The latest news about South Dakota News Watch for our community of readers, donors and media partners
News Watch co-sponsors multiple events
'Separation of Powers' town hall
Representatives from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government discussed how the system of checks and balances works in South Dakota and the media's role at a "Separation of Powers" town hall on Sept. 18 at the Capitol rotunda in Pierre.
Leaders who took part: Gov. Larry Rhoden and Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen; Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen and Justice Patricia DeVaney; Republican Rep. Scott Odenbach of Spearfish, House majority leader, Republican Sen. Carl Perry of Aberdeen, Senate assistant majority leader, Democratic Rep. Erik Muckey of Sioux Falls and Democratic Sen. Jamie Smith of Sioux Falls, assistant minority leader.
The 90-minute event was televised live on SDPB and is archived on its YouTube channel.
Civics and media series
The town hall was part of a series on civics and media literacy that South Dakota News Watch is sponsoring with the League of Women Voters of South Dakota, the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
The discussions and community gatherings are intended to increase civic engagement and help South Dakotans identify credible sources of information. All events are free and will lead up to the November 2026 election. If you're interested in hosting an event, email me at carson.walker@sdnewswatch.org.
Here are the upcoming events:
Monday, Nov. 10, 6-7 p.m. Central time at the Vermillion fire house, 820 N. Dakota St. (enter on Duke Street across from Pizza Ranch): “Origin of the Species: Voter Initiatives and Veto Referendums in SD.” Michael Card, USD emeritus professor of public policy and management, will discuss South Dakota's initiated measure and voter referendum processes. It will include the situation in 1898 that led to passage of the initial constitutional amendment and the 1972 vote that expanded the petition process to propose constitutional amendments. Refreshments will be served starting at 5:30 p.m.
April 2026: Televised town hall on SDPB before the primary election.
September 2026: Televised town hall on SDPB before the general election.
South Dakota courts training
Journalists, students and others took part in an Oct. 10 training session that covered how to access South Dakota state courts.
It was held in person at SDPB in Sioux Falls and Rapid City and live online at sd.net. Unified Judicial System staff explained how the state court system works and how journalists and members of the public can access court documents and attend hearings.
The participants: Seventh Circuit Presiding Judge Robert Gusinsky, Seventh Circuit Court administrator Liz Hassett, Pennington County clerk of court Amber Watkins, Second Circuit Judge Jon C. Sogn, Second Circuit court administrator Karl Thoennes and UJS public information officer Alisa Bousa. The South Dakota Bar Foundation co-sponsors this twice-annual training.
Watch the entire session on SDPB's YouTube channel, where previous training sessions are archived.
Fall fundraising match starts Nov. 1
South Dakota News Watch will again run its fall fundraising match starting Nov. 1. All donations up to $1,000 are doubled through the end of the year, thanks to a gift from Dan and Arlene Kirby and NewsMatch, a program that supports nonprofits like News Watch. Please consider a one-time or recurring donation that will have twice the impact.
News Watch can also qualify for a significant bonus if we add 50 new donors, so please consider donating any amount if you don't currently give and encourage friends and family who appreciate quality journalism to donate. Thank you!
Most popular stories last month
Here are the most-read stories from last month with links to each:
- Iconic movies shot in South Dakota (sidebar to Lack of film incentives a roadblock, but South Dakota film industry still growing)
- Slow year for South Dakota tourism industry so far in 2025
- South Dakota hospital ratings: See how yours fared in 2025
- $20 million disputed stage gun range to open in early November
- Alcohol's impact: 35, dry and dying while waiting for a transplant (update)
Thank you for trusting us as a source for stories of statewide interest, your partnerships and financial support! Please reach out any time with feedback, questions or ideas.
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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get story summaries on weekdays. Contact CEO Carson Walker at carson.walker@sdnewswatch.org or 605-610-9366 (call/text).
