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Murdo E-edition.pdf - Pioneer Review

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<strong>Murdo</strong> Coyote<br />

<strong>Murdo</strong> Coyote • December 6, 2012 • Page 6<br />

Noem Sends Christmas greetings to troops,<br />

encourages South Dakotans to participate<br />

Rep. Kristi Noem participated<br />

in an American Red Cross letterwriting<br />

campaign to our men and<br />

women overseas this holiday season<br />

and encouraged South<br />

Dakotans to participate.<br />

“Our men and women serving<br />

abroad are spending this holiday<br />

season away from their families<br />

and loved ones, and showing our<br />

gratitude for their sacrifice is especially<br />

important,” said Rep. Noem.<br />

“I know South Dakotans deeply<br />

appreciate the sacrifices the members<br />

of our military make for our<br />

freedom, and I encourage anyone<br />

wanting to say ‘thank you’ to send<br />

a letter saying so.”<br />

Anyone wishing to send a letter<br />

to our troops abroad need only to<br />

send their letter or letters to the<br />

following address before December<br />

7, 2012: Holiday Mail for Heroes,<br />

P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights,<br />

MD 20791-5456.<br />

Davis-Bahcall scholarship offers<br />

opportunities to young scientists<br />

South Dakota high school seniors<br />

and college freshmen can now<br />

apply for Davis-Bahcall Scholarships<br />

and the chance to study next<br />

summer at the Sanford Underground<br />

Science and Engineering<br />

Laboratory in Lead with worldrenowned<br />

researchers from universities<br />

across the United States<br />

and overseas, if funding allows.<br />

Applications are available on<br />

the South Dakota Department of<br />

Education’s website. Up to 12<br />

South Dakota students will<br />

receive scholarships. The deadline<br />

to apply is January 20, 2013.<br />

Select students will be invited<br />

to interview at various locations in<br />

the state for the program; scholarship<br />

winners will be announced by<br />

early March.<br />

Davis-Bahcall Scholarship<br />

recipients spend one month during<br />

the summer studying such things<br />

as physics, engineering and geology,<br />

and learning from distinguished<br />

professors from around<br />

the world.<br />

In addition to the one-month<br />

summer study, those receiving<br />

scholarships may have the opportunity<br />

to apply for pre-selected<br />

summer internships.<br />

To be eligible for the scholarships,<br />

high school seniors and college<br />

freshmen must attend public<br />

or private high schools or postsecondary<br />

institutions in South Dakota.<br />

Home-school students also are<br />

eligible. Students must have a<br />

demonstrated interest in science<br />

and intend to pursue advanced<br />

degrees in math, science, engineering<br />

or technology.<br />

The scholarships, which are<br />

funded by the 3M Company and<br />

the South Dakota Space Grant<br />

Consortium, are named for<br />

renowned physicists Dr. Ray Davis<br />

and Dr. John Bahcall.<br />

For more information, including<br />

details about the application procedure,<br />

visit the South Dakota<br />

Department of Education’s website<br />

at doe.sd.gov. Look for the<br />

“Scholarships” link in the A-Z<br />

Index.<br />

Preparing for winter<br />

by Rep. Kristi Noem<br />

As South Dakotans, we know all<br />

too well just how cold it can get<br />

here in the Great Plains during<br />

the winter months. Before the first<br />

major snowfall of the year, it’s<br />

important to take the time to<br />

make sure our families, homes and<br />

vehicles are prepared for the winter<br />

season.<br />

Organizations like the American<br />

Red Cross and the National<br />

Weather Service encourage South<br />

Dakotans to have winter weather<br />

supply kits in vehicles, as well as<br />

the home. This kit should include<br />

water, non-perishable food, a shovel,<br />

battery-powered radio, a flashlight,<br />

warm clothing and blankets,<br />

medication and emergency contact<br />

information, among other items.<br />

The South Dakota Office of Emergency<br />

Management has published<br />

a 2012 Winter Weather Preparedness<br />

