Saturday, Sept. 5Sunny & Hot High 91 Low 47

Sunday, Sept. 6Sun & Patchy Clouds High 76 Low 45

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INSIDE

SPORTS

WEEKENDWEATHER

Stained Glasswork

The United Churches in Hot Springs recently spruced up their windows just in time of their 100 year celebration.

See page A8

Free Centennial Park concert

This Saturday, Sept. 5, is a concert in downtown Hot Springs featuring Jalan Crossland.

See page A2

Sept. 3, 2020THURSDAYVol.1 No. 36

$125

Victory!Both the Edgemont Moguls and Hot Springs Bison football teams each earned their first wins of the season last Friday.

See page B1

By Brett Nachtigalland Charity Maness

HOT SPRINGS – With near-ideal weather conditions in the morning, an estimated 2,000 people attended this past weekend’s 5th annual Fall River Hot Air Balloon Festival, which included a Saturday morning launch of well over a dozen balloons from the Hot Springs Municipal Airport.

The planned Night Glow on Saturday night – where the balloon’s envelope is filled with air and then made to glow by firing the balloon’s burner – was changed to the candlestick glow (without the envelope filled up) due to high winds. The planned Sunday morning balloon launch was also canceled due to the potential of high winds and dangerous flying conditions.

In a statement placed on the event’s Facebook page, Petra Wilson, who serves as the event’s balloonmeister, said, “Our hot air balloon Pilots were looking forward to doing an exciting night glow, however when the winds did not die down, for everyone’s safety, the decision was made to do a candlestick glow instead. There were a few pilots who chose not to do the candlestick glow because their equipment would not tolerate

the type of winds we saw. This is always a difficult decision because our Pilots want to put on the best possible show, but we appreciate their recognition of the importance of safety to help insure further successful years of the Fall River Hot Air Balloon Festival.”

Regarding the canceled Sunday morning launch, Wilson said that

it was apparent the night before that weather would likely not be favorable again, therefore they decided to cancel due to the low-level wind shears and high winds predicted during the flight window.

“As you know, this event is always weather permitting,” Wilson said.

By Brett NachtigallPublisher

HOT SPRINGS – If there is a problem or a challenge, the solution usually doesn’t involve breaking something.

That is, unless you’re talking about ‘breaking’ ground.

Based on the results of a 2016 Housing Study commissioned by the City of Hot Springs, it was determined that the community had a housing problem – specifically, there was a great need for homes in the price range of $140,000 to $190,000 for young workers with families who were beginning their careers.

With that challenge identified, the city, led by then-Mayor George Kotti, pushed forward with a plan to make it easier for developers to build that kind of housing, which ultimately led to a RFP process (Request For Proposals) to develop five city-owned lots located on the site of the former water-fill station on Canton Avenue.

Hult Homes of Rapid City earned the bid from the city, and on June 27, 2019, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held at the site.

And late last month – just over one year from when ground was first broken – the second of two Governor’s Homes were placed on the site, which represent two big steps forward to solving the city’s housing issues.

According to Dean Hedrick with Hult Homes, the three-bedroom, 1,200 sq. ft. Governor’s Home is already sold and will have an owner living in it this month. He said that home sold for $174,900 and included several upgrades due to the purchaser’s requests prior to it being placed on the foundation, which includes an unfinished basement.

The other Governor’s Home is a 1,008 sq. ft. two-bedroom on a crawl space and is priced at $147,900. That house is yet to be sold, but Hedrick said he is confident it will sell soon

By Brett NachtigallPublisher

HOT SPRINGS – During the funeral services for Marv Stevens held outdoors at Woodward Field this past Saturday, Aug. 29, Pastor Matt Lim noted that when one dies, they leave behind three things: their earthly possessions, their loved ones and the memories of their life.

For someone whose earthly possessions included a plumbing business he operated for 54 years, and who had enough friends and family to literally fill a football stadium, and whose combined memories of him could figuratively fill another stadium – Marv “ Grandpa Skip” Stevens likely left behind more than most.

Approximately 275 people attended his funeral in person, with many more who left cards and well wishes prior to the ceremony but did not stay due to social-distancing concerns regarding coronavirus. Countless others paid their respects

after the funeral to Stevens, who was a 60-year member of the Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department, as they observed the many-blocks-long parade of fire trucks go through town on their way to Evergreen Cemetery for the committal.

After being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Aug. 5, Stevens became Hot Springs’ first, and so far only, confirmed death from the disease, which thus far has killed nearly 170 other South Dakotans. He died at the age of 83 in Monument Health’s Rapid City Hospital on Aug. 23, 2020, surrounded in person by his three children – Deb, Jim and Alan – but also by dozens of photos on the wall of his other family members, which his daughter printed and had hung there by healthcare workers.

Marv’s youngest son Alan, who was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in August along with his wife Michelle, said one of the most horrible things about having a loved-one hospitalized with the disease is not being able to see them during their ordeal.

By Brett NachtigallPublisher

HOT SPRINGS – Just over one week after the start of classes for the 2020-21 school year, the Hot Springs School District posted a COVID Update Letter to their website last Wednesday, Aug. 26, which highlighted the school’s response to S.D. Dept. of Health’s (SD-DOH) website which showed three new coronavirus cases in the county.

“We have not been notified of any positive cases involving our students, though are aware of possible exposure of students outside of our school day,” the letter state, which was signed by Superintendent Dennis Fischer. “We have taken steps to limit the exposure to students in all instances that we are aware of and will continue to monitor.”

Further in the letter, Supt. Fischer said the district is planning to

‘Last Call’ made for longtime Hot Springs resident, firefighter Marv Stevens was county’s first

death associated with COVID-19

Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-StarWith his firefighter grandsons Seth and Riley standing and looking on, Fire Chief Dar Coy rings the bell to signal Marv Stevens’ final call as part of the Hot Springs Volunteer Fire Department for the past 60 years. Also pictured seated is family friend Eric Glenn who performed the eulogy during Steven’s funeral on Aug. 29, along with Pastor Matt Lim.STEVENS, page A8

Hot Springs Schools post update on COVID-19 protocols

Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-StarDean Hedrick with Hult Homes stands inside one of two new Governor’s Homes his company placed and is currently finishing on a pair of city lots recently as part of an effort to create more workforce-type housing in Hot Springs.HOUSING, page A3

Governor’s Homes, retirement duplexes addressing housing needsSCHOOLS, page A3

Hot Air Balloons fly high as part of 5th annual Festival

Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-StarIt’s estimated that a combined 2,000 people attended Saturday morning’s hot air balloon launch and Saturday night’s candlestick glow, both held at the Hot Springs Municipal Airport. For more photos from the event, turn to page B8.

BALLOONS, page B8

EVENTS