Local
1 day ago
Ambulance sustainability questions raised during Senate health briefing
South Dakota lawmakers raised concerns Friday about whether rural ambulance services can remain viable, citing aging equipment, volunteer staffing and limited reimbursement. The discussion came during a Senate Health and Human Services Committee informational briefing on the state’s Rural Health Transformation funding.
1 day ago
Gov. Larry Rhoden Issues Executive Order Setting “Guardrails” for South Dakota Future Fund Spending
Gov. Larry Rhoden signed an executive order outlining how his office will prioritize and oversee Future Fund economic development dollars. The move comes as lawmakers and communities debate incentives such as tax increment financing and tax breaks for large projects, including hyperscale data centers.
1 day ago
Gov. Larry Rhoden Defends DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as Impeachment Articles Filed After Minneapolis ICE Shooting
Gov. Larry Rhoden is criticizing impeachment efforts targeting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, calling them “radical left” attacks. The move follows the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by an ICE agent earlier this month.
1 day ago
South Dakota State Spelling Bee Set for Feb. 7 at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell
Elementary and middle school students from across South Dakota will compete Feb. 7 in the state spelling bee at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. The winner will advance to the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in May in Washington.
2 days ago
OPINION – Sen. Mike Rounds recaps first “Weekly Round[s] Up” of 2026 with border trip, Guard homecoming
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds says he began 2026 with meetings, intelligence briefings and Senate votes in Washington, then traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas and a South Dakota Army National Guard welcome-home ceremony in Rapid City.
2 days ago
Douglas County taskforce forges ahead with senior care conversation amid Corsica nursing home closure
Douglas County leaders say they’re “cautiously optimistic” skilled nursing care can remain local after Sanford Health and the Good Samaritan Society move to close the Corsica nursing home, citing staffing shortages.
3 days ago
Build Dakota Scholarship applications open at Lake Area Tech; deadline March 31, 2026
Lake Area Technical College is encouraging students and families to apply for the Build Dakota Scholarship — a full-ride award for high-demand technical programs — before the March 31, 2026 deadline.
4 days ago
Attorney General Jackley, State’s Attorney Cotton Announce Wagner Man Arrested For Vehicle Death
A Wagner man has been arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter, DUI and leaving the scene after a fatal vehicle-related incident south of Wagner, according to the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
4 days ago
Coffee with Legislators set Jan. 30 at Mitchell Chamber during 2026 session
The Mitchell Area Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee will host “Coffee with Legislators” on Friday, Jan. 30, from 8-9 a.m. Community members can hear updates from District 20 lawmakers and submit written questions for a moderated discussion.
4 days ago
South Dakota American Legion Baseball Returns to Mitchell in 2026
American Legion Baseball is set to return to Mitchell in summer 2026 after the Palace City Baseball Association was accepted into the South Dakota American Legion Baseball program to represent Post 18. The group says 2026 registration will reopen for players and families.
5 days ago
Reliance Dinner Theater returns Feb. 6-7 with Wild West comedy mystery
The Reliance Area Community Development will host its 31st Annual Dinner Theater on Feb. 6-7 at the Legion Hall in Reliance. This year’s show, Last Gasp at the Last Gulp, is a fast-paced Wild West whodunit comedy set in the late 1800s.
1 week ago
IRS: 2026 tax filing season opens Jan. 26; April 15 deadline for 2025 returns
The IRS says it will begin accepting 2025 federal income tax returns on Jan. 26, 2026, with an April 15 filing deadline. The agency is also highlighting online tools, Free File options and a new Schedule 1-A tied to recent tax law changes.
1 week ago
Minnehaha County commissioners approve pay raises of about 11% following compensation study
Minnehaha County commissioners voted 4-0 to raise their own pay for 2026 after a compensation and benefits study recommended adjustments across county government. Some residents testified against the timing and size of the increases.
1 week ago
AAA urges South Dakotans to review insurance coverage as part of 2026 resolutions
AAA is encouraging consumers to start 2026 by reviewing auto, home, renters and life insurance policies to make sure coverage still fits changing needs. The group says life events like moves, renovations, new drivers and shifting work habits can affect both protection and premiums.
1 week ago
Cybernews editor warns of “digital undressing” abuse as xAI announces $20B funding round
Cybernews Chief Editor Jurgita Lapienytė is urging regulators and X to act after reports that Grok, the platform’s built-in AI tool, has been used to create nonconsensual sexualized images of women and minors. The warnings come as Elon Musk’s xAI says it has raised $20 billion in a Series E funding round.
1 week ago
Thune: Working Families Tax Cuts Provide Bigger Paychecks, Permanent Relief
“The good news for the American people as they start their new year is that they’re going to have, on average, $3,700 more money in their pocket as a result of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act that we passed this last summer.”
1 week ago
From Afghanistan to Venezuela: The Toll-Booth States: Plains Voices
Mitchell Now publishes opinion pieces representing both sides of a variety of topics. Opinions presented do not necessarily reflect those…
2 weeks ago
Two teens charged with attempted murder after West 12th Street shooting in Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls police say a 32-year-old man is expected to survive after being shot at a business near West 12th Street and Interstate 29. An 18-year-old and a juvenile were arrested following a standoff near Axtell Park Middle School.
2 weeks ago
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz won’t seek third term as welfare fraud probe intensifies
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he will not run for a third term in 2026, saying he wants to focus on responding to alleged fraud in federal welfare programs. Reports say Sen. Amy Klobuchar is weighing a possible run for governor.
2 weeks ago
Thune warns of Jan. 30 government funding deadline, urges quick action on spending bills
U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota says Congress has until Jan. 30 to fund the federal government and should finish remaining appropriations bills to avoid another shutdown fight.