Articles by Travis Kriens
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South Dakota state economist says sluggish farm economy has held back sales tax revenues
Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight SIOUX FALLS — South Dakota’s State Economist Derek Johnson told the state Banking Commission on Wednesday that a sluggish farm economy, driven by lower soybean, corn and wheat prices, has been [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Meyer Scores 27 in Loss at Duke
DURHAM, N.C. – The South Dakota State women’s basketball team dropped a 97-54 decision to Duke Thursday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Jackrabbits move to 10-3 on the season while Duke is now 5-6. Brooklyn [Read More…]
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Thursday Sports: December 18, 2025
THURSDAY SPORTS, DECMEBER 18, 2025 MITCHELL KERNELS — Mitchell Kernels basketball hosts Rapid City Stevens for a doubleheader at the Corn Palace on Friday night. The girls game starts at 6 pm, followed by the [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
17th-Ranked Northwestern Gets the Better of DWU Men’s Basketball
MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan Men’s Basketball hosted the No. 17 Northwestern Red Raiders at the Corn Palace in a conference contest. The Red Raiders started the contest with most of the scoring momentum, but the [Read More…]
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USD Drops First Game of Malibu Classic 73-65 to Pepperdine
MALIBU, Calif. – South Dakota women’s basketball lost its third straight game, a 73-65 result to Pepperdine in the Malibu Classic hosted by Pepperdine Wednesday night. It was a season’s best performance by Elise Turrubiates to lead [Read More…]
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Coyotes Avoid Upset vs. Dakota State, 80-71
VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota basketball picked up its sixth win in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center Wednesday night 80-71 over Dakota State. Isaac Bruns led the Yotes in scoring with 23 points, his sixth straight game [Read More…]
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Fights and injuries spiked in South Dakota prisons in 2025
John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight Fights and serious injuries spiked higher in South Dakota’s state prisons last year than at any point since at least 2018, according to a report released Wednesday by the state Department [Read More…]
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Health Department warns of measles exposure in Rapid City
Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight The South Dakota Department of Health is warning the public about a potential measles exposure at the Rapid City Regional Airport. The notification came as the agency’s website lists three new measles cases [Read More…]
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70% of children in South Dakota foster care are Native American, state says
Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight For the fourth year in a row, Native American children made up more than 70% of children in the South Dakota foster care system at the end of the state’s fiscal [Read More…]
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Soybeans have been a top U.S. ag export for decades. What happens when the top buyer stops buying?
Cassandra Stephenson, Gabrielle Nelson, Mónica Cordero RYDER, N.D., — Tyler Stafslien is a fourth-generation farmer who’s worked his family’s land in central North Dakota for about 20 years. Roughly half of his 2,500 acres are [Read More…]
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Half of SD inmates return to prison, two-thirds among Native American women, new report shows
Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight Half the people released from prison in South Dakota return within three years, according to the state Department of Corrections’ newly released 2025 annual report — the highest recidivism rate in at least [Read More…]
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$300 million Sanford gift ranks as fifth biggest charitable donation of the year
A $300 million gift from South Dakota philanthropist Denny Sanford to Sanford Health to support the construction of a new medical center in Rapid City was the fifth largest charitable donation in the country this year, according [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
When the Final Buzzer Comes Too Late
Travis Kriens. KORN News Radio Sports Director I pulled back into Mitchell at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday morning after covering the Mitchell Kernels girls and boys basketball doubleheader at Watertown on Tuesday night, Dec. 17. That’s [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Tyler & Hybertson Named NAIA Women’s Volleyball Third-Team All-Americans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Elizabeth Tyler and Kayleigh Hybertson round out the season of athletic honors with Third Team All-American distinctions by the NAIA, marking the first All-American awards for both athletes. Tyler was the highest-rated libero on the [Read More…]
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Zgonc Earns All-American Recognition
BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State volleyball’s Sylvie Zgonc was recognized as an honorable mention All-American Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Zgonc is a repeat honoree, also picking up the accolade as a sophomore in [Read More…]
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Tuesday Sports: December 16, 2025
TUESDAY SPORTS, DECMEBER 16, 2025 MITCHELL KERNELS — Mitchell Kernels basketball starts its season on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Watertown. The girls play at 6 pm, followed by the boys at 7:45 pm. The [Read More…]
Local, Regional and National Sport stories
Wyoming Beats Jackrabbits in Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Wyoming made nine of its first 10 shot attempts and never looked back in an 87-72 victory over South Dakota State on Monday, Dec. 15, inside the Sanford Pentagon. The Cowboys got [Read More…]
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False Hostage Report Triggers Lockdowns in Harrisburg
A reported hostage situation in Harrisburg on Monday was determined to be a false report, leading to the arrest of a 49-year-old man. Lincoln County dispatch received a 911 call shortly before noon claiming people [Read More…]
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South Dakota High School Basketball Media Poll – December 15, 2025
The South Dakota Prep Media Basketball Poll for the week of Dec. 15 is listed below, ranking the top-five teams, the team’s record, points received and ranking in the previous poll. First-place votes are listed [Read More…]
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Police videos in South Dakota: Public pays costs but cannot see footage
Bart Pfankuch/South Dakota News Watch Part 1 of a 3-part series Attorney Jeffrey Montpetit knew that obtaining a video of a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper’s actions after a 2015 DUI arrest in Clay County [Read More…]