South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Dakota Political Junkies, Mike Keller, Meeker Ranch and Studebaker Drivers Club

Dakota Midday - 08/29/2012

Seth Tupper, editor of the Mitchell Daily Republic, and David Montgomery, political reporter for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, discuss political news. Discussion topics included Senator John Thune and the Republican National Convention, last week's DakotaFest debate between Representative Kristi Noem and Democratic challenger Matt Varilek and South Dakota's open record/open meeting task force.

Mike Keller, Dean of the Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota, talks about South Dakota's financial strength. Barron's, a weekly newspaper published by Dow Jones and Co., ranked South Dakota at the top of a list measuring the financial strength of all fifty states. South Dakota has virtually no debt, but Keller says that's not necessarily a good thing.

Artist Jon Crane and Black Hills National Forest archaelogist Matt Padilla talk about the renovation of the Meeker Ranch. The Meeker Ranch was constructed in 1887, spans 278 acres, and has several historic structures scattered across the valley. Cattle rancher Frank Cunningham Meeker homesteaded the site, located east of Custer, SD, in 1882 and named the area "Willow Creek." In 1952, the property was sold to the Davis family, and then acquired by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2004. Soon after, the property was sold to the Black Hills National Forest and was scheduled to be demolished in 2006. Local artist Jon Crane and the Black Hills Historic Preservation Trust lobbied to preserve and rehabilitate the ranch, raising matching funds and creating public awareness. Also, Grant Coffin, President of the Dakotas chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club, talks about the automobile. The last Studebaker automobile rolled off the assembly line in 1966, but the brand still has passionate followers. The Studebaker Drivers Club has over 12,500 members, including a chapter in Rapid City. The local chapter is sponsoring a car show in downtown Custer on Sunday, September 2 from 10 am to 3 pm.

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