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Groton Daily Independent
Saturday, June 09, 2018 ~ Vol. 25 - No. 330 ~ 24 of 59
The man, his baggage emptied, walked back down the steep trail, disappearing around the boulder. The Journal team stayed atop, shooting photographs, before descending, too. At the trail, though, a grand- mother, Melinda Zore, hiked down from Little Devils Tower with her granddaughter, Danielle Bewley. It was a present for the girl’s high school graduation. They were from suburban Indianapolis and had never heard of Poet’s Table, but marveled that a man would leave an entire destructed chess set at this green altar in the natural alcove.
“We just kept all our garbage in our backpacks,” said Zore. “Like they say, ‘Leave no trace,’ right?” ___
Information from: Rapid City Journal, http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
Deputy fired after unseating sheriff stirs backlash
TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota sheriff’s department is being inundated with phone calls con- demning a sheriff for firing a deputy who defeated him in a primary race.
The Bon Homme County sheriff’s department alerted county commissioners Thursday that the over- whelming response to the firing is affecting the agency’s ability to do its job, the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan reported .
Sheriff Lenny Gramkow fired deputy Mark Maggs almost immediately after Maggs defeated him by a vote of 878-331 in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Gramkow didn’t give a reason for the firing in the termination notice, which Maggs posted on Facebook after polls closed.
Maggs will assume office in January, but the father of four is jobless for now.
Gramkow has declined to comment on the firing, saying “the action is done.”
Deputy Brian McGuire said some people are using 911 to contact the department about the move. The
calls could be interfering with the department’s response to actual emergency calls, putting the public in danger, he cautioned.
The department has been has also been facing backlash on Facebook, McGuire said.
“It’s gotten so bad that we may have to take down the Facebook page,” he said. “It’s not something we want to do, because it’s a good way to put out information and receive messages from the public. But we may have to shut it down if we continue getting these messages.”
County commissioners also started receiving calls moments after the termination notice was posted on social media, said Chairman Mike Soukup.
Commissioners will meet with Gramkow and Maggs to discuss the termination next week.
Proposed Clark County wind farm granted construction permit
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has granted a construction permit for a proposed 120-turbine wind farm in Clark County.
The Crocker Wind Farm will have the capability to produce up to 400 megawatts of electricity. The wind energy facility will include an associated transmission line.
The permit approved Friday includes conditions on issues related to protecting roads and aircraft detec- tion lighting. One condition requires that Crocker provide a public liaison to help communication between landowners, area residents and the commission, and work to help resolve complaints.
The Crocker Wind Farm submitted an application for construction in December. Friday’s vote came after public hearings.
The Crocker Wind Farm anticipates it will begin operation by the fourth quarter of 2019.
Air Force grounds B-1B Lancer fleet after emergency landing
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command has grounded its B-1B Lancer fleet after one of the bombers made an emergency landing in Texas.
Gen. Robin Rand ordered the safety stand-down on Thursday. The Air Force says a safety investiga-