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Meghan O’Brien/South Dakota Searchlight Republican South Dakota governor candidate Jon Hansen wants to pause the state’s gas tax this summer and use an economic development fund to cover the cost, but none of his opponents [Read More…]

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight Chris Lee will drive hundreds of miles to vote in person. The truck driver from Cleveland plans his route through South Dakota on Election Day. The Republican has been registered in [Read More…]

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota’s governor awarded money from an economic development fund he controls to a teacher apprenticeship program, to continue reducing the teacher shortage across the state. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden announced [Read More…]

MITCHELL, S.D. — City officials are reminding residents to check their sump pumps to ensure they are operating properly and to follow local rules on where water can be discharged. The notice from the city’s [Read More…]

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning for Davison County and much of southeastern South Dakota, along with parts of northeastern Nebraska, southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, as fire [Read More…]

Bart Pfankuch/South Dakota News Watch KEYSTONE, S.D. – Members of the Foley family of Green Bay, Wisconsin, are the quintessential visitors that tourism officials and operators hope will push South Dakota to a successful 2026 [Read More…]

Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight Nearly two years after a historic flood devastated the southeast South Dakota community of McCook Lake, local officials and community groups say the lake is moving closer to normal summer use. But people [Read More…]

Meghan O’Brien/South Dakota Searchlight PIERRE — A panel of South Dakota regulators approved an electric rate increase Friday for Xcel Energy customers and allowed eight entities to intervene in a pending Black Hills Energy rate [Read More…]

Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight A company that’s being sued for exploratory drilling near a culturally significant site in South Dakota’s Black Hills is withdrawing from the project, according to a letter shared with project opponents. [Read More…]

Nicole Schlabach/South Dakota Searchlight Daniel Milks, the founder and lead guide at My XO Adventures, has introduced many visitors in South Dakota’s Black Hills to mountain goats. “It’s an eye-opener, and a jaw-dropper,” he said. [Read More…]

Operation Prairie Thunder continued its community-based enforcement efforts last week with its 13th saturation patrol operation in Mitchell. The operation, conducted April 30 and May 1, brought together the South Dakota Highway Patrol and local, [Read More…]

PIERRE, S.D. – Volunteer firefighters across South Dakota face danger every time they respond to an emergency, and ensuring they have the proper gear is essential to their safety and effectiveness. Legislation passed during the 2026 [Read More…]