www.grantcountyreview.com • [email protected] • 605-432-4516 Volume 141, Number 17 • Milbank, South Dakota • Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Special Section Marks 100 Years Apples for Appeal Local Healthcare Hartman’s Family Foods will host the annual apples for ap- In this week’s Grant County Re- peal fundraiser to benefit the view, readers will find a 40-page Grant County Combined Appeal. special section reflecting on the his- The event, which features gour- tory and honoring the Daughters of met caramel apples, will be St. Mary of Providence. Members of Wednesday, September 30. the order first began providing See the ad inside for details. healthcare in Grant County in the summer of 1920, and they opened the newly constructed hospital in November of the same year. The Review staff has researched the 100-year history of the sisters’ presence in this community and DATE HI LO PREC compiled the in-depth special publi- Sept. 15 82 44 cation. It was to be published in 16 79 52 conjunction with a community cele- 17 62 41 bration that was planned by the 18 60 36 leadership of the Daughters of St. 19 67 38 Mary of Providence, but concerns 20 76 44 surrounding COVID-19 led to the 21 76 58 cancellation of that event. Courtesy Wastewater Treatment Plant Logan Karels | Grant County Review Patience is the THE MILBANK HIGH SCHOOL band performs the half-time Lady Gaga, as well as forming an “M” seen above, while they played companion of wisdom. show during Milbank’s Homecoming against Groton Area last Fri- Milbank’s school song. The band is under the direction of Susan Dirtwork Begins for day. The band treated the crowd to hits such as “Bad Romance,” by Karels and the flag girls are directed by Kristi Seehafer. Saint Augustine New Campground Sites at Lake Farley Work is beginning on a plan to re Segmented Build Planned for Baseball Complex move the existing 10 camping sites at Lake Farley Park and construct 23 new spots in a new location. The A redesigned plan that allows for include a baseball field that meets “Last fall and early this year, there the season of 2021. “The ultimate bank on the map as the birthplace of construction of the new baseball the proposed $7 million baseball the requirements of the American were ‘good vibes’ in the fundraising goal would be to have the entire American Legion Baseball.’” complex in the south part of the complex at Lake Farley Park to be Legion Baseball program, including possibilities, but then COVID came project completed by 2023, so the “The initial investment of phase park has created the need to elimi- constructed in phases was summa- 400-foot centerfield, turf, fence, along, and they hit a fundraising Legion can host the State B Ameri- one gets us a nice baseball field, nate the existing sites, according to rized during the Milbank City Coun- scoreboard and lighting. The first hitch,” Raffety said. “But with the can Legion Baseball tournament lighting, dugouts ... the basic opera- Mayor Pat Raffety. cil meeting on September 14. The phase also includes a below field segmented building plan, it makes here,” Raffety said. “Then they can tional aspects of a baseball field,” The council awarded a contract segmented build plan is essentially level dugout, bullpen, main entry the pitch more palatable to potential bid for both the A and B tourna- Raffety said. “So, we can start play- for the dirtwork to J&J Earthworks the plan announced in October of gate, monument sign, some parking donors.” ments for 2025, which is the 100th ing baseball there in year one, and for $299,778 during the September 2019, but it has been broken into spaces, pedestrian walkway and the Despite COVID-19 concerns halt- anniversary of American Legion then add amenities in phase two and 14 meeting. “It’s been an unspoken three phases. Mayor Pat Raffety ex- American Legion Baseball Wall of ing the fundraising efforts earlier Baseball.” phase three, which makes more goal to expand the camping at Lake pects the fundraising efforts and the Champions, according to a docu- this year, both Hoeke and Raffety “We are hoping to see a lot of local sense.” Farley Park,” commented Mayor Pat construction to be more manageable ment from ICON. say that ICON representatives are commitment to the project, and that The baseball complex will be an Raffety. “We have a wonderful park, under the segmented build plan. Hoeke pointed out that there may optimistic that there could be a will make selling it to national spon- attraction that brings people to town and it will be nice to offer more Scott Hoeke, who serves both as a still be some trading out of items groundbreaking for phase one this sors easier. They want to see that the regularly for activities at the ball- camping area out there.” city council member and a member from the original plan to provide