South Dakota State News

Shutdown tensions rise as SNAP impacts to hit South Dakota

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:03:14 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- It's day 17 of the federal government shutdown and tensions are starting to rise as funding impacts may soon start impacting people in South Dakota.

According to the South Dakota Democratic Party, the South Dakota Department of Social Services has been instructed by the federal government to freeze SNAP payments.

Nearly 75,000 South Dakotans, 29,000 of them children, would lose access to food security, according to DSS data.

In a press release, SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers said the SNAP funding freeze will hurt rural communities and low-wage workers hard.

Ahlers said DSS will freeze SNAP benefits for the month of November if the shutdown continues into that month.

In a statement to KELOLAND News, Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden office said the federal government issued guidance on Oct. 1 that SNAP payments would not be available if the shutdown continued into November.

"Congressional Democrats have known this and have continued their obstruction; now they’re looking to shift blame," Rhoden said in a statement. "Let’s deal in facts: congressional Republicans have voted several times, alongside a handful of Democrats, to reopen the government. Senate Democrats need to end their obstruction and join Republicans in reopening the government.”

Ahlers said he's urging federal and state leaders to act on ending the shutdown.

DSS told KELOLAND News SNAP benefits in South Dakota are funded through Oct. 31, 2025.

"While there is some uncertainty beyond that date, DSS is working proactively to stay informed and prepared. We will continue to share updates as soon as reliable information becomes available," a DSS spokeswoman said in a statement.

Thune: 'Willing' to give Senate Dems vote

In Washington D.C., Republican Sen. John Thune posted on X he is "willing" to sit down with Democrats to "discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare."

"It's a system they created, but I'm happy to hear them out. Heck, I'm even willing to give them a vote. Today. Tomorrow. Next week. You name it," Thune said in his post. "There's one condition: End the Schumer Shutdown."

KELOLAND News heard from both Thune and Republican Sen. Mike Rounds on the shutdown impacting 9,000 federal employees in South Dakota on Wednesday.

This is a developing story.

SD health experts share outlook for flu season

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:47:40 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- The flu season has arrived in KELOLAND and area professionals are weighing in on what they are expecting this year and how everyone can avoid catching a cold.

According to the Department of Health's (DOH) website, since October 15 there are currently 11 influenza cases within the state of South Dakota, with the cases appearing in Butte, Fall River, Yankton, Minnehaha and Pennington Counties.

Joshua Clayton, State Epidemiologist, said it has been a slow start to the flu season, adding there have only been 11 cases of influenza in the state so far with no hospitalizations or deaths.

"Our typical flu/respiratory disease season runs about that first week in October, through about the middle of May. So we do see influenza, we see COVID, we see RSV, and other, respiratory pathogens that tend to circulate during that time."

Clayton said while they are just getting underway with their typical vaccination portion of the season, the data does show a concerning drop in immunization coverage, adding they have seen a drop over the last 6 years.

"What we have seen so far this year is over 48,000 doses of influenza vaccine have been administered in South Dakota, that's still a far cry from the 237,000 influenza doses that were administered in the state last year," Clayton said. "Unfortunately, we have seen a concerning trend where our influenza vaccination coverage has decreased. About 6 years ago, it was about 60% and then last flu season, it was about 50%.

Clayton added that both in South Dakota and nationally, the peak of the influenza season is typically sometime in February.

"What we have seen in 5 of the past 8 years is that our influenza season peaks in February, very strong evidence there, and then, at the national level, we have seen influenza typically peak in February most often over the past 40 years," Clayton said.

Erica Schipper, Sanford Chief Medical Officer, added that the Center for Disease Control is expecting what they consider to be a moderate flu season.

"Last year was actually a pretty high-severity flu season; we saw the highest rate of hospitalizations last year than we've seen since about 2010," Schipper said. "Historically, we've not seen two high-severity seasons back to back, so the best educated guess based on what's been circulating across the globe is that it's gonna be a moderate season this year."

Schipper said the influenza season ramps up when people start to gather indoors and temperatures drop

"It really is more about all the close togetherness and usually getting less fresh air and being less spread out," Schipper said. "Being cold doesn't necessarily make you sick, it's really more being exposed more closely to viruses."

Dr. Jared Friedman, Avera Chief Medical Officer, said influenza is typically very non-specific.

"it's a cough, it's a runny nose, it's a fever, it's headaches, one thing that usually goes along with influenza as well is people will have body aches and pains, all of their muscles hurt throughout their body," Friedman said.

Friedman said if you experience a mild illness, you can try taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with those muscle aches and pains or the fevers.

"If you are experiencing a mild illness, that doesn't mean that you necessarily have to come into the clinic to be seen to be diagnosed with influenza," Friedman said. "But if you are becoming more sick and you are concerned, certainly we would encourage people to go into their local urgent cares or their primary care clinics in order to get diagnosed with this."

Tourism, GFP team up to promote pheasant hunting

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:52:18 +0000

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) -- Remember 2019? That was the year South Dakota's pheasant season saw the fewest hunters since the early 1990s.

Nonresident license sales had fallen to 63,801, a 38% drop from 2010.

Worse, resident license sales were down to just 47,403, the lowest since 1939.

South Dakota's new governor at the time, Kristi Noem, a hunter herself, didn't like what was happening.

So she turned to the South Dakota Department of Tourism. She wanted them to be more involved.

Tourism officials conferred with their counterparts at the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks. Together, they came up with a plan aimed at attracting more nonresident hunters.

Their effort to revive the popularity of pheasant hunting in South Dakota had paid off.

Nonresident hunters took a dip in 2020 but have steadily climbed since. By 2024, they were back up to 82,067 -- a 28.6% increase from 2019.

