April 2015
Jury Awards $160K To Man Alleging Herbicide Killed His Trees
HARTFORD, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota jury has awarded $160,000 to a man who alleges that the herbicide used by a co-op killed ponderosa trees on his property. The Argus Leader reports ( ) the jury awarded the money in the lawsuit that Hartford resident Richard Krier filed against Hartford Farmer’s Elevator. Krier sued […]
New Presiding Judge Appointed To Third Judicial Circuit
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) — A new presiding judge has been appointed to the Third Judicial Circuit in South Dakota. South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice David Gilbertson on Wednesday announced the appointment of Judge Gregory Stoltenburg. A presiding judge is an administrative leader in his or her respective circuit. The Third Judicial Circuit encompasses 14 […]
Flags To Be Flown At Half-staff In Honor Of SD Firefighter
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff Sunday to honor a fallen volunteer firefighter. Valley Springs firefighter Steven Ackerman died in a weekend house fire in the southeast South Dakota city of Brandon. Ackerman’s funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Brandon […]
Thune Has $10.4 Million In Bank For Likely 2016 Senate Bid
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota U.S. Sen. John Thune has nearly $10.4 million in the bank for his likely bid for a third Senate term in 2016. Thune’s campaign announced Wednesday the Republican lawmaker’s first-quarter haul was roughly $793,000 and that he is sitting on $10.37 million. Campaign manager Joshua Shields says the camp […]
Lower Brule Council Meeting Erupts When Chairman Declared
LOWER BRULE, S.D. (AP) — The first tribal council meeting since the death of Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Chairman Michael Jandreau (JAN’-droh) ended in chaos. More than 60 people gathered Wednesday for the meeting on the Lower Brule reservation. Acting Chairman Kevin Wright opened the meeting with a prayer and moment of silence for Jandreau, […]
Tech School Leader Says Obama Visit Is Source Of Pride
WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP) — Lake Area Technical Institute President Mike Cartney says he was “overwhelmed and speechless” when told that President Barack Obama will speak at the Watertown school’s commencement ceremony next month. Cartney says the “once-in-a-lifetime phone call” also filled him with pride for the school, its business partners and the community. Obama on […]
UPDATED: Construction worker falls 15 feet from DakotaDome construction site
A man sustained minor injuries after falling about 15 feet from the sports complex structure in the DakotaDome expansion construction site this morning. Shannon Draper, chief of the Vermillion Fire Department, said first responders were called to the area around 8 a.m. in response to a report of a fallen construction worker. “We were called this […]
Wildfire In Wind Cave National Park Now 30 Percent Contained
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A wildfire in Wind Cave National Park has grown to nearly 9 ½ square miles but is now 30 percent contained. Authorities say the Cold Brook Fire has scorched 6,000 acres in the southwestern South Dakota park. About 80 people are on scene working to contain it, and they expect […]
Bond Doubled To $500,000 For Suspect In Toddler’s Death
STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — Bond has been doubled to $500,000 for a Rapid City man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 21-month-old son in Black Hawk. Twenty-eight-year-old Thomas Pentecost made his initial court appearance Tuesday on alternate charges of murder and manslaughter in the death of Bentley Bahr. Pentecost had been charged last week with aggravated […]
Ballot Measures Decided In Communities Across South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Several communities around South Dakota decided ballot measures on Tuesday. Sioux Falls residents voted to begin the school year after Labor Day. It was a close decision, with 52 percent of voters in favor of changing the school calendar. There also was a close vote in Delmont, where an ordinance […]