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South Dakota Searchlight
Lobbying group aims to increase video lottery bet limits in 2024 legislative session
A lobbying group is hoping for bills during the 2024 legislative session to increase lottery revenues across the state. Matt Krogman, with the South Dakota Licensed Beverage Dealers and Gaming Association, told state lottery commissioners at their meeting Thursday in Pierre that the move would be “proactive” as video lottery revenues, inflated during the pandemic, […] The post Lobbying group aims to increase video lottery bet limits in 2024 legislative session appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Funding for nursing homes up 25% after state increase
PIERRE — State funding for nursing homes is up an average of 25% statewide since the Legislature and Gov. Kristi Noem approved more money for them last winter. When nursing home patients can’t pay for their own care, they go on Medicaid, which is a joint federal-state health insurance program for low-income people. For the […] The post Funding for nursing homes up 25% after state increase appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Noem’s spending plan totals $7.28 billion, down slightly from current budget
PIERRE — Gov. Kristi Noem unveiled a $7.28 billion budget proposal during a speech Tuesday at the Capitol, which would be a 1.33% decrease from the current budget. She said it’s time for state government to tighten its belt. “Last year, the Legislature spent tens of millions of dollars that wasn’t in my budget recommendation,” […] The post Noem’s spending plan totals $7.28 billion, down slightly from current budget appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Juncos: The birds we’re killing just by being ourselves
No, this isn’t about those folks who spend their winters in Arizona or Florida. The snowbird behind this warning is an actual bird, the dark-eyed junco, a small creature you probably know if you have a bird feeder and maybe even if you don’t. Trim, gray sparrows that flash white tail feathers as they take […] The post Juncos: The birds we’re killing just by being ourselves appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Defense lawyers decry wait times, pat-down searches at penitentiary
Defense attorneys in South Dakota’s most populous county are at odds with the state Department of Corrections over problems with client access they say raise civil rights questions and cost taxpayers money. An advisory group for public defenders in Minnehaha County discussed the problem during a Tuesday meeting with County Commissioner Joe Kippley, the commission’s […] The post Defense lawyers decry wait times, pat-down searches at penitentiary appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Now it’s the Legislature’s turn to try to scale the Noem wall of silence
It’s likely that journalists in South Dakota allowed themselves a few self-satisfied chuckles last month. This mirth was inspired by watching the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee fail to get the information it was seeking about the Freedom Works Here campaign from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. The Freedom Works Here campaign advertisements, which have run […] The post Now it’s the Legislature’s turn to try to scale the Noem wall of silence appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State seeks sponsors for federal food program after declining separate funding source
After the state turned down federal funding for summertime child food vouchers, the South Dakota Department of Education is seeking sponsors for another program that provides summer meals to needy children. Sponsors feed kids who qualify for free or reduced price lunch during the school year, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture reimburses sponsors. According […] The post State seeks sponsors for federal food program after declining separate funding source appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
SD Rep. Johnson votes for expulsion as House boots Santos from office
WASHINGTON — New York Republican George Santos on Friday became the sixth lawmaker in history and the first member of the GOP to be expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives. The 311-114 bipartisan vote, which required two-thirds support, followed months of scandal that culminated in a federal criminal indictment and a damning report from […] The post SD Rep. Johnson votes for expulsion as House boots Santos from office appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Carbon pipeline debate spawns another new organization
A second group has formed in response to disputes over a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in South Dakota, this time in support of policies that could result in the pipeline’s construction. A news release from the newly formed South Dakota Ag Alliance said it will “mediate and advocate for reasonable solutions to difficult ag and […] The post Carbon pipeline debate spawns another new organization appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
House moves to bar use of public lands for housing migrants; SD’s Johnson votes yes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum. The bill, H.R. 5283, passed with a majority of Republicans in support (including South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson), 224-203. It’s dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a […] The post House moves to bar use of public lands for housing migrants; SD’s Johnson votes yes appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Q&A: Carbon pipeline execs say ethanol’s future hangs in the balance
MARION — If South Dakota’s ethanol industry does not reduce the amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide it emits into the atmosphere, the industry’s future is grim. That’s according to two top executives of the remaining carbon-capture pipeline company hoping to capture, liquefy and bury carbon dioxide from South Dakota ethanol plants. They said markets around […] The post Q&A: Carbon pipeline execs say ethanol’s future hangs in the balance appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Open primaries: Advocating for fair and competitive elections
South Dakota has a closed primary election system which discourages competition, encourages hyper partisanship and excludes hundreds of thousands of voters from a meaningful role in our elections. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Luckily, there is an alternative election system available for voters to consider next November. South Dakotans who show up […] The post Open primaries: Advocating for fair and competitive elections appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Lincoln could become sixth county to regulate location of carbon pipelines
CANTON — Lincoln County could become the sixth county in the state to enact regulations on the location of carbon dioxide pipelines. Brown, McPherson, Minnehaha, Moody and Spink counties already have “setback” ordinances that mandate minimum distances between pipelines and residential areas, livestock facilities, nursing homes and other existing features. The Lincoln County Commission rejected […] The post Lincoln could become sixth county to regulate location of carbon pipelines appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Climate change makes farm bill conservation programs crucial
While people from around the country think of South Dakota as the home of Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park and the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, we are at our core a state powered and defined by our farms and ranches. Agriculture is the South Dakota’s top producing industry, generating almost $12 billion for the economy […] The post Climate change makes farm bill conservation programs crucial 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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