ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA: COUNTY OF THE MONTH

Largest City: Estelline (as of 2000)

County Seat: Hayti

Population: 5,707

Founded: 1873

Home to the towns of Hayti, Bryant, Castelwood, and Estelline, Hamlin County was founded in 1873 and was named after Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, who served under President Abraham Lincoln.

Hamlin County’s population was 5,540 as of 2000. Its average farm size is 681 acres, and more than 90% of farms in Hamlin County are operated by a family or an individual. In 2000, Estelline was the largest town in Hamlin County, although it exceeded Castlewood’s population by only nine people.

And in “cheesy” history, Lake Norden is currently home to a $40,000,000 mozzarella cheese plant, which has one of the largest one-time private investments in the history of South Dakota.

Hamlin County has faced adversity over the years. In 1993, a category four tornado (characterized by maximum wind speeds between 207-260 m.p.h.) tore through an area 23 miles from Estelline. It injured five and caused millions of dollars in damage. Fortunately, no lives were lost.

Tim’s Work for Hamlin County

As South Dakota’s senior Senator, Tim Johnson is well-positioned to secure federal funding for projects that are important to the people of Hamlin County and to all of South Dakota. He has used his seat on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee to secure funding for programs that directly impact the lives of people in Hamlin County.
Tim is a strong advocate of homeland security grants and economic development grant programs that help our small communities continue to grow. That is why he was proud to announce funding for programs in Hamlin County that range from federal funding for the Hazel Volunteer Fire Department to federal funding for Lake Norden for the construction of a water supply system to federal funding from the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) for the Estelline School District.

Tim Works To Get a Weather Radio in Every Home

Tim forged a partnership between the National Weather Service and South Dakota Public Broadcasting to fit public broadcasting towers with weather radio transmitters. He went to the floor of the U.S. Senate and secured funding for those transmitters, as well as additional towers to carry the alert broadcasts throughout South Dakota.

More than 95 percent of South Dakotans are now covered by the early warning system. Homes and businesses with working weather radios in these areas will be alerted when a damaging storm approaches their area, even if it comes in the middle of the night while they sleep, or during a power outage. Tim also helped to get weather radios into areas with elderly, physically disabled, children, or others who needed special assistance.

A weather radio receiver can provide the advanced warning families need in order to find shelter. When activated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), weather radios sound an alert, letting people know that a dangerous weather system is approaching and giving them as much time as possible to find shelter.

Tim and the Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project

At one time, the tallgrass prairie that included the easternmost counties of North and South Dakota was the largest grassland on earth, but today only about 10% of it remains. Tim helped secure a $650,000 earmark for the Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project, which seeks to preserve native grasslands by purchasing perpetual easements from willing sellers. This prevents the plowing or cultivation of these lands, but the landowner is still free to hay the grasslands or allow livestock to graze on the land.

Tim’s Work for Transportation In South Dakota

The Northern Great Plains Regional Authority helps coordinate transportation, infrastructure and other projects that are important for economic development throughout South Dakota, among other states. Tim secured a $1.5 million grant through this program for South Dakota.

Tim Helps Coalition for Children

Tim helped acquire $245,000 for developing an online risk assessment/data collection system to be used by judges, law enforcement officials and social service workers, helping them find local resources to assist at-risk juveniles.

Under the system, when a law enforcement officer apprehends a young person that may need to be detained, the officer can call an 800 number to reach an intake officer. The officer will complete the risk assessment; based on the results, the intake officer will be able to quickly locate facilities that are able to take the young person, rather than having to place separate calls to each individual facilities.

Tim Secured Big Sioux River Flood Control Funding

During last year’s appropriations process, Tim developed an earmark to fund the prevention of flooding along the Big Sioux River. The amount received was $1.5 million.

Tim Secured Funding For The South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault

Tim directed a $172,765 earmark to the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault. Johnson secured these funds in the Fiscal Year 2006 Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill. The group will use these funds to combat family violence and sexual assault by purchasing equipment and financing programs.