Remember the Johnny Carson lead-in jokes that started “It was so cold ...” and someone would ask “How cold was it?”

Well, sometimes in Western South Dakota those aren’t jokes.

I personally remember, as a child, opening my parents’ front door and facing a level sheet of snow piled higher than the doorknob. While in college, I remember my roommate’s can of beer sitting by the window pane and blowing up because it had frozen solid.

Haakon County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Foley and Philip City Police Officer David Butler have completed the 12 weeks of the Law Enforcement Basic Training Academy in Pierre.

The 123rd session of the academy began on August 29 and graduation was November 18. These, and all officers, are encouraged to continue their education.

Both local men had the same classes. Academy training consisted of 520 hours of instruction spread over the twelve weeks. Testing for each week was on Friday.

The state covered the cost of the training – instruction, lodging, food, etc.

It was a basic meeting for the Haakon County Commissioners at their December 6, 2005 meeting.

Kenny Neville, Haakon County highway superintendent up-dated the commissioners on the bid let for the McDaniel bridge project. The bid came in under $22,000 from the engineer’s estimate. The commissioners accepted the bid for the two double box culverts and other work that will replace the bridge.

Neville also asked for their approval to reinstate two work projects that will replace two bridges in the county. One is scheduled for 2008 and the other in 2009.

With a very humble heart and an acknowledgement of responsibility, Mayor John Hart announced that the proposed sale of the city’s geothermal well will have to be handled in a different manner.

The sale of the well to MinKota Fisheries for the future development of a 35-job business in Philip was enthusiastic, but premature. MinKota has been made aware of the situation and “we are on the same page,” said Hart. Legal stipulations dictated by state law regulate the method of selling public property, even with the ownership-reversion clause that was to be an important part of the sale.