PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Officials have counted 1,036 homeless people in South Dakota, about 17 percent more than last year. The homeless count was conducted in January by the South Dakota Housing for the Homeless Consortium in collaboration with community agencies and homeless service providers. The consortium says the statewide, one-day count is a snapshot […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A state panel studying school funding and teacher pay should examine “all options” when making recommendations to lawmakers on how to improve South Dakota’s education system, Gov. Dennis Daugaard said Tuesday. Daugaard said the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Teachers and Students meeting this week must not push for or write […]

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — More rainfall than expected flowed into the Missouri River last month, but the river’s reservoirs still have plenty of room because of this year’s below-average snowfall. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it expects 26.6 million acre feet of water will flow into the Missouri River this year. That’s 105 […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Republican state Rep. Steve Hickey is resigning his seat in the South Dakota House to move to Scotland and study Christian ethics in the modern world and the surveillance state. The Sioux Falls Republican has served since 2011, and his resignation is effective Sept. 1. Hickey will resume his studies of […]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Dennis Daugaard says state Rep. Steve Hickey is resigning his seat in the South Dakota House. The Sioux Falls Republican has served since 2011. His resignation is effective Sept. 1. His reasons for stepping down weren’t immediately clear. Daugaard says he is fielding candidates to take Hickey’s place, and expects […]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Rain over the past week brought moisture to crops and pastures in many parts of South Dakota. The Agriculture Department says in its weekly crop report that topsoil moisture supplies in the state are rated 82 percent adequate to surplus, and subsoil moisture is 74 percent in those categories. Stock […]

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — A legal dispute between Mitchell and a man who was in line to be the next director of the city’s Corn Palace tourist attraction appears headed for trial. Former Mayor Ken Tracy tells The Daily Republic ( ) that the city has no plans to settle out of court. Steve Koch […]

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Smoke from Canadian forest fires is causing problems for some people in the Dakotas. Health officials are urging people to limit exposure to the smoke. The haze from wildfires in Saskatchewan has blanketed the region since last week. Napoleon, North Dakota couple David and Kelly Andrews both have asthma, and tell […]

FORT YATES, N.D. (AP) — Funeral arrangements are pending for a Standing Rock Indian Reservation man who family members say died in a fireworks accident. Family members tell The Bismarck Tribune ( ) that 31-year-old Preston Village Center died on the Fourth of July after he was struck in the stomach by artillery shell-style fireworks. […]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The City Council in Rapid City has denied a couple’s appeal to keep two pygmy fainting goats as therapy animals. KEVN-TV and KOTA-TV report the City Council voted Monday against keeping the goats in city limits. Justina and Scot Glassgow have had the goats named Athena and Venus at their […]