners are welcome.

Races are held in mid-August, and participants receive a flower at the finish line.

Doll-Dunn trained in Spearfish Canyon almost four decades ago. She and another Spearfish-area runner, Fred Romkema, determined the distance from Lead Country Club to Black Hills State University was 26.2 miles.

“So, for my 65th birthday, I ran it,” Doll-Dunn said. She added a few stretches and finished at Spearfish City Park.

Doll-Dunn had competed at a New York event that was for female runners only. “I realized what a significant difference it makes when

Our Towns 2020, Page 15 we’re all alone out there, not performing for anybody but ourselves,” she said.

That prompted Doll-Dunn to begin a local race only for female runners. She said the Spearfish Canyon course is great and fast.

Doll-Dunn said the event has undergone no huge changes over the years, with the course staying exactly the same. She added participation numbers have increased.

“It has been a vehicle for a lot of different women who wouldn’t attempt this in a larger venue,” she added.

Doll-Dunn hoped for this type of response to a women’s marathon.

“I think the popularity is a combination of focus on women, Spearfish Canyon, warmth of Spearfish to visitors, and word of mouth by satisfied customers,” Doll-Dunn said. She added the area appeal extends to the greater Black Hills, with strangers encountering a proactive welcome to Spearfish.

She has seen many mothers and daughters running together, along with the courage of women to challenge their limits.

One of the most unusu-

Lynn’s 50

th

al occurrences Doll-Dunn witnessed occurred in 2013.

London resident Rima Chai, also known as “TyreGirl,” ran the full marathon in roughly 7 ½ hours while pulling a 22-pound automobile tire.

Many runners use the Leading Ladies Marathon to help with longtime goals.

“This year, I will have a returnee doing her seventh time running a marathon in all 50 states,” Doll-Dunn said.

A full marathon was the only race on the inaugural schedule in 2005. Colorado’s Tracy Stewart earned top honors in 2 hours, 57 minutes and 17 seconds. Ninety-five runners registered for that race.

Doll-Dunn recalled being nervous in 2005 from putting on an event by herself for the first time. Another memory proceeded to take hold.

“It was the incredible reaction of the women to the course, to the city, to the welcome in this area, and to having something that was just theirs,” she said.

A half-marathon race was offered for the first time in 2006: the event’s second year.

Rapid City’s Nikki McDaniel earned top honors in 1 hour, 27 minutes and 45 seconds.

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Ninety-seven runners started the full-marathon race in 2019. A total of 154 runners completed the half marathon.

A relay was added to the event schedule after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Called “Legs on Legs for Legs,” this event raises funds for prosthetics benefiting bombing victims.

Plans for the 2020 event include what Doll-Dunn called “a new vision.”

She said the course is so fast, and such a great Boston Marathon qualifier, that male runners have begged to be able to run the course.

Some have been invited for this year.

This event will essentially be named “a BQ for the GQ.” Initials mean a Boston Qualifier for the Gentleman’s Quarterly.

“I think letting the men participate will grow it,” Doll-Dunn said when asked where she sees this event in the next few years. Two males ran in this event last year and received special permission to do so.

“I thought, why not?’” DollDunn said of the decision to increase male participation.

“We did what we did; we made a statement.”

Doll-Dunn said the event will always be known as the Leading Ladies Marathon.

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Page 16, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 17

Organization helps Whitewood to progress

By Jason Gross Black Hills Pioneer

WHITEWOOD — The community of Whitewood needed a special organization to gain recognition as a site for potential businesses or new landing spots.

Enter the Whitewood Economic Development Organization, or WEDO for short.

The South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development approached Whitewood about two years ago to meet the needs of possible sites for a warehouse for a new project.

“When we got together, we started looking at Whitewood’s future, growth potential, and how we could be a part of that growth in a very positive way,” WEDO Executive Director Robert Hill said.

Chris Chiller serves as the group’s director of operations. He said Whitewood is not a tourist destination, so it makes no sense to try making it into one.

