## Yes. A Madison High School graduate and former Sioux Falls attorney is leading the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Heith Janke started his second stint with the FBI in 2020. He is currently serving as the FBI special agent in charge of Guthrie’s disappearance from her Arizona home. Janke worked as an attorney at the Boyce Law Firm in Sioux Falls from 2002-04. He joined the FBI as a special agent from 2004-2017 and left to become the West Fargo, North Dakota, police chief. Janke graduated from Madison High in 1994 and was a two-time champion in cross country and a five-time champion in track and field (3,200 and 1,600 meter runs). The FBI is offering a $50,000 award for information that leads to the whereabouts of Guthrie, who has been missing since Feb. 1. She is the mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. _This fact brief responds to conversations such as_ _this one_ __.__ ### **Sources** Valley News Live, _NDSU grad, former WFPD Chief leading Guthrie Investigation_ KJAM, _Madison native is FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Nancy Guthrie case_ LinkedIN, _Heath Janke_ NDSU, _Bison Athletic Hall of Fame_ Dakota News Now, _FBI offering $50,000 reward for information in Nancy Guthrie case_ * * * _South Dakota News Watch_ partners with _Gigafact_ to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context. * _Read previous fact briefs_. * Read our verification standards and other _best practices policies_. * Submit a question for us to answer on the _South Dakota News Watch Tipline_. * Send questions or feedback to [email protected]_. Share your thoughts on this story _This story was produced by**South Dakota News Watch** , an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at ___sdnewswatch.org__ _and_ __sign up for an email__ _to get stories when they're published.**Contact Michael Klinski** at [email protected]._

The family of a man shot and killed during a 2024 raid in his family's house has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Marshals Service seeking $150 million. Zander Zephier, 23, died Nov. 27, 2024, just north of Wagner, about 40 minutes after deputy marshals arrived to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. The civil lawsuit, which alleges a violation of Zephier's constitutional rights, comes after the Department of Justice rejected the federal torts claim the family filed in May, which would have settled the case without a lawsuit. ## ****Get South Dakota stories**** An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime. Sign up Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. The lawsuit states that marshals “failed to coordinate with the Yankton Sioux Tribal Police, Tribal Criminal Investigators, or other tribal authorities prior to executing the warrant, in violation of DOJ directives governing operations in Indian Country," used excessive force when attempting to arrest Zephier and "severely traumatized" his great-grandmother, Conceta Zephier, who is wheelchair-bound and remained in the home while the raid was being conducted. The government has 60 days to respond to the summons from Zephier’s family, which was filed on Feb. 4. The Marshals Service and the Zephier family's attorney, Nicole Griese, did not respond to requests for comment. ## Background on the case On Nov. 27 2024, deputy marshals arrived to Zephier's family home north of Wagner at 8:37 a.m. About 30 minutes later, they began throwing gas grenades into the home. At 9:46 a.m., Zephier was pronounced dead at Wagner Community Memorial Hospital. His death certificate said he died primarily of a gunshot wound to the head and also had gunshot wounds in his back, chest and arm. The deputy marshals were serving a warrant for Zephier's arrest. He was considered an escaped inmate from Charles Mix County Jail after leaving with permission for a family funeral in July and not returning. A United States deputy marshal emerges from the house after Zander Zephier was shot and killed Nov. 27, 2024, near Wagner, S.D., and talks with his fellow officers. “Are you all good?” he is asked. “Yeah, I’m good,” he replies. (Photo: Screenshot from Zephier home security footage) Zephier's family did not dispute his criminal record, which included a federal conviction for abusive sexual contact with a minor but told News Watch in 2024 that his death should warrant an independent investigation. "Why shoot him?" Zephier's grandmother, Jennifer, said at the time. "Why can't you tase him, you know, or find some other way of getting him to where you can handcuff him and take him to jail?" ## Case claims delay of medical aid, 'visible suffering' At the time of Zephier’s death, then-chairman of the Yankton Sioux Tribe Robert Flying Hawk sent a letter to the family that said the tribe would be seeking answers for the “terrible injustice.” The current chairwoman of the tribe, Charlene Knudsen, did not immediately respond to a request for a comment. Robin Bair (left) of the Yankton Sioux Tribe sings a calling song at a candlelight vigil held Dec. 11, 2024, for Zander Zephier in the tribal community just north of Wagner, S.D. (Photo: Stu Whitney / South Dakota News Watch) The lawsuit states that the deputy marshals – who are still unnamed – spent 40 minutes from their arrival at the Zephier residence to Zephier's death. It says that the timeline is "sharply contrasting with other USMS operations involving barricaded subjects, which often last hours, involve negotiation, contacting back-up intra-agency law enforcement, and methods of de-escalation to prevent death." The lawsuit also says that marshals delayed medical aid to Zephier while laughing and taking photos in the front yard of the residence where Zephier was shot, after shooting Zephier "despite visible suffering and non-threatening behavior." "He deserved better than what happened to him here,” Zephier's brother, Zane, said during a vigil for Zander in late 2024. “Our people deserve better, and I want you all to know I'm not leaving any stone unturned. We're going to find the truth, and we're looking at every option until we find it. They will come to know that we as a people stand up for our families. And they will know that we will fight against injustice when it shows itself in our home." ## Other lawsuits against US Marshals Service Several lawsuits have arisen in the aftermath of officer shootings on tribal land nationwide – including one filed in North Dakota on Feb. 5 after a man was killed by a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. ****Play a bigger role in our storytelling.**** Join us as a partner in telling stories that are important to all South Dakotans with a tax-deductible donation. Donate Lawsuits against the Marshals Service are far less common, though. An investigation by _the Marshall Project in 2021_ found that while fatal shootings are more common among U.S. Marshals than other law enforcement agencies, lawsuits against the agency and its officers are comparatively far less frequent. The Marshals Service, as an agency of the federal government, has sovereign immunity, which means the agency must consent to being sued. However, that immunity does not apply under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows individuals to sue federal employees for actions within their role, as long as negligence is a factor. Questions still unanswered after man killed during raidInternal investigation still ongoing almost a year after a man was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals Service officers in Yankton Reservation.South Dakota News WatchMolly Wetsch Other lawsuits against the Marshals Service have faced long lead times and little legal resolution. The family of Brandon Webber, who was killed by U.S. Marshals in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2019, filed a lawsuit seeking $25 million in 2020. That case was dismissed in 2022, though it is possible that a settlement was reached outside of court. Share your thoughts on this story _**South Dakota News Watch** is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at _ _sdnewswatch.org_ _.**Contact reporter and**_** _Report for America_** _**corps member Molly Wetsch:** 605-531-7382/[email protected]_ _._

## No. Kicker Adam Vinatieri became the second South Dakota-born player to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when his induction was announced Feb. 6. Norm Van Brocklin, who was born in 1926 in Dewey County, was the first. He moved to California with his family when he was 5. Van Brocklin went on to play nine seasons for the Los Angeles Rams and three for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he won an NFL championship in 1960. Van Brocklin led the league in passing yards three times. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966 (University of Oregon) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. Vinatieri, who was born in Yankton and attended Rapid City Central and South Dakota State, is the NFL’s leader in points scored. He kicked the game-winning field goals in Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII and won four titles in his 24-year career. _This fact brief responds to conversations such as_ __this one__ __.__ ### **Source** Colts.com, _Adam Vinatieri named to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026_ Pro Football Hall of Fame, _Adam Vinatieri_ Pro Football Hall of Fame, _Norm Van Brocklin_ South Dakota Hall of Fame, _Norm Van Brocklin_ South Dakota State University, _Vinatieri receives Hall of Fame call from Canton_ * * * _South Dakota News Watch_ partners with _Gigafact_ to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context. * _Read previous fact briefs_. * Read our verification standards and other _best practices policies_. * Submit a question for us to answer on the _South Dakota News Watch Tipline_. * Send questions or feedback to [email protected]_. Share your thoughts on this story _This story was produced by**South Dakota News Watch** , an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at ___sdnewswatch.org__ _and_ __sign up for an email__ _to get stories when they're published.**Contact Michael Klinski** at [email protected]._

