The annual Northern Bull Riding Tour performance was Saturday, August 6, at the Philip Roping Arena.

Out of the 20 competitors, the long go was won by Jeff Bertus, Avon. The other top three riders were Clay Hindman, Belvidere, Jay Dunford, Menoken N.D., and Jake Waring, Ree Heights. To round out six riders for the short go, two riders were brought up on time, Abe Dillman, Grassy Butte, and T.R. Stirling, Newell.

The short go ending with Bertus taking the top spot, and Dillman claiming second place. Bertus won the $1,500 added purse plus fees.

Rance Johnson, 13, Philip, recently won the 2011 Little Britches Rodeo junior boys' national championship and the Little Britches junior boys' world championship titles in Pueblo, Colo., Monday through Saturday, July 25-30.

Johnson also won the Little Britches junior boys' national championship in goat tying (28.060 seconds).

Many South Dakota contestants made up the nearly 600 competitors in the National Little Britches Rodeo Finals.

Johnson brought home three saddles, one each for the national and world all-around championships and one for the goat tying championship.

The South Dakota High School Rodeo was held this year Wednesday through Sunday, June 22-26, at the Roundup Rodeo Grounds in Belle Fourche.

Charles L. "Larry" Fanning, age 77, of Martin, S.D., died Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at his home in Martin.

Charles Loren Fanning, better known as Larry to his family and friends, was born March 1, 1934, in Martin, the son of Cameron and Marcella (McLaughlin) Fanning. He grew up in the Martin area graduating from Bennett County High School in 1950.

Larry enlisted in the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After his honorable discharge, Larry attended college at Cal Poly. Upon graduation he returned to Martin where he worked for the U.S.

The Philip City Council meeting Monday, August 1, began with the monthly bills and ended with the council preparing for the annual budget reading next month.

Bills pending as of August 1 total $69,904.37. This includes $15,000 for the upcoming purchase of a 1995 Ford tandem axle dump truck.

The council approved the first reading of Ordinance #2011-08.

The United States Postal Service has announced a proposal to close about 3,700 post offices around the country.

Eighty of those are in South Dakota. One is the post office in Milesville. Howes and Hayes are also in this coverage area.

The Milesville postal service, established May 3, 1907, was originally located at the General Store of Jeremiah C. Miles. Other postmasters over the years include Henry Kertzman, Albert Harvey, Mrs. Harvey, Randall Collins and Allen Piroutek.

The main reason for the gathering at the Doud Ranch, Friday, July 29, was for the audience to see first hand the reasons that Rick and Marlis Doud were the recipients of the 2010 Leopold Conservation Award.

First, a history of the award and of the Doud Ranch was held, then an awards ceremony. The day ended with hundreds of guests and organization and department dignitaries climbing aboard a parade of flatbeds and pickups to tour different aspects of the Doud ranching operation

Brendt Heglund represented the Sand County Foundation, the originators of the award.

Tuffy Riggins, age 88 of Wall, S.D., died Friday, July 22, 2011, at his home north of Wall.

Jess Timothy Loras Douglas "Tuffy" Riggins was born the son of Floyd and Marie (Dugan) Riggins on March 1, 1923, in Kingsley, Iowa. He was the middle child of 11. In 1931, the family moved to the Garner place on Bear Creek in Washabaugh County, S.D.

Tuffy had many interesting experiences. As a young man, his first job was delivering "milk." At 13, Tuffy and his brother, Wayne, hopped a freight train to Montana where he started a short career as a race horse jockey.

Luella Pauline Griesel, age 83, of Rapid City, formerly of Philip, died July 24, 2011, at the Golden Living Center Bella Vista in Rapid City.

Luella Pauline Griesel was born August 18, 1927, in Philip, the third of seven children born to Paul Kephart and Miriam Isabel (Riddell) Griesel. Pauline grew up in the Philip area and graduated from Philip High School in 1947.

After graduation, Pauline worked as a secretary at the Kennedy Brothers Implement Company in Philip. She moved to Pierre where she worked as a secretary at the state house.

Dorothy H. Bosanco, age 87, Philip, S.D., died Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at the Golden Living Center in Salem.

Dorothy Helen Haerer was born February 5, 1924, to William and Minnie (Shoemaker) Haerer on their homestead 40 miles northwest of Philip, the Old Manila. On January 19, 1928, at the age of four, she lost her mother Minnie due to complications on the operating table. Her father continued to raise her and her brothers on the family farm. In 1939, her father remarried to Ruby Searle and Dorothy thought of her as a mother.