Huron, SD (KELO AM) - Four women have been honored by the South Dakota Farm Bureau with the “Anne Hunter Volunteer Award” for their years of leadership in the Farm Bureau organization and in their communities. Diane Geigle of Wall, Joyce Haak of Winfred, Patty Kjerstad of Wall, and Deanna Leikvold of Beresford were recognized during the SDFB 97th Annual Meeting, held Nov. 21-22 in Sioux Falls.

“From our Women’s Leadership Team to Ag in the Classroom to mentoring young farmers and ranchers, these outstanding women have always said ‘yes’ when something can be done to better Farm Bureau and agriculture,” said Scott VanderWal, President of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. “On behalf of our entire Farm Bureau family, we offer our sincere thanks to Diane Geigle, Joyce Haak, Patty Kjerstad, and Deanna Leikvold, the 2014 winners of the Anne Hunter Volunteer Award.” Diane Geigle of Wall has been actively involved in the Pennington/Jackson County Farm Bureau and the SDFB Women’s Leadership Team for many years. She was worked to bring agriculture information into local schools through Ag in the Classroom and as a volunteer using Farm Bureau’s “accurate ag books.” Diane has dedicated many hours to Farm Bureau Camp, helping recruit campers, serving as a counselor, and much more. She is especially supportive of young ranchers and families who want to become involved in Farm Bureau and leadership activities.

Joyce Haak of Winfred has been a leader in the Miner County Farm Bureau for many years, serving as Women’s Committee Chair of her County, and also representing District 2 on the SDFB Women’s Leadership Team. In 1994 she was elected Chair of the SDFB Women’s Leadership Team, a position she held until 2005. She also served as the Midwest Region Women’s Committee Representative for the American Farm Bureau Federation for 8 years. Joyce always puts 110 percent effort in to whatever she does, and does so with a smile.Patty Kjerstad of Wall became involved in Farm Bureau when she and her husband, Dick, joined in 1972. She has served as Treasurer of the Pennington/Jackson County Farm Bureau for the past 24 years, maintaining all membership and financial records during this time. She was SDFB’s very gracious “First Lady” when her husband, Dick, served as the organization’s President from 1994 to 2005. Patty continues to be actively involved, rarely missing a state or national convention and continuing to mentor young farmers and ranchers who are interested in getting involved. 

Deanna Leikvold of Beresford has been actively involved in the Clay/Union County Farm Bureau, representing her area on the SDFB Women’s Leadership Team 1988-93 and serving as Vice Chair from 1994-96. She worked on the SDFB Camp Committee 1989-94 and served as Camp Committee Chair in 1993 and 1994. Starting in 1988, she volunteered many hours with Ag in the Classroom, visiting 12 to 16 schools each year delivering Little Red Barns and other ag materials to classrooms. Deanna is known for putting her whole heart into every project and presentation.

Taken together, the efforts of these four ladies represent more than 125 years of volunteerism for Farm Bureau. 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM0 - Sioux Falls police say the man who was shot and robbed while trying to buy marijuana last Saturday is not telling detectives much.

Officer Sam Clemens says the victim isn't saying if he knows the suspect and describes him only as a black male.  Clemens says without any witnesses it will be difficult, if not impossible, to move the case ahead. 

Clemens says the victim was shot once in each leg, probably with a small caliber handgun.  The shooting happened in the east side of town and the victim managed to drive himself to his apartment on South Louise.  His girlfriend called 9-1-1 and paramedics where treating the victim when police arrived.    

The victim was treated and released.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Tuesday, December 2, is a national day of giving to charities, a day of giving back, called “Giving Tuesday.”

But Jessie Schmidt with the Better Business Bureau warns that before donating, go to give-dot-org and make sure the organization is legitimate.Schmidt says "Giving Tuesday" is dedicated to giving back.  Mailboxes are stuffed with charitable solicitations and you must make sure the charities you want to give to are spending money wisely and on programs that they promote.

Schmidt says don't bow to pressure to give money on the spot and if you are making donations online determine whether the charity's website is secure.             

Schmidt says that giving before January 1^st means your gifts will be deductible on this year’s tax return.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - December is 4-D month highlighting the dangers of drunk, drugged and distracted driving.

Darcy Jensen with Prairie View Prevention Services says middle and high school student leaders will tomorrow plan strategies to take back to their schools.

