Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Wednesday afternoon shortly before 2 o'clock members of the Sioux Falls Police Department, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, and Rural Metro Ambulance responded to the report of an injury accident involving three vehicles at the intersection of 6th St. & Franklin Ave in Sioux Falls.

The investigation revealed that a 1995 Mercury Villager was travelling northbound on Franklin Ave. At the same time a 2006 Lincoln Zephyr was travelling eastbound on 6th St. It was determined that the Mercury Villager failed to stop for the stop sign and a collision with the Lincoln Zephyr occurred in the intersection. The impact of the collision caused the Mercury to careen into an occupied 1999 Ford Windstar sitting along Franklin Ave.

After the vehicles came to rest the driver of the Mercury Villager was reported to have fled the scene on foot in a northerly direction. Police units including K-9 teams searched several surrounding blocks but were not successful in locating the suspect. The suspect was described only as a Native American female wearing dark clothing.

A total of seven people were injured in the accident. Five victims from the Mercury Villager were transported by ambulance to local hospitals with minor to potentially life threatening injuries. The intersection was shut down while investigators worked the scene. The investigation is ongoing. 

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity or location is urged to call Metro Communications at 367-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 367-7007.

Sioux Falls, SD (KWSN/KELO AM) – So far it’s been all local and regional events at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, however that’s about to change this weekend when the SUMMIT League tournament opens on Saturday. In fact, had it not been for a series of high school basketball games last month featuring class AA teams from Rapid City and Sioux Falls, Saturday would have been the very first basketball game at the new venue.

“I think we all were a little bit hesitant to have that happen” said Wes Hall with the Sioux Falls Sports Authority, the group responsible for hosting the tournament. Hall said the High School Showcase served as a dry run for the SUMMIT tourney, and provided valuable information on how basketball would work in the new building.

Most of those adjustments had to do with spectator seating, both behind the baskets and near the court. Hall said some seats were moved to provide better site lines to those paying the big bucks to be near the action.  “When you are dealing with SUMMIT League, you have press row. So we wanted to make sure our courtside seats, those consumers would be able to view the game without any obstructions” said Hall.

Ticket sales for the games have been swift, Hall said portions of the upper level have been opened up for Saturday’s games and more will be opened if they are needed, or if the day’s games will call for additional seating.

SIOUX FALLS (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls Police responded to a disorderly driver call in the area of West 26 Street and South Lake Avenue. 

It was reported that a white male was driving a Chevy Silverado pickup and displayed a handgun. 

The driver was last seen going northbound from West 26 Street onto the University of Sioux Falls campus.  He struck a snowbank in the middle of campus and his vehicle was then disabled. 

The driver exited the vehicle and left the scene northbound. 

Officers have been unable to locate the driver at this time.  If you have any information on the whereabouts of the white male driver please call Sioux Falls Police.

Wanda Blair, Richard Vasgaard, and Norman Geigle were in Washington, D.C. the last week in February for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Advocacy Conference, where they participated in their first sessions of the AFBF Issue Advisory Committees.

Wanda Blair, SDFB Vice President and rancher from Vale, S.D., was selected from a national pool of applicants for the Animal Care Committee. Richard Vasgaard, farmer and SDFB Director from Centerville, was chosen for the Irritation Committee. Norman Geigle, rancher and SDFB Director from Wall, was chosen for the Energy Committee. Each AFBF Issue Advisory Committee is comprised of 12 Farm Bureau members from across the nation who can share expertise in that topic area.

“Farm Bureau is a strong organization because of volunteers like Wanda, Rick, and Norm who take time away from their farm or ranch to participate in these kinds of leadership activities,” commented Wayne Smith, SDFB Executive Director. “No one has more expertise than a farmer or rancher who works with these topics every day in a hands-on setting. We appreciate and applaud these members for their advocacy work on behalf of agriculture.” The SDFB members are shown here with Senator John Thune after their visit with him at his office on the Hill. The group met with the entire South Dakota delegation while they were in D.C. to discuss the EPA "Waters of the U.S." rule, international trade, tax reform, and more. Back row, left to right: Josh Geigle, Senator Thune, Scott VanderWal, and Richard Vasgaard. Front row: Norman Geigle and Wanda Blair.

