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South Dakota Searchlight
FDA chief says feds are preparing for low probability of bird flu moving to humans
WASHINGTON — The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said at a congressional hearing Wednesday the agency is preparing for the possibility the strain of avian influenza affecting dairy cattle could jump to humans, though he cautioned the probability is low. Robert Califf told senators on the panel in charge of his agency’s […] The post FDA chief says feds are preparing for low probability of bird flu moving to humans appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Rounds bill would prevent mandatory electronic tags for cattle and bison
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, introduced legislation Wednesday that would prevent the federal government from implementing a rule requiring the use of electronic identification tags on cattle and bison. “South Dakota cattle producers don’t need D.C. bureaucrats telling them how to manage and track their livestock,” Rounds said in a press release. The U.S. […] The post Rounds bill would prevent mandatory electronic tags for cattle and bison appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump
WASHINGTON — Adult film star Stormy Daniels told a Manhattan jury Tuesday about meeting Donald Trump in a penthouse suite in 2006, where he told the actress not to worry about his wife and that she reminded him of his daughter shortly before they had sex. The testimony, reported by journalists in the courtroom, described […] The post Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Lawmakers again deny more licenses for out-of-state waterfowl hunters
For the second time, a committee of state lawmakers denied an attempt by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks to increase the number of waterfowl licenses for out-of-state hunters, leaving the controversial rule change’s future in doubt. Game, Fish and Parks Secretary Kevin Robling told the committee Tuesday that the proposal is intended to […] The post Lawmakers again deny more licenses for out-of-state waterfowl hunters appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
TikTok sues to block new U.S. law banning app if it is not sold
TikTok and its Chinese parent company on Tuesday challenged a recently enacted federal law banning the short-form video platform from the United States if it is not sold to a non-Chinese owner. TikTok Inc., the U.S. company that operates the popular social media service, and ByteDance, its parent company founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, filed suit […] The post TikTok sues to block new U.S. law banning app if it is not sold appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota joins Arkansas federal lawsuit over Title IX transgender protections
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday filed a lawsuit with five other states — including South Dakota — against the U.S. Department of Education’s change to Title IX that codifies protections for LGBTQ+ students. The federal rule, announced in April, protects students and employees from sex-based discrimination, requires schools to offer support for people […] The post South Dakota joins Arkansas federal lawsuit over Title IX transgender protections appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate
Lawmakers who oppose abortion often invoke their faith — many identify as Christian — while debating policy. The anti-abortion movement’s use of Christianity in arguments might create the impression that broad swaths of religious Americans don’t support abortion rights. But a recent report shows that Americans of various faiths and denominations believe abortion should be […] The post Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Montana could be a model as more GOP states weigh Medicaid work requirements
Two decades ago, Jeff Beisecker and his family returned to Great Falls, Montana, from a religious mission to the Philippines. Beisecker had no health insurance and no steady source of income, and neither did his wife. Fearful of being without coverage, Beisecker enrolled himself, his wife and their four children in Medicaid for nearly a […] The post Montana could be a model as more GOP states weigh Medicaid work requirements appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Ballot groups are submitting petitions for open primaries and recreational marijuana
South Dakota voters might decide in November if future primary elections should be open to all voters and whether recreational marijuana use should be legalized for adults. Backers of each ballot measure said they’re turning in petitions this week, bringing the number of measures on the ballot or pending for addition to the ballot to […] The post Ballot groups are submitting petitions for open primaries and recreational marijuana appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Statewide child care task force meets, sets plan for the rest of the year
A child care task force made up of 24 South Dakota lawmakers, business leaders, parents and early childhood professionals had its first meeting last month, and the group plans to tackle the issue in meetings throughout the rest of the year. South Dakota’s lack of affordable and accessible child care has been a concern in […] The post Statewide child care task force meets, sets plan for the rest of the year appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Bird Flu Is Bad for Poultry and Dairy Cows. It’s Not a Dire Threat for Most of Us — Yet.
