Fresh from completing the US Farm Bill in the House, Kristi Noem, U.S. Congresswoman for South Dakota, made a pit stop in Bison on Friday afternoon where she visited with approximately 30 constituents.
   The House passed a farm bill the day before in Washington and sent it over to the Senate. Noem took advantage of a few days break to return to South Dakota and to make stops in Buffalo and Bison before heading to Boss Cowman festivities in Lemmon for the weekend.

Michael J. Chapell, 58, Rapid City, passed away on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at his home.
Michael Joseph Chapell was born on February 18, 1954 in New Orleans, LA to Henry and Bernice (Goodsell) Chapell. Bernice and the kids later moved to South Dakota. He attended school in Wall, SD. He served in the U.S. Army from 1971 until he was honorably discharged on October 31, 1974.
He married Sharon Hoag and they were blessed with two daughters, Alecia and Angela. Mike and Sharon later divorced.
Mike met Carrie and they spent many happy years together. They were married on September 17, 2011.

Wall community members met on Wednesday, July 11, to establish a board for the Ambulance District which won the election by an overwhelming 264 votes.

The Monday, July 16, meeting of the Haakon School District 27-1 Board of Education began with Mark Radway and Jake Fitzgerald reciting their oathes of office as they began their terms.

Walter Van Tassel, age 88 of Midland, died Thursday, July 12, 2012, at the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip.
Walter Harlan Van Tassel was born February 16, 1924, in Ottumwa, Iowa, to Walter E. and Ruth Van Tassel. Walter (“Junior” to many) moved to the Midland area in 1929 where he lived with his grandparents, William and Pearl Lee, on the 1912 homestead ranch north of Ottumwa and was raised like brothers and sister with his aunt, Fern (Lee) Konst, and his uncle, Bill Lee.
Walter was educated at the Mattison Country School where he graduated the eighth grade.