Minnehaha County
Sioux Falls aims to boost efficiency at state’s busiest regional 911 call center
For more than a fifth of South Dakota’s population, a call to 911 puts them in touch with someone from Metro Communications in downtown Sioux Falls. Despite its size and its role in public safety, Metro Communications doesn’t have its own legal team or human resources staff. That’s led to a host of headaches for […]
Minnehaha County passes rules for carbon pipelines despite opposition from both sides
SIOUX FALLS – Officials in South Dakota’s largest county dealt a blow to opponents of two carbon pipeline companies with a vote to set shorter-than-requested spaces between homes and pipelines in their first-ever set of rules for such projects. Minnehaha County commissioners convened Tuesday to take up the issue of setbacks in a long-debated pipeline […]
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 […]
SD Secretary of State expects increase in midterm voter turnout
Between 65-70% of South Dakota registered voters are expected to cast a ballot in the 2022 election, said Sec. of State Steve Barnett. That’s a notable increase compared to the last two midterm elections in South Dakota, where 2014 saw a 54% voter turnout and 2018 saw 65%. The 2020 election was an outlier, considering […]
Minnehaha County mulls $50 million juvenile detention center
SIOUX FALLS – Minnehaha County commissioners may soon ask property owners to foot the bill for a $50 million replacement of the Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) in South Dakota’s largest city. A new Juvenile Justice Center would supplant the 53-year-old JDC with a modern facility twice as large. The project would add 14 beds for […]