Plenty Of Sunshine 9 a.m.: 53 | 3 p.m.: 66 P YANKTON DAILY 4...
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of the Press & Dakotan’s monthly series spotlighting occupa- tions, tasks and duties in our coverage area. ——— BY NATHAN JOHNSON [email protected] As a transit director for Yankton and other communities in the region, Velda Bentson is used to being on the move. On any given day, she is managing more than 60 employees, wrestling with mechani- cal issues on a vehicle or hopping behind the steering wheel to transport a client. However, the month of April presented some special challenges for the director of Yankton Transit and the Rural Office of Com- munity Services (ROCS) Transit, which serves a combination of 18 towns and coun- ties. ROCS is based in Lake Andes. Instead of spending her usual two days a week in Yankton, the largest community for which she oversees transit services, Bentson has been in the community daily. “With the things that have been going on lately, I’ve hardly had time to go do other du- ties,” she said. “It’s been a challenge.” A recent Federal Transit Administration (FTA) ruling found that Yankton Transit, a non-profit organization that receives federal funding, was improperly providing exclusive school bus service to young student riders. In April, Yankton Transit implemented a plan that it believed was in com- pliance with FTA rules. However, problems with the agency’s scheduling software led to serious delays in picking up and delivering students. The situ- ation left many parents angry and frustrated. After further communication with the FTA, Yankton Transit was told that it could continue providing service as it had in the past until the end of the current school year. “I’ve tried to be patient,” Bentson said. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls, and some- times the calls aren’t nice. I just tell myself, this is a time we’re going through and it’s going to get better. You have to stay positive.” She shares many of the concerns of her parent callers. One reason Yankton Transit had buses that only carried children was to ensure their safety. Bentson said she also be- lieved it was reassuring to the youngsters to see the same driver every day. “When we go to enroll children for the fall school year, we can be up front with the school parents and tell them the risk they YANKTON RECYCLING THIS WEEK: SOUTH OF 15TH STREET 75¢ Plenty Of Sunshine 9 a.m.: 53 | 3 p.m.: 66 | DETAILS: PAGE 2A Y ANKTON D AILY VOLUME 139 NUMBER 1 Friday ■ April 26, 2013 The Dakotas’ Oldest Newspaper | TWO SECTIONS | www.yankton.net P RESS & D AKOTAN REGION 2A-3A | OBITUARIES 3A | VIEWS 4A | WORLD 5A | SPORTS 8A-9A | CLASSIFIEDS 10A-13A | MIDWEST 13A TOMORROW: Local Agencies Participate In Hostage Exercise Printed on Recycled Newsprint Printed with SOY INK Named To YHS Fine Arts Hall Of Fame RIVER CITY 4 SPORTS INSIDE TODAY USA Weekend ON THE JOB BY RANDY DOCKENDORF [email protected] April showers may bring May flowers, but this month’s surge in moisture has also brought plenty of smiles to farmers and other residents throughout the region. “I think we are still lagging behind (for precipitation), but it’s certainly a lot better than it was two or three weeks ago,” said Dave Bartel, man- ager of the James River Water Devel- opment District (JRWDD). “I feel a lot of the rural people are talking a lot more positive today than a couple of weeks ago,” he added. This weekend’s expected warm- up will also provide a much needed break from an early spring that has been dominated by cold and snow- fall. How cold and snowy? This spring is one for the record books, accord- ing to South Dakota state climatolo- gist Dennis Todey. “Yankton is the coldest on record for the spring — since March 1 — so far at 31.7 degrees,” he said. “Yankton has seen 5.75 total inches of precipi- tation, the 14th wettest, and 12.4 inches of snow, for the 15th snowiest.” Even more important than the amount of moisture are its content and timing, Todey said. “Most of this precipitation will help. The earlier precipitation fell on frozen ground and only helped ponds. More recent precipitation and snow is entering soil moisture,” he said. “The concern is that we still have some deep soil moisture profile deficits that are still with us.” BY STEPHEN OHLEMACHER Associated Press WASHINGTON — A handful of senators from states without sales taxes are blocking a bill that would tax Internet