PIERRE, S.D. – Sen. Sue Peterson, chair of the Senate Taxation Committee, summed up what others on the panel seemed to think in rejecting a proposed state sales tax increase in exchange for a reduction in local property taxes. "I do have concerns that we're trying to do too much all at once," said the Sioux Falls Republican. The failed proposal, Senate Bill 99, tabled by Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, would have increased the sales tax to 6.2% and use the receipts to create a local replacement fund to lower property taxes. ## ****Get South Dakota stories**** An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime. Sign up Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. In order to combat the "regressive nature" of the measure, as the Pierre Republican himself put it, groceries would be exempted from the sales tax. The idea was one of more than two dozen floated as a potential solution to skyrocketing property taxes that has been driven in large part by a 26% increase in the median home price in the state over the past five years. And while lawmakers seem to agree something needs to be done, there is little agreement on a solution. ## Gubernatorial candidates weigh in amid legislative impasse Sen. Casey Crabtree, who is running for South Dakota's at-large seat in Congress, joined other Senate colleagues in commending Mehlhaff for "coming up with a bold plan" to address the property tax issue. But he cautioned against repeating the gung-ho nature of another property tax bill passed in last year's legislative session, referring to Senate Bill 216, which capped local municipalities' ability to use property tax revenues at 3%. That measure has since been blamed for severely limiting the ability of growing cities to pay for essential infrastructure improvements and local services. "We got plenty of eyes on it (Senate Bill 216), plenty of proponents, and we're back here in nine months making the adjustment because the legislative body missed something on that and ended up having an unintended consequence," Crabtree said. Sen. Casey Crabtree speaking at Senate Taxation Committee meeting Jan. 28, 2026, in Pierre, S.D. In the same Senate Taxation Committee hearing as Mehlhaff's proposal, Sen. Randy Deibert, a Spearfish Republican, introduced Senate Bill 97, which increases that cap to 5%. It passed 6-1. Looming over the property tax reform debate is the hotly contested race to secure the Republican nomination for governor. With each candidate coming out with their own property tax proposal in an effort to claim the mantle, what lawmakers ultimately decide in the halls of the state Capitol will reverberate across South Dakota as a pivotal primary awaits in June. News Watch broke down the various proposals and spoke with tax policy watchers to get a sense of the challenges and opportunities of the ideas being floated. ## Rhoden: Let counties decide**** Gov. Larry Rhoden, the incumbent, has proposed allowing individual counties the option to decide to replace property taxes with a half-cent sales tax increase. A county could vote to adopt the measure or hold a referendum. The Union Center rancher has argued his plan is more equitable as it would allow counties that generate more foot traffic, and therefore typically hold higher property values, the opportunity to see a decrease in their property tax bill. Gov. Larry Rhoden speaking at press conference Feb. 5, 2026, in Pierre, S.D. (Photo: Alexander Rifaat / South Dakota News Watch) On a philosophical level, Rhoden has sought to portray the proposal, which is set to be introduced in the Legislature, as the one closest to classical Republican small government ideals compared to his GOP challengers. "It's government at its best, government close to its people. It's up to those individual counties and the people in those counties to decide, and we left as much flexibility of that as we could," Rhoden said at a press conference laying out his legislative agenda last month. ## Johnson: Relief for homeowners**** U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, South Dakota's lone representative in Congress, announced a plan that would allow first time homebuyers to be exempt from paying property taxes for two years and provide a $400 property tax credit to owner-occupied properties using funds from a planned increase in the statewide sales tax, which is set to rise from 4.2% to 4.5% next year. Johnson argues Rhoden's plan, rather than being equitable, increases inequalities by favoring more prosperous counties instead of providing a uniform statewide solution. South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson speaks during a naturalization ceremony at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo: Tia Dufour / DHS via Wikimedia Commons) “The governor’s proposal is just a huge transfer of wealth from rural South Dakota into our biggest cities. That is not what South Dakota needs right now. My plan helps everyone, brings the American dream closer to reach for new homeowners, and is fully paid for – without any gimmicks," Johnson said in a statement to News Watch. ## Doeden: Eliminate all property taxes Toby Doeden, an Aberdeen businessman, has a more direct plan: eliminate all property taxes in South Dakota. Doeden has suggested a consumption tax targeting "luxury items" could be used to replace property taxes, although it is unclear if the revenue from such a tax would fill the estimated $1.8 billion budget hole that would be created if such a move were to materialize. Similar to the proposal put forth by Mehlhaff, he also said that any consumption tax would exclude grocery items to help relieve lower-income households. “Larry Rhoden and Dusty Johnson are career politicians in favor of raising sales tax across the board. This only further harms South Dakota families who are already struggling the most," Doeden said. Toby Doeden He also said he'd like to make the 4.2% sales tax, which was originally enacted under former governor and current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, permanent. "My plan codifies the Noem tax cuts, eliminates taxes on groceries and baby items, reduces wasteful spending, and most importantly, eliminates property taxes for South Dakota residents,” Doeden said. Noticeable in Doeden's comment was his lack of acknowledgement of the fourth Republican in the gubernatorial race, South Dakota House Speaker Jon Hansen. Hansen has yet to come out with a formal plan but has accused Johnson of co-opting a proposal on property taxes he put out last year as part of a legislative task force. ## Sales taxes more volatile than property Tax policy observers on both sides of the political aisle cautioned about the history of substituting property taxes for more sales taxes on grounds it would add fiscal uncertainty for municipalities and greater economic inequality statewide. "The challenge with using a sales tax to replace property taxes is that sales taxes are much more volatile sources of revenue," Rita Johnson of the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank, told News Watch. "Sales taxes go up and down with the economy. If there's a recession, sales tax receipts will decline." ****Your donation supports trusted, balanced storytelling that's delivered for free to all South Dakotans.**** Donate She said Gov. Rhoden's proposal was "less worrisome" since it would give counties the authority to decide whether to replace property taxes but added any initial revenue estimates should be taken with a pinch of salt. "Even if they could predict how much a half-cent sales tax could bring in, I don't think it would actually cut down the entire cost of running the county," she said. Rhoden is bullish on the potential revenue generation of his plan. According to data obtained by News Watch, the governor's office estimates his proposal would eliminate, on a statewide average, 90% of the county share of property tax revenue in order to lower owner occupied taxes. ## Comparison to California's Prop 13 Rita Johnson cited the property tax debate in California in the 1970s as an example of the pitfalls of trading lower property taxes for a more robust sales tax regime. In 1978, amid a backlash toward surging property taxes brought on by inflation, Californians passed Proposition 13, which capped property taxes at 1% of assessed value and limited annual assessment increases to 2%. The measure also stipulated that a reassessment of the tax for a certain property can only be made if there is a change in ownership or if new construction occurred. While ostensibly meant to relieve homeowners, the law has been cited as a major factor behind California's housing crisis as it disincentives home ownership mobility and encourages maintenance delays on infrastructure projects, given a reduction in local funds. All the while, California today has the highest state sales tax rate in the country, at 7.25%. Howard Jarvis (at lectern), chief author of California's Prop 13, celebrates with supporters in 1978. (Photo: Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons) Ironically, given Rep. Johnson's claim that Rhoden's plan would unevenly redistribute wealth to richer counties, Rita Johnson (no relation) is also skeptical of the congressman's plan, since the beneficiaries of any property tax exemptions and credits would likely be concentrated in areas already experiencing rapid development. "The places that are going to see this benefit are going to be places that will have faster property growth, higher value homes, higher value commercial properties, and not in places where people are struggling," Rita Johnson said. ## Reduced government accountability with sales taxes Abir Mandal of the Tax Foundation, a right-leaning research outfit, agrees with Rita Johnson that sales taxes are less predictable and more unevenly distributed than property taxes, while adding it could leave the door open to a decline in government accountability. "Replacing property taxes with consumption taxes will hide the true cost of local government from taxpayers because they will no longer be getting the very transparent property tax bill that is sent out each year detailing all levies and the services that they go towards," Mandal told News Watch. "This may actually increase local costs instead of decreasing them." He pointed out that South Dakota counties are already bound by certain levy restrictions on property taxes and that a possible way to reduce the burden for homeowners could be expanding those restrictions to include school districts, which are currently exempt. As the legislative session continues and the opportunity to pass reform dissipates, lawmakers will need to conduct a delicate balancing act to ensure they do not solve one conundrum by creating a potentially bigger one. Share your thoughts on this story _**South Dakota News Watch** is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at _ _sdnewswatch.org_ _.**Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat:** 605-736-4396/ [email protected]_ _._

MITCHELL, S.D. – A 5th grade student from Challenge Center Elementary School in Sioux Falls won the 2026 South Dakota State Spelling Bee Saturday in the 19th round. Oscar Quezada, 11, claimed the state championship and will move on to the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington in May after correctly spelling "arrearage." The 24 participants in the South Dakota State Spelling Bee, Feb. 7, 2026, in Mitchell, S.D. (Photo: Carson Walker/South Dakota News Watch) For the second year, South Dakota News Watch and Dakota Wesleyan University sponsored the competition, which was held at DWU. Financial support for Black Hills area students also came from the Independent Insurance Agents of Rapid City. Oscar was eliminated in the first round at last year's state bee when a baby cried and he lost his concentration. ## ****Get South Dakota stories**** An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime. Sign up Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. "Instead of spelling 'flipperling,' I spelled 'flippering,'" he recalled Saturday. "I was like, I'm probably going to come back next year because I've gotten first place in my school bee twice in a row, last year and this year." His advice to other spellers: "Basically, just practice. If somebody's in the spelling bee, just practice as hard as possible. It'll, it'll definitely pay off." The top three finishers in the South Dakota State Spelling Bee, held Feb. 7, 2026, in Mitchell, S.D.: Pleroma Otang (2nd place), Oscar Quezada (1st place) and Ashika Gupta (3rd place). (Photo: Carson Walker/South Dakota News Watch) Pleroma Otang, 11, a 6th grader from Brandon Valley Intermedia School, took second place and Ashika Gupta, 13, an 8t grader from Daota Valley Upper Elementary Middle School took 3rd place. Schools that qualified students to compete at the state bee: * Brandon: Brandon Valley Intermediate School; Robert Bennis Elementary School * Brookings: George S. Mickelson Middle School * Clear Lake: Deuel School * Estelline: Estelline Junior High; Sharon F. Delzer Elementary School * Florence Middle School * Garretson School * Madison Elementary School * Milbank Middle School * Mitchell: Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School * North Sioux City: Dakota Valley Upper Elementary Middle School * Parkston Elementary School * Piedmont Valley Elementary School * Platte-Geddes Elementary School * Rapid City: Saint Elizabeth Seton Central School; Saint Thomas More Middle School * Scotland Middle Senior High School * Sioux Falls: Challenge Center Elementary School; Cornerstone School; Good Shepherd Lutheran School * Spearfish: Black Hills Christian Academy * Sturgis Elementary School * Vermillion Middle School; Vermillion Elementary School * Waverly South Shore School * Yankton: Sacred Heart Middle School ****Do you value education?**** Please consider partnering with us by helping to cover the sponsorship costs at the link below to ensure the state competition continues. Yes, I will support the bee Share your thoughts on this story _**South Dakota News Watch** is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at _ _sdnewswatch.org_ _.**Contact CEO Carson Walker:** 605-610-9366/[email protected]_ _._

