Henry K. Niedan, formerly of Midland, SD, died August 27, 2007 at Linden Court in North Platte, NE, at the age of 100.

Henry was the eldest son to German-Russian immigrant parents, Henry and Karoline (Rothenberger) Niedan, January 14, 1907, in the sod house on the Niedan homestead, 12 miles southeast of Midland, SD.

He was united in marriage on February 22, 1933, to Irene Mortensen at the parental Schultz home south of Philip, SD.

Valerie Emery, age 48, of Quanah, Texas, formerly of Wall, SD, died Monday, September 3, 2007, at her home in Quanah.

Valerie Lynn Brown was born April 17, 1959, in Meadville, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Jack and Marlene (VanVleck) Brown. She was a resident of Quanah for twenty-five years.

Valerie was united in marriage to Tim Emery on August 17, 1990 in Quanah.

The family of Michael and Susan Nemec of Midland were honored on September 30 at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron for continuing to operate their family farm for over 100 years. South Dakota Century Farms is a recognition of families which have retained ownership of a South Dakota farm or ranch consisting of a minimum of 80 acres of the original farmland, for 100 years or more. Above are the Michael and Susan Nemec family.

The fourth annual Philip Chili Cook-off is set for Friday, September 21, at the football field before the high school football game.

Trophies will be awarded during the game's half-time to the winners in each of the four chili categories; hottest, most unique, best tasting and best overall.

Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to enter to convince the community and judges that their chili is the best. Five judges will independently rate the entries, then as a group will determine the winners.

The South Dakota 4-H Hall of Fame inducted eight new members in 2007.

Those selected in 2007 are Gayla Piroutek, Haakon/Jackson counties; Keith Gebhart, Tripp County; Eugene Jaycox, Moody County; Melvin M.

Grossenburg Implement in Philip has established a permanent endowment fund to provide financial support to 4-H activities in Haakon and Jackson counties.

An initial $5,000 has been put into the Grossenburg Implement 4-H Support Fund through the South Dakota Community Foundation. The fund will generate earnings that can be spent to support a wide range of 4-H activities in these two counties each year. The principle in the fund will never be spent, but the earnings will be available for perpetuity.

The main store in Winner has been maintaining a similar fund there for years.

Zane Fees, 18, willingly turned himself in on charges related to the accident, according to Alvin Pahlke, the Jackson County State's Attorney. After the initial charges, Fees was released on a personal recognizance bond. Fees was scheduled to make his next court appearance June 7th at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kadoka. The sentencing was postponed until August 31 in Pierre.

The South Dakota Sixth Judicial Circuit Court has handed down an Order Suspending Imposition of Sentence, which is a withholding of the finding of guilt until a later date.

The Wests were recognized through Modern Woodmen's Hometown Heroes Program for helping with the organization of the Philip Centennial, particularity the All-School Reunion. In honor of the Wests' efforts, members of the Philip branch of Modern Woodmen presented them with a certificate and awarded a $100 grant to the Philip Elementary Playground project, the charitable organization of the Wests' choice.

"We had a good time doing all this," said M. West. "We also had a lot of help.

The Haakon County Auditor's office will have to be supplemented by several thousand dollars due to budgeting errors from last year and the change from a part-time to a full-time deputy auditor.

Auditor Patricia Freeman outlined the errors for the Haakon County Commissioners at their monthly board meeting, Tuesday, September 4, 2007. Freeman noted that the budget was underestimated in co-share for health insurance, South Dakota Retirement System, supplies and telephone use.