Articles by Travis Kriens

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 on Sunday for their sixth straight victory. Darnold added [Read More…]

South Dakota Department of Health Reports First Flu Death of the 2024-2025 Flu Season

PIERRE, SD – The Department of Health is reporting the first influenza death of the 2024-2025 season, a Corson County resident in the over 65 years age group. “Influenza can be a very serious illness,” said [Read More…]

Name Released of Freeman Man in Hutchinson County Fatal Crash

Hutchinson County, S.D.- A 49-year-old Freeman, SD man died Wednesday night in a single vehicle crash near Menno, SD. Preliminary crash information indicates Adam Van Hove, the driver of a 2004 Cadillac Escalade, was traveling east on US Highway [Read More…]

First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot

The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama [Read More…]

SDSU Cruised to Victory over Eastern Washington

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Three Jackrabbits scored in double figures as the South Dakota State men’s basketball team defeated Eastern Washington, 74-53, in First Bank & Trust Arena on Saturday. The Eagles got out to a 5-0 [Read More…]

Brooklyn Meyer Drops Career-High 32 in Win at Montana

MISSOULA, Mont. – A 32-point performance from Brooklyn Meyer lifted South Dakota State basketball to a 78-70 win over Montana Saturday afternoon at Dahlberg Arena. SDSU improves to 7-2 on the year and has won four straight games [Read More…]

Big Second Half Sends Coyotes to FCS Quarterfinals

VERMILLION, S.D. — Three interceptions and 28 points in the second half lifted the No. 4-seed University of South Dakota (10-2, 7-1 MVFC) to their tenth win and sends them into the Quarterfinals of the NCAA [Read More…]

Proposed funding cut could sink network in as little as two years, SDPB director says

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota Public Broadcasting could cease to exist in as little as two years if lawmakers adopt Gov. Kristi Noem’s $3.6 million budget cut, the network’s executive director said Friday. [Read More…]

‘Wild places are worth fighting for’: Concern grows for receding South Dakota wetlands

Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight EUREKA — John Cooper, 80 years old and with a new set of knees, still rises before the sun, dons waders, sets up decoys and tries to call in ducks. “I [Read More…]

Massive data centers consuming large amounts of energy have eyes on South Dakota

Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight Massive data centers used for cloud computing and artificial intelligence are consuming enormous amounts of energy, and developers are eyeing South Dakota as a potential location, regulators say. These “hyperscale [Read More…]

Jackrabbits Advance in Playoffs with Decisive Home Win vs. Montana

Mark Gronowski accounted for four touchdowns — two passing and two rushing — as two-time defending champion South Dakota State opened its Football Championship Subdivision playoff push with a 35-18 victory over Montana Saturday afternoon at [Read More…]

Shots Fired Incident at Empire Mall, No Injuries Reported

On Friday evening, shots were fired inside the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls, prompting a significant police response. Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum confirmed that at least three shell casings were found near the [Read More…]

Watertown Man Charged After Officer-Involved Shooting at Yankton High School

A 40-year-old Watertown man, Andrew Jondahl, faces charges after being injured in an officer-involved shooting at Yankton High School on Thursday evening. The incident occurred in the school’s west parking lot during a wrestling meet. [Read More…]

South Dakota falls in NCAA Volleyball Tournament First Round to Creighton

OMAHA, Neb. — The South Dakota volleyball season came to a close Thursday night in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament as the Yotes fell in straight sets to No. 2 seed Creighton. In her [Read More…]

Lawmakers propose sales tax increase to provide property tax relief for homeowners

Makenzie Huber and Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight Several South Dakota legislators said Thursday they will introduce legislation that would provide property tax relief to homeowners by raising the state sales tax rate. Rep. Tony Venhuizen, [Read More…]

Custer State Park bison auction brings in nearly $900,000

Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight Custer State Park sold 482 bison during its 59th annual auction in November for a total of more than $885,000. That was an increase over last year’s total of $633,700 from 498 bison. [Read More…]

Petition for mandatory big-game harvest reporting fails; state says e-reporting is in the works