Opinion

I hope you had a Merry Christmas making memories with loved ones! The holidays are a special opportunity to take stock and reflect. The calendar turns pretty quickly to New Year’s, which is often an opportunity for us to peek in the rearview mirror while also looking forward out the windshield.

What is now known as the historic city of Yankton in 1857 was an Indian village occupied by the Yankton tribe of Dakota Indians and was the residence of its most influential chief, “Struck by the Ree.” It was the principal village, or capital, of the Yankton tribe. Before and after this time it was known among the whites who traveled on the Missouri River as “Struck by the Ree Camp.” The locality had earlier been designated by traders and steamboat men as the “Yankton Valley.”

As the calendar turns, many of us feel a familiar pull: This year will be different! Traditionally, that feeling turns into New Year’s resolutions, bold promises to change our habits, bodies, productivity, or lifestyles overnight. Yet by February, most resolutions are abandoned, leaving behind guilt and frustration.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has filed a circuit court motion requesting that two companies be ordered to stop the deceptive advertising of the sale of abortion pills and abortion services in South Dakota.

Dear Editors and Readers, In her GT-A op-ed letter of 17 December, Nancy Wirsing criticized your scribe for “mixing religion and politics,” and she believes that doing this is poisonous for political discourse. She also holds that if someone supports and votes in accord with Christian views and values, that person is going against his/her own interests. While her interests (and the Democratic Party’s) are physical and temporal, it is far wiser when a Holy Spirit-guided Christian recognizes his/her true interests, which quite often oppose those of the Dems, are spiritual and eternal and are infinitely more important, according to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” - Matthew 16:26a. Our time on this ball of rock is but a relative eye-blink. Christians should not scrap their views and values in any sort of compromise with people holding anti-Christian values, that is, sad to say, today’s Democratic Party leaders. Actually, your scribe awaits the coming of the ultimate theocracy - eternal government by God Himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Church and State will be one and the same. And it will be an absolute monarchy; indeed, Christians request this in the Lord’s Prayer, Second Petition: “Thy kingdom come,” and Third Petition: “Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” We of mankind have shown that we cannot govern our own affairs and at some point in the future the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” will step in and set matters aright. By the way, there will be no talk of “No kings!” at that point... Sincerely, The Sage of Section Ten, Eric P. Putnam, Rural Dallas, S.Dak.

Controlled Substances in Penitentiary, Protection of Youth From Illegal Substances, AI Adult Pornographic Images South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced three issues that his office has worked on throughout 2025 -- controlled substances in the state penitentiary, protection of youth from illegal substances, and Artificial Intelligence- generated pornographic images, are centerpieces of his legislative bill package that will be introduced in the 2026 South Dakota Legislature. “These issues require stronger legislative action, and it is my duty as Attorney General to bring these bills to the Legislature for its consideration,” said Attorney General Jackley.

Wi n t e r began early when a mid October blizzard swept through Dakota Territory in 1880. Never before had anyone seen such severe snowfall, recalled Doane Robinson in 1904. The snow was so bad, it prevented regular train access.

YES. South Dakota is one of almost 30 states that requires front and back license plates on vehicles, though there are a couple of exceptions.

Horace Mann once said, “Education… is the great equalizer—the balance-wheel of social machinery.” He reminded us that nothing shapes opportunity, strengthens democracy, or fuels progress more than a strong public education system.

R eport Senator Mykala Voita District 21 Aurora, Charles Mix, Douglas, Gregory, Tripp Counties Committee: Appropriations Capitol Address: 500 E. Capitol Ave.