PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- The Joint Committee on Appropriations held several days of budget hearings last week, ahead of the opening of this year’s legislative session. Committee Co-Chair, Senator Jean Hunhoff of Yankton, says the sessions were useful. Hunhoff says they got a better idea of state agency priorities. Hunhoff says they want more justification for starting… Read more »

OMAHA, N.E.(WNAX)- Missouri River and reservoir levels are at winter lows and will stay that way for a while. Mike Swenson, with the Omaha office of the Corps of Engineers, says flows out of Gavin’s Point Dam near Yankton have been greatly reduced. Swenson says the big upstream reservoirs have plenty of room for spring… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- While some legislators have filed numerous bills before the start of the South Dakota legislative session, other are waiting. Representative Mike Stevens of Yankton says he is still reading those that are on file. Stevens says he will be watching bills dealing with education issues. Stevens says its important that voters stay in… Read more »

As the 2022 South Dakota Legislative Session starts this week, all eyes and ears will once again be on Pierre. The ACLU of South Dakota will be monitoring a wide variety of bills and working to defend and protect the civil liberties of all South Dakotans and will focus on three main issue areas: abortion… Read more »

ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release) – Richard (Dick) Molseed has been appointed to the position of Interim Regional President and CEO of Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen and CEO of Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre. He will begin his interim duties on Feb. 21. An executive search will start soon. Todd Forkel, Regional President and… Read more »

WATERTOWN, S.D.(KXLG)- You may have heard in recent local news a Co2 pipeline is looking at being constructed through 5 states including South Dakota. More specifically Watertown, as Glacial Lakes Energy has committed to partnering as well. If completed this will be the largest pipeline in the world. Chris Hill, Director of Environmental and Permitting… Read more »

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is seeking reelection to a fourth term in 2022. Thune turned 61 on Friday and is second-ranked in Senate Republican leadership. But he had considered retiring in recent months. Both parties are fighting for control of a closely divided Senate in 2022, but… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – On Tuesday, January 11, Governor Kristi Noem will deliver the 2022 State of the State Address. The address will take place at 1:00 pm CT/12:00 pm MT in the South Dakota House of Representatives. The address will be livestreamed on South Dakota Public Broadcasting, SD.net, and Facebook.com/GovNoem. We will broadcast the State… Read more »

OMAHA, N.E.(WNAX)- Continued dry conditions across the upper Missouri River basin are reflected in the runoff predictions from the Corps of Engineers. Ryan Larsen with the Missouri River Basin Water Management office in Omaha had the latest projection on runoff. Larsen says dry conditions have been observed across the basin since last spring. Larsen says… Read more »

RAPID CITY, S.D.(KOTA)- After a drought-burdened season for South Dakota cattle producers, beef imports from Brazil are now receiving a second look. The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association has called for Brazilian imports to be ceased temporarily. SDSGA executive director James Halverson, who supports the call, said this orbits a small number of livestock illness cases.… Read more »

PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- In her budget address last month South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem proposed a 6% funding increase for the state’s “big three”– education, health care providers and state employees. Heading into this year’s legislative session which begins Tuesday, District 24 legislators are optimistic that the proposed increase will pass. Representative Will Mortenson says with… Read more »

YANKTON, S.D.(WNAX)- Legislators are rapidly filing bills ahead of the start of the South Dakota legislative session starting Tuesday. Representative Ryan Cwach of Yankton says he has one bill in mind that came out of his work on the committee investigating the possible impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. Cwach says another area he is… Read more »

ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)- We are looking forward to having you back on campus for the spring semester. This is a critical time for us to make the transition back into campus life carefully, given how faculty, staff, and students are reassembling from around the globe during a dramatic new surge in COVID cases. In fact,… Read more »