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Labor and delivery closures drive South Dakota mothers to a maternal care ‘precipice’

It's Mother's Day. A neighbor's daughter is due any hour to have a child, so the issues raised in this article aren't abstract.

From South Dakota Searchlight.

Labor and delivery closures drive South Dakota to a maternal care ‘precipice’
by Makenzie Huber

Shelsey Klein was 33 weeks pregnant and crying when she stormed into the Winner Regional Health CEO’s office.

She found out through social media in December that the hospital planned to close its labor and delivery unit in February, a week before she was due to deliver her baby. She and her husband lectured the CEO about the stress the announcement put on their family and asked him what families like theirs were expected to do.

“You don’t tell a very heavy, pregnant woman who is emotional that all of a sudden her plans of where she’s having the baby will change,” Klein said.

She lives on a ranch outside of White River, a half hour’s drive away from the Winner hospital, and delivered her three other children there. She wanted the same experience for her fourth.

Would she be delivering her baby in the emergency room with a doctor who wasn’t trained in obstetrics?

Would they have the tools to ensure her comfort and safety in case things went awry?

Or would she establish care with a new obstetrician at a hospital more than a two-hour round trip away, taking time off from her teaching job to make appointments and juggling her children’s care and her husband’s work on the ranch?

That stress of making those choices is the reality for mothers across South Dakota as more rural hospitals close their labor and delivery units, creating maternal care deserts. Some providers worry proposed cuts to Medicaid will exacerbate the issue, forcing more rural hospitals to close their labor and delivery units or close entirely.

Winner Regional Hospital delayed its closure from Feb. 1 to the beginning of March, after receiving pushback from community members and patients like Klein. The 39-year-old delivered her baby girl at the hospital on Feb. 2.

Making the choice: Driving the distance

South Dakota reports the second highest infant mortality rate in the country, according to the latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics. It also reports the second highest percentage of counties identified as maternal care deserts, according to March of Dimes. Pregnancy-associated deaths in the state increased 146% in the last decade, according to the state Health Department.

Some providers identify lack of maternal care access as drivers of the state’s elevated maternal and infant risk. About 58% of South Dakota counties don’t have birthing facilities, according to March of Dimes, and most of those counties overlap with tribal communities. The state’s infant death rate in 2022 was 7.78 per 1,000 live births, and 20.5 per 1,000 births among Native Americans.

More than a hundred rural hospitals in the U.S. have stopped delivering babies since 2021, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, often due to physician shortages or finances. Seventeen of South Dakota’s 49 rural hospitals still provide labor and delivery services, according to the report. One unit is at risk of closing.

South Dakota hasn’t experienced a decline in its birth rate like other states, seeing an increase around 2% between 2023 and 2024. But fewer providers are trained in obstetrics, said Emma Bye, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Yankton Medical Clinic in southeastern South Dakota.

“It’s terrifying what we have going on in our state,” Bye said. “We’re at a precipice. It’s scary to be a provider.”

Winner is the only rural hospital in South Dakota to close its delivery ward so far this year. Sisseton’s Coteau des Prairies Health Care System in northeastern South Dakota, in a town of about 2,400 and caring for patients on the Lake Traverse Reservation and surrounding rural areas, stopped deliveries last year.

The Philip hospital in central South Dakota hasn’t delivered babies for over two decades. Most women in the area plan to deliver their children nearly an hour and a half drive away in Rapid City or Pierre, said Lacey Hamill, a stay-at-home mother of 3-year-old and 20-month-old girls.

Hamill’s family lives on a ranch about 35 miles north of Philip. She made her prenatal care appointments in Philip, but had to drive to Rapid City for ultrasound appointments since the local hospital doesn’t have the equipment. Once patients near their 36th week of gestation, they’re referred to an obstetrician in Rapid City or Pierre to develop a relationship before delivery.

The former nurse drove with her toddler to the first few appointments in her third trimester. But it was too much of a hassle.

“I asked, ‘Are you just going to check my blood pressure and tell me I’m doing fine? I can do that at home,’” Hamill said. “I have a fetal monitor checking device at home. I kept a log book. Driving four hours round trip with a toddler wasn’t in the books for me.”

Her second daughter was born hours before Hamill was scheduled to be induced. She and her husband had booked a hotel room 10 minutes from the Rapid City hospital. The baby was born within an hour of their arrival.

“Had we been home, I would have had her on the interstate,” Hamill said, adding that for rural South Dakotans pregnancy is “a lot of praying that you make it to where you need to be.”

Since the Winner hospital stopped delivering babies, average daily deliveries at the rural Cherry County Hospital in Valentine, Nebraska, doubled from 0.6 to 1.4, said Jesse Wint, chief nursing officer. The hospital is 10 miles from the South Dakota border and 74 miles from Winner.

For South Dakotans in counties west of Winner, it’s one of the closest options. Pierre is the next closest, and the Indian Health Service on the Pine Ridge Reservation has a delivery ward for tribal members. It is the only IHS facility in the state with an obstetrics ward, said Meghan Curry O’Connell, chief public health officer at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board. 

A lack of choice: Delivering in the ER

For people who lack transportation, the distance from a hospital that delivers babies increases the likelihood of high risk pregnancies, Curry O’Connell said. People might be forced to deliver in an ambulance, in their car or in a hospital emergency room.

Winner Regional Health has delivered two babies in its emergency room since it closed its labor and delivery ward, said CEO Brian Williams. Before Hamill left her nursing job in Philip, she helped deliver twins in the emergency room.

The Wagner Community Hospital, amid the lands of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, delivers about six babies a year in its emergency room, said TiAnna Smith, an ER physician and chief medical officer at the hospital. 

Each time a pregnant patient enters the ER, Smith said, nurses and doctors are “scared.” Obstetrics aren’t emphasized in their training, patients can’t get an epidural, and the facility lacks surgeons or anesthesia if a cesarean section is needed or if there are severe complications.

Bye often tries to coach staff over the phone, since she is one of the closest obstetricians in the area and holds a clinic each week at the Wagner IHS facility.

“It’s really difficult to streamline care when you have a lot of midlevel providers terrified of these situations coming to their doorstep,” Bye said.

About half of Wagner’s emergency deliveries involve active substance use, Smith said, which can lead to premature deliveries. Many patients deal with other complications that increase the risk, such as diabetes and hypertension. And many emergency deliveries occur among women who don’t have reliable transportation or haven’t regularly attended prenatal visits.

If they haven’t gone to prenatal care appointments, the doctors don’t have records of how far along they are or what complications they may have.

“Usually, as soon as mom hits the ER door we’re calling for a flight team,” Smith said.

Charles Mix County, which includes Wagner, is not considered a maternal care desert according to the March of Dimes or the state Department of Health. But a facility in Platte closed its labor and delivery ward about a decade ago. There’s a midwife in Platte who’s 50 miles away from Wagner and can’t intervene if surgery is needed.

“If we’re considered ‘full access,’ then that paints a lot of concern for areas that have even less access,” Smith said.

Talk of Medicaid cuts threaten maternal health, rural vitality

President Donald Trump and Republican members of Congress are considering major cuts to Medicaid funding. Bye expects South Dakota mothers and babies would feel the consequences within six months. Medicaid is a federal-state health insurance program for people with low income.

“You’re looking at a mom who is already poor and doesn’t have health insurance coverage from any other source, who lives in a rural setting and has to drive two and a half hours for an appointment that won’t be covered, who has to spend time away from her family or miss work. That’s an insurmountable barrier,” Bye said. “You’re not going to get those moms to come to their appointments.”

Rural hospitals will start closing within a year or two of the decision, Bye expects, harming not just Medicaid patients but anyone living in a rural community.

Nearly a quarter of people in rural communities are covered by Medicaid, including 47% of all births, making the program a significant source of income for OB-GYNs. They would see their budgets decreased if patients lose access to the program. Rural hospitals that are able to stay open might have to cut some services they offer — like labor and delivery — to keep their accounts from going too far into the red.

“You have hospitals across the state that you may not know about, that haven’t been published about, but they’re operating in the red already,” Bye said. “If you add Medicaid cuts, it could be catastrophic.”

In addition to asking South Dakota’s congressional delegates to refrain from cutting Medicaid when she visited their offices in March, Bye advocated for the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act. The bill, first introduced in 2024, would establish new federal grants for rural health care systems to purchase equipment for obstetrics and create a telecommunications pilot program.

The Wagner hospital relies heavily on telemedicine to supplement its care, including emergency and neonatal intensive care. Expanding that to obstetric telemedicine would improve the care they provide for ER deliveries, instead of relying on phone calls to OBs more than an hour away.

Williams, with Winner Regional Health, hopes to recruit OB-GYNs to reopen the labor and delivery ward, but cutting Medicaid would make that harder. About 80% of babies delivered at the hospital last year were on Medicaid.

The hospital is seeing more and more “government payers” in the health care system, Williams said, adding that he understands the cost of the federal government covering an increasing number of patients.

“If they were to disappear it’d make it difficult for us,” Williams said. He’s concerned about how Medicaid cuts will “affect us and our viability.”

The Winner hospital is the largest employer in Tripp County, Williams said. If it’s forced to close, that’ll impact surrounding counties. And once a main industry is lost, it’ll be hard to build it back.

“We talk about wanting a stronger economic powerhouse in the U.S.,” Williams said. “You can’t do that if you don’t have healthy people.”

