Opinion

Natural disasters are devastating, but they also provide opportunities for our state to show what we are made of. I’ve served as a volunteer firefighter my entire life, and my administration is ready to respond to any emergency.

Up until May 12, 1857, there was not a “pale face” known to be living in what is now Yankton County, or west of the Vermillion River. Lyman must therefore be credited with the title of the first white settler, because he continued to reside here with his Indian family until he was carried farther west by the Black Hills wave of emigration in 1876.

R-CALF USA today welcomed recent U.S. Department of Agriculture initiatives aimed at strengthening independent beef processing by reducing regulatory burdens, expanding processing capacity and helping preserve independent processing infrastructure during a period of historically tight cattle supplies.

Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Freedom Here in South Dakota, we still honor America, our freedoms, and our Founding Fathers. Proof of that can be found in places like Mount Rushmore.

The Department of Health has released new income guidelines for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program effective July 1, 2026. WIC is a supplemental nutrition program, funded by the U.S.

In A. D. 1857 Yankton, was an Indian village occupied by the Yankton tribe of Dahkotah Indians, and was the residence of the principal and most influential chief Pe-la-ne-a-pa-pe, which translated into the English, reads “Man that was struck by the Ree.” Being the home of the head chief and the seat of the tribe’s most important councils, this was the principal village, of the Yankton tribe. It was known among the whites as “Struck by the Free Camp,” and this locality had been designated by traders and steamboatmen as the Yankton Valley.

One of my favorite pastimes is welding. I’ve welded thousands of custom branding irons over the years. I’ve made them for hundreds of ranchers, but also as souvenirs for friends, family, and even charity auctions. As a lifelong West River Rancher, welding has always been a useful skill. When something breaks, you learn how to fix it yourself. And it’s taught me an important lesson: the strongest things are often built by bringing different pieces together and forging them in fire.

Most of the state of South Dakota is currently struggling with an abnormally dry season. The southern half of the state, which likely makes up the majority of readers of this column, is considered to be in an “extreme drought.” According to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDS) website, the southern parts of South Dakota are down over 2 inches in rainfall this season compared to normal amounts.

More South Dakotans may now qualify to purchase a Governor’s House following action by the South Dakota Housing Board of Commissioners. Effective June 15, 2026, household income eligibility for the Governor’s House program increased to 100% of the State Median Income, currently $103,400.

hoden National Security for the next generation Engaging with the next generation keeps me focused on what’s important: South Dakota’s future. Recently, Sandy and I hosted all of the state government interns for a picnic.