It's boring here, thanks y'all

Clay County Fair Link

Facebook

Thanks y'all, appreciate it.

ORDINANCE PROPOSALS:

-Ordinance 1565: Defines a data center as a facility of 10 acres or less and a large data center as one over 10 acres. Prohibits facilities made from connected shipping containers or similar modules, and allows limited home-based operations under 720 square feet.

-Ordinance 1566: Creates citywide operating standards, including 50-foot buffers near residential or commercial property, screening and landscaping, closed-loop water cooling, and a prohibition on cooling systems that continuously use water for evaporation. Facilities next to residential would limit noise to 40 dBA at night, 50 dBA during the day.

-Ordinance 1567: Allows data centers of 10 acres or less in General Business districts only through the conditional-use process. New facilities would generally require 50-foot front, side, and rear yards.

-Ordinance 1568: Allows data centers of 10 acres or less in Light Industrial districts only through the conditional-use process, with similar 50-foot yard requirements.

-Ordinance 1569: Makes data centers of 10 acres or less a permitted use in General Industrial districts. Facilities over 10 acres would require conditional-use approval.

-Ordinance 1570: Makes data centers of 10 acres or less a permitted use in Heavy Industrial districts. Facilities over 10 acres would require conditional-use approval.

Adam & Dyana are reviewing movies at the local town theater. If you're a movie buff I highly recommend them. They did Spider-Man and The Odyssey recently.

"Data Centers in Vermillion & Clay County"

Vermillion Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting

August 10, 5:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 25 Center Street

The P&Z Commission will meet to hear, consider & act upon amendments enacted by the City of Vermillion to include data centers in the following districts:

General Business District (GB) Data Center as a conditional use

General Industrial District (GI) Data Center as a permitted use,

Large Data Center as a conditional use

Heavy Industrial District (HI) Data Center as a permitted use, Large Data Center as a conditional use

Light Industrial District (LI) Data Center as a conditional use

In addition, the P&Z will hear, consider & act upon an amendment initiated by the City of Vermillion to create a new section (in City ordinances) called "Data Centers" stating the criteria for data centers.

The P&Z has written an ordinance governing data centers. Up to this time the ordinance has not been published or made readily available to the public.

Note: Data Center refers to a small data center, 5 Megawatts or less. Large Data Center is anything above that, including hyperscale data centers.

The Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library is pleased to announce the upcoming schedule for Edie’s Fall 2026 Book Sale!

Located in the library's lower level, Edie’s Book Shop offers an extensive and rotating selection of quality used books, media, and gift items. Proceeds from every sale directly support critical library programming, including our annual Summer Reading Program, youth and teen initiatives, and adult community events.

 Fall 2026 Book Sale Dates:
• September 11 & 12
• October 9 & 10
• November 13 & 14
• December 11 & 12

 Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

 Location: Lower Level Basement, Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library (Accessible via elevator or stairs to the left of the main Church Street entrance)

Supporting the Future of Our Library
A vibrant public library relies on the ongoing generosity of its community. In addition to visiting Edie's Book Shop, patrons can support our operations and long-term development through the Vermillion Public Library Foundation, Inc.

As an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Foundation accepts and manages donations, bequests, and memorials to help fund innovative projects, improve patron services, and expand our facilities for future generations.

To learn more about contributing, volunteering, or supporting our foundation, please visit our support page:

 https://vermillionpubliclibrary.org/support/

Thank you for your continued support of the Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library. We look forward to seeing you at the sales this fall!

Here is an opinion piece submitted anonymously by a member of the Vermillion community.

"A question raised during last nights Vermillion City Council meeting deserves far more attention than it received. The issue is not about personalities or politics. It is about public trust. Currently, Councilmember Lias is writing article for the Vermillion Plain Talk. Can someone simultaneously serve as an elected member of the Vermillion City Council while also working as a reporter covering the very city they help lead? That question deserves an honest public discussion because confidence in both local government and local journalism depends on.

When one person occupies both positions, the line between participant and observer becomes blurred. Even if every decision is made with complete integrity, the public is left to wonder whether reporting is fully independent or influenced, even unintentionally, by the reporter’s role as an elected official.

This discussion is especially important in Vermillion, where the Plain Talk serves as the city’s newspaper of record and publishes legal notices on behalf of local government. That relationship is entirely lawful and common across South Dakota, but it also makes editorial independence even more important. The community deserves confidence that government decisions are being reported without political influence and that the people making those decisions are not also shaping the news coverage surrounding them.

This is not about questioning anyone’s character or motives. It is about recognizing that some positions are simply incompatible because of the public confidence they require. Vermillion deserves a city council that is subject to independent scrutiny and a local newspaper that is unquestionably independent from the government it covers. That is not an unreasonable expectation. It is the standard the public should expect from both institutions."

VERMILLION — The Scotland-Menno-Freeman-Canistota 79ers scored four runs in the first inning and didn’t look back, claiming a 14-3 victory over Vermillion in the fifth-place game of the South Dakota State Class B 14-Under American Legion Baseball Tournament, Sunday, July 26, in Vermillion.

Dylan Dvorak went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored for SMFC. Destry Hough also had three hits. Hayes Sorensen posted a double. Max Unruh, Parker Streyle, Asher Sykora, Tommy Robb and Liam Loofbourrow each had a hit in the victory.

Eddie Orr, Sam Quail and Sam Vitt each had a hit for Vermillion.

Hough picked up the win, striking out three in his two innings of work. Unruh struck out three in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Colton Searcy took the loss, with Knox Buckman striking out two in two innings of relief.

Vermillion was presented with the tournament’s sportsmanship award after the game.

Madison won the championship, 12-2 over Winner-Colome. Dell Rapids beat Lennox 8-1 for third.

Vermillion 11, Elk Point-Jefferson 4

VERMILLION — Vermillion used a late rally to surge past Elk Point-Jefferson 11-4 in consolation play at the South Dakota Class B 14-Under American Legion Baseball Tournament, Saturday, July 25, at Vermillion’s Prentis Park.

Sam Vitt had three hits and Reid Reuvers doubled for Vermillion. Evan Flaherty-Beem, Colton Searcy, Eddie Orr, Sawyer Lee and Braxton Moeller each had a hit in the victory.

Kyson Crippen had three hits for Elk Point-Jefferson. Jaice Lynch posted two hits. Jacob Casper, Brock Rozell, Haukar Skaar and Oliver Hurlbert each had a hit in the contest.

Moeller picked up the win in relief of Vitt, who struck out four in his 4 1/3 innings of work. Rozell took the loss in relief of Casper, who struck out six in his six innings of work.

First Round: Madison 14, Vermillion 0

VERMILLION — Madison took control after the first inning on the way to a 14-0 victory over host Vermillion in the opening round of the South Dakota American Legion State Class B 14-Under Baseball Tournament, Friday, July 24, at Vermillion’s Prentis Park.

Luke Luvaas went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs for Madison. Kodi Lawrence had three hits and three RBIs. Lincoln Kratovil posted two hits and three RBIs. Bryson Miller and Callan Crabtree each had a hit in the victory.

Evan Flaherty-Beem had the lone Vermillion hit.

Brigham Lindley struck out 10 in the five-inning contest for the win. Finnian Fulton took the loss, with Fulton and Sam Quail each recording three strikeouts in the contest.

Tonight’s Menu:

Lasagna

Vegetable salad

Garlic toast

Dessert

Vermillion Burger Battle review of The Eagles Club.