Ever wonder where the acre, so familiar in fields and land deeds, actually comes from? Well, the answer lies in the soil of medieval England. Back in the Middle Ages, land measurement wasn’t about numbers on a map, it was about hard graft. An acre was defined as the amount of land one man could plough in a single day using a team of eight oxen (two used at a time while the others rested). Simple, practical, and rooted in the rhythm of the working countryside. But over time, what began as a rough rule of thumb became standardized. One acre came to equal 43,560 square feet, or about 4,047 square meters.

Normally ticks don’t appear until late April, but because of this year’s unusual winter weather, I have been finding them on my dogs for a couple weeks already. The ticks have all been very small and mostly located on my dogs’ heads, but Dutch and Dolly enjoy the nightly ritual of me running my fingers thoroughly through their fur. Because ticks can carry diseases, it is important to find and remove them as soon as possible.

The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) has updated its online Fish Consumption Advisory list to include Lake Louise (Hand County) for Largemouth Bass following a recent review of sampling data. The advisory map and website now reflect the most current and complete information available to help South Dakotans make informed decisions when consuming locally-caught fish.

When emergencies happen in rural South Dakota, the first responders are often neighbors. Volunteer EMTs, small-town ambulance crews, and local teams drop everything to answer a 9-1-1 call. In a state as large and rural as ours, they often care for patients miles from the nearest hospital or trauma center.

Veterans gathered on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at the Burke VFW on the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Time was spent reminiscing about their experiences and remembering those who died in Vietnam..

Essay winners are pictured, left, Gabrielle Doney, and right, Sully Sperl, with DARE Officer Mark Green in the middle. D.A.R.E.