Guide, to read it, visit<br />

www.oem.sd.gov.<br />

Our family has a NOAA Weather<br />

Radio, which alerts us of any<br />

potential weather threats. The<br />

weather radio warns of approaching<br />

strong winds, severe wind<br />

chills and blizzards. I would<br />

encourage people to take action to<br />

ensure they’re aware of potential<br />

weather threats, whether through<br />

the use of a radio like the one our<br />

family uses or through other<br />

means.<br />

In addition to compiling a winter<br />

weather supply kit, South<br />

Dakotans should ensure that all<br />

vehicles are winterized and that<br />

the gas tank is full to prevent the<br />

fuel line from freezing. The Red<br />

Cross also encourages homeowners<br />

to maintain heating equipment<br />

on an annual basis. So before<br />

Santa makes his way down the<br />

chimney, make sure to have the<br />

fireplace and furnace cleaned and<br />

inspected by a professional.<br />

Many communities across<br />

South Dakota are sponsoring coat<br />

drives, where individuals can<br />

donate old or extra winter coats for<br />

those who are in need. For example,<br />

Kidz-n-Coats is a program<br />

that donates winter coats to children<br />

in the Sioux Falls area. I<br />

encourage South Dakotans across<br />

the state to reach out to area<br />

organizations to see what opportunities<br />

are available in each community.<br />

Although some may grumble<br />

about snow or the falling temperatures,<br />

there are also many who<br />

enjoy snow – like my son, Booker.<br />

Not only will we make sure we<br />

have our snow shovels ready, the<br />

Noem household will also be<br />

pulling snow sleds out of storage.<br />

The winter months provide unique<br />

opportunities for families to spend<br />

time together building snowmen<br />

or ice skating, but we shouldn’t<br />

forget that cold temperatures and<br />

icy conditions should be taken<br />

seriously.<br />

Request for additional Missouri<br />

River releases threatens interests<br />

by Senator John Thune<br />

It has been a hot, dry year in<br />

South Dakota. The drought-stricken<br />

landscape and the loss of crops,<br />

hay, and pastures have made this<br />

a challenging year for farmers,<br />

ranchers, and communities across<br />

South Dakota. Even certain areas<br />

of the state that experienced<br />

excess rainfall in 2011 suffered<br />

from lower than normal rainfall<br />

this year.<br />

The drought-induced low water<br />

levels of the Missouri mean that<br />

less water is available to be<br />

released from the Missouri River,<br />

which eventually flows into the<br />

Mississippi River in St. Louis. The<br />

trickle-down effect of diminished<br />

water flows has caused economic<br />

losses for businesses along the<br />

Mississippi due to reduced barge<br />

traffic. I understand and appreciate<br />

the economic challenges faced<br />

by the businesses along the Mississippi<br />

River; however, some lawmakers<br />

and groups have recently<br />

issued requests for the president<br />

to make an emergency declaration<br />

that would allow the Corps to deviate<br />

from the Missouri River Master<br />

Manuel. The Corps’ Master<br />

Control Manual governs the<br />

Corps’ management of the Missouri<br />

River and doesn’t take into<br />

consideration the impacts of barge<br />

traffic on the Mississippi River. If<br />

the president complies with this<br />

unprecedented request, precious<br />

water would be released from the<br />

Missouri River reservoirs to aid<br />

navigation on the Mississippi<br />

River. Under existing law, such<br />

actions are not permitted by the<br />

president or the Corps of Engineers.<br />

Even more troubling is the real<br />

concern about how the release of<br />

water from the Missouri River<br />

would impact communities in our<br />

region that are dependent on this<br />

critical water source. Due to harsh<br />

drought conditions experienced<br />

along the Missouri River, a declaration<br />

from the president would<br />

have a significant negative impact<br />

on the people and businesses that<br />

depend on Missouri River water.<br />

According to the Corps of Engineers,<br />

the water levels on the Missouri<br />

