The Philip City Council met in two capacities on Monday, April 14, 2008, as a city council and then as an election canvassing board.

The Ash Street Improvement Project bids were rejected. The city's engineer, Sam Hohn, stated, "I figured that it (the bids for such a project) might be higher in rural western South Dakota, but not that much higher." Comparable projects have been done, though in the eastern part of the state. Using completed costs of these street projects, Hohn estimated the Ash Street project to come in around $81,000.

Two local teenagers and their new accomplice love practical jokes. But, they don't know when to quit, even when little old ladies take pot shots at them. Life is hilarious ... until people start ending up dead.

The two-act thriller "Forest of the Dead" will be performed at the Philip High School at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 20th, and at 7:00 p.m.

In honor of Carol Hunt, an open house retirement party was held in Midland on Tuesday, April 8th. Hunt has retired from the banking business after 44 years.

Sharing in the special evening were her husband, Roy, and around 150 guests. These included family, friends and fellow bank employees from Murdo, Pierre, Ft. Pierre and Huron.

by Del Bartels

The Philip Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday, April 14, 2008, quickly covered old business.

Then guest speaker Kelly Sterns of the South Dakota Highway Patrol updated the chamber on the preparations being made for Philip's hosting of the Tri-County Drug and Alcohol Awareness program this year.

Stern said that a mock accident, with all its associated programs, will be presented at the Philip High School on Wednesday, May 7th. It will begin at 8:15 a.m. with the announcing of the winners of the kindergarten through fourth grade poster contest.

"It's a very tedious process, but tolerable," said Pat Seager, Min-kota Fisheries general manager, about inoculating 40,000 fish per batch before shipment to a facility that has been exposed to a deadly fish disease.

The disease, called streptococcus, can wipe out at least 40 percent of a major fish growing operation. The disease, though, does not affect humans. Any infected fish within harvestable size can be, and are, processed for human consumption.

Even the inoculation itself is species specific. It is a "killed" vaccine and does not harm people.