Whitewood is comprised of residents who work or are retired. “We’d like to increase the tax base by increasing the amount of business that gets done in our community,” Chiller said.

This nonprofit group tries to look at the whole range of what Whitewood needs to grow and thrive. Initial projects center on housing because it was identified as one of the earliest issues.

Providing workforce housing will help accommodate the needs of new businesses. Chiller said this is a regional issue.

Whitewood is in an area with Sturgis, Spearfish, Lead-

PARTY TIME LIQUOR/ QUEEN CITY LIQUOR

Party Time Liquor, located at 731 N. 12th St., and Queen City Liquor, at 210 E. Rushmore, provide Spearfish with a variety of spirits, wines, and beers as well as gifts, tobacco products, and video lottery.

The inventory is constantly rotating with a large selection of new craft beers. They also continue to increase wine varietals, and have welcomed the growth of allocated bourbons. Both locations are happy to special order items for customers and are always taking gift basket orders.

Call Party Time at 642-4700 or Queen City Liquor at 642-3662, or visit their Facebook page for product updates and more information.

CREEKSIDE BEAN & VINE Pioneer file photos by Jason Gross Deadwood, and Belle Fourche in fairly close proximity. Rapid City and Gillette, Wyo., are on opposite sides of Whitewood.

Hiss said the organization seeks to meet the needs of this growing area.

“There’s just no place to put people and new business,” Hill said. “We have to be ready to meet those needs.”

Hill said Whitewood must work with new businesses in a manner that complements what the community already has. One of the central needs is the ability to provide adequate housing.

The aim is to bring in high-quality, high-paying jobs. Hill said future actions depend on time and needs.

Lawrence County’s median income is $52,245 compared to $59,218 in Meade County.

“It’s actually below the median income in the state ($56,499),” Chiller added. “So, we’d like to be helpful in lifting that up. We can do that by bringing in some higher-end jobs to the area.”

One of those housing projects was a recently completed

work-live unit at 801 Pine St. in Whitewood.

Units are designed so a person may legally operate a business in part of the building.

A current project features three smaller, single-family detached homes offered for $185,000 apiece.

Chiller sees this project succeeding because, including those three, the region would have only five homes for sale in that price range.

Site work started in late February, with plans to begin pouring concrete within the next couple of weeks.

Future plans call for development of a 36.5-acre technology campus to bring high-technology businesses to town. It is hoped that occupancy will begin in August 2020.

“We have the two prongs that we work on all the time,” Chiller said.

“We want to bring jobs to the region, and we’d like the workers to work here in Whitewood.”

Chiller said the city of Whitewood and Lawrence County are very supportive of the group’s efforts. Call Chiller at 5806425 for more information.

Creekside Bean & Vine is a specialty coffee house and wine bar with delicious, healthy food options, and is locally owned by Kelly Klein, Megan Furnish, and Vicki Furnish.

They have created a menu full of feel-good food choices and unique treats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They specialize in delicious coffee drinks, boutique wine selections, charcuterie boards that look as amazing as they taste, and treats for all ages.

Current hours of operation are Mon.–Sat., 6:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; and Sun., 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Stop in at 2541 Yukon Place in Spearfish, call 717-2458, or visit them on Facebook @creeksidebeanandvine for more information.

Owned by Greg Hartman, Scott Hartman, Dan Hartman, and Ben Arambel, Wolff’s Plumbing and Heating has been in business since 1946. Irvin Hartman worked for the previous owners before purchasing the business with sons Greg and Scott, and eventually Dan and Ben. The company is experienced in all aspects of plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Their 37 employees carry many years of experience in commercial, residential, and service applications.

Wolff’s won the Construction Industry Center’s Master Craftsmanship Award for their work on the Davis Campus at the Sanford Lab, as well as the BHSU Central Plant Upgrades.