Resident pheasant hunters had immediately rebounded in 2020 to 59,042, but they slipped below that each year after. They totaled 58,195 in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Hunt the Greatest campaign quickly attracted attention from others in the advertising world. It was recognized with an award in 2021.

South Dakota's 2025 pheasant season opens at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, October 18, and runs through January 31, 2026.

For South Dakota residents, prices on small-game license prices range from $15 for one day to $36 for the season. There are also combination and senior combination licenses available for small game and fishing.

Nonresidents can purchase a small-game license for $142 that covers two five-day periods. There is no limit on how many 10-day licenses a nonresident hunter can buy.

The South Dakota Tourism Board recently got a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 marketing effort.

The board watched a 30-second spot that's now airing. Amid the sound of violins and images of dogs, roosters, hunters and shotguns, a male narrator in dramatic voice says:

“Countless birds, hiding on the horizon.

The rush of dogs, working scent trail.

The smell of spent shells.

And the ones you can’t hunt without.

Ask yourself,

What’s greater than that?”

Ads of various types are running on TV, print, digital and social outlets in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas, plus the Dallas, Texas area.

The targets are hunters ages 18 to 65-plus, males and females, with household income in the $50,000 to $115,000 range.

TV ads began airing in August and will continue through November. Print efforts started in September and run through December. Other types launched in August and will run into November or December, depending on the type.

The Hunt the Greatest campaign saw spending of $855,222 for the 2022 season. That included a $350,000 GFP contribution. For 2023, the spend was $763,128, including a $300,000 GFP contribution. For 2024, it was $797,686, including a $300,000 GFP contribution.

Those numbers come from Department of Tourism spokeswoman Katlyn Svendsen.

"From Tourism’s portion, this is part of our marketing budget, coming from the tourism promotion tax. From GFP, this comes from their normal operating budget, through license sales," she said.

Mike Gussiaas is Tourism's chief marketing and creative director. He told the Tourism Board members that the $645,000 spending plan underway this year includes a 10% buy within South Dakota. He said it's part of GFP's drive to reactivate license purchases by resident hunters who have bought pheasant licenses in the past but then stopped.

As for Noem, she took other steps regarding pheasants while she was governor.

She told GFP to stop conducting the August brood-route surveys that had been used to estimate pheasant populations. Those ended in 2020.

Noem also had GFP start the nest-predator bounty program. It pays $10 per tail, up to $500,000 per spring, for raccoon, striped skunk, badger, opossum, and red fox that are shot or trapped.

The program's goal is to reduce the animals that raid pheasant and duck nests and kill the young.

The state Game, Fish and Parks Commission's members are appointed by the governor. In 2020, the commission added another month of hunting to what had been a 79-day pheasant season. The season's last day now is January 31.

Noem also saw Kelly Hepler resign as GFP secretary in 2020, and Tony Leif stepped down as state Wildlife Division director. She appointed Kevin Robling as GFP's new leader in 2021 and Tom Kirschenmann succeeded Leif.

Those moves stirred a mix of opinions and continue to do so.

Winter survival, spring and summer weather, and the condition of the habitat all affect pheasant numbers. Because GFP stopped the brood-route surveys, the department no longer issues preseason estimates of the pheasant population.

GFP's highest preseason estimates came ahead of the 2003 through 2010 seasons. Those years, according to GFP, pheasant populations ranged from 8.1 million in 2004 to a whopping 11.9 million in 2007.

That period also happened to see the largest numbers of nonresident hunters. They reached six figures in three seasons --103,048 in 2007; 100,254 in 2008; and 100,189 in 2010 -- and exceeded 90,000 every season from 2004 through 2012.

Since then, the pheasant population estimates have dropped, and so have the numbers of nonresident hunters. During the last three years that GFP published population estimates, they bounced around: 8.2 million in 2016, 4.6 million in 2017, then 7.1 million in 2018 -- a reflection of weather and habitat. Nonresident hunters those years were 81,141; 67,232; and 69,018.

One of the ways that GFP does still gauge hunter success is harvest. It's based on hunters' responses to GFP surveys.

For the 2010 season, hunters averaged 10.6.

By 2017, when the pheasant population was estimated to be at the lowest point in 20 years, the average harvest was down to 6.9.

During the three most recent seasons, the averages have been back up, in the low 9s.

What you can find at the KELOLAND Living Arts and Crafts Show

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:19:24 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) —Christmas is coming up soon, and we all have that one person in our life who can be challenging to shop for. But, you're in luck, because the KELOLAND Living Arts and Crafts show is underway.

You'll find a little bit of everything you're looking for at the KELOLAND Living Arts and Crafts Show… and other things you might not expect— like this full sized trailer.

"It's a cargo trailer with four slide outs that was special built for us. And my husband has done all our display racks inside and outside," R and R Quilting and Embroidery, Ruth Ruba said.

Inside the trailer you'll find all different types of embroidery and quilting. While some items have sentimental messages, others are a bit sassy.

"We have one that says, 'Nobody told me when I got my husband, that his ears were sold separately.' So, I mean, we try to get some that, when people come in, you know they're reading them because they're laughing," Ruba said.

Throughout the show you'll find all types of unique items, like this wooden Millennium Falcon that you can play cribbage on. Troy Foster with Custom Wood Artistry has been coming to the show for 5 years.

"We use most species of hardwood. We handle 38 different species of hardwood in different colors all around the world. And some of them are incorporated in our products," Custom Wood Artistry, Troy Foster said.

While he's a vendor, he's also a customer.

