Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Monday - 6/24/26

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Tuesday, July 7, 2026 * 🎆 Watertown Celebrates its Largest 4th of July Crowd Ever! The Watertown Fourth of July celebration completely shattered records this year, drawing an unprecedented estimated crowd of 10,000 to 11,000 people! Fireworks coordinator Randy Tupper attributed the massive turnout to flawless weather conditions and the heightened patriotic spirit of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tupper successfully raised $32,000 in local donations toward the overall $40,000 show budget, emphasizing that every single sponsor was a homegrown, local business. Following the report, Mayor Ried Holien surprised Tupper with a formal proclamation and awarded him the Key to the City, recognizing his decades of dedicated public service to Watertown. * 🦟 Tuesday Evening Mosquito Spraying Operations: The City of Watertown will conduct mosquito spraying tonight, weather permitting, beginning after 9:00 PM. Adult mosquito counts have reached the threshold requiring immediate treatment. Spraying will take place on both the east and west sides of Lake Kampeska, spanning from Kampeska Lodge to Prairie Winds Golf Club, and will include Derby Downs and Prairie Haven. Residents are asked to stay indoors during the active spraying window, keep children and pets inside for at least one hour after vector teams have treated your area, and thoroughly rinse any homegrown garden produce before eating. * ⚾ Hunter Halajian Commits to NICC: A massive congratulations to Watertown Post 17 pitcher Hunter  Halajian on officially committing to Northeast Iowa Community College! The talented left-handed pitcher is putting together an absolute breakout season on the mound, currently boasting a dominant 6-2 record, racking up 66 strikeouts with a stifling 3.02 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP over 58 innings pitched. Head Coach Ryan Neale highly praised  Halajian  years of deliberate player development, relentless work ethic, and steady improvement, stating that NIACC is gaining a high-caliber pitcher with "major upside."

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Monday, July 6, 2026

* ⛽ Feds Urge Action on High Gas Prices: The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are jointly urging State Attorneys General to intensify investigations into potential antitrust violations contributing to sustained high gas prices. In a formal letter, federal officials pointed out a frustrating market trend—while crude oil prices have consistently dropped, many petroleum companies have failed to lower their retail pump prices accordingly. Federal agencies are actively monitoring petroleum markets for price fixing, corporate collusion, and deceptive practices, highlighting recent enforcement actions such as blocking a major corporate merger that required the divestiture of 35 fuel stations. The DOJ reminds the public of its active whistleblower rewards program, which pays up to 30% of recovered criminal fines to individuals who report verified antitrust violations. * 🚒 Brookings County Deputies Respond to Weekend Incidents: The Brookings County Sheriff’s Office kept busy over the holiday weekend, responding to two separate fire and traffic incidents. On Saturday night, a malfunctioning firework sparked a grass fire along a property fence line on Prairie Park Court near White. Fortunately, most of the flames were already extinguished by the time deputies arrived, and no charges are expected. On Sunday night, emergency crews in Bruce responded to a single-vehicle rollover on 213th Street near 485th Avenue. A 15-year-old driver lost control of her Chevy Cruze and left the roadway, causing the vehicle to flip. Luckily, she was evaluated at the scene and released without requiring hospital transport; the South Dakota Highway Patrol is continuing the investigation.

