The Philip Lady Scotties took second place at the West River Girls' Basketball Tournament that was held in Hot Springs and in Rapid City February 12, 13 and 14.

Seven other teams competed; Newell, Faith, Wall, Hot Springs, Moorcroft, Upton and Edgemont. The Scotties first went up against the Hot Springs Bison. The first half ended with Philip having doubled the Bison's score, 35-15, and the game ended with Philip winning 65-39. In this first game, Kenzy Pinney and Marissa Mann led their Philip team by each racking up 19 points.

Philip vs.

The Region 4B Wrestling Tournament in Fort Pierre on Saturday, February 21 featured the top four placers in each weight class from District 7B and from District 8B.

Earning 211 points, the Philip Area team won the Region 4B Tournament by 97 points above the second place team of Mobridge/Pollock (M/P) with 114 points. Gettysburg (G) took 3rd place with 111 points, Lemmon/McIntosh (L/M) - 102.5, Stanley County (SC) - 96, Harding County (HC) - 78.5, Newell (N) - 71.5, Bennett County (BC) - 66, Custer (C) - 24, St.

In a last quarter, come-from-behind, edge-of-your-seat battle, the Philip Lady Scotties defeated the White River Tigers, 44-43.

The basketball game on Thursday, February 19, was the last one in regular season before the district tournament for the Scotties.

The home advantage was in favor of the Lady Tigers. The hard-fought first quarter was the lowest scoring one, and ended with Philip behind, but by only one point.

Marjorie Carol Paulsen, age 66, passed away at her daughter's home in Hesperia, California, Wednesday, February 4, 2009. Marjorie was diagnosed having pancreas-liver cancer in September 2008.

Marjorie was born November 10, 1942 in Wall, South Dakota to Mathilda [Harnisch] and LeRoy Campbell.

She attended rural Cedar Butte School first through eighth grades, graduating from Wall High School in 1960.

Marjorie married Richard VanVleck and to this union three children were born, Tami, Timothy and Troy.

The Haakon County Extension Office will hold three free classes on Thursday, March 5, in the Philip Elementary school so younger and older people can learn to "save up, stock up, stretch your money."

The first class will begin at 6:00 p.m. Though geared more for first through fourth grade students, the class may be attended by everyone. Jessica Eikmeier, 4-H and youth development educator, will work with youth on the importance of savings and making good consumer choices.

A bill to prohibit smoking in all public places passed through the House State Affairs Committee February 18, 11-2.

House Bill 1240 would prohibit smoking in most places, with the exception for cigar bars, smoke shops and hotel rooms.

Rep. Bob Faehn, R-Watertown, the main sponsor of the bill, said there is a clear hazard with secondhand smoke. When some people's rights infringe on other people's rights, he said, it is time for the government to intervene.

The meeting on Monday, February 23, of the local AARP/RTA began a series of guest speakers representing government and how members' taxes are being spent.

Mike West is the president of the local chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and the Retired Teachers Association. He put numbers on how much economic influence senior citizens have in the area. According to his research, social security recipients in Haakon County received a total of over $816,000 last year.

The 2009 Quad-County Relay for Life will be held in Philip this year on June 13.

The booths, speakers and entertainers will be at the south end of Center Ave., in the bank parking lot, in Fire Hall Park and in the Philip Fire Hall. The luminaries and walking path will be on both sides of the two blocks of Center Ave.

"I've never done anything that has been so easy to get people involved," said this year's organizing chairman Marlis Doud. "Everybody volunteers!

A petition was filed on February 1, 2009, calling for an initiated measure to be put on the ballot of the city election to be held April 14.

Signatures on the petition represented at least five percent of the registered voters within the City of Philip. The initiated measure is to change the current ordinance prohibiting private structures located in the public rights-of-way.

The Philip Area team not only won the District 7B Wrestling Tournament, but will be sending 13 members on to the Region 4B Wrestling Tournament in Ft. Pierre on Saturday, February 21.

Out of six competing teams, Philip earned 255 points, more than double the second place team of Bennett County (BC) with 112 points. Third was Custer (Cu) with 106, 4th - Red Cloud (RC) with 89, 5th - St. Thomas More (STM) with 65, and 6th - Hill City (HC) with 57 points.

Philip Area members earned first place berths in 12 of the 14 weight classes. The Scotties also took one second place.