George McGovern Middle School choir teacher Erin McFarland has been named a finalist in the national Heroes of the Classroom contest, sponsored by Kleenex. Former students say McFarland made a lasting difference during their challenging middle school years.
Friends of Firesteel is rallying Lake Mitchell residents to help raise $3 million in support of the city’s $25 million lake restoration project. With $1.7 million already pledged from major foundations and private donors, the nonprofit is playing a key role in backing the long-awaited dredging effort. Mayor Jordan Hanson says while the city has secured full project funding, community donations will be recognized with a plaque once work begins in 2026 to restore Lake Mitchell’s health and vitality.
The Mitchell City Council has approved a $75,420 contract with Pro Contracting to install nine new Corn Palace murals this fall. Work will begin after October 1 and finish by November 15, funded through the city’s Corn Palace fund. Officials say using a contractor for the first time will ensure the murals are ready for the 2026 semiquincentennial celebration, themed “250 Years of America.”
Lake Mitchell homeowners are pressing city leaders for answers on when the lake will be drawn down for shoreline work and dredging. A local dock and lift contractor says residents are requesting equipment removal daily, but the city has yet to announce a timeline.
Dakota Wesleyan University has received a $1.5 million federal TRIO Student Support Services grant to continue helping first-generation, low-income, and disabled students succeed through 2030. The program, which has supported nearly 7,400 DWU students since 1979, offers tutoring, mentoring, counseling, and financial aid guidance to boost retention and graduation rates.
South Dakota cities are facing growing budget challenges, according to Sioux Falls Finance Director Shawn Pritchett. He told the Sioux Falls City Council this week that creating the upcoming budget is the most difficult process he has encountered, citing a new property tax limitation passed by the legislature earlier this year.
The Sioux Falls City Council has approved a new 5-year ambulance service contract with PatientCare EMS in a 7-1 vote, despite concerns from Councilor Curt Soehl. The agreement has backing from the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority along with Avera and Sanford Health.
South Dakota Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko will resign effective October 20, creating a major shift in the state’s prison system leadership. Her departure could remove a key obstacle to building a new men’s penitentiary in Sioux Falls, a project long debated by lawmakers. Governor Larry Rhoden says the decision was Wasko’s alone and that her exit may help move the prison plan forward. Former Corrections Secretary and current Representative Tim Reisch supports the new facility, while the search for Wasko’s replacement is already underway.
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) a $1.5 million TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant, continuing a 46-year tradition of helping low-income, first-generation, and disabled students succeed in higher education.
South Dakota Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko has resigned under pressure from lawmakers critical of her leadership and handling of the state’s new Sioux Falls prison proposal. Governor Larry Rhoden announced her departure Tuesday, just weeks before a special legislative session on building a 1,500-bed men’s prison. Wasko, appointed in 2022 after a DOC misconduct scandal, faced growing criticism over shifting cost estimates and prison safety policies.