Latest News
Kristi Noem’s Revelations on Animal Deaths Spark Controversy
In her upcoming book, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recounts the controversial killing of her dog, Cricket, and a male goat. Noem describes Cricket as untrainable and dangerous, leading to her decision to euthanize the [Read More…]
Elkton Superintendent and Teacher to Resign Following Sex Offender Incident
Elkton Superintendent Brian Jandahl and a teacher are set to resign following a controversial incident where a sex offender was invited to speak at a school. The district held a meeting to discuss the incident [Read More…]
‘We can’t exist without child care’: Rural towns use state funding to open local centers
Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight It’s been over six months since two in-home child care providers closed in Highmore. The town of over 600 in central South Dakota has a few other in-home providers, but [Read More…]
Water advocates ask state Supreme Court to block city of Custer discharges into French Creek
John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight Water quality advocates in Custer County want the state Supreme Court to make the county enforce a voter-backed ordinance barring the discharge of treated wastewater into a creek by the [Read More…]
South Dakota Senate’s GOP power balance at stake: 5 primary races to watch
Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – In the Senate chamber of the South Dakota Legislature, a little institutional knowledge goes a long way. Extreme measures emanating from the House of Representatives [Read More…]
More public colleges admit high schoolers even before they’ve applied
Elaine S. Povich, Stateline For some ninth graders near Fresno, California, the invitation — years before they’ll don a cap and gown — comes out of the blue: You’ve been accepted to Fresno State, the [Read More…]
Feds to require bird flu tests of dairy cattle before transport
Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch Starting next week, certain dairy cattle must be tested for avian influenza before they can be transported to a different state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The requirement [Read More…]
Debate begins on abortion-rights ballot measure as Mitchell event brings out both sides
Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight MITCHELL — A proposed measure to reinstate abortion rights hasn’t made the ballot yet, but the debate is underway. About 100 people converged Tuesday evening on Dakota Wesleyan University for a [Read More…]
Group says it’s filing petition signatures to put grocery tax repeal on ballot
Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight South Dakota and Mississippi are the only states that have a full state sales tax rate on groceries, but that could change in November. Circulators of a petition to repeal the state [Read More…]
South Dakota hospital hit with lowest quality rating: Inside the fight for improvement
Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch RAPID CITY, S.D. – Monument Health’s flagship hospital received the lowest federal quality rating possible over the past two years, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid [Read More…]
Reveal planned of contents found in South Dakota monument
Paul Hammel, Nebraska Examiner LINCOLN, Nebraska — We’ll soon know whether some documents buried inside a concrete monument erected by poet/author John Neihardt 100 years ago survived three floods and decades of harsh winters on the plains [Read More…]
Noem dodges CNN questions on abortion exceptions and election certification
South Dakota Searchlight Gov. Kristi Noem appeared Sunday on CNN and declined to say whether she supports additional abortion-ban exceptions or whether she would have certified the results of the 2020 election. The only exception in South [Read More…]
Federal solar power grants include $260 million for South Dakota tribes, rural areas
John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight Tribal and rural areas in and around South Dakota are set to benefit from about $260 million in federal grants for solar energy projects. A five-state, 14-tribe coalition was awarded [Read More…]
Brookings facility using natural gas from cattle manure is first of several planned by utility
Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight BROOKINGS — A new facility sending renewable natural gas made from dairy cattle manure to local energy customers could be the first of several such plants, a utility company said Monday [Read More…]
Prescription Take-Back Day is Saturday, April 27
PIERRE – Since South Dakota began participating in the National Prescription Take-Back Day in 2017, nearly 53,000 pounds of medication has been collected for destruction through participating law enforcement locations. South Dakotans again have an [Read More…]
Pierre Man Arrested for 3rd Degree Rape After February Incident
A 28-year-old man from Pierre, Reese Clown, has been charged with 3rd Degree Rape in connection to an incident on February 18. Pierre police responded to a medical issue at the 1100 block of Clarice [Read More…]