are already 20 percent below<br />

the normal levels due to this year’s<br />

drought. The release of additional<br />

water from Missouri River reservoirs<br />

would only exacerbate the<br />

drought-related conditions experienced<br />

by the communities, tribes,<br />

and industries that rely on water<br />

from the Missouri River.<br />

That’s why I have spearheaded<br />

an effort joined by members of the<br />

South Dakota, North Dakota,<br />

Kansas, and Montana delegations<br />

to urge the president, the Federal<br />

Emergency Management Agency<br />

(FEMA), and the Corps of Engineers<br />

to deny any requests for<br />

water releases. Denying the<br />

requests for an emergency declaration<br />

will prevent both short and<br />

long-term consequences such<br />

actions would have on Missouri<br />

River states. I will continue to<br />

work with my colleagues in the<br />

Senate to ensure the president,<br />

FEMA, and the Corps balance<br />

their efforts to address this situation<br />

on the Mississippi River while<br />

ensuring they understand the negative<br />

impact such efforts could<br />

have on Missouri River communities.<br />

Sylvatic plague confirmed on<br />

Ft. Pierre National Grassland<br />

Tests have confirmed that<br />

Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that<br />

causes sylvatic plague, was found<br />

in fleas collected from prairie dog<br />

colonies on the Fort Pierre National<br />

Grassland. According to Ruben<br />

Leal, Fort Pierre District Ranger,<br />

testing was done at the University<br />

of South Dakota in Vermillion, by<br />

Hugh Britten, Ph.D.<br />

Plague was first detected in<br />

South Dakota in 2004 and has<br />

been migrating north and west.<br />

Since then, Y. pestis was detected<br />

on the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands,<br />

Badlands National Park in<br />

2008 and on the Lower Brule Indian<br />

Reservation in 2009. To date,<br />

there have not been any confirmed<br />

cases of plague in humans in South<br />

Dakota. The Fort Pierre Ranger<br />

District personnel will continue to<br />

monitor for plague in prairie dog<br />

colonies and coordinate efforts<br />

with cooperating partners.<br />

While rare with less than 10-20<br />

infections each year in the United<br />

States, humans can contract<br />

plague from prairie dogs or other<br />

rodents. The disease is transmitted<br />

by infected fleas and is easily<br />

treatable with antibiotics when<br />

caught early.<br />

According to the Center for Disease<br />

Control (CDC) plague usually<br />

occurs in warmer seasons, but can<br />

be acquired anytime during the<br />

year. Warmer, shorter winters<br />

may also contribute as it prevents<br />

nature’s ability to decrease flea<br />

populations.<br />

Prevention is the best remedy<br />

and easy with general safety measures.<br />

First, avoid contact with wild<br />

rodents, such as prairie dogs, as<br />

they may have infected fleas. Do<br />

not handle dead rodents and never<br />

feed wildlife. It is especially<br />

important to keep pet dogs and<br />

cats away from prairie dog towns<br />

and dead rodents because they<br />

could pick up an infected flea and<br />

transmit to humans. Use flea collars<br />

on outdoor pets that may be<br />

near possibly infected areas<br />

Typical symptoms of plague<br />

resemble the flu with sudden onset<br />

of fever and chills, headache, muscle<br />

ache, nausea and vomiting,<br />

swollen lymph nodes and generally<br />

“feeling sick.” It is very important<br />

to seek medical attention<br />

early and inform the physician if<br />

you have been in a known plague<br />

area or had potential exposure to<br />

infected animals within the previous<br />

two - six days.<br />

For more information contact<br />

the Center of Disease Control,<br />

www.cdc.gov.<br />

Daugaard encourages more<br />

taxpayers, NOT more taxes<br />

The days following Thanksgiving<br />

are widely known for launching<br />

the Christmas shopping season,<br />

as retailer specials draw<br />

crowds of shoppers. The shopping<br />

days have become so ingrained in<br />

our American culture they have<br />

earned their own nicknames:<br />

‘Black Friday,’ ‘Small Business<br />