South Dakota Farm Bureau is the state’s largest agriculture association, representing more than 14,300 farm, ranch, and rural member families across the state.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO AM) -  A man walked into Dakota Bank on East 10^th Street around eleven this morning, displayed a handgun and demanded money.

Officer Sam Clemens says the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Clemens describes the suspect as wearing all black clothes, a black ski mask over his face so authorities aren't sure of his race.  Clemens says the robber was six feet tall, 200 pounds, 30 to 40 years old and spoke with a MIddle Eastern accent.          

Clemens says the suspect fled westbound on 10^th Street in a white Ford Taurus with no license plates      

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  The inspiration for Jolene’s Law Task Force minces no words over yesterday’s vote in Pierre to end the panel’s work on child sexual abuse.

Jolene Loetcher says there was no substantive discussion or questions before the House State Affairs committee dismantled the task force.

Loetcher believes the action sends a message to victims of child sexual abuse, and their families, that the legislators on the committee just don't care.           

Loetcher says the measure unanimously passed the Senate.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) There was an armed bank robbery in Sioux Falls on Thursday, at the Dacotah Bank on East Tenth Street.

Police Spokesman Sam Clemons says a man in a ski mask, armed with a hand gun, demanded cash and fled in a white Ford Taurus with no license plates. There were several employees in the bank at the time but no customers.

The ski mask makes a description of the suspect very sketchy, but employees say he spoke with what they called a Middle Eastern accent. 

SIOUX FALLS (KELO AM) -  The Sioux Falls Police were dispatched to the Holiday Gas Station, 3245 S. Sycamore Avenue, in response to a robbery. 

Two suspects entered the store, one armed with a handgun, and demanded money from the clerk.  The suspects then fled westbound on foot. The suspects are described as two black males, both approximately 6 feet tall, with thin builds.

The investigation is ongoing.  Anyone with information regarding the robbery is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers. 

HURON (KELO AM) - “Spring is an extremely exciting and busy time, but we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of slowing down to consider farm and ranch safety before we get in the field to plant or in the pasture for calving,” said Scott VanderWal, SDFB President and crop and livestock farmer from Volga, S.D. “I’d encourage my fellow farmers and livestock producers to take some time now to go through this Farm and Ranch Safety Checklist. Don’t put it off. A small amount of time spent going through this checklist is an important investment in the safety of you and your family.” 

The checklist includes the following topic areas: machinery, chemicals and hazardous materials, the farm and ranch shop, and the farmstead. The 38 questions in the checklist give you a guide for a point-by-point walkthrough of your farm or ranch that can easily be completed in an afternoon’s time or less. Checklist questions include these, and more:

Are all proper guards and shields in place? Is a working fire extinguisher in place on each piece of equipment? Are all agricultural chemicals kept in original, labeled containers in a securely locked location? Are safety glasses available for use with power tools? Are children’s play areas fenced in and away from traffic, machinery, and livestock?March, which is recognized as Farm & Ranch Safety Month, is a perfect time to complete this checklist.

Farm Bureau also encourages farmers and ranchers to talk to their family members about these safety points. Children and spouses should know where to find keys, shutoffs, fire extinguishers and first-aid supplies in case of emergency.

Download the checklist here: http://www.sdfbf.org/f/81d578dd-3b49-4da3-aa21-9d7775be9faa/sdfb-farm-and-ranch-safety-checklist-2015

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Legislators have mostly been debating policy this session but budget discussions will dominate the final week.

Representative Spencer Hawley of Brookings says the Governor’s Office and the Legislative Research Council will release separate revenue projections.

Hawley says the Appropriation's Committee will appoint a subcommittee and it will take the two projections and arrive at a final draft.  That will determine revenue for fiscal year 2016

Hawley says budget hearings begin Monday.  