"One of the things that I'm already getting ready to purchase from Wolf, the spices. Because I was talking with him yesterday as he was setting up, just because I'm looking for some certain ones, and he has them," Foster said.

At the AMC Collectives booth, you'll find vendors inside of a vendor, with 13 different businesses represented.

"It just gets more awareness to the store, you know, and helps sell their stuff. I mean, that's what I'm there for, is to sell their items," AMC Collective, Carrie Thompson said.

Whether you want to shop til you drop, or just look around, there is something for everybody.

"You just get to experience a lot of different people and a lot of different things. There's so many, so much variety of items here, you know, great gifts for yourself or for others or whatever. So just kind of a fun day," Thompson said.

The KELOLAND Living Arts and Crafts Show goes until 7:30 tonight, and then runs tomorrow from 9 AM to 4:30 PM at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls.

Sarah Cole to resign from city council

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:18:56 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- Sarah Cole is resigning from the city council in December.

In a statement Friday, Cole said she accepted a professional opportunity out of state. Her last day as a councilmember is December 3.

"While I am excited about this next chapter, it is not easy to step away from a role that has meant so much to me," Cole said in a news release from the city. "It has been an honor to serve the residents of Sioux Falls. I am grateful for the trust, support, and collaboration I have experienced during my time on Council."

Her term was set to expire in June 2026. KELOLAND News reached out to Cole, but have not heard back yet.

She was elected as an at-large councilmember in 2022, beating incumbent Janet Brekke and Bobbi Andera.

Cole is also a pediatric gastroenterologist at Avera Health.

According to the Sioux Falls code of ordinances, a vacancy in the city council will be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. The remaining council members, by a majority vote, will appoint a qualified person for the remainder of the term. If they fail to do so 30 days after the vacancy, a special election will be held between 90 and 120 days after the vacancy.

Federal COVID aid helped many SD water projects

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:45:38 +0000

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) -- Many of the municipal and regional water systems in South Dakota received nearly $700 million of federal grants for drinking water and wastewater projects through funding that Congress had given state governments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 led to a total of $693,923,200.69 distributed as federal grants to South Dakota drinking water and and wastewater projects. The state Board of Water and Natural Resources decided which projects received them. KELOLAND News took a closer look at how the funding was allocated and the projects receiving it.

The South Dakota Legislature took several actions to begin moving the money from the state treasury to the local projects. The first, in 2022, came with passage of Senate Bill 62. The legislation appropriated $600 million of the COVID-19 aid for use on water projects.

The recommendation of $600 million in ARPA funding for water and wastewater infrastructure in 2022 was based on the 2022 State Water Plan, which identified 229 unfunded projects with an estimated need of nearly $3.08 billion, according to Ben Koisti. He is the spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The department's staff manages and recommends water grants and loans made by state government. Koisti said 2022 Water Plan information was shared with the Governor’s Office and used to help determine the allocation amount. The governor-appointed Board of Water and Natural Resources then decided which projects would receive ARPA grants.

Some projects that had received ARPA grants later notified the state board that the projects wouldn't move forward and the ARPA funding wasn't needed, a process known as de-obligation. That led the state department to ask the Legislature in 2023 to approve Senate Bill 20, allowing the state board to award any de-obligated ARPA funding to other projects.

In 2024, the state department asked the Legislature to steer more of the ARPA money to water and wastewater projects that had previously received ARPA grants. State lawmakers approved Senate Bill 53. It appropriated $89,384,221 of federal fund authority for the state board to allocate.

The 2024 legislation also gave the state board authority to transfer up to $28 million internally. So far the board has transferred $4,538,979.69, according to Koisti.

He said that, as of May 2025, all ARPA funds made available to the state board had been fully allocated. However, a recent de-obligation has made $11,985.49 available. Koisti said the state department intends to recommend reallocating those funds and any other funds that become available at the state board’s January 2026 meeting.

To date, ARPA funds awarded by the Board have supported over $1.8 billion in total project costs, according to Koisti. The grants went to 141 municipal and regional systems.

Who got the money?

Here's a list of the drinking water and wastewater projects in South Dakota that received federal ARPA grants through the state Board of Water and Natural Resources based on recommendations from the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The ARPA grant recipients are listed in alphabetical order. (Note: All populations are from the 2020 census unless stated otherwise.)

Aberdeen, a city of 28,495 in Brown County, received an ARPA grant of $18,896,000 for $56,323,000 of work at its wastewater treatment facility.

Alcester, a city of 820 in Union County, received an ARPA grant of $1,418,650 for $1,669,000 of work on collection system improvements.

Alexandria, a city of 649 in Hanson County, received an ARPA grant of $150,000 for $900,000 of water distribution improvements.

Alexandria also received a second ARPA grant of $1,080,000 for $2,894,000 of wastewater system improvements.

Arlington, a city of 915 in Brookings and Kingsbury counties, received an ARPA grant of $418,537 for $1,190,310 of wastewater system improvements.

Aurora, a community of 1,042 in Brookings County, received an ARPA grant of $2,553,971 for $4,508,000 of wastewater system improvements.

Aurora Brule Rural Water System based at Kimball received an ARPA grant of $1,855,266 for $6,184,220 of system improvements and expansion.

Baltic, a city of 1,246 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $605,832 for $1,879,000 for lift station replacement and sewer improvements.

Baltic also received a second ARPA grant of $622,332 for $1,934,000 of water system improvements.

BDM Rural Water System based at Britton received an ARPA grant of $3,530,083 for $11,537,000 of water system improvements.

Bear Butte Valley Water received an ARPA grant of $5,202,000 for $6,317,5000 for the Alkali Road expansion.

Beresford, a city of 2,180 in Lincoln and Union counties, received an ARPA grant of $5,177,347 for $14,360,000 of wastewater collection and treatment improvements.