Headlines are flying after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows around the country. Tests have detected the virus among cattle in nine states, mainly in Texas and New Mexico, and most recently in Colorado, said Nirav Shah, principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control […] The post Bird Flu Is Bad for Poultry and Dairy Cows. It’s Not a Dire Threat for Most of Us — Yet. appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Now that Noem knows what’s in her own book, she should tell us how it got there
Kristi Noem owes South Dakotans an explanation for the embarrassment she’s caused herself and the state. The Republican governor has not yet told us how or why she included a false story in her forthcoming book about meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Margaret Brennan of “Face the Nation” pressed Noem for an answer […] The post Now that Noem knows what’s in her own book, she should tell us how it got there appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
How the state, tribes and federal government are working to curb SD’s syphilis epidemic
Tyler Broghammer leaves his office nearly every day armed with a small blue cooler. Inside is a weapon against South Dakota’s syphilis epidemic: syringes of penicillin. The sexually transmitted infection case manager at Oyate Health Center in Rapid City also carries rapid STI tests and condoms on his near daily drive around town, meeting with […] The post How the state, tribes and federal government are working to curb SD’s syphilis epidemic appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates
WASHINGTON — States and local organizations that aid victims of sexual assault and other crimes are raising the alarm about a multi-year plunge in funds, a major problem they say Congress must fix soon or programs will be forced to set up wait lists or turn victims away altogether. Affected are rape crisis centers, domestic […] The post Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Commission dismisses calls to reinstate annual pheasant count
State wildlife officials are not bringing back a popular method of estimating South Dakota’s pheasant population, despite requests from the public to do so. South Dakota is one of the top states for pheasant hunting in the nation, with millions of birds and millions of dollars in economic impact from the hunters that flock to […] The post Commission dismisses calls to reinstate annual pheasant count appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem in political freefall as book inaccuracies emerge following backlash against animal killings
South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem was in political freefall Friday as embarrassing revelations continued to emerge from the scrutiny of advance copies of her memoir, which doesn’t officially publish until Tuesday. Noem was already reeling from near-universal backlash against her disclosure in the book that she shot and killed a dog named Cricket and […] The post Noem in political freefall as book inaccuracies emerge following backlash against animal killings appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Rule change allows tribes to access state housing funds, but it comes too late for grants
A state board endorsed a rule change this week that would let Native American tribes access state housing infrastructure funding, but the change comes so late in the process that all the grants are already awarded and only loans remain. The Housing Infrastructure Financing Program is a $200 million pool of state and federal money […] The post Rule change allows tribes to access state housing funds, but it comes too late for grants appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota courts launch live interpreter pilot project in clerks’ offices
Non-English speaking South Dakotans in five counties are now able to talk with an interpreter over a video conferencing software when they’re seeking guidance and help from clerks at the courthouse. The South Dakota Unified Judicial System provides free access to interpreters — whether in-person or virtually — inside the courtroom. The technology upgrade is […] The post South Dakota courts launch live interpreter pilot project in clerks’ offices appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Company behind proposed Lake Preston jet fuel plant buoyed by federal carbon credit ruling
The company that aims to place a massive jet fuel plant in Lake Preston told investors Thursday that updated guidance from the federal government on biofuel carbon credits could be a boon to its prospects of success. Englewood, Colorado-based Gevo wants to build a plant to turn ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel in South Dakota, […] The post Company behind proposed Lake Preston jet fuel plant buoyed by federal carbon credit ruling appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem’s dog killing was bad, but to really understand her, consider the goat
Since Gov. Kristi Noem’s disclosure of her farmyard killing spree, everybody’s been focused on Cricket. That’s understandable. Cricket was a 14-month-old dog. It’s easy to imagine her head jutting out of a pickup window, hair and tongue blowing in the wind. Like many dogs, Cricket probably had a personality and other human-like qualities that we […] The post Noem’s dog killing was bad, but to really understand her, consider the goat 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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