The congregation of the United Church of Christ (Congregational) of Yankton recently voted to affirm a covenant that declares the church to be Open and Affirming.

VERMILLION — The University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business offers one of the nation’s most outstanding online MBA programs, according to the Princeton Review’s 2020 ranking of Top 25 Online MBA Programs. This recognition marks the fifth consecutive year of top rankings for the Bea…

PIERRE — The Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council (LRC) approved Program Evaluation Reports during its Nov. 18, 2019, meeting.

Missouri Valley Christian Academy’s Christmas Program will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at 305 W. 25th St.

The Mount Marty College Music Department and Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery invite the community to their 37th annual Vespers concert on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The performances will take place in the Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel, located on the Mount Marty Campus.

Andrew Saul, commissioner of Social Security, and Gail S. Ennis, the inspector General for the Social Security Administration, announce the launch of a dedicated online form at https://oig.ssa.gov to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams.

The students of Sacred Heart Elementary School will be presenting Christmas programs on Dec. 11. The program will be at the Yankton High School theatre. It will involve students in preschool through fourth grade and will include a mini-manger musical entitled “Guess Who’s Coming to Bethlehem?”

Dear Dave,

Ms. Claus will be at the Yankton Mall from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, bringing with her Yankton Area Literacy Council members to give each child a wintery tale. The YALC will sponsor a Scholastic Book Fair in the former Body Guard location from 4-8 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

The AME Allen Chapel at 508 Cedar Street will be hosting “An Evening with Chad Elliott” at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.

Gathering Grounds Coffee House in conjunction with Discovery Church will offer Holiday Gift Wrapping free of charge to the community on Saturday mornings Dec. 7, 14 and 21 from 9 a.m.-noon.

South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Foundation Scholarship

“Doc, I’ve started on this new diet and I wonder what you think,” said my patient. Then I hear about the patient’s latest weight loss plan. There are so many plans out there...the Noom® plan, the Shark Tank diet, the keto diet, the Mediterranean diet, the paleo diet, the sugar-free diet, the…

Greetings, P&D readers!

Dear Car Talk:

Sometimes a poem can seem to be like a jeweler’s setting, in which a gemlike image is presented. This one, by Chase Twichell, who lives in upstate New York, has one of those perfect gems of observation in the “cinnamon swirls” of sand on the surface of the road. I’ll never see sand on the ro…

A free prostate screening event will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Yankton Medical Clinic, P.C.

The Cramer-Kenyon Heritage Home, 509 Pine Street, Yankton, has had a makeover. The Arikara, Dakota Territory and Laura Ingalls Wilder Chapters of Questers have transformed the back parlor, the foyer and the dining room into a Christmas wonderland. The board (with some help from the Questers)…

Dear Car Talk:

In reflecting on the last six decades of American Christianity, there is a pervading sadness and heartache over the declining theological character and integrity of many of those called to faithfully proclaim the true and whole Word of God — both Law and Gospel, as God has given it to the Church.

Due to a funeral, the Advent retreat at Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton has been rescheduled. The Benedictine Peace Center welcomes you to attend their Advent retreat, “Becoming Empty for God,” now on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the monastery. This offering, led by staff members…

MENNO — Make plans to attend the sixth annual “Old-Fashioned Christmas Worship Service” on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at 7 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, rural, Menno. Join in as attendees “Celebrate the Birth of Jesus” in a simpler, old-fashioned way before the rush of the Christmas season.

Gathering Grounds Coffee House in conjunction with Discovery Church will offer Holiday Gift Wrapping free of charge to the community on Saturday mornings Dec. 7, 14 and 21 from 9 a.m.-noon.