Black Hawk Water User District received an ARPA grant of $506,400 for $1,688,000 of water system improvements.

Bowdle, a city of 470 in Edmunds County, received an ARPA grant of $762,176 for $2,429,000 of water system improvements.

Box Elder, a city of 11,746 in Meade and Pennington counties, received an ARPA grant of $1,857,150 for $6,190,500 of drinking water improvements.

Box Elder also received a second ARPA grant of $2,460,000 for a $5,800,000 sanitary sewer upgrade and expansion.

Brandon, a city of 11,048 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $478,837 for the $3,625,000 Bethany sewer main expansion.

Brandon also received a second ARPA grant of $1,345,005 for $2,690,010 of wastewater infrastructure improvements.

Brandon also received a third ARPA grant of $7,467,900 for $24,893,000 of water infrastructure improvements.

Bridgewater, a city of 511 in McCook County, received an ARPA grant of $3,851,442 for $4,600,000 of sanitary and storm sewer improvements.

Britton, a city of 1,215 in Marshall County, received an ARPA grant of $504,968 for $1,531,000 of lift station and sewer improvements.

Brookings, a city of 23,377 in Brookings County, received an ARPA grant of $21,039,300 for a $74,002,500 water treatment facility.

Brookings-Deuel Rural Water System based at rural Toronto received an ARPA grant of $2,703,240 for $9,010,800 of phase tank mainline improvements.

Canistota, a city of 631 in McCook County, received an ARPA grant of $256,966 for $667,000 of watermain replacement.

Canistota also received a second ARPA grant of $584,267 for $1,758,000 of sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure improvements.

Canova, a town of 89 in Miner County, received an ARPA grant of $25,114 for $190,000 of water infrastructure improvements.

Canton, a city of 3,066 in Lincoln County, received an ARPA grant of $318,311 for $2,658,000 to Beaver Creek trunk sewer improvements.

Canton also received a second ARPA grant of an identical $318,311 for $2,407,000 of drinking water improvements.

Castlewood, a city of 698 in Hamlin County, received an ARPA grant of $354,627 for $800,000 of distribution system improvement and water tower rehabilitation.

Chamberlain, a city of 2,473 in Brule County, received an ARPA grant of $271,000 for $850,000 of water system improvements.

Chamberlain also received a second ARPA grant of $910,000 for $2,500,000 of wastewater improvements.

Chancellor, a town of 300 in Turner County, received an ARPA grant of $1,105,000 for $1,300,000 of drinking water distribution improvements.

Chancellor also received a second ARPA grant of $1,190,000 for $1,400,000 of sanitary and storm sewer improvements.

Clark, a city of 1,148 in Clark County, received an ARPA grant of $4,297,054 for $7,857,370 of drinking water system improvements.

Clay Rural Water System based at rural Wakonda received an ARPA grant of $4,955,100 for $16,517,000 of water system improvements.

Colman, a city of 634 in Moody County, received an ARPA grant of $249,600 for $480,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Colman also received a second ARPA grant of $1,236,900 for $1,995,000 of wastewater collection system improvements.

Colton, a city of 738 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $2,107,327 for $2,609,000 of sanitary sewer improvements.

Corona, a town of 69 in Roberts County, received an ARPA grant of $312,800 for $391,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Corsica, a city of 561 in Douglas County, received an ARPA grant of $121,500 for $405,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Corsica also received a second ARPA grant of $341,078 for $999,825 of sanitary and storm sewer improvements.

Crooks. a city of 1,362 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $161,763 for $1,823,000 for a new lift station and sanitary sewer expansion.

Crooks also received a second ARPA grant of $797,970 for $1,494,000 of east lift station work.

Custer, a city of 1,9191 in Custer County, received an ARPA grant of $125,100 fora $1,539,000 upgrade of the treatment facility and sewer force main slip-lining.

Custer also received a second ARPA grant of $6,257,949 for an $11,442,109 wastewater treatment system upgrade.

Dakota Dunes Community Improvement District received an ARPA grant of $155,766 toward the $519,200 cost for a parallel sanitary sewer line.

Dakota Dunes CID also received a second ARPA grant of $247,025 for $823,416 of force main improvements.

Dakota Dunes CID also received a third ARPA grant of $257,100 for $857,000 of water system improvements.

Davison Rural Water District based at rural Mitchell received an ARPA grant of $439,614 for $1,256,042 of water system improvements and meter upgrades.

Deer Mountain Sanitary District, based in Lawrence County at the former Deer Mountain ski resort, received an ARPA grant of $45,798 for $3,047,350 for water system construction and replacement.

Dell Rapids, a city of 3,996 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant in the final amount of $2,702,300 for $5,890,000 of 3rd Street sanitary sewer and storm sewer improvements.

Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources based in Pierre received an ARPA grant of $1,000,000 to pay landowners $1,000,000 for riparian buffer strips.

De Smet, a city of 1,056 in Kingsbury County, received an ARPA grant of $703,100 for $2,090,000 of wastewater collection system improvements.

DeSmet also received a second ARPA grant of $2,777,500 for $5,050,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Dupree, a city of 494 in Ziebach County, received an ARPA grant of $1,924,110 for $4,008,562 of wastewater system improvements.

Ellsworth Development Authority based at Rapid City received an ARPA grant of $550,000 for a $550,000 West River water regionalization study.

Emery, a city of 484 in Hanson County, received an ARPA grant of $2,119,900 for $2,494,000 of storm sewer improvements.

Fall River Water Users District based at Oral received an ARPA grant of $7,091,550 for $10,007,000 of water system improvements.

