As I mentioned last week, your Appropriations Committee heard the revenue projections and chose a revenue target for the remainder of fiscal year 2019 which ends June 30, 2019; and fiscal year 2020 which begins July 1, 2019. Those numbers reflected a conservative optimism for continued growth in the next... Read more

Lester Hanson, age 91, died on February 14, 2019, at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 2, at 11:00 AM at First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on... Read more

Lyle Kruger, age 75, died on February 12, 2019, at the Milbank Area Hospital in Milbank, SD. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 15, 2019, at 10:30 AM at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD. Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 14, 2019, from 5:00 – 7:00... Read more

Highlights from this week in the House included HB1088, a renewed attempt to curb distracted driving. The bill would make using some capabilities of a cell phone or other device (like texting, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube . . .) while driving, a primary offense and a Class 2 misdemeanor. A primary... Read more

As I’ve mentioned before in this space, I serve as the lead Co-Chair on the Joint Appropriations Committee, the budgetary committee of the South Dakota Legislature. If we’re doing our job well, rarely will you hear about our work until the end of the session when the budget is presented.... Read more

PIERRE, S.D. – Officials with the South Dakota Departments of Transportation and Public Safety are closing Interstate 29 from Brookings to the North Dakota border at 5 p.m. CST today (Feb.7) and from Sioux Falls to Brookings at 6 p.m. CST. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a blizzard... Read more

Joyce Wagner, age 82, formerly of Clinton, MN, passed away on February 7, 2019, at Ortonville Area Health Services Hospital in Ortonville, MN. Memorial services will be held on Monday, February 25, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at Elim Lutheran Church in Clinton, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior... Read more

James “Jim” V. Klein, age 81, of Clinton, MN, died February 7, 2019, at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, February 18, 2019, at 11:00 AM at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Graceville, MN. Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 17,... Read more

Shopko announced the closure of 139 more stores today. The list includes the Milbank store which will close May 12. The new list of South Dakota stores and their expected date of closure includes: Milbank – May 12 Sioux Falls – 41st Street – May 12 and Arrowhead Parkway –... Read more

The Milbank High School Music Department will hold their annual pops concert on Monday, February 11. The music starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Milbank High School Theater. Admission is five dollars for adults and three dollars for students. The jazz band, under the direction of Susan Karels, and the... Read more