Sheriff's Department Keeps Community Safe
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Bart Pfankuch The South Dakota News Watch Editor’s note: This article SINGLE COPY was produced through a part- nership between South Dako- $1.25 ta News Watch and the Solu- tax included tions Journalism Network, a national non-profit group that ller ress supports rigorous journalism USPS 349-720 Vol. 139 No.M 2 www.themillerpress.com [email protected] PMiller, Hand County, SD 57362 Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020 about responses to problems. The people who will oper- ate and oversee the 2020 gen- eral election in South Dakota are highly confident that the vote for president, Congress, legislative seats and state- wide ballot measures will be done fairly, accurately and in a timely manner without a risk of fraud. Despite concerns raised by President Donald Trump and others who have questioned the legitimacy of widespread absentee voting by mail, all South Dakota county au- ditors who responded to a South Dakota News Watch poll say they believe the 2020 election in South Dakota will be fair and accurate. Warbird Royalty,11 The 25 auditors who re- sponded to News Watch by email were unanimous in their answers on sever- al questions, including their conviction that absentee vot- ing can be done fairly, that in-person voting on Nov. 3 can be done safely, and that Submitted | The Miller Press | Sept. 12, 2020 results from the election will ONE HUNDRED THC EDIBLES and 11 ounces of raw marijuana resulted in an arrest by Hand County Sheriff’s department on Saturday Sept. 5, 2020. be accurate. All auditors said they have experience in man- aging voting by mail, and most said they are taking ex- tra steps to ensure an orderly Sheriff’s Department keeps community safe and safe election. Many also John T. Page “On September 5, 2020, the Hand County With all that is going on in the world, this is said it is costing more to run On the weekend of Sept. 4, 2020, the Hand Sheriff stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. typically the last thing a community wants to the election this year. County Sheriff’s Department alerted the commu- Sheriff observed indications of criminal activi- hear. However, comfort abounds thanks to our Record numbers of voters nity to an important and unfortunate event. The ty. A search was preformed based on probable local Sheriff’s Department executing their du- in South Dakota and across official report is as follows: cause and revealed over 11 ounces of raw mari- ties swiftly and efficiently. Due to their excellentthe country are expected to Rustlers,12 juana and over 100 THC edibles. Driver was ar- work our community continues to be a safe and cast ballots by mail this year, rested and transported to jail.” wonderful place to live. mostly over concerns about exposure to the potentially deadly coronavirus while vot- ing in person in November but also for the convenience North Hand Tornado of voting early from home. South Dakota Secretary of at a glance State Steve Barnett said that Inside: Date: August 30, 2020 as of Sept. 9, the state had re- Time: (Local) 6:03-6:13 pm CDT ceived 108,580 applications Top Stories 2 EF Rating: EF-2 for absentee ballots, repre- Obituaries 6 Est. Peak Winds: Originally 120 senting about 20% of the Public Notices mph, now reported at 135 mph state’s roughly 558,000 reg- 7 Path Length:1.6 miles istered voters. Ballots will be Classifieds8-9 Max Width: 300 yards sent to voters starting on Fri- Youth Injuries/Deaths: 1 death day, Sept. 18. 11 The 2020 general election Sports 12 will bring a variety of chal- lenges for elections officials. In addition to processing far more absentee ballots, audi- Inserts: tors who are the ground-lev- Kessler’s Hometown Grocer el, local operators of elections in South Dakota must pre- pare safe environments for in-person voting amid a pan- demic. In the News Watch sur- vey, a wide majority of audi- tors said they do not foresee Weather delays in reporting of elec- Date High Low Precip. tion results even though they predict higher turnout. Two- Sept. 9 74 51 thirds of auditors said they Sept. 8 84 49 are offended by the nation- Sept. 7 85 54 al political rhetoric that has Sept. 6 54 41 .26 called into question wheth- er the American electoral sys- Sept. 5 55 39 Courtesy Andrew Canham| The Miller Press | Sept. 12, 2020 Courtesy Andrew Canham| The Miller Press | Sept. 12, 2020 tem can operate efficiently A SOLITARY SEED embedded itself in a nearby THE TORNADO left a swath of devastated land along the creek after running through Hand County on August 30, 2020. The gravel