The Philip High School wrestling team has earned the 2007-08 Academic Achievement Team Award.

The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) has sponsored the SDHSAA Academic Achievement Team Award program to recognize athletic teams and fine arts groups for their academic excellence.

The Philip Scotties track and field team traveled to Custer for its multi-class invitational meet on Friday, April 18th.

The girls' 3200 meter relay team run the course in 10:56.88 to take first place.

The Scotties boys' golf team won the Bison Invitational Golf Tournament held at Boulder Canyon in Sturgis on April 28th.

The Philip team totaled a three person score of 260. Lemmon totaled 265 to take second place. Lyman claimed third with a 293 and Jones County, with a 297, took fourth. Eight schools were represented.

Philip's Kolby Longbrake earned the medalist, first place, honors with an individual score of 84. Lemmon's Tanner Gebhard took second place with a score of 86. Philip's Allen Hauk took third place with an 87.

Athletes from Philip traveled to Kadoka to compete in the open class People's Market Invitational Track and Field Meet on Thursday, April 24th

Brandon O'Dea went a distance of 18'06" to earn first place in the long jump. Marissa Mann took second in the shot put with a throw of 31'01." The 1600 meter medley team of Josie Guptill, Kady Pinney, Lindsay Mann and Tylissa Fitch earned second place with a time of 4:53.2. Another second place was earned by the 400 meter medley team of L. Mann, Kayla O'Connell, Pinney and Guptill with a time of 4:32.5.

Oahe Speedway's 2008 season has officially begun. Test and tune sessions on Saturday, April 19th, allowed the racers to work out the bugs and shake off the cobwebs.

Racers from South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wyoming and Nebraska braved the cool, windy conditions to challenge the prepped track. Sunday proved to be just as breezy, with the running of the first races of the year.

In the No Box division, Paula Duncan of Midland in her 1996 Cougar, could not make it through the eighth finals. Her reaction time (RT) was -.014.

The Philip Scotties girls' and boys' track teams traveled to Kadoka on Tuesday, April 22nd, to compete in the Harry Weller Invitational Track Meet.

Philip returned home with four first places. Kayla O'Connell completed the 300 meter hurdles in 51 seconds. She also finished the 200 meter dash in 29.40 seconds. Brandon O'Dea covered 18'01.5 for the long jump. The boys' 4x400 relay team of Beau Ferguson, Brandon O'Dea, Rob Williamson and Jeff O'Connell ran a time of 3:50.5.

The Scotties earned seven second place medals. Marissa Mann threw the shot put 33'00.5.

by Del Bartels

"The South Dakota Career Center is still continuing its big push for people to use its self-service programs," said Pierre Career Center Manager Mark Anderson. "But, we want to also communicate to employers and job-seekers the many new programs that we now offer."

Anderson and employment representative Dawn Nipp visited some Philip employers on Wednesday, April 23rd. Nipp will initially be in Philip around once a month and will come directly to area businesses.

"I've had my flower shop in the country for six years," said Kerry Hostutler, the owner of Cabin Fever Florals. Her shop is now located in downtown Philip in what used to be known as Flowers of Fortune.

According to Hostutler, the previous owner, Anita Schofield, had said that she was wanting to spend more time with her husband and their three, soon to be four, children. The timing and logistics of changing over the flower shop all just came together. "Things seem to work out for a reason," said Hostutler.

The transfer took place April 21st.

The Haakon County Board of Commissioners are being forced to solve an issue that has long plagued them, that being the courthouse plumbing in the aging 78-year-old Haakon County Courthouse.

Late Tuesday evening, April 22, 2008, the Haakon County Public Library started receiving water from above. Librarian Alison Kattelmann noticed the leak about 6:00 p.m. Luckily, the leak occurred the one day a week that the library is open until 7:00 p.m., otherwise the damage could have been much worse. Kattelmann noted that no damage was done to the any books or computers in the library.