February 2015

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The Republican-dominated state House of Representatives has rejected Democrats’ calls to restore the South Dakota Ethics Commission in response to South Dakota’s investment-for-visa scandal. The House voted down 53-16 on Wednesday a measure requesting that the commission repealed in 1979 be re-established. Democratic Rep. Shawn Bordeaux said the state has a […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota lawmakers could be in line for their first pay raise in more than 15 years under measures that would also make legislators eligible for the same raises applied to other state workers’ salaries. The House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved several proposals related to legislator pay, which […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A legislative panel has passed a measure that would authorize three new voter-approved games in Deadwood. The Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday approved the proposal to allow keno, craps and roulette in the historic mining town. Boosters have pushed the measure as a way to keep Deadwood competitive with other […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — An Eagle Butte woman accused of killing a toddler by kicking him in the head has pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge. Twenty-one-year-old Jordyn Blue Coat was accused of angrily kicking a 20-month-old child she was caring for last October, when the boy got ahold of a dirty diaper and […]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The second of two western South Dakota brothers accused of raping a girl younger than 10 more than a decade ago has been sentenced. Twenty-seven-year-old Blake Klynsma, of Rapid City, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape last November and on Tuesday was given a 15-year suspended prison sentence, 10 years of […]

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A judge has ordered a mental health examination for a woman accused of leaving her 2- and 4-year-old daughters to die in a remote area of northwestern North Dakota. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland said in his order dated Tuesday that there is reasonable cause to believe Michelle Wounded Face is […]

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A judge has ordered a mental health examination for a woman accused of leaving her 2- and 4-year-old daughters to die in a remote area of northwestern North Dakota. The defense for Michelle Wounded Face requested the exam, and federal prosecutors didn’t object. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland says there’s reasonable […]

YANKTON, S.D. (AP) — Police say a rural Elk Point man died after apparently being struck by a skid-steer loader in Vermillion. Authorities say 55-year-old Michael Shedd was taken to a Vermillion hospital after the incident about mid-day Tuesday, where he was pronounced dead. The Daily Press & Dakotan reports ( ) that the initial […]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Funeral services have been held for a man who helped launch South Dakota’s four technical schools. George Boom Funeral Home says Emmett “Ike” Oleson died Friday in Sioux Falls, at the age of 90. His funeral was Tuesday in Springfield. Oleson’s death came 50 years after he began work as […]