About the author: This month’s column is a collaborative effort from DSS staff of the Human Services Center and Division of Behavioral Health. In 2021, the South Dakota Department of Health’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey Summary reported that 7.5% of public high school students experienced physical dating violence within the last 12 months.

South Dakota Republican lawmakers on Monday advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to try and force people on Medicaid to work despite federal policy prohibiting such requirements.

As our temperatures drop, the need for blood goes up. Winter weather, flu season, and busy schedules all have an impact on blood donations and blood supply. LifeServe Blood Center is urging community members to roll up a sleeve and give blood donation a try as soon as possible. Automobile accidents can require up to 50 red blood cell units, and cancer patients are the number 1 recipient of all blood products. 100% of the blood products needed by your community hospital come from LifeServe blood donors.

The South Dakota Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Auxiliary traveled to HSC during snowy January, bearing gifts. The dedicated volunteers delivered donations for HSC patients who are veterans of the United State Military.

The double header basketball games in Scotland on February 10, 2023, will be Military Appreciation Night. All past and present military personnel will be admitted free of charge. There will also be coffee and cookies in the community room all evening for veterans and their spouses.

Kodi Timanus of Gregory, SD, has been named to the dean’s list at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE, for the fall semester of the 2022-23 academic year. Timanus, a freshman majoring in environmental engineering, was named to the dean’s list for the college of engineering..