Darrel Hinkle's health has improved so well that he has decided to desert his family and livestock tomorrow and go off snowmobiling At Laramie, Wyoming. Keep yourself in one piece there, Jockey!

Harold and Jerry Hinkle were able to celebrate Ground hog day in the usual fashion, eating pork sausage ( ground hog). Jerry saw his shadow. As it happens, so did Puxatawnee Phil, that woodchuck in Pennsylvania.

The financial reports for the public company Google's second quarter were very good. So good, in fact, that in today's trading the stock price was more than twice what Hinkle Brothers paid on IPO day. Google is the parent company of Blogger, who provides blogging services to the Holabird Advocate and about a million other folks.

A new bill introduced in the Legislature would have South Dakota voters decide next year whether to make the school year start the day after Labor Day. The measure, introduced in the Senate, has not had a committee hearing set yet. The Senate Education Committee decided that school boards should determine when the school year starts.

Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle, seems to remember that this was put to a public vote when he was in high school back in the old days, and that it passed. Why are we voting again? He could be wrong, and if so, please correct him. He just loves to be proven wrong so he can retract, as it happens so seldomly don't you know.

Yesterday, a solicitor from the South Dakota Peace Officer's Association tried to get our Publisher to make a $15 donation to his outfit. He replied that he gives locally. Just before hanging up the phone, he heard the solicitor say, "What could be more local than helping 8th graders in your own back yard?"

After checking his back yard for 8th graders and finding none, he thought about it. That is why our courageous, dynamic Publisher, Jerry Hinkle has decided to put together an essay contest for 8th graders in the Holabird area. So all you 8th graders listen up. To enter this contest, write a 100 word essay about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and send it to the Holabird Advocate at publisher@gmail.com . Be sure to include your name, address, age, where you attend the 8th grade and your teachers name. We are going to ask 3 local Peace Officers to judge the essays. To avoid any possible conflicts of interest, our judges will not know the names of any contestants. The Publisher will put up $15 in prize money. People and businesses wishing to donate cash and merchandise prizes are welcome to do so and will get a plug in the Holabird Advocate when they do. Contest deadline will be 12 noon on March 4.

The 28th annual Blizzard Sale is coming to Wegner Auto in Pierre. Our Publisher has got his eye on a sporty little unit that is on sale for $49. It's a 1992 Pontiac Sunbird SE . He would like to know if someone out there will give him a ride over there, and tow the car back to the Ponderosa for him. He's be willing to spring for the gas. If there is anyone interested they could please contact him before Saturday.