ARTESIAN – Local farmer Marion Dean has directed a $2,500 donation to the Artesian Volunteer Fire Department. Funded by America’s Farmers Grow Communities, the donation will help the department install a new heater in the fire hall where trucks and equipment are housed.
Thanks to the support of farmers across the country, more than $3.2 million is being directed to nonprofits in 1,289 counties in 39 states.
“The Artesian Volunteer Fire Department does so much for our community,” said Dean. “I am happy to support them in their efforts to keep our community safe.”
America’s Farmers Grow Communities works directly with farmers to support nonprofit organizations like the Artesian Volunteer Fire Department, who are doing important work in their communities. The program offers farmers the chance to win $2,500, which is then donated to the farmer’s nonprofit of choice.
The search for funding to sustain and enhance programs is a year-round job for nonprofit organizations across the country. Through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, farmers have been able to support a variety of groups, such as schools, fire departments, community centers and youth organizations like 4-H and FFA.
America’s Farmers Grow Communities launched in 2010, and has since donated over $16 million to more than 6,500 nonprofit organizations across the country. America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, is part of the America’s Farmers initiative, which highlights and celebrates the important contributions of farmers like Marion Dean.
For a complete list of Grow Communities winners and more program information, please visit growcommunities.com.

TWIN LAKES, normally a popular spot for boating, swimming and fishing throughout the summer, is plagued with dead, rotting fish this spring, bringing the lake’s summer usability into question. It is unknown as of yet if any fish remain alive in the lake. Game, Fish and Parks officials plan to test the lake for living fish.

The long, extremely cold winter has brought devastation to Twin Lakes in southern Sanborn County, as it has become a watery mass grave for its fish. The destructive effects of winter became evident about two weeks ago when the ice finally started to melt from around its edges. As the ice sheet shrunk, exposing thousands of dead fish, Twin Lakes became a smorgasbord for migrating birds and ducks, including large numbers of Bald and Golden eagles. Now with the ice completely gone, the extent of the damage is plain to see. Dead fish, mostly the invasive carp, have piled up around the shoreline, while more can still be seen bobbing throughout the lake. The Game, Fish and Parks are sending their Southeast Fish Manager to check out the situation and do a net test to determine whether or not any fish remain alive. GFP says they already had a stocking plan in place for Twin Lakes, but there was no information as to when that may take place. They plan to restock the lake based on their findings from the net test. Any sort of clean-up plan does not seem to be in the plans. GFP officials say it is likely that similar shallow, soft bottom lakes such as Twin Lakes will have winterkill problems this spring. A cold and long winter causing extra thick ice, paired with a low water level late in the season is to blame, they say. Winterkill occurs when fish suffocate due to lack of oxygen in the water. The ice limits the sunlight reaching aquatic plants, which then cut back on the amount of oxygen they produce. When the plants die, the decomposition uses oxygen, contributing to the problem. If the oxygen levels become too low, fish die. Early ice-on and late ice-out years, such as this one, increase winterkill potential, and shallow lakes with excess vegetation and mucky bottoms, such as Twin Lakes, are especially prone. Those factors paired with a low water level last fall created a perfect storm for this spring’s winterkill. As the stench intensifies, local residents are frustrated, since the wells feeding the lake were inexplicably plugged some years ago. Area residents complained to GFP representatives during a public meeting a couple years ago, but weren’t given any solid answers.

dick authier

Richard “Milt” Authier, a Woonsocket native, will be inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame during a ceremony this Saturday, March 29 at 2 p.m. in the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls. Authier was a standout basketball player for the Woonsocket Redmen in the 1960s. The 6-foot-4 sophomore began to make a name for himself during the season of 1963-64 when he was named honorable mention on the All-State team. The Redmen went 21-3 that year. The next season Authier and the Redmen went 19-6, falling just short of the State “B” Tournament after a loss to Parkston and fellow inductee, Gerhardt Buenning, in the Region 6 finals. By his senior year in 1967, Authier had grown to 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds and was catching the eyes of college teams. He was chosen First Team All-State in both basketball and football that year and would sign on to play for the University of South Dakota. Authier continued to excel with the Coyotes. In 1972 he was chosen as the North Central Conference Most Valuable Player and named to the small college All-American Team. Authier was born Dec. 18, 1948 in Huron to Moe and Lauretta Authier. His father also played basketball for Woonsocket. He currently lives in St. Paul, Minn., and is the first player to be selected for this honor from Woonsocket High School. Authier will be honored along with 16 other inductees. The program and banquet is open to the public with a ticket. Call 605-270-1262 for more information. The SD High School Basketball Hall of Fame has now moved to the Sanford Sports Complex east of I-29 and Benson Road, inside the new Pentagon facility.