Flandreau, a city of 2,372 in Moody County, received an ARPA grant of $1,396,832 for $4,380,000 of wastewater collection system improvements.

Flandreau also received a second ARPA grant of $1,414,832 for $4,440,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Fort Pierre, a city of 2,115 in Stanley County, received an ARPA grant of $398,697 for a $5,028,000 water storage tank.

Garretson, a city of 1,228 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $92,000 for $202,000 of Dows Street watermain improvements.

Gayville, a town of 328 in Yankton County, received an ARPA grant of $2,993,100 for $4,929,000 of sanitary and storm sewer rehabilitation.

Grant-Roberts Rural Water System based at Milbank received an ARPA grant of $2,433,600 for $6,794,000 of internal system improvements.

Gregory, a city of 1,221 in Gregory County, received an ARPA grant of $1,045,500 for $3,485,000 of water distribution improvements.

Gregory also received a second ARPA grant of $1,335,600 for $4,452,000 of wastewater improvements.

Groton, a city of 1,380 in Brown County, received an ARPA grant of $664,547 for $1,326,000 of watermain improvements.

Hanson Rural Water System based at Emery received an ARPA grant of $1,273,835 for $3,639,529 of water distribution improvements and upgrades.

Harrisburg, a city of 6,732 in Lincoln County, received an ARPA grant of $7,367,727 for $17,749,000 of westside trunk and southeastern sewer improvements.

Hartford, a city of 3,354 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $8,980,784 for a $16,720,000 wastewater treatment facility and collection system.

Hermosa, a town of 382 in Custer County, received an ARPA grant of $163,044 for a $3,525,00 new source of drinking water.

Hermosa also received a second ARPA grant of $375,400 for a $1,150,000 lagoon expansion and Gumbo Lily Lane extension.

High Meadows Water Association based at rural Black Hawk received an ARPA grant of $488,000 for $1,140,000 of drinking water improvements.

Howard, a city of 848 in Miner County, received an ARPA grant of $2,665,864 for $5,274,000 of wastewater collection system improvements.

Hudson, a town of 311 in Lincoln County, received an ARPA grant of $721,820 for $1,678,000 of sanitary sewer improvements.

Hudson also received a second ARPA grant of $957,656 for $2,161,000 of water system improvements.

Humboldt, a city of 579 in Minnehaha County, received an ARPA grant of $520,300 for $946,000 of water distribution system improvements.

Humboldt also received a second ARPA grant of $2,380,850 for $2,801,000 of sanitary sewer improvements.

Huron, a city of 14,263 in Beadle County, received an ARPA grant of $720,000 for $5,030,000 of storm sewer improvements for the DEX project at the State Fairgrounds.

Huron also received a second ARPA grant of $1,903,500 for $6,345,000 of wastewater infrastructure improvements.

Huron also received a third ARPA grant of $4,872,084 for $13,032,000 of water system improvements.

Ipswich, a city of 928 in Edmunds County, received an ARPA grant of $1,770,370 for $2,584,482 of storm sewer upgrades.

Irene, a city of 422 in Clay, Turner and Yankton counties, received an ARPA grant of $496,400 for $584,000 of wastewater treatment improvements.

Irene also received a second ARPA grant of $1,720,400 for $2,024,000 of water tower improvements.

Isabel, a town of 145 in Dewey County, received an ARPA grant of $418,835 for $2,044,000 of wastewater collection improvements.

James River Water Development District based at Huron received an ARPA grant of $5,000,000 for the $46,895,340 segment two of the south central watershed implementation.

Joint Well Field, based at rural Toronto and a supplier to Brookings-Deuel Rural Water System and Kingbrook Rural Water, received an ARPA grant of $1,656,900 for $6,273,000 of water treatment plant improvements.

Joint Well Field also received a second ARPA grant of $2,868,000 for a $9,560,000 new water treatment plant.

Kadoka, a city of 543 in Jackson County, received an ARPA grant of $192,300 for $641,000 of Poplar Street drinking water improvements.

Kadoka also received a second ARPA grant of $913,188 for $2,873,000 of sanitary and storm sewer improvements.

Kennebec, a city of 281 in Lyman County, received an ARPA grant of $1,725,500 for $3,132,000 of sewer and storm sewer improvements.

Keystone, a city of 240 in Pennington County, received an ARPA grant of $92,800 for a $244,000 new well construction.

Kingbrook Rural Water System based at Arlington received an ARPA grant of $108,000 for $360,000 of Carthage water tower improvements.

Kingbrook Rural Water System also received a second ARPA grant of $9,900,000 for a $33,000,000 system improvement project.

Lake Norden, a city of 554 in Hamlin County, received an ARPA grant of $652,463 for a $2,019,300 water storage tower.

Lake Poinsett Sanitary District based at rural Arlington received an ARPA grant of $2,790,251 for $4,600,000 of lift station and collection system improvements.

Lake Preston, a city of 599 in Kingsbury County, received an ARPA grant of $2,167,175 for $2,599,000 of drinking water improvements.

Lake Preston also received a second ARPA grant of $2,338,675 for $2,921,000 of sanitary sewer utility improvements.

Lead, a city of 2,982 in Lawrence County, received an ARPA grant of $78,154 for the $763,931 cost of replacing the Mill Street waterline.

Lead also received a second ARPA grant of $142,163 for the $913,285 cost of the Mill Street wastewater and storm sewer separation.

Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District based at Deadwood received an ARPA grant of $272,100 for $907,000 of wastewater treatment plant improvements.

Lead-Deadwood Sanitary District also received a second ARPA grant of $1,116,000 for $3,720,000 of drinking water system improvements.

