ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA: COUNTY OF THE MONTH

Largest City: Salem

County Seat: Salem

Population: 5,832

Founded: 1873

Home to the towns of Salem, Spencer, Montrose, Bridgewater, and Canistota, McCook County was founded in 1873. According to the book, A Roadside History of South Dakota by Linda Hasselstrom, McCook County gets its name from a colorful character named Edwin S. McCook. A Civil War general, he came from a family with strong military ties. His family was known as the "fighting McCooks," and five other McCook relatives were also generals at the same time he was. General Edwin McCook met his end during a political dispute over the Dakota Southern Railroad.

The town of Salem also has an interesting story behind its name. It is believed that the town was named by O. S. Pender, the first postmaster and store owner there. He named it after his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. Salem, South Dakota was founded in 1880, and shortly after people started spelling the name backwards: "Melas." They spelled it backwards to avoid confusion with another town, Salena. However, Salena's days were numbered, and the town did not last long.

McCook County had its share of hardship. In recent history, one of its worst nights was May 30, 1998. That was the night of the Spencer tornado. This tornado had winds in excess of 240 mph, and left a path of destruction that was 30 miles long and almost a mile wide. A power outage disabled Spencer's tornado warning systems. The tornado caused the death of six people, and hundreds more were injured. Tim Johnson has worked to make sure people now have weather radios and no community is without early warning systems, including backup generators. No other communities should have to suffer as Spencer did on that fateful night.

Tim's Work for McCook 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 McCook 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 McCook County.

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.

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.

Weather radios come in a variety of sizes and styles, with prices typically ranging from $25 to $100. They are available at electronics and hardware stores throughout South Dakota. When severe weather strikes, they turn on automatically, broadcasting an alert or sounding a siren. They work even when all in a household are sleeping. Because they run on batteries or have a battery back-up, they continue to work even if there is a power outage.

Tim Nominated Maxwell Mayer from Canistota to the U.S. Naval Academy

Maxwell Mayer is set to graduate from the Naval Academy in 2008, and McCook County residents are rightly proud of his achievements. Mayer exemplifies South Dakota values, service and commitment to excellence. In order to be nominated for a service academy, young men and women must be of good character and must meet strict requirements in academics, physical aptitude, medical fitness, character, and leadership potential. Candidates must receive a nomination from a member of Congress in order to be considered for appointment.

Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project

The Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Project received $650,000 in Fiscal Year 2005 and $500,000 FY 2006. Funding will be used to protect tallgrass prairie areas. At one time, the tallgrass prairie that included the easternmost counties of North Dakota and South Dakota was the largest grassland on earth; however only about 10% of it remains today. This project preserves native grasslands, including the historic habitat and rare species found in such areas, by purchasing perpetual easements from willing sellers. The easements prevent the plowing or cultivation of such lands, but the landowner is free to hay the grasslands or allow livestock to graze on the land.

Regional Revolving Loan Fund in Southeastern South Dakota

In Fiscal Year 2003, Senator Tim Johnson secured $360,000 for the South Eastern Development Foundation. The foundation will operate a regional revolving loan fund benefiting six counties in southeastern South Dakota, including Minnehaha, Lincoln, Turner, McCook, Clay and Union Counties. The loan fund provides opportunities for the economic development throughout the entire region by supporting the advancement of small business ownership and expansions, job creation and retention, and entrepreneurial enterprises. This type of micro-loan program can encourage economic growth through entrepreneurship.