road at the and produce accurate results tree during the tornado on August 30, 2020. right side of the frame runs east and west. amid the pandemic. Minnehaha County Audi- tor Bob Litz said the integ- Governor Noem Outlines Framework for rity of the election is driven Miller City Council discusses proposed 2021 budget by the integrity of the people $400 Million in CARES Act Funding for who are part of the process. John T. Page erty. Aside from the change in the fund. Phase Three’s contingency “I’ve got really good peo- The Miller City Council held a Street Department budget the ma- fund will only be $300,000 leav- South Dakota Small Businesses ple, Republicans and Demo- special meeting on Sept. 2, 2020. jority of the budget remains un- ing little room for additions to the crats, working with each oth- Alderman Jim Odegaard and Al- changed from last year. The Park project. Sept. 9, 2020, Governor Kristi ing forward to discussing it with er, and they’re not going to derman Bob Steers did not attend. Department received a small fund Executive Director of On Hand Noem laid out a framework for up the legislature.” let anything happen,” Litz The purpose of this meet- to plant trees; $3,250 was set Economic Development Kecia Be- to $400 million in Coronavirus Re- Under Governor Noem’s pro- said. “There’s not going to be ing was to review the budget for aside for “promotion of the city” ranek asked if the council held lief Funds (CRF) to assist South Da- posal, businesses would qualify any shenanigans.” the next fiscal year. At the begin- and a Civil Defense fund of $1000 any further discussions about kota’s small businesses negatively for this grant if they are located in Barnett said the ground- ning of the meeting, Alderman was created for things like sand- sharing law enforcement with the impacted by the COVID-19 pandem- South Dakota, have at least $50,000 breaking decision to mail ab- Joe Zeller expressed his gratitude bags and siren repairs. county. Rangel explained that the ic. in gross revenue in 2019, and have sentee ballot applications to “South Dakota is in a had a reduction in business of at to the finance committee for put- After Rangel finished explain- council has not discussed it. Coss all registered voters in South good spot as we rebound from CO- least 25% between March and May Dakota in April was an at- ting in the hours to get the bud- ing the budget, Alderman Jeff stated she emailed multiple com- VID-19, but some of our small busi- as a result of COVID-19. get ready for review. Afterwards Swartz expressed concern over munities to see if they engaged in tempt to give voters the op- nesses were still hurt by this pan- The proposed application period portunity to vote without the Chairman of the finance commit- the budgeting process. Due to shared law enforcement and what demic,” said Governor Noem. for the program would open on Oc- tee, Alderman Tony Rangel, pre- not having department heads ex- they thought of it. The respons- risk of going to polling sites “These folks are the lifeblood of our tober 12 and close on October 23. where they could be exposed sented the budget to the other plain the items in their budgets es varied from communities find- communities and economy. When I Grants would be rewarded once all to coronavirus. council members. to the whole council, Swartz stat- ing that it worked well for them to asked folks to adjust their way of applications are received. Follow- The move had a significant The largest increase from last ed “I feel like I’m not part of this some who saw increases in crime life to help us flatten the curve, ing the initial reward period, a sec- impact on voting during the year’s budget went to the street group,” But commended the fi- rates and then struggled to re-es- South Dakotans exercised their per- ond allocation of funds would be June primary, Barnett said. department. Asphalt materials re- nance committee for putting the tablish a police department. Coss sonal responsibility and respond- considered if additional funds are The percentage of votes cast ceived a significant increase in budget together. further explained that she saved ed. That adjustment significantly still available. Under current feder- as absentee rose from about the street department budget as Zeller asked if a contingen- all the email conversations for impacted the day-to-day operations, al law, all funds must be distribut- 14% in the 2016 primary to part of an effort to phase out grav- cy fund will be in place for Phase when the discussion comes up in customer traffic, and supply chains ed by December 30, 2020. Grants 58% in the 2020 primary.