One of the reasons Christ and Christians alike were persecuted was because they were accused of promoting “other gods” or “strange gods”. This would be true if Christ wasn’t the Son of God. Had the Jews been familiar with their scriptures and believed them, they would know that only the LORD can open the eyes of the blind, heal the sick, make the lame walk, and raise the dead (Exodus 4:11, Psalm 146:8, Isaiah 29:18, Isaiah 35:5-6, Ezekiel 37:1-14).

Dear Editor, Lest this significant information gets lost with the change of federal administrations, it needs to be noted that the Biden Administration successfully passed legislation that greatly benefits our South Dakota rural communities. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a bill sponsored by Democrats in Congress and signed into law by President Biden in 2021, serves as a prime example of such legislation. Tripp County Water User District’s January 2025 edition of its Quality on Tap! newsletter (Vol. 20) verifies the beneficial impact of this bill. Its article entitled “ARPA Money Flows Through the State” points out that the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) “is distributing $105,010,958.00 in additional grants to support vital water infrastructure and conservation projects” that are being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Detailing the widereaching assistance being provided South Dakota rural areas, this article lists public work projects benefiting 30 water districts and 20 cities and sanitation districts in South Dakota. In addition to the fact that this is additional funding, the article also notes that American Rescue Plan money is funding three of Tripp County Water User District’s own water projects.

The condition of South Dakota’s state-managed highways and bridges is expected to worsen over the next decade, state Department of Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt told lawmakers January 16, in the House Transportation Committee.

In comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Packers and Stockyards Division, R-CALF USA expressed support for the agency’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), “Price Discovery and Competition in Markets for Fed Cattle.”

Commissioner’s relatives control a trust that owns land on the route, but she says ‘I do not have a legal conflict’ The company proposing a carbon dioxide pipeline has formally requested that a South Dakota regulator recuse herself from the project’s permit application because of an alleged conflict of interest, but the regulator said she does not have “a legal conflict.” In a letter sent January 2, Iowabased Summit Carbon Solutions asked Public Utilities Commissioner Kristie Fiegen to disqualify herself. That would allow the governor to appoint another state official to fill in for Fiegen during the three-member commission’s consideration of the application.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley will introduce seven bills in this year’s State Legislature that deal with government accountability, whistleblower protections, human trafficking, and corrections.