South Dakota now leads the nation in industrial hemp processing and fiber production, with significant growth reported in 2024. According to the USDA, farmers planted 3,900 acres and harvested 13.6 million pounds of hemp, primarily for fiber use.
A Box Elder man died in a fatal rollover crash south of Lemmon over the weekend. South Dakota Highway Patrol reports the man was driving a pickup truck Saturday night when he lost control on a curve, veered off the road, and rolled.
Parents in Sioux Falls are raising concerns after two local daycare workers were arrested in separate child abuse incidents just one day apart. At NXTGen Kidz, Chelsea Struss was allegedly filmed hitting and mishandling toddlers, even dropping one child face-first onto the ground.
A Mitchell man, Brandon Kendall, is facing multiple charges after a high-speed police chase in Brookings, South Dakota, ended in a car rollover early Sunday morning. Authorities say the DUI suspect was driving erratically and speeding around 2 a.m. when he fled from law enforcement, ultimately crashing while attempting to turn onto a bypass.
South Dakota’s Project Prison Reset task force is considering the former Citibank campus in northern Sioux Falls as a potential site for a new men’s prison. The location falls within the 20-mile radius being targeted, with proposals under review this Thursday.
In a landmark ruling, the South Dakota Supreme Court sided with seven U.S. Air Force civilian employees denied paid military leave while serving with the South Dakota Air National Guard.
South Dakota lawmakers approved $3 million for renovations to the State Capitol and Governor’s Residence. Capitol updates include plaster, paint, and dome repairs, while the Governor’s Residence will get its first exterior upgrade since 2005 with new siding and a black roof.
Nicholas Frederick, 28, of Wagner, faces four counts of fourth-degree rape involving a 14-year-old girl he met online. The alleged incidents occurred between January 2023 and May 2024.
Chelsea Struss, a daycare worker in Sioux Falls, is in jail facing serious child abuse charges. Accused of hitting and pushing toddlers at NXTgen Kidz daycare, the incidents were reportedly captured on camera. She remains in custody at Minnehaha County Jail awaiting her first court appearance.
Cory Martinson of Sioux Falls is back in jail after violating probation in a shocking animal abuse case. Already convicted for killing cats, Martinson now faces new accusations of killing four kittens while caring for them.
