YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- The heat wave is putting pressure on electric companies and consumers as air conditioning units spin up from Canada to Texas. Bob Rowe, President and C.E.O. of Northwestern Energy says they were able to hold electric rates stable for quite a while. Rowe says impacts on their customers are the primary focus. Rowe… Read more »

SOUTH DAKOTA(WNAX)- Hot, dry windy weather is the right recipe for wildfires. Darren Clabo, Fire Weather Meteorologist for the State of South Dakota says the combination of humidity and winds is critical. Clabo says any wild fire that starts will rapidly move with the wind. Clabo says the rest of the week will have hot… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- Inflation. Interest rates. Basis points. Possible recession. There’s a lot going on with the US economy these days– and the global economy as well. South Dakota Bankers Association President Karl Adam says what we’re seeing now is the culmination of the last few years. Adam says in an attempt to settle some of… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – On Tuesday, the Kristi for Governor campaign responded to South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s (SDPB) plan to “provide an empty chair in the space Kristi Noem would normally occupy.” “With this gimmick, SDPB has validated all our concerns about their bias. They are more interested in embarrassing the Governor than in a… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- A recent report from the South Dakota Board of Regents showed that about thirty five percent of graduating high school seniors are not going on to higher education. Board President Pam Roberts says they are reaching out to those students. Roberts says a tight labor market is drawing many young people into jobs.… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- With inflation now running at over nine percent, the Federal Reserve Board is considering another substantial jump in interest rates later this month. Curt Everson of Pierre is a member of the State Council of Economic Advisors and says this level of inflation is a new experience for many people. Everson says the… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- Alumni of Yankton College held their first all-class reunion since 2019 this past weekend. 1965 graduate, Ron Bertsch of Yankton, says he has great memories of his time at the college. A ribbon cutting was held for the new Yankton College Alumni and Educational Center at the Mead Cultural and Education Building. Bertsch… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- Illegal drugs continue to be a problem across South Dakota but there are differences of opinion on how to address them. Interim Attorney General Mark Vargo says law enforcement is still seeing the same range of drugs. Vargo, who is the Pennington County States Attorney, says dollars are limited in fighting drugs. Vargo… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – On Monday, Governor Kristi Noem announced that South Dakota closed the 2022 budget year on June 30 with a surplus of $115.5 million.  Total general fund revenue for fiscal year 2022 finished $72.3 million higher than adopted estimates, and the state general fund budget ended with expenses $43.2 million less than… Read more »

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – After three weeks of calling for one, Gov. Noem announced on July 15, that she is walking back calls for a special legislative session on abortion and Jamie Smith released his response. In a statement released Friday, Noem and several state lawmakers agreed that a special session “will not… Read more »