Dawn Hoeke Named New Principal at O’Gorman High School
Local News March 19, 2026 0
Dawn Hoeke, formerly of Milbank, has been selected as the new principal at O’Gorman HIgh School in Sioux Falls. O’Gorman, a Catholic high school with approximately 700 students in grades 9-12, is part of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. Hoeke’s appointment will begin at the onset of the 2026-27 school... Read more
Belle Pauli and Avery Schuneman Named All-Conference Players
Milbank Area Girls Basketball March 18, 2026 0
Belle Pauli and Avery Schuneman, both sophomores at MHS, have been named to the Northeast Conference All-Conference list of girls basketball players for the 2025-26 season. Pauli, a 5’ 10 forward, was named to the first team. Schuneman, a 5’6” guard, made the second team. Tony Howard, head coach for... Read more
Steffen to Join MHS Debaters at Nationals
Local News March 17, 2026 0
MHS senior Keira Steffen has qualified to compete at the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament. She will join her teammates, Tate Pew and Bri Hicks, who qualified on February 21. The group will attend the event in Richmond, Virginia, from June 14-19. Steffen earned her way by placing... Read more
Seven Milbank members of the Watertown Swim Club competed in South Dakota’s four-day State A championship races for 13-and-over swimmers. The meet was held from February 26 through March 1 at the Mitchell Recreation Center. Watertown swimmers as a team were the runners-up in both the boys and the... Read more
The Milbank Ball Diamond Association received a $175,000 grant from First Bank & Trust and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines (FHLB Des Moines) through their Member Impact Fund. The presentation was made on March 6. “Baseball and softball play an important role in bringing our community... Read more
Milbank School Board Approves Resignations and New Hires
Local News March 12, 2026 0
The Milbank School District Board of Education conducted its regular meeting on Monday, March 9. Board members present: President Dick Schwandt, Amy Thue, Annelies Seffrood, Jon Christiansen, and Matt Trevett. The board approved several resignations: The board approved hiring: : Volunteer coaching positions were also approved for the upcoming... Read more
MHS junior Sam Rick and sophomore Lincoln Holscher were named to the 2025-26 All-Northeast South Dakota Conference Basketball Teams. Both were selected as the third-team honorees by the league’s coaches. Jackson Wadsworth of Hamlin was chosen as the NEC Player of the Year. Rick, a 6-foot guard, averaged 12.9... Read more
South Dakota’s 27th Annual Middle School All-State Band event was held in Mitchell on March 6-7. Keira Untalan and Uziel Nonoal Mendoza –both eighth graders and both clarinetists– represented Milbank Middle School. Both were members of the Festival Band that featured 100 musicians. The band’s culminating concert was held... Read more
In celebration of National Ag Week, the agriculture committee of the Milbank Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC) will host its annual Ag Appreciation Day on Wednesday, March 18. The event will be held from 7:30-11 a.m. at the Grant County 4-H Complex at 517 Flynn Dr in Milbank. The... Read more
Susan Karels Named 2026 Outstanding Bandmaster
Local News March 10, 2026 0
Susan Karels, now in her 34th year as the 6-12 band director for the Milbank School District, was named the 2026 Outstanding Bandmaster by the South Dakota chapter of Phi Beta Mu. She was recognized as this year’s honoree during the annual South Dakota Bandmaster’s Conference held in Brookings... Read more
