The South Dakota State Medical Association is sharply criticizing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for firing all members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel. Kennedy claims the overhaul is necessary to appoint new members sooner than 2028, but doctors call the move reckless amid rising measles outbreaks.
Tensions are rising over South Dakota’s proposed prison relocation as mayors of Mitchell and Worthing oppose the current site recommendations. The Project Prison Reset task force favors building near their communities, but Worthing Mayor Crystal Jacobson cites infrastructure and financial concerns, while Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson says residents are firmly against it.
Jeff Thurn, a former Sioux Falls sports radio host known for Overtime with Jeff Thurn, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for a multimillion-dollar ticket scam.
A federal jury in Sioux Falls has found Lamont Garrett guilty of illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. The conviction follows a three-day trial in U.S. District Court. Authorities discovered 9mm and .22 caliber rounds in Garrett’s bedroom during an August search involving local police and Homeland Security.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has confirmed that the Division of Criminal Investigation is probing the death of Nicholas Skorka, a 42-year-old inmate found unresponsive in his cell.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is joining a coalition of 27 attorneys general in a legal effort to stop 23andMe from selling users’ genetic data without explicit consent. The company, currently facing bankruptcy, is reportedly considering the sale of personal genetic information as part of a potential buyout.
South Dakota officials have confirmed the spread of the emerald ash borer (EAB) to Milbank, prompting the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to expand its quarantine zone to include Grant County.
Sioux Falls city officials are preparing for tighter financial times, with local non-profits bracing for reduced funding in next year’s budget. City Finance Director Shawn Pritchett attributes the leaner proposal to property tax reform, which has limited available revenue.
Mitchell’s Lakeview Golf Course is set for a major transformation, as the city’s Golf and Cemetery Board approves a $4.44 million renovation plan aimed at revitalizing the popular course. Proposed for the 2026 city budget, the upgrades include a redesigned hole No. 14, a new par-3 short course, and over $500,000 in additional capital improvements.
Tensions ran high at Tuesday’s Davison County Commission meeting as roughly 50 Mitchell residents voiced strong opposition to a proposed state prison site near the city. Community members expressed fears about safety, increased traffic, potential drug smuggling, and negative impacts on Mitchell’s identity.