Saturday,’ and ‘Cyber Monday.’<br />

Cyber Monday (November 26)<br />

was the date on which online<br />

retailers offered large discounts<br />

and dramatically boosted their<br />

sales. Each year, Cyber Monday<br />

sets a new record for money spent<br />

online in a single day. This year<br />

was no different, with some analysts<br />

estimating more than $1.5<br />

billion dollars spent during the 24-<br />

hour period. I expect the trend<br />

held true in South Dakota as well.<br />

The 2012 Cyber Monday giftbuying<br />

binge also likely broke<br />

another record: most purchases<br />

made in South Dakota without<br />

paying sales tax.<br />

Currently, only businesses with<br />

a ‘substantial nexus’ or physical<br />

presence in South Dakota must<br />

collect sales tax on goods purchased<br />

online. Out-of-state retailers,<br />

who are not physically located<br />

in South Dakota, have no such<br />

obligation. The current system<br />

doesn’t make sense, and it even<br />

discriminates among online purchases.<br />

If you buy a new iPod at<br />

your local retailer, you pay the<br />

sales tax. If you buy it online at<br />

BestBuy.com or WalMart.com, you<br />

pay the sales tax, because those<br />

businesses have retail operations<br />

in South Dakota. But if you buy<br />

your iPod from Amazon.com, you<br />

don’t pay sales tax – simply<br />

because Amazon has no warehouse<br />

or other physical location in South<br />

Dakota.<br />

Here’s an even worse example:<br />

A customer can walk into a South<br />

Dakota business, browse the merchandise,<br />

talk to the salesman,<br />

then pull out his smartphone, scan<br />

the barcode, and order the product<br />

from an online retailer – while<br />

standing in the store!<br />

Like most South Dakotans, I do<br />

not support raising tax rates.<br />

However, I do support equity and<br />

uniformity among those who make<br />

sales to South Dakotans. If South<br />

Dakota retailers have to pay sales<br />

taxes, their competitors online<br />

should as well. This is not a new<br />

tax – it is asking online retailers to<br />

pay the tax that is already legally<br />

due on these sales.<br />

We should be constantly striving<br />

to add more taxpayers, not<br />

adding more taxes or increasing<br />

tax rates. Whether by adding<br />

online retailers to the tax rolls,<br />

encouraging business growth or<br />

getting unemployed folks back to<br />

work, we should strive to achieve a<br />

broad, stable tax base.<br />

Online shopping has given<br />

every South Dakotan access to<br />

more goods and services than ever<br />

before, if they are willing to pay for<br />

shipping. There is nothing wrong<br />

with this. We should not, however,<br />

disadvantage our local retailers or<br />

our state budget by allowing outof-state<br />

online businesses to avoid<br />

paying sales tax.<br />

We need Congress to act, and I<br />

support Congressional efforts to<br />

simplify and standardize remittance<br />

of sales taxes collected from<br />

online purchases. It creates an<br />

even playing field for our local<br />

businesses and increases tax revenues<br />

the right way- by adding<br />

more taxpayers, not more taxes or<br />

higher rates.<br />

Pictures continued from page 1<br />

Rock, Paper, Scissors!… After a quick mutual understanding<br />

on how the game was played, Bev Ball and Stacey Booth<br />

faced off in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine the<br />

winners of the group contest.<br />

Photos by Karlee Barnes<br />

Call us for<br />

all of your<br />

advertising<br />

needs<br />

Washing machine…Mrs. Ball selected a group of students from the crowd to help her with an<br />

ice breaker game that required the students to act out a common appliance or machine. The crowd<br />

then had to guess what they were acting out, and vote on the winner.<br />

Photos by Karlee Barnes<br />

<strong>Murdo</strong> Coyote<br />

PO Box 465 • <strong>Murdo</strong> SD<br />

57559<br />

605-669-2271<br />

coyoteads@gwtc.net<br />

Microwave…Stacey Booth’s group acted out a microwave, but they ended up losing in a tie<br />

breaker rock, paper, scissors game.<br />

Photos by Karlee Barnes

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