Press Release, September 26, 2004

Whistle Stop Tour of I-29 Dairy Corridor

A Whistle Stop Tour of the I-29 Dairy Corridor will make one hour stops in nine communities. The October 9 and 10 event will include nineteen legislative candidates along with various other speakers.

Former U. S. Senator Jim Abourezk will speak in Sioux Falls and Canton October 9. The tour will also make stops that day in Dell Rapids, Flandreau and Brookings. Sunday features Clear Lake, Milbank and Watertown. At each stop, there will be 35 minutes of speeches and 25 minutes of mingling to answer questions. The event is sponsored by the “I-29ers for Quality of Life.”

The I-29ers have contacted all legislative candidates asking for their support on the right to vote. The speakers all agree citizens have the right to vote on zoning permits for large feedlots. They also think the I-29 Dairy Corridor is not a great idea. Local candidates who agree may also speak.

Legislative candidates include Clarence Kooistra, Bill Thompson, Mary Patterson, Kathy Miles, Roger Prunty, Steve Burge, Mike Kroger, Chad Liedtke, Maggie Gillespie, James Johnson, Frank Kloucek, Dave Gassman, Rich Engels, Mike Reardon, Sylvan TeKrony, Larry Rudebusch, John McIntyre, Rich Widman, and Kay Solberg. Other speakers involved are Bob Mack, Bob Weber, Don Hoogestraat, Kristi Prunty and Geoff Street.

Mike Reardon, a Rapid City candidate for the state senate, is also a well known West River musician. He will ride the I-29 motor home the entire way and also have his guitar aboard.

Reardon will also play as part of an evening event beginning at 7 pm in Brookings at the Old City Hall, 310 4th Street. The evening will include speeches as well as music. It is Free and Open to the Public. For those who wish to eat dinner, it will be available at 6 pm for $10. Dinner reservations are requested, phone 696-0374.

Reardon is now mainly a solo musician. He does original material and a wide variety of standards He has played with Black Hills bands including the Counter Players, Abby SomeOne, and Toadstool Jamboree. He plays bass from time to time for several well known 1950’s bands -- the Platters, the Drifters and the Coasters.

Events Sunday October will kickoff with a lunch buffet at The Lanes on Highway 15 south of Clear Lake at noon.

The media are invited to ride the motor home along with many speakers.