June 2024

College News

South Dakota State University announced the following students from Sleepy Eye were named to the spring dean’s list for earning a GPA of at least 3.5: Trey Heiderscheidt, College of Natural Sciences; Jake Heinrichs, College of Engineering; Lauren Hoffmann, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Jacob Lux, College of Education and Human Sciences; Madison Mathiowetz, College of Natural Sciences; Leah Miller, College of Education and Human Sciences; Samantha Richert, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Reagan Severson, College of Natural Sciences; Jacob Stevens, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Sydney Windschitl, College of Natural Sciences.

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Budget shortfall prompts talk of school funding referendum

Sleepy Eye residents could be asked to increase taxpayer support for their public school through a referendum in the next couple of years as the district faces shortfalls of several hundred thousand dollars in its operating budget.Superintendent John Cselovszki told Sleepy Eye School Board members last week that the district’s reserves are healthy enough to fill such gaps for the time being, but they will likely need to ask for help from voters eventually.

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SEPS gets extra year as Indians

Sleepy Eye Public will remain the Indians until fall 2026 – one year longer than anticipated – after the state legislature extended its deadline for Minnesota’s public schools to end their use of American Indian names and imagery for mascots.Sleepy Eye’s sports teams will become the Storm when that new deadline kicks in.

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Wonka Awaits

Upcoming locally.Tell us about an event: dforster@cherryroad.comSleepy Eye Community Theater presents: ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’June 27, 28, 29 at 7 p.m.June 30 at 2 p.m.St.

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Group’s first fundraising goal: Beautify Sleepy Eye monument

The board of the new Sleepy Eye Regional Foundation on Tuesday decided its first project will be to improve and beautify the grounds around the Chief Sleepy Eye obelisk monument.The group anticipates needing to raise as much as $10,000 or more for the work, which in one landscaper’s proposal would feature new colored concrete around the monument, flowing walkways with curved edges, and rock beds with decorative grasses and other plants.Currently, the city-owned site conveys a weathered, barren look, with old sidewalks, a worn bench and a patch of lilies the only vegetation besides lawn grass around the large granite obelisk where the Sisseton Dakota chief is buried.“It looks tired,” said Sara Hornbrook, a foundation board member who also serves on the board of the Sleepy Eye Area Historical Society, which supports the beautification proposal.Sleepy Eye Regional Foundation board members are preparing to launch their fundraising efforts after re-establishing themselves following a period of inactivity and lapsed IRS status by the foundation’s defunct predecessor, the Sleepy Eye Area Foundation.

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