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) Governor Dennis Daugaard says revenues are soft and will not reach the levels budgeted for the current fiscal year.

But Daugaard says expenses are also lower that forecast so the state will finish in the black.  The State is in the 7th month of FY 2015.

Still, the Governor says, a softer revenue picture must cause the state to re-evaluate the projection of revenue for fiscal 2016 which begins in July.              

Daugaard anticipates that proposed expenditures he outlined last December will have to be reduced.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - On a seven to six vote, the House State Affairs Committee today sent a bill giving South Dakota towns a penny increase in the sales tax to the 41^st day.

Executive Director of the South Dakota Municipal League Yvonne Taylor said the measure removes a barrier to local development.  Taylor says in the end it's the citizens that pay all the taxes, why can't they choose the one they prefer to pay.

But a spokesman for the State urged the bill’s defeat.  The administrator said that if the bill passed it would be harder for citizens and future policy leaders to make a decision on whether we should or should not increase the sales tax.              

The measure narrowly passed the State Senate.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - For the second time in three months, Sioux Falls police have been called to the Timberland Village apartment complex on East 11^th street, this time for what is being described as a possible standoff.

Streets have been blocked off and a command center has been set up, however no further details are being released at this time.

Back in January police were called to the complex for reports of gunfire in the parking lot of one of the buildings. By the time the officers arrived everyone had scattered, and after conducting a search of the building and lot, no witnesses or suspects were found.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) – One person is in the hospital with possible life threatening injuries after a reported stabbing.

Sioux Falls Police were called to Kings Casino on West 11^th Street about 7:15 Saturday morning.

A 34-year-old male had been involved in an altercation with another male at an apartment on South Prairie Avenue.  The victim suffered a stab wound and left the residence and stopped at Kings Casino, where 911 was called.

The investigation continues.

HURON (KELO AM) - Owen Jones, 77, can clearly remember the day electricity came to his family's Britton farm. "It made a big difference when we went to milk cows because we could turn lights on in the barn and didn't have to worry about tipping over a lantern," says the third-generation farmer, referencing the kerosene lantern which hung on a wire that ran the length of the barn. For light, Jones, his dad and brothers would simply slide the lantern along as they did chores.

Jones was 12-years-old when Lake Regional Electric Cooperative brought electricity to rural Marshall and Day Counties. His dad, Arthur, was among the founding members responsible for the co-op's development. "Dad was a strong cooperative-minded person. Early on, he realized that if he wanted a better lifestyle in the country, he would have to work for it and organize cooperatives."

It's no surprise that Arthur was also actively involved in his local Farmers Union Chapter. Cooperative development was the original mission of Farmers Union when South Dakota farmers and ranchers established the organization in 1914. "Cooperatives are the reason the Farmers Union organization began. Its founders felt they didn't have a real good market for their products, so they decided to collectively market their products together," explains Doug Sombke, S.D. Farmers Union President. "At that time, some received more for their grain than others, so by coming together they had a better chance of higher prices."

This basic concept that uniting farmers could obtain better prices for the products they grew and raised is what drove National Farmers Union founder and its first president, Newt Gresham. According to historian, Lynwood E. Oyos' book The Family Farmers' Advocate, "He (Newt Gresham) constantly reiterated that family farmers needed a voice and an organization to fight for their rights and survival. Farmers, Gresham argued, were continually being exploited by non-farmers."

Gresham and the organizations' 10 founding members established the Farmer's Educational and Cooperative Union of America near Point, Texas, in 1902. According to Oyos' account, by 1914 the message was carried to South Dakota by Nebraskan member J.K. Weinmaster. The first farmer he visited with about Farmers Union was Knute Strand who farmed about 8 miles southwest of Mitchell.

Strand became the first paid-up South Dakota Farmers Union member and loaned his buggy to Weinmaster to spread the message to his neighbors. On Feb. 6, 1914, Strand was among the state's 17 charter members.

The message of "together we can accomplish what we can't alone" resonated with farmers across the state. Soon, what had begun in Davison County spread and within two years, the state boasted the required 5,000 dues paying members to receive a state charter recognized by the national organization.

