Rapid City Journal from Rapid City, South Dakota • 11

Section Local Obituaries B2-3 Sports B4-6 r- Law to allow vote on courthouse proposed Friday, September 30, 1 988 the Rapid City Journal i i v. "nnrcn 7 .1 1 II I Jj''1-' -r4Y 1 C'A I y-' A 1 J. McGregor Hagg Ham Diedrich J- Bill Harlan Staff Writer The three Republican candidates for the state Legislature from Rapid City have proposed a bill to permit public votes on major city and county construction projects, State Sen. Mike Diedrich, R-Rapid City, said the measure was in response to "frivolous" and "political" maneuvering by a "small but vocal group of Democratic candidates" who opposed a $3.6 million addition to the Pennington County Courthouse. In August three Democratic candidates for county office sued the Republican-controlled county commission to force a vote on the addition.

A judge ruled the matter could not be referred to a vote. State Rep. Don Ham, R-Rapid City, who with Diedrich Is running for re-election in District 34, criticized the Democrats for actions he said were "politically motivated in a negative way." Republican Rex Hagg, a candidate for the House in District 34, said Democrats had not offered any positive solutions to the problem. But Democrat Scott McGregor of Rapid City, who is running against Diedrich, said he supported the Republicans' proposal. "My comment Is, clearly, to welcome them aboard the team of good government and the right to vote," of the proposed South Dakota Air and Space Museum.

(Staff photo by Don Polovich) A hangar that formerly housed F-89 fighters at Ellsworth Air Force Base was moved Thursday to a site near the base's main gate where it will be part city and county governments. Diedrich, who recently was named city attorney for Rapid City, said the Democrats' lawsuit was i frivolous and a waste of taxpayers' money. He said McGregor, also an attorney, should have known that the commission decision was not referrable under current state law. McGregor disagreed. "If that's true, we would never have any legal action of any kind," he said.

"Every attorney would agree on everything and we'd never have to go to court." McGregor also said the county commission still could call for a public vote on its own. He said Diedrich, Ham and Hagg should ask the commission to do that. "I would urge them to get together with their cohorts on the commission and put it to a vote right now," he said. he said. "We will certainly support that effort." Democrats Ann Van Loan and Martin Busch, who are running for county commission, and Democratic candidate for county treasurer Vivian Pappel sued the commission after they had collected more than 3,000 signatures on petitions opposing the courthouse addition.

Thursday the three Democrats issued a statement to "commend these legislative candidates for their effort to correct the 1986 legislation that makes administrative resolutions nonreferrable." They also pointed out that Ham voted for the 1986 law the county commission cited in refusing to hold the vote. Diedrich and Ham announced Thursday they would co-sponsor a bill to permit expenditures from capital outlay funds to be referred to a public vote. Their bill applies to Museum gets off the ground as hangar moved to new site Custer County settles lawsuit for $70,51 9 Murphy to run for county board Hugh O'Gara Staff Writer Another candidate has announced he will be running for the Pennlng- Gordon Hanson t. Staff Writer An old 40-ton steel hangar was moved one mile Thursday to become part of the proposed South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth Air Force Base. It was the first major visible result after years of planning for the museum.

"We have had many people who said they would donate money or material in kind, but not until they saw something really starting to happen out here," said Jerry who directs the drive for the new museum. 1 Moving the hangar "is the crux of the whole thing," he said. "Things started to happen this morning. It's the beginning of a whole new era." Teachout is president of the Ellsworth Heritage Foundation, The group wants to build a larger and better museum just outside the base to replace the present smaller facility located In Ellsworth's oldest structure. The hangar is one of four built In the late 1940s or early 1950s by the Air Defense Command.