Photo: Emma Bye, pictured here on May 9, 2025, is an obstetrician-gynecologist at Yankton Medical Clinic in southeastern South Dakota. (Kelly Hertz, Yankton Press & Dakotan/ via South Dakota Searchlight).

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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Noem’s honorary degree sparks protest at Dakota State U; meanwhile, South Dakota Mines student she’s trying to deport earns doctorate

On Friday, I posted Lawmakers grill South Dakota officials about Noem’s credit card use; meanwhile, Homeland Security spending overrun out of control.

Today in South Dakota, former Governor Kristi Noem, now Secretary of Homeland Security, garnered more attention and headlines.

From South Dakota Searchlight.

Noem’s honorary degree sparks protest; meanwhile, a student she’s trying to deport earns a doctorate
by Joshua Haiar and Seth Tupper

An international student in western South Dakota overcame Kristi Noem’s attempt to stop her from graduating Saturday, while hundreds of people protested on the other side of the state where Noem received an honorary degree and delivered a commencement speech.

The international student is Priya Saxena, from India. She received two degrees from South Dakota Mines in Rapid City: a doctorate in chemical and biological engineering and a master’s degree in chemical engineering.

Noem’s U.S. Department of Homeland Security — which she has led since resigning as South Dakota governor in January — has been trying to deport Saxena since last month, asserting that Saxena’s permission to stay in the country should be revoked because she was convicted four years ago of failing to move over for flashing yellow lights, a misdemeanor. The action is part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.

Saxena’s student visa is not scheduled to expire until 2027, and if allowed to stay in the country, she could apply for an extension to work in fields related to her degrees. 

Saxena and her attorney, Jim Leach, of Rapid City, sued and won a temporary restraining order that assured Saxena’s graduation and will halt the government’s action against her until at least next week, when she has a hearing on her request for a court order to stop her deportation while the lawsuit proceeds. Saxena and her attorney have said in court filings that she has not committed a deportable offense, and have called the government’s actions “lawless.”

Saxena’s graduation went smoothly Saturday as she crossed the stage and received applause from the audience at Summit Arena in Rapid City. Her attorney and a university spokeswoman said Saxena preferred not to make any public comments.

Meanwhile in Madison

About 350 miles to the east at Dakota State University in Madison, Noem’s speech and her acceptance of an honorary doctorate in public service went off without a hitch inside the university fieldhouse, where she did not reference the protesters or make any comments about her official duties. 

Outside, she was loudly opposed. 

Students and community members lined the sidewalks chanting phrases including “no honor for Noem” and “due process.” Protesters said they were spotlighting Noem’s “cruel” immigration policies and the university’s decision to invite her to graduation.

“One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared for the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus,” said student Maya Plummer. “That’s something we take pride in.”

The ceremony in Madison included foreign students from countries such as Vietnam and India.

Noem’s department has pursued enforcement actions against more than 1,000 international students. It has also removed temporary protected status for immigrants who fled danger in their home country, wrongly deported a Maryland man to a notorious prison in El Salvador, aired TV ads warning migrants to self-deport or avoid coming to the United States, and launched an initiative to provide up to $1,000 in “travel assistance” to immigrants without legal authorization who self-deport, among other actions. 

This week, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, accused Noem of running a department that’s “out of control,” saying it’s at risk of spending all of its $65 billion in funding before the end of the fiscal year.

The Dakota State University student senate and general faculty both voted against the honorary degree for Noem, citing concerns over Noem’s policies and the message her recognition would send to international students and marginalized communities.

University spokespeople said they extended the invitation for Noem to speak and receive the honorary degree while she was still governor of South Dakota. The invite was based on her longstanding support of the university’s nationally recognized cybersecurity programs.

Dakota State President José-Marie Griffiths said in her speech that Noem is among “a number of individuals who were instrumental in changing the trajectory of this institution” in recent decades. She said the university was transformed from one that was losing enrollment to one that’s thriving as a flagship institution for computer technology. 

“And by the way, there were protests for that decision, too,” Griffiths said.

Noem gave students a five-point bullet list of advice during her approximately 10-minute speech.

She told students their education is important, “But I will tell you that the world still revolves on relationships. People will be successful based on the people that they know and the people that they spend time with.”

Her other advice for students included, “You believed in Santa Claus for many years, at least believe in yourself for five minutes.”

Attendees react

Among attendees, there were conflicting views about the protest. Some family members of graduates expressed frustration that the controversy overshadowed the event.

“Honestly, it’s shocking because I feel like we should be here just celebrating the graduates,” said Anico David of Sioux Falls, whose sister graduated. “People are making it bigger than it should be with all this protesting. In my opinion, it’s kind of out of pocket and unnecessary.”

Max Lerchen, who earned a master’s degree, said honoring Noem “does not reflect the values that are held by the university,” such as inclusion. He said university officials should have expected opposition, and protesters should not be blamed for pushing back. 

“They knew it was going to be an unpopular decision to begin with,” he said. “I think that’s similar to being picked on by a bully, and you decide to fight back, and then people go, ‘Why did you fight back?’”

Andrew Sogn, a spokesman for Dakota State University, said the institution hoped for “a celebratory atmosphere, and recognition of the graduates and their hard work.”

When asked about the students and faculty who opposed Noem’s honorary degree and speech, he said it was welcome, “because I think that we encourage open conversation and freedom of expression.”

Photo: A scene from a protest against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on May 10, 2025, at Dakota State University in Madison.

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.

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Lawmakers grill South Dakota officials about Noem’s credit card use; meanwhile, Homeland Security spending overrun out of control

Who would have guessed we'd be reading States Newsroom articles with headlines like ‘Out of control’: Kristi Noem on defense over Homeland Security spending overrun?

Easy: many South Dakotans, who had observed years of Governor Noem's mismanagement.

indeed, we're still discovering more of that sort of thing, as the South Dakota Searchlight headline below illustrates.

Lawmakers grill South Dakota officials about Noem’s credit card use
by Makenzie Huber

Revelations about Republican former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s credit card use prompted a legislative oversight committee to question state officials Thursday in Pierre about how the state approves credit card spending for travel and other expenses.

The Dakota Scout obtained and published records earlier this year showing about $750,000 billed to the Noem office’s state-issued credit cards during her six years as governor, including travel expenses related to a book tour and a Canadian hunting trip, plus expensive stays at hotels such as The Venetian in Las Vegas. Noem resigned the governorship in January after she was appointed U.S. secretary of Homeland Security.

The governor’s credit card is intended to pay for travel-related expenses. Allowable expenses, said Bureau of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Terwilliger, include flights, hotel rooms and meals.

Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, who chairs the legislative Government Operations and Audit Committee, said she doesn’t view “several $500 charges for Sirius XM radio” as “allowable expenses.”

“The taxpayers have an issue with that. I have an issue with that,” Howard said.

Since the information was published, Terwilliger said the state canceled the satellite radio subscriptions and made internal policy changes for credit card expenses.

Many of the expenses related to the Governor’s Office credit cards come from security details ensuring the governor’s safety during travel, Terwilliger said. The state has since separated accounts between security and the governor’s other expenses to better track what costs are directly related to the governor’s spending.

Noem traveled to other states and Canada during her time as governor, sometimes appearing at campaign events supporting out-of-state Republicans or for President Donald Trump. 

Lawmakers questioned if taxpayer-funded security detail should only be for state-related expenses, rather than campaign-related travel; how governor travel expenses are determined as a benefit to the state; and how many people in the Governor’s Office have a credit card, among other questions.

While Terwilliger said he doesn’t believe any of the credit card charges were campaign related, security for the governor is a “24/7, 365-day mission.” Security is provided by the state Highway Patrol. Terwilliger said he could not say how many people have access to one of the credit cards, saying it would provide information for “potential bad guys that want to do harm.”

Howard was not satisfied with the responses.

“It’s our job as legislators to set up parameters,” Howard said. “…Your answer cannot always, when legislators ask for an explanation, the answer cannot just be hiding behind security all the time. We have to figure out a way we can ask questions and get them answered without someone just saying, ‘Well, that’s security. You can’t know.’”

The State Auditor’s Office reviews the credit card charges once an invoice is submitted by the Governor’s Office. Auditor Rich Sattgast told lawmakers he has never denied a charge from the governor.

He said the Legislature could set stricter parameters on elected officials’ spending to improve oversight or limit spending.

“For the vast majority of elected officials, there has not been what would be seen by the public as an overstepping of their jurisdiction of spending money,” Sattgast said. “So I think having the public be aware of it and being accountable to the public is probably the primary aspect of it.”

Jenna Latham, with the Auditor’s Office, said the governor and some other elected officials can stay in expensive hotels because “they answer to the taxpayer.”

The office will occasionally question if an expense is allowable and ask for justification. Sometimes the expense will get scratched and covered by the individual, “but if they come back, you essentially have to approve it,” she said.

“There’s not much that can stop us,” Latham said, adding, “we have to follow the rules.”

Howard told lawmakers that they can propose legislation recommendations at the end of the year “if there’s different legislation that we think should be brought.”

Photo: Gov. Kristi Noem presents her annual budget address to lawmakers in the South Dakota State Capitol on Dec. 3, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight).