<h2 id="yes">Yes.</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="447" height="128" /></figure><p>South Dakota is fourth in the nation with the percent of people who live in an ambulance desert, according to a 2023 study.</p><p>The state has 15.2% of its county populations in areas underserved by ambulances – behind Montana (27.8%), New Mexico (19.6%) and Utah (19.1%). </p><p>The study, completed in May 2023 by the Maine Rural Health Research Center and the Rural Health Research and Policy Centers, defines an ambulance desert as places and people that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance service.</p><p>South Dakota is among eight states that have fewer than three ambulances per 1,000 square miles. While the state is toward the top with ambulance stations per 100,000 people, its geographic size and small population puts it toward the top for rural areas facing a lack of services.</p><p>The state Legislature is considering a bill that would create a task force to study classifying emergency medical services as "essential.” As it stands the state is not required to provide or fund EMS. </p><p><em>This fact brief responds to conversations such as </em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthDakota/comments/1qut268/south_dakota_lawmakers_not_ready_to_call/" rel="noreferrer"><em>this one</em></a><em>.</em></p><h3 id="source"><strong>Source</strong></h3><p>KELO-TV, <a href="https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/south-dakota-senate-advances-ems-funding-study-bill/"><u>South Dakota Senate advances EMS funding study bill</u></a></p><p>Maine Rural Health Research Center and Rural Health Research and Policy Centers, <a href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/berkshireeagle.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/a6/da6ea058-eeec-11ef-9b58-670395dc4727/67b61efc51c3b.pdf.pdf"><u>Ambulance Deserts study (2023)</u></a></p><hr /><p><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/"><u>South Dakota News Watch</u></a> partners with <a href="https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>Gigafact</u></a> to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tag/fact-brief/"><u>Read previous fact briefs</u></a>.</li><li>Read our verification standards and other <a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/best-practices/"><u>best practices policies</u></a>.</li><li>Submit a question for us to answer on the <a href="https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>South Dakota News Watch Tipline</u></a>.</li><li>Send questions or feedback to <a href="mailto:[email protected]"><u>[email protected]</u></a>.</li></ul><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em>This story was produced by <strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong>, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/"><em><u>sign up for an email</u></em></a><em> to get stories when they're published. <strong>Contact Michael Klinski </strong>at [email protected].</em></p>

<p>SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Some of South Dakotans' greatest needs for resources in 2025 surrounded housing, food and utilities, according to the Helpline Center's 211 data from around the state. </p><p>The 211 line connects callers with community services statewide. While it's separate from 988, the state's mental health crisis hotline, the two lines both operate under the umbrella of the nonprofit, which is funded by the United Way and other private and public donations. </p><p>Janet Kittams, CEO of the Helpline Center, told News Watch that the lines benefit from working in tandem – especially as needs for mental health services and other community resources often overlap. </p><p>"The two teams really do work in partnership with each other because if 211 does get a call that is crisis-related or mental health-related, they can easily transfer that to the 988 team. I think what will happen with our data is we'll continue to see mental health on the 211 continue to go down as far as one of our needs," Kittams said.</p><div class="kg-card kg-signup-card kg-width-regular " style="background-color:#F0F0F0;display:none"> <div class="kg-signup-card-content"> <div class="kg-signup-card-text "> <h2 class="kg-signup-card-heading" style="color:#000000"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Get South Dakota stories</strong></b></h2> <p class="kg-signup-card-subheading" style="color:#000000"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime.</span></p> <div class="kg-signup-card-fields"> <input class="kg-signup-card-input" id="email" type="email" required="true" placeholder="Your email" /> <button class="kg-signup-card-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF" type="submit"> <span class="kg-signup-card-button-default">Sign up</span> <span class="kg-signup-card-button-loading"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" width="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24"> <circle cx="4" cy="12" r="3"></circle> <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"></circle> <circle cx="20" cy="12" r="3"></circle> </svg></span> </button> </div> <div class="kg-signup-card-success" style="color:#000000"> Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. </div> <div class="kg-signup-card-error" style="color:#000000"></div> </div> </div> </div><p>The center compiles resources from local organizations that residents can access, such as financial assistance programs and food pantries, both online and when they call, text or email 211. </p><p>In more rural areas, it can be a challenge to connect callers with those resources, if they exist at all, said development director Lisa Ottmar. She said 211 will still make efforts to connect with callers even if it cannot offer specific local resource information.</p><p>"We can't control what resources are in the communities, but we still want people to reach out. Sometimes it's finding that balance of letting them know that we exist and how we can help. Problem solving, even if there isn't a resource, and just letting them know that there's a connection, a person that they can connect with," Ottmar said.</p><h2 id="data-illustrates-unique-county-by-county-needs">Data illustrates unique county-by-county needs</h2><p>The Helpline Center began making its data on caller needs and geographies available to the public <a href="https://www.helplinecenter.org/2-1-1/data/" rel="noreferrer">on its data dashboard</a> three years ago, after the line became available to all South Dakotans six years ago.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">To see the top needs in each county, including 211 call numbers, visit </strong></b><a href="https://www.helplinecenter.org/2-1-1/data/" rel="noreferrer"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">the Helpline Center's 211 data dashboard</strong></b></a></div></div><p>Kittams said that data and the resource database being publicly available means that local leaders are able to determine what their community needs the most. And while statewide data indicates that housing is the most pressing concern for most South Dakotans, some counties have vastly different needs.</p> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-map"><script></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/27469819/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="map visualization" /></noscript></div> <p>For example, in Perkins County, where the population density is roughly one person per square mile, health care was the most commonly indicated need. In Douglas County, access to information services was the most pressing. </p><p>“I think oftentimes those individual counties are surprised by the needs in their county that maybe are different than what we see overall in the state,” Kittams said.</p><h2 id="need-1-housing">Need 1: Housing</h2><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Key takeaway:</strong></b> Housing is the most pressing need in the vast majority of South Dakota's counties, both rural and urban. </div></div><p>Nearly 27% of callers to 211 in 2025 mentioned housing as a need they wanted resources for. More than half of those callers needed assistance with rent payments. </p> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart"><script></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/27470099/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="chart visualization" /></noscript></div> <p>“Rent assistance is one of our most common calls. Some of it is immediate like, ‘My rent is due and I'm going to get kicked out. Can I get assistance right away?’ Some of it is a little bit more in advance like, 'I just got laid off. I'm struggling financially. I know this is gonna come due. Is there a program to help me?’” Kittams said. </p><p>Other housing-related needs included assistance in finding shelters, with rent deposits and help with tenants' rights.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/engage-south-dakota-housing-rent-own-solutions-journalism/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Engage South Dakota: Housing solutions</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">A list of entities and programs that can assist in developing or obtaining housing as well as links to News Watch reporting on housing solutions.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-392.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Bart Pfankuch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2326-13.jpeg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><h2 id="need-2-food">Need 2: Food</h2><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Key takeaway:</strong></b> Immediate access to food, via pantries and other community-access initiatives, is among the largest concerns for South Dakotans.</div></div><p>The Helpline Center's chief operating officer, Amy Carter, said that temporary cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during last year's government shutdown meant that 211 saw an increase in calls concerning food access. </p><p>Shifts in the resource environment also meant that some callers need assistance in finding new resources – especially related to immediate food access like food pantries, which was the most common food need referenced by callers.</p> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart"><script></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/27470333/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="chart visualization" /></noscript></div> <p>“There's been some changes in the food resources as well, so that, for example, in Sioux Falls, we used to have resources that would do food delivery. That went away a few months ago. So that's changed the types of calls we get in that area a little bit," Carter said.</p><h2 id="need-3-utility-assistance">Need 3: Utility assistance</h2><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Key takeaway:</strong></b> State resources are especially useful for common utility-related needs.</div></div><p>Many callers who need utility assistance will likely be connected to statewide programs, like the Public Utilities Commission’s Lifeline program, which discounts phone prices for those in need. </p> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart"><script></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/27470620/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="chart visualization" /></noscript></div> <p>“That resource database – we have everything you can possibly think of," Ottmar said. "Trying to keep that information up to date is our job because people can go online and do random searches, but is it current? Is it valid? Is it actually legit? You'd never know."</p><p>"We have a specific database team, and that's what they do is make sure those resources are current. They're always trying to find the little nuggets that are out there that we don't hear about.”</p><h2 id="personal-connection-key-to-211-success">Personal connection key to 211 success</h2><p>While the line's primary purpose is to connect callers with resources both statewide and in their communities, Kittams said that having voice-to-voice conversations is often the intervention that makes the difference for those in need.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/02/IMG_0222.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1500" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/02/IMG_0222.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/02/IMG_0222.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/02/IMG_0222.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w2400/2026/02/IMG_0222.jpg 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">211 director Jamie Cody and 211 staffers at the Helpline Center in Sioux Falls, S.D. L-R Jenny Beauchan, Kylee Wilmarth, Jamie Cody, Jessica and Hannah West on Jan. 30, 2026. (Photo: Molly Wetsch/South Dakota News Watch) </span></figcaption></figure><p>"Sometimes they just need that emotional support, so sometimes our staff at 211 will take some time and just talk with them. And then if they do need referrals to mental health resources, absolutely, our staff would provide that," Kittams said.</p><p>211 Day, the national celebration of 211 and its resources, is on Feb. 11. This year, the Helpline Center will be celebrating more than 50 years of 211 after its establishment in the state in 1974.</p><p>"I think that is the difference with 211 – that we have that real live person who's talking to them. Our staff do a great job of showing that they care and they're compassionate," Kittams said. </p><p>"They can say, 'I'm here to help you, I'm here to listen. And I really do want to help you.'"</p><div class="kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-immersive kg-cta-centered"> <div class="kg-cta-content"> <div class="kg-cta-content-inner"> <div class="kg-cta-text"> <p><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Join other South Dakotans and support statewide storytelling.</strong></b></p> </div> <a href="https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/" class="kg-cta-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF"> Donate </a> </div> </div> </div><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em><strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong> is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org" rel="noreferrer"><em>sdnewswatch.org</em></a><em>. <strong>Contact reporter and </strong></em><a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/" rel="noreferrer"><strong><em>Report for America</em></strong></a><em><strong> corps member Molly Wetsch:</strong> 605-531-7382/</em><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noreferrer"><em>[email protected]</em></a><em>.</em></p>

