Articles by Travis Kriens

Authorities in South Dakota are investigating how a semi-truck and trailer loaded with Amazon packages, valued at $220,000, ended up near Sioux Falls instead of its intended route from Las Vegas to Waco, Texas. The [Read More…]

South Dakota’s top 5 campaign war chests

Stu Whitney, South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune has the largest political war chest of any U.S. senator, topping the $20 million mark even though he’s not up for re-election until 2028. [Read More…]

Absentee Voting Starts Friday for South Dakota’s November 5 General Election

South Dakota’s absentee voting for the November 5 General Election starts on Friday, September 20. Voters can request absentee ballots by submitting an application to their county auditor, either in person or by downloading the [Read More…]

Scorecard rates South Dakota members of Congress poorly on pro-democracy positions

Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota’s three members of Congress scored poorly on a watchdog group’s new Democracy Scorecard, which evaluates congressional positions on democracy-related bills and resolutions. Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. It [Read More…]

Vote South Dakota forum aims to shed light on ‘complicated’ election

Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch Trina Lapp, an 18-year-old Milbank native who attends Dakota Wesleyan University, doesn’t view politics or the upcoming election as an afterthought. She’s digging in. “I think it’s important for [Read More…]

‘It feels like being punished’: Cancer survivors, advocates want protection from screening costs

Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight Cancer took so much from Doris Cardwell. She and her family were uprooted from rural South Dakota in 2007 to treat her aggressive breast cancer diagnosis. She spent over a [Read More…]

Soil-health group launches website connecting local food producers, consumers

South Dakota Searchlight – A farmer- and rancher-led organization committed to promoting soil health recently launched a new online platform to help local food producers and consumers connect. The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition’s Fresh Connect website provides an [Read More…]

Some lawmakers upset after Noem awards millions to project they refused to pay for

Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight While legislators were passing a law in March requiring more information from Republican Gov. Kristi Noem about a fund she controls, Noem was awarding $13.5 million from the fund to a project [Read More…]

Six Former Mitchell Legion Baseball Players Sentenced Without Jail Time in Assault Case

In a highly publicized case, a judge sentenced six former Mitchell Legion baseball players involved in a sexual assault investigation in Rapid City on Thursday, September 12. Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Gusinsky announced that none [Read More…]

Local, Regional and National Sport stories

Mitchell High School Hall of Fame – Class of 2024

Mitchell High School and the Mitchell Athletic Booster Club is excited to announce the Mitchell High School Hall of Fame Class of 2024. An open house will be held at Bradley’s on Friday, September 13, [Read More…]

Plea Deal Reached in Child Abuse Case of Mt. Vernon Man; Delancey Faces Up to 15 Years

In a Davison County courtroom on Wednesday, September 11, 35-year-old Shawn Delancey of Mt. Vernon pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree manslaughter and child abuse following the death of 3-year-old Mahlon Pollard in March 2023. Originally charged [Read More…]

The Time is Now For The Dakota Schools To Make The Big Move

With news breaking overnight that the Pac-12 conference is targeting Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State of the Mountain West, another ripple effect is soon to run through college athletics and [Read More…]

Jet fuel company with plan for Lake Preston acquires additional site in North Dakota

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight The Colorado company that aims to build a $1 billion sustainable aviation fuel plant near Lake Preston in South Dakota has announced a $210 million deal to buy a North [Read More…]

North Dakota judge vacates state abortion ban, ruling it unconstitutional

Mary Steurer, North Dakota Monitor A judge vacated North Dakota’s abortion ban in a Thursday ruling, finding the law unconstitutionally vague and an infringement on medical freedom. South Central Judicial District Court Judge Bruce Romanick’s order came [Read More…]

USD and Boise State Announce 2026 Non-Conference Football Game

VERMILLION, S.D. — The University of South Dakota and Boise State University athletic departments have announced a non-conference game between the two football teams for the 2026 season, the two schools announced Tuesday afternoon. Scheduled for [Read More…]

NFL averaged 21 million viewers per game for opening week, its highest on record

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL averaged 21.0 million viewers per game during the league’s opening week, making it the most-watched Week 1 on record. The league and Nielsen said Wednesday morning that the per-game [Read More…]

Passing in Week 1 reached its lowest level for any week in the NFL since 2007

From rookies struggling in their first career starts to high-paid quarterbacks not living up to their contracts to rusty veterans coming off injuries, the passing in Week 1 of the NFL season looked to be from a [Read More…]

Twins bash Angels 10-5 behind homers by Farmer, Wallner, Santana to lift lagging lineup

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Farmer hit a three-run home run in the second inning to provide a well-timed jolt for a sputtering lineup, and Matt Wallner and Carlos Santana also went deep for the Minnesota [Read More…]

South Dakota Board of Regents sues NCAA over proposed athlete pay settlement

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight The NCAA unfairly favors large universities and disfavors female competitors with a proposed settlement that would regulate payments for student-athletes, according to South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley. He filed [Read More…]

FEMA approves $3.5 million for Union County, which includes McCook Lake