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PENNINGTON COUNTY, S.D. (Press Release) – Pennington County Sherriff Kevin Thom and the Superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Colonel Rick Miller, have filed two causes of action contesting the constitutionality of Amendment A. The challenges were filed in Hughes County Circuit Court. “I’ve dedicated my life to defending and upholding the rule of… Read more »
PIERRE, S.D. (DRG News) – Sunday’s update from the South Dakota Department of Health showed there are currently 577 people hospitalized because of COVID-19. Dr. Mikel Holland is the President and Chief Medical Officer at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, which is connected to Avera’s Hospital and clinic locations in Gettysburg. Holland says some… Read more »
BROOKINGS, S.D. (WNAX) – Governor Kristi Noem has moved to merge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources into the Ag Department. Legislators will have the final say on that proposal. Senator V.J. Smith of Brookings is the incoming Chairman of the Ag and Natural Resources Committee and says he is neutral on the idea… Read more »
WATERTOWN, S.D. (KXLG) — The South Dakota Legislative Appropriations committee is encouraging South Dakota businesses to cross the T’s and dot the I’s when it comes to their applications for Federal COVID dollars. The committee met in Pierre earlier and among topics discussed was the disbursement those dollars. Among the members is Representative Hugh Bartels… Read more »
PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – South Dakota voters approved two ballot issues that will legalize the use of medicinal and recreational marijuana. Dave Owen, President of the state Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says the legislature can’t make any changes to “Amendment A”, but may try something on “IM26.” Owen says there will be a scramble… Read more »
OMAHA, Neb. (WNAX) – A very different and possibly difficult holiday shopping season is ahead for retailers. The ongoing pandemic is expected to sharply cut into traditional black Friday sales. Ernie Goss, an economics professor at Creighton University in Omaha, says many businesses will have a hard time finding full and part time workers. Goss… Read more »
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (WNAX) – When the 2021 session of the South Dakota legislature is gaveled in, there will be three Democrats in the 35-member state Senate. One of those, Senator Reynold Nesiba of Sioux Falls, says they will be stretched a bit. Nesiba says their numbers fall far short of what they should be.… Read more »
WATERTOWN, S.D. (Press Release) – A Stockholm, S.D. man has been identified as the person who died Wednesday night in a two-vehicle crash north of Watertown. Both vehicles were northbound on Interstate 29. A 1969 Ford Mustang was rear-ended by a 2011 Chevrolet 2500 pickup. The Mustang went into the east ditch and rolled. Charles… Read more »
ABERDEEN, S.D. (Press Release) – What has traditionally been a one-night event to honor local businesses in an in-person format turned into a week-long virtual event for 2020. ABBY Awards were delivered to ten award winners, two per day, November 16-20 immediately after they were announced live on the Chamber’s Facebook page. All of this… Read more »
AURORA, S.D. (Press Release) – One man has died of injuries sustained in a two-vehicle crash Friday night south of Aurora. Names of the six people involved are not yet being released pending notification of family members. A 2010 Ford Taurus was westbound on South Dakota Highway 324 when it hit a deer that had… Read more »
PIERRE, S.D. (DRG News) – Today (Nov. 20) is the enrollment deadline for the new South Dakota K-12 Connect program. Gov. Kristi Noem says the program provides free internet service to eligible K-12 students in their homes for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Eligible South Dakota households should have received a letter identifying… Read more »
AVON, S.D. (WNAX) – Like a number of school districts, Avon has modified their close contact policy to help keep more kids in school longer. Superintendent Tom Culver says the feel like they are on their own in dealing with the pandemic. Culver says they have been following state and CDC guidelines, which have been… Read more »
BROOKINGS, S.D. (KJJQ) – South Dakota State University set a goal of making it to Thanksgiving with students on campus. They have done so and President Barry Dunn says he’s very proud of the effort put forth. Students will finish classes next Tuesday, take a Thanksgining break and then prepare for finals, which will be… Read more »
AMES, Iowa (WNAX) – Drought conditions that spread across much of southern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska and much of Iowa will linger into the winter. Dennis Todey, head of the Midwest Climate Hub in Ames Iowa says it doesn’t look like there will be many chances to recharge soil moisture before freeze up. Todey says… Read more »
YANKTON, S.D. (WNAX) – The National Industrial Hemp Council has received $200,000 in funding from USDA’S Market Access Program. Those funds will support export market development for industrial hemp. South Dakota Farmers Union Lobbyist Mitch (rick-tur) Richter says that’s another sign of the normalization of growing industrial hemp and should help South Dakota as they… Read more »
