PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem laid out her legislative priorities in her “State of the State” speech this week. District 18 Senator Jean Hunhoff of Yankton says she heard the tone. Hunhoff says the Governor again made a point of cutting the sales tax on groceries. Hunhoff says she will be interested in… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(KJJQ)- The Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Corrections says the state needs new facilities. Governor Noem has proposed some $400 million in expenditures for new prisons in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Kellie Wasko spoke to the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning. She says new facilities are needed to deal with both… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(SDBA & WNAX)- The South Dakota Senate Commerce and Energy Committee Thursday morning passed a bill that allocates $150 million in housing infrastructure loans and grants. A parade of business and housing lobbyists and state officials briefly testified in favor of Senate Bill 41. Nathan Sanderson with the South Dakota Retailers Association. Carl Adam… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen delivered the annual “State of the Judiciary” speech to the legislature Wednesday. Jensen talked about a bill that was introduced last year that would have done away with the bar exam taken by law school graduates. Jensen says the bar exam is needed to gauge… Read more »

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.(WNAX)- South Dakota Senator John Thune took part in a Farm Bill roundtable discussion in Sioux Falls this week. He said a lot of ag groups were there to offer input. Thune says conservation will again be an important part of the next Farm Bill. Thune says there needs to be incentives to… Read more »

ABERDEEN, S.D.(KXLG)- Fifteen-year-old Willa Stern of Webster was crowned the 2023 South Dakota Junior Snow Queen. Stern is a freshman at Webster High School. There were 25 other contestants for the crown during the Junior Snow Queen Coronation Saturday at the Aberdeen Civic Arena. Corinne Bosse of Britton was the first runner-up, Kayana Wright of… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(HubCityRadio)- If you want to testify on a bill that’s before the South Dakota Legislature’s House State Affairs Committee, you will have to do it in person. Prior to COVID and on a limited basis, people had been able to testify via phone. Then the COVID pandemic ushered in remote testimony as a common… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- The cities of Pierre and Watertown have about a week to present a recommendation to the U-S Department of Transportation as to what air service they would like to see serve their cities.  Pierre Mayor Steve Harding says the city has looked closely at the three possible options for air travel. A number… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – Dustin Hermansen, an Aberdeen Central High School senior; and Maxwell Lightfield, a Milbank High School senior; have been chosen as South Dakota’s delegates to this year’s 61st annual United States Senate Youth Program to be held in Washington, D.C., March 4-11. In addition to the week-long program, the Hearst Foundations provide… Read more »

WATERTOWN, S.D.(KXLG)- The recent Essential Air Service proposal for the Watertown Regional airport from Denver Air Connection includes three scenarios: Keep things as they are now with DAC flights to Denver and Chicago; drop Chicago and have flights only to Denver or daily flights to both Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. According to Denver… Read more »