Category: editor-notebook

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She Shoots Like a Girl

By Bernie Hunhoff

It takes a lot of people to produce and publish South Dakota Magazine, about a dozen to be exact. And we’re proud of every one of them — both for what they do during work hours here at 410 E. Third Street, and also for all they do after hours.

Our staff includes two yoga instructors, a marathon runner, several great chefs, a hockey mom, a Girl Scout leader, etc. They are also dedicated community volunteers, super moms and dads, and all their children are above average. You get the point.

But we have only one deer hunter. That would be Jana Jonas Lane, a mostly-quiet and reserved young lady who runs our circulation department. If you get the magazine by mail (as most of our readers do) then you can thank her, because she manages our 43,000-name mailing list.

Jana and her husband Jim have two young daughters, so you can imagine how busy she is. She occasionally likes to do a little hunting, but Jim teases that she “shoots like a girl.” He hasn’t said that for a week now.

The story goes like this. All the local hunters east of Yankton have been watching and waiting for a big 5-point buck that appeared on game cams in the Jim River valley over the summer. The whitetail was very cagey, and wasn’t often spotted in daylight.

On opening weekend of the East River season, Jana spent a few Saturday hours in the cold and howling wind, wondering why she wasn’t indoors with her two little girls, Rain and Rose. She saw a few does and a big buck with a broken antler, but eventually she went home to warm up.

Sunday dawned with a shining, warm sun. The wind was down and pheasants were cackling. Geese were flying overhead. “It’s amazing what sunshine will do for the soul after a cloudy day,” she said. “I saw a couple of does pass through our CRP and I looked over and saw a really nice buck as he was headed into a tree line.” It was the big Jim River buck!

She says her heart started racing, and she told herself to relax and be ready. Minutes passed but he didn’t reappear. Meanwhile, a second buck walked by. It stopped to watch something. Then a doe appeared and crawled through the fence between a pasture and trees. The second buck chased after her.

Jana heard crashing sounds and saw a blur of motion in the switch grass and big blue stem. Eventually, the big buck appeared. He paused about 150 yards in front of her.

Then a young buck came along. It looked at Jana and slowly walked into the trees. A fourth buck came along, chasing after a doe, and they disappeared into the tree line.

Jana took aim at the 5-pointer, through the scope of her .308 Remington, and fired. Just like a girl. She got the Jim River buck.

She’s not a braggart, but nothing’s stopping the rest of us from telling everyone we can.

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Is It Cheaper To Live in South Dakota?

By Bernie Hunhoff

Politics are often cussed at Hunhoff holiday gatherings, and as many South Dakotans know, my extended family covers the ideological spectrum.

I happened to tell the clan of a fellow I know in Pierre whose home was heavily damaged by the flood. He was a state employee with a good job, but he couldn’t get financing for a home “improvement” loan, even if the improvements were necessities like new sheetrock and flooring. So he told the bank to just keep the house and he left the state for a better-paying job.

“Well, that could be any of us,” said one of my kin. “We could all get higher paying jobs elsewhere. But it’s cheaper to live here.”

Maybe I accidentally rolled my eyes, but I didn’t argue because, after all, it was a holiday gathering and I was eating free.

But between you and me, I just haven’t noticed that K-mart prices its lawn chairs and cranberry juice any cheaper in South Dakota than the rest of the country. It’s well-documented that housing costs are on par with all but the high-cost areas of the USA, unless you live in one of those cool little West River towns like Fairfax or Bonesteel where the fishing is great and you can still get a decent old house for $12,875. Our energy prices were once lower, but they are catching up with the rest of the nation.

But what do I know. So I checked it out online, and soon came to this 50-state comparison. Of course, I was right … and fortunately I am the only one in my family with a Web site — so I get the last word.

Check it out. South Dakota ranks 28th in cost of living — about in the middle of the pack. I was surprised to see that according to this data base, Nebraska is far cheaper. So are neighboring states Iowa and Wyoming. We are basically tied with North Dakota and Montana.

Wages are considerably lower in South Dakota. We generally rank around 50th in that category, so people working for wages are likely being squeezed here. Business owners, farmers and ranchers may or may not feel the same pressures, depending on their industries and their luck.

