Four South Dakota men were arrested during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in a multi-agency child exploitation sting. Investigators say each suspect was caught attempting to meet someone they believed was a 14-year-old girl. The operation, led by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with local, state, and federal partners, is part of the DOJ’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
The Mitchell Board of Education will once again attempt to elect a president and vice president after a July vote deadlocked between current president Brittni Flood and member Terry Aslesen. Business manager Craig Bruening has been leading meetings in the interim.
The Sioux Falls City Council is set to vote on an ordinance banning tents and encampments in public spaces, a move that could impact the city’s homeless population. Officials say camps, including hidden sites along the Big Sioux River, are on the rise.
South Dakota nonprofit Emily’s Hope is expanding its statewide effort to prevent opioid overdoses by installing naloxone distribution boxes in public locations. Since May 2024, kits containing naloxone, gloves, and recovery resources have been placed from Sioux Falls to Rapid City, the Pine Ridge Reservation, and now Sturgis.
Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken says the city has no legal power to block Governor Larry Rhoden’s Operation: Prairie Thunder, a state-led immigration enforcement initiative in partnership with ICE.
Four local newspapers in South Dakota — including the Brookings Register, Huron Plainsman, Redfield Press, and Moody County Enterprise — shut down overnight, leaving their communities without a local news source.
During Navy Week in Sioux Falls, U.S. Navy sailors are volunteering with the Veterans Community Project to build tiny homes for homeless veterans. When rain moved in Wednesday, crews shifted indoors to install microwaves, hang doors, and add finishing touches.
South Dakota is raising a glass to America’s 250th birthday with a commemorative beer, Dakota Liberty. State Historian Ben Jones says the brew will debut August 30 at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron, with tastings at the nearby Tap Haus.
The 85th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is off to a busy and dangerous start, with the South Dakota Department of Public Safety reporting 41 injury accidents, two fatal crashes, and 70 DUI arrests in the first five days.
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation will host a statewide virtual hiring event on Wednesday, August 20, giving job seekers the opportunity to connect with top employers, explore open positions, and interview — all from home.