Meet your new neighbors...

A few folks in Yellowstone Place have already had the privilege of welcoming our newest neighbors -- Chen Wu, Zack Cao, and their two delightful children, Lydia and Joseph. They have moved in to the garden home previously owned by Phil and Dawn Koehler.

We caught them relaxing on their front porch this weekend.

Chen Wu is holding daughter Lydia, who is three years old. Zack is holding six-month-old Joseph.

Originally from China, Chen and Zack were most recently residents of Oxford, Mississippi, where they earned advanced degrees in business at the University of Mississippi. Zack tells us he works in the Business Office at Black Hills State University and teaches part-time in the Business Department, where Chen Wu is a full-time professor.

As you have the opportunity, please welcome our newest neighbors to Yellowstone Place!

City sends notice of public hearing

Many Yellowstone Place residents have received (5/30/09) the notice shown here:

Dues increase announced for YPA

Yellowstone Place Association was formed in 2002, and an annual assessment was begun the following year to help pay for various expenses. Chief among these has been lawn care and snow removal, but legal work, preventative maintenance, and other continuing expenses have also been covered by the $90 monthy assessment.

Meeting earlier this month, the YPA Board of Directors, after considerable discussion over the past year, has determined that it is necessary to increase the assessment by 10 percent.

Accordingly, all owners have been sent a letter spelling out the increase. Here is the text of the announcement.

The increase is effective July 1st, 2009.

Annual meeting set for June 9th

NOTICE

The annual meeting of the Yellowstone Place Association will take place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 at the Cedar House Restaurant. Dessert and coffee will be served. All owners and residents are encouraged to attend this meeting. Further information will be forthcoming in the print version of the Yellowstone Place Geyser.

How're your sprinklers working?

Since sprinklers have now been turned on by Merle's Lawn Service (5/22/09), we've heard from only one owner about misalignment of sprinkler heads. Most issues are caught when the water is first turned on by workers -- but there are frequently problems that arise in the first few days.

Please contact Larry Miller at 722-6018 if your sprinklers are misaligned or you have other problems with the sprinkler system. We'd like to take care as many reported problems as we can during these first few days.

Water park opens this weekend

Traffic in and out of Yellowstone Place may be a bit heavier this weekend with the opening of the new Rec Center Water Park just south of the Post Office. By all appearances, the facility is ready for an onslaught of youngsters -- and perhaps a few older folks, too! Thanks to Karen Miller for sharing this panoramic photo of the new park.

Dingeman named V-P of history group

Yellowstone Place neighbor Paul Dingeman has been around Spearfish almost all of his life. His involvement and interest in the community is reflected in his election this week (5/5/09) as Vice-President of the Spearfish Area Historical Society.

Shown above are the 2009-10 officers of the society. Seated in front is Mary Selbe, Secretary; others (left-to-right) are: Dorothy Honadel, Treasurer; Cheryl Miller; Paul Dingeman, Vice-President; Callie Houghton; and Rand Williams, President. Not pictured is Laurie Williams-Hayes, Programs.

The historical society meets monthly (September-May) at the Spearfish Senior Citizen's Center. If you're interested in reading more about the society and its programs, visit Black Hills Journal and click on Spearfish Area History Postings on the left-hand side of the page.

Congratulations, Paul!