You know that we normally like to shed as nice a light as we can on life in South Dakota. But we also don’t think it benefits anybody when we perpetuate a myth. If you take taxes into account (which this particular comparison doesn’t seem to do) then South Dakota’s ranking would probably improve somewhat. But not for the working man or woman, because they pay a far higher percentage of their pay in taxes than their wealthier neighbors.

And if you took taxes into account, then you’d want to also tabulate a hundred other things — like the fact that our technical school tuition is among the highest in the country. We are one of the only states that do not help low income students get a college education. One of the few that does not assist local communities and poor families with pre-school. Etc., etc. There’s a flip side to being a low-tax state. So perhaps this comparison (which leaves out taxes) is one that might actually help the Hunhoffs to avoid family arguments. Or even eye-rolling.

South Dakota is a beautiful place to live. We don’t need to perpetuate myths to make it seem even better.

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Walk On Water in Yankton

By Bernie Hunhoff

Now the historic bridge will be a pathway for joggers and walkers, baby carriages, bicyclists, skateboarders and the like. It is the longest pedestrian bridge in the USA that connects two states over a major river. The Newport Bridge, an 1896 railroad bridge that links Kentucky and Cincinnati, had that distinction until today. It is 2,670 feet long, and was redone for foot traffic about a decade ago. The Meridian easily surpasses it at 3,013 feet. The third longest is a new structure, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, built to connect Omaha with Council Bluffs, Iowa. It measures 2,224 feet.
Today at 3 p.m. the Meridian Bridge will be re-opened to the public after being closed for three years. But the bridge will never see another 18-wheeler … and it isn’t even likely to carry a compact car.

Eventually, Yanktonians and Nebraskans hope that walking/biking paths will connect the Meridian Bridge to the bridge over Gavins Point Dam, about four miles to the west. A path already exists on the South Dakota side, and Nebraska officials are making plans for theirs. The 12-mile loop would instantly become one of the most unique trails in the USA, taking hikers and bikers past eagle roosts, quaint restaurants, a sailing marina, small farms and forested river bottom. City officials in Yankton also hope to design and build an attractive plaza at the foot of the bridge.

The Meridian is one of the very few double-decker bridges in the nation. It took its name from the Meridian Highway (US Hwy 81) that cuts through the Americas from Winnipeg to Panama City. Yankton citizens took it upon themselves to fund and build the bridge in 1924 because they thought state officials were too slow in getting the project started. They paid for it with tolls until the debt was retired in 1953.

The bottom deck was intended for rail traffic, but a north-south train route to Yankton never materialized, so officials sent northbound traffic on the top and southbound traffic below. Its classic towers were designed with hydraulic lifts to allow ships to pass underneath. However, ships have been as rare as trains.

Cars and trucks traveled the bridge to the tune of 5,000 or more a day until a new bridge was completed in 2008. Historians on both sides of the river objected to having the old bridge destroyed. In fact, local leaders agreed that they would settle for a plain design on the new bridge so long as the savings were directed to preserving the Meridian as a footbridge.

So beginning this Thanksgiving week, after a very long wait and $4 million or more of your tax dollars, the old Meridian will once again carry traffic. Now you can walk on the Missouri without getting your feet wet.

We hope to see you there.

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Sioux Falls Without a Shovel

By Bernie Hunhoff

One of my brothers recently moved with his wife to Sioux Falls to live in a townhouse on South Tomar Road, and I’m worried about him.

I went to see him last week and he showed me the beautiful home with its secret closets and cathedral ceilings. It is wonderful. But then he told me that “they” do all the yard work and scoop the sidewalks. He sold his snowblower and his shovels. He’s even going to trade in his four-wheel drive SUV.

He’s a tough guy. He once outran terrorists in Libya. He knows Judo (or Karate, I can’t remember which). And he can shoot the eyes off a potato at 200 yards. But is he going to be prepared for January?

Surviving winter is all mental. We’ve learned that at South Dakota Magazine from the hardiest survivors of our state. You stockpile all the sweaters, gloves, boots, hand-warmers and hats that can be found. You have enough machinery to clear the airport, or you drink beer with someone who does. And you have access to a vehicle that looks like those contraptions in the Antarctica sci/fi movies.

