THE GOOD: The American Red Cross opened numerous shelters for storm victims in response to a severe ice storm that plagued much of northcentral South Dakota beginning Jan. 22.
THE BAD: Thousands of people who live in that remote area of the state suffered electrical outages and a loss of running water to their homes when the tri-county rural water system broke during the storm.
THE UGLY: Residents of Ziebach and Dewey counties also have the ignoble distinction of living in two of the lowest-income places in America. Ziebach ranks as the fourth poorest county in the nation. Dewey sits at No. 11 on that list.
THE GOOD: February is American Heart Month and a good time to improve heart health.
THE BAD: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for South Dakotans of all races and genders.
The Ugly: Too often, South Dakotans fail to do the simple things we can to change that: Quit smoking, lower salt intake, check blood pressure, increase activity levels and maintain a healthy weight.
THE GOOD: A new $16.8 million hospital in Chadron, Neb., is soon to open, bringing state-of-the-art medicine to the Nebraska Panhandle, including electronic medical records throughout every department of the new hospital.
THE BAD: Unemployment rates for the Rapid City area rose to 5.1 percent in December, which was slightly higher than the statewide rate for December of 4.8 percent.
THE UGLY: There were 3,375 people officially unemployed here last December, 755 more than there were in December of 2008.
Submitted by Patrick O'Leary:
THE GOOD: Plans by the School Board to make the pay scale for a new superintendent high enough ($180K) to attract the best candidates possible and remain competitive within the region.
THE BAD: That plans for attracting the best teachers available, by offering nationally competitive salaries, are not being put ahead of administrative competitiveness.
THE UGLY: That all this planning for competitive salary and best candidates results in nothing more than a retire/rehire scenario that brings back Superintendent Peter Wharton, and leaves Rapid City Schools with the same leader it had at twice the salary.