Less than a decade after receiving their state charter, Farmers Union grain, livestock, insurance, wholesale and retail marketing cooperatives were serving their member/owners in several South Dakota counties. By the 1930s Farmers Union oil, cream buying stations and credit union cooperatives were also established in rural townships and communities across the state.

"Co-ops have played an important role in our state's progress," explains Sombke, a fourth generation Conde farmer. "When companies didn't want to invest in the infrastructure necessary to bring electricity, telephone service, fuel and agriculture inputs to the countryside, our state's farmers and ranchers banded together to form member-owned cooperatives."

"Farmers Union helped people understand that there were things they could do together that they couldn't do by themselves," explains Jones, who has served on several cooperative boards throughout his farming career and currently serves on the American Coalition of Ethanol board.

Healthy Competition:

Along with providing needed services, cooperatives created marketing competition in what was a monopoly run by off-farm interests. According to Oyos' book, by the 1880s South Dakota's grain producers were at the mercy of "an unfair price structure determined by milling magnates and commodity firms in the Twin Cities and Chicago."

This issue extended to livestock producers who faced their own set of corporate competitors explained Jim Woster, a retired stockyards buyer, who today spends his time advocating for many South Dakota agricultural organizations.

"I started working for Farmers Union Livestock the morning after I graduated from South Dakota State University in 1962. In those days, most livestock farmers didn't sell that many cattle. When they did sell, they were not in the position to compete with corporations like Morrell's, so commission firms like Farmers Union Livestock played a valuable role in getting those producers a fair price," Woster said.

The competition cooperatives bring to today's marketplace, whether in purchasing inputs for their owner/members or marketing grain, is important even today, explains Dave Andresen, CEO of Full Circle Ag, a full service agriculture cooperative that serves ag producers in 12 counties in northeast South Dakota and southeast North Dakota.

 "In the last few years we've seen a lot of money come into production agriculture from outside interests - Wall Street, Silicon Valley and international players like China and Japan. If you do business with an international corporation, the profits leave the country," Andresen explains. "Whereas when you do business with your local cooperative, the money stays in the community and profits are returned to the farmer/owners."

Andresen appreciates the role Farmers Union continues to play in supporting cooperatives through youth education and lobbying state and national government. "Only 1.7 percent of the people serving in D.C. have any ties to agriculture, yet they are setting our policy," he says. "If it had not been for Farmers Union and other farm organizations stepping up and lobbying Congress during the recent rail crisis, I don't think we would have seen any resolution."

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - South Dakota had a drier than normal fall and winter didn’t provide a lot of snow so farmers are looking at drier subsoil moisture heading into planting.

SDSU’s Extension Climate Field Specialist Laura Edwards says NOAA has declared an El Nino climate is occurring in the Pacific Ocean.

Edwards says she's not to concerned about climate extremes in the upper midwest right now and not at least in the coming growings season.

She says El Nino will have a bigger impact on the west coast where California is heading into a third year of drought.            

Sioux Falls snowfall this season is just under 32 inches which two inches below normal.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The city, county and state have developed a mass fatality response plan and they’re holding a training exercise this week at the W-H Lyon Fairground.

Minnehaha County Emergency Manager Lynn DeYoung says it will be the plan's first run through.

DeYoung says emergency responders are bringing in new equipment to see how it works, if it works, and then give tours to government officials and at the end of the week break down the set up.               

DeYoung says it took a blue ribbon panel two years to develop the plan.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Appropriations will dominate the final week of the South Dakota legislative session and lawmakers heard about revenue estimates this morning.

Jim Terwilliger with the Bureau of Finance and Management forecasts sale and use tax revenue at almost 870-million dollars.

Terwilliger predicts total general fund revenues at one-point-four billion dollars.

South Dakota set records for net farm income in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Terwilliger told legislators today that was a big benefit during the recession.

He says softness in the state’s sales tax will come from the farm sector next fiscal year.

