District 21 Mix, Douglas, Gregory, Tripp Counties Committee: Appropriations Capitol Address: 500 E. Capitol Ave.

Committees: Education, Health & Human Services Capitol Address: 500 E. Capitol Ave.

R eports Rep. Marty Overweg Assistant Majority Leader District 21 Aurora, Charles Mix, Douglas, Gregory, Tripp Counties Committees: Chair of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chair of House Government Operations and Audit, Vice Chair of State Affairs, Member of Legislative Procedure Capitol Address: 500 E.

Estimates of public infrastructure damage from a historic windstorm last month in western South Dakota now total $4.6 million, according to Gov. Larry Rhoden, who said January 27, that he has requested a presidential major disaster declaration.

Sen. John Thune introduced a bill on Thursday to bring a proposed South Dakota water initiative closer to becoming a reality. Sen. Thune introduced the “Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act” on behalf of himself and fellow South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds. “This legislation is a critical step toward long term water reliability for western South Dakota,” said Kristin Conzet, Executive Director of the Western Dakota Regional Water System. “We appreciate the leadership of Senators Thune and Rounds in advancing federal authorization of a Bureau of Reclamation feasibility study, which moves this effort from concept to confirmation and ensures there is a practical path forward for addressing western South Dakota’s regional water challenges.”

Recently my family had an unexpected (and unwanted) visitor in our house; the flu. For so many of us, this time of year is filled with sickness of all kinds.