District 30 SD House member Tim Goodwin (left) tells Edgemont Mayor Rheta Reagan, State’s Attorney Lance Russell and Fall River County Commissioner Les Cope about his encouraging conversations with SD Senator John Thune’s office about preventing Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) from closing its railroad yard vital to the town’s economy. Photo by Beth Bogart/Fall River County Herald-Star

Lauren Cusano of Hot Springs stands next to her daughter Angela, age 4, as their family helps clean up around Brookside Park during this past weekend’s Great American Cleanup. Also helping nearby were Lauren’s husband Eric and their other daughter Isabella. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

A 1929 John Deere GP and a 1941 John Deere B hold the Oelrichs Historical Society’s sign advertising their conference on April 13. Photo by Roy Merdanian

Wildlife photography Dick Kettlewell once again won first place in the Best Photo Series category of the South Dakota NewsMedia Association contest for “Fall River Rhapsody.” Photo by Dick Kettlewell/Fall River County Herald-Star

Chemist Dr. Ryan Hayes helps guide a group of young audience members as they create homemade slime while on stage during a Creation Science Symposium held at the Mueller Civic Center and hosted by the Hot Springs Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

A permanent 400-foot barrier has now been installed along the river channel retaining wall in front of Springs Lodge. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Linda Heggestad, right, the granddaughter of Florence Mueller, poses with her daughters Amy and Susannah while seated on the Kidney Springs bandstand which her greatgrandfather John Mueller, Sr., originally built and designed. Submitted photo

FRC court house

Members of the Fall River Thrift Store board of directors (center) are surrounded by representatives of several area volunteer fire departments, all of whom received checks for at least $1,000 each. In all, the thrift store donated a total of $12,000 to Angostura, Ardmore, Cascade, Edgemont ($2,000), Hot Springs ($3,000), Minnekahta, Oelrichs, Oral and Smithwick. Courtesy photo

This colorful fence surrounds the playground at the Hot Springs Elementary School. Beginning next year, the district plans to add a second section to its preschool program to double its capacity to more than 30 students aged 3-5. However, to cover the cost of an additional preschool teacher, the district is hoping to fund raise from the community to avoid having to utilize Impact Aid funds. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star