Latest News

PIERRE (Dana Ness) — A pilot season for esports in South Dakota is helping high schools work out the technical kinks as well as building a foundation of mentors for the future. At its meeting [Read More…]

South Dakota’s tourism industry experienced remarkable growth in 2023, setting new records in visitor spending and total visitation. According to a study by Tourism Economics, visitors spent $4.96 billion, marking a 4.9% increase from 2022. [Read More…]

David Shangreaux Jr., a Pierre man, has pleaded not guilty to charges of First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder, and Aggravated Assault in connection to the stabbing death of 17-year-old Evie Maxey. The incident occurred [Read More…]

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight – A House panel shot down an effort to switch South Dakota’s time zones one step east from November to March each year. The prime sponsor of House Bill 1009, Rep. [Read More…]

Maverik, the Utah-based retailer, is set to retire the Kum & Go brand by 2025, ending over 60 years of Krause family ownership. The decision follows Maverik’s acquisition of the Iowa-based chain with approximately 400 [Read More…]

22-year-old Jamison Lee Stein of Brookings is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, after a hit-and-run incident involving a motorized wheelchair. Stein, identified as the operator of the vehicle, fled [Read More…]

Madyson Fitzgerald – On the Hopi Reservation’s more than 1.5 million acres of desert landscape in northeast Arizona, most residents live in villages atop arid mesas. Below ground, there’s a network of copper wires that [Read More…]

John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight – The House State Affairs Committee nixed two proposals Wednesday in Pierre that would have affected the choices of South Dakota voters. The first defeat, which came on an 8-5 vote, [Read More…]

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Secretary Kevin Robling testifies to the state House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on Jan. 16, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight – A [Read More…]

Over the weekend, a person in a motorized wheelchair sustained minor injuries after being struck by a northbound car in Brookings. The incident occurred on Main Avenue South between the 1200 and 1500 blocks around [Read More…]

Sioux Falls Police Department responded to a stabbing incident involving two acquaintances at 8th Street and Fairfax Avenue, east of Downtown Sioux Falls at 6:30 pm on Friday. The altercation between the two men resulted [Read More…]

A 37-year-old man in Sioux Falls was arrested for a weapons violation at a local Walmart early Saturday evening around 5:30 pm. The incident began with the man shoplifting, and when confronted by law enforcement, [Read More…]

Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight – A legislative committee in Pierre recommended the adoption of a bill Tuesday that would impose stricter criteria for resident hunting and fishing licenses. To qualify as a “resident” under existing [Read More…]

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight – Another $10 million of subsidies will flow to various housing projects across South Dakota after Tuesday’s meeting of the state’s Housing Development Authority Board. The board has now awarded [Read More…]

John Hult, South Dakota Searchlight – The state’s court system is preparing for a potential spike in DUI court participation after last year’s lawmakers attached mandatory minimum prison sentences to felony repeat offenses. That was among [Read More…]

At around 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning, the Huron Fire Department responded to an explosion on the west side of town involving a rail car filled with molasses. Firefighters discovered rapid ventilation of the molasses, [Read More…]

Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight – Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden has a backup in case he breaks another gavel. In fact, he’s got four. Rhoden is known for his literal heavy handedness on the podium during [Read More…]

Huron is gearing up for a transformative year in 2024, with Mayor Gary Harrington highlighting key projects. The city plans to revamp a major road with a beautification project, allocating $2.4 million for aesthetics. However, [Read More…]

The latest population estimate for Sioux Falls reveals a growth of 5,007 people in 2023, bringing the total to 213,891, nearly a quarter of South Dakota’s population. While the 2.4% growth rate is slightly below [Read More…]

Pierre, SD – Governor Kristi Noem has appointed Capt. Casey Collins as the new Superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol, effective January 22, 2024. With an impressive career in law enforcement and a proven track [Read More…]