Articles by J.P. Skelly

Custer County fatal crash
A 24 year old man from Cherokee, Iowa died early Saturday morning in a single vehicle crash in Pringle, SD. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety is reporting around 2 am, the driver of [Read More…]

Mitchell Secures $1 Million USDA Loan to Fuel Economic Growth and Expand Industrial Park
The Mitchell Area Development Corporation has announced the preliminary approval of a $1 million zero-interest loan from the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. The 10-year loan will support the development of a [Read More…]

Jury finds Greenpeace at fault for protest damages, awards pipeline developer more than $660 million
By: Mary Steurer MANDAN, N.D. — A Morton County jury on Wednesday ordered Greenpeace to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, finding that the environmental group incited [Read More…]

Ag in the Classroom a hit with fourth graders
As part of National Agriculture week, the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee hosted its annual Ag In The Classroom for fourth grade students from Mitchell and surrounding towns. Heidi Rients of the Natural Resources [Read More…]

South Dakota unemployment rate holding steady
South Dakota’s unemployment rate stayed at 1.9 percent in January, well below the national average of 4.1 percent, according to a report released Friday by the state Department of Labor and Regulation. The state’s workforce [Read More…]

Legislature approves several new restrictions on citizen ballot measures
Joshua Haiar-South Dakota Searchlight Proposals to restrict citizen-initiated ballot measures have cleared the South Dakota Legislature, and some are awaiting the governor’s consideration. The measures — carried by Republican lawmakers — would shorten petition signature [Read More…]

Legislature seeks tighter limits on voter qualifications with host of ‘election integrity’ bills
Makenzie Huber-South Dakota Searchlight Lawmakers introduced more than 50 bills during the 2025 legislation session proposing to alter South Dakota’s election laws. Almost half are “election integrity” bills, aimed at election security, technology and voter [Read More…]

Lawmaker assertions about voter fatigue don’t stop them from sending four measures to the ballot
Makenzie Huber-South Dakota Searchlight After some South Dakota lawmakers complained about fatigue from the number of questions on the ballot, they’re sending four of their own measures to voters. South Dakotans considered seven ballot questions [Read More…]

Mitchell CTE student “takes the cake” in state wide culinary competition
Teams of South Dakota high school students put their culinary and hospitality management skills to the test at the 2025 South Dakota ProStart Invitational, held March 11 in Pierre. Champion high schools include Mitchell CTE, [Read More…]

Final Ballot Explanation Released for Proposed Draft Constitutional Amendment on Legislative Changes to Initiatives
The final ballot explanation for a draft constitutional amendment, proposed by Rick Weiland of Sioux Falls, that would require legislative changes to initiatives and referendum procedures be approved by a vote of the people has [Read More…]

Dead body investigation in Bon Homme County
Attorney General Marty Jackley has confirmed the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the discovery of the body of a deceased individual found Tuesday in Scotland. “The investigation has just begun, and it [Read More…]

Beware of toll road scam
Attorney General Marty Jackley and South Dakota Department of Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt are cautioning consumers about a text message scam being reported in South Dakota where people are being ordered to pay a tax [Read More…]

Trump’s tariffs: South Dakota farmers prepare for impact
BY STU WHITNEY South Dakota News Watch During his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, President Donald Trump defended his use of tariffs as a core economic and [Read More…]

Attorney General Marty Jackley and DCI Release Cause of Death for Person Found Dead at Scene of Feb. 12th Brandon Standoff, House Fire
Attorney General Marty Jackley and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation announced an investigation has determined 43 year old Abe Joseph Boushee died of smoke inhalation and methamphetamine toxicity Feb. 12th following a standoff [Read More…]

Some legislative leaders slam county governments for budget woes
South Dakota Searchlight-Joshua Haiar PIERRE — Two years ago, South Dakota lawmakers were so concerned about the financial struggles of counties that they devoted a summer study to the topic. After it was completed, state [Read More…]


Avera Therapy, Sports Locations Moving to Krohmer Plumbing Building on North Main
Avera Queen of Peace Hospital and Krohmer Plumbing have announced an arrangement that will offer major facility improvements for Avera Therapy and Avera Sports services in Mitchell. A long-term lease agreement will provide 27,615 square [Read More…]

South Dakota Legislature passes eminent domain ban for carbon pipelines
South Dakota Searchlight A four-year controversy that has shaken South Dakota’s Republican political establishment culminated Tuesday in the Legislature’s passage of a ban on eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines. The state Senate voted 23-12 [Read More…]

Dual Credit reduction bill gets schooled by a Senate committee
The South Dakota Senate Education Committee rejected a bill Tuesday that would have reduced state funding for the high school dual credit program, while advancing another education measure to appropriations. House Bill 1040, which proposed [Read More…]

LSS willing to comply with refugee report request
A Sioux Falls non-profit organization that is the target of legislation compelling it to make data about its refugee resettlement operation public says that it is willing to comply. More than that, Lutheran Social Services [Read More…]