Hot on the heels of 2020, hopes were high for 2021. The pandemic was still in force, though by summer it appeared as though it would finally release its hold as more people received vaccinations. Farmers were hit hard by drought conditions and low sale prices despite supply difficulties and shortages. Other supply issues occurred during the autumn months, but mostly resolved by the holidays.
In Garretson, plenty was happening, including the closures of a long-time printing business and a popular restaurant. The GHS Lady Dragons volleyball team went to state, as did the One Act play. The school district found itself in legal trouble after an opt-out vote went awry, and residents recoiled as natural gas prices hit unprecedented record levels over a holiday weekend in February.
Join us as we take a look back over 2021, and here's to a prosperous and healthy 2022!
January
The New Year opened with a bang as Garretson became Flavortown. Local restaurant O So Good appeared on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives" with Guy Fieri. Fieri loved chef and proprietor Omar Thornton's food, commenting, “Am I dreaming, because this is an amazing food dream I’m having right now.” Local businessman Bob Sanders announced at the end of the month that he had sold Sanders Printing Co. to Preferred Printing in Sioux Falls, ending a 115-year run of the family-owned business.
The first vaccines for COVID-19 started to be disbursed among long-term care residents and healthcare workers as case numbers continued to drop from their highs the two months prior, but deaths were still high as 290 people succumbed to the virus' effects in January. Preventative measures such as masking and social distancing remained in place.
At Garretson High School, a troupe of actors put on a fun romp through Grimm's fairy tales, taking first at Regions and a Superior at State competitions. The GHS Lady Dragons basketball team played some spectacular ball, ending January with an 11-3 win-loss record.
February
The middle of February brought subzero temps, and records were broken the second weekend of the month with more than 7 days under 10 degrees F. The cold weather affected areas as far south as Galveston, TX, a state that saw natural gas valves and wind turbines freeze. This, combined with a higher-than-normal usage, stressed power grids and natural gas pipelines and caused rolling blackouts across the Midwest. Costs for natural gas shot to 5-7 times their normal levels. Garretson's locked in 70% helped it to weather the price hike and save its customers hundreds of thousands of dollars, but overage costs still tripled or quadrupled customer rates for February.
GHS Basketball ended their regular seasons in February, with the Lady Dragons taking the loss during the second round of region playoffs. Their season record was 17-5. The boys' basketball team also took the loss in the second round of region play. High School Wrestling had a difficult time. Between injuries and pandemic precautions, for the first time ever zero wrestlers qualified for State.
March
The Garretson City Council was kept busy with the natural gas price hike, approving a payment plan for customers in order to keep them from falling into default. They also continued discussions throughout much of the year regarding a new community events center and city hall, first deciding whether the two should be combined and discussing what its location should be. The location still had not been finalized as of the end of 2021.
Local residents were concerned when a tragic event caused police and EMT presence on the south end of town, with some speculating on social media that there was an active shooter situation. There was not, which provided a good lesson on what information would be disbursed and how if there actually was one, and why such speculations can be harmful.
Drought conditions led to brush fires and forest fires across the state, including one on the edge of Rapid City and one near a historic barn on Highway 11 west of Garretson.
In sports, Garretson Youth Wrestling sent seven athletes to the State competition, with four taking first place and two taking second.
April
Garretson EMT services were again called out to a nearly tragic event at Palisades State Park when a visitor fell off a cliff, landing 30 feet down on a small ledge that was still 30 feet above the ground. A friend was able to climb down and hold the victim in place until rescuers evacuated the two. The victim was lucky, receiving only minor injuries, and prompted authorities to remind visitors to be careful on the rocks and cliffs.
Vaccinations opened to everyone age 16 and older, ending the phases that had driven disbursements the first three months of the year. The vaccines were proven safe and effective as millions received their shots with very few complications and a 94% effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations and deaths. The vaccines helped dropped positive COVID case numbers to nearly zero during the summer months in South Dakota.
Track got off to a cold start, and several athletes found success in their chosen event, including Logan Bly, who broke the school record with a 4'11" jump. She later broke her own record with a 5'0" jump at the State meet at the end of May.
May
In early May, COVID precautions began to be rescinded, with the city council repealing the mask resolution. While there was no enforcement behind the resolution, it was hoped that it would encourage community members to support each other to slow the spread of the virus. Numbers had fallen to less than 150 active cases across the state at the beginning of the month.
The opt-out vote was held by the Garretson School District, and while it passed by one vote, a number of discrepancies caused the school to refrain from certifying it. Issues such as a lack of published ballots, lack of electoral workers, and no awareness of the vote at county level caused the school to file a writ of mandamus to prevent a lawsuit. Voter turnout was also very low, with only 357 votes. The school board decided to hold the election again at a future date and forego the opt-out.
Garretson High School graduation ceremonies were held on time in 2021, with forty seniors graduating. High school sports ended their seasons strong, as seventeen Blue Dragons hit the track and field at State and golf performed well at regions.
June
In June, the big event was Jesse James Days over Father's Day weekend. The event had been canceled in 2020 and the Commercial Club looked forward to getting back on schedule. Children had fun with inflatables, model trains, and gathering candy at the parade, while adults and families enjoyed great food, a scavenger hunt, and a car show, despite sweltering temperatures.
Plenty of construction could be found around town as the truck route was completed and the sidewalk by the Legion building was replaced. Later in the year, a sidewalk would be constructed along Dows St from Main to Railroad Avenues, providing a safer route for pedestrians in the southwest area of town. At the end of June, a historic building on 3rd Street neighboring the fire department was demolished. The building's owner, Norm DeWit, had initially hoped the building could be saved, but it was discovered not to be structurally sound. DeWit opted to create a parking lot for the tenants of his apartment complex that abutted the property.
Summer baseball got off to a strong start, with Garretson hosting 14U, 16U, and 18U teams. While 14U had a difficult year gathering any wins and 18U/Legion baseball won 5 out of 14 games, 16U went 11-4 for the season.
See Part 2 of our story next week!
