Ideal News and Views

News and Views from a few miles north of Ideal, South Dakota. History, agriculture, politics, hunting, bison, Scot heritage, WW11 B-24 Service, prairie life, cattle, weather, horses, Homesteading, and some photos.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Wealth Returns to Lyman County

The prior post on wealth leaving the Counties in S. Dak. has been countered by adjoining County of Lyman. A recent edition of the Lyman County Herald relates the return of wealth by a former resident.

Dakota (Mullen) Sturges was born to Judge Frank and Anna Mullen on a homestead southwest of Presho.Graduated from University of S. Dakota she returned to teach in Lyman County and in Tripp County in Winner. She married Fred Sturgis in Winner after returning from work at U. S. News and World Report Washington, D. C

Fred and "Kota" moved to Omaha, Nebraska and operated the W. H. Sturgis Company with Kota the business manager. The W. H. Sturgis Company's business was wool, hides, iron and metals, jack and jill rabbits(mink meat), wild animal furs, and prairie bones from past cattle and buffalo herds. Offices from Belle Fourche, Winner, Sioux City to Omaha retrieved and profited from the Western South Dakota used and unused material of the land.

Kota passed on several years ago and in her estate specified that three entities in Presho will each recieve $50,000 for three years. Returned wealth to Lyman county is $450,000.

Ripley's "Believe it or Not" carried a story on the W.H. Sturgis Company on collecting bones of the prairie.

Fred's brother, Charley operated the Winner branch andwas Winner's mayor. I have sold skunk and weasel furs and zinc lids from green mason jars to the business located on the corner west of main Winner.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Wealth Transfer in Triipp County

Wealth transfer or money from the lands of Tripp County has been studied and is available at SDCF website. As the money or wealth is handed down to the next generation it is likely that much of it will leave the county and the State. As the younger generation leave the so will the wealth as heirs of the holdings pass to them never to return.

The wealth study was conducted with Citigroup, Presentation College Foundation, Sioux Falls Area Foundation and the Watertown Area Foundation to forecast the financial future of South Dakota.

The information was over a 10- year period from 2000 to 2010. In Tripp County a 10-year transfer is indicated at $61,957,258. A population loss in the same time period is indicated at -7.9%
or 2,464.

Remember the rule to follow the money, so it is to follow the young brains that inherit the milk and honey of he rural areas of South Dakota never to return.

As the county population decreases so will the number of children that will be enrolled in the schools. State aid for schools will decrease based on enrollment and the needed dollars will be assessed to the rural land. Land produces fewer children as they are not needed by the farm and ranch. No need to kid the farm for hands to stook the grain, milk cows, or herd the sheep. the few left are to inherit the problems of the land and replenish the "CASH COW" for those in the population centers who still rely on the sales tax to finance great expectations. As the weak dollar leads to higher prices of the consumer goods, general sales taxes and special taxes as the 4 B tax in Winner allows bonds to be floated . Swimming in debt or swimming in water you still have to tread carefully or drowning by foreclosure is possible. Yes, cities can file for bankruptcy.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Mrs. President Hillary Clinton?

How will Hillary Clinton's name be listed on the election ballots this fall if she is selected in Denver, would her name appear on the ballots as : Hillary Clinton or her proper title of Mrs. President Hillary Clinton.

She is entitled to the formal address as a past President's wife as Mrs. President Clinton. That was the social form of address when Bill Clinton was President.

If Bill is tagging along at a formal dinner would he be introduced as Mr. President Clinton, or Mr. President Hillary Clinton.

Emily Post can you post a suggestion?