They housed F-89 fighters near the Ellsworth runway. The hangars, each 74 by 74 feet square and 40 feet high, and a large two-story building where F-89 pilots had remained on alert status, were given by the Air Force to the foundation. i After being moved to the new site near Ellsworth's main gate visitors' center, the structures will be renovated to provide 30,000 square feet of museum space, Teachout said. The present museum has about 2,500 square feet. All five buildings will be moved within the next four or five weeks by Ghere Construction Co.

for $60,000, "and It will cost $70,000 to put the new foundations down," Teachout said. The new complex should be ready by June "The fund drive has been ongoing for about two years," Teachout said. "It will cost us about 8325,000 to rehabilitate these hangars and get them ready to open. We're short of that (fund) goal, but we figured we can do with minimum for the next year pr two until we get things exactly the way we want them." The Air Force pay for any of this," he "Our Income is strictly from gift shop sales, memberships and donations." The number of visitors and gift shop sales have risen steadily in recent years, and the foundation's membership is growing, Teachout said. At least 24,000 people visited the museum last summer, an Increase of 5,000 over the previous year, he said.

Also, museum gift shop sales rose 27 percent. In another recent development, "E.P, Howe and associates have given us land for the new entryway to the museum area," Teachout said. ton County Board -iof Rapid Valiey resident John C. Murphy, a retired printer, will be on the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election.

Dirk Moore Staff Writer CUSTER The Custer County Commission agreed Wednesday to pay $70,519 to three former Custer County Sheriff's Department employees who claimed they were forced out of their jobs during a change in department administration. The commission unanimously passed a resolution that provided the funds for the out-of-court settlement at a meeting Thursday in Custer. "Upon the advice of legal counsel it is in the best interest of the county and the taxpayers to effectuate a settlement of the federal action now pending," the resolution said. The money, to be appropriated from the county's contingency fund, will go to two former sheriff's department deputies, Mike Blackwell and Men-it G. Pulkrabek, and a former dispatcher, Sheryl Wagner.

The three left the sheriff's department after the current sheriff, Vernon "Curley" Sprague, took office in January 1987. After seeking the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, the three claimed they were forced out of their jobs by Sprague without proper notification. Commission Chairman Bill Sager said commissioners had no choice but to attempt an out-of-court settlement. "This was a lot cheaper than taking it before a jury, and we had three different attorneys that said it was, too." Sager said lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case were expected to sign the agreement soon. "It was all agreed to over the telephone, and it was just a matter of getting the signatures from all parties." Sager said the settlement included no provisions to have the former employees reinstated with the sheriff's department.

Murphy City man arrested for assault John Woolllscroft Staff Writer A 19-year-old Rapid City man is under arrest, charged with two counts of felony assault for trying to run down another man with a car. Bail was set at $750 In magistrate court Thursday on Raymond Keith nf inn Surfurnnri Drive. "attempting to scare the guy who was spraying mace at us." Grey Owl also said he was not trying to run the victim over "just bump him a little," police re-, ported. A preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. I at 4 p.m.

in magistrate court. In other police action: A variety of tools worth about $1,000 was stolen from tool van in the rural Rapid City area. The burglary, which was reported Wednesday, took place between Sept. 23 and Tuesday. Entry to the van was forced.

If you have observed a crime or other suspicious activity, call Secret Witness. 394-2600. All information is kept confidential Watertown Street. According to police, the victim was assaulted after he used a can of a "mace-type" substance to end a fight Involving several persons. The victim sprayed it at the suspects who then into their cars and started to flee the area," police said.

The man ran with the mace toward the street to make sure the suspects were leaving, but Grey Owl, who was driving white 1980 AMC Eagle, allegedly accelerated at the victim and jumped a curb. The man tried to dodge out of the way, but was struck by the right front side of the car, he told police. Grey Owl was apprehended less than an hour later in the 600 block of East North Street. The suspect allegedly told police he was only vwi, The suspect faces a maximum sentence of 15 years In prison and a $15,000 fine on each felony count. Grey Owl also was charged with misdemeanor drunken driving.

Police said they found the 20-year- old victim with black tirt marks on his upper body, and bruises and abrasions on his left leg. He was not seriously injured in the alleged attack, which took place at 8:34 p.m. Im ha cnft klnrlr nl Vamt Murphy is a registered Independent. Murphy says he is "a strong, strong supporter of Dakota Proposition," the property tax roll back measure on the November ballot. If the measure is passed In November, Murphy said, "The state Legislature will have to do what they are hired to do." The Legislature would be forced to find replacement tax funds, especially to support education, he said.

