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Groton Daily Independent
Saturday, July 29, 2017 ~ Vol. 25 - No. 029 ~ 13 of 67
the older homes and proximity to downtown.
Touchmark’s original building is the historic namesake for the neighborhood it anchors. Residents credited
the company for saving and restoring the 130-year-old school.
But two separate proposals for the addition failed to pass muster with city and state historic preservation
boards. City Councilors approved the project anyway in 2015, making way for the $20 million expansion. But before the council’s vote, Touchmark hosted a 70-minute input session with neighbors. The company redrafted its designs to preserve the neighborhood’s view and use materials more tting with the original
building.
Touchmark’s outreach in the following months paid dividends for both sides.
Neighbors think of the business as one of their own, including the people who call Touchmark home. “We see them daily walking the neighborhood,” said Katrina Lehr-McKinney, who heads the All Saints
Neighborhood Association. “We want to make sure that their voices are heard.”
Meanwhile, Touchmark also bene ts from the hard work it put in with All Saints homeowners. The com- pany is building a reputation as a participant in the community and an advocate. Its tness center will be open to all Sioux Falls residents who are 50 and older, and representatives have already invited any
qualifying residents of All Saints to join.
“It made our neighborhood association feel that they were truly trying to right or overcome some of
the negativity that had been associated with their addition,” Lehr-McKinney said. “They’re putting their money where their mouth is.”
The independent living section includes 60 apartments with one or two bedrooms. The tness center will have an exercise room, a therapy pool and a group tness room for yoga and other classes. The two memory care communities include 16 homes each, offering specialized care for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
But Touchmark’s growth is two-fold. As the senior living community opens its doors to prospective new residents, the company can now boast a stronger relationship with its surrounding neighborhood. That means more fun events, more collaboration and more teamwork when it comes to improving the area.
Being a good neighbor is important for the people who live at Touchmark. “This is our residents’ home,” Snoozy said.
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Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com
Iowa man guilty of vehicle assault on South Dakota of cer
TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) — A jury has convicted an Iowa man of assaulting a South Dakota police of cer with his vehicle.
Travis McPeek, of Sioux City, Iowa, was found guilty Thursday in Bon Homme County of aggravated assault against a law enforcement of cer, the Daily Republic reported .
Court documents show Tyndall Police Of cer Kelly Young stopped a pickup truck in August 2016 that was reported to police for engaging in dangerous driving. Young said that after he brie y talked with McPeek, who was driving the pickup, McPeek struck Young with his vehicle and dragged him across a parking lot, driving away.
“If I had gotten to my gun, I was going to shoot him,” Young testi ed. “I was fearing for my life.” Defense attorneys said McPeek wasn’t aware Young was an of cer.
“(McPeek) comes from a place where of cers actually wear uniforms and police cars actually have lights
on them,” said Defense Attorney Garrett Horn. “... He backed out of the situation because he was scared.” Bon Homme County State’s Attorney Lisa Rothschadl said that McPeek should know the dangers of
operating a motor vehicle because he owns a company that requires extended travel times.
“He was clearly intentional,” she said. “The defendant’s story does not make any sense. It’s just a story.” Young suffered broken ribs, cuts, bruises and an injured foot. He was out of work for a month. McPeek was arrested in Arizona in December 2016.