With several YMCA staff in attendance and the future of the YMCA Summer Program on the agenda, the Dakota Valley School Board had some decisions to make at their meeting Oct. 10.

Every year Johnny and Shari Tureaud, of Dakota Dunes, assemble a Halloween theme in their front yard for others to enjoy. The couple has multiple skeletons that they set up in poses to the delight of neighbors and anyone fortunate enough to drive by Oxbow Trail in the Meadows neighborhood of the Dakota Dunes.

Once again, schools have become the target of a TikTok Challenge and not in a good way. Last year the school’s experienced strains of vandalism as students were challenged to photograph or video themselves vandalizing school property. The new challenge – “swatting” – goes even further. Swatting is when a person makes a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address. On Thursday, Oct. 13 at least five schools were targeted – Watertown High School, Brookings High School, Mitchell Senior High School, Rapid City High School and Lincoln High School (in Sioux Falls). Because of these prank calls, law enforcement officials surrounded and swept through the school while students were told to shelter-in-place. During the week of Oct. 3, over two dozen schools in South Carolina also faced the same issue. While the immediate school districts haven’t been impacted, it’s still a cause for concern. “I am aware that this has been occurring,” Dakota Valley Superintendent Dr. Tonia Warzecha said. “We have an updated safety guide in place, and we will implement those protocols should this occur at Dakota Valley.” “At this time it has not impacted the EPJ district,” Elk Point-Jefferson Superintendent Philip Schonebaum said. “If it were to happen we would stick to previous trainings on intruder/ other items. Swatting is a serious crime and a perpetrator, if caught, can face jail time. The local authorities are aware of this harmful TikTok craze. I believe that the best defense for these types of things is education, from parents and school districts, on proper uses of social media.”

At 3:47 p.m. Monday, Oct.

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Carter Langle was the lone Huskies to represent Elk Point-Jefferson at the State A Boys Golf Tournament in Aberdeen Oct. 3 and 4. Not only did Langle show up at state and garnish a 14th place finish, he also moved up in the Elk Point-Jefferson record books.

The Elk Point-Jefferson Husky football team added another win to their record overpowering Tri-Valley Mustangs Oct. 7 at home.

The Elk Point-Jefferson Husky volleyball team dominated the court this week in their match-ups between Viborg-Hurley Oct. 4 and Tri-Valley Oct. 7. The Huskies travelled to Viborg to take on the Cougars. The Cougars made the Huskies earn their win, by taking a set from them as the Huskies won 3-1: 20-25; 25-22; 25-16; 25-15. The offense was strong with the Huskies sending over 9 serve aces. The Huskies were led by Sophia Giorgio with 3 and Alyssa Chytka, Bentlee Kollbaum and Danica Torrez each with 2.

Even with the top boy runner in the Conference (Joe Cross) injured, the Huskies Cross Country team had a successful day in Elk Point Thursday, Oct. 6. Many runners achieved personal records on the perfect day for a meet.

The latest Fire Loss in the U.S. report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows the largest number of home fire deaths since 2007, ref lecting a 14-year high. According to the report, people are more likely to die in a reported home fire today than in 1980. These statistics underscore a concerning trend: While the number of U.S. home fires has continued to decline over time, the home fire death rate has stagnated in recent years, with annual spikes like the most recent one seen in 2021.