Sioux Falls, (KELO-AM): The Neighborhood Project Grant Program is a Community Development initiative that started in 2013 and is designed to encourage neighborhood involvement. Organized neighborhood associations are eligible to apply for up to $2,000 for projects that enhance a neighborhood’s livability, benefit the entire neighborhood as a whole, and foster a strong sense of community. The application deadline is May 1, 2015, and award recipients will be announced on May 8, 2015.

“The Neighborhood Project Grant Program has been a tremendous success over the past two years, and we look forward to seeing what creative projects neighborhoods are interested in tackling in 2015,” says Adam Roach, Neighborhood Development Coordinator. “This opportunity has provided a platform for neighbors to become more engaged with one another, has encouraged projects that have a lasting visual impact on their respective neighborhoods, and has really sparked neighborhood association interest from all corners of Sioux Falls.”

Past Neighborhood Project Grant Program awards have supported the following projects:

• ·         Whittier neighbors designed neighborhood identification signage and spearheaded an alley lighting project.
• ·         Cathedral Historic District incorporated sidewalk poetry and restored their historic pillars.
• ·         All Saints neighborhood conducted an outreach campaign and an alley lighting project.
• ·         Pettigrew Heights made green space enhancements at West 12th Street and South Grange Avenue.
• ·         Terrace Park neighbors designed neighborhood identification signage and enhanced flower gardens in Terrace Park.
• ·         Garfield neighborhood conducted a community outreach campaign.
• ·         Downtown Sioux Falls installed pet waste stations throughout the central business district.
• ·         Tenth and Western neighborhood restored numerous boulevard trees.

For more information on how neighborhoods can participate in this year’s Neighborhood Project Grant Program or how to become a recognized neighborhood association, please contact Adam Roach at 367-8179 or aroach@siouxfalls.org. Grant applications can be found at www.siouxfalls.org/community-development.

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Sioux Falls, (KELO-AM): Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation is excited to announce the schedule for buying your season swim passes for the 2015 swim season.

The cost for a season swim pass is $70 for a family, $45 for an adult (ages 16 to 54), $30 for a senior (ages 55 and older), and $15 for a child (ages 2 to 15). A transferable punch pass worth $36 for only $30 is also available.

Season swim passes will no longer be sold at the Park Office. Passes will be available as scheduled: 

• ·         March 9 through May 22: Monday through Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m., and Friday, 2 to 6 p.m.
• ·         March 26 through July 31: Monday through Friday, 12 noon to 6 p.m.
• ·         Beginning May 22: 1 to 9 p.m.
• ·         Weekend Hours Available on May 23, 24, 30, 31, and June 6 and 7: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Kenny Anderson Community Center—3701 East Third Street
• Kuehn Community Center—2801 South Valley View Road
• MariCar Community Center—400 North Valley View Road
• Morningside Community Center—2400 South Bahnson Avenue
• Oyate Community Center—2421 West 15th Street

• Kenny Anderson Community Center—3701 East Third Street
• Kuehn Community Center—2801 South Valley View Road
• Morningside Community Center—2400 South Bahnson Avenue

• Drake Springs Family Aquatic Center—301 South Fairfax Avenue
• Frank Olson Pool—4101 East 16th Street
• Kuehn Park Pool—2309 Kuehn Park Road
• Laurel Oak Family Aquatic Center—3401 East 49th Street
• Terrace Park Family Aquatic Center—101 West Madison Street

• Kuehn Community Center—2801 South Valley View Road
• Morningside Community Center—2400 South Bahnson Avenue

To purchase a new season swim pass, all family members on the pass must have their photos taken at a community center or at the pool when they open. Key fobs will be issued upon registration, but photos must be taken before the fob is activated and admission into the pools is allowed. Save your key fobs each year as renewals will automatically reactivate them. Key fob replacements will be $3 each.

Free and reduced-income passes are available for qualified families. For qualifications and requirements, check out our website at www.siouxfalls.org/parks/aquatics/season-swim-passes or call605-367-8222.

For more information, visit www.siouxfalls.org/parks/aquatics or call 605-367-8222.

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