Articles by Travis Kriens

Carson Walker / South Dakota News Watch The Brookings eighth grader who represented South Dakota at this week’s Scripps National Spelling Bee made it to the third round of the contest that was won by a 13-year-old [Read More…]

Recent widespread rains have significantly eased drought conditions across South Dakota, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. The portion of the state classified under moderate drought has dropped from 100% earlier this year [Read More…]

The South Dakota Department of Social Services has launched a 30-day public comment period on its proposed Medicaid work requirement waiver. Under the waiver, Medicaid expansion recipients must work, attend school or job training, or [Read More…]

South Dakota state budget officials are preparing for significant financial challenges as sweeping federal budget cuts from the new presidential administration impact state funding. Brandy Miesner, chief budget analyst, told the interim appropriations committee that [Read More…]

In the early hours of Saturday, May 31, a single-vehicle crash near Humboldt, South Dakota, resulted in the death of the male driver and serious injuries to a female passenger. The vehicle, traveling southbound on [Read More…]

Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota’s largest hunger-relief organization says it faces a $2.5 million budget shortfall next year because of President Donald Trump’s federal funding cuts. Feeding South Dakota CEO Lori Dykstra addressed lawmakers on a [Read More…]

Arielle Zionts/KFF Health News On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides. Wirt’s breathing became more labored once they [Read More…]

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota’s proposal to implement work requirements for Medicaid expansion could be “an exercise in futility” now that the federal government is also considering it, said state Department of Social Services [Read More…]

Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom WASHINGTON — The Public Broadcasting Service and Lakeland PBS in Minnesota sued the Trump administration Friday, arguing an executive order seeking to cut off their federal funding violates the Constitution and would [Read More…]

Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight ABERDEEN — Toby Doeden, an Aberdeen businessman, officially launched his campaign for governor of South Dakota on Wednesday evening, promising a sweeping overhaul of state government including the elimination of property [Read More…]