The Midland School District is looking for a way out of a situation where 15 of its students attended other schools this year putting a greater burden on the district to fund education.

That solution was drafted in the form of a bill that would allow the school to contract with neighboring districts to take their high school students. Elementary school students would stay in Midland.

With Presidents’ Day coming up, and with the local economy always needing a significant boost, I offer a plan that would help out our cattle/farming region as well as Washington, DC.

Let’s find ways to market – for the lack of a more polite term – living livestock by-products. Please, don’t try to come up with an impressive business name that has an accurate acronym. The organic fanatics would be forced to add their backing to the many varied lines of value-added products. The politicians, out of professional courtesy, wouldn’t dare object.

Dora A. Finley, age 70, of Philip, died Friday morning, February 3, 2006, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Services were held Monday, Feb. 6, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Philip with Pastor Robert Oettel officiating. Graveside services were held Monday afternoon at the Hillview Cemetery in Isabel.

Music was provided by Marilyn Millage, pianist, with congregational hymns. Ushers were Dora’s grandsons, Eric and Connor. Pallbearers were Sonny, Jeff and Mark LaBeau, Sonny Newman, Rowdy Schuler and Scott Baye.

Dora A.

Dorothy E. Porch, age 90, of Kadoka, died Sunday, February 5, 2006, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Kadoka City Auditorium with Pastor Gary McCubbin officiating. Interment will be in the Kadoka Cemetery.

Music will be provided by Grace DeVries, pianist, and Peggy Porch Schoon, Roger Porch, John Kaiser and Carl Bauman, vocalists. Ushers are Cleve Prichard, Cleon Boomer, Gordon Good and Tom Ward. Pallbearers are Matt, Shayne, Brockdon, Joel and Shawn Porch and Gib Rodgers.

Dorothy E.

Rex Eugene Radway, age 80, of Philip, died Sunday, February 12, 2006, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15, at the Rush Funeral Home in Philip, and one hour preceding the services at the Legion Hall in Philip on Thursday.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 16, at the American Legion Hall in Philip, with Pastor Mark Ford and Father Ron Garry officiating.

Music will be provided by Marilyn Millage, pianist, Maureen Palecek and Barb Bowen, vocalists.

South Dakota Public Broadcasting's popular television magazine program "Dakota Life" is back with a new episode of great South Dakota stories this February. The Emmy-nominated program is known for finding the stories that make life in our state unique. It will feature several segments from around South Dakota.

One segment features Richard M. Hedden, a Normandy survivor who was awarded the French Cross of War, the equivalent of our Congressional Medal of Honor, in August 2005. Hedden was born in Mt. Vernon but grew up in Philip.

A special meeting of the Philip City Council was held on Thursday, February 9, to review and possibly award bids for the 2006 Downtown Street Improvement Project.

Harlan Quenzer, accompanied by Sam Hohn, both with SPN and Assoc., presented the bids received for the street and utility improvements.

Hills Material Co. - $669,615

Simon Contracting - $711,888

Site Work Specialists - $715,602

Bituminous Paving - $787,842

Shovel Head Excav. - $876,565

All of the bids were above the engineer’s estimated cost of $500,943.

Dr. George J. Mangulis of Philip Health Services has been selected as the 2005 South Dakota Family Doctor of the Year.

The honor was officially bestowed upon him at a South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians’ gathering in Spearfish on February 4. Their President’s Reception was held in conjunction with their Winter Seminar, which provides continuing education for Family Medicine Physicians and other health care providers.

The American Academy of Family Physicians is one of the largest national medical organizations.

The tight lead by either team vacillated with rarely a three-point difference during the entire game. With less than two and half minutes remaining, JC/M had that lead. After several more instances of tied scores, the Scotties re-claimed the initiative. Only in the last seven seconds did the Philip Scotties jump their re-newed lead up to four points.

The Philip Scottie vs.

The home crowd cheered as the Philip boys’ basketball team displayed its season-honed talents against the Newell Irrigators on Monday, February 13.

The Scotties had the lead at the end of the first quarter, only to be on the other side of the score at half time. The end of the third quarter bragged a one point Scottie lead. Then, the Philip team members caught fire to burn up the scoreboard and end the game 63-46.

Philip 13 24 41 63

Newell 11 26 40 46

Philip scorers: Dana Kerns - 26, Nick Heeb - 23, Casey Elshere - 10, Allen Hauk - 4.