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Biden administration to send $7 billion for clean hydrogen hubs in 16 states
The Biden administration is directing $7 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law to build seven regional hydrogen power hubs in 16 states, the White House announced Friday. The projects, each of which is a cluster of assets that produce and process hydrogen fuel as an alternative to fossil fuels, will benefit the climate, the economy […] The post Biden administration to send $7 billion for clean hydrogen hubs in 16 states appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
There’s still no speaker of the U.S. House. Could Patrick McHenry be the solution?
WASHINGTON — Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise stepped into a closed-door meeting at the U.S. Capitol Thursday to negotiate with more than a dozen holdout Republicans in his quest to become the next speaker of the House, though dissent only seemed to grow following the three-hour session. On Thursday night, Scalise announced he was dropping […] The post There’s still no speaker of the U.S. House. Could Patrick McHenry be the solution? appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Remote tractor diagnosis, disease-resistant pigs: Panel talks tech influence on ag
SIOUX FALLS – Agriculture has already been remade by precision technology, but the rapid proliferation of algorithmic machine-learning tools will continue to alter industry norms for years to come. That was among the key takeaways from a panel of ag experts at the South Dakota Biotech summit and annual meeting on Thursday at the Minnehaha […] The post Remote tractor diagnosis, disease-resistant pigs: Panel talks tech influence on ag appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
New property rights coalition plans to lobby for eminent domain restrictions
SIOUX FALLS — A statewide coalition has formed to pursue restrictions on the use of eminent domain for projects such as carbon dioxide pipelines. The group introduced itself during a press conference Thursday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The politically diverse coalition, named South Dakotans First, consists of the South Dakota Farmers Union, Dakota […] The post New property rights coalition plans to lobby for eminent domain restrictions appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biotech panel: Patient needs must come first in adoption of artificial intelligence, advanced tech
SIOUX FALLS – Virtual visits have saved Sanford Health patients more than 25 million miles of travel by allowing them to skip the trip to a clinic, the company’s chief digital officer said on Thursday. But electronic medical records have made for less-efficient health care operations – at Sanford and across the health care industry, […] The post Biotech panel: Patient needs must come first in adoption of artificial intelligence, advanced tech appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Legislators in 49 states ask SCOTUS to preserve access to abortion pill
A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from 49 states have signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages. The amicus brief, also called […] The post Legislators in 49 states ask SCOTUS to preserve access to abortion pill appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden administration working to recover U.S. hostages held by Hamas
U.S. officials are working to recover American hostages from the Middle East and provide aid to Israel as violence continues in the region following last weekend’s attack by Hamas, administration and congressional leaders said Wednesday. Speaking to Jewish community leaders at the White House late Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden said the administration was working […] The post Biden administration working to recover U.S. hostages held by Hamas appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
State board approves $25 million bond for large dairy
A state board approved a bond of up to $25 million Wednesday to help a dairy near Bryant construct manure management facilities. During a Zoom meeting, the South Dakota Economic Development Finance Authority approved issuing the bond for the 12,500-cow Washington Dairy owned by Riverview, a Minnesota company that already operates four other dairies and […] The post State board approves $25 million bond for large dairy appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Report: South Dakota legislative redistricting more fair to Native Americans
Grouping Native American voters together earned South Dakota a better-than-average score from a voting rights watchdog group. Common Cause, a nonprofit organization, released a state-by-state scorecard on Wednesday, ranking states based on the way they redrew congressional and state legislative districts following the 2020 U.S. census. South Dakota only adjusts legislative districts, because the entire […] The post Report: South Dakota legislative redistricting more fair to Native Americans appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Scalise nominated by U.S. House GOP as speaker in closed-door meeting
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans elected Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise as their nominee for speaker Wednesday following a secret ballot vote in a closed-door conference, according to Republicans leaving the meeting. “We need to make sure we’re sending a message to people all throughout the world, and that the House is open and doing the […] The post Scalise nominated by U.S. House GOP as speaker in closed-door meeting appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Race for U.S. House speaker moves toward a vote as Scalise, Jordan make their pitches