 

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

 

Related posts

• ‘Governor’s Cup’ rodeo among recipients of millions from public fund controlled by Noem 
• Explaining and gaining? Noem concedes Texas costs were gift to Lone Star state; meets with two South Dakota House tribal members
• State discussed Freedom Works Here plan with winning firms before opening project for bids
• Noem faces lawsuit by American Oversight for refusal to release travel expense records
• Positive Pants Governor Noem tried to avoid ethics hearing, seal records 
• Fake state economy news: Noem for Governor digital ad marketed in Iowa, NH, & SC 
• South Dakota ethics: Will lawmakers resolve Governor Noem's closed-door meeting with daughter violated public trust?
• Noem silent about ethics probe response. Flight to daughter’s wedding part of official business
• AP: Ethics; or, Government Accountability Board keeps ‘action’ secret on complaint against Noem
• Half-cancelled: Noem video to be played at MD Republican Party "Red, White and Blue" dinner

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

SD humanities projects take hit from DOGE cuts, including Earthlodge Gatherings in Sisseton

A relatively local project, the Earthlodge Gatherings in Sisseton, run by Nis'to Incorporated, a Native nonprofit located on the Lake Traverse Reservation, home of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, is among the projects taking a hit in this cut, as Stu Whitney reports below. 

This is a loss to my SWO neighbors.

From South Dakota News Watch.

Humanities projects take hit from DOGE federal cuts
by Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch

In the spring of 2024, the Norwegian American Historical Association received some encouraging news.

The Minnesota-based organization was approved for a federal grant of about $300,000 to preserve, digitize and share materials documenting relief efforts of Norwegian-Americans toward their homeland during the German occupation of Norway in World War II.

The project, “Alt for Norge: Norwegians Fighting for Two Homelands,” impressed decision-makers at the National Endowment for the Humanities as a worthwhile endeavor to highlight stories and footage that were otherwise inaccessible.

“The grant process was peer-reviewed and went through four different stages,” said Kristina Warner, an archivist for the NAHA, which was founded in 1925 and is housed at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

“The feedback we got was that this was a very unrepresented part of World War II history that showed how one immigrant group tried to get aid to those back home. Other immigrant groups did that too, but the Norwegians were the ones who really kept all of their records.”

Cuts characterized as 'urgent priority'

The project, which began in September and involving hiring another archivist, is now shrouded in uncertainty after federal cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump.

The April 2 budget reductions were directed at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), an independent federal agency that distributes money appropriated by Congress to state humanities councils, museums and universities for education and research.

DOGE placed roughly 80% of NEH staff members on administrative leave and terminated previously awarded grant programs that were not fully paid out, according to the Federation of State Humanities Councils.

The NAHA received an email from Michael McDonald, the general counsel who became acting chairman of the NEH after previous chair Shelly Lowe left her position in March at the direction of President Trump. Lowe, the first Native American to lead the agency, was nominated by former President Joe Biden.

“Your grant’s immediate termination is necessary to safeguard the interests of the
federal government, including fiscal priorities," McDonald wrote to the Norwegian historical group. "The termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration, and due to the exceptional circumstances, adherence to the traditional notification process is not possible.”

'Scrambling to try to keep this going'

The grant money had allowed the NAHA to pursue its three-year project of acquiring and curating five World War II collections, including footage of a training base for the Royal Norwegian Air Force in Toronto and images of soldiers and the Norwegian Royal Family during the Nazi occupation.

German troops invaded Norway in April 1940 and remained in control of the country until the end of the war in 1945, when the royal family returned from exile. Norwegian-Americans were instrumental in collecting funds for supplies, food, and housing for those who remained in Norway during the war.

The project continues for now, said Amy Boxrud, NAHA's executive director. Digitized photos were made public in February from the collection of fur trader and wartime photographer Campbell Norsgaard, some of which he managed to smuggle out of the Soviet Union.

But the rest of the work, and the status of the digital archivist hired with grant money, are "in limbo" following the federal cuts, with donors being asked to fill the void, Boxrud told News Watch.

“We knew that the NEH was sort of in the crosshairs, but we were really hoping that grants already awarded and under way would be spared,” she said. “These are special projects that we wouldn't undertake with our normal operations budget, so we're sort of scrambling to try to keep this going."

State humanities council feels pinch

The NEH also sent letters to state humanities councils across the country saying their federal grants had been terminated. The halt in funding came during the middle of the fiscal year and has caused widespread changes in programs.

Christina Oey, executive director of the South Dakota Humanities Council, which receives about $950,000 annually through NEH, called it a shock to the system. That federal money represents nearly three-fourths of the organization's budget, with the rest coming from donations.

“Our funding was completely cut overnight,” Oey told News Watch. “There was no grandfathering in. There was no elimination process. It was just 100% cut. We had about $122,000 worth of grants we were about to disperse, and we've had to pause those grants because we just don't have the funding for them.”

Some of the local organizations or events impacted include the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet, the South Dakota State Spelling Bee, Earthlodge Gatherings in Sisseton and the South Dakota State Poetry Society.

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson told News Watch that he's "a supporter of the arts" and has been in contact with the parties involved.

"I’ve been in contact with the South Dakota Humanities Council regarding the funding cuts they have been notified of and have passed their concerns along to the White House," Johnson said.

U.S. Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds did not respond to requests for comment.

'We know our states the best'

As for programs run by the council, Oey is most concerned about the South Dakota Festival of Books, an annual event that has hosted nationally renowned authors such as Jane Smiley, Louise Erdrich, Pete Dexter and Tim O’Brien.

The 2025 festival will be held as scheduled on Sept. 26-28 in Spearfish, but federal cuts have changed some of the planning.

“We’re going to have to make some adjustments, whether that's scheduling or the number of authors or scaling back some of the events,” Oey said. “But it’s still going to happen, and we still want it to be one of the best ever.”

Also impacted is the organization’s Young Readers program, through which every third-grader in South Dakota receives a free book. This year’s offering is “Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills,” co-authored by Mills, the Pine Ridge native who won the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Oey said more volunteers will be needed to distribute the books, especially in rural communities.

Those remote areas of the country were part of the mission behind the National Endowment for Humanities when it was formed in 1965 as a sub-agency of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities.

Its mission was "to convey the lessons of history to all Americans” because “democracy demands wisdom," establishing 56 humanities councils in U.S. states and territories to establish grant programs and distribute funds.

“The reason it was established is because we know our states the best,” said Oey. “They give funding to us at the councils because we know what goes on in Lemmon, South Dakota, and other small communities throughout the state. We know the culture of South Dakota, whereas the federal government does not.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story, which was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact Stu Whitney at [email protected].

Photo: Author Craig Johnson speaks to attendees of the South Dakota Festival of Books in Deadwood, S.D., on Oct. 4, 2019. The event is run by the South Dakota Humanities Council. (Photo: South Dakota Humanities Council).

This South Dakota News Watch article is republished with permission.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

South Dakota Democrats: Noem continues bad track record with natural disasters

Last June, Bluestem republished two articles, Governor Noem, who sent Guard troops to Texas, resists using them for her own state’s flooding and Commentary: Flood washes away Governor Kristi Noem’s false veneer of leadership, after a deluge hit Southeastern South Dakota.

As governor, she wasn't much good after natural disasters, a fact made even more pathetic given that her new job as Secretary of Homeland Security includes oversight of FEMA.

It's gotten worse, a point the South Dakota Democratic Party made in a press release Wednesday:

Noem Continues Bad Track Record with Natural Disasters
May 7th, 2025

SIOUX FALLS, SD – DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has turned her back on South Dakota. Because of Noem and the Trump Administration, several cities and counties will no longer receive nearly $9 million in Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants to reduce the damage done by natural disasters.

 

"Last year, then-Governor Noem abandoned flooded neighborhoods in favor of a political fundraiser and refused to deploy the National Guard. Now she's taking federal money away from communities that want to mitigate storm damage because she thinks it's 'wasteful' and 'ineffective'," said SDDP Chair Shane Merrill. "Because of these cuts, city and county leaders will now have to scramble to either figure out where the rest of the money will come from, or ditch their projects altogether, leaving their communities vulnerable to disasters."

 

"This is yet another example of the chaos and uncertainty of the Trump Administration that is hurting us right here in South Dakota. BRIC was started during Trump's first term and boosted by President Biden. It's a bipartisan program that has been popular since it was created. It makes no sense why it is now considered to be 'ineffective' when it is being used to protect people's lives."

For questions, you can contact the SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers at [email protected] or contact the state party office by phone at 605-271-5405 or 605-940-3071.

Photo: Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during a June 25, 2024, press conference in Yankton while state Department of Public Safety Secretary Bob Perry looks on. (Courtesy of the Governor’s Office/via South Dakota Searchlight).

 

Related posts

• Governor Noem, who sent Guard troops to Texas, resists using them for her own state’s flooding
• Commentary: Flood washes away Governor Kristi Noem’s false veneer of leadership

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'Blue Dog' Democrats vote to roll back paid sick leave for workers at small farms and businesses

This Minnesota Reformer story speaks for itself, very well indeed, given labor beat reporter Max Nesterak's skill.

Here's hoping the House DFLers resist this erosion of worker benefits.

‘Blue Dog’ Democrats vote to roll back paid sick leave for workers at small farms and businesses
by Max Nesterak

Six self-described “Blue Dog” Senate Democrats voted with Republicans on Tuesday to weaken the paid sick leave law they supported just two years ago and repeal the benefit for tens of thousands of workers at small farms and micro-businesses.