Jensen says those student will take back ideas, strategies and programs to spread the message to the rest of the student bodies about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving.  She says over 150 kids will gather at Our Savior's Lutheran Church for the "4-D Kickoff

Since 2006, 66 teens have died in alcohol related crashes.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Xcel Customers in Sioux Falls will notice an 8% increase in their bills beginning next year, which according to the company will amount to about $8.50 for the typical family. Xcel will be implementing the rate on a temporary basis, as the company waits the SD PUC’s ruling on their application for a permanent increase that was submitted back in June.  Should t PUC determine that Xcel can raise their rates by less than 8%, customers would receive a check for the difference plus interest.

Jim Wilcox is the Sioux Falls regional manager for Xcel, and he says the increase will be used to help fund upgrades at two nuclear power plants that supply much of the energy Sioux Falls uses. Additionally, the company is working to upgrade transmission lines and build a new substation at the site of the old stockyards. “Those are 3 major capital investments, and just sort of by coincidence all occurring at this time. And we are asking for permission to put the cost of those projects into rates” said Wilcox. 

Sioux Falls, S.D. (KELO AM) - The City of Sioux Falls is celebrating the State of South Dakota’s 125th anniversary by burying a time capsule at Falls Park. The time capsule will be buried near the Visitor Information Centertomorrow, Today, at 2 p.m. during a brief ceremony. The public and media are invited to attend.

Sioux Falls residents and businesses were encouraged to consider submitting one or more items to be placed in the time capsule, and the time capsule is now full of items representing this time in Sioux Falls’ history. (See the attached pages for the full inventory of items included.)

“It was fun to see the items residents and businesses submitted to signify their families, organizations, and our great city and state,” says Heather Hitterdal, Communications Specialist for the City of Sioux Falls. “When future Sioux Falls residents open this time capsule 50 years from now, they will understand all of us a little bit better.”

A committee of eight community representatives evaluated all submitted items for inclusion. Only a couple items were not able to be included, mainly due to their historical references rather than depicting the current time.

The marker on the time capsule is inscribed:

Time Capsule Celebrating 

South Dakota’s 125th Anniversary 

To Be Opened November 2064 

Placed by the City of Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Larceny is a crime of opportunity and holiday shopping brings a bevy of opportunity.

Sioux Falls Police Captain Greg Vandekamp advises shoppers to not leave items on the seats of vehicles.

Vandekamp says thieves can see the items you bought in your car and are willing to break-in and get them.  He says the best place for shopping items is in the trunk or behind the back seat of your vehicle. Keep them out of the bady guy's sight.               

Vandekamp says don’t leave your running vehicle unlocked with keys in the ignition even for a quick stop in a store.  He advises against letting your vehicle warmup while it's unattended in any situation.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Jolene’s Law Task Force will propose legislation focusing on the first person to hear a child’s report of sexual assault.

State Senator Deb Soholt says the goal is to enhance existing mandatory reporting laws.  Sohilt says often the initial reporter goes to their supervisor who passes the information up the chain.  She says the initial reporter is sometimes left out of the process and forgotten.

Soholt says proposed legislation would tighten the loophole so the first responder is definately brought into the mix.  Making sure that the first contact with the victim is recorded. 

Soholt says if the Legislature approves continuing the Task Force next year it will add a state’s attorney to the panel.

The Task Force will present it's entire report to the Legislature in the first week of the session.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  The Minnehaha County Commission today appointed a blue ribbon panel to review troubles plaguing the November election.

Auditor Bob Litz and Commissioner Dick Kelly felt the committee would better work closed sessions.

The Election Review Committee meetings will be open with work expected to take at least three month.

The panel includes:  Sue Roust, Lori Hogstad, Debra Ellefson, Joel Ehrens, Bruce Danielson, Julie Pearson and Kea Loren

Brookings, SD (KELO AM) - South Dakota State University students returned from Thanksgiving break with Christmas on their minds, and the Main Street of the University Student Union is evidence of that.Students representing 41 organizations spent part of their afternoon Dec. 1 putting tinsels and lights on 6-foot Frasier firs as part of the annual tree-decorating contest sponsored by the University Student Union. The trees are up through Dec. 15 with the winners to be announced Dec.12.

Anyone who visits the Union is free to cast a ballot at the Information Exchange desk on the west end of Main Street. 

Voters can write down their choices in four different categories: "Making Spirits Bright," Santa's Nice List," "Yellow and Blue" and "Best Showcase of an Organization or Department," according to Courtney Donnelli, Information Exchange student manager. Winners will receive gift certificates to local businesses.However, in talking with several students Dec. 1, they were less concerned with winning than marketing to their classmates.Nate Walstrom is president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, which became an officially recognized student organization in September.

