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Congressional delegation active on rural airports, pistol braces, drug prices
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, said his amendments to pending legislation could protect three South Dakota cities from about $4 million in air-service fees. The cities are Pierre, Aberdeen and Watertown. The bill’s original language would have charged the cities’ airports new fees for the next decade to participate in the Essential Air Service program, […]
Congressional Roundup: Rounds targets Russian assets for Ukraine
The U.S. Department of Justice could transfer more forfeited Russian assets to Ukraine if a bill introduced by South Dakota’s Mike Rounds and other senators becomes law. Rounds introduced the bill Friday with a fellow Republican and two Democrats. “It is critical Ukraine is able to protect their country against Russia’s unjustified and illegal invasion,” […]
Congressional Roundup: SD delegation unanimous in support for debt limit deal
South Dakota’s three members of Congress expressed varying levels of enthusiasm for the deal to avert a default on the national debt, which all three voted for this week. Rep. Dusty Johnson was featured in an NPR story Thursday that credited “low-key lawmakers” like him for getting the bill through the House of Representatives. Johnson […]
Congressional Roundup: Johnson seeks a fix for tribal mortgages
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, introduced legislation this week to streamline the approval process for mortgages on tribal land. Some tribal land is held in trust by the federal government, and mortgages involving property on trust land must be reviewed and approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The BIA Mortgage Handbook establishes timelines for […]
Congressional Roundup: Rounds seeks solutions for classified document mess
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, is a cosponsor of a new bill proposing solutions to high-profile problems with the handling of classified information. The sponsor of the bill is Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia. Four Democrats, three Republicans, including Rounds, and an independent are cosponsors. Rounds said in a news release the bill would “increase accountability […]
Ballot question group sues Minnehaha County, alleges new policy undermines First Amendment
Dakotans for Health, a health care advocacy network and ballot question committee, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Minnehaha County officials over new restrictions on petition circulators. The Minnehaha County Courthouse and Administration Building in Sioux Falls are popular locations for collecting signatures to place a measure on the ballot. County officials enacted new regulations on […]
Checks are in the mail to more than 14,000 South Dakotans for TurboTax settlement
More than 14,000 South Dakotans will soon get a check in the mail for their share of a multi-state settlement with Intuit, the owner of the TurboTax online tax preparation service. Eligible South Dakotans are expected to receive about $30 apiece. The state’s total share of the settlement is $444,456.88. The total, nationwide $141 million […]
Congressional Roundup: Rounds works across the aisle on housing
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the latest installment in a series of periodic updates on the activities of South Dakota’s congressional delegation. — Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, joined with fellow Senate Banking Committee member Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, to introduce legislation this week that would “improve rural housing programs, cut red tape and increase the accessibility […]
Former legislative candidate sentenced to 10 years for incest
Former legislative candidate Joel Koskan was sentenced to 10 years in state prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two felony counts of incest, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The charges stemmed from sexual activity with an adopted child. Charges were filed against Koskan in November, just days before the general election in which […]
Federal agencies seek to protect Pactola Reservoir and Rapid Creek from mining
Two federal agencies have announced a proposal to protect 32 square miles of the Black Hills National Forest from mining. The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service made the announcement in a Friday news release. The proposal covers the Pactola Reservoir and Rapid Creek Watershed, which are popular recreation destinations that also serve […]
Winter storm updates
Information updates on the February 2023 winter storm and severe weather across the state of South Dakota.
Black Hills foundation awarded $3 million for housing work
The Bush Foundation, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is awarding more than $3 million to the Black Hills Area Community Foundation to address affordable housing problems in Rapid City, according to a news release. The award includes a $1 million grant to support a Strategic Housing Initiative, a $2 million investment in the Rapid City […]