Murphy said he favored a corporate Income tax to replace the loss of tax revenues if Dakota Proposition II passed in November. A corporate income tax could generate $72 million, Murphy said. Murphy said he believed in open government, a tight fiscal policy' and sensitivity to public wishes. "The courthouse has been an embarrassment for too long and it's time for a change," Murphy said. Murphy recently retired from Rapid City Regional Hospital after 14 years.

He had been the hospital's print shop manager. Murphy moved here from DeSmet 1n 1956. He served In the Navy dur-Ing World War II. He served as mayor of Cottonwood in 1964 and 1963. Murphy Is married with four children.

This Is Murphy's first run for public office. "It's my first windmill," he said. Murphy will face Republican candidates Lloyd Rypkema and Louis Freiberg and Democrats Martin Busch and Ann Van Loan. Murphy said he was running a bare-bones campaign out of his home. Any organization wishing to have him speak before it should contact him at 4225 Sweetbriar St.

Jail and Bail event raises $25,474 Civic nnies and Rushmore Plaza Center Manager Dick Geyer. Retired Senior Volunteers Program. McBride said 65 percent of the money raised in the event would stay In the state and was used for public health education programs for the prevention of birth defects. "We particularly work with teen-: agers on drugs," she said. The other 35 percent of the money goes to the national March of Dimes organization for research on birth defects.

She said only I percent of the March of Dimes budget in South Dakota was spent on administration. Mary Linda McBride said a total of about 140 "prisoners" served time for the fund-raiser. She said about 120 volunteers helped conduct the annual event. They Included members of the Ellsworth Officers' Wives Club, base security police, members of Delta Sigma Phi from South Dakota School of Mines Technology, off-duty Rapid City police officers, and members of the vi The March of Dimes Jail and Bail program in Rapid City raised $25,474.11 this week, $8,000 more than was raised last year, according to Mary Linda McBride, Rapid City, March of Dimes director for Western South Dakota. The Jail and Bail event was held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Among the area notables "jailed" at Rushmore Mall during the fund-raiser were Bruce Lien of Pete Lien and Sons; Marci Christiansen of KOTA and her husband, Police Lt. John Burdick, (charged with desertion for leaving Rapid City); Tyler Watson of KEVN; and Ed Hubbeling, of Dakota Block Co. Also, Gov. George Mickelson turned himself in and made a pledge of support although he did no jail time, McBride said. She said the number of well-known people jailed fit the fund-raiser's slogan, "Be Incarcerated With the Best." Ed McBride, Rapid City, was Jail and Bail chairman.

Among judges for this year's event were Police Chief Tom He- f- Correction- Catch The Bear appeared before the state Board of Pardons and Paroles Sept. 23, at which time the board denied parole. Catch The Bear will be eligible for parol con-lideration again in eight months, Beezley said. "We are aware that there is itrong community sentiment igainst his release," Beezley added. 'We take public safety factors into iccount in determining which inflates will be released." duced from first-degree murder.

In fact. Catch The Bear is not on parole and currently is incarcerated in the South Dakota State Penitentiary, according to Larry Beezley, state parole agent in Rapid City. Cline said she was misquoted. She said she had argued that Catch The Bear was now eligible for parole, which would have been less likely had he been sentenced under his original charges. Day royalty An article in Wednesday's Journal contained incorrect Information reportedly stated by a candidate for Pennington County state's attorney.

Ia a Tuesday evening debate, Democratic candidate Jean Cline was reported as saying that current State's Attorney Dennis Groff had "plea bargained away Collins Catch The Bear. Catch The Bear is now on parole." Catch The Bear was sentenced in 1985 on charges of second-degree manslaughter which fjad been re Marie Fairchild and Bob Bennett were named king and queen of the 1988 Day Court in the annual homecoming coronation Thursday night at the Central High School gymnasium. Senior attendants on the court are Stephanie Johnson, Misty Tipton, Nathan Fleming and Garth Stephens. Melanie Kramer is the junior attendant and Heather Roach is the sophorrKxevattendant (Staff phpto bv Steve tycEnroe).