The bill would need to pass the House and win the signature of Gov. Tim Walz — neither assured — before becoming law.

Still, the vote marks a significant departure from the past two years, when Senate Democrats voted in lock-step to pass a sweeping pro-labor agenda with a single-seat majority.

“It’s okay to pass laws and vote yes and then learn more information and make changes,” Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, said during Tuesday’s debate. “That’s not a shameful thing. That’s not weak. That’s strong.”

Democrats passed the sick and safe time law in 2023, entitling workers to one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours they work up to 48 hours a year — i.e. six paid sick days a year for full-time employees.

The bill (SF2300) carves out farms with five or fewer employees and other businesses with three or fewer employees. The bill also allows employers to request proof of an illness or safety emergency after two consecutive days, down from three under current law.

Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, who represents a purple district in the east metro suburbs, led the effort to pass what she called “modest, common sense improvements” that help small businesses while maintaining sick leave protections for the vast majority of the state’s 3 million workers.

“I’m proud of the earned sick and safe time law we passed because I’ve experienced what it’s like to be a worker without it,” Seeberger said, ticking off her experiences as a waitress, lawyer, small business owner and paramedic.

But she also said she needs to be responsive to constituents and has heard from many employers about workers abusing the law by using sick leave to extend a vacation or a weekend.

Other Democrats blasted the bill and pointed out that no matter the size of the farm or business, workers are just as likely to get sick or have to care for a sick child or be a victim of sexual assault or stalking.

Senate Labor Committee Chair Jen McEwen, DFL-Duluth, said it was “shameful” that the farmworker carve out received support from members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, putting the emphasis on “farmer” and “labor.”

“These farmworkers are some of the least protected, powerless workers in our society,” McEwen said, noting that farmworkers are excluded from many of the same rights guaranteed to other workers like the right to form a union.

The small farm exemption would affect between 5,000 and 27,0000 workers, McEwen said. The carve-out for micro-businesses would affect between 50,000 to 80,000 workers, Seeberger said.

“No one — not a farmworker, not a tradesperson, not a nurse, not a teacher — no worker in our economy should be fired or disciplined or risk the ability to provide for their family because of a short-term illness that they have, because of the need to care for a sick family member, or because they’ve suffered domestic abuse or sexual abuse or stalking,” McEwen said.

Supporters of the exemption for small farms said it was critical to protecting family farms as they fend off corporate consolidation and confront myriad other regulations.

“We are losing our family farmer,” Hauschild said. “Family farms are dying.”

DFL Sen. Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato co-authored the bill with Seeberger and Republican Sens. Jordan Rasmussen and Gene Dornink.

DFL Sen. Matt Klein, who announced Tuesday he’s running for Congress in the 2nd District, voted with DFL Sens. Robert Kupec, Aric Putnam, Frentz, Hauschild and Seeberger for the bill. Sen. Jim Abeler was the lone Republican to vote against the bill.

Frentz has also authored a bill with Republicans watering down the state’s paid family leave program slated to begin next year. Seeberger was also an author but recently had her name stricken.

The term “Blue Dog Democrat” and the related “Yellow Dog Democrat” have their origins among moderate, southern Democrats who retained loyalty to the party despite its shift left but often voted with Republicans to help pass the agenda of President Ronald Reagan, for instance.

Photo: Sen. Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato, talks with Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, before a committee hearing on Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by A.J. Olmscheid/Senate Media Services/via Minnesota Reformer).

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under  Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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Mercury pollution lands two more South Dakota lakes on fish consumption advisory list

Not good news for South Dakota's lakes or anglers. Catch and release?

From the South Dakota Searchlight.

Mercury pollution lands two more South Dakota lakes on fish consumption advisory list
by Joshua Haiar

State officials have added two more South Dakota lakes to the fish consumption advisory list after testing found elevated mercury levels in large walleye.

The state announced Monday that Dry Lake #1 in Clark County and Lake Henry in Kingsbury County have been added to the list.

For Dry Lake #1, health officials recommend limiting consumption of walleye over 21 inches in length. At Lake Henry, the advisory applies to walleye over 24 inches. Walleye in South Dakota can grow to more than 30 inches. 

The guidance is based on mercury concentrations detected in fish tissue samples collected through the state’s annual monitoring program.

“Our commitment to public health and safety drives the annual fish sampling program,” said Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt in a news release.

Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, ends up in fish across the United States largely due to atmospheric deposition. Coal-fired power plants release mercury into the air before it settles into lakes and rivers. Bacteria convert it into methylmercury and fish absorb it.

Fish consumption advisories are not enforceable bans but are issued to help people make informed choices to reduce health risks.

“We encourage everyone to check the DOH website for the latest advisories and take necessary precautions when enjoying locally caught fish,” Magstadt said.

Fish consumption advisories

In addition to Dry Lake #1 and Lake Henry, these lakes are on the state’s fish consumption advisory list:

• Bitter Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 30″) and any size walleye, particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
• Coal Springs Reservoir: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Cottonwood Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Dry Lake Number 2: Limit consumption of walleye (over 22″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Elm Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Hazeldon Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Horseshoe Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Kiesz Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 16″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury.
• Lake Hurley: Limit consumption of Largemouth Bass (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Lake Isabel: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 25″) and Largemouth Bass (over 17″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Lake Minnewasta: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Lardy Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Little Moreau Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 26″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Long Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 17″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Lynn Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Middle Lynn Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury.
• New Wall Lake: Limit consumption of black and white crappie (over 13″) and Largemouth Bass (over 16″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Newell Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and northern pike (over 18″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• North Buffalo Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• North Island Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and Smallmouth Bass (over 19″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Opitz Lake: Limit consumption of northern pike (over 26″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Pickerel Lake: Limit consumption of white bass (over 16”), particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. 
• Pudwell Dam: Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and Black Crappie (over 12″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Reid Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 23″) and northern pike (over 32″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Roosevelt Lake: Limit consumption of largemouth bass (over 18″) and northern pike (over 24″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Scott Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 25″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• South Buffalo Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 
• Swan Lake: Limit consumption of walleye (over 21″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury.
• Twin Lakes (Minnehaha County): Limit consumption of any size walleye, particularly for children under age 7 and women who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Walleye tested above recommended limits for mercury.
• Twin Lakes (Brookings/Kingsbury counties): Limit consumption of walleye (over 18″) and northern pike (over 19″). These tested above recommended limits for mercury. 

Source: South Dakota Department of Health

Photo:  Walleye are found in South Dakota’s large streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. (Courtesy of SD GF&P)

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Related posts

• Millions spent to keep manure out of Big Sioux River paying off, Big Sioux Stewardship Summit speaker says
• South Dakota's Big Sioux River buffer program takes off with higher landowner payments
• Sioux Falls growth forces question: Can Smithfield and Big Sioux River co-exist? 
• South Dakota’s $3 million Big Sioux River cleanup project is slow to catch on 
• EPA data reveals South Dakota industrial chemical releases rise amid national decline
• Commentary: Mention of agricultural causes comes too late in SD water pollution report
• SD Searchlight: 80% of tested surface water in South Dakota fails to meet state standards
• Agency soup: MPCA, DNR, MDH & Ag release "Preventing fish kills in MN driftless region"
• Decline in freshwater mussels an indicator of poor river and stream health in South Dakota
•  More Minnesota lakes and rivers placed on impaired waters list
• WRAPS: erosion, stormwater & ag practices dirty water in Yellow Medicine River watershed
• Grassland and other conservation projects in South Dakota receive $83 million federal boost
• Good news for prairie potholes: Feds propose drainage rules to protect SD & nearby wetlands 
• Line 3: Fourth aquifer rupture confirmed by Enbridge & DNR; 45 other suspicious spots
•  Republican guy who voted for Minnesota's buffer bill continues to grandstand against it 

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Here’s how the MN House plans to cut $300 million from the disability services agency

The Minnesota Reformer has the deets. I embed the floor debate on the bill at the bottom of the article.

Here’s how the House plans to cut $300 million from the disability services agency
by Madison McVan

The Minnesota House passed a bill Monday with significant cuts to the Department of Human Services through 2027. 

DHS programs account for nearly one-third of state spending, and are expected to get more expensive in the coming years due to the aging population and increasing health care costs. Most of the spending is on Medical Assistance, Minnesota’s Medicaid program, which allocates more money per participant than nearly any other state. 

Because DHS is such a large portion of the budget — rivaled only by education — state leaders have targeted the agency for cuts in the coming years to avert a looming deficit. 

With the House tied 67-67, Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor leaders agreed to find $300 million in savings.

The cuts to Medical Assistance come ahead of proposed cuts at the federal level. Because the federal government pays for more than half of Medical Assistance, any federal spending reductions would likely force additional state cuts.

Republicans in the U.S. House are prepared to reduce Medicaid spending to pay for tax cuts; Senate Republicans are wary of the move. Party leaders are considering eliminating a tax loophole that allows states, including Minnesota, to get extra Medicaid money from the federal government.

The state Senate has not yet passed its DHS budget bill. Any discrepancies between the two budgets must be hashed out in a conference committee and re-passed by both chambers before the session ends on May 19; without a budget by June 30, the government will shut down. 