<h2 id="yes">Yes.</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="447" height="128" /></figure><p>South Dakota Secretary of State’s Office has <a href="https://www.kotatv.com/2026/01/22/exclusive-south-dakota-secretary-state-responds-dnc-concerns-over-sharing-voter-information-with-doj/"><u>shared the state’s voter rolls</u></a> with the U.S. Department of Justice.</p><p>President Trump ordered the DOJ to collect voter rolls from all 50 states, saying the move is aimed at preventing illegal voting. More than 10 states have complied, while other states are being sued. </p><p>South Dakota’s voter rolls are public, but they also contain non-public information. The state agreed to send names, dates of births and “government-issued enumerating numbers,” <a href="https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/trump-administration-to-inspect-south"><u>The Dakota Scout reported</u></a>.</p><p>South Dakota <a href="https://www.kotatv.com/2026/01/22/exclusive-south-dakota-secretary-state-responds-dnc-concerns-over-sharing-voter-information-with-doj/"><u>Secretary of State Monae Johnson said</u></a> she doesn’t anticipate the state having to remove any names from the list once the DOJ goes through it “because no one has been put on our voter rolls that should not be there.”</p><p>The Democratic National Committee sent a letter to the SOS’s office, concerned that some may be erroneously removed before they have a chance to correct potential errors.</p><p><em>This fact brief responds to conversations such as </em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalDiscussion/comments/1qqslmi/why_has_the_trump_administration_been_seeking/"><em><u>this one.</u></em></a></p><h3 id="source"><strong>Source</strong></h3><p>KOTA-TV, <a href="https://www.kotatv.com/2026/01/22/exclusive-south-dakota-secretary-state-responds-dnc-concerns-over-sharing-voter-information-with-doj/"><u>South Dakota Secretary of State responds to DNC concerns over sharing of voter information with DOJ</u></a></p><p>The Dakota Scout, <a href="https://www.thedakotascout.com/p/trump-administration-to-inspect-south"><u>Trump administration to inspect South Dakota voter registration records</u></a></p><p>Newsweek, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/map-states-handed-over-voter-information-trump-admin-11341530"><u>Map shows states that have handed over voter information to Trump admin</u></a></p><p>Brennan Center for Justice, <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/trump-administration-has-sued-more-20-states-refusing-turn-over-voter" rel="noreferrer"><u>Trump administration has sued more than 20 states for refusing to turn over voter files</u></a></p><hr /><p><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/"><u>South Dakota News Watch</u></a> partners with <a href="https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>Gigafact</u></a> to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tag/fact-brief/"><u>Read previous fact briefs</u></a>.</li><li>Read our verification standards and other <a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/best-practices/"><u>best practices policies</u></a>.</li><li>Submit a question for us to answer on the <a href="https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>South Dakota News Watch Tipline</u></a>.</li><li>Send questions or feedback to <a href="mailto:[email protected]"><u>[email protected]</u></a>.</li></ul><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em>This story was produced by <strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong>, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/"><em><u>sign up for an email</u></em></a><em> to get stories when they're published. <strong>Contact Michael Klinski </strong>at [email protected].</em></p>

<p>RAPID CITY, S.D. – After decades of building one home at a time for families in need of affordable housing, South Dakota's two largest Habitat for Humanity affiliates have embarked on efforts to develop multiple houses in a single project.</p><p>In a project nearing full completion, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls constructed 13 side-by-side twin homes that will serve 26 families on a cul-de-sac in northeast part of the city.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/Engage-SD-small-logo-1-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="324" height="200" /></figure><p>On the other side of the state, the Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity has purchased land and is starting development of 40 housing units in southeastern Rapid City that will be the largest housing project ever undertaken by a Habitat affiliate in South Dakota.</p><p>The efforts are more expensive and far more complicated than the typical home built by the nonprofit founded in 1976 to provide homeownership opportunities to families who help build and finance the homes they live in. Habitat now has a presence in 50 countries worldwide, including nine affiliates in South Dakota.</p><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Subscribe for free</a></div><p>The move to take bigger swings at subdivision and multi-family housing developments is being driven by a challenging housing market in South Dakota, where affordable housing is hard to find. Rapidly rising construction costs and home prices have prevented many working-class families from achieving the dream of home ownership.</p><p>“We all know that the demand for starter homes is tremendous but also that those affordable homes are no longer available,” said Mike Keegan, resources development manager for Habitat of the Black Hills. “For recent graduates and young people branching out on their own, there’s nothing to be found at a price point that is reasonable.”</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">ABOUT ENGAGE SOUTH DAKOTA</strong></b><br /><br />This story is part of an ongoing South Dakota News Watch series called Engage South Dakota using storytelling, crowdsourcing and community engagement to identify and share potentially replicable housing solutions.<br /><br />Each story includes the community's <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">response</strong></b>, <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">evidence</strong></b> of whether the ideas are effective, <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">insights</strong></b> to be learned and <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">limitations</strong></b> on the efforts.<br /><br /><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Key takeaway for this story:</strong></b> By using creative funding packages, South Dakota Habitat for Humanity affiliates have become national leaders in developing multiple affordable housing units faster than anytime in the organization's 50-year history.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/engage-south-dakota-housing-rent-own-solutions-journalism" rel="noreferrer"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Read about other South Dakota housing solutions</strong></b></a>.</div></div><h2 id="response-starter-homes-for-under-300000">Response: 'Starter homes' for under $300,000</h2><p>Habitat has operated in the Black Hills since 1990, built 140 news homes and helped dozens more homeowners fix up and maintain their homes during that 35-year history, Keegan said.</p><p>The East Creek project will be the first time the organization has entered the realm of buying land, installing infrastructure and constructing dozens of homes at once, he said.</p><p>"We’re dipping our toes into the theater of becoming developers," Keegan said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-128-Habitat-official-at-site-1-1.jpeg" class="kg-image" alt="Mike Keegan, resource development manager for Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, on Jan. 28, 2026, at the site in southeastern Rapid City, S.D., where the nonprofit plans to build its largest-ever housing project.Mike Keegan, resource development manager for Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, on Jan. 28, 2026, at the site in southeastern Rapid City, S.D., where the nonprofit plans to build its largest-ever housing project." loading="lazy" width="1768" height="1223" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/2026-1-128-Habitat-official-at-site-1-1.jpeg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/2026-1-128-Habitat-official-at-site-1-1.jpeg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/2026-1-128-Habitat-official-at-site-1-1.jpeg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-128-Habitat-official-at-site-1-1.jpeg 1768w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Mike Keegan, resource development manager for Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity, on Jan. 28, 2026, at the site in southeastern Rapid City, S.D., where the nonprofit plans to build its largest-ever housing project. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch/ South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>The East Creek Village property will include a mix of twin homes, multi-family apartment buildings and a few single-family homes on 4.25 acres on the southwest corner of East Saint Charles Street and Creek Drive in southeastern Rapid City. </p><p>A dozen or so units will be sold at market rate, but the majority will be for sale to income-qualifying people who participate in the Habitat program. That program requires them to undergo financial literacy and property management classes and to provide at least 200 hours of “sweat equity” by helping get the houses built, Keegan said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/housing-solutions-vermillion-cohousing-development/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">SD cohousing development finds its place in Vermillion</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">One group in a South Dakota college town hopes to redefine housing through community-focused development.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-390.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Molly Wetsch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/DPC-Equity-Group-1-1.jpg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>By obtaining grants and donations, Habitat is able to keep the homes at a price considered “affordable,” which in the current South Dakota real estate market is roughly $350,000 or less for a three-bedroom, two-bath home. Habitat hopes to get the price per unit in East Creek Village down to $300,000 or even $250,000 per unit if possible, Keegan said.</p><p>The organization also uses the outside funding to reduce the down payment and monthly mortgage costs required of future owners. Buyers must obtain private financing to buy the homes, but Habitat can also offer a zero-interest second mortgage to keep monthly payments below 30% of their overall monthly income, Keegan said.</p><p>"This way, we can provide affordable homes for ownership at a faster pace and a price lower than current market value,” Keegan said.</p><h2 id="evidence-multiple-funders-supporting-project">Evidence: Multiple funders supporting project</h2><p>Habitat is using a hodgepodge of funding sources to pay for the $12.5 million project, including $3 million in a federal Congressional Direct Spending grant secured by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a $730,000 grant from the state and a major donation from an individual, Keegan said. The group is also asking local community funding agencies for grants to help.</p><p>The South Dakota Housing Authority provided Black Hills Habitat with the $730,000 Housing Infrastructure Financing Grant in December to help pay for land development on the East Creek Village project. </p><div class="kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-immersive kg-cta-centered"> <div class="kg-cta-content"> <div class="kg-cta-content-inner"> <div class="kg-cta-text"> <p><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Support solutions-focused storytelling.</strong></b><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> Help South Dakota News Watch tell stories that identify and share solutions to the state's biggest challenges.</span></p> </div> <a href="https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/" class="kg-cta-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF"> Donate </a> </div> </div> </div><p>The grant was among the final payments made from a $100 million housing grant fund approved by the Legislature in 2022, using a mix of state money and federal funds from the COVID-19 era.</p><p>Much of a similar $100 million loan fund remains unused, according to Chas Olson, executive director of the nonprofit authority, known also as South Dakota Housing.</p><p>Taken together, those two programs have aided in the development of more than 13,000 housing units built through 85 projects completed in 40 South Dakota communities, Olson said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-28-Habitat-housing-site-1.jpeg" class="kg-image" alt="This vacant lot in southeast Rapid City, S.D., on Jan. 28, 2026, will be the site of a 40-unit subdivision, the largest single housing project ever developed by a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in South Dakota." loading="lazy" width="1690" height="935" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/2026-1-28-Habitat-housing-site-1.jpeg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/2026-1-28-Habitat-housing-site-1.jpeg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/2026-1-28-Habitat-housing-site-1.jpeg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-28-Habitat-housing-site-1.jpeg 1690w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">This vacant lot in southeast Rapid City, S.D., on Jan. 28, 2026, will be the site of a 40-unit subdivision, the largest single housing project ever developed by a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in South Dakota. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch/ South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Olson said the authority’s board supported the East Creek Village development in Rapid City because the state money would help Habitat develop more homes quickly and keep the prices down.</p><p>“What stood out to me and what is unique and special about the project is that it is a departure from what the typical Habitat affiliate is doing,” Olson said. “Usually, it’s one or two homes at a time and not to the scale they have with this project. And they’re really trying to keep the price point down to an affordable level.”</p><h2 id="insights-a-project-model-for-other-communities">Insights: A project model for other communities</h2><p>The development efforts in Sioux Falls and Rapid City are being seen as a model for how Habitat affiliates across the country can find the land, funding and local support to create more affordable housing faster and in greater density than ever before, Keegan said.</p><p>The project and its unique funding mechanism have caught the attention of the national chapters of Habitat for Humanity, Keegan said. Representatives from the Black Hills presented on the project at a national conference last year and will do so again in February and October of this year.</p><p>“Especially in terms of the rural or small market affiliates across the country, there’s great interest in what we’re trying to do here,” he said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/Sioux-Falls-Habitat-workers.jpeg" class="kg-image" alt="Habitat for Humanity volunteers helped build homes in the Millard Acres subdivision in Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 25, 2025." loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Sioux-Falls-Habitat-workers.jpeg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Sioux-Falls-Habitat-workers.jpeg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Sioux-Falls-Habitat-workers.jpeg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/Sioux-Falls-Habitat-workers.jpeg 2148w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Habitat for Humanity volunteers helped build homes in the Millard Acres subdivision in Sioux Falls, S.D., on April 25, 2025. (Photo: Courtesy Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Partnerships were critical to completing Millard Acres, the Habitat of Sioux Falls project with 13 twin homes built on North Americus Circle, a cul-de-sac off East 34th Street West, a few blocks east of Cliff Avenue, said Rocky Welker, executive director of Sioux Falls Habitat.</p><p>Habitat received funding from South Dakota Housing and obtained a zero-interest loan for the land from the city of Sioux Falls, Welker said. Many of the homes are already occupied by families, he said. </p><h2 id="limitations-land-and-funding-at-a-premium">Limitations: Land and funding at a premium</h2><p>Habitat affiliates and other nonprofit groups face major hurdles to continuing efforts to build affordable housing, Welker said.</p><p>In many areas of South Dakota, land is so expensive and construction costs have risen so much that new homes must be sold at prices far beyond the affordable level in order for developers to make a profit. </p><p>In Sioux Falls, meanwhile, most new subdivisions contain restrictive covenants that require homes to be of a certain size and with required amenities that push Habitat out of the market to build homes that working families can afford, he said.</p><p>"Everything on the open market is at a price point that by the time you pay for the land and infrastructure, you need to see higher-priced homes to make it pencil out," he said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/engage-south-dakota-housing-rent-own-solutions-journalism/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Engage South Dakota: Housing solutions</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">A list of entities and programs that can assist in developing or obtaining housing as well as links to News Watch reporting on housing solutions.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-387.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Bart Pfankuch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2326-11.jpeg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>Bringing a single home project to completion, let alone a project with multiple housing units, will require more time and creativity to find available, affordable land and the increased funding to get a project off the ground, Welker said.</p><p>"That’s why you see a lot of nonprofits try to find alternative ways to build and provide affordable housing opportunities for people," he said. "We didn't do a project with 13 twin homes because we wanted to go and invest a lot more money and take on a bigger project with more responsibility. We did it because if we didn't, we wouldn't have had land to build on."</p><p>Despite the challenges, Keegan hopes the success of the larger Habitat projects will spur development activities in other South Dakota cities with Habitat affiliates, including Aberdeen, Brookings, Fort Thompson, Huron, Mitchell, Yankton and Watertown. </p><p>"This is a project that we believe is scalable to any community size, including for the other affiliates in smaller cities across South Dakota," he said.</p><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSEE1F4irRiyi9MOOwQszosDlmSghlnIKbEHxeCJEjDKZRVw/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=100426322203936282954" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">What's working in your community? Share your comments and ideas.</a></div><p><em><strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong> is an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories, donate and subscribe to stories at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org/"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em>. <strong>Contact</strong> <strong>content director Bart Pfankuch</strong> at </em><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noreferrer"><em><u>[email protected]</u></em></a><em>.</em></p>