purchases. They don’t have enough support to kill the bill, but they can delay a final vote until Fri- day — or even this weekend — if senators don’t reach an agree- ment to vote earlier. The bill would empower states to require online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes for purchases made over the Internet. Under the bill, the sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is leading the fight against the bill. Oregon, Montana, New Hamp- shire and Delaware have no sales taxes, though the two sen- ators from Delaware support the bill. “It’s coercive. It requires a number of states to collect the taxes of other states thousands of miles away against their will,” Wyden said in an interview. “It’s discrimination because this forces some people online to carry out responsibilities that brick and mortar retailers do not have to do.” Wyden said the bill also gives an advantage to foreign retailers. Supporters say the bill treats foreign retailers the same as domestic ones, but oppo- nents question the ability of states to enforce state tax laws on companies based in other countries. The bill has already sur- vived two procedural votes this week, getting 74 votes in favor each time. If senators don’t reach an agreement to vote ear- lier, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., threatened to hold a vote shortly after mid- night Friday morning to end the debate. The Senate is scheduled to go on vacation next week, and Reid vowed to pass the bill be- fore senators leave town. “One way or another, we will finish work on this measure be- fore we leave,” Reid said. Wyden said he doesn’t want to inconvenience senators eager to go home. But, he added, “I don’t want to have our constituents rolled over in the process.” Under current law, states can only require stores to col- lect sales taxes if the store has RIVER CITY A Summer Of Sequels Is Ready To Roll • 6B Transit Director Kept Busy By Recent Events Moisture Leaves A Positive Mark On Region BY DAVID PITT Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — As spring rains soaked the cen- tral United States and helped conquer the historic drought, a new problem has sprouted: The fields have turned to mud. The weekly drought moni- tor report, released Thursday by National Drought Mitiga- tion Center in Lincoln, Neb., showed the heavy rains that also caused some flooding in the last week brought drought relief to the upper Midwest, western Corn Belt and central portions of the Plains. Farmers may be thankful the land is no longer parched, but it’s too wet to plant in corn country and freezing temperatures and lingering snow have ruined the winter wheat crop. “Right now, we’re wishing it would dry up so we can get KELLY HERTZ/P&D Velda Bentson is the director of Yankton Transit and the Rural Office of Community Services (ROCS) Transit. She oversees transportation services for the non-profit agencies in almost 20 area communities and counties. T ACKLING T HE T RANSIT I SSUE H EAT W AVE CORRECTION Thursday’s story on the MSAC presentation should have said ground water is expected to increase an aver- age of seven feet in the Lewis and Clark Lake delta area in the next 50 years, impacting infrastructure and property. The seven feet is a total, not annual, increase. Climatologist: Weather Was Well-Timed Drought Eases In Many Places, Fields Turn To Mud KELLY HERTZ/P&D The heat was on outside of Yankton High School Thursday as the students in Vicki Barron’s Pottery and Sculpture class got a firsthand look at the making of Raku pottery. Tom Clarke (pictured) and his wife Wanda of Dakota Pottery Supply in Sioux Falls brought two kilns down to help the students with their clay creations, which were exposed to almost 1,850- degree heat and then exposed to air to create unusual colors and designs. No Vote Yet On Internet Sales Tax MUD | PAGE 14A MOISTURE | PAGE 3A TRANSIT | PAGE 14A ADDENDUM In today’s River City, the four photos used for the Yankton High School Fine Arts Hall of Fame story were supplied to the Press & Dakotan by Photography by Jerry. This information was inadvertently omitted from the River City section. TAX | PAGE 3A Yankton Hosts Large Field For Relays • 8A
Transcript of Plenty Of Sunshine 9 a.m.: 53 | 3 p.m.: 66 P YANKTON DAILY 4...
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of the Press &Dakotan’s monthly series spotlighting occupa-tions, tasks and duties in our coverage area.