House budget cuts spending on services, pushes costs onto counties and federal government

The biggest piece of savings in the two year, $17.7 billion DHS budget bill (HF2434) comes from changes to “rate exceptions,” or higher-than-usual payments to providers who care for people with extraordinary needs. The bill requires extra documentation from providers, and limits what can be considered when determining if a patient and their provider qualify for the exception.

The bill also shifts part of the cost of rate exceptions to county governments, which could lead to higher taxes for property owners across the state. 

Together, the changes would save the state around $200 million in the next budget cycle.

The bill would also increase costs on county governments by increasing how much they pay for substance use disorder treatment, and for certain people detained at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program starting in 2027.

The budget would limit the inflation adjustments for some Medical Assistance reimbursements to 4% per year, saving $162 million over the next two years, and even more in future years. (Gov. Tim Walz proposed limiting that inflation adjustment to 2% per year.) 

The move is expected to squeeze providers, as their reimbursements may not keep up with the real cost of providing care. 

The bill contains a maneuver that would save the state money by pushing costs onto the federal government. It more than doubles the annual per-bed licensing fees for nursing facilities, from $2,815 to $5,900, and also more than doubles one component of the facilities’ reimbursement rates. In short: the state would collect licensing fees from the nursing homes, then return it using a mix of state and federal resources. This saves the state $73 million over two years.

The budget would also raise licensing fees for home and community-based service providers, substance use disorder treatment centers, and detox and withdrawal facilities. 

It would also eliminate payments made to providers to cover the cost of unplanned absences, saving around $67 million in the next budget. 

Medical Assistance currently pays providers the same amount for night supervision duties whether the worker is asleep or awake; the bill would create a new category for “asleep night supervision,” with lower payouts, saving $23 million over two years. 

It’s not all cuts

The House bill codifies raises for nursing home workers set by the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board. The new minimum wage for all nursing home workers would be $19 per hour, which would increase to $20.50 per hour starting in 2027. Specialists like certified nurse assistants, trained medication aides and nurses all have higher minimum wages. 

It also codifies raises for disability services workers as part of a contract agreement with SEIU, the workers’ union. 

The Trump administration is cutting funding for HIV research and prevention efforts, and the House bill would allocate $6 million to community-based HIV/AIDS services providers to replace the lost federal funds. 

The bill would direct $5.5 million to preventing fraud by autism services providers.

Photo: Thousands of protestors gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol as part of the nationwide “Hands Off” protests condemning several actions of the Trump administration Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer).

Here's the Minnesota House Information Services YouTube of the floor debate on HF2434:

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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SD public broadcasting warns of local impact from Trump’s attempt to cut national funding

Earlier this year, I posted articles about the successful popular and legislative resistance to former Governor Noem's proposed cuts to South Dakota Public Broadcasting. See related posts at the bottom of this post.

Now Trump's administration proposes to eliminate federal funding for PBS and NPR.

Looks like the feds haven't learned the lesson from uber-red South Dakota: leave our SDPB along.

From  South Dakota Searchlight.

SD public broadcasting warns of local impact from Trump’s attempt to cut national funding
by Todd Epp, Northern Plains News LLC

South Dakota Public Broadcasting faces a new funding threat after President Donald Trump signed an executive order recently ending federal support for NPR, PBS and their affiliate stations, including SDPB.

The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to halt all direct and indirect funding to those networks by June 30.

The Trump administration said the action was necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars no longer support what it calls “blatantly biased and partisan programming.” According to the executive order posted on the White House website, the administration cited segments on “diet culture,” “queer ducks,” and reparations, along with NPR’s alleged refusal to report on Hunter Biden’s laptop, as examples of editorial bias. The order stated the move is part of “restoring trust in government-funded institutions.”

In South Dakota, Friends of SDPB issued an email appeal warning the cuts could affect local journalism, infrastructure and access to national programming. “This would have a significant impact on our airwaves,” the email said. “Locally in South Dakota we use these dollars to pay to produce local programming, our national programming bill, and some infrastructure.”

Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the CPB, responded in a statement distributed by the Friends of SDPB: “CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority. Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government.” Harrison cited 47 U.S.C. § 398(c), which prohibits federal officials from exercising control over public broadcasting.

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger also responded in a national press release, calling the executive order “blatantly unlawful.” She said PBS would “vigorously defend its independence and mission to serve all Americans, especially those in rural and underserved areas.”

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting receives approximately $525 million annually through congressional appropriations. That funding supports local stations across the country, especially in states like South Dakota, where commercial media is limited. SDPB leaders warn that losing CPB support could reduce production of shows like “South Dakota Focus,” delay infrastructure upgrades and limit emergency broadcasts in rural areas.

Legal scholars and CPB officials say the order will likely face court challenges. According to The New Yorker, CPB has already sued the administration over attempts to remove three of its five board members — a move that would deprive the board of a quorum and halt operations.

Friends of SDPB is urging listeners to contact South Dakota’s congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds, and Rep. Dusty Johnson — to preserve CPB funding.

 

Photo: South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s mascot, Buddy, waves to a crowd of supporters gathered on Feb. 7, 2025, at the Capitol Rotunda in Pierre. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight).

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Related posts

• SDPB update: Lawmakers on budget committee reject Noem’s public broadcasting cut 
• Busloads of SD public broadcasting supporters make case to avoid $3.6 million state budget cut
• Commentary: Attorney general and others know: Noem’s SDPB cut threatens public safety 
• Proposed funding cut could sink network in as little as two years, SDPB director says

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Exploratory drilling projects threaten important Black Hills cultural sites, NDNCollective and Black Hills Clean Water Alliance say

My friend Mike, a Dakota elder, worries about Black Hills' cultural sites, where he took all of his children when they were young. He's not alone.

Proposed exploitation of those sites is distressing.

From the South Dakota Searchlight.

Exploratory drilling projects threaten important Black Hills cultural sites, activists say
Joshua Haiar

An environmental organization and a Native American advocacy group say two important Black Hills cultural and historical sites face threats from exploratory drilling projects.

One of the projects is proposed by Rapid City-based Pete Lien and Sons. It wants to conduct exploratory drilling for graphite on national forest land near Pe’ Sla, also known as Reynolds Prairie, which is a high-elevation meadow in the central Black Hills. Graphite is used in electric vehicle batteries, lubricants, pencils and other products.

Pe’ Sla is a ceremonial site for Lakota people, and it figures prominently in traditional Lakota creation stories.

“Drilling at Pe’ Sla would be like drilling under the Vatican or at a sacred site in Jerusalem,” said Taylor Gunhammer, an Oglala Lakota, in a news release. “Under any circumstances, it is not a place to be considering mining.”

In response to questions from South Dakota Searchlight, a representative of Pete Lien and Sons said the U.S. Forest Service is reviewing the plan’s potential impact on sites of cultural and historical significance in the proposed project area, and questions and concerns should be directed to that agency. 

Gunhammer is a local organizer with NDN Collective, a Native American advocacy group in Rapid City. NDN and the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance are encouraging people to submit comments on the Pete Lien and Sons project and another project that could affect Craven Canyon in the southern Black Hills.

That’s where a Canadian company, Clean Nuclear Energy Corp., plans to conduct exploratory drilling for uranium on state-owned land located seven miles north of Edgemont. Uranium is the primary ingredient in nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants.

The Black Hills Clean Water Alliance and NDN said Craven Canyon contains 7,000-year-old cultural and historical sites of importance to Indigenous tribes, historians and archeologists.

A representative of Clean Nuclear Energy Corp., Mike Blady, said in email correspondence with South Dakota Searchlight that the proposed exploration area has been explored and mined previously. A letter to the company from state regulators last year said the area is within a quarter-mile of the edge of Craven Canyon, but Blady said the area is over a mile away.

“We are aware of the cultural significance and are doing everything in our power to ensure that there is no collateral damage,” Blady wrote. “We have consulted with the state and federal government as well as hosting an open house for Indigenous groups and are confident that there will not be adverse effects.

Meanwhile, another company, enCore Energy, hopes to mine uranium in the Edgemont area. Its various state and federal mining permit applications have been bogged down in administrative and court appeals for years.

The Clean Nuclear Energy Corp. drilling proposal will be considered by the state Board of Minerals and Environment. The Pete Lien and Sons proposal is under consideration by the supervisor of the Black Hills National Forest. Both proposals are open for public comment.

How to comment

Written comments regarding the Clean Nuclear Energy Corp. proposal must be received by May 14. Comments may be submitted online at https://danr.sd.gov/public/default.aspx by clicking the date under the “Comment deadline” heading for the project, or in writing to the Minerals, Mining, and Superfund Program, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD, 57501-3182.

Comments regarding the Pete Lien and Sons proposal must be received by May 9. Those may be submitted online at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=67838; by mail to the Mystic Ranger District Office, Attn: Rochford Mineral Exploratory Drilling Project, 8221 S. Mount Rushmore Rd., Rapid City, SD, 57702; or by fax at (605) 343-7134.

The locations of Pe’ Sla and Craven Canyon within the Black Hills of western South Dakota.

Photo: Pe’ Sla, or Reynolds Prairie, is a high-elevation Black Hills meadow of sacred importance to Lakota people. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight).