<p><em>Not for media partner use because of licensing limitations through a partnership with The Associated Press.</em></p><p>SANTA CLARA, Calif. – South Dakota will have a native son on the field Sunday when the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks meet in Super Bowl 60. </p><p>Seahawks guard Grey Zabel grew up in Pierre, South Dakota, and played at North Dakota State. Seattle took him with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/AP26021783843427.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/AP26021783843427.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/AP26021783843427.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/AP26021783843427.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/AP26021783843427.jpg 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Seattle Seahawks guard and South Dakota native Grey Zabel walks onto the field during practice at the team's facilities ahead of the NFL football NFC Championship game, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</span></figcaption></figure><p>According to <a href="https://gobison.com/sports/football/roster/grey-zabel/19580" rel="noreferrer">Zabel's NDSU roster profile</a>, Zabel: </p><ul><li>Was a two-time NCAA Division I FCS national champion with title wins over Montana State in 2021 and 2024 in those Missouri Valley Football Conference championships.</li><li>Started the final 36 consecutive games of his career with the Bison and totaled 41 starts over his five seasons, including games at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard.</li><li>Was a first team FCS All-American at left tackle as a senior in 2024.</li><li>Graduated from T.F. Riggs High School in 2020, playing on the offensive and defensive lines under coach Steve Steele and serving as team captain his senior year. </li><li>Graduated from NDSU in May 2024 with a major in agribusiness and minors in economics and precision agriculture.</li></ul><p>Zabel's father, Mark Zabel, played football at Northern State University in Aberdeen, where his mother, Tanna Zabel, was on the track and basketball teams. He has two brothers, Peyton and Jett. Jett Zabel joined the NDSU football team as a tight end in 2024.</p><h2 id="super-bowl-rematch">Super Bowl rematch</h2><p>Sunday's game is a rematch from 11 years ago. </p><p>The Patriots are seeking their NFL-record seventh Super Bowl victory and first since quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick won their sixth ring together seven years ago. This year’s New England team is led by young quarterback Drake Maye, coach Mike Vrabel and a stifling defense.</p><p>The Seahawks have veteran Sam Darnold as quarberback, coach Mike Macdonald on the sideline and also boast one of the league’s best defenses. </p><p>The previous Patriots-Seahawks meeting on Feb. 1, 2015, produced one of the wildest finishes in the big game’s history. New England’s Malcolm Butler intercepted a Russell Wilson pass from the 1-yard line in the final minute to secure a 28-24 victory. Seattle fans still lament why Marshawn Lynch didn’t get the ball on a handoff at the 1.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/AP26018069393313-1.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/AP26018069393313-1.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/AP26018069393313-1.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/AP26018069393313-1.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/AP26018069393313-1.jpg 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Seattle Seahawks guard and South Dakota native Grey Zabel yells during introductions before an NFL football divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</span></figcaption></figure><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Subscribe now</a></div><p><em><strong>The Associated Press </strong>contributed to this story produced by<strong> South Dakota News Watch,</strong> an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories, subscribe and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org" rel="noreferrer"><em>sdnewswatch.org</em></a><em>. <strong>Contact: </strong></em><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noreferrer"><em>[email protected]</em></a>.</p>