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans gathered behind closed doors for several hours Tuesday evening to debate who the party should elect as the next speaker amid divided views about the path forward. The two-hour forum featured House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan making their cases and answering questions from their […] The post Race for U.S. House speaker moves toward a vote as Scalise, Jordan make their pitches appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Housing board awards $48 million more in infrastructure grants
Teachers in Pine Ridge, service members at Ellsworth Air Force Base and thousands of Sioux Falls residents are among the beneficiaries of about $48 million in housing grants awarded Tuesday. The South Dakota Housing Development Authority sent the money to 20 separate projects to help developers pay for infrastructure like streets, water and sewer lines. […] The post Housing board awards $48 million more in infrastructure grants appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden wants a returning Congress to take “urgent action” on Israel’s security needs after Hamas militants have injured and killed thousands beginning with Saturday’s brutal attack, including the deaths of 14 Americans. U.S. citizens are also among the hostages taken into Gaza by the armed group, though the administration could not […] The post Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’ appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
‘Trauma associated with not knowing’: Uncovering the history of Rapid City Indian School
WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about residential and boarding schools. If you are in crisis, here is a resource list for trauma responses from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition in the U.S. In Canada, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Hotline can be reached at 1-866-925-4419. RAPID CITY — Ben Sherman, Oglala Lakota, […] The post ‘Trauma associated with not knowing’: Uncovering the history of Rapid City Indian School appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
The state employees who ‘live, breathe and bleed cybersecurity’
South Dakota’s frontline defenders in the cybersecurity battle sit in a darkened room in Sioux Falls. The team of 14 is surrounded by monitors to constantly scan for digital threats and daily hacking attempts against state government. It’s pretty close to the stereotype you see in the movies, said Bureau of Information and Telecommunications Commissioner […] The post The state employees who ‘live, breathe and bleed cybersecurity’ appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Goats can be a flammable forest’s best friend
Goats are particularly good at one thing: Eating. Unlike a horse or cow that leaves noxious weeds behind, goats eat the whole menu of pesky weeds, bushes and small trees. That means goats can be one of the answers to the growing problem of tinder-dry, highly flammable forests. In Durango, Colorado, former firefighter Jonathan Bartley […] The post Goats can be a flammable forest’s best friend appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
On Native American Day, tribal members lament the status of race relations in South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS — Indigenous people who attended a Native American Day parade on Monday celebrated their culture but also lamented a lack of progress on race relations in South Dakota. Gina Robertson is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. “We live in a small town in northeast South Dakota and it’s still like the […] The post On Native American Day, tribal members lament the status of race relations in South Dakota appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
McCarthy may jump into U.S. House speaker race, as crises overseas mount
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans will gather behind closed doors beginning Monday night in an attempt to decide who should become the chamber’s next speaker, a race with a renewed sense of urgency with ally Israel now at war and the House in paralysis. Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Ohio’s Jim Jordan are the only candidates […] The post McCarthy may jump into U.S. House speaker race, as crises overseas mount appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Bipartisan U.S. Senate bill aims to boost bison tribal management, restoration
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has again introduced a bill that aims to create a permanent bison program within the Department of Interior to help bolster tribal involvement in the restoration and management of the creatures on tribal lands. The Indian Buffalo Management Act, introduced Sept. 22 by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, and […] The post Bipartisan U.S. Senate bill aims to boost bison tribal management, restoration appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Auditors: New voter residency rules difficult to manage for local election officials
The top election official in South Dakota’s largest county says a law passed last winter that requires all voters to live in the state for 30 days has turned into a headache for her office. Some full-time travelers or out-of-state residents without a home in Minnehaha County wind up on its voter rolls through automatic registration […] The post Auditors: New voter residency rules difficult to manage for local election officials 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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