Rural

Total 168 Posts

State officials scramble to respond after zebra mussels found in Lake Sharpe

Lake Sharpe has become the second major Missouri River reservoir in South Dakota to be infested with invasive zebra mussels, raising fears that millions of dollars in mitigation may be needed and that new restrictions could be placed on those who use the lake for boating, fishing and recreation. The

Aging SD dams creating potential for destruction

The last 12 months have been the wettest in South Dakota in more than a century and as a result, dams across the state have suffered significant damage, creating the potential for flooding, loss of life, destruction of property and the need for expensive repairs. Across South Dakota and the

Further spread of Chronic Wasting Disease alarms hunters, wildlife officials

The discovery in March that a rocky mountain elk tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Clark County — the easternmost case ever found in South Dakota — has provided scientists further evidence that the deadly disease is continuing to spread across the state. The diagnosis comes as new research shows that

Flooding damage and repair costs could linger in S.D. for years

The recent blizzards and rainstorms that have flooded farm fields and decimated roads across South Dakota have exposed major weaknesses in the state’s rural transportation network and created repair bills that may strain budgets of small-town and county governments for years to come. Some local officials say the heavy

Nearly a quarter of SD school districts adopt four-day calendar

Nearly a quarter of the school districts in South Dakota have opted for a four-day school week over the past decade, joining an increasing trend toward the altered schedule nationwide. According to the South Dakota Department of Education, 34 school districts, or nearly 23 percent of the 149 statewide are

Immigration debate hampers guest worker programs critical to SD businesses and farms

KEYSTONE, S.D. – The intensely partisan and politicized national debate over immigration policies has cast a cloud of uncertainty over guest worker programs that for years have helped provide employees to seasonal South Dakota businesses that cannot find enough American workers. The viability of some businesses in the tourism, agricultural

ATVs more common on South Dakota roadways where risk of death is greater

SUMMERSET, S.D. – The number of all-terrain vehicles registered for road use in South Dakota has risen dramatically in recent years, even as a growing body of research shows that ATVs are more dangerous and deadly on roadways than in off-road areas. ATVs certified as legal to drive on South
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