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The South Dakota Department of Corrections has reported an inmate has died. State prison inmate Hayden France died on September 1st. The 46 year old France was assigned to the Mike Durfee State Prison in [Read More…]

Corsica burglary suspect sought by law enforcement

Sometime during the early morning hours of July 24th, 2026, an unknown person(s) forcibly entered a business located on Main St. in Corsica, SD and attempted to steal several items. The person was wearing all [Read More…]

South Dakota State University strives to embrace Artificial Intelligence

South Dakota State University has opened a “Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies” to promote on-campus AI literacy. Dennis Hedge is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He says students will live in [Read More…]

Regional water system planning for future needs

The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System set a new record this summer. It broke its single-day usage record by delivering 39-million gallons of water on July 17th. Executive Director Troy Larson says work is [Read More…]

Mitchell area organization raising awareness during Suicide Prevention Month

September 2, 2026 Travis Kriens

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Lana Loken is Co-Chair of the Davison County Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coalition. “It’s one of those months we really want to increase awareness, provide some activities for people [Read More…]

Workforce Summit to focus on customer experience

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Mitchell Chamber & Development Corporation will host a Workforce Summit focused on customer experience Sept. 17 at Mitchell Technical College. The three-hour workshop will cover hiring, employee training, customer service, leadership [Read More…]

South Dakota Highway Patrol launches school bus safety campaign

September 2, 2026 Travis Kriens

MITCHELL, S.D. – South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers are increasing their presence around school buses and routes as part of a statewide school bus safety campaign. Mitchell Middle School says officers may occasionally ride along [Read More…]

2026 Sturgis Rally tax collections down from last year’s event

The South Dakota Department of Revenue estimates tax collections from the 2026 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally at $1,404,408, an 11% decrease from last year’s total of $1,581,736. The lower collections reflect a slowdown in overall rally [Read More…]

South Dakota Troopers Arrest Man in Youth Abduction Case Near Plankinton

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley credits South Dakota law enforcement with the arrest in a youth sexual abduction case Monday afternoon. Attorney General Jackley said the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force [Read More…]

Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Parts of South Dakota and Nebraska

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center says a severe thunderstorm watch will likely be needed this afternoon and evening across parts of northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota. Forecasters say developing storms could initially [Read More…]

License Plate Reader technology aids in the rescue of an abducted teenage girl from Wyoming in Aurora County

Attorney General Marty Jackley is crediting South Dakota law enforcement with the arrest in a youth sexual abduction case Monday afternoon. Attorney General Jackley said the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was notified [Read More…]

Cyclospora impact in South Dakota

After this summer’s cyclospora outbreaks in South Dakota and the U-S, small farm advocates want regulators to support regional food producers instead of corporations. Investigators traced the outbreaks to Taylor Farms of Mexico, which supplied [Read More…]

Unified Judicial System Wants to Hear from Court Users

As part of its ongoing work to build public trust and confidence in the courts through transparency, communication, education and community engagement, the South Dakota Unified Judicial System wants to hear from members of the [Read More…]

South Dakota seeks to ban use of food assistance for soda purchases as court ruling clouds issue

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight The South Dakota Department of Social Services said Monday that it submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to bar the purchase of soft drinks with government food assistance, [Read More…]

Food landscape assessment reveals South Dakota’s gaps in access, affordability and assistance

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight In a survey weighted toward South Dakotans most likely to experience food insecurity, 30% indicated they were skipping meals to stay within their budget, according to the recently released South Dakota [Read More…]

Summit forfeits two CO2 storage permits in North Dakota, continues legal fight over third

Jacob Orledge and Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor Summit Carbon Solutions is abandoning two-thirds of its planned project to store carbon dioxide underground in North Dakota. The company, which had been granted permits to store CO2 [Read More…]

Administration Delivers More Than $6.6 Million Through FEMA to Help Communities Recover from Recent Disasters and Strengthen Their Resilience Against Future Disasters in South Dakota

FEMA announced the approval of more than $6.6 million in funding for Public Assistance projects and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program projects in South Dakota. These programs empower states, local communities, tribes and territories [Read More…]

Wells drying up at homes and ranches due to heat and drought

CAPUTA, S.D. – Each morning this summer, Gordon and Connie Howie have awoken on their cattle ranch in central Pennington County and turned on the kitchen faucet, unsure if any water will come out. “We [Read More…]

State Submits SNAP waiver

The Department of Social Services has submitted a SNAP Food Restriction Demonstration Waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Administration. The waiver is a result of legislation enacted during the 2026 Legislative [Read More…]

Vegetation control to begin on Missouri River sandbars between Yankton and Vermillion