Columbus
South Dakota Searchlight
Governors, including Noem, oppose Air National Guard move to Space Force
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administration’s move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force. The letter from the National Governors’ Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written […] The post Governors, including Noem, oppose Air National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Chief justice, law school dean guarded, hopeful about AI in justice system
SIOUX FALLS — Artificial intelligence (AI) could mean more efficient legal offices and lower bills for clients – provided human beings use the technology ethically. South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen and University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law Dean Neil Fulton offered that tentative conclusion on AI in the legal profession […] The post Chief justice, law school dean guarded, hopeful about AI in justice system appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
What Noem’s shot heard around the world says about her approach to problems
Cricket might have turned out to be a fine hunting dog, or just a good companion. We’ll never know, because Kristi Noem killed her, with a shot years ago that is now being heard around the world of politics in South Dakota and beyond. At least, that’s one of the stories our governor tells in […] The post What Noem’s shot heard around the world says about her approach to problems appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Contents of memorial to mountain man Hugh Glass revealed at Neihardt event
WAYNE, Nebraska — A “reveal” of what a Nebraska poet hid inside a lonely monument a century ago revealed more of what Mother Nature could wreck over the span of 100 years. On Saturday, descendants of John Neihardt revealed what they’d found inside an “altar to courage” that the poet and members of a fan […] The post Contents of memorial to mountain man Hugh Glass revealed at Neihardt event appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Three counties will vote on banning ballot tabulator machines, requiring hand-counting
Three South Dakota counties will ask voters during the June 4 primary if they should ban the use of tabulator machines in future local elections. If the measures pass, the auditor’s offices in each county would have to hand-count ballots in the Nov. 5 general election and thereafter. The votes – in Gregory, Haakon and […] The post Three counties will vote on banning ballot tabulator machines, requiring hand-counting appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Searchlight wins 11 awards, including Outstanding Young Journalist for Huber
South Dakota Searchlight won 11 awards in its division of the South Dakota NewsMedia Association’s 2023 Better News Media Contest, including the Outstanding Young Journalist award for Makenzie Huber. Awards were presented Friday in Huron during the association’s 141st annual convention. The association, based in Brookings, represents more than 100 members from newspapers and digital […] The post Searchlight wins 11 awards, including Outstanding Young Journalist for Huber appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Boot camps, business accelerators: Rapid City, Sioux Falls get creative with child care grants
South Dakota’s two largest cities are creatively spending child care grants awarded by the state, with uses including boot camps for providers and the hiring of a child care entrepreneur-in-residence. Both communities face a shortage of available child care slots and struggle with affordable child care options for families, which can cost economic productivity and […] The post Boot camps, business accelerators: Rapid City, Sioux Falls get creative with child care grants appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Action needed to protect kids’ mental health from social media, bipartisan panelists say
SIOUX FALLS — The kids are not all right, and replacing socializing with social media contributes to it. That consensus emerged during a public dialogue Friday on the mental health challenges faced by America’s youth, hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center at the Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in collaboration with the Helmsley Charitable Trust. The […] The post Action needed to protect kids’ mental health from social media, bipartisan panelists say appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Cities and schools see new opportunities to partner on child care with state grants
Jody Hernandez has a pitch for Brookings businesses to support a child care initiative in the city. “We can go to employers and say, if you want to retain employees, then we have a system that their potential employees’ children from ages 0 to 5 can be kept safe with a great education from 6 […] The post Cities and schools see new opportunities to partner on child care with state grants appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘We can’t exist without child care’: Rural towns use state funding to open local centers
It’s been over six months since two in-home child care providers closed in Highmore. The town of over 600 in central South Dakota has a few other in-home providers, but all are full and have waitlists months out. If a family wanted to move to the town — about an hour’s drive east of Pierre […] The post ‘We can’t exist without child care’: Rural towns use state funding to open local centers appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Water advocates ask state Supreme Court to block city of Custer discharges into French Creek
