Even though the Haakon County  Board of Commissioners knew the early months of 2011 were going to be financially tight, it was still hard to absorb when Haakon County Auditor Patricia Freeman presented them with a balance sheet showing they had just $142,943.42 to finance county operations for March and April.

Freeman noted that payroll is about $60,000 a month, with warrants varying, but last month's were about $97,000. "We have to be real conscience of our spending through April, when we will get an input of tax dollars," said Freeman.

Three candidates are running for two open seats on the Haakon School District Board of Education.

They are challengers Doug Thorson and Tim Quinn, and incumbents Vonda Hamill.

The school board seats are voted on at-large, rather than by separate districts. The three candidates are running for the two seats that had been filled for one year by appointment and have two years remaining on their three-year terms.

Vonda Hamill

Family: I am married to Jason Hamill, we have two sons.

The Philip City Council held a special meeting Monday, March 21, first convening as a board of equalization.

There were no filed objections to property valuation assessments received in 2011 for the city. The Haakon County Commission will meet as a board of equalization Tuesday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m.

Kevin Pfeifle, Haakon County director of equalization, presented an annual report and update. Total growth of new property valuations added to the city was $432,952. That translates into $390,090 taxable value.

Lerrill R. Hinman, age 86, of Wall, died Sunday, March 20, 2011, at the Spearfish Regional Hospital.

Lerrill R. Hinman was born May 8, 1924, on a farm, northwest of Wall, S.D., the son of Winifred and Emily (Hughes) Hinman. He grew up in that area and attended Hinman School through the eighth grade.

Lerrill was united in marriage to Gladys Albin in June 1951. He spent all of his life around the Wall area, until 2006, when he moved to Wyoming to be closer to his son.

Lerrill was very proud of attaining his GED, in 1990, at the age of 66.

Bettylue Johanna "Betty" Kruse, age 86, of Scenic, S.D., died Tuesday, March 22, 2011, at her home.

Bettylue Johanna Kruse was born in Scranton, N.D., on May 16 1924, daughter of Louis and Mary (Karcher) Hammer. As a young child the family moved to Lead, S.D., where she graduated from high school. She was active in the chorus and drama clubs.

Upon graduating from high school in 1942, she went to Washington, D.C., to help the war effort by taking shorthand for the Defense Department. It was there where she joined the Washington, D.C., choir.

Lucille G. Hart, age 88 of Philip, S.D., died Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at the Philip Nursing Home.

Survivors include three sons, Michael J. Hart and his wife, Sharon, of Emerado, N.D., Patrick J. Hart and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Rapid City, and John F. Hart of Philip; one daughter, Maureen Martz and her husband, Buddy, of Waynesboro, Penn.; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Francis J.

Fae Johnston, age 68 of Interior, S.D., died March 14, 2011, at Rapid City Regional Hospice of the Hills.

Survivors include her husband, Jerry Johnston of Interior; two daughters, Tammy Fae Ramsdell and her husband, Mark Osborne, of Jackson, Miss., and Cherie Lynn Ramsdell and her husband, Jeff Michels, of Mitchell; two grandchildren, Torrie Fae Michels and Samuel Vene Michels; four step-children, Sheila Meinke and her husband, Brant of Omaha, Neb., Jayme Thompson of Grovetown, Ga., Cory Johnston and his wife Sabrina of Sioux Falls, and Jody Sills and her husband Jacob of South Augusta

Howard Saltzman, age 85 of Wall, S.D., died Wednesday, March 9, 2011, at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Howard Leroy Saltzman was born March 4, 1926, in Fairbury, Neb., the son of Harvey and Sarrah Sophia (Meritt) Saltzman.

He attended high school in Nebraska when World War II started. His parents had to sign for him to join the Navy on his 17th birthday. In 1943, he took his basic training at Camp Peary, Va., his advanced training at Camp Endicott, R.I., and his jungle training at Camp Parks, Calif.

George Wheeler, age 97, Philip, S.D., died Sunday, March 13, 2011, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

George A. Wheeler was born December 25, 1913, in Philip, S.D., the son of Arthur and Marie (Valet) Wheeler. He grew up on a ranch/farm southeast of Philip where he attended rural school for eight years prior to graduating from Philip High School in 1932. As a young man, he farmed and ranched with his parents.

George was united in marriage to Mary Williams on April 18, 1936, in Rapid City, S.D.

Mary Ellen Schofield, age 92 of Midland, S.D., died Sunday, March 13, 2011, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.

Mary Ellen Gillaspie was born September 7, 1918, at her grandparents' home northeast of Ottumwa, the daughter of James and Mary Margaret (Ball) Gillaspie.

She grew up in the Ottumwa area and attended several different rural schools in that area, before graduating from St. Cecilia Cathedral High School in Omaha, Neb. After graduation, she remained in Omaha where she worked for one year.