2019 Year in Review

As we close the book on 2019 and begin the journey into 2020, we look back on all of the local happenings this past year. Following are some of the big events of 2019.

January

• January 2019 began after a post-Christmas snowstorm blew in 8 inches of snow in 48 hours in Redfield.

• On January 5th, 2019, Macie Luce, Miss Redfield Area Junior Snow Queen, became the SD State Jr. Snow Queen.

• Redfield City Council discussed subsidizing the Redfield Chamber.

•  Mid-Dakota Rural Water System was voted best tasting water in South Dakota.

* Cindy Sanger, of Redfield, personally delivered her grandchild, Odin Aman on January 17th, 2019.

• Temperatures dropped to 31 below zero on January 30th as the Polar Vortex swept over the midwest.

February

• On Thursday, February 7th, a two-vehicle accident occurred near the Spink County Courthouse. There were no life-threatening injuries.

• Stacy Carroll became the new Office Clerk at the Redfield Press on February 8th.

• The first annual Prince and Princess Ball was held at the Redfield Armory on February 10th.

• On Saturday, Feb.16th, a car fire erupted at Heartland State Bank. There were no occupants in the vehicle.

• The Redfield Pheasants took third at the State B Wrestling Tournament held in Rapid City on February 23rd.

• Perry Hofer, of Doland, was featured in the Redfield Press for being selected as the 2019 President of the National Agricultural Aviation Association.

• Snow accumulation in Redfield reached 20 inches by February 20th.

• Kendra Green, of Redfield, had her Make-A-Wish party at Redfield Dairy Queen on February 23rd.

March

• The Miles family, of Doland, were chosen as the Charolais Breeders Association Commercial Producers of the Year.

• On March 12th, 2019, Mathew James Mathern was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The sentencing stemmed from an incident in which Mathern broke into Redfield’s CMH on June 25th, 2018, and held a 10-year-old child hostage.

• A two-day snowstorm with freezing rain blasted through the area on March 13th and 14th, causing power outages for 500 residents. Multiple local businesses closed during the storm.

• Cregg Skarin, of Redfield, was inducted into the South Dakota Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday, March 23rd at the 10th annual SDHS Basketball Hall of Fame induction banquet.

• On Thursday, March 28th, it was discovered that property valued at approximately $22,000 was missing from a Spink County residence.

April

• Spink County battled flooding in April and 350 locals teamed up to fill 8,500 sandbags.

• On April 6th, Shanty Haven officially opened for business in Redfield.

• On April 8th, Haley Galvin appeared in court in connection with the Spink County theft of more than $20,000 worth of property that occurred in late March.

• On Wednesday, April 3rd, the Spink County Commissioners discussed a resolution declaring disaster due to the flooding in Spink County.

• Johnson Farms, of Frankfort, was selected  as the South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award winner by Kristi Noem.

• On Wednesday, April 10th, and Thursday, April 11th, winter storm ‘Wesley’ hit Redfield, dropping 24 inches of snow.

• On Friday, April 12th, the United States Justice Department honored  Spink County native, Shari Kastein, with the Special Courage Award for her work as a domestic violence advocate.

• On April 22nd, the Mellette Community Foundation broke ground for the new Community Building in Mellette.

May

• Gwen Johnson was selected to receive one of only 14 scholarships for the 2019 FCCLA Japanese Exchange  scholarship awards.

• Jenna Appel was selected as the 2019 American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year on May 1st.

June

• President Trump approved the State of South Dakota’s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration on June 7th. The declaration allowed FEMA to provide assistance to many South Dakota counties, including Spink County.

• The Redfield community was awarded $16,180 from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

• The Doland School Board announced the dissolution of the Redfield-Doland Co-op on June 10th.

TO BE CONTINUED (JULY-DECEMBER) IN THE 01-08-2020 ISSUE OF THE REDFIELD PRESS