Official: Federal Agency Approves Change To GEAR UP Grant

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A state official says the federal government has approved South Dakota’s request to have the Board of Regents manage a college-readiness grant under scrutiny after an apparent murder-suicide. Tony Venhuizen is chief of staff to Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Venhuizen says the U.S. Department of Education has notified the state of the […]

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Feds Notify SD Of Intent To End EB-5 Program Participation

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The federal government intends to terminate South Dakota’s participation in a program designed to recruit wealthy foreign investors for projects because of administrative problems. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has determined that South Dakota’s regional center for the so-called EB-5 program isn’t promoting economic growth. The wealthy participants are promised […]

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Practices Of Citizen Group Backing Ellsworth Under Scrutiny

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A private organization that gets taxpayer money to support Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota is facing questions about its relevance and its fiscal transparency. Former Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker (KWAY’-kur) earlier this year asked the Ellsworth Task Force to share more financial details, and he withheld funding […]

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Former TierOne Chairman Scheduled For Fraud Trial This Week

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday in the fraud and conspiracy trial of TierOne Bank’s former CEO and chairman. The Lincoln Journal Star reports ( ) that 74-year-old Gilbert “Gil” Lundstrom and other bank officers hid million-dollar losses from regulators and shareholders. Regulators took over Lincoln-based TierOne in 2010, saying […]

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