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South Dakota Searchlight
U.S. home prices hit a record high as sales fell. Here’s how housing experts explain the trends
U.S. median home prices hit a record high for the second month in a row as sales continued to fall, according to a report released last week, as potential buyers continue to lie in wait for lower mortgage rates. Existing home sales fell 5.4% in June and median home sales reached its highest level on […]
South Dakota father is leading effort to restore abortion rights in the state
Unlike other abortion-rights initiatives across the country, major reproductive rights groups haven’t backed the effort to restore access in South Dakota. But that hasn’t stopped Dakotans for Health — a ballot question committee behind a measure that is set to appear on the November ballot — from galvanizing voters in the state, where abortion is […]
Lack of discipline, bad weather caused Ellsworth’s $456 million B-1 bomber crash, report says
An undisciplined chain of command and unforeseen weather caused the $456 million B-1 bomber crash at Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City, according to a July 7 report from the U.S. Air Force. The B-1B Lancer crash-landed Jan. 4, 2024. The mishap occurred at 5:47 p.m. during a training mission. The aircraft hit the […]
25 states, including SD, file appeal to U.S. Supreme Court to halt EPA carbon rule
Attorneys general in 25 states, including South Dakota’s Marty Jackley, have sent an emergency appeal to the United States Supreme Court asking it to immediately halt a Biden administration rule that they say threatens to shutter the country’s remaining fleet of coal-fired power plants. The emergency appeal to stay the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to require […]
SD Supreme Court ruling will let Custer discharge treated wastewater into French Creek
A voter-backed ordinance from Custer County that sought to stop the city of Custer from discharging treated wastewater into French Creek is invalid, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The city requested a discharge permit from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 2020. The city is working on an upgrade […]
U.S. House votes to boost support for tribes in bill that would reduce environmental funding
A spending bill passed this week by the U.S. House of Representatives would reduce funding for environmental priorities, but includes a 34% increase in funding for tribal law enforcement. The legislation passed 210-205 largely along party lines, with all but one House Democrat – Vicente Gonzalez of Texas – voting against it and all but […] The post U.S. House votes to boost support for tribes in bill that would reduce environmental funding appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
World-famous Wall Drug isn’t immune from challenges facing rural pharmacies
WALL — Stacey Schulz parks in a rear lot to avoid the crowded Main Street entrances to her local pharmacy. “During the summer, it’s kind of hectic,” she said after greeting the pharmacist and technician by name. That’s because Schulz’s pharmacy is tucked inside Wall Drug, a tourist attraction that takes up almost an entire […]
Defense secretary orders review of Wounded Knee Massacre medals
The medals awarded to soldiers who participated in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre will be subjected to a review, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Wednesday. The department said the review’s purpose is “to ensure no awardees were recognized for conduct inconsistent with the nation’s highest military honor.” The move comes after years of activism […]
SD awards $2M in grants for long-term care, but facilities sought $5M more
The South Dakota Department of Human Services recently awarded $2 million in grants for technology and equipment in the long-term care industry, which has been afflicted with closures and staffing shortages. Funding for the grants was approved by the Legislature and Gov. Kristi Noem during the 2024 legislative session, after being recommended by an interim […]
Steep fines set off state-federal showdown over child labor laws
Michelle Cox was in disbelief when a U.S. Department of Labor official told her earlier this year she was violating federal law by employing 14- and 15-year-olds past 7 p.m. on school nights. Cox, the owner of a Subway franchise in Maquoketa, Iowa, knew the state legislature had made substantial changes to state labor laws […]
Gamblers spend $750 million in Deadwood during first half of 2024
Spending on gambling in Deadwood reached nearly $750 million during the first half of the year, according to new monthly data from the state Department of Revenue. Through June in the city, gamblers had spent about $700 million playing slot machines, $43.95 million buying chips for table games, and $4.36 million betting on sports. The […]
Doctors form group to support abortion-rights ballot measure
A new group of doctors will join the effort to pass a ballot measure that would reinstate abortion rights in South Dakota. “Hopefully we can inject some reality into what I’m sure will be a little bit of a contentious, very rhetoric-filled issue,” said Amy Kelley, a Sioux Falls OB-GYN and co-chair of the group. […]
South Dakota Democratic delegates unanimously endorse Harris as presidential pick
The South Dakota delegates to the Democratic National Convention met virtually Monday night and voted unanimously to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee in the 2024 presidential race. In voting to endorse Harris, South Dakota Democrats fell in line with other state and national Democratic leaders who quickly followed the lead from President […] The post South Dakota Democratic delegates unanimously endorse Harris as presidential pick appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Freedom Scholarship update: $10 million awarded, $260,000 converted to loans
SIOUX FALLS — A scholarship program that incentivizes graduates to stay and work in South Dakota has awarded 2,785 scholarships to 1,995 students in its first two years. “Most all of them are going straight into the South Dakota workforce,” said Freedom Scholarship Coordinator Elli Haerter. The board that oversees the program revealed data from […]
South Dakota attorney general joins opposition to reclassifying weed as less-dangerous drug
South Dakota’s attorney general has joined counterparts in 10 other states in writing a letter of opposition to a Biden administration proposal that would reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance. Schedule I drugs are those classified by the federal government as those that have no medical use and are most […]
South Dakota Democrats hopeful, not yet ready to endorse Harris as presidential nominee
South Dakota Democrats are more optimistic about their party’s chances of holding the White House following President Joe Biden’s departure from the race, but state leaders have yet to coalesce around his chosen successor, Vice President Kamala Harris. Not all party leaders in South Dakota have remained neutral, however. Democrats in South Dakota’s second-largest county […] The post South Dakota Democrats hopeful, not yet ready to endorse Harris as presidential nominee appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
States strike out on their own on AI, privacy regulation
As congressional sessions have passed without any new federal artificial intelligence laws, state legislators are striking out on their own to regulate the technologies in the meantime. Colorado just signed into effect one of the most sweeping regulatory laws in the country, which sets guardrails for companies that develop and use AI. Its focus is […] The post States strike out on their own on AI, privacy regulation appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
South Dakota Democratic Party stops short of endorsing Harris after Biden bows out of the race
South Dakota’s political leaders reacted Sunday to the news that President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the U.S. presidential race. Dan Ahlers, executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, said the party has taken no position on Biden’s choice of successor as 2024 presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. The South Dakota Democratic Party’s […] The post South Dakota Democratic Party stops short of endorsing Harris after Biden bows out of the race appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Gannett has few journalists, but plenty of lawyers
It was just a year ago that this space was used to question Gannett’s business plan for its newspapers in South Dakota. A declining amount of local news in the Gannett papers — the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, the Watertown Public Opinion and the Aberdeen American News — fostered an effort to change the laws […] The post Gannett has few journalists, but plenty of lawyers appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Indigenous advocacy group alleges insufficient Native representation at teacher training
The state Department of Education “glaringly omitted” substantial Native American representation during its recent Civics and History Summit, alleges the South Dakota Education Equity Coalition. In response, the department highlighted several efforts it made to include Indigenous perspectives and material. The purpose of the conference was educating teachers about how to implement a new set […] The post Indigenous advocacy group alleges insufficient Native representation at teacher training appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
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