PIERRE, S.D.(SDBA)- On Tuesday, a South Dakota House committee passed a bill preventing physicians from certifying pregnant and breastfeeding women for a medical marijuana card. House Bill 1053 passed the House Health and Human Services Committee on a party-line 11 to 2 vote. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Fred Deutsch (DOI-itch) from Florence, said the… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(HubCityRadio)- On Tuesday, members of Northern State University testified in front of the Joint Committee on Appropriations. NSU President Neal Schnoor talks about the enrollment at the college. Schnoor also discuss the retention rate at the school. One study is showing that one in three high school graduates are not attending college.  Schnoor discuss… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission will have a busy year with hearings set for two permit applications for liquid carbon dioxide pipelines. The Navigator hearings will be held in June, with hearings for Summit Carbon Solutions in September. PUC Chair Kristie Fiegen says the dockets are large and growing. Fiegen says both… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(SDBA)- After over two hours of debate Monday, the House passes a bill that will release $200 million in state and federal money for housing infrastructure. The bill would give rule-making authority to the South Dakota Housing Authority. It would also finally release $150 million in state surplus from 2022 and $50 million in federal money… Read more »

OMAHA, N.E.(WNAX)- The Corps of Engineers is predicting another below normal runoff year for the Missouri River basin. Mike Swenson with the Corps in Omaha says they have set winter water releases from dams on the river. Swenson says their water storage is well below normal. Swenson says power produced at the dams is projected… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- The City of Yankton wrapped up a good year in sales tax collections. City Manager Amy Leon. The city collected just under thirteen million dollars in sales taxes for the year. Leon says its hard to say what the increase will mean to their budget bottom line. Leon says it is also hard… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Gov. Kristi Noem’s personal cell phone number has been hacked and used to make hoax calls. A press release shared from Noem’s office Monday reported that she had no involvement in the calls. This incident follows the leak of Gov. Noem and her family’s private information including their personal… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – On Monday, Governor Kristi Noem ordered that flags be flown at half-staff statewide, effective immediately until sunset on Thursday, January 26, in honor of the victims of the tragedy in Monterey Park, CA. This order is in response to a Presidential Proclamation by President Joseph R. Biden, which can be found… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(SDBA)- On Monday morning, the House Education Committee approves a bill establishing a Center for American Exceptionalism at Black Hills State University. House Bill 1070 would establish a center that would develop social studies curriculum, encourage students to look at all perspectives on American history, work with Native Americans to tell their history and… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- The Appropriations Committee of the South Dakota legislature is working through budget requests of state departments and agencies. Committee Chair, Senator Jean Hunhoff of Yankton says they are splitting into separate groups. Hunhoff says health care providers are telling them of critical funding shortages. In the past, legislators have given the same increase… Read more »

ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)- The City of Aberdeen’s first Economic Development Manager will assume their duties on February 6, 2023.  City Manager Joe Gaa is pleased to announce that Megan Kukowski will be joining the City’s staff. Megan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Marketing from South Dakota State University. She has spent the past… Read more »

OMAHA, N.E.(WNAX)- The Corps of Engineers is predicting runoff into the Missouri River system will increase just a bit this year. Ryan Larsen with the Corps in Omaha says runoff will still be well below normal. Larsen says their prediction is based on current snowpack across the plains and mountains. Larsen says drought conditions persist… Read more »

WATERTOWN, S.D.(KXLG)- Law enforcement personnel from Eastern South Dakota and West Central Minnesota gathered in Watertown Thursday to learn more about Fentanyl. Pharmaceutical Fentanyl was introduced in the early 1960s as a potent pain relief medication, especially for cancer patients. The synthetic opioid is 50- to 100 times stronger than morphine, according to health officials.… Read more »

OMAHA, N.E.(WNAX)- It appears we may be in for a stretch of chilly, snowy weather. Nebraska State Climatologist Martha Durr says the outlook for February calls for below normal temperatures. Durr moderated this months North Central Region Climate update. She says more snow is likely during February. Durr says similar trends are expected for February,… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- While health care providers are still seeing people with various illnesses, the numbers seem to be going down. Liz Healy, infection control specialist at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton says flu infection numbers have decreased. Healy says they are having fewer people staying in the hospital. Healy says there was a big… Read more »