Wolff’s Plumbing and Heating prides itself on quality finished projects and excellent customer service throughout the building process. They appreciate every customer and enjoy helping any way they can. They are a family owned business that values their employees and their families.

Designs by Daphne Gallery adds a shop unlike any other to downtown Belle Fourche. Owners Paul and Daphne Johnson have a passion for taking old treasures and making them new again, specializing in refinished and painted furniture. While they carry a unique selection in stock, they also offer services to renew pieces you already own and love, providing custom painting, refinishing, and upholstery.

In addition to furniture, Designs by Daphne carries a hand-picked collection of antiques, art, and home decor, as well as a line of custom silver and copper jewelry created by Dana Licking.

Stop by the store at 614 State Street in Belle Fourche to find a one-of-a-kind piece you will be proud to have in your home. You can also view select inventory and see before/after photos @designsbydaphnegallery on Facebook, or call the store at 723-1640 for more information.

Page 18, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 19

Coeur Wharf production up in 2019 at 84M ounces

Pioneer file photo

By Jaci Conrad Pearson Black Hills Pioneer

LEAD — Both gold and silver production rebounded at the Coeur Wharf mine in 2019, compared to 2018 figures.

Matt Zietlow, Environmental Manager for Coeur Wharf was present at the June 23 Lawrence County Commission meeting for the mine’s annual review of Conditional Use Permit #398, presenting the 2020 annual update of 2019 numbers.

“Pretty good year. We were just under 85,000 ounces for the year,” Zietlow said. “We didn’t really get into any new areas, and we’re up above almost 10,000 ounces over last year, so that was positive. Still the same five leach pads. Green Mountain Pit was still the main mining area. We’re just about done there.”

The company employs 218 people.

In 2019, production figures provided indicate that 4,613,360 tons of ore was mined; 8,461,270 tons of waste, or barren rock, was mined; 1,091,615 tons of re-handle; 84,172 ounces of gold was produced; and 63,483 ounc-

es of silver was produced.

“Good, solid year,” Zietlow said.

“It’s nice to be back up a little bit on the ounces.”

At the end of 2019, final reclamation had been completed on approximately 289.94 acres, of which 135.23 acres met the final land use of woodland grazing.

Two reportable spills occurred at the mine in 2019. One involved saturated carbon and one involved saturated ore. Both occurred on and were contained on compacted gravel roadways or parking areas within the mine.

“A couple of things that were new for 2019, functionally, we’re doing everything the same way,” Zietlow said. “We’ve still got the same five leach pads, run the same crusher.

But as you are well aware, it was a pretty wet spring last year, all the flash flooding, so we did bring in a temporary crusher to help out, just to keep our normal production rates up, as the wet ore tends to slow down crusher throughput.”

The Coeur mine is comprised of both Wharf and Golden Reward

properties, with production wrapped up in the Golden Reward Harmony and Liberty pits in 2017.

The plan is to wrap up reclamation in the Harmony and Liberty pits in 2020.

“We might not get it sloped and seeded this year, but our plan is to get the actual backfilling completed,” Zietlow said. “The folks at Terry Peak are excited because eventually this will extend a run for them.”

Wharf mining in 2019 continued in the Green Mountain pit.

“The Green Mountain area was the predominant area in 2019, we’re just about to the bottom of that,” Zietlow said. “We’re still backfilling, placing waste up at American Eagle, but we are starting to come across Portland Ridge Line. The far west side is called the Flossie area.

Almost all of this was mined before, so a lot of the material that we have to take out first is rehandle material that was partially backfilled back in the late 90s. Same thing goes on the far west end. Late 2019 to the beginning of this year, we went to this

ridge line here. The A-frame is gone now and we’re mining up in this area with a little bit at the bottom of Green Mountain. But again, no change in how we’re approaching it.”

Zietlow said coming up, the access road will be temporarily moved until they get the area backfilled.

“Right now, we’ve got mining up to 2027,” Zietlow said. “It won’t physically look much different, other than we’ll be moving it back across this ridge line.”

