News Briefs | September 23, 2026

Fall harvest bazaar and supper set
Grace Free Lutheran Church in Bruce invites the public to its Annual Fall Supper and Bazaar on Oct. 3, serving from 5-7 p.m. The menu includes Swedish meatballs, lefse, apple crisp and more. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children from 5-10 and free for children age 4 and under. Take- out meals are available. To place your order, call (605) 627 5445 during the festival hours. The church is handicap accessible. The Bazaar will include lefse, baked goods, craft items and garden produce. There will be a drawing that evening for the Grace Quilter’s Annual Fundraising Quilt for a donation of $1 a ticket or $5 for 6 tickets.

Kiwanis Pancake Day scheduled
On May 11, 1922, fifty men from the city of Brookings formed the local Kiwanis Club of Brookings.

The Kiwanis Club of Brookings, now in existence for nearly 105 years, is also all about service to children. To fund its activities and programs that benefit children, the club has sponsored Pancake Day for many years, serving pancakes, sausage, and beverages to those in attendance. The tradition continues this year with the annual Pancake Day scheduled for Sept. 26 at the Community Life Center, located at Sixth Street and 7th Avenue. Food and beverages will be served from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pancakes are all you can eat. Gluten-free pancakes are available, as well as sugar-free syrup.

Tickets are available at the door or in advance from any Kiwanis member for $10. Children ages 5 and under eat for free. Event participants can also take their chance at winning raffle items. Tickets can be purchased at the event for $1 each or 6 for $5.

Kiwanis International (www.kiwanis.org), of which the Kiwanis Club of Brookings is a part, is a global organization of members dedicated to serving the children of the world. The Kiwanis Club of Brookings uses the money raised at Pancake Day to support its motto of “Improving the world, one child and one community at a time.” Among the causes supported by the club are the Brookings Backpack Project, Family Back 2 School, Special Olympics, Brookings County Youth Mentoring Program, Project Joy, Share the Warmth, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, CASA, Habitat for Humanity, and elementary school needs. Each year the club also awards $500 scholarships to two Brookings High School students.

Other club activities include preparing and serving a meal at the Harvest Table, ringing the Salvation Army bell, assisting with the Brookings Marathon, serving root beer and pretzels at a Brookings Community Band concert, donating food for Feeding Brookings, and assisting with the Feeding Brookings food distribution.

Johnson inducted into SDHOF
James L. Johnson, a theater educator, spent 30 years at South Dakota State University as director of theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre, where he directed 105 plays. During his career, Johnson’s dedication shaped careers nationwide, having contact with more than 13,000 students at multiple universities. He championed arts access in rural communities and was one of many instrumental figures in establishing the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center in Brookings. He retired in 2003 as SDSU distinguished professor emeritus.

Hospital upgrades surgical suites
BROOKINGS — Brookings Health System recently completed a $1.3 million upgrade to all three surgical suites at Brookings Hospital. By integrating the latest technology, Brookings Health continues to ensure patient safety while increasing staff efficiency during operating procedures.

The health system invested in the Stryker iSuite system which combines ceiling-mounted lighting, screens and floating shelves; surgical cameras; surgical tables; and digital software into a connected surgical environment.

“Upgrading our surgical suites with improvements like precision lighting, high-end cameras and high-resolution screens allow surgeons to view internal anatomy as accurately as possible while performing procedures,” said Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Hillestad, RN. “When surgeons can better see the operating field, they can work with greater precision and confidence, ensuring safe procedures and positive outcomes for patients.”

The technology also enables staff efficiency by minimizing unnecessary movements, streamlining device control in the operating field, and eliminating floor clutter and cord hazards.

This is the first major upgrade to Brookings Health’s same-day surgery unit since the Brookings Hospital expansion opened in 2017. The new system will be used for all surgeries performed at Brookings Health.

Some system features will further enhance a number of general surgery, gynecology, otolaryngology and orthopedic procedures.

Rotary hears from Jacks WBB coach
BROOKINGS — Brookings Rotary Club heard a comprehensive season preview for South Dakota State University Women’s Basketball from Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Sadie Thramer. Her presentation included roster updates, schedule highlights, and program milestones.

Coach Thramer highlighted last season’s 27-7 record, NCAA Tournament participation, and a mid-major Player of the Year award for Brooklyn Meyer.

Coach Thramer confirmed that official practice will start on September 21, transitioning to 20 hours per week of on-court preparation. The team will have a closed scrimmage at Kansas State University in mid-October and a home opener against Creighton University on November 2nd.

The structured ramp-up and high-profile non-conference matchups — including Oklahoma State University on November 15th featuring Liv McGill and Audi Crooks — position SDSU for national visibility and competitive readiness early in the season.

The program is returning all eligible players from last season and adding two freshmen, Audrey Shindelar from Stewartville, MN, and Trishelle Miller from Sioux City, IA. Coach Thramer reported that injured players Katie Vasecka and Abby Hoselton are making strong progress toward returning to the court.
Coach Thramer noted that roster retention reflects a strong program culture. The addition of two skilled freshmen guards deepens the team’s offensive versatility heading into a competitive Summit League season.

The Brookings Rotary Club is part of Rotary International, a global network of volunteers dedicated to service above self. The club meets weekly, supporting community projects that advance education, environmental beautification, and humanitarian aid locally and abroad.

— Brookings Rotary

New signs, not new parking rules
DOWNTOWN BROOKINGS — The “two-hour parking” signs on display all around Downtown Brookings do not represent new policy, just updated signage, City Manager Paul Briseno told The Beacon last week.

The signs went up on Sept. 11 and caused a bit of a stir, but Briseno said the ordinance has been in place since sometime in the 1990s and nothing had fundamentally changed.

“Those signs were just so old and tattered. All we did is update the signs, and just updating the signs, putting brand new ones. People never noticed the old signs. And so they started saying, ‘When did this go into effect? When did it happen?’ And the code has always been in place. The majority of the signs have always been there,” he said.

The old signs were a hodgepodge of shapes and colors, Briseno said, and many were very old, contributing to the confusion.

He also said that while the ordinance could be enforced, the city is not looking to ticket vehicles parked downtown.

“There is enforcement, but the enforcement isn’t prioritized,” Briseno said. “It’s no different than what we’ve done in the past. The reality is, if we didn’t have those signs, people could park in front of a business forever. Right now, and a lot of times, what we have is businesses who have concerns that the neighboring businesses’ employees park in front of their business rather than parking down the street, and so this is a way for us to help manage that parking situation. Realistically, a lot of times we’ll put a warning if it’s that bad, then we’ll address it. But the police department usually has grace to work with the person before it comes to a ticket.”

Linehan is the Beacon’s managing editor and welcomes story tips and comments at BrookingsBeacon@gmail.com