Stories

The next few weeks will help determine the fate of current and former South Dakota legal officials as the race to be the state's next attorney general takes shape. At stake are the jobs and futures of three Republicans with ties to the Attorney General's Office -- former AG Marty Jackley, suspended incumbent Jason Ravnsborg, and DCI director-turned-candidate David Natvig.

South Dakota News Watch will host a one-hour panel discussion on the effect of increasing politicization of public education and its impact on the worsening teacher shortage on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. Central Time. The discussion is free and open for the public to watch and ask questions.

Overly wet weather has forced many South Dakota farmers to delay or cut back on planting of their annual crop. The delayed or reduced crops will require some farmers to seek financial help from insurance or federal assistance programs to keep their operations viable.

Some of the most contentious legislation and debate surrounding what is taught in South Dakota public school classrooms has its origin in model legislation and language put forth by national political operatives and commentators. Education officials in South Dakota say the recent attempts to influence classroom standards and curricula are part of a larger political narrative that is not reflective of what is happening in public schools here.

Three retired classroom teachers from South Dakota say they are worried about how increasing political and cultural pressure placed on public education will affect the ability of teachers to teach and their willingness to remain in the profession they love. Part three of a 3-part series.

The shortage of teachers in South Dakota has gotten worse in recent years as classroom educators have increasingly felt the pull of politics and the ongoing culture wars add new stress to an already difficult job. As criticism of teachers mounts, and questions about curriculum become more common, some experts worry the public education system in South Dakota may begin to falter. This is Part 1 of a two-part series.

Rents are rising sharply at the worst time for renters in South Dakota, as many try to balance increasing costs for housing, fuel and food with wages that are not generally keeping pace. A lack of availability of rental units, an increasing pool of potential renters and rising costs for landlords are also adding pressure to the market and pushing rents up even higher.

South Dakota State University journalism student Kylie Carlson has been awarded the 2022 Jeffrey B. Nelson internship and will work as a reporter for News Watch throughout the summer.

Even with record high gas prices, officials and operators within the South Dakota tourism industry are hoping for another banner year in terms of number of visitors and revenues. They say a post-COVID wanderlust, combined with South Dakota's deep roster of attractions and strong sense of hospitality, will override visitor concerns about fuel costs.

Inadequate enforcement by federal agricultural agencies is allowing some farmers in South Dakota and across the Great Plains to illegally convert wetlands into croplands. As a result, states are seeing a continuing decline in wetlands and ponds that are crucial for breeding and hosting of wildlife, including South Dakota’s lucrative pheasant population.