The Philip City Council met on Tuesday, December 8, at 4:30 p.m. This was a necessary deviation from its usual 7:00 p.m. on the first Monday of each month because of scheduling conflicts with council members.

The South Dakota Department of Legislative Audit has accepted the city's 2008 audit report. See accompanying charts.

An off-site data storage of the city's computerized information has been quoted at $660 per year.

A trial period has been completed for a proposed on-call policy for city personnel.

by Del Bartels

The scheduled Haakon School District 27-1 school board meeting on Monday, December 14, addressed the proposal of making the traditional music trip into a senior-only excursion.

Superintendent Keven Morehart said, "We are under the understanding that a senior-only music trip is a 99.9 percent go for next school year. The question was about this year. The issue has been decided. There will not be such a trip this year. It's a lot easier to send 10 students than 60.

Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Friday, December 11, that a burglary of Zeeb Pharmacy in Philip has led to an investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation, Haakon County Sheriff's Office and the Philip Police Department.

The incident took place in the late evening hours of December 1 or the early hours of December 2. Large amounts of scheduled narcotics such as oxycodone, demerol and fentanyl were taken by the intruder along with other merchandise.

"Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in South Dakota," said Jackley.

The December meeting for the Philip Chamber of Commerce was held on Monday, December 14.

Election of officers for 2010 resulted in Kent Olson being voted in as president, Ron Larson as vice president, Stacy Pinney as secretary and Matt Reedy returning as treasurer. Exiting president Milo Zeeb said, "I took this job with the idea we would take on some of the old ways of doing things. I think the chamber is better run and more inviting for new members."

Reedy reported that the annual chili cook-off brought in over $250 profit.

The man that devoted much of his life to his adopted community's well-being will be remembered at funeral services this Thursday.

Dr. George Mangulis passed away in Rapid City, Friday, December 11, at the age of 87. He will be remembered as the mainstay of Philip Health Services, treating area residents for more than 50 years.

Mangulis arrived in Philip in 1955.

The 2009-2010 season opener for the Philip Scottie wrestling team was at the Stanley County Invitational in Ft. Pierre on Friday and Saturday, December 4-5.

As a team, Philip finished in fourth place with 76.5 points. Out of 24 varsity and junior varsity teams, Gregory/Burke took the top spot with 110 points, Spearfish finished second with 83.5.

The portion of South Dakota Highway 14 between the towns of Philip and Fort Pierre will officially receive the designation of the James "Scotty" Philip Highway.

The state Transportation Commission, under the South Dakota Department of Transportation, agreed Thursday, November 26, to designate Highway 14 between Philip and Fort Pierre as James "Scotty" Philip Highway. Plans are for one sign to be erected just west of Philip and one sign just outside of Fort Pierre along Highway 14. Each designation sign will be two feet high and six feet long.

Featured this week is Carissa Doolittle who works alongside Pennie Slovek in the high school art room on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and her Tuesdays are spent with Norma Headlee at the Philip Veterinary Clinic.

Doolittle chose to enroll in this course to get work experience under her belt and to better herself with her opportunities.

During their December 1 regular meeting the Haakon County Board of Commissioners approved for the next phase of courthouse plumbing to begin.

The nearly 80-year-old plumbing in the Haakon County courthouse is being replaced in phases. At each phase plumbing contractor Dustin Lurz and building contractor Tom Swift submit estimates for their share of work of each phase.

Sometime between closing time of 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, and opening at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Zeeb Pharmacy in Philip was broken into and robbed of mostly pharmaceuticals and gold jewelry.

Employee Krystal Doud, when opening for business, first notice merchandise was missing from previously locked display cases. Then she saw that damage had been done to the pharmacy area of the store. Haakon County Sheriff Larry Hanes responded to the call. He, in turn, contacted the Philip City Police Department, since it was their jurisdiction.