State awards economic development grants

HURON — A $400,000 economic development grant has been approved for a reconstruction and improvement project on sections of 383rd Avenue and 203nd Street west of Wolsey for access to the Lazy J Dairy.
The state Department of Transportation awarded a total of $4.7 million in grants for infrastructure improvements in smaller communities in South Dakota.
Beadle and Lyman counties were awarded Agri-Business Grant funds, while Community Access Grant funds were awarded for projects in Avon, Bridgewater, Clear Lake, Dell Rapids, Humboldt, Irene and Whitewood and the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
In the Wolsey area, improvements will be made on 383rd Avenue from Highway 14 south to 205th Street and to 203rd Street from 383rd Avenue to 382nd Avenue, for a total of about four miles.
The dairy completed an expansion project earlier this year involving more than $3 million in capital investment, creating five new full-time jobs.
The total project cost for the road improvements is estimated at about $533,000. The DOT is paying about 80 percent and the county is responsible for about 20 percent.

Following are the specific projects in the other community recipients of grant funds:
• Lyman County: $600,000 for 306th Avenue, to provide access to the Dakota Mill & Grain.
• Avon: $600,000 for Main Street, which serves the elevator and a business area.
• Bridgewater: $258,000 for Sixth Street and Poplar Avenue, which serve the school.
• Clear Lake: $340,000 for Second Street, Second Avenue South and Third Street, which serve the elevator.
• Dell Rapids: $600,000 for Seventh Street, which serves a business area.
• Humboldt: $600,000 for Main Street, which serves the school.
• Irene: $340,000 for State Street and Dickerson Avenue, which serve the school.
• Whitewood: $400,000 for Laurel Street, which serves the school and a business area.
• Oglala Sioux Tribe: $600,000 for Crazy Horse School Drive in Wanblee, which serves the school.