<p>VERMILLION, S.D. – In this college town of 11,000, a handful of long-time residents are building the state's first-ever cohousing development, which they hope provides a new way of living for them and frees up traditional homes for others. </p><p>"Cohousing doesn't just create houses. It creates a community. And it does that very intentionally," said Betty Smith, a founding member of the group. </p><p>Cohousing is a method of living that prioritizes community connection and growth. Residents live in small houses with a large common house as the centerpiece where community events and regular shared meals are a cornerstone of the living style. Common houses usually contain large kitchens, dining and living rooms and are central gathering places for the residents.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2025/05/Engage-SD-small-logo-1-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="324" height="200" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Engage South Dakota identifies and shares solutions to the state's biggest challenges.</span></figcaption></figure><p>At the Vermillion development, called Dakota Prairie Commons, there will also be an emphasis on walkability, with footpaths connecting houses. The campus itself will be vehicle-free. Parking and garages will sit at the periphery of the development, Smith said. And while residents will have their own homes, they will be encouraged to rely on others for many day-to-day activities.</p><p>"One of my favorite stories is going to Iowa City's cohousing and walking in, and I compliment this woman's dog. I said, 'Oh, what a wonderful dog.' And she says, 'Oh, that's not my dog. That's my neighbor's dog. I'm taking care of it this week.' And then somebody else says, 'Oh, and I have the dog next week. I'm so excited.' It's that easy. But it's also significant things. Like if somebody breaks an arm, you know, you've got close-by neighbors," Smith said.</p><p>The concept also helps to combat isolation and loneliness as residents get to know their neighbors and begin to feel like part of the community, Smith said.</p><p>"Isolation and depression is a national thing right now. It's a huge health issue," Smith said. "And this really responds to those needs. Everybody knows everyone else and is willing to be part of the community and support one another. That's huge."</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-grey"><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">ABOUT ENGAGE SOUTH DAKOTA</strong></b><br /><br />This story is part of an ongoing South Dakota News Watch series called Engage South Dakota using storytelling, crowdsourcing and community engagement to identify and share potentially replicable housing solutions.<br /><br />Each story includes the community's <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">response</strong></b>, <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">evidence</strong></b> of whether the ideas are effective, <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">insights</strong></b> to be learned and <b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">limitations</strong></b> on the efforts.<br /><br /><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Key takeaway for this story:</strong></b> Community-driven housing using experimental methods can be particularly motivating for small, tight-knit communities that are looking to free up housing stock while maintaining long-term connections.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/engage-south-dakota-housing-rent-own-solutions-journalism" rel="noreferrer"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Read about other South Dakota housing solutions</strong></b></a>.</div></div><h2 id="response-years-of-planning-equals-placemaking">Response: Years of planning equals placemaking</h2><p>Smith, a former professor at the University of South Dakota, taught classes on city planning and zoning, which is how she came across the concept of cohousing. It has been more than a decade since she first started to consider the idea as a viable living solution in Vermillion.</p><p>Now, after years of planning, the group has officially found both its land and a developer to work on it. The site is comprised of 5 acres of a total 15-acre plot purchased by AMS Building Systems just east of downtown Vermillion. It will eventually feature 28 homes, which will open in stages over the next few years, Smith said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0208-1.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="The site of the future Dakota Prairie Commons Development, located between Main Street and Crawford Road on Jan. 27, 2026, in Vermillion, S.D. (Photo: Molly Wetsch/South Dakota News Watch)" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1036" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/IMG_0208-1.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/IMG_0208-1.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/IMG_0208-1.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0208-1.jpg 2000w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">The site of the future Dakota Prairie Commons Development, located between Main Street and Crawford Road on Jan. 27, 2026, in Vermillion, S.D. (Photo: Molly Wetsch/South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Ten equity members have already put up a financial stake and are confirmed to move into the development when it opens. Other members, which the group calls "explorers," have made small financial commitments to have access to planning and other community information as they decide whether cohousing is right for them. </p><p>Besides providing a new type of living for its residents, Dakota Prairie Commons will help ease Vermillion's housing crunch by adding freed-up homes to the market. </p><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Subscribe for free</a></div><p>One real estate broker has already offered discounts on brokerage fees to those moving into cohousing and looking to sell their house in the Vermillion area, Smith said.</p><p>"One of the advantages of building something like this in a town like Vermillion is there's a real housing shortage here. A 2022 housing study showed that we are missing housing for people who work here, for faculty (at USD), for senior citizens. There are a lot of gaps in housing and it's really hard to attract developers who will develop out this way," Smith said.</p><p>"New faculty members come and often wait two years before a house comes on the market for them. Well, we're all going to be selling our houses."</p><h2 id="evidence-interest-in-vermillion-and-from-elsewhere">Evidence: Interest in Vermillion and from elsewhere</h2><p>While many of the future residents are older, the community is decidedly not a senior citizens complex – a discussion that was brought on when a younger professor at USD said they were interested in moving in, Smith said.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tribal-nations-south-dakota-native-indigenous-tourism/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Tribal nations in SD are betting on tourism on reservations</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">The South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance hopes to bring visitors to tribal lands to build sovereignty, despite ongoing challenges: “How do we make sure that we build demand and supply at the same time?”</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-383.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Molly Wetsch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/DIGNITY--1-1.JPG" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>The project is also drawing outside interest. Someone who currently lives in North Carolina plans to move to Vermillion when the development is completed, she said. </p><p>"One of the things I didn't realize when (Smith) first started talking to me about this is we would not need to find 28 households of people from Vermillion," Becky Rider, another equity member, told News Watch. </p><p>"People will move from other parts of the country to where there's cohousing because the community to them is more important than exactly where it's located."</p><div class="kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-immersive kg-cta-centered"> <div class="kg-cta-content"> <div class="kg-cta-content-inner"> <div class="kg-cta-text"> <p><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Support solutions-focused storytelling.</strong></b><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> Help South Dakota News Watch tell stories that identify and share solutions to the state's biggest challenges.</span></p> </div> <a href="https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/" class="kg-cta-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF"> Donate </a> </div> </div> </div><p>The Vermillion community as a whole has also embraced the concept, Smith said. </p><p>The group recently hosted an open house event where city residents had the chance to ask questions about cohousing and the development itself, which Smith said was well-attended. </p><p>Ph.D. students studying sustainability at USD have also offered to do research on the site, assisting with native grass design, composting and recycling systems, Smith said.</p><p>"It's cool that nobody's done this yet in the area. They're still trying to wrap their head around what cohousing really is, but they have a much better idea after listening to all of us going through the process," she said.</p><h2 id="insights-ongoing-conversations-create-collaborative-environment">Insights: Ongoing conversations create collaborative environment</h2><p>Members of the cohousing group met recently to discuss what features were most important to them via small-circle conversations and brainstorming sessions. </p><p>That collaboration is one of the key features of cohousing that makes it different from traditional development, Smith said. During those discussions, there were themes that emerged that were very different from the traditional cohousing path – especially considering that many existing cohousing communities are located in much more temperate coastal towns, far from South Dakota's sub-zero winters.</p><p>"We like to say we're doing it the Vermillion way," Smith said. "We're not following a strictly cohousing path as many of the long-time communities on the coasts have. We're branching out and doing it our way."</p><p>Priorities of future residents were varied but had specific focus on elements that involved people coming together: fire pits, community gardens, outdoor classrooms.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/IMG_0211.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1705" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/IMG_0211.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/IMG_0211.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/IMG_0211.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w2400/2026/01/IMG_0211.jpg 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Posters on which future Dakota Prairie Commons residents brainstormed community priorities, as seen on Jan. 27, 2026, in Vermillion, S.D. (Photo: Molly Wetsch/South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Diane Leja, an equity member of Dakota Prairie Commons, said she envisions a space in the common house where residents can share items that are useful but only needed occasionally, so members rely on each other more and consider themselves part of the community.</p><p>The concept of shared goods is especially important when considering that Dakota Prairie Commons hopes to focus on sustainability, said Susanne Skyrm, another equity member.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/hispanic-thrives-plankinton-south-dakota-iglesia-renuevo/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Hispanic population thrives in one small SD town</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">Rural towns like Plankinton, population 768, are growing their community services to fill needs.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-384.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Molly Wetsch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_6307-2.jpg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>"It's so much more sustainable than everybody having a great big house and a great big yard. Building these days is not always done with efficiency in mind. That's definitely one of our prerogatives is building it so it is sustainable," Skyrm said. </p><p>"Everybody doesn't need their own turkey roaster. You can have one in the common house and everybody else can use it. You're sharing things and not having everybody buying something they only use once a year."</p><h2 id="limitations-some-higher-costs-require-a-reminder-of-rewards">Limitations: Some higher costs require a reminder of rewards</h2><p>The housing model allows for greater community building, better connections with neighbors and extra support when it's needed. So why has it not caught on more across the country?</p><p>"Well, it's a lot of work," Rider said. "And we are the ones that have been doing the work over the years. I mean, this is years in the making already. It's much different than just building a regular neighborhood."</p><p>And in some cases, residents may have to make some financial trade-offs to join cohousing communities, especially in the early stages.</p><p>"By the time you pay for land and a portion of the common house and your own house, it's not inexpensive. We live in a house that would be a good starter house for somebody when we move out, but it's going to very likely cost us more to move into the cohousing," Rider said. "So while we're trying to keep it affordable, we're not thinking of subsidizing our building costs or anything. It's affordable with a small 'a' right now."</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/engage-south-dakota-housing-rent-own-solutions-journalism/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Engage South Dakota: Housing solutions</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">A list of entities and programs that can assist in developing or obtaining housing as well as links to News Watch reporting on housing solutions.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-381.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Bart Pfankuch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_2326-10.jpeg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>But the payoff, especially for these longtime Vermillion residents, some of whom have been in the community for decades, will be worth it, Leja said. </p><p>"I think in some ways we're going back to older models. It's a throwback in a lot of ways. Your neighbors, you used to do things together. I mean, we grew up having block parties and barbecues with our neighbors on our street. And that doesn't happen very much anymore," Leja said. </p><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSEE1F4irRiyi9MOOwQszosDlmSghlnIKbEHxeCJEjDKZRVw/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=100426322203936282954" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">What's working in your community? Share your comments and ideas.</a></div><p><em><strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong> is an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more statewide stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org" rel="noreferrer"><em>sdnewswatch.org</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email" rel="noreferrer"><em>sign up for an email</em></a><em>. Reporter <strong>Molly Wetsch </strong>is a </em><a href="https://www.reportforamerica.org/" rel="noreferrer"><em>Report for America</em></a><em> corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at </em><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noreferrer"><em>[email protected]</em></a><em>.</em></p>

