Articles by Travis Kriens
Latest News
Big paydays result from $50 million auction of South Dakota T. rex skeleton
Bart Pfankuch/South Dakota News Watch Multi-million dollar paydays are in store for the company that excavated the Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil that sold last week for $50.1 million, the rancher whose western South Dakota land it [Read More…]
Latest News
Universities ask for $24.5 million to launch and maintain artificial intelligence system
Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight The board that oversees South Dakota’s public universities plans to ask state lawmakers for nearly $60.5 million for building projects and maintenance, the launch of a national defense center in Rapid City, and [Read More…]
Latest News
Billionaire-funded national group seeks to influence voters in South Dakota runoff election
Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight Some of the political postcards mailed to South Dakota voters in the week ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election for the Republican nomination for governor are financed by a national group that [Read More…]
ABC Sports News
NCAA Division I board: No plans to change age-based eligibility rule being challenged in court
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors doubled down Thursday on the new age-based eligibility rule that has prompted some athletes to go to court in hopes of extending their college careers. The Division I [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Friday Sports: July 24, 2026
FRIDAY SPORTS, JULY 24, 2026 PALACE CITY LEGION BASEBALL — Rapid City Post 320 rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat Palace City Post 18, 6-5, Thursday night and complete a two-game sweep in their [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Late Rapid City Post 320 rally ends Palace City’s season
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City Post 320 rallied from a three-run deficit with three runs in the seventh inning, including Tegan Sayles’ go-ahead two-run home run, to defeat Palace City Post 18, 6-5, on [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Trevor Larnach and Luke Keaschall get RBIs in 12th as Twins beat Guardians 3-1 for series split
CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Larnach and Luke Keaschall both delivered two-out RBI singles in the 12th inning, giving the Minnesota Twins a 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday and a split of their [Read More…]
Latest News
Arts in the Park returns to Mitchell with more than 100 vendors, live entertainment
MITCHELL — Arts in the Park returns to Hitchcock Park July 24-26, featuring more than 100 artisan and craft vendors, live entertainment, food trucks and family-friendly activities. The free event begins with a kickoff party [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Palace City Post 18 Opens Regional Play Against Rapid City Post 320
Palace City Post 18 begins the Class A Legion Baseball regional playoffs Wednesday night with a best-of-three series against No. 6 seed Rapid City Post 320. The 11 seed Palace City will try to reverse [Read More…]
Latest News
City of Brookings set to welcome Target to new regional shopping center on July 26
BROOKINGS, SD – It may be July, but Christmas is coming early to Brookings this year, and Santa is trading in his sleigh for a red cart. Just 19 months after Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer’s [Read More…]
Latest News
Luverne, Minnesota now boasts the world’s tallest nutcracker
LUVERNE, Minn. (AP) — Crossing the open farmland of southwestern Minnesota, you’ll encounter an otherworldly sight: a massive head with a beard, mustache and red-striped top hat looming over the horizon. Pull into the small [Read More…]
ABC Sports News
World Cup final between Spain and Argentina watched by roughly 60 million on Fox and Telemundo
There are a lot of things that could have gone wrong during this summer’s World Cup — a complicated logistical undertaking that included three host nations, 16 stadiums, 48 teams, 104 games and endless opportunities for controversy on and [Read More…]
ABC Sports News
ESPN starts layoffs tied to NFL Network acquisition, memo says
ESPN is undergoing a significant round of layoffs for the first time in three years after taking over NFL Network in April. Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a memo to employees Tuesday morning, obtained by [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Wednesday Sports: July 22, 2026
WEDNESDAY SPORTS, JULY 22, 2026 PALACE CITY LEGION BASEBALL — Palace City Post 18 legion baseball takes on No. 6 seed Rapid City Post 320 in game one on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Game two [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Hedges and Halpin hit sac flies in the 6th, Guardians beat Twins 5-2 for third straight victory
CLEVELAND (AP) — Austin Hedges and Petey Halpin hit sacrifice flies in the sixth inning as the Cleveland Guardians, a night after hitting seven homers, used small ball to beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
South Dakota State Women’s Basketball Ranked 9th in WCBA Academic Top 25
ATLANTA – The South Dakota State women’s basketball team was recognized by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as the organization announced its 2025-26 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll Tuesday. The Jackrabbits are ranked ninth [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Three Tigers Win National Awards at the GPAC Level, Advance to NAIA Ballot
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Three Dakota Wesleyan student-athletes have won NAIA national awards at the conference level and will advance to the NAIA’s official national ballot. These distinctions reflect excellence both in competition and in the [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
South Dakota Amateur Baseball Poll – July 21, 2026
The Alexandria Angels and Brookings Cubs will enter postseason play as South Dakota’s top-ranked amateur baseball teams after holding the No. 1 spots in the final 2026 South Dakota Amateur Baseball Poll released Tuesday. Alexandria [Read More…]
Latest News
State fairgrounds undergoes extensive cleanup after tornado strikes Huron
Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota State Fair staff, state prison inmates and volunteers spent two weeks clearing debris and repairing damage after a tornado swept through Huron. Despite widespread damage across the fairgrounds, no [Read More…]
Latest News
Multi-agency operation yields 14 cocaine arrests, including in South Dakota
South Dakota Searchlight RAPID CITY — A multi-agency effort to disrupt cocaine trafficking resulted in 14 total arrests of people from Colorado and the South Dakota cities of Pine Ridge, Box Elder and Rapid City, [Read More…]