State/Local
No citations issued for texting ban
No citations and only two warnings have been issued for texting while driving nearly five months after Vermillion’s City Council enacted a citywide ban, said John Prescott, city manager. Vermillion Police Chief Matt Betzen said while the law is hard to enforce, the threat of a citation is deterring crime. “People could be doing something […]
City proposes to modernize park
The city of Vermillion is proposing a plan to modernize Prentis Park with new recreational facilities. Among the biggest of the changes are a new aquatic facility, parking within the park and new recreational courts. The proposed plans will cost the city approximately $6.5 million with roughly $500,000 budgeted for contingency due to the unknowns. […]
Student teachers see positives and negatives of Common Core
Seniors Chelsea Vanderlinde and Stacia Briard have spent their fall semesters student teaching in elementary classrooms. As part of their student teaching, they are expected to construct lesson plans and teach those lessons to their students. For English-language arts and math, that means those lessons are based on the Common Core standards, rather than the […]
Herbster joins city BID board
David Herbster, athletic director at the University of South Dakota, was named to a five-person Business Improvement District board Monday evening. The board was created by the city of Vermillion to decide how to spend new money collected from hotels within city limits. The Business Improvement District (BID) will add a $2 lodging fee to […]
State of women
In part one of this four-week series about women’s issues, The Volante focuses on a report that evaluates South Dakota’s women workforce and its relation to the University of South Dakota. South Dakota received an “F” on a report by The Center for American Progress exploring “The State of Women in America.” The report, released […]
Alcohol arrests up 96 percent from 2012
When Chrissy Summering, a graduate student, joined the University of South Dakota Support Team last year she had one goal — to help students who get too intoxicated during Dakota Days. Liquor law violations saw the largest increase in the 2012-13 Jeanne Clery Report released Sept. 30 by the university. Alcohol arrests were up 96 […]
USD officials anticipate state employee health insurance shortfall for second year in a row
The underestimation of state employee health insurance for the second year in a row could jeopardize the South Dakota Board of Regents’ push for a freeze in tuition and fees, university officials of said. They might also need attorneys help for health insurance litigation cases, as stated by the officials. A shortfall was announced at […]
Insurance market open until March
The reality of figuring out one’s options as a college student for reasonable health insurance can be a scary choice, said Dick Applequist, president and general manager at Prins Insurance in Sioux Falls. “For young people aged 19-21, liability costs and other insurance fees will seem alarming,” he said, “I encourage them to enroll in […]
Fire chief looking to hire inspector
Education is a key factor in making sure businesses are up to code in regard to fire safety said Richard Draper, Vermillion fire chief. By inspecting Vermillion businesses for fire safety issues, Draper hopes to educate the business owners of potential fire hazards. Improvement though, is something Draper said he is seeking. The Vermillion Fire […]
Vermtown Bash attracts students, community
The threat of rain didn’t defer students from attending the Vermtown Bash Wednesday evening in Prentis Park. Bouncy castles, slides, a laser tag obstacle course, inflatable basketball court and a mechanical bull were brought in for the event, which attracted both young children and students. For the price of a donated can, students could use […]