<h2 id="yes">Yes.</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="447" height="128" /></figure><p>Though rules differ, several South Dakota reservations allow hunting on tribal lands. </p><p>The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, located in north-central South Dakota and parts of North Dakota, allows hunting on its 1.6 million acres. The tribe uses a lottery system for tags for deer, antelope and elk and also offers guided hunts.</p><p>The Oglala Sioux Tribe, which includes Pine Ridge in southwestern South Dakota, requires non-members to have a guide who is certified with the reservation. The Yankton Sioux Tribe requires a guide for non-Indians.</p><p>The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks has memorandums of understanding with five of the reservations, allowing sharing of information, season recommendations, managing resources and providing law enforcement assistance when requested. </p><p>The South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations says hunters should reach out to each individual tribe to learn about their rules and regulations and whether they require guides. </p><p><em>This fact brief responds to conversations such as </em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthDakota/comments/1q7sqq7/hunting_on_indian_reservations/"><em><u>this one.</u></em></a></p><h3 id="source"><strong>Source</strong></h3><p>SDGF&amp;P, <a href="https://gfp.sd.gov/tribal-relations/"><u>Tribal relations</u></a></p><p>Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, <a href="https://gameandfish.standingrock.org/#:~:text=Standing%20Rock%20Sioux%20Tribe%20Game%20and%20Fish%20%2D%20Home"><u>Game &amp; Fish Department</u></a></p><p>Oglala Sioux Parks and Recreation Authority, <a href="https://oglalasiouxparksandrec.net/image/cache/2024_Hunting_Guidebook.pdf"><u>2024 Hunting Guidebook</u></a></p><p>Yankton Sioux Tribe, <a href="https://www.yanktonsiouxgamefishandparks.com/hunting-dates-and-fees/"><u>Hunting regulations</u></a></p><p>South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, <a href="https://sdtribalrelations.sd.gov/docs/Tribal%20Wildlife%20Contacts.pdf"><u>Hunting on tribal lands</u></a></p><hr /><p><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/"><u>South Dakota News Watch</u></a> partners with <a href="https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>Gigafact</u></a> to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tag/fact-brief/"><u>Read previous fact briefs</u></a>.</li><li>Read our verification standards and other <a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/best-practices/"><u>best practices policies</u></a>.</li><li>Submit a question for us to answer on the <a href="https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>South Dakota News Watch Tipline</u></a>.</li><li>Send questions or feedback to <a href="mailto:[email protected]"><u>[email protected]</u></a>.</li></ul><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em>This story was produced by <strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong>, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/"><em><u>sign up for an email</u></em></a><em> to get stories when they're published. <strong>Contact Michael Klinski </strong>at [email protected].</em></p>

<p>RAPID CITY, S.D. – As worldwide demand for rare earth elements and other similar minerals rises – as do tensions among the United States, China and now Greenland – South Dakota is experiencing its own debate over its reserves of what are known as "critical minerals."</p><p>Rare earth elements are naturally occurring metallic materials found in sub-surface rocks that have been found to possess unique properties that make them highly valuable and highly useful, particularly in a variety of new technologies.</p><p>While 17 elements are classified as rare earth, the U.S. government has identified 50 minerals overall that are labeled critical minerals, which also includes a number of other minerals that are seen as essential to economic and military strength of the nation.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/piedmont-sd-limestone-mine-zoning-mining-law/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Piedmont residents shocked by new mine coming to town</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">A lax state mining law and lack of county land-use regulations allowed the operation to be approved without input from the public or local government.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-379.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Bart Pfankuch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/20205-10-23-Piedmont-SD-park-1-2.jpg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>Of those 50 critical minerals, South Dakota is known to host reserves of 15 of them, none of which are rare earth minerals but which contain some of the same properties that make them valuable for industry and technology.</p><h2 id="critical-minerals-present-in-south-dakota">Critical minerals present in South Dakota</h2><p>Critical minerals in the state include antimony, arsenic, barite, beryllium, cesium, fluorspar, graphite, lithium, manganese, niobium, tantalum, tellurium, tin, tungsten and vanadium, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.</p><p>Those minerals are located in the western South Dakota counties of Custer, Fall River, Harding, Lawrence, Pennington and Perkins as well as the central counties of Buffalo and Lyman, according to a 2024 analysis by the state Legislative Research Council.</p><p>Given its long history of mining, and based on new studies, the Black Hills region is well-known as a place where usable critical minerals are present, which is attracting exploratory mining, said Christopher Pellowski, a geology professor at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-14-Mines-prof-Pellowski-4-1-1.jpeg" class="kg-image" alt="South Dakota Mines geology professor Christopher Pellowski stands in the university's geology museum in Rapid City, S.D., " loading="lazy" width="1784" height="1225" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/2026-1-14-Mines-prof-Pellowski-4-1-1.jpeg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/2026-1-14-Mines-prof-Pellowski-4-1-1.jpeg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/2026-1-14-Mines-prof-Pellowski-4-1-1.jpeg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/2026-1-14-Mines-prof-Pellowski-4-1-1.jpeg 1784w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">South Dakota Mines geology professor Christopher Pellowski stands in the university's geology museum in Rapid City, S.D., on Jan. 14, 2026. (Photo: Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Rare earth elements and other critical minerals can be abundant but are difficult to extract because they tend to lie within other minerals that must be mined and separated through chemical processes.</p><p>One example, Pellowski said, is that the common Black Hills igneous rock pegmatite can hold deposits of lithium. Pellowski said he doesn't expect large-scale mining to occur in the Black Hills unless and until companies can find substantial levels of critical minerals that can be monetized.</p><blockquote>"What they’re doing now is the homework to get their heads wrapped around what’s there." – Christopher Pellowski, geology professor at South Dakota Mines </blockquote><p>"Mining is important and it’s a real economic driver. ... But I don't see us at a point where we're ready for a large commitment (of money and resources)," he said. "They’re just going to have to do this in steps. And what they’re doing now is the homework to get their heads wrapped around what’s there."</p><p>Pellowski said modern mining can also be done with far less intrusion on the land than in the past when open pit and strip mines were the norm.</p><p>"Mining today is not the mining of 100 years ago," he said. "It’s new and improved."</p><h2 id="exploration-underway-in-black-hills">Exploration underway in Black Hills</h2><p>According to the LRC report and other state records, mining and exploration efforts are underway at several sites in South Dakota, including for graphite, lithium, niobium, tantalum, tellurium, tin and tungsten.</p><p>Exploration for lithium has seen the most activity in pegmatite ore near Hill City and Keystone. South Dakota was mined for lithium in the mid-20th century for use in glass, ceramics and grease. But the target products have shifted as technology has evolved. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615903214534-582a77a2a85e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxlbGVjdHJpYyUyMHZlaGljbGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzY5MDMxOTQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=2000" class="kg-image" alt="red and black car doorRare earth elements and critical minerals are often used in batteries to help store energy, including for use in electric vehicles. " loading="lazy" width="6000" height="3376" srcset="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615903214534-582a77a2a85e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxlbGVjdHJpYyUyMHZlaGljbGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzY5MDMxOTQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=600 600w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615903214534-582a77a2a85e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxlbGVjdHJpYyUyMHZlaGljbGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzY5MDMxOTQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1000 1000w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615903214534-582a77a2a85e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxlbGVjdHJpYyUyMHZlaGljbGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzY5MDMxOTQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=1600 1600w, https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615903214534-582a77a2a85e?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxlbGVjdHJpYyUyMHZlaGljbGV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzY5MDMxOTQ5fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=80&amp;w=2400 2400w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Rare earth elements and critical minerals are often used in batteries to help store energy, including for use in electric vehicles. Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@myenergi"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">myenergi</span></a><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> / </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=ghost&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=api-credit"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Unsplash</span></a></figcaption></figure><p>Lithium is increasingly in demand for use in lithium-ion batteries in handheld technologies such as smartphones and laptops as well as in electric vehicles and for energy storage from wind farms and other electricity sources.</p><p>Four lithium exploration projects are now underway in the central Black Hills, the LRC report said.</p><div class="kg-card kg-signup-card kg-width-regular " style="background-color:#F0F0F0;display:none"> <div class="kg-signup-card-content"> <div class="kg-signup-card-text "> <h2 class="kg-signup-card-heading" style="color:#000000"><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Get South Dakota stories</strong></b></h2> <p class="kg-signup-card-subheading" style="color:#000000"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">An email summary on most weekdays that links to the full version. Cancel anytime.</span></p> <div class="kg-signup-card-fields"> <input class="kg-signup-card-input" id="email" type="email" required="true" placeholder="Your email" /> <button class="kg-signup-card-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF" type="submit"> <span class="kg-signup-card-button-default">Sign up</span> <span class="kg-signup-card-button-loading"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" width="24" viewbox="0 0 24 24"> <circle cx="4" cy="12" r="3"></circle> <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="3"></circle> <circle cx="20" cy="12" r="3"></circle> </svg></span> </button> </div> <div class="kg-signup-card-success" style="color:#000000"> Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. </div> <div class="kg-signup-card-error" style="color:#000000"></div> </div> </div> </div><p>A licensed pegmatite mine in Lawrence County is seeking ore that could contain critical minerals to include niobium, tantalum, tellurium tin and tungsten, according to the LRC report. Tantalum, tin and tungsten are also being sought in a separate exploration effort in the central Black Hills, the report said.</p><p>The most recent critical mineral exploration is being undertaken by Rapid City-based Pete Lien and Sons, which hopes to find reserves of graphite by drilling 18 holes roughly 1,000 feet deep on federal lands about 3 miles southwest of Rochford, according to U.S. Forest Service documents.</p><p>Graphite can be used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, and in lubricants, brake linings, pencils and other products.</p><p>South Dakota lawmakers have made recent efforts to further regulate lithium mining, though none has been successful.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-bookmark-card"><a class="kg-bookmark-container" href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/electric-power-transmission-crypto-data-mining-sd/"><div class="kg-bookmark-content"><div class="kg-bookmark-title">Major power line expansions will fuel future growth in SD</div><div class="kg-bookmark-description">Major new power lines are coming to South Dakota, which could provide a path for new development over the next few decades.</div><div class="kg-bookmark-metadata"><img class="kg-bookmark-icon" src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/icon/SDNW-Logo-Vertical-378.jpg" alt="" /><span class="kg-bookmark-author">South Dakota News Watch</span><span class="kg-bookmark-publisher">Bart Pfankuch</span></div></div><div class="kg-bookmark-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/thumbnail/2025-9-24-Elec-tower-near-White--SD-1-2.jpg" alt="" /></div></a></figure><p>In 2023 and 2024, bills were filed to reclassify lithium and add taxation to its production. In 2025, lawmakers tried but failed to increase permitting requirements on lithium mines.</p><p>Under current law, lithium mines can be classified the same as sand and gravel mines, which require far less public notification and input and do not require environmental and cultural impact studies that are mandatory for hard rock mines.</p><p>That same debate is raging now in Piedmont, where a proposed limestone mine fell under the sand and gravel permit laws and therefore required no notification of the city or its residents that a mine is coming.</p><h2 id="environmental-concerns-and-opposition">Environmental concerns and opposition</h2><p>A handful of Native American and environmental groups have taken strong stances against further mining in the Black Hills, be it for critical minerals or for uranium at proposed mine sites in the southern hills region.</p><p>Native American tribal officials and the NDN Collective political organization have registered opposition to uranium and lithium mining and the efforts by Pete Lien and Sons to hunt for graphite.</p><p>The proposed Lien mine site is very close to Pe' Sla, a Lakota ceremonial site in the central hills. NDN has sponsored billboards in the Rapid City area urging the company to end its mining efforts.</p><div class="kg-card kg-cta-card kg-cta-bg-grey kg-cta-immersive kg-cta-centered"> <div class="kg-cta-content"> <div class="kg-cta-content-inner"> <div class="kg-cta-text"> <p><b><strong style="white-space:pre-wrap">Trusted, independent sources of information are needed more than ever. Help us continue delivering timely, fact-based storytelling today.</strong></b></p> </div> <a href="https://southdakotanewswatch.fundjournalism.org/donate/" class="kg-cta-button " style="background-color:#c99700;color:#FFFFFF"> Donate </a> </div> </div> </div><p>The potential negative effects of mining on drinking water supplies is a major concern of the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, which opposes further mining of any sort in the region.</p><p>Lilias Jarding, executive director of the alliance, said more than 250,000 acres of the Black Hills are already under active federal mining claims and can therefore be mined almost at any time.</p><p>"It’s an issue of both quantity and quality of water," Jarding told News Watch. "We're in a semi-arid area and mining uses huge quantities of water and makes the quality of the water worse."</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/Gilt-Edge-superfund-1.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="1864" height="1125" srcset="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w600/2026/01/Gilt-Edge-superfund-1.jpg 600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1000/2026/01/Gilt-Edge-superfund-1.jpg 1000w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/size/w1600/2026/01/Gilt-Edge-superfund-1.jpg 1600w, https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2026/01/Gilt-Edge-superfund-1.jpg 1864w" /><figcaption><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">Visitors to the locked Gilt Edge Mine site are welcomed by a sign informing them that the Environmental Protection Agency has declared it a contaminated Superfund site. Water treatment activities go on 24 hours a day at the site, shown in June 2018. (File photo: Bart Pfankuch / South Dakota News Watch)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Any type of mining can be destructive to the Black Hills, she said.</p><p>"Wildlife is displaced and people can be displaced," she said. "An open-pit mine destroys the landscape and contributes to global warming because mining creates 10% of the total carbon emissions worldwide."</p><h2 id="jobs-and-revenue-in-eastern-wyoming">Jobs and revenue in eastern Wyoming</h2><p>While direct comparisons to South Dakota aren't suitable – because the state so far isn't known to have rare earth elements – a project underway in eastern Wyoming shows the potential interest and investment associated with discovery of a strong reserve of a highly valuable material.</p><p>With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the state of Wyoming and private investors, the firm Rare Element Resources has invested $170 million into a project to extract and separate rare earth minerals from rocks found in the Black Hills just west of the South Dakota border.</p><blockquote> "As ridiculous as it sounds, this is Upton and Sundance, Wyoming, versus Beijing." – Paul Bonifas, RER director of business development</blockquote><p>The company has spent $100 million and is seeking final federal permitting to mine rocks from the Bear Lodge region of northeast Wyoming that it believes contain an "incredibly rich deposit" of NdPr oxide (Neodymium-Praseodymium oxide). The mineral is a key component of high-strength permanent magnets.</p><p>The company has obtained a 1,000-pound sample of rock from the Bear Lodge area that it will process soon to confirm its predictions, Paul Bonifas, RER director of business development, told News Watch.</p><p>To separate the NdPr oxide, RER has built a $70 million demonstration plant in Upton, Wyoming, where more than 20 full-time employees have been hired to process the minerals.</p> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-map"><script></script><noscript><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/27403457/thumbnail" width="100%" alt="map visualization" /></noscript></div> <p>The mineral NdPr oxide is used in magnets that are part of a wide range of consumer and military machines and products, including electric vehicles, robotics, electricity turbines, computers and medical devices such as MRI machines. </p><p>"It’s no secret that China controls roughly 90% of rare earth processing, separation and production," Bonifas said. "Because all of these things are essential to national defense, it is absolutely a national security imperative that we domesticate the rare earth supply chain."</p><p>As proof of concept, and evidence of the high value of rare earth element and critical minerals mining, Bonifas pointed out that RER's market value in January 2026 was nearly $440 million.</p><p>"This is much bigger than the Black Hills and just trying to get these projects going," he said. "As ridiculous as it sounds, this is Upton and Sundance, Wyoming, versus Beijing."</p><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em>This story was produced by <strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong>, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org/"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/" rel="noreferrer"><em>sign up for an email</em></a><em> to get stories when they're published. <strong>Contact</strong> <strong>content director Bart Pfankuch</strong> at </em><a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noreferrer"><em><u>[email protected]</u></em></a><em>.</em></p>

