december 9, 2011 snow can’t stop tour of homes sdarws is...

Cases Disposed 11/25-12/1/2011

Cheryl Kay Necklace, 120North Cliff Ave. #1, Sioux Falls;Open alcoholic beveragecontainer accessible in vehicle,$54.00 plus costs

Crystal Arcoren, 206 East23rd Street, Yankton; Violationstopped vehicle withred/amber/yellow signals/lights,$54.00 plus costs

Kylen Freidel, 734 N.University #218, Vermillion; Nodrivers license, $54.00 plus costs

William Robert Christensen,507 W. Cedar St., Vermillion; Nodrivers license, $54.00 plus costs

Steven Kotalic, 501 McCookSt., Gayville; Speed on four-lanein rural areas, $99.00 plus costs

Cheri L. McGhee, 3511 N.44th Avenue, Omaha, Neb.;Speeding other roadways, $19.00plus costs

Nicole Paige Hovdestad, 1604E. 19th St., Sioux Falls; Speed onfour-lane in rural areas, $19.00plus costs

Steven J. Peterson, 31367University, Vermillion; Renewalregistration during assigned

month, $54.00 plus costsJulie M. Westover, 611 1st St.,

#5, Wakonda; No drivers license,$54.00 plus costs

Chelsea Nicole Campbell,5501 W. 61st St., Sioux Falls; Seatbelt violation, $25.00

Olivia Dewaard, 26625 383rdAve., Stickney; Speed on four-lane in rural areas, $79.00 pluscosts

Derek Jay Schuller, 48551 S.D.Highway 46, Hudson, S.D.; Seatbelt violation, $25.00

Ashley Herringer, Mickelson#309, Vermillion; Speeding onstate highway, $19.00 plus costs

Rose Kallappa, 157 3rd StreetNE, Huron; Driving withsuspended (not revoked) license,$204.00 plus costs

Allan Scherschlight, 43945U.S. Highway 18, Freeman; Opencontainer, $54.00 plus costs

Thomas Jensen, 1001 StateStreet, Centerville; Seat beltviolation, $25.00

Tanner Tod Pottratz, 1224 6thSt., Brookings; Open container,$54.00 plus costs

Shawn Osborn, 1509 DouglasAve., Yankton; Fail to obey lawful

order, $104.00 plus costsWade Richard Taylor, 59187

880 Road, Ponca, Neb.; Seat beltviolation, $25.00

Joshua Jay Langley, 1301 E.Austin St., Sioux Falls; Seat beltviolation, $25.00

Kalli Sue Walker, 832 LincolnSt. #2, Vermillion; Seat beltviolation, $25.00

Eland Summers, 611 E. MainSt., Vermillion; Renewalregistration during assignedmonth, $54.00 plus costs

Bridger Scott Miller, 123Willow St., Vermillion; Failure tomake proper stop at stop

intersection, $54.00 plus costsApril Wilson, 833 E. Duke

Street #46, Vermillion; Dog atlarge, $50.00 plus costs

Judge Tami Bern presiding11/25/2011-12/1/2011Martin W. Linnell, 120232

West 47th, Shawnee, Kan.;Driving under influence-2ndoffense, recharged; Openalcoholic beverage containeraccessible in vehicle, dismissed;Driving under influence-2ndoffense, $500.00 plus costs;Thirty days county jail, 20 dayssuspended based on theconditions of the court

08 Vermillion Plain Talk December 9, 2011 www.plaintalk.net

FOR THE RECORD

By Donna SchaferVFW Auxiliary President

Clay County Post 3061

Radioman 1st Class Charles Paul Schaferwas born Dec. 14, 1962 to Jerry and DonnaSchafer in Vermillion.

Charles enlisted at Yankton in June of 1981.He was sworn in at Sioux Falls in July of 1981.“My mother wasn't too happy, but my fatherthought it was good since he had also been inthe Navy, “ said Charles.

