Opinion

South Dakota’s state legislature recently voted against a bill that would require all welfare recipients to pass a drug test in certain situations before receiving public benefits. House Bill 1174, introduced by Rep. Nark Venner, would’ve mandated welfare recipients to pass a drug test based on reasonable cause. While this bill won’t go into effect, […]

In late January there was a push in Pierre to institute a bill that would require individuals who receive food stamps or cash assistance to pass a drug test before receiving benefits. Such a plan would be a disastrous waste of time and money for several reasons. Legally, it’s unconstitutional. Several court cases have determined […]

Be appreciative the only virus USD students are concerned about is influenza. Brazil, on the other hand, isnt’ so lucky. With the recent outbreak of the Zika virus, transmitted through infected mosquitoes, the World Health Organization has classified this epidemic as a global health emergency. Travel alerts are already in effect for more than 20 […]

The LGBTQ+ community is a group of individuals just like anyone else. However, they’re also a group of individuals who go through more than many others have to. This community constantly faces discrimination that is both undeserved and unnecessary. The transgender community specifically has most recently been the target of discrimination by South Dakota state […]

Many times, intoxicated and underage people aren’t keen on calling an ambulance for any alcohol or drug-related emergencies such as overdosing because they’re afraid to get into any police-related trouble. Ways to alleviate this fear and help victims of overdoses are 911 Good Samaritan laws, which “protect people from arrest and prosecution for drug possession […]

It’s that time of year again. As the first results roll in from early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire, the population waits on edge, hardly able to bear the anticipation. Okay, maybe not. In fact, many people don’t get excited for one reason: early voting states only matter because some people say they matter. […]

Presidential primaries have begun, and New Hampshire and Iowa have been receiving a lot of time in the media spotlight. It may be early, but these states are very important and deserve the attention they receive. Iowa and New Hampshire are definitely not 100 percent predictive of who will be the eventual nominee for each […]

In most American high schools, civics classes are required, but still one in three Americans cannot pass the civics portion of the naturalization test, according to a study conducted by the Center for the Study of the American Dream. It’s startling to find that one out of three of us cannot pass a simple 10-question […]

Look at me, a baby from 1993. Because our country likes to give generations nicknames such as the baby boomers, I’ve been dubbed a millennial, one who was born between the late 1980s and mid 1990s. With this name comes the stereotypes, which I, for one, have never been a fan of, because I’m my […]

Valentine’s Day has become a holiday that strictly favors one group of people over the other: those in relationships versus those who are single. For those in relationships, Valentine’s Day is filled with oversized teddy bears, red roses and heart-shaped chocolate boxes. For those who don’t have a significant other, Valentine’s Day is much different. […]