Lennox, a city of 2,423 in Lincoln County, received an ARPA grant of $480,400 for $868,000 of Boynton Avenue water improvements.

Lennox also received a second ARPA grant of $1,172,251 for $2,809,000 of Boynton Avenue wastewater improvements.

Lennox also received a third ARPA grant of $1,636,800 for $2,976,000 of central basin water improvements.

Lennox also received a fourth ARPA grant of $4,003,450 for $7,279,000 of central basin wastewater improvements.

Lesterville, a town of 115 in Yankton County, received an ARPA grant of $763,300 for $1,335,000 of storm sewer system improvements.

Lewis & Clark Regional Water System based at Tea received an ARPA grant of $7,300,000 for a $43,787,000 water system expansion.

"We're just trying to make it day-by-day. It's been difficult without her and trying to figure out who might have done something like this. So right now we're just hoping the investigative division can find out some information," Lacy Wolff said.

Since this incident was reported, the community has been showing their support as the search continues.

"They don't even have to be people with horses, the entire community is outraged by this. It was horrific, it was uncalled for and just like that pain and suffering that she went through is awful. So the community has been great at helping spread the word and we really do appreciate that," Wolff said.

The family struggling in this situation is offering up a $10,000 reward to anybody who can provide information to the sheriff's department that will lead to the eventual arrest. They are concerned for their safety right now unknowing of when or if anything else could happen.

The Sheriff's Office shared that the initial investigation appeared to be that the unknown person assaulted the horse with a shovel prior to her death.

"Cheyenne was just part of our family and when something like this happens to your family it's just very personal and we aren't going to stop until we find who did this," Wolff said.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.

Doeden, Hansen, Johnson evaluate data centers in SD

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 03:35:04 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO/AP) — Artificial intelligence is ubiquitous in the United States. The technology requires data centers to operate, and the possibility of such facilities finding a home in South Dakota is now part of the race for the governor's office in 2026.

Republican Dusty Johnson, who is seeking to change jobs from South Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House to its governor in Pierre, envisions data centers coming to the state and providing property and sales taxes.

Phase 2 of Minnesota Ave. project starting next spring

"This would be a huge opportunity for us to lower that tax burden on South Dakotans," Johnson said Thursday. "But right now, we are simply not going to build any data centers in this state because our laws are not a good fit for them."

Data centers utilize considerable quantities of power and water; some could actually demand more electricity than a community the size of New Orleans or Pittsburgh. Toby Doeden and Jon Hansen, who are also vying for the Republican nomination in South Dakota's 2026 gubernatorial race, are clear on how they view AI.

"I think the United States should be at the forefront of AI," Doeden said Thursday. "I think the United States should dominate the development of AI and data centers. I generally do. I have said from the beginning of my campaign, Dan, that my focus is putting South Dakota first."

"I absolutely welcome new business and innovation that brings jobs and growth to our communities and provides opportunities for our kids to find good work and stay in South Dakota, and the president is right when he says that AI is going to change the world," Hansen said Thursday.

Johnson wants companies interested in building a data center in South Dakota to pay less in state taxes, or no state taxes, on electronic equipment. But he says a company intending to build a data center would have to prove a few things within his plan.

"They're not going to have any negative impact on electric users: existing South Dakota electric rate payers," Johnson said. "Number two, they're not going to have any negative impact on water users in the area. Number three, that they are going to pay substantial taxes, and then number four, they are going to create good jobs."

But on the question of how data centers could come to South Dakota, Hansen and Doeden have similar thoughts.

"These data centers, by the way, are owned by some of the world's richest tech billionaires," Hansen said. "They're coming here, and they're pushing for these massive state tax breaks, and I'm not for that."

"We ought not be using taxpayer subsidies to fund these data centers in South Dakota on the backs of hardworking, taxpaying South Dakotans that are already struggling to pay their bills," Doeden said.

Also running for governor of South Dakota in 2026 are Democrat Robert Arnold and independent Terry Gleason. Arnold told KELOLAND News via email Thursday that he opposes "making it easier for data centers to come to South Dakota in any way." KELOLAND News spoke with Gleason over the phone Thursday; he says he would support Johnson's plan for bringing data centers to South Dakota.

Brookings man arrested for alleged stabbing of ex-girlfriend

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 23:11:23 +0000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- One man is under arrest in Brookings following an alleged stabbing.

According to a press release, on October 16 at approximately 9:30 a.m., the City of Brookings Police Department received a 911 call reporting on an altercation that involved a knife at a residence near Birch Avenue and Orchard Drive.

Bar hopes to reopen after removing Fireball from toilet

Patrol units responded, locating five subjects at the residence.

The investigation revealed that the suspect, Shawn E. Running Horse, 31, of Brookings, engaged in a domestic dispute with his 37-year-old ex-girlfriend in the basement of the residence.

During the dispute, the suspect allegedly became violent and stabbed the victim several times with a knife.

The victim was transported to a Brookings Hospital for treatment. The suspect was charged with Felony Aggravated Assault and Domestic Violence and remanded to custody in the Brookings County Detention Facility, where he awaits court proceedings.

Elk Point-Jefferson to host Sioux Valley in Game of the Week

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 03:58:32 +0000

ELK POINT, S.D. (KELO) -- The KELOLAND Sports Game of the Week returns Friday night when #1 Elk Point-Jefferson hosts Sioux Valley.

Friday's game is set to begin at 7 p.m. and you can watch the game on KELOXTRA (TV), KELOLAND+ and KELOLAND.com. The video player at the top of the story will update with the game prior to kick-off.

KELOLAND's Ian Sacks and Jordan DeSmet will provide play-by-play and commentary for the game.

