The Mitchell City Council will meet today to review several significant proposals for the Corn Palace, including a $12 million expansion plan, a $500,000 project to replace seating and add ADA rails, and allocating $600,000 from the entertainment tax for plaza improvements. The council will also address other financial matters and hear variance requests for two properties. The meeting is set to begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
A group of Sioux Falls residents has launched a petition to challenge the City Council’s recent decision to surplus the Brockhouse taxidermy animal collection. The decision, made last week, would send most of the collection to the University of Notre Dame’s Museum of Biodiversity. Petition organizers argue that voters should have the chance to approve or reject the City Council’s resolution. The petition is currently available for signatures at Abby Normal’s Museum of the Strange, and organizers are aiming for at least 7,600 signatures to force a public vote.
Justin Preuschl, a former teacher at Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls, is now facing 47 federal charges related to child pornography and transferring obscene materials to a minor. The charges, which were filed in federal court, accuse Preuschl of committing these crimes from June 2021 through February 2024—two years longer than previously known. Preuschl, who lost his teaching job a year ago after being charged with solicitation of a minor, pleaded not guilty to all charges in court on Thursday.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley reassured the public that the state’s involvement in a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s stance on gender dysphoria under Section 504 will not affect disability accommodations for school-aged children in the state. Jackley emphasized that the lawsuit, which South Dakota joined in 2024, is focused on gender dysphoria as a disability, not the rights of students with disabilities. Disabled students will continue to receive necessary services without disruption, despite the ongoing legal challenge.
Governor Larry Rhoden revealed plans to expand the South Dakota Highway Patrol in Sioux Falls, citing the area’s 70% growth over the last 25 years and the need for more local law enforcement presence. The expansion will add eight troopers and one sergeant to the current team of 27 officers. Funding for the expansion, which will total around one million dollars, will come from the State Highway Fund, supported by vehicle registrations and the state gas tax. The proposal still requires approval through the state legislature’s appropriations process.
Lawmakers in Pierre are pushing to expand South Dakota’s childcare assistance program to support childcare workers earning up to three times the federal poverty level. The proposal aims to help these employees secure affordable care for their own children, addressing a key barrier to workforce participation. Supporters of the bill see it as a vital step in attracting more individuals back to the state’s workforce, strengthening the economy and ensuring better support for the childcare sector.
Former South Dakota House Speaker Steve Haugaard is calling on state lawmakers to reconsider funding a new men’s penitentiary, arguing that the real issue lies in the lack of effective rehabilitation programs, not more prison space.
Governor Larry Rhoden announced that fireworks will light up Mount Rushmore once again in 2026 to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. Joining Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in celebrating the decision, Rhoden called the event a historic moment that will capture global attention. The last fireworks display at the iconic site took place in 2020. Rhoden has extended an invitation to President Trump and looks forward to collaborating with the White House Task Force for the milestone celebration.
Chad Cody, battalion chief of the Mitchell Fire Department, has been honored as South Dakota’s VFW Firefighter of the Year. Cody, who started his firefighting journey at 17 with the Plankinton Volunteer Fire Department, has served with Mitchell since 2010. As battalion chief, he oversees operations and trains his team. Nominated by Mitchell Fire Chief and VFW leader Dr. Martin Christensen, Cody will be recognized at an award ceremony in Pierre this summer.
South Dakota lawmakers are moving forward with Senate Bill 156, a proposal to raise the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18. Introduced by Republican Senator Sydney Davis, the bill was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and now heads to the Senate floor. Current law allows minors aged 16-18 to marry with parental consent, but advocates, including survivors of child marriages, argue for stronger protections. Opponents contend that the bill could impact couples facing unplanned pregnancies who seek parental rights