Those who love hearing and singing traditional Christmas carols should mark their calendars now for Sunday, Dec. 22, when “The Carols of Christmas” will be presented at 5 p.m. in the seasonally decorated historic sanctuary of the Yankton United Church of Christ-Congregational at 5th & Wa…

Dear Car Talk:

A wise and loving father fishing with his two sons. Norman Maclean wrote about a time like that in his book “A River Runs Through It,” and here’s a poem by Todd Davis that catches much the same feeling in far fewer words. That’s not to denigrate Maclean but to point out that there are many w…

PIERRE — South Dakota’s Fire Marshal reminds people to enjoy all the great food this Thanksgiving holiday, but also to be mindful that fires occur more often this time of year.  

NEW YORK —As one of the busiest travel weekends of the year approaches — the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates more than 55 million travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend — the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is providing important tips to families traveling …

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the deadliest weekends for America’s roads. With more vehicles on the roads and potential adverse weather, it is more important than ever to stress the importance of seat belt safety. To keep drivers and their passengers safe, the Nebraska D…

VERMILLION — The University of South Dakota Neuroscience, Nanotechnology & Networks Program (USD-N3) is currently on its third cohort of graduate students who receive training from multiple disciplines, both in classroom and laboratory settings, to develop key interdisciplinary skills.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pets don’t fare much better than people in the cold. With heavy rains, snow and low temperatures this winter, RedRover has a few tips to help keep your furry family members safe and warm.

Dear Car Talk:

LINCOLN, Neb. — Thanksgiving is an opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, to be grateful and reflect on what’s important. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services provides these tips to support your efforts for a healthy and safe holiday season.

OMAHA, Neb. — The holiday meal and its preparation is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving celebration. To keep your friends and family safe from food poisoning there are certain steps that everyone should know:

The Benedictine Peace Center of Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton, invites you to attend their Advent retreat, “Becoming Empty for God,” on Saturday, Nov. 30, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the monastery. This offering, led by staff members of the Benedictine Peace Center, is open to men and women …

South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Foundation Scholarship

On a cold day in midwinter, I was driving on a deserted country road to see some friends. Unknown to me, a strong north wind had packed the snow. What used to be soft mounds became hard snow banks.

“Make sure the house is clean and a pot of potatoes is in the oven,” says Alex, 6.

PIERRE — The South Dakota Senior Health Information and Insurance Education (SHIINE) program would like to remind all Medicare beneficiaries there is still time to receive free assistance during the Medicare open enrollment period.

Operation Christmas Child Collection week is Nov. 18-25. Calvary Baptist Church located at 2407 Broadway Street, Yankton, is a drop-off location for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Shoeboxes filled with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, etc. may be dropped off during the following hours:

The Tri-Valley Barbershop Chorus will present “A Sermon in Song” on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, during the morning 9:30 a.m. worship service at Riverview Reformed Church, 1700 Burleigh St., Yankton.

Everyone is invited to Sacred Heart School Bingo Night on Friday, Nov. 22, at the Sacred Heart Church Community Center. Pizza and refreshments are available for purchase starting at 5:30 p.m. with bingo starting promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Dear Dave,

PIERRE — Gov. Kristi Noem has launched registration for the first-ever South Dakota LEADS Conference. The free, one-day event will feature dynamic speakers including Clint Pulver, and specialized tracks for teachers, students, and women. The event will happen Monday, Dec. 9 in Sioux Falls.

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has announced its new roadside memorial policy aimed at allowing an immediate family member to memorialize a death which occurred as the result of a vehicular crash on the State Highway System.

A muddle and mixture of family and friends surrounded the dying elderly woman like she was a campfire. They came to honor and pay their respects; many generations, from all over the country. This group seemed well educated, well-read, and the intellectual discussions were tossed around in th…

Dear Car Talk:

Minnesota has many fine writers, gathered together by a deep and trusting affection for one another. Freya Manfred has been an important part of that community for her entire life, having been brought up at the side of her father, Frederick Manfred, a master novelist of the American West. He…

PIERRE — Gov. Kristi Noem has announced that 100 percent of K-12 school districts in South Dakota now have access to high-speed internet on par with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) short-term goal of 100 kbps per student. Ninety-six percent of South Dakota’s public schools meet…

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