Thursday,  October 18, 2012 • Vol. 13--No. 93 • 17 of 37 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 16)

part of the plea agreement with 21-year-old Taylor Cournoyer, prosecutors will dismiss charges that he abused children in the home and failed to notify authorities of a child's death.
• Prosecutors have said the 2-year-old girl's body was in a closet for nearly two days in July before Cournoyer and his wife, Laurie, reported her death.
• Taylor Cournoyer pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and one count of keeping a place for the use or sale of drugs, punishable by up to five years in prison.
• He also admitted to being a habitual offender, which exposes him to an elevated prison sentence of 25 years.
• Sentencing is set for Nov. 29.
• Charges are still pending against Laurie Cournoyer, 28. She is charged with one count of abuse or cruelty to a minor, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and one count of failure to notify authorities of a child's death, punishable by up to five years in prison.
• An 11-year-old boy also has been charged in the case, but details of his alleged involvement have not been released because he is a juvenile.

SD county has trouble finding anyone to fix jail

• MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) -- The Davison County Commission is having trouble finding a contractor to fix the showers in the county jail.
• Officials say no one has submitted a bid despite repeated requests by the county.
• County Commission Chairman John Claggett says all contractors are busy. But he says the jail repair would be a good winter project for a contractor, and the work needs to be done.
• The Mitchell Daily Republic reports (http://bit.ly/QXa2fE ) that the commission has directed county staff to start calling contractors to find someone who can do the job. The jail's shower walls have been damaged by moisture.
• The commission on Tuesday also voted to spend $5,200 to repair two cell doors that do not lock electronically and fix some other problems in the 72-bed jail.

USDA awards loan to build new Madison hospital

• MADISON, S.D. (AP) -- The U.S. Agriculture Department's Rural Development agency is providing a $20.5 million loan to help build a new hospital in Madison.

(Continued on page 18)

© 2012 Groton Daily Independent • To send correspondence, click here.