by Del Bartels

The 2006 summer fire season has been a busy one for the Philip Volunteer Fire Department.

The department has been called to respond to several vehicle accidents. It has been mopping up one fire, only to be immediately called to another. It has been asked by neighboring departments to help in their jurisdictions, and sometimes it cannot respond because it is has no available trucks.

Wauneta Katheryn Briggs was born at Carlin, SD, to Walter and Katie (Jones) Briggs, on January 24, 1925. Wauneta died August 19, 2006, at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, with her children and grandchildren at her bedside.

Mass of Christian burial was held Tuesday, August 22, at St. John's Catholic Church with Fr. Brian Christenson officiating.

Burial was at Scotty Philip Cemetery, Ft. Pierre.

Wauneta was born in a small home in the country, by the Cheyenne River, and raised in a log house on Robbs Flat.

Phyllis Catherine Oldenberg, age 90, of Philip, died Saturday, August 19, 2006, at the Philip Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, August 23, at the First Lutheran Church in Philip, with Pastor Tim Solberg officiating.

Music was provided by Marilyn Millage, pianist; Elvera Moos, vocalist; congregational hymns; and special music by Rose and Loren Kiel. Usher was Marvin Eide.

Robert "Bob" Johnson, age 43, of Kadoka, died Thursday, August 17, 2006, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held Monday, August 21, at the Kadoka City Auditorium with Pastor Gary McCubbin officiating.

Music was provided by Carl Bauman, Boyd Porch and John Kaiser. Ushers were Maurice Handcock, Tom Parquet, Larry Cvach and Bob Spears.

The shooting death of a Rapid City man in Midland on August 11 is being investigated as a homicide, according to state Attorney General Larry Long.

Harold Lee Cleveland, 64, was shot to death inside a Midland residence that night, Long said. The name of the shooter has not been officially made public. No one has been arrested. Long said, to his knowledge, no one else was injured in the incident.

"The individual who did the shooting has been identified, and the investigation is centering around whether the shooting was justified," Long said.

During a presentation at the August 14 meeting at the Philip Chamber of Commerce, guest speaker Dan Oedekoven summarized the "Spotlight" program which is coming to Philip.

The South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service will continue its community development work with small towns in South Dakota with the help of a second major grant from the Northwest Area Foundation.

Kay Williams and her granddaughter, Kayla Herren, were invited to join the extended Jones family on a mission trip this year to Managua, Nicaragua.

On Saturday, July 15, 27 people (12 between 7-15 years-of-age) flew from Houston to Managua. After going through customs and locating their luggage, they boarded the 1987 'Blue Bird' school bus and bumped and bounced to the Buzbee Mission Camp. The dorm quarters had bunk beds, a small mirror, a sink, and a toilet that was not supposed to flush paper. The showers were cold-water; there was no hot water anywhere.

Kay Williams and her granddaughter, Kayla Herren, were invited to join the extended Jones family on a mission trip this year to Managua, Nicaragua.

On Saturday, July 15, 27 people (12 between 7-15 years-of-age) flew from Houston to Managua. After going through customs and locating their luggage, they boarded the 1987 'Blue Bird' school bus and bumped and bounced to the Buzbee Mission Camp. The dorm quarters had bunk beds, a small mirror, a sink, and a toilet that was not supposed to flush paper. The showers were cold-water; there was no hot water anywhere.