They entered the contest to gain exposure for the group."We've done some community service projects with chemistry presentations at the Children's Museum. If we had more members, we could do more projects," said Walstrom, a senior from Rapid City. The group used traditional decorations. Next year it hopes to decorate beakers and test tubes to hang on the tree.Jenna Croymans, secretary of the Panhellic Council, coordinated the Greek Life decorating effort, which was done to "get Greek Life out there on campus and show some Christmas spirit." 

The tree will have a decoration or symbol from each of the four sororities and eight fraternities on campus using the theme "No matter the letter, we're all Greek together," Croymans, an Aberdeen sophomore, said.Sisters Marisa and Ashleigh Hare of Flandreau decorated the American Indian Science and Engineering Society tree. The president of the group, which was just formed last year, suggested that the society enter the contest and Marisa Hare volunteered to bring decorations from home.Older sister Ashleigh, a sophomore, said they customized the tree with flags from Native American tribes.

Sioux Falls, SD (KWSN)- The Sioux Falls Storm, in conjunction with Arby’s Restaurants of SiouxFalls, is excited to announce the rivalry with the Sioux City Bandits will continue at the new Denny Sanford PREMIER Center on Sunday,February 15th at 2:05pm. 

This pre-season game, which will serve as a fundraiser for the Feeding South Dakota’s Sioux Falls BackPack Program, also takes on historical meaning for the Storm, as they make their first-ever game appearance at a new location.Throughout the Storm’s history, they have played the Sioux City Bandits more than any other franchise.  When these two teams were both members of the Indoor Football League, their rivalry resulted in some of the greatest games in IFL history. 

In 2010, the Bandits joined the CPIFL, which ended the annual meetings of the I-29 rivals.  Both teams were able to fight their way into Championship games last season with Storm resulting in a win over the Nebraska Danger and the Sioux City Bandits falling to the Wichita Wild.  The Storm and the Bandits are both entering their 16th year of Indoor Football."We are excited for the opportunity to host Sioux City in a pre-season game,” stated Storm owner Todd Tryon.  “It is a great way to open the doors to the new PREMIER Center.  Two championship caliber teams with a combined history of 30+ years in the indoor game is unprecedented. The proceeds are going to a great cause and we are looking forward to helping Arby's in raising money for the Sioux Falls BackPack Program.”Along with our official Game Sponsor, Arby’s, we will be offering a special coupon to receive discounted tickets with a portion of every ticket sold being donated to the BackPack Program.  More info coming soon.

Courtesy: Sioux Falls Storm

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Even in winter McCrory Gardens on the SDSU Campus in Brooking is one the most beautiful locations in eastern South Dakota.

Cindy Peterson with McCrory says Saturday’s Music and Mistletoe fundraiser helps the Gardens offer children’s and adult education programs.  She says the labor and supply costs can be very high considering the breadth and scope of the Gardens.           

Peterson says Santa works the room with mistletoe.  She says local band Plum Crazy will play oldies, blue grass, contemporary and traditional Christmas music.

Tickets are $25 a person and $40 a pair.  Call (605) 688-6707 for tickets.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls Police turned the tables on a scammer claiming to be a utility disconnect service for customers behind in payments.

Captain Greg Vandekamp returned the call left on a potential victim’s voice mail and was told to pay his bill with MoneyPak, giving code numbers over the phone.

Vandekamp says he came up with every excuse he could think of to explain to the scammers why he couldn't pay his ficticious bill.  He said for every excuse he made the more aggresive they became finally hanging up after realizing they were being played.             

Vandekamp says utilities don’t request payments with MoneyPak orders.  He says since the calls orginate out-of-country they are impossible to locate.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Senator John Thune says bipartisan congressional leadership last week supported a plan to make recently expired tax breaks permanent.

Thune says President Obama issued a veto threat during negotiations effectively scuttling the effort.

Thune says South Dakota and American taxpayers deserve a reliable tax break that they can count on to make sound financial decisions.              

Thune says once Republicans take control of the Senate he’s going to make tax reform a reality.

PIERRE, S.D. (KEKO AM) – The state Department of Human Services (DHS) has established a program offering post-secondary education to young adults with disabilities in South Dakota.

DHS issued a request for proposals from institutions with the ability to implement a three-year pilot program at a college, university or technical institute that would grant access to a menu of courses and provide work opportunities. Augustana College was awarded the contract.

“Our vision is to increase the participation of young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in post-secondary educational experiences, thereby improving employment outcomes,” DHS Secretary Gloria Pearson said. “We will conduct research, collect data and evaluate outcomes as part of the pilot program, with the hope of creating something both successful and sustainable.”

