Title: Content Director
Contact: 605-937-9398 / bart.pfankuch@sdnewswatch.org
Language spoken: English
Demographic expertise: South Dakota, including the Rapid City area, the Black Hills, rural towns and reservations
Topic expertise: agriculture, state government, education, rural issues, Indigenous people, poverty
Potential conflict of interest: Pfankuch serves on the board of the Oyate Prevention Coalition in Rapid City, which works to prevent substance abuse among Native American youth. He will recuse himself from reporting on the organization.
Biography: Pfankuch (pronounced FAN-cook) is Wisconsin native and former editor of the Rapid City Journal. He has worked for more than 30 years as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Wisconsin, Florida and South Dakota, including as reporter or editor at the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram and Capital Times in Wisconsin, and at the Florida Times-Union and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida. He also is a syndicated writing coach who has presented at newspaper conferences across the country. Pfankuch has won more than four dozen state, regional and national journalism awards, including, while at News Watch, agricultural writer of the year from the North American Agricultural Journalists association in 2020, 2021 and 2023 as well as first-place reporting awards in the Great Plains Journalism Awards sponsored by the Tulsa Press Club and South Dakota NewsMedia Association. Pfankuch lives in Black Hawk.
Professional memberships: Investigative Reporters and Editors, North American Agricultural Journalists, South Dakota NewsMedia First Amendment Committee
Social platforms: X/Twitter; LinkedIn
Archive of work: South Dakota News Watch
Bart Pfankuch
Total 333 Posts
In lean year, governor offers no increase in 'big 3' spending
With sales tax revenues down, Gov. Larry Rhoden proposes no spending increases for health care and education and no raises for state employees.
Legislators plan bills to help Piedmont residents in mine fight
Lawmakers hope to strengthen lax mining laws that allow some companies to get a license to mine anywhere in the state without public notification or input. Attorney who helped with carbon pipeline has been hired.
Monument could lose millions due to Sanford Health expansion
Monument CEO says competing campus in Rapid City jeopardizes $40 million annually and other revenue. "I don't think the population is growing fast enough for what they plan to build."
Sanford Health to build $500 million hospital in Rapid City
The Sioux Falls-based health system continues its recent expansion into the Black Hills market with its biggest plans yet for a 168-bed hospital and specialty care facility.
Poll: Support for Trump tariffs uneven in South Dakota
While opinion of the president's aggressive policies is mixed among voters, some businesses and agricultural producers are put off by the volatility. "The uncertainty is what causes disruption," one rancher said.
Salem residents invest own money in new subdivision
After 2 damaging derechos, 50 individuals and business owners donated $250K toward new housing with no promise of a return on their investment. 'Nothing creates buzz in a town like moving dirt.'
Major power line expansions will fuel future growth in SD
The $30 billion plans would support production of more energy and wider growth in the region. "Transmission infrastructure supports all development."