
The Mitchell City Council rejected two controversial ordinances during Monday night’s meeting—one proposing term limits for city officials and another aimed at creating a rental housing inspection program.

Governor Larry Rhoden has launched the Governor’s Resilience and Infrastructure Task Force (GRIT) with a new executive order signed Monday. The task force will assess risks, advise on infrastructure policy, and help plan for South Dakota’s critical infrastructure needs.

The Project Prison Reset Task Force met Tuesday in Pierre to address South Dakota’s growing prison overcrowding and aging infrastructure. A consulting firm presented updated recommendations, estimating the state’s long-term prison needs could cost up to $2 billion—double earlier projections.

A man is in critical condition following an early morning shooting at a Sioux Falls gas station near 24th Street and Minnesota Avenue. Police say the incident occurred around 1 a.m. Tuesday when an argument broke out between three men in the parking lot.

Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity has received a $25,000 donation from First Interstate Bank as part of its Believe in Local campaign.

In a close race decided by just a handful of votes, Kimberly Lofgren and incumbent Terry Aslesen have been elected to the Mitchell School Board.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has announced that Chao Zheng, a 30-year-old California man, has been sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $325,000 in restitution for his role in a large-scale internet scam. Zheng pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting Grand Theft by Deception in connection to the theft of $325,000 from a Lawrence County couple.

Small change is making a big impact through Central Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round-Up® program, which recently awarded $12,800 in community grants. The funding supports local projects that strengthen and enrich area communities.

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken has announced he will not seek a third term, confirming plans to step down at the end of his current term in 2026. First elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022 with 78% of the vote, TenHaken has served two terms leading South Dakota’s largest city. He shared details about his decision and future plans on his personal website, marking a significant shift in Sioux Falls’ political landscape. The mayor’s early announcement gives potential candidates time to prepare for the upcoming 2026 election.

A new site analysis ranks Lincoln County as the top location for South Dakota’s proposed men’s prison, according to a report by Arrington Watkins Architects.