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South Dakota Searchlight
State lawmakers seek to limit property tax increases as home values soar
Soaring home values have increased property taxes for millions of homeowners in recent years, prompting action from state lawmakers to lighten the burden. “The biggest problem was they just went up so quickly. … I think that’s one of the reasons why it became this rallying cry from the people asking for tax relief,” said […] The post State lawmakers seek to limit property tax increases as home values soar appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Price tag for new prisons, already historic, could grow significantly
Early in 2023, the South Dakota Legislature budgeted $60 million for a new women’s prison in Rapid City. The state also set aside $330.9 million to start work on a new men’s prison to replace the aging state penitentiary in Sioux Falls. Then, in December, Gov. Kristi Noem surprised some lawmakers by saying the women’s prison […] The post Price tag for new prisons, already historic, could grow significantly appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Board moves to strip Western Dakota Tech of fast-track status for law enforcement program
The Law Enforcement Officers Standards Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to strip Western Dakota Technical College of its ability to offer a quick path to certification for graduates of its police-focused criminal justice program. The Rapid City school had been one of three in the state with an “articulation agreement” through the commission. The others […] The post Board moves to strip Western Dakota Tech of fast-track status for law enforcement program appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
DeSantis: Eminent domain needed in pipeline projects like Keystone
As the debate over carbon capture pipelines continues, Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said Tuesday in Iowa that the use of eminent domain covered projects like the Keystone XL oil pipeline because the production of energy serves a public use. The Florida governor, speaking at a Council Bluffs town hall on Gray TV, did not comment […] The post DeSantis: Eminent domain needed in pipeline projects like Keystone appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State would benefit if ‘beaten down’ Democrats can rally
Reporters expect a certain amount of spin at legislative news conferences. It’s the nature of the beast. What they don’t expect to hear is some hard truths about politics in South Dakota. That’s what editors and publishers got from Rep. Spencer Hawley, a Brookings Democrat, during a 2016 Newspaper Day at the Legislature news conference […] The post State would benefit if ‘beaten down’ Democrats can rally appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Congress was full of postponements in 2023. Now 2024 could be even less productive.
WASHINGTON — Congress got next to nothing done during the past year and could accomplish even less in 2024 as attention shifts to the November elections. House Republican and Senate Democratic leaders reached agreement on bills and resolutions they sent to the president’s desk just 34 times during the first year of the 118th Congress […] The post Congress was full of postponements in 2023. Now 2024 could be even less productive. appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
New report recommends state efforts to sustain rural ambulance services
Some South Dakotans who call 911 won’t see an ambulance show up for over half an hour on the western side of the state if they have an emergency. That’s because there simply aren’t enough ambulances to cover the West River region. The problem could worsen as volunteer emergency responders age, fewer South Dakotans volunteer […] The post New report recommends state efforts to sustain rural ambulance services appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
School funding increases aren’t always what they appear
As a member of the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education, I was pleased to hear that Governor Kristi Noem proposed a 4 percent increase to school funding during her budget address earlier this month. South Dakota continues to rank 49th in the nation for teacher pay, so any proposed increase to education is […] The post School funding increases aren’t always what they appear appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Why South Dakota’s landmark teacher pay law failed
Inflation, turnover, minimal increases in state aid to education, and pay raises absorbed by non-teaching staff: Those are the reasons for South Dakota’s lagging teacher pay, according to education experts and school officials. The Legislature expected to infuse over $60 million into public K-12 education in the first year following 2016’s historic half-percent state sales […] The post Why South Dakota’s landmark teacher pay law failed appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State request for federal money aims to improve dismal rate of broadband subsidy use
Just over two years ago, Congress pumped $14.2 billion into the Affordable Connectivity Program in hopes of connecting more people to high-speed internet. Eligible low-income households on tribal land can get $75 off their monthly internet bills; those outside of tribal land can get $30 a month. The program also offers $100 one-time payments for […] The post State request for federal money aims to improve dismal rate of broadband subsidy use appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
SD delegation has concerns about extension of internet subsidy program
If Congress renews funding for a program that helps low-income people pay their internet bills — a program South Dakota hopes to lean on to connect more homes to broadband in the coming years — it won’t be the result of vigorous advocacy from the state’s congressional delegation. Sen. John Thune, the ranking member of […] The post SD delegation has concerns about extension of internet subsidy program appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
An alternative proposal for the Wounded Knee medal problem
Some of the soldiers who participated in the killing of hundreds of Native American men, women and children 133 years ago today at Wounded Knee are still officially honored as heroes. Poorly written citations have confused the issue of how many soldiers received the Medal of Honor specifically for their participation in the massacre, but […] The post An alternative proposal for the Wounded Knee medal problem appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Wounded Knee descendants group plans ceremony to burn returned artifacts
Last November, more than 150 items stolen from mass graves of Wounded Knee massacre victims were returned to a group of descendants, the Si’Tanka Ta’ Oyate O’mniceye (Descendants of the Si’ Tanka Nation). Now, a year later, the group plans to burn the artifacts to mark the end of the one-year traditional bereavement period called […] The post Wounded Knee descendants group plans ceremony to burn returned artifacts appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Governor’s Cup’ rodeo among recipients of millions from public fund controlled by Noem
In September, Gov. Kristi Noem carried the American flag on horseback into a Sioux Falls arena full of fans. It was the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, advertised as “the richest rodeo in South Dakota history,” with $1 million in prize money. Noem handed out awards, posed for photos with the winners, and shared the images with thousands of followers on her social media accounts.
Lincoln County votes to support landowner position in prison site lawsuit
CANTON — Lincoln County officials want a judge to decide if the state has the right to build a prison in the county without public input or local review. On Tuesday, county commissioners voted to submit a legal argument in support of the landowners who’ve sued the state Department of Corrections, though the scope of […] The post Lincoln County votes to support landowner position in prison site lawsuit appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Like Republican legislators, citizens want to cut taxes
South Dakota lawmakers went through a bit of a tax cut frenzy in the last legislative session before finally settling on a reduction of the state sales tax. A recent poll shows that citizens favor getting into the tax cut game as well. A poll of registered voters sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and […] The post Like Republican legislators, citizens want to cut taxes appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Supreme Court won’t yet rule on presidential immunity question in Trump case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to quickly decide if former President Donald Trump holds immunity from federal prosecution in the case linked to his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith had asked the justices to determine if “a former President […] The post Supreme Court won’t yet rule on presidential immunity question in Trump case appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden to commute sentences of 11 nonviolent drug offenders
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will grant clemency Friday to nearly a dozen people serving “disproportionately long sentences” for nonviolent drug offenses as part of his administration’s effort to rectify disparities in sentencing. “All of them would have been eligible to receive significantly lower sentences if they were charged with the same offense today,” Biden […] The post Biden to commute sentences of 11 nonviolent drug offenders appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
The naughty and the nice: Home-state holiday decor bedecks congressional offices
WASHINGTON — Congress members and office neighbors on the second floor of the Longworth House Office Building showcased their holiday spirit this season in an unofficial decorating contest. The naughty and nice decorations spotlighted the characteristics and economies of congressional districts across the United States and revealed the taste in decor among both members and […] The post The naughty and the nice: Home-state holiday decor bedecks congressional offices appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
CO2 pipeline debate has resulted in divisions among ethanol proponents
A carbon pipeline project aimed at reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from the Midwest ethanol industry is irritating some within that very industry. Summit Carbon Solutions aims to transport carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to an underground storage site in North Dakota. Its CEO, Lee Blank, recently emphasized the importance of the pipeline for the […] The post CO2 pipeline debate has resulted in divisions among ethanol proponents 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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