———BY NATHAN [email protected]
As a transit director for Yankton andother communities in the region, VeldaBentson is used to being on the move.
On any given day, she is managing morethan 60 employees, wrestling with mechani-cal issues on a vehicle or hopping behindthe steering wheel to transport a client.
However, the month of April presentedsome special challenges for the director ofYankton Transit and the Rural Office of Com-munity Services (ROCS) Transit, whichserves a combination of 18 towns and coun-ties. ROCS is based in Lake Andes.
Instead of spending her usual two days aweek in Yankton, the largest community forwhich she oversees transit services, Bentsonhas been in the community daily.
“With the things that have been going onlately, I’ve hardly had time to go do other du-ties,” she said. “It’s been a challenge.”
A recent Federal Transit Administration(FTA) ruling found that Yankton Transit, anon-profit organization that receives federalfunding, was improperly providing exclusiveschool bus service to young student riders.
In April, Yankton Transit implemented a
plan that itbelievedwas in com-pliance withFTA rules.However,problemswith theagency’s
scheduling software led to serious delays inpicking up and delivering students. The situ-ation left many parents angry and frustrated.
After further communication with theFTA, Yankton Transit was told that it couldcontinue providing service as it had in thepast until the end of the current school year.
“I’ve tried to be patient,” Bentson said.“We’ve been getting a lot of calls, and some-times the calls aren’t nice. I just tell myself,this is a time we’re going through and it’sgoing to get better. You have to staypositive.”
She shares many of the concerns of herparent callers. One reason Yankton Transithad buses that only carried children was toensure their safety. Bentson said she also be-lieved it was reassuring to the youngsters tosee the same driver every day.
“When we go to enroll children for the fallschool year, we can be up front with theschool parents and tell them the risk they
YANKTON RECYCLING THIS WEEK:
SOUTHOF 15TH STREET
75¢
Plenty Of Sunshine9 a.m.: 53 | 3 p.m.: 66 | DETAILS: PAGE 2A
YA N K T O N D A I LY
VOLUME 139NUMBER 1
Friday ■ April 26, 2013
The Dakotas’ Oldest Newspaper | TWO SECTIONS | www.yankton.net
PRESS&DAKOTAN
REGION 2A-3A | OBITUARIES 3A | VIEWS 4A | WORLD 5A | SPORTS 8A-9A | CLASSIFIEDS 10A-13A | MIDWEST 13A
TOMORROW: Local Agencies Participate In Hostage Exercise Print
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SOY I
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Named ToYHS FineArts HallOf FameRIVER CITY
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S P O R T S
I N S I D E T O D AY
USA Weekend
ON THE JOB
BY RANDY [email protected]
April showers may bring Mayflowers, but this month’s surge inmoisture has also brought plenty ofsmiles to farmers and other residentsthroughout the region.
“I think we are still lagging behind(for precipitation), but it’s certainly alot better than it was two or threeweeks ago,” said Dave Bartel, man-ager of the James River Water Devel-opment District (JRWDD).
“I feel a lot of the rural people aretalking a lot more positive today thana couple of weeks ago,” he added.
This weekend’s expected warm-up will also provide a much neededbreak from an early spring that hasbeen dominated by cold and snow-fall.
How cold and snowy? This springis one for the record books, accord-ing to South Dakota state climatolo-gist Dennis Todey.
“Yankton is the coldest on recordfor the spring — since March 1 — sofar at 31.7 degrees,” he said. “Yanktonhas seen 5.75 total inches of precipi-tation, the 14th wettest, and 12.4inches of snow, for the 15thsnowiest.”
Even more important than theamount of moisture are its contentand timing, Todey said.
“Most of this precipitation willhelp. The earlier precipitation fell onfrozen ground and only helpedponds. More recent precipitation andsnow is entering soil moisture,” hesaid. “The concern is that we stillhave some deep soil moisture profiledeficits that are still with us.”
BY STEPHEN OHLEMACHERAssociated Press
WASHINGTON — A handfulof senators from states withoutsales taxes are blocking a billthat would tax Internetpurchases.