On July 20, he flew from Sioux Falls toSan Diego, CA for Boot Camp which lasted foreight weeks. From there he went to RadiomanA School in San Diego which lasted about 20weeks.

In January of 1982 his assignment was toNaval Air Station in Le Moore, CA for 18months. This is located in the middle of theSan Joaquin Valley which was desert andorange groves .

“I really wanted to be assigned to a ship, butthis proved to be a blessing in disguise fortwo reasons. One I was able to move up inrank from E1 to E4 and second it was aneasier way to adjust to military life,” he said.“But the exciting things happened aboardship. In August 1983, I was assigned to USSPyro AE-24, which was an ammunitions ship.There I made my first West Pac Tours, visitingJapan, Philippines, Korea and Hong Kong. Ispent six months overseas.

“I flew over Japan to catch up with thePyro which was five days out. There wereabout 25 men being assigned to different jobswhile we were waiting. The head man keptcalling Boatswain over and over and no onewas answering. Finally he said, ‘Boatswain 3rdClass Schafer are you here?’ I answered andsaid my name is Schafer but I'm not aBoatswain. I'm a Radioman. The guy incharge said. ‘Well, your handwriting is sosh***y that it looks like Boatswain, so youwill take your recruits and paint the sea wall.I did such a bad job that first day that they gaveme a desk job checking ID'S.

“After boarding the Pyro we went out tosea. It took a while to get my sea legs.

My first Port of Call was Subic Bay in thePhilippines. After about three months I hada chance to call home. Mom was there becauseher hair appointment had been changed andI had the best 15 minute telephone call ever.

“We were on our way back to the States andtwo day out of San Francisco, when during amovie a fire broke out in the #1 ammunitionhold. This was very serious because themajority of the 339 men were in GeneralQuarters. For about the next 20 hours wefought that fire in which no one was injuredor killed and the ship stayed intact. The shipwent into cold iron and I asked for areassignment.

I had a choice of three ships and I asked forthe USS Texas CGN-39, which was a GuidedMissile Cruiser. Again, I had an eventfularrival. I flew out of Los Angeles to thePhilippines, then to Diego Garcia for fivedays, then to Kenya for three days. When we

arrived there we were told by the AmericanEmbassy that we had to stay in our hotelsbecause AIDS was was so prevalent. We alsohad to pay an airport tax, exchange our moneyfor theirs, but when we left they wouldn'texchange their money for ours

“After that we flew to Rota, Spain. Theseaside community was absolutely beautifuland a few days later we flew to Catina, Sicily.Bahrain was our next stop. We were advisedto walk in single file, look straight ahead, notto look to the left or right until we arrive at ourvehicle. On this 500 ft. path were Bahrainiansoldiers every three feet or so on both sides,holding guns which were pointed at our heads.Once we arrived at our hotels the Bahranianpeople were extraordinarily nice. Five dayslater we were helo’d out to the USS Texaswhere Charles' good friend Ernie King was onboard.

“The crew then spent 110 days in thePersian Gulf, supporting the Iraqies against theIranians. During this time we shot down a fewairplanes. We were also the flag ship and soI was the Radioman for the Old Man. Leavingthis area we went to Tasmania for a week, abeautiful little country and then on toBrisbrane, Australia for about 20 days. Thepeople were very nice and we were invited tomarch in their Independence Day Parade. Itwas almost like being home in the States.

“Tanga was our next destination then toAmerica Samoa. Even though we were onlythere for a couple of days, a young womanasked four of us if we would like to meet herfamily. After agreeing, she took us up througha beautiful jungle to her village. Her father wasthe local minister. We met all of the family andfriends which amounted to about 60 people.They cooked us a Somalian meal, sang theirnative songs, and danced their native dances.Afterward they led us back to our ship. Itwas probably the most interesting and bestexperience I have ever had.

“California was our next destination and Iwas able to muster out a month early, June of1985.”