Augustana College will implement a program called Augie Access for South Dakota residents 18 to 24 years old who have a diagnosis of an intellectual or developmental disability and who have completed a vocational interest assessment. Students would need to have a primary goal of employment as well as the ability to fund the education. The program will allow up to five new students annually, each required to be active participants in planning their educational and employment goals.

“Augie Access is an extremely well-planned program and will be an excellent opportunity for young people with disabilities to transition from high school to post-secondary education,” said Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Director Dan Lusk. “We look forward to implementing this new program and increasing personal outcomes and employment opportunities for students with disabilities.

The post-secondary education pilot program is a collaborative effort among several South Dakota agencies and initiatives, including DDD, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Labor and Regulation, Disability Employment Initiative and Department of Education.

VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO AM) -- The University of South Dakota announced today that Lena Tran of Sioux Falls, S.D., a senior Communication Studies major, is a recipient of a $3,000 Gilman Scholarship sponsored by the Department of State and the Institute of International Education for the Spring 2015 term.

Each term, the Gilman scholarship review committee, which is comprised of distinguished panelists from higher learning institutions across the U.S., selects qualified students who are seeking to enrich their academic experience through the pursuit of academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad.

The Gilman Scholarship is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. USD students who receive these awards will become ambassadors abroad and are committed to sharing their experience and serving as ambassadors for the Gilman program upon return to their home university.

Tran selected the USD direct program in Pau, France and says, “my continued education in France will help me better understand culture, language and history. I will be able to gain a better understanding of people, not only in America, but also from all over the world.”

Tran’s post graduate aspirations are to pursue a field that inspires youth and to work for a non-profit organization.

“We would like to congratulate Lena on her achievement. Our office is committed to promoting the University’s strategic plan which includes increasing the number of graduates with global experiences,” stated Sarah Wittmuss, Director Center for Academic & Global Engagement. “We recognize the importance this plays as part of the liberal arts mission at USD and this award is an excellent extension of the university’s goal to graduate students who are globally aware.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO AM) - Game, Fish and Parks official Emmett Keyser says it’s been awhile since he’s seen the high number of quality, East River buck deer harvested this season.

Keyser adds that the biggest deer are usually taken after opening weekend.  He says it's not unusual to see the larger bucks harvested in the second or third weekends.

He says it's tougher now to hunt the trophy deer because the rut has past and deer tend to be more nocturnal this time of year.  That means hunters will have to work a little harder to get the deer ou of their cozy cover.            

The East River deer season closes on Sunday

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Southeast Technical Institute will graduate over 200 students Friday, December 5, and, given past reviews, 97 percent of them will have a job in the next six months.

School President Jeff Holcomb says the graduates represent 35 of over 50 available degrees.

Holcomb says Southeast is a two-year technical college that graduates students with Associate in Applied Science diplomas.  He says graduates are career-ready, able to immediately to move into a job.

Holcomb says many students at Southeast are over the age of 25 and that age group continues growing.  He says many students are returning to school to find a particular carreer or training.

Southeast Tech graduation is Friday at 5 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The female victim had a no contact order against 52-year-old Jimmy Nichols but he drug her into his pickup and took her to his apartment on North Covell Avenue

Officer Sam Clemens says Nichols then took the 29-year-old woman to his appointment at Avera Hospital.  Clemens says when Nichols left the victim alone she told the receptionist that she was in trouble and asked her to call police.

When police arrived Nichols had fled the building but was arrested a short time later on the Avera campus.  The woman was unharmed.           

Clemens says Nichols was charged with second degree kidnapping.  Clemens says Nichols and the victim were at one time boyfriend-girlfriend.  The victim was walking near 5th and Prairie when Nichols allegedly snatched her.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls police just wanted to know if the Watertown man was okay when he threatened them with a knife inside Ruby Tuesday on South Shirley Avenue.

Officer Sam Clemens says 38-year-old Francis Keith Jackson Junior pulled out a folding knife with a ten inch blade.  Jackson slammed the knife onto a table and police pulled the table away.  He then threatened to harm police with a bomb.  

Clemens says when Jackson tried retrieving his knife officers pepper sprayed him and got him handcuffed.  

The entire incident happened in the Ruby Tuesday restaurant during the noon hour on Wednesday.  

Clemens says Jackson is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, obstructing and false impersonation.  Watertown authorities asked Sioux Falls police to check on Jackson’s wellbeing.