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South Dakota Searchlight
Nursing home complaints up 38% since last year
Complaints against South Dakota nursing homes are the highest they’ve been in at least eight years. The state Department of Health oversees 97 long-term care facilities, according to its website. It fielded 54 complaints as of Dec. 19 – a 38% increase over 2022 and three times higher than 2021 and 2020, when the state […] The post Nursing home complaints up 38% since last year appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State disaster report prepares for more natural disasters in coming years
South Dakotans have less than two weeks to review and comment on the state’s new 2024 hazard mitigation plan, which is used to navigate and prepare for costly and deadly disasters. The plan is updated every five years to meet state eligibility requirements for increased mitigation funding from the federal government. The comment period was […] The post State disaster report prepares for more natural disasters in coming years appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Pennington County GOP wants full representation by start of legislative session
Some Pennington County Republicans are voicing frustration over Gov. Kristi Noem’s decision to wait on a South Dakota Supreme Court opinion about conflicts of interest before filling two vacant seats in the state legislature. Meanwhile, the Governor’s Office says Noem’s hands are tied. With 20 days left before lawmakers convene in Pierre to craft and […] The post Pennington County GOP wants full representation by start of legislative session appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Senate confirms Oklahoma’s first Native American female federal judge, overcoming GOP opposition
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge for the state of Oklahoma, despite some Republicans’ protest of her work as the top prosecutor for the Cherokee Nation. Sara Hill, the Nation’s former attorney general, was confirmed as a U.S. District judge for the […] The post Senate confirms Oklahoma’s first Native American female federal judge, overcoming GOP opposition appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Report: Let USD Law grads earn law license through supervised rural practice
University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law students could soon earn their law license through supervised practice before graduation and two years of public service legal work in rural areas afterward. That’s if the state adopts the recommendations of a bar exam committee. South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen called for the […] The post Report: Let USD Law grads earn law license through supervised rural practice appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Building transmission takes forever. The Biden administration is pushing to change that.
The SOO Green electric transmission project, a 350-mile high-voltage line between Mason City, Iowa, and Plano, Illinois, was proposed in 2018 to deliver renewable power and to better connect the nation’s two largest power markets. The project won approval from Iowa regulators this fall. The developers of the line, which will link wind and solar power produced […] The post Building transmission takes forever. The Biden administration is pushing to change that. appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota’s riparian buffer strip initiative lacks gumption
Agriculture stands as a cornerstone of South Dakota’s economy, wielding considerable influence as an $11 billion industry. Gov. Kristi Noem, hailing from a family farm and deeply rooted in the ranch lifestyle, firmly advocates that agriculture and conservation should go hand in hand. Throughout her time in office, she has committed to expanding programs in […] The post South Dakota’s riparian buffer strip initiative lacks gumption appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
GOP presidential field generally opposes eminent domain for carbon pipelines
Republican presidential contenders are generally against using eminent domain to build carbon dioxide pipelines, according to their public statements in recent months and information their campaigns have provided to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. The issue is a regional dispute that has gained wider attention as the candidates seek Iowans’ votes in the upcoming first-in-the-nation caucuses. […] The post GOP presidential field generally opposes eminent domain for carbon pipelines appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Deepfake’ child pornography ban pitched by attorney general
People who make, possess or distribute computer-generated child pornography would be in line for up to 10 years in prison and a spot on the South Dakota Sex Offender Registry under a bill proposed by Attorney General Marty Jackley. The digital content ban would include imagery or videos built to resemble real children – “deepfakes,” […] The post ‘Deepfake’ child pornography ban pitched by attorney general appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Census Bureau’s proposed changes threaten to undercount people with disabilities, advocates say
The Census Bureau has proposed a major change to disability questions on its annual American Community Survey that advocates say will reduce the number of people who are counted as disabled by 40%, including millions of women and girls. The change in available data could affect federal funding allocations and the decisions government agencies make […] The post Census Bureau’s proposed changes threaten to undercount people with disabilities, advocates say appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
How a new way to vote is gaining traction in states — and could transform US politics
With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization, and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states. Ranked choice voting, which asks voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, has seen its profile steadily expand […] The post How a new way to vote is gaining traction in states — and could transform US politics appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Changes from higher education task force result in increased program terminations, collaborations
BROOKINGS — Four university degrees will be discontinued at South Dakota Board of Regents institutions and two programs will be consolidated, according to a recent program productivity report presented to the board on Thursday. Those discontinued degrees were flagged due to low enrollment, low graduation and a lack of financial viability. The report has been […] The post Changes from higher education task force result in increased program terminations, collaborations appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Researchers look at how to help more community college students gain four-year degrees
WASHINGTON — Community colleges and four-year universities can work together to improve the transfer student experience, a data report from the U.S. Department of Education suggests. The U.S. Department of Education released data about the institutions where transfer students have the highest graduation rates in each state, with New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Maryland and […] The post Researchers look at how to help more community college students gain four-year degrees appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem, Jackley weigh in on conflict-of-interest decision
Gov. Kristi Noem wants the state Supreme Court to make the call on nine conflict-of-interest questions before she fills two vacant West River legislative seats. That was among the major takeaways from court documents filed on her behalf by General Counsel Katie Hruska on Friday, the deadline for briefs in a request for an advisory […] The post Noem, Jackley weigh in on conflict-of-interest decision appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Just a license plate? Not when it comes to our First Amendment Rights
The fight for freedom of speech has been a bedrock of the American Civil Liberties Union’s mission since the organization was founded in 1920, driven by the need to protect the constitutional rights of conscientious objectors and anti-war protesters. Our work quickly spread to combating censorship, securing the right to assembly, and promoting free speech […] The post Just a license plate? Not when it comes to our First Amendment Rights appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
North Dakota defends DAPL, Standing Rock fears for its water
North Dakota officials filed more than 200 pages arguing to keep the Dakota Access Pipeline operating just as a public comment period for the controversial project closed Wednesday. The state argues in comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that shutting down the pipeline would cause “irreparable harm” to North Dakota, including a loss […] The post North Dakota defends DAPL, Standing Rock fears for its water appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State ag officials oppose beef imports from Paraguay
Federal officials did not sufficiently assess the risk posed by a devastating cattle disease when they recently decided to allow beef imports from Paraguay, according to agriculture officials of several top beef-producing states. A new U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that ended a 25-year prohibition on those imports went into effect Thursday. The prohibition was […] The post State ag officials oppose beef imports from Paraguay appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
US Senate postpones winter break as lawmakers try to craft an immigration deal
WASHINGTON — Members of the U.S. House headed home Thursday for a three-week winter break without completing work on several must-pass bills, but senators are now scheduled to return to Capitol Hill on Monday as leaders in the upper chamber and the White House look for an agreement on immigration policy. The last-minute scheduling change […] The post US Senate postpones winter break as lawmakers try to craft an immigration deal appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
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We use our journalistic searchlight to illuminate critical issues facing South Dakota, dissect the decisions made by state leaders, and explain the consequences of their policies and the role of politics on South Dakotans. We publish news and commentary that prioritizes accuracy, fairness, insight and civility. There is no charge to access our content, or to subscribe to our email newsletter. We invite and publish guest commentary that contributes to productive public discourse and adheres to our editorial policies. South Dakota Searchlight launched in 2022. We’re an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The staff of the Searchlight retains full editorial independence.
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