South Dakota man charged in 2013 death of girlfriend takes plea offer, avoiding murder charge

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:40:39 +0000
More than a decade the decomposing body of 38-year-old woman was found in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the boyfriend accused of her murder took a plea offer the day before trial. Meshell Will was reported missing in August…

Noem looking to further bolster Texas security efforts at US-Mexico border

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:56:46 +0000
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says her administration is considering boosting its support for Texas’ efforts to deter immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. In a speech to a joint session of the Legislature on Wednesday, she mentioned sending more razor…

Georgia governor signs bill that would define antisemitism in state law

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:39:19 +0000
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a law defining antisemitism in state law. Kemp, in a Wednesday signing ceremony, proclaimed support for Jewish residents despite concerns that the measure would hamper people opposing the actions of Israel. The measure had…

What to know about how lawmakers are addressing deepfakes like the ones that victimized Taylor Swift

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 21:33:27 +0000
The growing issue of AI-generated deepfakes has already been a hot topic in state legislatures. Then Taylor Swift was victimized with her face appearing on pornographic images. At least ten states have deepfake laws on the books, and now most…

Editorial Roundup: South Dakota - Advisory

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 20:40:08 +0000
Eds: The South Dakota editorial roundup will not move this week due to a lack of editorials of state-wide interest. We will resume the roundup at its normal time on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.

Some Republican leaders are pushing back against the conservative Freedom Caucus in statehouses

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:18:05 +0000
Some Republican lawmakers are pushing back as the conservative Freedom Caucus Networks expands from Washington, D.C., into state capitols. The organization is attempting to push the Republican Party further to the right. But some fellow Republicans don't like the group's…

Legislative panel shoots down South Dakota bill to raise the age for marriage to 18

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:46:04 +0000
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds call still wed in South Dakota after a legislative committee shot down an effort to raise the age of marriage to 18. KELO-TV reports that the House State Affairs Committee on Monday voted 8-5 to reject the…

There's a wave of new bills to define antisemitism. In these 3 states, they could become law

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:12:42 +0000
Lawmakers in more than a half-dozen U.S. states are pushing laws to define antisemitism, triggering debates about free speech and bringing complicated world politics into statehouses. The definition lays out standards for determining in which instances criticism of Israel amounts…

Georgia lawmakers, in support of Israel, pass bill that would define antisemitism in state law

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:33:14 +0000
Georgia lawmakers in a show of support for Israel have given final passage to a bill to define antisemitism in state law, sending it to the governor for his expected signature. The Senate approved the measure by a 44-6 vote…

South Dakota Senate OKs measure for work requirement to voter-passed Medicaid expansion

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 22:07:23 +0000
The South Dakota Senate has approved a resolution for a 2024 ballot measure to impose work requirements for Medicaid expansion recipients. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives. South Dakota voters in 2022 approved a constitutional amendment for…

Two men convicted of kidnapping, carjacking an FBI employee in South Dakota

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:30:07 +0000
A federal jury in South Dakota has convicted two men on several charges related to the 2022 kidnapping of an FBI employee. The Rapid City Journal reports that 29-year-old Deyvin Morales and 25-year-old Juan Alvarez-Soto were found guilty of kidnapping,…

Montana man convicted of killing eagles is sentenced to 3 years in prison for related gun violations

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:32:32 +0000
A Montana felon previously convicted of killing eagles to sell their parts on the black market has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for related gun violations. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters on Wednesday sentenced Harvey Alvin Hugs…

Editorial Roundup: South Dakota

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:10:39 +0000
Yankton Press & Dakotan. January 22, 2024.

Kelly Armstrong, North Dakota's lone congressman, runs for governor

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:51:02 +0000
North Dakota's only member of the U.S. House of Representatives is running for governor of the sparsely populated state. Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong's announcement comes a day after Gov. Doug Burgum said he won't seek a third term. Armstrong, an…

After stalling in 2023, a bill to define antisemitism in state law is advancing in Georgia

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:38:19 +0000
A bill to define antisemitism in Georgia law stalled in 2023 over how the measure should be worded. But now it's moving ahead, backed by a heavy Republican push to support Israel in its war with Hamas and Jewish Georgians…

'Burn, beetle, burn': Hundreds of people torch an effigy of destructive bug in South Dakota town

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 19:53:20 +0000
In what’s become an annual winter tradition, hundreds of people carrying torches set fire to a giant wooden beetle effigy in Custer, South Dakota, to raise awareness of the destructive impact of the mountain pine beetle on Black Hills forest…

South Dakota bill advances, proposing more legal representation for people who can't pay

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:04:40 +0000
A South Dakota bill advanced Friday that proposes a statewide commission focused on indigent defense, or legal representation for those without the ability to pay. Only three of the state’s counties – Minnehaha, Pennington and Meade – have a dedicated…

North Dakota lawmaker who insulted police in DUI stop gets unsupervised probation and $1,000 fine

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 23:16:24 +0000
A North Dakota Republican lawmaker has been sentenced to serve nearly a year of unsupervised probation to pay $1,000 in fines and fees after pleading guilty to a drunken driving charge earlier this month. The charge is connection to a…

Indiana bill defining antisemitism advances to state Senate

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 20:47:52 +0000
The Indiana state House of Representatives has unanimously passed bill that defines antisemitism as religious discrimination in education code. Opponents to the bill say it could be used to shut down support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel in classrooms…

Nevada Supreme Court panel won't reconsider ‘Dances With Wolves’ actor Nathan Chasing Horse case

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 20:44:54 +0000
A panel of Nevada Supreme Court justices won’t reconsider former “Dances With Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse’s request to dismiss an indictment that accuses him of leading a cult, taking underage wives and sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls. The…

A push for a permanent sales tax cut in South Dakota is dealt a setback

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 17:49:56 +0000
Supporters of a proposed permanent sales tax cut in South Dakota have been dealt a setback. Senate budget writers Thursday tabled a bill the House overwhelmingly passed last week. The bill would make permanent a four-year sales tax cut the…

South Dakota House passes bill that would make the animal sedative xylazine a controlled substance

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 23:31:25 +0000
The South Dakota House has passed a bill that would make xylazine a controlled substance. Xylazine is a large-animal sedative that is being mixed with fentanyl and then used by some people. The measure would establish penalties of up to…

Editorial Roundup: South Dakota

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 12:10:41 +0000
Yankton Press & Dakotan. January 16, 2024.

