I have some good news and some sad news. It looks like we will be having an early spring this year so that is good news. The sad news is that South Dakota Sam has gone to that great gopher hole in the sky. He tried crossing in front of a Ford F-350 with duallies, pulling a stock trailer, and unfortunately that was just too many tires for Sam to Dodge. I visited with his mother, South Dakota Suzy, to offer her my condolences. She vowed that she would make sure that there was a South Dakota Sam the 7th ready for next year, in honor of her dearly departed son.