Honoring & Remembering:

Radioman 1st Class Charles Paul Schafer

CHARLES SCHAFER

South Dakota Associationof Rural Water Systems(SDARWS) Board TreasurerRick Peterson of Vermillion isproud to announce that theorganization has been namedthe top rural water associationin the country by the NationalRural Water Association(NRWA).

Accomplishments in theareas of training, technicalassistance, public relations,legislative activities andmember services enabledSDARWS to earn top honorsOct. 4 during the awardsceremony at the NRWA H20-XPO in Louisville, Kentucky.

“South Dakota Associationof Rural Water Systems stoodout in every category,”SDARWS President DanCarlson said. “The nationalrecognition is well deserved.Our training and technicalassistance programs keep cityand rural water operators up-to-date on procedures andregulations affecting watersystems, and our emergencyresponse efforts during theMissouri River flood showedthe government’s confidencein our organization’scapabilities.”

“We see them as the best ofthe best,” said NRWA Awards

Committee Chairman KentWatson. “This association hascontinually been at theforefront of service to itsmembership. They haveexcelled in obtaining fundingat the state and national levelto expand systems. They werethe first to provide a service toits membership to personalizetheir quarterly publication(Quality On Tap magazine).This state association has alsoreceived national acclaim forits work in responding to aNative American water utilityduring an extended blizzardwhere they had extensiveproblems.”

SDARWS ExecutiveDirector Dennis N. Davisaccepted the award on theassociation’s behalf. “StateAssociation of the Year is thehighest honor a state ruralwater association can receivefrom NRWA, and we are veryproud of thisaccomplishment.”

South Dakota Associationof Rural Water Systems is astatewide member-basedorganization with offices inMadison and Spearfish tomeet the needs of water andwastewater systemsthroughout South Dakota.

SDARWS is top ruralwater association

Snow can’t stop Tour of HomesBy Travis Gulbrandson

travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk.net

Despite the slick, snowyroads Saturday afternoon andevening, the annual ClayCounty Historical SocietyChristmas Tour of Homes was asuccess.

“It worked out real well,” saidhistorical society presidentGloria Barnes. “Even though itwas snowy, it was a beautifulnight.”

The event began in theafternoon, with tour-goersvisiting each of the four homes,followed by a reception at theAustin Whittemore House,where the historical society ishoused.

Barnes’ Forest Avenue homewas one of those featured on thetour.

“We had a lot of people comethrough our house,” she said.“Everybody took their shoes offwhen they came in, so I can’tsay there was any mess.Everybody thanked us foropening up our home.”

The other three tour homesbelonged to Linda Kogel, and

Alan and SarahWittmuss, both ofwhich are locatedon south UniversityRoad, and the Rev.Robert and PaulineGrossmann, whosehome is onMadison Street.

“Everybody hada different type ofhome, so it wasreally nice to do,”Barnes said.

The event is heldeach year to raisefunds for thehistorical society, aswell as to encouragethem to visit theAustin WhittemoreHouse.

Barnes said itprovides a goodopportunity “toremind people thatthe historical societyis at the AustinWhittemore House,for people to comeand visit it. Weshowcase that.”

Historical society membersJudy Sullivan, Luanne Oulette,Cleo Erickson and AnnSeverson also worked on the

tour and took part in thereception.

The theme of this year’s Tour of Homes sponsored by the Clay County HistoricalSociety, on Saturday, Dec. 3 was “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas,” and that’s justwhat the planners received when it began snowing heavily just before the tour wasto begin. That didn’t keep people from participating, however, or from enjoyingsomething to eat at a reception afterwards at the Austin Whittemore House.

(Photo by David Lias)

TREE LIGHTING

Santa flips the switch to light the Community Christmas Tree atRatingen Platz in downtown Vermillion Friday night, Dec. 2, followingthe third Annual Parade of Lights. Following the parade, children andparents were invited to the Vermillion Public Library for "Stockings forSoldiers," an opportunity to make an ornament to take home and todecorate a stocking for a soldier serving overseas.

(Photo by David Lias)