Native American voting-rights advocates are concerned that the voices of South Dakota’s largest minority group may be excluded from the redistricting process.

At a time when they are needed most, South Dakota is facing a shortage of nurses that healthcare professionals worry could negatively affect patient care at hospitals across the state. The nursing shortage has been ongoing for years but worsened during the pandemic. High stress, long hours and fear of

South Dakotans bought far more alcohol and tobacco than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some healthcare professionals are concerned that residents who consumed more of the unhealthy products could suffer long-term physical and mental health consequences. Health experts say the pandemic brought on social isolation, job loss, grief and

A series of juvenile justice reforms enacted in South Dakota over the past decade has kept more low-level youth offenders out of detention centers and away from criminal activity that could land them in the adult system, according to state officials. But state data show that youth of color — who

A temporary halt to abortions in 2020 at the only clinic in South Dakota where the procedures take place led to a big drop in abortions performed in the state last year, but it did not prevent women who wanted to terminate their pregnancies from doing so elsewhere. During the

Back-to-school plans for this fall are taking shape in South Dakota and — so far, at least — it looks like most teaching will take place in person and masks and COVID-19 vaccinations will be optional for students, teachers and staff. But safety protocols could change quickly as public school officials keep

South Dakota public school systems are trying to provide additional education to thousands of students who lost ground in learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, but educators and parents face major challenges in trying to keep students on track. Almost half of South Dakota School districts, many in rural areas, do