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Related posts

•  Governor Kristi Noem's ‘rhetoric’ vs ‘reality’ regarding BLM proposed public lands rule
•  South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment considering expansion of Black Hills gold mine
•  Charges against Nick Tilsen, Land Defenders for July 3 Mount Rushmore protest dropped 

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Steve Drazkowski: No more wit, pop culture, portmanteaus on Minnesota's road signs

It's been awhile since Bluestem posted anything about Minnesota state senator Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, who once was a staple on this blog.

Take the 2011 post  Those who can't learn from the past are doomed to be Representative Steve Drazkowski.

Or Drazkowski: In age of widening wealth gap, let working people choose to earn less.

Both from his time in the Minnesota House.

A recent article from the Minnesota Reformer reminds me of what my readers and I have been missing.

Minnesota Republican senator: No more wit, pop culture, portmanteaus on our road signs
by J. Patrick Coolican

State Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, offered an amendment to a transportation funding bill Thursday that would mandate the Minnesota Department of Transportation use digital road signs that “convey a clear and simple message without witticisms, colloquialisms, neologisms, portmanteaus, hashtags, electronic or internet shorthand or slang, popular culture references that target or are comprehended by a limited segment of the driving population, or any other message relying on hidden meanings, targeted cultural knowledge, or unconventional syntax to understand the message.”

Drazkowski explained during a floor speech that MnDOT’s use of wit in its safety messages — which he called “Big Brother type messages — is distracting and dangerous.  

He read a few of the digital billboards in use by MnDOT in recent weeks. 

“Only the hot dish should be baked. Don’t drive high.”

“Weed like to remind you that driving high is illegal.”

“Don’t rely on a four-leaf clover. Drive safe and sober.”

The messages compel drivers, Drazkowski said, “to figure out what the message means and having the neurons in your head focusing on that, all the while distracting you as a  driver from the roadway.”

Drazkowski — who opposed the cell phone-while-driving ban in 2019 — cited an article in Science by a University of Minnesota researcher and a colleague, which used data from a Texas study to warn that “cognitive overload” can increase distraction and accidents.

Indeed, NPR reported last year that the federal government has issued recommendations “that states phase out signs that have ‘obscure’ meanings or use pop-culture references that could require drivers ‘greater time to process.'”

State Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart, who is a DFL civil engineer of Wayzata, said on the Senate floor that she’d called friends at MnDOT and been assured the signs are safe and merely a fun way to get the public — and especially children — involved in road safety.

Drazkowski, who has had moments of internet fame, like when he repeated debunked tales about schools providing litter boxes for students who identify as cats, said MnDOT shouldn’t be making the decision: “I did expect my Democrat friends to call the government. It’s one of my frustrations with this place … it’s reflexive: What does the government wanna do?  They just wanna fun. Fun kills at 65 miles per hour.” 

The amendment failed.

At least he's not imagining high school kids identifying as cats these days.

Photo: Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, left, and Doran Clark, DFL-Minneapolis, right, share a moment on the floor during session Wednesday, April 23. (Photo by A.J. Olmscheid/Senate Media via Minnesota Reformer).

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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Governor Larry Rhoden seeks nominations after northeast South Dakota lawmaker resigns

Earlier today, I posted News digest: SD1 Representative Christopher Reder resigns following residency questions.

I live in the district, and so the South Dakota Searchlight news brief below is of great interest to me.

The rumor mill is churning up, but I have yet to hear of a solid nomination.

Governor seeks nominations after northeast South Dakota lawmaker resigns
by Makenzie Huber

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden announced Friday he’s seeking nominations for a new lawmaker to represent District 1 in northeastern South Dakota after Rep. Chris Reder, R-Warner, resigned Thursday.

District 1 includes areas in Brown, Day, Marshall and Roberts counties. Reder was elected to his first term last November and served during the 2025 legislative session. He is a Navy veteran and sat on the House Military and Veterans Affairs, Taxation and Transportation committees.

The two bills he introduced, one of which was signed into law by Rhoden, related to military members and veteran benefits. The new law allows non-South Dakota residents who are veterans to purchase three-day temporary nonresident waterfowl licenses in the state.

Reder announced his resignation through social media on Thursday due to “personal and professional reasons.”

He had faced questions in the news media and on political blogs about his residency status, but did not address that in his resignation announcement.

Another legislative seat opened recently in District 22, which includes areas in Beadle, Spink and Clark counties, when Rhoden selected Sen. David Wheeler, R-Huron, to become a judge. Rhoden will make appointments for the open seats.

Submit a nomination

To submit a nomination for the open state representative seat in District 1, email [email protected] by May 23. Nominations should include the candidate’s name, current physical address, resume, cover letter and letters of recommendation.

Photo:  State Rep. Chris Reder, R-Warner, speaks on the South Dakota House floor on March 6, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight).

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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News digest: SD1 Representative Christopher Reder resigns following residency questions

Back on April 7, Pat Powers at the conservative South Dakota War College asked So where does Representative Chris Reder exactly live in South Dakota at this point?

The next day, he posted More on Rep. Reder’s home in Minnesota – Property noted as “owner occupied.”

The posts raised the residency question provoked by property records for a home near Bagley, Minnesota, owned by South Dakota District 1 Representative Christopher Reder, R-Warner.

As a resident of the district, my interest was piqued, so I called the Clearwater County, Minnesota, assessor to ask about the tax status of the property. Bluestem Prairie reported on my findings in Rep. Reder: What does it mean to own an "owner occupied" home in Clearwater County, MN?,

The post--which established that the "owner occupied" statement meant "homestead," which grants a lower property tax rate for a resident owner--was republished by the War College.

On May 1, Christopher Reder resigned.

At South War College, Powers posted on Thursday, Hub City Radio: Rep. Chris Reder has resigned from South Dakota legislature and Argus Leader: Rep. Christopher Reder resigned after residency question arose.

Here's a digest of news coverage.

Hub City Radio reported in Representative Reder announced he’s resigned from the South Dakota Legislature:

ABERDEEN, S.D.(Press Release)- Representative Christopher Reder announced Thursday that he has resigned as legislator representing District 1.

Here’ is his resignation letter:

“Good afternoon, I am sending out this statement in reference to my decision I took this afternoon, to step down as the South Dakota House of Representatives, District #1 representative. This was not an easy decision but is due to personal and professional reasons.

I represented District #1 to the best of my abilities; I kept my promises and word that I ran on of how I would represent this district. My scorecards show I kept that promise. I read each and every bill personally, listened to my constituents, listened to testimony, researched and tried my best to make an appropriate decision on each topic that represented the best interests of the most voters possible. I did not “block vote” or be told how to vote, I voted only in the best interests of the constituents. I have been able to shed some light on things that maybe the average voter did not know about, the overspending and I hope, the transparency continues.

It was a pleasure to meet so many of the young adults that interned, paged and visited from schools all across District #1. They all had such great questions, and their parents should be extremely proud.

Appropriately as it is Military Appreciation Month, I reflect how I was blessed to be able to work hard with so many of our military members and proudly fought alongside them during this 100th Session. I was Honored to attend the unveiling of the new Capitol POW/MIA display in the Visitors Center. Also, when you enter the Capitol make sure and take in the Medal of Honor Display, and may the sacrifices of our Heroes never be forgotten.

Thank you to all who supported me during the campaign and this 100^th Session, I hope everyone will understand this new direction and provide grace. I look forward to seeing many of you at the DTOM 22/0 Foundation’s Ranches as we continue to offer lifesaving equine therapy and deliver much needed food to Veterans Families in need.”

At the Aberdeen Insider, Scott Waltman reports in Chris Reder resigns from South Dakota Legislature:

.  . . Questions about Reder’s residency were raised in April. Those were posed by conservative blogger Pat Powers of South Dakota War College. Powers said Reder had claimed owner-occupied or “homesteaded” status on property he bought in northwest Minnesota.

Paperwork from the assessor’s office in Minnesota’s Clearwater County seemed to confirm that, listing the 2014 single-family home Reder purchased as “owner-occupied.”

In a Facebook post in April, Reder explained that he was still a Warner area resident, but no longer owned the land that was home to the DTOM Veterans Ranch just north of Warner. He founded the veterans ranch, which also operates on his Minnesota property near Bagley. . . .

Down in Sioux Falls, Dominik Dausch reports for the Argus Leader in A South Dakota lawmaker steps down. He may have been a Minnesota resident for years:

. . .State Rep. Christopher Reder, R-Warner, announced over social media May 1 he no is longer serving in the state legislature, a decision he said he made on the same afternoon of his post.

Reder was elected to represent District 1 along with State Rep. Logan Manhart during the 2024 general election.

Reder had briefly considered stepping down shortly after winning the seat because "unexpected health issues," according to a Nov. 19, 2024 post on his political Facebook page, but the freshman legislator walked back the decision.

But questions around Reder's fitness to serve as a state representative swirled once more when Pat Powers, a Republican blogger, scrutinized the Warner lawmaker's status as a resident of South Dakota in April.

Reder runs a veteran-focused equine therapy nonprofit, the DTOM 22/0 Foundation, or Don't Tread on Me 22/0. The foundation is located in Warner, which is where Reder's voter registration points to. . . .

. . . an Argus Leader investigation uncovered Reder's ties to a similar ranch and home near Bagley, Minnesota, a second location out of which he runs his horse therapy operation.

A search through parcel records in Clearwater County, Minnesota, revealed Reder is the deedholder of a single-family/owner-occupied residence 7 miles south of Bagley. Reder purchased the property on July 7, 2023. . . .