Water quality advocates in Custer County want the state Supreme Court to make the county enforce a voter-backed ordinance barring the discharge of treated wastewater into a creek by the city of Custer. The city studied four options for discharge and chose French Creek. Since 1972, the city had discharged treated wastewater into Flynn Creek. […] The post Water advocates ask state Supreme Court to block city of Custer discharges into French Creek appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. House GOP bars earmarks for certain non-profits, after controversy over LGBTQ projects
WASHINGTON — U.S. House lawmakers will no longer be able to request earmarked funding for some nonprofits under a change in eligibility made by the Republican chairman of the Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The alteration is related to an uproar during last year’s annual government funding process, when House Republicans, who are in the majority, […] The post U.S. House GOP bars earmarks for certain non-profits, after controversy over LGBTQ projects appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
U.S. Supreme Court floats return to trial court for Trump in presidential immunity case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical Thursday of former President Donald Trump’s argument he is immune from criminal charges that he tried to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. But conservatives who dominate the court appeared open to returning key questions to a trial court, possibly delaying Trump’s prosecution beyond the November […] The post U.S. Supreme Court floats return to trial court for Trump in presidential immunity case appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
More public colleges admit high schoolers even before they’ve applied
For some ninth graders near Fresno, California, the invitation — years before they’ll don a cap and gown — comes out of the blue: You’ve been accepted to Fresno State, the letter says. Public universities across the country increasingly are sending such acceptance letters even before students apply to college. In more than a third of […] The post More public colleges admit high schoolers even before they’ve applied appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Feds to require bird flu tests of dairy cattle before transport
Starting next week, certain dairy cattle must be tested for avian influenza before they can be transported to a different state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The requirement is among several that will expand the testing, reporting and monitoring of the cattle to reduce the spread of bird flu among the animals. The […] The post Feds to require bird flu tests of dairy cattle before transport appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Can South Dakota afford to keep Kristi Noem on its payroll?
Whether it’s her hairstyle, dental work or feud with the state’s tribes, at this point it’s impossible to consider Gov. Kristi Noem’s actions without looking through the lens of her perpetual tryout to serve as vice president in the next Donald Trump administration. Her problems with the tribes seem ready-made for the MAGA faithful. It […] The post Can South Dakota afford to keep Kristi Noem on its payroll? appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Searchlight reporter is a finalist for a national award
South Dakota Searchlight’s Makenzie Huber is a finalist, with Annie Todd, formerly of the Argus Leader, for a Livingston Award from the Wallace House Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan. Huber and Todd are finalists in the Local Reporting category for their November 2023 collaborative series, The Lost Children, examining the causes and […] The post Searchlight reporter is a finalist for a national award appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Supreme Court justices appear split over whether to protect abortion care during emergencies
U.S. Supreme Court justices spent two hours Wednesday debating whether a federal law about emergency treatment encompasses abortion care even in states with strict abortion bans, with no clear indication of how they may ultimately rule. A decision could come as soon as the end of June to decide whether Idaho’s near-total abortion ban means […] The post Supreme Court justices appear split over whether to protect abortion care during emergencies appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Group says it’s filing petition signatures to put grocery tax repeal on ballot
South Dakota and Mississippi are the only states that have a full state sales tax rate on groceries, but that could change in November. Circulators of a petition to repeal the state sales tax on groceries said they planned to turn in enough signatures Wednesday to the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office to place the […] The post Group says it’s filing petition signatures to put grocery tax repeal on ballot appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Debate begins on abortion-rights ballot measure as Mitchell event brings out both sides
MITCHELL — A proposed measure to reinstate abortion rights hasn’t made the ballot yet, but the debate is underway. About 100 people converged Tuesday evening on Dakota Wesleyan University for a discussion sponsored by the university’s McGovern Center as part of its Courageous Conversation series. The room was filled with attendees from both sides of […] The post Debate begins on abortion-rights ballot measure as Mitchell event brings out both sides appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota Searchlight
2K+
Posts
11M+
Views
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.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.