PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — State officials say there were fewer new claims for unemployment benefits in the past week in South Dakota. The Department of Labor and Regulation says there were 536 initial claims processed for the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5. That’s a decrease of 94 claims compared to the previous week.

Labor officials say a total of $1.4 million was paid in state benefits, in addition to about $2 million in federal coronavirus pandemic compensation. Total state unemployment benefits paid since mid-March is nearly $79 million.