Arctic freeze continues to blast huge swaths of the US with sub-zero temperatures

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 01:55:01 +0000
It’s another day of brutally cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills across much of the United States. Monday promised to deliver the coldest temperatures ever for Iowa’s presidential nominating contest and hold up air travelers yet again. It will also…

A weekend of ferocious winter weather could see low-temperature records set in the US heartland

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 14:08:00 +0000
Icy winter weather blanketed the U.S. on Saturday as a wave of Arctic storms threatened to break low-temperature records in the heartland, spread cold and snow from coast to coast and cast a chill over everything from football playoffs to…

States with big climate goals strip local power to block green projects

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 05:12:59 +0000
More than a dozen states have given themselves the power to override local zoning restrictions that block large-scale renewable energy projects. The decisions come as some states implement ambitious goals requiring utility providers to generate 100% carbon-free energy by 2040.…

Snow, ice, wind and bitter cold pummels the northern US in dangerous winter storm

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 02:05:01 +0000
A dangerous winter storm swept the northern U.S. on Friday, with blinding snow in some places, freezing rain in others, and bitter cold temperatures and whipping winds across several states. Authorities in Cook County, Illinois say a man died from…

South Dakota House passes permanent sales tax cut bill

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 22:03:42 +0000
South Dakota's Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed a bill to make a temporary sales tax cut permanent. The House passed the bill in a 54-12 vote Friday. It now goes to the Senate. The bill would make permanent the…

Teenager gets life sentence, possibility of parole after North Dakota murder conviction

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 19:29:43 +0000
A North Dakota teenager was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after his murder conviction last year. Jesse Taylor Jr. was convicted of murder for the September 2022 shooting death of a South Dakota man at…

Editorial Roundup: South Dakota - Advisory

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:57:54 +0000
Eds: The South Dakota editorial roundup will not move this week due to a lack of editorials of state-wide interest. We will resume the roundup at its normal time on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2023.

A North Dakota lawmaker is removed from a committee after insulting police in a DUI stop

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 22:56:52 +0000
A North Dakota Republican lawmaker has been removed from a legislative committee following a traffic stop in December. State Rep. Nico Rios, of Williston, was arrested on a drunken driving charge. Rios blasted police with vulgar, homophobic and anti-migrant language…

Tribal flags celebrated at South Dakota Capitol, but one leader sees more still to do

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 22:01:32 +0000
Two of nine tribal nations within South Dakota's boundaries presented their flags on Wednesday to display in the state Capitol rotunda in Pierre. Gov. Kristi Noem and representatives from the Standing Rock and Rosebud Sioux tribes celebrated the flags as…

Gov. Kristi Noem touts South Dakota's workforce recruitment effort

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 22:42:00 +0000
South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem is touting her state's economic strength and employment outlook for job seekers in her State of the State address to the Legislature. She highlighted her “Freedom Works Here” workforce recruitment ad campaign on Tuesday.…

Blizzard conditions bear down on central US, closing schools and highways

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:07:23 +0000
A “highly impactful” winter storm began delivering a punch to the country’s midsection with blizzard conditions that could dump as much as a foot or more of snow. The storm shut down schools and highways in several Midwest states Monday.…

South Dakota lawmakers see alignment with Noem as session begins

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 05:11:07 +0000
South Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature convenes Tuesday in Pierre for its annual session, expected to last into early March. Second-term GOP Gov. Kristi Noem gave her budget address in December. She pitched a nearly $7.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2025…

A B-1 bomber crashes while trying to land at a South Dakota Air Force base. The crew safely ejects

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:49:57 +0000
The Air Force says a B-1 Lancer bomber from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota crashed while trying to land and all four crew members ejected safely. The military says the B-1 was on a training mission when the…

Pilot accused of threatening to shoot airline captain midflight calls it a misunderstanding

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:44:48 +0000
A co-pilot accused of threatening to shoot his captain for proposing they divert their flight to get medical attention for a passenger has appeared in federal court for the first time since his indictment. Former Delta Air Lines pilot Jonathan…

Editorial Roundup: South Dakota - Advisory

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 12:10:37 +0000
Eds: The South Dakota editorial roundup will not move this week due to a lack of editorials of state-wide interest. We will resume the roundup at its normal time on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

South Dakota Shakespeare Festival to run in Vermillion for a full week in June, will feature national Shakespeare performer

Fri, 12 May 2023 11:30:00 +0000
The free festival will feature Shakespeare events each day. June 14 will see a special performance and workshop from Devon Glover (@TheSonnetManNYC), a rapper, poet, playwright and teacher who's appeared on national TV and at worldwide Shakespeare fests.

USD to offer a new music degree

Sun, 07 May 2023 15:01:00 +0000
The University of South Dakota has introduced the Bachelor of Science in music with a specialization in industry and technology. USD is the only institution in the South Dakota Board of Regents to offer such a program.