Then you get it in your head that you can dig and drive your way out of whatever comes.

My favorite story (we’ve told it a 100 times, so just shut up and laugh) is about the North Dakota farmer who lived on the state line. One autumn, the state transportation department came to his door and told him he didn’t live in North Dakota, according to a new survey just completed. “Your land is actually in South Dakota.”

“That’s good,” he replied. “I don’t think I could take another North Dakota winter.”

That man had lost his mental edge. He was probably playing pinochle in a trailer in Texas by the following November.

Don’t worry about my brother. “They’ll” take care of his sidewalk, and we’ll keep an eye out for him, too. But I sorta wish he would have moved to Nebraska if he’s going to go soft.

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Empty Bowls is Quite Fulfilling

By Bernie Hunhoff

Brookings folks gathered at the United Church of Christ on 8th Street last night for the eighth annual Empty Bowls banquet. They invited me to come and say a few words about hunger and South Dakota’s food culture. Considering the fact that words like POOR and POVERTY make us very uncomfortable in this state, it was inspiring to gather with several hundred folks who are not only willing to talk about such disturbing words but actually want to do something about it.

In a few hours, the crowd raised $7,300 for Heifer International. I sat by a farm couple from Sinai. They make donations to Heifer International annually to honor the memory of their son, who died five years ago. The motivations were many, but the cause was one.

The “banquet” consisted of a bowl of soup and a bun, served in beautiful bowls handcrafted by South Dakota’s favorite potter, Dave Huebner of nearby Bushnell. There was music and prayers and a little nonsense from me.

For example, I told the story of the Wertz brothers from Bancroft, S.D., in Kingsbury County. The young brothers loved to farm, but in the 1930s it didn’t even pay to plant so they decided to start a cereal factory. They knew they needed a “gun” to puff the wheat, so they made one from the parts of an old threshing machine. Having no engineering training, they made sure it was plenty big.

They rented a building in Bancroft, set up the big gun and fired it off. KABOOOOM! They nearly blew down the building. It was a bit too powerful.

So they went back to the threshing machine and found a smaller auger, and they downsized the gun. They found another building in Bancroft, and soon they were selling New Deal Puffed Wheat far and wide for 10 cents a bag.

Why can’t you buy New Deal Puffed Wheat in your local grocery store today? There’s a very simple reason.

The Wertz brothers were farmers. As soon as it rained, they closed the factory and went back to the land.

We are a farming people in South Dakota. We grow food. If anybody should care about poverty and hunger, it’s us. Last night it was a treat to gather with 200 who care very deeply.

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First Lady Charms South Dakotans

By Bernie Hunhoff

Laura Bush gave the keynote address at Wednesday night’s 30th annual Law Enforcement Banquet in Sioux Falls, and she charmed the 1,700 South Dakotans in attendance.

The annual banquet was started 30 years ago by longtime Sioux Falls businessman and politician Gene Abdallah. His first event had just 53 in attendance, but the popularity has steadily grown and today the tickets are in high demand. Law enforcement officers, politicians, business leaders and others from throughout South Dakota gather to dine on antelope goulash, pheasant and other such delicacies. Abdallah and his volunteer team have raised over $1.5 million for children’s charities in the three decades.

I’ve only been to a few of the events, but I’ve not seen a speaker set a better tone than the former first lady of the United States. A lifelong lover of books, she said Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories on South Dakota made a lasting impression on her and she hopes to return someday to see the Ingalls homestead and haunts, which of course are in De Smet. She gave updates on the Bush family, and joshed that she has had to teach George to pick up his socks now that he’s a private citizen in Dallas, Texas. She spoke with great fondness and humor about her mother-in-law, the irascible Barbara Bush.

And she quieted the crowd with her remembrances of September 11, 2011, when she happened to be with Senator Ted Kennedy on Capitol Hill as news of the tragedy unfolded. She said Kennedy chatted with her to help calm her nerves. Later, she rejoined the president in the spartan bunker below the White House. They retired to their regular bedroom, but were awoken in the middle of the night when another suspicious plane was spotted in the air. It was a false alarm.