The overall estimated remaining permitted mine life is seven years.

Mining started at the Wharf mine in 1982 and is slated to go to the end of 2027.

The Wharf Mine uses heap leaching, which is an industrial mining process to extract precious metals from ore via a series of chemical reactions. The ore is placed on a liner to complete the process.

In regard to the leach pad cycles, all five leach pads operated under normal conditions in 2019. Pads two and three completed denitrification WHARF Pg 24

Page 20, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

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The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 21

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Page 22, Our Towns 2020

The Black Hills Pioneer

from Pg 9

ROTARY CLUB drapes and then those pipes. Those are our rotary pipe and drape,” Nelson said. “We average $15,000 a year running that business.”

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Rotary in the Northern Black Hills, and Nelson said the club wanted to do something grand to celebrate that’s where the idea from the Legacy Project came from.

Nelson said the Legacy Project was the club’s most ambitious giveaway in its 25-year history. $30,000 was given away during the clubs annual Christmas party in December 2019. $1,000 went to Good Shepherd Clinic, for Smile Restoration project; $1,000 to Spread The Tunes, towards new band shell in Spearfish City Park; $4,000 to the Kenadi Jean Weis Foundation, to install a Rhapsody Outdoor Musical Instrument in Rotary Park; and $1,000 to the High Plains Western Heritage Society, towards replacing/upgrading audio-visual equipment in auditorium.

The largest chunk of money, as well as the formal title of “Legacy Project Award recipient” went to Sacred Mountain Retreat Center, which received $23,000 to purchase a 12-passenger van to transport clients to and from the Rapid City airport and around the Black Hills.

Earlier this summer, the club partnered with the Black Hills State University Sustainability Department to install a pollinator

Courtesy photo garden in Rotary Park in Spearfish, which includes a “peace pillar” that reads, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” in four languages; English, French, Lakota, and Spanish. There

will be an official peace pole ceremony in September.

“This is our 25th celebration year, and we’re just super thrilled to continue growing as an organization

and supporting local communities,” Nelson said. “If there’s anybody young that wants to get involved in the community, Rotary’s a great place to start.”

The Black Hills Pioneer

Our Towns 2020, Page 23

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WHARF treatment and were offloaded.

“More of the same is the best way to phrase that,” Zietlow said. “The new denitrification plant that we’ve got up there is working really, really well. Allows us to keep the temperatures up all the way through the winter and we’re doing almost three times the amount of treatment at about the same cost for the rinsing and denitrification of those pads prior to the new plant, so it’s working out really good.”

Wharf payroll in 2019 was just over $21 million with benefits.

Taxes paid by Coeur Wharf in 2019 total $3,525,637, with $2,748,083 of that paid in state severance tax; $152,244 paid in state sales and use tax and $625,310 paid in total local tax.

Total purchases made by Wharf in 2019 were more than $57 million, with $39,170,540 purchased from non-South Dakota companies; $5,949,919 spent in Rapid City; $10,318,982 in other South Dakota expendi-

The Black Hills Pioneer tures; and $1,578,313 spent in Lawrence County.

Wharf donated more than $150,000 to community groups, schools, and other local charities in 2019.

“This number goes up every year, which is pretty positive,” Zietlow said “Last year we were at $130,000.

The Wharf Fund has continued to be a great thing and we’ve got over $2 million in that.”

The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Board of Minerals and Environment mandated an increase of both Wharf’s reclamation bond and post-closure bond by a combined $31 million to $95 million at the Aug. 20 meeting.

“Earlier this year, we completed a comprehensive review and update of Wharf Resources reclamation surety and post-closure financial assurance, mainly to take a closer look at the water treatment costs. Wharf did some changes to their water treatment process, and we wanted to get that reflected in the bond,” said Eric Holm, natural resources project engineer for the DENR Minerals and Mining Program.

Pioneer file photo

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