They don’t have enoughsupport to kill the bill, but theycan delay a final vote until Fri-day — or even this weekend —if senators don’t reach an agree-ment to vote earlier.
The bill would empowerstates to require online retailersto collect state and local salestaxes for purchases made overthe Internet. Under the bill, thesales taxes would be sent to thestates where a shopper lives.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., isleading the fight against the bill.Oregon, Montana, New Hamp-shire and Delaware have no
sales taxes, though the two sen-ators from Delaware supportthe bill.
“It’s coercive. It requires anumber of states to collect thetaxes of other states thousandsof miles away against their will,”Wyden said in an interview. “It’sdiscrimination because thisforces some people online tocarry out responsibilities thatbrick and mortar retailers donot have to do.”
Wyden said the bill alsogives an advantage to foreignretailers. Supporters say the billtreats foreign retailers the sameas domestic ones, but oppo-nents question the ability ofstates to enforce state tax lawson companies based in othercountries.
The bill has already sur-vived two procedural votes thisweek, getting 74 votes in favor
each time. If senators don’treach an agreement to vote ear-lier, Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid, D-Nev., threatenedto hold a vote shortly after mid-night Friday morning to end thedebate.
The Senate is scheduled togo on vacation next week, andReid vowed to pass the bill be-fore senators leave town.
“One way or another, we willfinish work on this measure be-fore we leave,” Reid said.
Wyden said he doesn’t wantto inconvenience senatorseager to go home. But, headded, “I don’t want to haveour constituents rolled over inthe process.”
Under current law, statescan only require stores to col-lect sales taxes if the store has
R I V E R C I T Y
A Summer Of SequelsIs Ready To Roll • 6B
Transit Director KeptBusy By Recent Events
MoistureLeaves A
Positive MarkOn Region
BY DAVID PITT Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa — Asspring rains soaked the cen-tral United States and helpedconquer the historic drought,a new problem has sprouted:The fields have turned tomud.
The weekly drought moni-tor report, released Thursdayby National Drought Mitiga-tion Center in Lincoln, Neb.,showed the heavy rains thatalso caused some flooding inthe last week brought droughtrelief to the upper Midwest,western Corn Belt and centralportions of the Plains.
Farmers may be thankfulthe land is no longer parched,but it’s too wet to plant incorn country and freezingtemperatures and lingeringsnow have ruined the winterwheat crop.
“Right now, we’re wishingit would dry up so we can get
KELLY HERTZ/P&D
Velda Bentson is the director of Yankton Transit and the Rural Office of Community Services (ROCS) Transit. She oversees transportation servicesfor the non-profit agencies in almost 20 area communities and counties.
TACKLINGTHETRANSIT ISSUE
HEATWAVE
C O R R E C T I O NThursday’s story on the MSAC
presentation should have said groundwater is expected to increase an aver-age of seven feet in the Lewis andClark Lake delta area in the next 50years, impacting infrastructure andproperty. The seven feet is a total, notannual, increase.
Climatologist: Weather Was Well-Timed
Drought EasesIn Many
Places, FieldsTurn To Mud
KELLY HERTZ/P&D
The heat was on outside of Yankton High School Thursday as the studentsin Vicki Barron’s Pottery and Sculpture class got a firsthand look at themaking of Raku pottery. Tom Clarke (pictured) and his wife Wanda ofDakota Pottery Supply in Sioux Falls brought two kilns down to help thestudents with their clay creations, which were exposed to almost 1,850-degree heat and then exposed to air to create unusual colors and designs.
No Vote Yet On Internet Sales Tax
MUD | PAGE 14A MOISTURE | PAGE 3A
TRANSIT | PAGE 14A
A D D E N D U MIn today’s River City, the four photos used for the Yankton High
School Fine Arts Hall of Fame story were supplied to the Press &Dakotan by Photography by Jerry. This information was inadvertentlyomitted from the River City section.TAX | PAGE 3A
Yankton Hosts LargeField For Relays • 8A
