News

The rodeo season opener will be this Friday and Saturday in Burke as we welcome High School Rodeo Contestants from across South Dakota to the Cuatro Crown High School Rodeo Series. Rodeo action will get underway in Burke with the cowgirls and cowboys Cattle Cutting Friday at 5:00 p.m. Next up will be 2 rounds of rodeo in Burke on Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. Contestants will then travel on to Geddes, South Dakota for 2 rounds of rodeo (Geddes and Wagner) on Sunday. Four rodeos thus the Cuatro Crown series provides a great opportunity for contestants to practice up for Regional and State High School Rodeo Competition. Mother nature has been notorious for giving our youth practice at competing in a variety of weather conditions as well....we have had snow, sleet, rain, and dust.

After funding for the Platte-Winner Bridge was put on hold in 2024, the project is finally back on the calendar. The following are some frequently asked questions and answers about the project: Will the existing bridge remain open during construction?

Aglimmerisanewlycoinedterm that stands for a small moment of hope which gives us a sense of safety and connection. Before we can dive into glimmers, I think it’s important to understand why they are needed in the first place. Your autonomic nervous system is also your own personal surveillance system. It is constantly on guard and asking the question, “is this safe?” Its goal is to protect you by sensing for safety concerns on a moment-to-moment basis. This is all done without your conscious awareness of it. Because humans are meaning-making beings, we then create stories that help us understand the situation we are in, based on what our autonomic nervous system is telling us.

A 15 mile shoulder project is scheduled to begin Tuesday, April 28, 2026, on eastbound Interstate 90 between Kennebec and Reliance. Shoulders will be milled and resurfaced to improve safety and durability. An asphalt surface treatment will also be applied to help protect the roadway from moisture and extend the life of the pavement. Through a collaborative value‑engineering effort between the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) and the project contractor, the original construction schedule has been modified and significantly shortened to meet the needs of travelers.

BILLINGS, Mont. – On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, R-CALF USA Property Rights Chair Shad Sullivan testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform during a roundtable titled “Farming on Trial: The Growing Use of Lawfare Against American Agriculture.”

The Gregory County FFA Chapter made an impact at the State Convention, held Monday-Wednesday, April 20-22, 2026, in Brookings, SD, earning several recognitions. On the first day, the chapter members watched as Ava Kerner received her Agricultural Proficiency Award, placing 3rd in Agricultural Communications.

PIERRE – The Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations will hold its first meeting of the 2026 Interim on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 10 a.m. (CT) via electronic conference and in Room 362 of the State Capitol in Pierre, South Dakota, to allow for both remote and in-person participation.

On January 27, 2026, the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium (SDHHC), an affiliate of South Dakota Housing, conducted its annual statewide Pointin- Time (PIT) Homeless Count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC), and virtually all participating projects reported lower numbers for 2026 than in the previous two years. Additionally, the 2026 PIT count totaled only 26 homeless veterans, the lowest number recorded in nearly two decades.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley joins a coalition of 45 Attorneys General in sending a comment letter that supports a proposed U.S. Department of Labor rule that would require greater transparency from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that service employer-funded health plans covered under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

The South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC) is seeking soybean farmers interested in filling one of South Dakota’s four seats on the United Soybean Board (USB), for a threeyear term.