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Thursday, July 2, 2026

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Thursday, July 2, 2026 * 🏖️ Independence Day Festival Details & Holiday Closures: A friendly reminder that several city offices—including City Hall, the Watertown Regional Library, the landfill, and the Park and Rec field house—will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The Prairie Lakes Wellness Center will operate normally on Friday but will be closed on Saturday, July 4th. Residents are encouraged to plan ahead for services before the long weekend. * 🤝 Watertown Area United Way Names Campaign Chairs: The Watertown Area United Way has proudly named Abby and Andy Turbak as the campaign chairs for the upcoming 2026–2027 fundraising campaign. The couple, who are highly active in local schools, radio, and community organizations, share the philosophy that strong communities thrive when neighbors help neighbors. Executive Director Lisa Doll praised their leadership and deep connection to local families. Funds raised during the campaign, which officially kicks off with community events from August 17th to the 21st, will support more than 28 local programs focused on health, youth opportunity, financial security, and resiliency. * 🦟 City-Wide Mosquito Spraying Scheduled: The City of Watertown has scheduled city-wide mosquito spraying to take place tonight, weather permitting, starting after 9:00 PM. Recent monitoring indicates adult mosquito counts have officially reached the threshold requiring immediate treatment. Spraying will take place on both the east and west sides of Lake Kampeska, spanning from Kampeska Lodge to Prairie Winds Golf Club, and will include Derby Downs and Prairie Haven. Residents are asked to stay indoors during active spraying, keep children and pets inside for at least one hour afterward, and thoroughly rinse any homegrown garden produce before eating.

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Wednesday, July 1, 2026 * 🏛️ Permanent Home Secured for Codington Connects: Local business leader Lee Schull has officially donated the downtown BPI building to Codington Connects. This generous act gives the local non-profit a permanent home to safely expand its vital community services, directly addressing urgent local housing and childcare shortages. The Schull family’s long history of anonymous giving inspired them to make this gift public to encourage a culture of philanthropy in others. Moving forward, the facility will be completely renovated to serve as a hub for key public resources, transforming the BPI acronym to stand for "Building Partnerships that Inspire". * 🌿 City of Watertown Steps Up Property Maintenance Enforcement: With summer growth in full swing, Watertown officials report that community complaints regarding overgrown grass, noxious weeds, junk, and inoperable vehicles are on the rise. While the Watertown Police Department prefers voluntary compliance, the city will move forward with mowing properties and assessing all associated fees directly to owners if official certified letters are ignored. Junk violations may also result in formal court citations. City Manager Alan Steger acknowledged that the city itself has temporarily fallen behind on mowing certain municipal areas and is currently reviewing its pollinator plot locations based on community feedback. * ⚡ Watertown Municipal Utilities Preps for Major Fiber Project: Watertown Municipal Utilities is preparing for a projected surge in utility locate requests as Bluepeak begins installing a massive 100% fiber optic overlay across the entire city. The project kicks off mid-July with an initial crew covering roughly 9 miles, with plans to expand to 170 miles by 2027. WMU currently handles 5,000 to 6,000 locates annually, but thousands more are anticipated, threatening to overwhelm current staff. To keep the project moving safely and on schedule, WMU is actively gathering quotes to hire a third-party locator, favoring a flat daily rate over per-ticket billing to prevent inflated costs.

❤️ Giving Back with the Shriners Northeast South Dakota Shrine Club Extravaganza

❤️ Giving Back with the Shriners Northeast South Dakota Shrine Club Extravaganza Meet Tyler Gamber! Over 35 years ago, Tyler was a patient receiving life-changing care from the Shriners Hospitals. Last year, he officially became a Watertown Shriners of El Riad himself to give back to the organization that helps so many children. Shriners Hospitals provide absolutely free care for children up to age 18 facing mobility issues, covering everything from braces and wheelchairs to surgeries. You can help support this incredible mission by attending For the Love of a Child this weekend! Northeastern General Auxiliary Watertown, SD, and a special shout-out to Sheila Moehring! 📍 Event Details: Where: Just One More Casino (717 S Broadway). When: This Saturday, starting at 2:00 PM. Food: Enjoy a delicious smoked pulled pork meal starting at 5:00 PM. 🎟️ Fun & Prizes: Compete in the Bean Bag tournament. Bid on 18 amazing items in the Silent Auction. Enter the 50/50 raffle or buy regular raffle tickets. Prizes include a 36-inch Blackstone grill, an upright freezer packed with meat, Vikings tickets, Shamrock tickets, tools, and a fire pit! Come out, have fun, and support a cause that truly changes lives! LIVE - Sheila Moehring & Tyler Gamber w/ Shiner's - 7/7/26 - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079589179912 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079589179912]