The South Dakota primary election is coming up next Tuesday, June 4, but local voters will have very few decisions to make at the ballot box. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents or those with no party affiliation will have a choice about hand-counting ballots for future legislative elections held in Gregory County.

Gregory fans have now learned not to leave the state track meet early as the boys team title again came down to the final race of the meet. Last year Luke Stukel had to catch one runner in the 4x400 to give the team a tie for first place. This year it was Luke again, who had one runner to pass for another tie for first and two to win the team title.

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Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson announces that a petition submitted for an initiated amendment was validated and filed by her office today. This ballot question would establish a right to abortion in the Constitution of South Dakota. The title for the ballot question will be Constitutional Amendment G, and it will appear on the 2024 General Election ballot on November 5, 2024.

On Thursday, May 16, I was asked to travel with the Governor to the Southern border. Three legislators, myself included, headed to Texas in the early morning to talk to our South Dakota National Guard.

Near the end of May, we will celebrate Memorial Day, a day in which we will honor and mourn all our nation’s military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms, liberty, and independence while serving in the United States Armed Forces. May is also Military Appreciation Month, a special time for honoring and recognizing the contributions, sacrifices and service of the members of the armed forces, past and present.