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VA veterans crisis line to face new investigation by congressional watchdog agency
WASHINGTON — The Government Accountability Office plans to investigate multiple whistleblower allegations of “gross mismanagement” at the Department of Veterans Affairs veterans crisis line, following a request from Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, States Newsroom has learned. Moran, ranking member on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, sent a letter to the VA secretary this week […] The post VA veterans crisis line to face new investigation by congressional watchdog agency appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
With yes vote from SD’s Johnson, House passes stopgap spending bill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House took a broadly bipartisan vote Tuesday to fund the government into the new year, though the measure must pass the Senate by the end of the week if Congress is going to avoid a partial government shutdown. The 336-95 House vote was the first major legislative test for Speaker Mike […] The post With yes vote from SD’s Johnson, House passes stopgap spending bill appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State auditor says legislative factions are spreading conflict-of-interest allegations
The state auditor said Tuesday he has fielded claims that numerous legislators are violating state constitutional provisions regarding conflicts of interest. “I haven’t been given any names, but I’ve been alerted that there are possibly 20 legislators out of the 105 that would probably have some sort of conflict,” said Auditor Rich Sattgast, who shared […] The post State auditor says legislative factions are spreading conflict-of-interest allegations appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Staffing and funding problems leave tribal child welfare offices scrambling
Christian Blackbird isn’t sure how many children fell through the cracks. He’d been at the Crow Creek Indian Child Welfare Act Office for more than a year with a staff of two under his management. But before he started in January 2022, the director’s chair he now sits in was vacant on and off for […] The post Staffing and funding problems leave tribal child welfare offices scrambling appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Foster families get paid, but not ‘kinship’ relatives caring for Native children
Eighteen-month-old Gabriel slowly fell asleep in his grandmother’s arms at the dinner table. It was mid-morning, and his two siblings were playing quietly with their uncle downstairs. Gabriel didn’t need his crib, or a security blanket or sound machine lulling him to sleep. He just needed his grandmother’s arms — a safe space. His home. […] The post Foster families get paid, but not ‘kinship’ relatives caring for Native children appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Critics allege CO2 pipelines ‘farm the government’ for climate money while helping oil industry
Plans to capture carbon dioxide emitted by ethanol plants, ship it via pipelines and store it underground are viewed by some as a way to fight climate change. The process is one way to keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, where it acts as a heat-trapping greenhouse gas. But critics say the process known […] The post Critics allege CO2 pipelines ‘farm the government’ for climate money while helping oil industry appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
New bills raise debate over ethanol’s environmental impact, with implications for the climate
South Dakota’s congressional delegation wants the federal government to measure the environmental impact of biofuels in a way that some researchers say is unlikely to help mitigate climate change. Sen. John Thune and Rep. Dusty Johnson, both Republicans, recently reintroduced similar bipartisan bills in the Senate and House, with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, cosponsoring […] The post New bills raise debate over ethanol’s environmental impact, with implications for the climate appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Tackling substance abuse with families in mind to prevent foster care placements
Sobriety was a 12-year journey for Toni Handboy. She tried to protect her children. She sent her daughter to live with her ex-husband in Oregon. Her son was placed with an aunt nearby after being removed by Child Protective Services. But the impact on her children ran deep. Even though Handboy tried to make sure […] The post Tackling substance abuse with families in mind to prevent foster care placements appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Setting the parent up for failure’: Reunification barriers reflect root causes of child removal
Toni Handboy and Christian Blackbird are constantly telling their clients not to give up. Handboy, a counselor at Wakpa Waste Counseling Services in Eagle Butte, and Blackbird, the Crow Creek Indian Child Welfare Act director, frequently work with parents trying to get their children back from the foster care system. But complying with reunification requirements […] The post ‘Setting the parent up for failure’: Reunification barriers reflect root causes of child removal appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
GOP presidential candidates brawl in Florida debate, while Trump rallies nearby
Five Republican candidates for president tussled over support for Ukraine and abortion policy at a debate in Miami Wednesday evening, while the leading contender for the nomination, former President Donald Trump, sought Latino votes in an event across town. Trump, who consistently garners more than 50% in polls of Republican voters, once again declined to […] The post GOP presidential candidates brawl in Florida debate, while Trump rallies nearby appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
2024 ballot question status check: Abortion, open primaries, food sales tax and more
The countdown is on. The 2024 general election is about a year out, and South Dakota’s ballot could be a long one: There are 15 potential ballot questions listed on the Secretary of State’s Office website. One question is already set to be on the ballot. Petitions for about half of the other questions are […] The post 2024 ballot question status check: Abortion, open primaries, food sales tax and more appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem sets budget mood, but are legislators in a mood to follow?
With her annual budget address set for Dec. 5, Gov. Kristi Noem used her last weekly newspaper column of October to help set the mood for the coming legislative session. The mood she’s going for: overwhelmingly conservative. For the past few years, the state had enjoyed strong economic growth coupled with a windfall of federal […] The post Noem sets budget mood, but are legislators in a mood to follow? appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Waiting for life to start again’: Family agonizes over parental termination
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story mentions mental health issues. If you need help or know someone who does, please call 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 for free and confidential support. Home is Christian Banley’s purgatory. The tan, unassuming clapboard house with a sagging awning and an overgrown front yard sits across the […] The post ‘Waiting for life to start again’: Family agonizes over parental termination appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
SD’s Johnson votes with majority to censure Tlaib over Israel remarks
The U.S. House voted late Tuesday to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib for remarks the Michigan Democrat has made about Israel and Palestine amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. The chamber voted, 234-188, to adopt a resolution written by Georgia Republican Rich McCormick that censures Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, for a handful of […] The post SD’s Johnson votes with majority to censure Tlaib over Israel remarks appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Federal agency threatens funding reduction over South Dakota’s lax pipeline safety enforcement
Federal regulators say they’ll reduce grant funding to South Dakota if the state doesn’t do a better job preventing excavation damage to buried pipelines. The warning came in a letter this month from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), after a July review. For the second year in a […] The post Federal agency threatens funding reduction over South Dakota’s lax pipeline safety enforcement appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Ban on added flavors in medical pot products shot down by legislative panel
Lawmakers swatted back an attempt to ban flavoring in marijuana edibles and vape products on Tuesday in Pierre. They also shot down a rule that would have forced cannabis manufacturers to test the rolling papers used to make pre-rolls – also known as joints — in addition to testing the pot inside them. The rules […] The post Ban on added flavors in medical pot products shot down by legislative panel appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Landowners sue to put prison site in front of county zoning board
The state should ask for Lincoln County’s permission before building a new prison there, according to a lawsuit from a group of landowners. The lawsuit was filed in Lincoln County late last week by a recently formed group called “Neighbors Opposed to Prison Expansion” — or the acronym NOPE for short — as well as […] The post Landowners sue to put prison site in front of county zoning board appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota inspired ICWA but still has high rate of Native children in foster care
Cheryl Spider DeCoteau was nervous. It was the Sisseton Wahpeton tribal citizen’s first time in Washington, D.C., and she sat in front of two senators, multiple congressional aides, lawyers and clerks in a large, wood-paneled committee room, bright lights shining down. Two of the 23-year-old’s sons, ages 5 and 3, sat in the audience while […] The post South Dakota inspired ICWA but still has high rate of Native children in foster care 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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