Meatpacking workers and farm workers who were severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be eligible to get grants of up to $600 per person as part of a new $700 million aid program the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced September 7.

The idea of not being spiritually prepared to trust Christ because of a lack of interest is like being told that you have been scheduled to box a champion fighter this coming Friday night, even though you have no boxing experience and are in terrible physical condition. It’s too late to start training and you will easily be knocked out with one punch. Another scenario would be that you have been given one week to compete in a body-building contest against other contenders that have been lifting weights for years. You have never lifted weights, are overweight. It will be obvious to everyone that you did not take this seriously. The same is true with knowing God and His Word and today is the day to start building faith so that we will be ready to stand strong when trials and tribulations come. I remember the song, “Wasted days and wasted nights” and this could not be a more clear explanation of our lives if we refuse to invest our time seeking God’s presence. Solomon told the Almighty that above all things he wanted more wisdom and understanding and the Lord was very pleased. How would you respond to God if He were to ask you what you would want more than anything in the world?

South Dakota lawmakers last week rejected a handful of rules proposals governing medical marijuana from Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration but approved the bulk of the program.

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has joined with 23 other state attorneys general to send a letter to President Joe Biden on September 16, warning that litigation will follow the implementation of the proposed mandate on private sector employees to either get a COVID-19 shot, submit to weekly testing, or be fired. The coalition of AGs outlined their legal and policy concerns with the mandate, which will be carried out through an Occupational Safety and Health Act emergency temporary standard.

Kate Schrader is the newest hire at the Gregory School District, joining the staff as a paraprofessional. A 1997 graduate of Gregory High School, She is married to Mike Schrader and has four children, two grandchildren, and a third on the way.

South Dakota is one of four states, along with the District of Columbia, that won’t be resettling any of the nearly 37,000 Afghan evacuees who made it to the U.S. during the final days of its chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan last month.