The Territory of Dakota, with the exception of the portion drained by the Red River of the North and the Mouse River, was a part of the Louisiana Territory, acquired by the United States from France, by purchase, in 1803.

There are many reasons to visit the Black Hills. The towering pillars of granite would be plenty enough on their own, and that’s before you factor in the amazing monuments of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. But one of my favorite reasons to head for the hills happens once a year in late September: the Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park.

September is a time when communities come together to prepare for the months ahead, and there’s no better way to give hope to patients in need than through blood donation. At the recent Gregory Community Blood Drive, local donors showed what that hope looks like in action - ensuring lifesaving blood is available for neighbors and patients across the region. The drive collected 24 units of blood from 21 generous donors, enough to help up to 72 local patients.

DITOR Dear editor, The Rothschilds have just begun to lose control of the weather. For 47 years, they have controlled the skies through a network of 22 weather modification stations that could direct hurricanes, droughts, floods and earthquakes, on demand, to any place on Earth.

Dear editor, Everyone is talking about the unpredictable weather (Pacific hurricanes) and the unpredictable economy due to the wannabe King’s oil war of choice and climate change from fossil fuels. Locally, we have $4.30/gal gas and $6.30/gal diesel. The move to renewable fuel sources and EVs is accelerating. In July 2025, Max-Power at Lawson, Sask., deepdrilled into a vast hydrogen deposit, which can be developed as a 0- emission fuel source. In July of this year, a Japanese oil company ended a 50- year research project where they deep- drilled 1.5 miles down to volcanic rock to heat water there to steampower electricity generation. This generation is continuous, non- polluting, and unending, and can be done in other places. There are at least 2 old hog barns in northern Tripp County, still operating. I remember the same disputes in Saskatchewan, about the economic benefits of employment and grain sales versus manure management and the needed separation from their human neighbors. Those hog barns were 1/10th the size of these new proposed sow barns. 10,000 sows can produce from 3 farrowings, at least 200,000 piglets, who have reduced immunity at birth. This means that they are raised until weaning in sterile buildings, where the humans caring for them dress like in a maternity ward, shower in and shower out. Then those weanlings are transported to nearby 1000-head fattening barns with their own water, electrical and sewage lagoon needs. How is it that this Iowa- based company happened to come to Tripp County and this particular location, W1/2 16-100-77 in Banner township? We learned, via press release, that AI research directed the US military to stop and search a Chinese military ship regarding the possible transportation of nuclear weapon material from Iran. But wiser human heads stepped in and headed off a potentially dangerous expansion of the Iranian conflict. The regulation of AI and the development of data centers is a nationwide discussion point during the midterm elections. Data centers house the computers where a company like META, which is Facebook and Instagram, store their data, which requires large amounts of electrical energy and cooling water. These data centers are mainly in three states, 600 of them in rural Texas, where many citizens are fighting back, asking, who is going to pay for the electricity and make sure that they will have the water resources they need? AI also influences the stock market. USA, where computers and the Internet were developed, those high-tech companies have made their executives, like Elon Musk, some of the richest men on earth. Now rogue AI have hacked into other AI companies and taken them over. People have to take charge, and there is a meeting of the States’ Governors, to discuss how. One of those Governors says that how effective their regulations are will be illustrated by how HARD the AI companies fight them. Jim Liggett, Colome, SD

Dear editor, In the last 4th of July parade, graduates of the class of ‘66 passed by, waving from a trailer platform. What came to mind was back when I was a freshman, I went out for football in the Fall when they were seniors. I’d been in country school the past eight years and knew little about playing the different positions. But one senior, the student manager assisting the coaches, went out of his way to come alongside me and show me, during many a practice after school, how to play the different defensive positions. And especially how to go about tackling the ball carrier. He put extra personal effort into helping me, and his encouragement inspired me to play the sport with confidence.