News

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has introduced five bills in the 2023 legislative session and all five were scheduled for their first committee hearing this week. “Our legislative package aims to enhance public safety, strengthen the integrity of our elections, and protect the privacy of South Dakotans,” said Attorney General Jackley.

Two South Dakota Attorney General bills designed to strengthen the integrity of South Dakota elections were approved by the state Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The committee approved Senate Bill 46 which would establish the crime of perjury when circulating a petition and making material misrepresentations under oath.

South Dakota lawmakers have dismissed a proposal that the state constitution ban ballot measures from being reconsidered if they failed in the previous election. The House State Affairs Committee rejected the proposed constitutional amendment after lawmakers said it relied on vague language and unwieldy implementation.

Greetings and welcome to Winter Wonderland 2023. I apologize for saying “let it snow,” but the west needs moisture and runoff. There is an increase in the base electrical charge we pay now because river levels are low, and South Dakota is now generating over 50 percent of its electricity from wind. Is there anyone who watched the weather chaos and its side effects on seasonal travel, and both the weather here and around the country, who will still say there is no climate change (unpredictable extreme weather weirding)? In mid-December, Barrow, Alaska, recorded unusually high temperature 40 degrees F. January 14, Siberia recorded -81 F, lowest temp ever recorded. Sadly, so much of the California rain went back into the ocean, so maybe some infrastructure changes could be made to save it for next summer’s irrigation of food crops.

(Courtesy photo) In an effort to help South Dakotans struggling with increased grocery costs, South Dakota Farmers Union partnered with Farmers Union Enterprises to donate 35,000 pounds of pork to Feeding South Dakota.

Counterfeit (fake) pills containing deadly amounts of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, are being seized in unprecedented quantities by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in every U.S. state, including South Dakota. In 2021, the South Dakota Department of Health reported 29 fentanyl-related deaths, which is 28% of all drugrelated deaths for the year.

The South Dakota Department of Education’s division of Child and Adult Nutrition Services is seeking local sponsors to assist with running a federally funded program that provides nutritious meals and snacks to children in low-income areas during the summer months.

Lieutenant Governor Rhoden, Mr. Speaker, members of the House and Senate, Chief Justice Jensen, Supreme Court justices, constitutional officers, and my fellow South Dakotans: The South Dakota state constitution requires the governor to begin each legislative session by “[giving] the Legislature information concerning the affairs of the state and [recommending] the measures he considers necessary.” Notice I didn’t say “she.” The constitution doesn’t say that. We’re going to fix that.

Kevin Green has taken over as the new Gregory County highway superintendent as of January 1. Originally from Missouri, he was born and raised in the cattle business.

Librarian Tara Engel led off the department head reports at the regular meeting of the Gregory City Council at 6:00 p.m., Monday, January 16. The quilt block ceiling tile project added a nice bit of color to the library without being overwhelming, according to Engel. Her financial report showed a gain of five patrons, bringing the total to 1,585. The report also showed lower numbers in usage for the month, which she attributed to being closed for snow days.