The event was also a sweet and funny farewell to Abdallah’s tenure as founder and leader. Abdallah plays the chump in the state legislature, but he’s a power to be reckoned with. He has experience and savvy that is hard to match. And nobody takes him for granted because he has an independent streak as wide as his trademark grin. A few years ago when a few of us were trying to gather bi-partisan support for a proposal to stop South Dakota from investing in companies that supported the genocidal regime in Sudan, Gene Abdallah was the first in his party to stand up and say that there is a social responsibility that comes with investing hundreds of millions of dollars. He has never been too cautious to break away from the herd.

Gene’s longtime buddy Bill Mickelson and his son, Scott, will now lead what has become known as the Wild Game Feed. But nobody’s going to replace Abdallah. He’ll still be the star attraction.

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Fishing Report from Pickstown

By Bernie Hunhoff


The salmon of the Dakotas are migrating southward, thanks to the big flood of 2011 in the Missouri River valley. Katie and I stopped for breakfast last Friday at Fort Randall Bait and Tackle in Pickstown (very fine omelets, by the way). Of course, you can’t eat at a bait shop without asking about the fishing.

The waitress gave us a thorough report. The walleye are still biting, and boats are thick below the dam. Plus she said a few anglers have even caught salmon. Now that’s a new development for Gregory and Charles Mix counties in South Dakota.

Chinook salmon from the West Coast have been released into the Fort Peck and Oahe reservoirs for a number of years with good results. The waters in those lakes run deep and cold, and the salmon seem to thrive — though they don’t grow as big as they do in the Pacific Northwest.

Adult salmon instinctively try to migrate back to the place where they were hatched and released to spawn. In the Dakotas, that would be a government fish hatchery. The cycle is actually completed, because hatchery workers capture some of the salmon and collect the eggs in autumn.

Due to the massive water releases in all six Missouri River dams this summer, some salmon from Fort Peck and Oahe have swam southward into Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case. I haven’t heard of any reports of salmon caught in Lewis and Clark Lake.

Next October, the adult salmon will try to swim back to the north to spawn … but they have a giant concrete problem lying ahead of them.

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2011: Our Summer of Geocaching

After spending the summer atop the Coughlin Campanile in Brookings, South Dakota Magazine‘s strategically placed geocache is now back at the magazine’s headquarters in Yankton.

We’re fairly new to geocaching, but it seems our maiden voyage was successful. Between Memorial Day weekend and mid-October, 111 people (plus the SDSU track team) signed our notebook. Some just walked across town. Others came from faraway places, like Honduras and Australia.

Many left little notes. Will and Shirley Dangler ascended the 180 steps on July 7.”Whew!” Shirley said.”AC not working!” Will added. For that we apologize, but perhaps a donation to the SDSU Foundation would solve the problem. Air conditioners are probably on sale now. Maybe a large box fan would suffice.

Chad Coppess, David Anderson and Jolee Thurn visited two days later and discovered the elevator was out of order. Of course, there is no elevator in the Campanile. That would take all the fun out of getting to the top, especially on a hot, humid summer day. Again, feel free to mention it to the Foundation, though they’ll probably think the box fan solution is more cost effective.

Most visitors commented on the view, which is the most spectacular in Brookings. The Campanile, built in 1929, is 165 feet tall, and provides a view of the entire city and surrounding farmsteads. We’re glad you enjoyed it. And we’re certain you’ll enjoy the scenery around next summer’s location.

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Corn Maze Provides Fall Fun

Yankton area folks going to Hebda Family Produce to pick their own pumpkins this month will want to study this photo well, as it depicts this year’s corn maze. Dale and Rena Hebda and family got their start in the world of fresh produce in 2002, when their son Steven started growing vegetables for 4-H. As he expanded into farmers’ market sales and weekly home delivery of produce, his interest grew into a family business. In 2006, the Hebdas purchased Garritys’ Prairie Gardens, located north and west of Mission Hill, where their 55 acre farm produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, salsa and pies, and fun harvest-related activities for the whole family.