Lifestyle » Page 3
7 days ago
South Dakota Lawmakers to Decide on $650M Sioux Falls Prison Proposal in Special Session
A special legislative session on Sept. 23 will determine whether South Dakota moves forward with building a new 1,500-bed men’s prison in northeast Sioux Falls. Governor Larry Rhoden says the task force plan offers a better site at a lower cost after earlier proposals fell through.
1 week ago
SD Supreme Court Weighs Discipline for Huron Attorney
The South Dakota Supreme Court is weighing discipline for Huron attorney Tucker Volesky over his handling of a ranch dispute case. Accused of filing frivolous lawsuits and making false claims about judges, Volesky faces a possible 30-day suspension, though his lawyer urged public censure instead.
1 week ago
Highway Patrol Sets September Sobriety Checkpoints
The South Dakota Highway Patrol will hold sobriety checkpoints in 15 counties during September, including Minnehaha, Hutchinson, Jerauld, and Charles Mix, to deter impaired driving. The effort is supported by the Office of Highway Safety and local law enforcement.
1 week ago
Father and Son Recognized for Life-Saving Fire Rescue
Davison County’s Shawn Jerke and his son, Deputy Trestin Jerke, were honored for saving a couple and their dog from a burning trailer. Their quick action in April helped David and Alyssa Sweet escape before firefighters arrived.
1 week ago
Governor Rhoden Visits South Dakota State Fair
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden visited the State Fair in Huron, honoring Century Farms for over 100 years of family farming, saluting veterans, and attending the Red Wilk Construction Tuff Hedeman Bull Bash.
1 week ago
District 16 Lawmaker Richard Vasgaard Dies in Farming Accident
South Dakota Rep. Richard Vasgaard, 75, has died in a farming accident near Centerville. Representing District 16, including Lincoln, Turner, and Union counties, Vasgaard was known for his dedication to public service and the agriculture community.
1 week ago
Highway 37 Intersection Closures Continue
Drivers in Mitchell should expect traffic delays as the South Dakota Department of Transportation continues the Highway 37 reconstruction project. Two-way traffic is now open on the new southbound lanes, but the Fair Oaks Avenue and 23rd Avenue intersections remain closed.
1 week ago
Mitchell Main Street BID Expands Funds for Business Facade Upgrades
The Mitchell Main Street Business Improvement District (BID No. 3) is boosting support for storefront upgrades with its newly approved 2026 budget. The board has set aside $74,000 for exterior improvements, representing about 70% of the district’s funds. One $8,800 grant has already been awarded for brickwork and painting, with more applications expected in 2026.
1 week ago
West Nile Cases Spike Ahead of Labor Day Weekend
South Dakota health officials are urging precautions as West Nile virus cases reach their highest level since 2018. So far this year, the state has confirmed 26 human cases and two deaths, driven by a wet summer and heavy mosquito activity. Positive mosquito pools have been reported in counties including Minnehaha, Brown, and Brookings.
1 week ago
Sturgis Rally Brings in $1.6 Million in Taxes
The 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally generated nearly $1.6 million in state and local tax revenue, a 13 percent increase from last year.
1 week ago
AG Jackley Joins National Push to Curb Deepfake Exploitation
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined 47 other Attorneys General in urging major search engines and payment platforms to take stronger action against the spread of deepfake nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII).
1 week ago
Two Women Sentenced in Meth Conspiracy
Two women have been sentenced in federal court for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota. Catherine Hamilton, of Mitchell, received 57 months in prison, while Christine Hughes, of North Jackson, Ohio, was sentenced to 37 months.
1 week ago
Data Center Failure Shuts Down State Services
State officials say a data center switch failure was behind last week’s South Dakota government outage that shut down services for two days. The breakdown triggered a chain reaction across the state’s network, disrupting access to birth and death records, marriage licenses, and vehicle registrations.
1 week ago
Nonalcoholic beer and mocktails can help people stay sober or drink less, but are not for everyone
Several years into her sobriety, Logan Denzer decided to try nonalcoholic beer and mocktails while others around her drank real booze. "A lot of people feel out of place" when everyone else is imbibing, said the 27-year-old from Los Angeles, who considers these beverages "an excellent solution."
1 week ago
Attorney General Jackley Joins Coalition Urging Tech Companies To Stop Deepfake Intimate Imagery
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined a coalition of 47 Attorneys General urging major search engines and payment platforms to crack down on the spread of deepfake nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII).
1 week ago
Smooth Start to School Year in Mitchell; New High School, Cell Phone Policy Debut
Mitchell school leaders say the new year is off to a strong start, led by the opening of the new Mitchell High School. Superintendent Joe Childs told the school board students and staff are adjusting well to a new cell phone policy requiring devices be stored during class. The district is preparing for the demolition of the old high school in September.
1 week ago
Sioux Falls 8th Grader Pushes for Football Safety Gear
An Edison Middle School 8th grader is urging the Sioux Falls School Board to allow protective Guardian Caps during football practice. Student Grant Hohn told board members he was recently blocked from wearing the gear, which fits over a helmet to reduce impact.
1 week ago
SD Legislature Recruiting Interns for 2026 Session
The South Dakota Legislature is accepting applications for 22 student interns to serve during the 2026 legislative session, which begins January 13. The program offers college and university students from all majors a paid, hands-on experience in state government, including assisting lawmakers, attending committee hearings, and working in caucus meetings. Interns earn $185 per day—about $7,200 for the full session
1 week ago
AG Jackley Issues Opinion on Voter File Website Updates
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined 43 other Attorneys General in demanding that leading artificial intelligence companies take action to protect children from harmful content. In a letter sent to firms including Anthropic, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and xAI, officials cite reports of AI chatbots engaging in sexually inappropriate conversations with minors.
1 week ago
At some colleges, move-in day includes students’ dogs and cats
Crossing paths with dogs, cats and other animals is part of campus life for students at Eckerd College, a liberal arts school in Florida that allows pets to live in dormitories.