<h2 id="yes">Yes.</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="" loading="lazy" width="447" height="128" /></figure><p>The Southeast region of South Dakota has generated more in tourism revenue for the state than the Black Hills and Badlands for three consecutive years.</p><p>Data from the Department of Tourism shows that the Southeast region generated $2 billion in revenue compared to $1.9 billion for Black Hills and Badlands in 2024. Margins were similar in 2022 and 2023. </p><p>The state divides the state into four regions: Black Hills and Badlands (the western-most part of the state), Missouri River (counties that border the river on its north-soute route), Glacial Lakes and Prairies (northeast) and Southeast (Sioux Falls, Yankton and Mitchell areas).</p><p>The Glacial Lakes and Prairies Region was third in visitor spending in 2024 and Missouri River fourth. Region data hasn't been released for 2025.</p><p>While western South Dakota tourism focuses on outdoors and traditional tourism sites, Southeast is driven by weekend excursions, retail, events, shows and restaurant visits.</p><p><em>This fact brief responds to conversations such as </em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthDakota/comments/1qjxhre/how_is_it_that_sioux_falls_gets_more_tourism/"><em><u>this one.</u></em></a></p><h3 id="sources"><strong>Sources</strong></h3><p>South Dakota News Watch, <a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/south-dakota-black-hills-sioux-falls-tourism-numbers/"><u>Southeast SD surges ahead of Black Hills in tourism revenue</u></a></p><p>South Dakota Department of Tourism, <a href="https://sdvisit.com/sites/default/files/2025-03/24EcoImp_Tourism_Economics_Counties.pdf"><u>2024 region report</u></a></p><p>State of South Dakota, <a href="https://sdvisit.com/newsroom/2025-shows-continued-strength-south-dakotas-tourism-industry"><u>2025 shows continued strength for South Dakota's tourism industry</u></a></p><hr /><p><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/"><u>South Dakota News Watch</u></a> partners with <a href="https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>Gigafact</u></a> to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/tag/fact-brief/"><u>Read previous fact briefs</u></a>.</li><li>Read our verification standards and other <a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/best-practices/"><u>best practices policies</u></a>.</li><li>Submit a question for us to answer on the <a href="https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org"><u>South Dakota News Watch Tipline</u></a>.</li><li>Send questions or feedback to <a href="mailto:[email protected]"><u>[email protected]</u></a>.</li></ul><div class="kg-card kg-button-card kg-align-center"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd_ndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf_link" class="kg-btn kg-btn-accent">Share your thoughts on this story</a></div><p><em>This story was produced by <strong>South Dakota News Watch</strong>, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at </em><a href="http://sdnewswatch.org"><em><u>sdnewswatch.org</u></em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/"><em><u>sign up for an email</u></em></a><em> to get stories when they're published. <strong>Contact Michael Klinski </strong>at [email protected].</em></p>

Nick Tilsen, founder of Rapid City-based NDN Collective, is charged with assaulting a police officer in 2022.

"To see the data come back and confirm that connection and relationships rose to the top, that was powerful.”

The network is led by support members who live across the state.

A fact brief that refutes or confirms a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.

The Rural Health Transformation Program focuses heavily on technology improvements and workforce recruitment across the state, and aims to improve maternal and behavioral health care.

The key players and where they operate.

King arrived in Sioux Falls during the middle of riots at the University of Georgia after two Black students were admitted for the first time. 

A 2024 survey found that aggressive behavior was the second-most common job complaint among educators behind low wages.

The Feb. 7 competition at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell is the second state bee sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and DWU.

A fact brief that refutes or confirms a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.

"It was almost like a light switch went on and it just felt like that immediate, 'OK, we're doing a new thing now and this is the olive branch that we are willing to offer.'"