leo p. hamel, 1918-2011.

I received a message that Mr. Hamel passed away on Oct. 23. I met him briefly and took his portrait as an intern for the Valley News last year. The article was for the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and Hamel was the first cub master for Troop #38. He was kind, easy going, and even though we had just met, he talked to me like we knew each other for years.

This image is © 2010 Valley News and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

south dakota high school cross-country finals.

these images are © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

ode to ben reed.

Diana Aichele, left, applauds as Tia Ferguson, right, is presented with her crown and stash by Gabrielle Pederson during the Miss South Dakota Collegiate Pageant.

Check out Ben Reed's image from his Seven Deadly Sins series. He has some great work there!


this image is © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

rooftop.

An afternoon on a house roof... just part of the job!

these images are © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

haunted houses.

Believe it or not, these are pictures from haunted houses. Well, kind of. The top picture is from a haunted school in Keystone, S.D. A historical 19th century schoolhouse to be exact. The 2nd picture is from a haunted mine... a 19th century goldmine turned into a haunted mine. I have plenty of pictures of spooky people acting scary and stuff. I like these pictures, though, because of the mood from the manmade fog. So... happy halloween.

these images are © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

black hills powwow 2011.

these images are © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

protector of the night.

I followed a security guard for a private company around for an evening.

this image is © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

57773 gets axed.

The Pringle (S.D.) post office closes.

these images are © 2011 Rapid City Journal and may not be reprinted or used without permission.

mpw63.

My story from the Missouri Photo Workshop in Clinton, Missourah.

Glen Stewart: Holding His Own

“I lived the good life when I was 24. I was making 19 bucks an hour.”

Glen Stewart, 43, of Clinton, Mo., once had his own roofing business and made enough money to help out his parents and even fix up their house. Over the years, he ran into a series of events that changed his life: He lost his eye when a friend smashed a piece of firewood through his car window; he was involved in a car accident; and his father died in a tornado.

“My father's death left me depressed,” Glen said.

Today Glen lives in the same house he grew up in. He makes his money working odd jobs and living off of social security while his mom and three roommates help pay the utility bills. Glen finds a way to make the most of life with his unique charm and personality. Clinton residents familiar with Glen enjoy his company and revel in his oddities. Those distant from Glen are alarmed by the state of his house. Despite Glen's difficulties maintaining an everyday job, he gets by on his five acre grandfathered-house in Clinton.