fall. community has some skin in the field, according to Raffety. “As a re- In contrast to the current, func- of the Milbank Ball Diamond Associ- money-saving opportunities for the Phase two would include a covered game,” Raffety said. sult, our business community will tional sites near the park entrance, ation (MBDA) board, told the coun- MBDA, the organization through grandstand, concessions area, rest- Raffety noted that before the origi- benefit, which in turn, benefits the the new camping spots will be more cil that one of the segmented plan’s which all the funding for the project rooms, storage and a community nal plan was rolled out in 2019, city,” he said. “It’s the trickle-down scenic, according to Raffety. About favorable aspects is that it will allow is flowing. The MBDA baseball com- room. The press box, raised patio “There was a difference of opinion effect from people traveling in – the 10 of the new sites will be estab- donors to spread out their gifts over plex fund has been set up under the club level, indoor batting facility and about the city’s responsibility given motels, restaurants, gas stations.” lished along the Lake Farley shore- time. umbrella of the Milbank Community prefunction plaza are also expected the status of Milbank’s position as The city leaders did budget line, west of the beach area. Others Under the segmented plan’s first Foundation funds. to be included in the $3 million sec- the birthplace of American Legion $300,000 in 2020 to contribute to- will be lined out to the south, along phase, $2.9 million will be needed to As soon as the fundraising pledges ond phase. Baseball. The city needs to provide ward the needed $7 million, but the the west property line. provide a basic field and necessities hit 75 percent of $2.9 million, and The final phase, estimated at $1 facilities for its people to enjoy majority of that came into the city The work this fall will include to make it playable. Hoeke explained organizers have 15 to 20 percent of million, will include constructing recreational activities; over and coffers via a payment from the moving dirt, grading and packing that when 75 percent of that amount those donations in-hand, the project two youth baseball fields situated above that, it’s probably not a re- school when the school board de- graveled parking pads. Next year, has been pledged, the representa- can begin. Raffety added that there west of the Legion field. Those fields sponsibility of the city.” cided to build the new elementary the sites will be surfaced, and full tives of ICON Architectural Group of must also be money in the required will have 250-foot centerfield depth, Raffety continued, “We’d have school in the location that formerly hookups for electrical and septic Grand Forks, ND, will issue a bid let- perpetual care fund before construc- fencing and scoreboards. Additional been happy to build a nice ballpark housed the Legion ballfield. service will be added. ting for that portion of the plan. tion can begin. bleachers and field-level dugouts are on that property, but at the same “We’ve also made a half-million- The existing sites will stay in place ICON is the firm that was contracted “We must have some assurance also part of the plan. time, the Legion and the Ball Dia- dollar commitment for next summer until the new ones are ready to be to provide fundraising, planning and that we are going to be able to com- A best-case scenario will allow for mond Association, with my encour- for work in Farley park, but that’s rented out, as long as they don’t in- construction expertise. plete phase one, plus the perpetual the phase one groundbreaking this agement, decided to go in the not specific to the ballpark,” Raffety terfere with the construction of the In an interview last week, Raffety care, before we do the groundbreak- fall, construction in the spring, and direction of ‘Let’s make this a show- said. baseball park, Raffety indicated. explained that the first segment will ing,” Raffety said. playable ballfield sometime during case ballfield that really puts Mil- ~Holli Seehafer ~Holli Seehafer Governor Noem Calls for Special Jimi Hendrix Foundation Renovating Milbank Duplex The Jimi Hendrix Foundation is in ous foundation programs. “We are a construction loan. “It’s a lovely Legislative Session the process of renovating a duplex going to buy more properties, but we town,” Rosignolo said. “Seeing as on Fifth Street in Milbank. Estab- have taxes to pay, lawn care, and how First Bank and Trust was the Governor Kristi Noem has called lished by Al Hendrix, father of the other maintenance things even first to give us a loan, it gave us the for a special session of the state leg- deceased rock star, the foundation is though the houses are idle,” added opportunity to work on this home islature on Monday, October 5.