Around Town
VPD utilizes confidential informants to bust businesses for selling alcohol to minors
One of eight businesses involved in an alcohol compliance check April 2 failed after selling alcohol to a minor. Speedee Mart, located at 802 E. Cherry St., failed its check after an underage confidential informant for the Vermillion Police Department purchased alcohol from the convenience store. “You really have to almost make an effort, or […]
VIDEO: Athletes celebrate ‘million minute’ reward with elementary students
Junior Tia Hemiller has gone up against some of the best defensive rebounders in the country on the basketball court. But on March 31, the 5’8’’ starting point guard for the University of South Dakota took on a swarm of pint-sized opponents. Hemiller was all in for a schoolyard-style game of knockout in the DakotaDome […]
Students, community address litter concerns as summer months approach
As temperatures begin to rise with the warming spring season, so does the amount of litter on Burbank Beach. Clay County Sheriff Andy Howe said traffic to the beach has increased in the past two years as university students have discovered its existence. Howe said the road to Burbank Beach is currently closed because it […]
University parking passes could lead to secondary citation
University of South Dakota parking passes must be displayed to park on campus, but displaying the parking passes on the rearview mirror could lead to secondary road violations. “Secondary enforcement laws only allow an officer to pull over drivers for a separate violation — speeding, headlight out, etc. — and then ticket them if there […]
Beer tax petition killed after City Attorney finds language ‘insufficient’
A petition opposing a wholesale markup on malt liquor purchases and calling for a city-wide vote on the markup failed to meet the requirements mandated by the City of Vermillion last week, Vermillion City Manager John Prescott said. The deadline to submit a petition opposing the five percent markup — labeled a “beer tax” by […]
Spanish students embrace service-learning opportunities
Uver Rodriguez and Sophia Taggart learned a lot about each other March 24 over the lunch hour. Both enjoy soccer and have specific countries they would like to visit someday. Rodriguez, a sophomore at the University of South Dakota, will be teaching Taggart, a junior at Vermillion High School, about how to hold a conversation […]
INTERACTIVE: Vermillion snow removal routes
Emergency snow routes are the first priority for snow removal. The next streets to be plowed are those found on steep grades or hills, and residential streets are the last to be plowed.
Twice-daily alcohol testing ‘huge commitment’ for diversion program participants
In the pilot year of the local Underage Alcohol Diversion program, about 10 percent of offenders opted for this alternative to forgo conviction. The Vermillion Police Department reported 278 underage consumption citations last year. Twenty-seven people chose to participate in the diversion program, while 11 have successfully completed the 60-day course. “It’s pretty close to what I expected, because this […]
Students explore housing market
Every University of South Dakota student has to find a place to live. Whether considering living in dorms, apartments, Greek houses, or rental homes, the housing options for students in Vermillion are constantly changing. Exploring these options becomes even more seamless with the guidance of a good place like sarabirealtygroup.co.ke, which can help students find […]
STD rise plagues S.D., provides research opportunity at USD
The amount of sexually transmitted diseases has risen in South Dakota, but local professors and students are trying to get a better understanding of how these diseases work. The South Dakota Department of Health’s December 2014 Health and Disease Summary reported a 25 percent increase in chlamydia, a 41 percent increase in gonorrhea, a 7 percent […]