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South Dakota Searchlight
For some rural communities, a stripped-down hospital is better than none at all
On many days, some small hospitals in rural Mississippi admit just one patient — or none at all. The hospitals are drowning in debt. The small, tight-knit communities they’ve anchored for decades can do little but watch as the hospitals shed services and staff just to stay afloat. The federal government recently offered a lifeline: […] The post For some rural communities, a stripped-down hospital is better than none at all appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
What further Trump sins and crimes will SD’s highest elected officials excuse?
There used to be a time when you could count on how Republicans would react to the news of the day. They stood for the rule of law and high moral standards. Through the Trump years we have seen those standards erode and vanish in other states. Recently the Trumpian infection was on full display […] The post What further Trump sins and crimes will SD’s highest elected officials excuse? appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Costs and other concerns about low-turnout primary spark thoughts of change
Every ballot cast in Lyman County for Tuesday’s primary election was worth $134 in taxpayer money, Lyman County Auditor Kalli Houchin estimated. Only 67 people voted in the south-central South Dakota county — just over 6% of registered voters. Yet the county spent about $9,000 on ballot printing, hiring election workers and other costs. In […] The post Costs and other concerns about low-turnout primary spark thoughts of change appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
On 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion, Biden and Macron honor WWII veterans at Normandy
WASHINGTON — “They were brave, they were resolute, they were ready,” President Joe Biden said Thursday at the Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, one of five along France’s northern coast where Allied troops invaded in 1944 and turned the tide in World War II. Biden and dozens of U.S. lawmakers traveled to Normandy to […] The post On 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion, Biden and Macron honor WWII veterans at Normandy appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
End of pandemic internet subsidies threatens a health care lifeline for rural America
FORT HALL RESERVATION, Idaho — Myrna Broncho realized just how necessary an internet connection can be after she broke her leg. In fall 2021, the 69-year-old climbed a ladder to the top of a shed in her pasture. The roof that protects her horses and cows needed to be fixed. So, drill in hand, she […] The post End of pandemic internet subsidies threatens a health care lifeline for rural America appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
New landscape confronts South Dakota Republicans after political earthquake shakes incumbents
A literal 3.7-magnitude earthquake shook the state Capitol in Pierre last week. State Rep. Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, said a political earthquake shook the Capitol on Tuesday night. “The people are waking up,” Odenbach said. He and others within a faction of the South Dakota Republican Party say it’s being run by politicians who are not […] The post New landscape confronts South Dakota Republicans after political earthquake shakes incumbents appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Thune, Rounds among Republicans blocking contraception access bill from moving ahead
WASHINGTON — An attempt to reinforce Americans’ access to contraception failed Wednesday when U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a bill from advancing toward final passage. The 51-39 procedural vote required at least 60 senators to move forward, but fell short after GOP lawmakers said the measure was too broad as well as unnecessary. Alaska Sen. Lisa […] The post Thune, Rounds among Republicans blocking contraception access bill from moving ahead appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Incumbent Republican legislators suffer losses as pipelines and property rights surge to the fore
At least 14 Republican legislators lost their races against fellow Republicans on Tuesday in the 2024 primary election, with a controversial carbon dioxide pipeline among the top wedge issues to emerge. Voters also ousted two of the state’s Native American lawmakers (a mother and son), and brought back a Republican who served as speaker of […] The post Incumbent Republican legislators suffer losses as pipelines and property rights surge to the fore appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Voters reject machine-counting ban in all three counties where it was on the ballot
A majority of voters in three South Dakota counties showed their trust in the state’s current election system Tuesday as they rejected proposed bans on tabulator machines. The votes were in Gregory, Haakon and Tripp counties. Citizen groups petitioned the measures onto the ballots in an effort to ban vote-counting machines and force a switch […] The post Voters reject machine-counting ban in all three counties where it was on the ballot appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden wins South Dakota Democratic presidential primary
President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden won the South Dakota Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday. With more than half of the state’s precincts fully reported at 9:40 p.m. Central time, Biden had garnered 75% of the vote. The vote totals for the other three candidates: Author and speaker Marianne Williamson, of Washington, D.C., […] The post Biden wins South Dakota Democratic presidential primary appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border signed by Biden
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued an executive order that will allow him to partially suspend asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border when daily unauthorized crossings reach a threshold of 2,500 migrants. “I’ve come here today to do what Republicans in Congress refuse to do, take the necessary steps to secure our border,” […] The post Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border signed by Biden appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Bird flu’s spread from poultry to cattle to humans provokes worry among feds, states
Dairy farmers throughout the country are on guard and the federal government is mobilizing after an outbreak among cattle herds of highly pathogenic avian influenza — once thought to be confined to poultry flocks. What’s more, the virus, also known as H5N1 or bird flu, was diagnosed in a third dairy farmworker last week, marking […] The post Bird flu’s spread from poultry to cattle to humans provokes worry among feds, states appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Primary day in South Dakota: A guide to the election
It’s primary day in South Dakota, with 45 legislative contests receiving much of the attention and various local races and issues also appearing on ballots around the state. Here’s what to know about casting your vote and what’s on the ballot. Voters who registered by the May 20 deadline are eligible to cast a ballot. […] The post Primary day in South Dakota: A guide to the election appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
USDA aims to aid small farmers by barring pay deductions from poultry companies
WASHINGTON — A rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture would eliminate pay deductions for chicken producers, Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday. Under the current poultry payment system, an incentive-based arrangement known within the industry as a tournament system, farmers who raise poultry earn a base payment from the companies that buy the product […] The post USDA aims to aid small farmers by barring pay deductions from poultry companies appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
11 tribal recruits attending new law enforcement course in Pierre
The state’s first law enforcement certification course focusing on tribal policing began Monday in Pierre with 11 tribal trainees. The recruits from the Oglala and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate are joined by 12 trainees from non-tribal agencies in South Dakota for the 13-week course. The course came about through a collaboration […] The post 11 tribal recruits attending new law enforcement course in Pierre appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Marijuana legalization measure validated for Nov. 5 election
A petition that would legalize adult recreational marijuana use in South Dakota has enough signatures from registered voters to be placed on the Nov. 5 ballot, according to the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office. The office made the announcement Monday, triggering a 30-day window for challenges to the petition’s validity. It’s the sixth statewide […] The post Marijuana legalization measure validated for Nov. 5 election appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
This year’s closed Republican primary could be the last of its kind in South Dakota
Tuesday’s primary election could be the last of its kind in South Dakota. In November, voters will consider Constitutional Amendment H which, if approved, would drastically change the way primaries are conducted in this state. Amendment H would open the primaries to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation or the lack of party affiliation. […] The post This year’s closed Republican primary could be the last of its kind in South Dakota appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
By hand or machine: Tabulator bans go to voters in three counties Tuesday
On Tuesday, when voters in three counties decide whether to ban tabulator machines in future elections, it will be the culmination of a statewide citizen group’s multi-year movement to switch South Dakota elections to hand counting. The votes – in Gregory, Haakon and Tripp counties – were forced by citizen-initiated petitions. Proponents of the ban […] The post By hand or machine: Tabulator bans go to voters in three counties Tuesday appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Republican factions fighting for control of the party in Tuesday’s primary election
Most of the action in Tuesday’s South Dakota primary election is in Republican legislative races, where a fight for control of the party has drawn in players ranging from upstart challengers to fundraising groups affiliated with members of Congress. There are 44 Republican legislative primary races across the state, and only one Democratic legislative primary. […] The post Republican factions fighting for control of the party in Tuesday’s primary election 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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