Read the details in the article at the Leader. It's republished over in the Aberdeen News, and the Watertown Public Opinion, USA News sibling papers.

Over at the Dakota Scout, there's Residency scrutiny shadows resignation of freshman lawmaker:

An Aberdeen-area politician in office for less than a year doesn’t plan to return to the state Capitol.

And though state Rep. Chris Reder’s decision to step down as a South Dakota lawmaker — publicly announced Thursday — follows speculation that the 52-year-old is no longer a resident of the territory he was elected to represent last year, the first-term Republican maintains that’s not the impetus for his resignation from his District 1 House seat. . . .

As the sources note, Reder's vacancy will be filled by South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden. Northeastern South Dakota will be spared the drama of a special election.

Photo: Christopher Reder's "owner-occupied" house in rural Bagley. From sales data on the Clearwater County Assessor's website via Bluestem Prairie,  Rep. Reder: What does it mean to own an "owner occupied" home in Clearwater County, MN?.

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More than 12,000 Minnesota kids could lose child care if Trump administration cuts Head Start

Good Lord.

From the Minnesota Reformer.

More than 12,000 Minnesota kids could lose child care if Trump administration cuts Head Start
by Madison McVan

President Donald Trump’s proposed budget is expected to eliminate Head Start, the federal program that provides free or low-cost child care to low-income families.

Head Start serves 12,000 children in Minnesota, mostly in rural areas, said Kraig Gratke, executive director of the Minnesota Head Start Association. Republicans and Democrats alike have supported Head Start. In 2024, Minnesota U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber and dozens of his Republican colleagues wrote a letter to congressional budget leaders urging them to prioritize funding for Head Start. 

Head Start is funded through Sept. 30, but would expire Oct. 1 if Trump’s proposed budget is passed. 

“It’s unconscionable to me to think about taking away critical supports that help families raise their children,” said U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., at a press conference denouncing the proposed cuts.

Minnesota is facing a crisis of child care availability and affordability; the state has some of the highest child care costs in the nation. 

Gratke said Minnesota Head Start is already feeling the impact of cuts. The Department of Health and Human Services closed six regional offices, including one in Chicago, which was Minnesota’s point of contact for Head Start and other federal programs. In early April, many Head Start staffers were laid off. 

Families that qualify for Head Start also qualify for the similar state Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP — so Head Start saves the state around $65 million per year by using federal resources to serve families who would otherwise rely on state assistance, Gratke said. 

Head Start employs 3,200 people in Minnesota. Eight tribal nations have Head Start centers. 

“These are very hard pills to swallow when we’re already dealing with a lot of economic issues and folks are struggling,” Gratke said. Trump is expected to release his full budget proposal as soon as next week.

Photo: From United Community Action Partnership's Early Start's page. The organization serves families in Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Redwood and Renville counties. If that ain't country...

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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SD rises to highest-ever rank in teacher pay: 46th

The headline says it all. 

From the South Dakota Searchlight.

South Dakota rises to its highest-ever rank in teacher pay: 46th
by Makenzie Huber

South Dakota ranks 46th in the nation for average teacher salaries — its highest standing since the National Education Association started ranking states in 1943, according to the South Dakota Education Association.

The state previously reached 47th in the 2019 report for the 2017-18 school year, after South Dakota lawmakers approved a half-cent sales tax increase in 2016. The effort poured millions of dollars into school districts with the intent of raising average teacher salaries.

The state fell to 50th by the 2021 report and ranked 49th in last year’s report.

South Dakota saw one of the greatest jumps in standing this year compared to other states, due to a 6% increase in salaries. During the 2022-23 school year, South Dakota’s average teacher salary stood at $53,153. In the 2023-24 school year, the average teacher made $56,328.

South Dakota Education Association President Loren Paul attributes that to increases in state aid to public education from state lawmakers. Legislators approved a 6% increase in 2022, 7% in 2023 and 4% in 2024. Those infusions were largely due to an influx of federal COVID-19 relief funds into the state budget.

Lawmakers also established a minimum teacher salary for districts and tied teacher compensation requirements to state aid increases during the 2024 legislative session. Both were “strong accountability measures” resulting in “meaningful gains,” Paul said in a news release.

Lawmakers approved a 1.25% increase in education funding this legislative session. The slight increase was approved due to lower-than-anticipated revenue and because COVID funding has run out.

Paul warns the slight increase could cause teacher pay to fall further behind inflation. Adjusted for inflation, South Dakota teachers make less than they did a decade ago.

“While we see moving up in rank as good news, we are concerned that lawmakers will take their feet off the gas and salary increases will stall, forcing many teachers to leave the profession because they can’t pay their bills,” Paul said.

Compared to neighboring states, South Dakota’s average teacher pay of $56,328 remains the lowest this year:

North Dakota: $58,581.Minnesota: $72,430.Iowa: $62,399.Nebraska: $60,239.Wyoming: $63,669.Montana: $57,556.

States that rank lower than South Dakota are Louisiana, West Virginia, Missouri, Florida and Mississippi (there are 51 spots in the rankings, due to the inclusion of Washington, D.C.). Mississippi’s average teacher salary of $53,704 is the nation’s lowest, according to the report, just a 0.7% increase compared to the previous year’s salary.

California reports the highest average salary at $101,084 — a 6.2% increase from last year. Oklahoma saw the largest percent change in its salaries at 10.5%, increasing to 35th ($61,330) from 43rd in the rankings.

South Dakota’s ranking for average starting salary improved to 25th in the nation, at $45,530, which is up from 27th in last year’s report.

Photo: Teacher Stephani Brooks works with a small group of students at Journey Elementary School in Sioux Falls on Dec. 5, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight).

 

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 

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How much is MN paying for undocumented people accessing MinnesotaCare?

Superlative reporting from the Minnesota Reformer's Michelle Griffith.

How much is Minnesota paying for undocumented people accessing MinnesotaCare?
by Michelle Griffith

Minnesota Republicans held a press conference last week claiming that a program allowing undocumented people to receive free or discounted health insurance would cost the state over $600 million over four years.

State data show the figure is a wild exaggeration, however. 

The Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2023 made undocumented immigrants eligible for MinnesotaCare — the state’s health insurance program for the working poor — as of Jan. 1, 2025.

Nearly 17,400 undocumented people have enrolled in MinnesotaCare. The program is fee-for-service, meaning the state only pays claims after services are administered.

The Department of Human Services in a statement said it had 3,378 claims for service, costing Minnesota about $3.3 million as of April 1 during the first quarter. The state budget office projects the cost for the next four years would be around $200 million — or one-third the GOP estimate. 

As for now, DHS says per-enrollee spending is below projections.

“The number of enrollees is currently higher than what was expected, however the amount spent per person is currently lower than what was originally expected,” a department spokesperson said. DHS cautioned that one quarter is not enough data to reliably predict expenditures for the next four years.

What is MinnesotaCare?

MinnesotaCare was created in 1992 to help close the gap in coverage for low-income families who make more than the income threshold for Medicaid, which is called Medical Assistance in Minnesota.

Uninsured Minnesotans who are not eligible for Medical Assistance and have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines can qualify for MinnesotaCare. This applies for undocumented people as well, as of Jan. 1.

Some MinnesotaCare enrollees pay a monthly premium, and the program is funded by a combination of payments from the state, taxes on hospitals and other health care providers and enrollee premium payments.

Under the expansion, many undocumented people receiving MinnesotaCare pay a monthly premium, similar to other residents who receive health care through the program. The premium is based on income and the number of family members in the household. If a person fails to pay the premium, their coverage is canceled.

The federal government kicks in money to pay for MinnesotaCare, but not the portion for undocumented people. 

Minnesota hospital leaders have publicly supported expanding insurance access because it increases the number of paying patients and encourages people to seek preventative care before ailments become more costly, like if they were to seek emergency services.

Federal law requires hospitals to care for all patients who walk through their doors, regardless of whether they are able to pay or their immigration status. The Minnesota Hospital Association has said that revoking MinnesotaCare for undocumented people could make such care more expensive for hospitals across the state.

“Such a change won’t block health care for undocumented immigrants,” the Minnesota Hospital Association said in a February social media post.

Republicans are opposed to the program and have made cutting it one of their top priorities this session. 

“It’s wrong when a person takes an oath of office to serve their constituents and to help them, but they instead prioritize illegal immigrants over their law-abiding constituents,” said Rep. Jeff Backer, R-Browns Valley and co-chair of the Health finance committee, at a press conference last week.

Sen. Alice Mann, DFL-Edina and chief author of the 2023 MinnesotaCare expansion bill, said Republicans have lied to Minnesotans about the program. 

“Republicans are telling you that if we take away people’s health care, that’s gonna fix the problem. Those are absolute lies, and it was egregious what they said. They are taking our crumbling health care system and they’re blaming it on immigrants,” Mann said at a rally last week.

Leaders of the Health Finance and Policy Committee are deadlocked in budget negotiations, in part over the MinnesotaCare issue.

The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn May 19 and must pass a budget by June 30 or face a government shutdown.

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Photo: Swiped from Portico Healthnet. As the organization notes on its webpage: "More Minnesotans can now get free or lower cost health insurance regardless of immigration status. Portico is here to help."

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Keri Heintzeman wins special election for Minnesota Senate District 6 seat

Well, that's over. 

