Bart Pfankuch

In the wake of a 2022 News Watch poll showing that 79% of South Dakota voters felt civility was declining in America, state lawmakers say they have taken steps to improve decorum during the 2023 legislative session. Many observers believe they have succeeded and that a smoother process and better laws are the result.

South Dakota received nearly $14 billion in federal stimulus funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, which helped the state, businesses and individuals survive and recover from the greatest health and economic disaster to hit the U.S. in nearly a century. In this exclusive report from South Dakota News Watch, find out where the money came from and where it went.

South Dakota taxpayers are being asked to spend millions of dollars more than expected to complete state construction projects that were approved in prior years. High inflation and rising labor costs are major reasons that the Legislature is considering nine separate bills that would approve higher spending on projects to build new labs, dorms and classroom buildings, an athletics complex and the state health lab.

A NEWS WATCH SPECIAL REPORT: Is the American Dream of homeownership fading in South Dakota? While that is open to debate, a combination of several economic and market factors has added volatility and uncertainty to the typically stable South Dakota real estate market and unquestionably made it harder for many South Dakota residents to obtain homeownership.

Despite a 2020 law restricting cell phone use by drivers, and numerous public-information campaigns, distracted driving remains a significant cause of injuries and deaths in car crashes in South Dakota and across the United States. Police officers continue to crack down on the risky behaviors, but a new outreach effort will use a multi-pronged approach to try to keep people focused on the road ahead.

The sometimes stormy relationship between Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and the GOP-led Legislature has led to the delay of implementation of a $200 million infrastructure loan and grant program that was intended to help developers quickly build new workforce housing that is a critical need for the success of the South Dakota economy. An entire annual construction season was lost due to the delay of the program, which will now need compromise legislation in the 2023 session in order to launch.

Jamie Smith: a teacher, coach, realtor, father, lawmaker -- and perhaps the next governor of South Dakota? State Rep. Smith, the Democratic nominee for governor of South Dakota, is running to unseat Republican Gov. Kristi Noem in the Nov. 8, 2022 election with a campaign focused on trust, truth and character. Running against a well-funded incumbent who has an undefeated electoral record, Smith believes he can nevertheless pull off the upset.

Those who want all American schoolchildren to have access to free meals at school are looking to the U.S. Congress for the authorization and money to pay for the meals. But for now, no firm plan exists in Washington, D.C. to get universal free meals approved.

A federal program that provided free meals to all American schoolchildren during COVID-19 has ended, causing more students than usual to go hungry in South Dakota schools. Many families, already enduring inflation, are having a harder time affording food for their children or buying them meals at school. Schools and teachers are doing their best to keep students healthy and fed.

A group of conservative Republican lawmakers in South Dakota has raised questions about the validity of the state electoral process, but election officials say there is no concrete evidence of election integrity problems and are assuring voters that the Nov. 8, 2022 election in South Dakota will be accurate and valid.