From the Minnesota Reformer.

Keri Heintzeman wins special election for Minnesota Senate seat
by Michelle Griffith

Keri Heintzeman, director of President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District and the wife of state Rep. Josh Heintzeman, easily won Tuesday’s special election for Senate District 6.

Unofficial election returns show Heintzeman won the special election by double digit percentage points.

Heintzeman will replace former Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned last month following his arrest on federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

Senate District 6 includes Grand Rapids and the Brainerd Lakes region.

In a statement, Heintzeman’s campaign said she won the special election by aligning “with the policies championed by President Trump.”

“This victory is a testament to the power of conservative values and the enduring spirit of our community,” Heintzeman said in a statement. “As your senator, I will fight tirelessly to protect our freedoms, reduce government overreach, and ensure that every tax dollar is spent wisely.”

Once Heintzeman is sworn in, the Minnesota Senate will return to a 34-33 slim Democratic majority.

In addition to her political work, Heintzeman helps homeschool her six children.

Unofficial returns show a strong turnout for a special election, with Heintzeman receiving over 12,000 votes and her Democratic-Farmer-Labor opponent Denise Slipy receiving over 8,000 votes.

Photo:  Keri Heintzeman knocked on doors and distributed lawn signs in Brainerd before a candidate forum in Baxter on April 8, 2025. (Glen Stubbe/Minnesota Reformer)

This Minnesota Reformer article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 

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[VIDEO] Minnesota poised to honor veterans of 'Secret War' in Laos in finance, policy bill

By most definitions, the Vietnam War ended for Americans fifty years ago today, the final U.S. helicopter left the U.S. embassy in Saigon.

From the Minnesota House Information Services' Session Daily, a story in which a veterans' community and their descendants speak eloquently for themselves. 

Minnesota poised to honor veterans of 'Secret War' in wide-ranging finance, policy bill that passes House
by Mike Cook, Session Daily

In a highly partisan environment, the omnibus veterans and military affairs finance and policy bill traditionally supersedes party lines.

That continues in 2025.

Sponsored by Rep. Matt Bliss (R-Pennington), who co-chairs the House Veterans and Military Affairs Division with Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul), HF2444/SF1959* received House approval on a 126-6 vote Tuesday. As amended, it now returns to the Senate — which passed its version 65-0 April 23 — for concurrence. A conference committee will likely need to work out the differences.

“Our veterans deserve more than symbolic gestures; they deserve real and lasting change. This bill should not leave any veteran behind, not on a battlefield and certainly not in the systems that should support them when they return home,” Xiong said.

Fifty years ago Wednesday, the final U.S. helicopter left the U.S. embassy in Saigon, marking an end to the American presence in Vietnam.

The bill would honor the sacrifices made by elders of Minnesota’s Hmong community, who fought on behalf of the United States during the Secret War, a period of covert U.S. military intervention in Laos, primarily during the Vietnam War.

The bill calls for veteran status under state law to certain people who served with secret guerilla units or other irregular forces in Laos: naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 or whom the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined served honorably with a special guerrilla unit or other irregular forces from a base in Laos in support of the United States and is now a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. An advisory task force would be created to develop criteria to determine a person’s eligibility for “Veteran of the Secret War in Laos” status.

“This bill is to restore the spirit, the dignity and the honor of these men that have not been recognized for too long. … It is time that we recognize and honor these brave men who put their lives on the line for democracy at a time when democracy was hope to those in Southeast Asia,” Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL-Woodbury) said at a pre-session news conference.

Here's that press conference:

Added Xiong: “Today we say their service matters, their sacrifice matters.”

Among other policy provisions, the bill would:

• increase the maximum bonded indebtedness allowed for the State Armory Building Commission from $15 million to $45 million;
• add 5% of servicemember base pay as a pension offset for those activated for state active duty;
• align state law with federal laws governing eligibility and fees for burial in veteran’s cemeteries;
• let surviving spouses of servicemembers who died because of their military service to remain eligible to use the servicemember’s education benefits even if the surviving spouse remarries;
• require the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent Minnesota veterans from dying by suicide and report to the Legislature by Feb. 15, 2026;
• extend the Department of Veterans Affairs’ read-only access to MAXIS, a computer system used to determine eligibility for public assistance; and
• require placement of a memorial plaque in the Court of Honor to recognize the service and sacrifices of Minnesota’s Gold Star and Blue Star families. An adopted amendment would ensure the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board selects a submitted design to use as a basis for final production and the board must include the veterans affairs commissioner on the design review committee.

An amendment was unsuccessfully offered by Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL-Mpls) to require federal accreditation of for-profit veterans benefit services providers and prohibit such providers from making a benefit guarantee. The want is in the governor’s budget proposal.

Rep. Bjorn Olson (R-Fairmont) said the language can continue to be worked on in conference committee to satisfy all parties.

“We will ensure veterans are cared for while closing the window to veterans benefit fraud without slamming the door on individuals who are here to help our veterans receive the benefits they have earned and they deserve.”

From a monetary standpoint, the bill calls for $319.72 million in 2026-27 biennial spending, a $5 million increase over February base, and just 10% of increases the Military Affairs and Veterans Affairs departments sought.

The Department of Veterans Affairs would get an additional net $4.38 million that includes some current funding being rearranged; the Department of Military Affairs would receive a $599,000 operating adjustment.

For the former, the bill calls for an $11.64 million operating adjustment increase for veterans homes; $2.2 million for an increase in suicide prevention programming; $500,000 to increase Metro Meals on Wheels funding for veterans who don’t qualify for other forms of financial assistance; $500,000 for the Lutheran Social Services CORE program to provide home-delivered meals to veterans in Minnesota outside of Hennepin and Ramsey counties and technical, enrollment, outreach, and volunteer recruitment assistance to member programs; and $120,000 to appoint and train three subject matter experts — women veterans, veteran suicide, and justice-involved veteran technical assistance coordinators — to serve as a resource to county veterans service officers.

[MORE: Download the spreadsheet]

But the bill also comes with a couple proposed Department of Veterans Affairs cuts: $10 million for programs to reduce veteran homelessness and $700,000 by eliminating two direct grants in its base funding.

“We prioritized, for the first time in a veterans’ bill, veteran suicide. Our veteran suicide rate has not gotten any better, and has actually getting worse,” Bliss said. “Homelessness has been declared as near functional zero. We must do the same for suicide.”

I agree with those who objected to the cuts funding to reduce veteran homelessness.

Watch the MN House floor presentation on the Secret War Veterans below:

Photo: Rep. Ethan Cha discusses a provision in the omnibus veterans and military affairs finance and policy bill during an April 29 news conference that would grant veteran status under state law to certain people who served with secret guerilla units or other irregular forces in Laos in Special Guerrilla Units during the Secret War in Laos. (Photo by Michele Jokinen/ Minnesota House Information Services).

Session Daily articles are available for republishing by other news outlets.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. 

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State of South Dakota offering free PFAS cleanup to local fire departments, schools

A quick read from South Dakota Searchlight that's a slice of good, clean news. The use of firefighting foam induced Type 1 Diabetes in a friend who used it professionally, so I'm pleased to learn firefighters in South Dakota won't have to suffer the same fate.

From South Dakota Searchlight.

State offering free PFAS cleanup to local fire departments, schools
by John Hult

The state of South Dakota will spend up to $250,000 to clear PFAS chemicals from local areas in the coming year.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” break down at an exceedingly slow rate in the natural environment. They’re found in products like nonstick cookware, water-resistant items like umbrellas or rain jackets, and cleaning products, among other items. 

Concerns about their prevalence in the environment and their impacts on human health have grown steadily in recent years, as they’ve been discovered in drinking water, fish and food packaging.

PFAS are also found in a kind of firefighting foam that’s fallen out of favor, but fire departments around the U.S., including in South Dakota, still have some and need to dispose of it.

The South Dakota Board of Water and Natural Resources awarded a $250,000 Solid Waste Management grant to the state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) last month to help communities collect and dispose of some PFAS sources. The citizen-led water resources board evaluates projects and signs off on funding through the solid waste program.

The grant will allow fire departments with PFAS foam, or schools whose science labs may still have chemicals, to summon the department’s contractor to collect and safely dispose of them at an out-of-state location. The state will also reach out directly to agencies, and has begun to contact fire departments, airports, and other public entities by phone to find out if they have PFAS for disposal.

The money comes from the Inspection, Compliance, and Remediation program, funded by a mix of fuel tank inspection fees and the sale of lottery tickets. Typically, cleanup grants through the program cover 80% of cleanup costs, with the entity requesting cleanup expected to cover the rest.

The South Dakota Legislature approved Senate Bill 33 this year to let DANR put $250,000 of program funds toward PFAS cleanups with no local match.

Andy Bruels with the DANR told the water resources board in March that a previous PFAS cleanup a few years ago cleaned up “a fair amount of material.” The contractor hauled it out of state for disposal, as typical landfills can’t adequately prevent the chemicals from continued seepage into the environment.

The legislation also allowed for the grants to be used in waste tire cleanup, but Bruels said the primary focus will be PFAS and that it’s unlikely much will be left for that secondary purpose.

Photo: Firefighting foam, used at airports and military bases, has been identified as a source of toxic PFAS chemicals. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fire Administration/ via South Dakota Searchlight).

This South Dakota Searchlight article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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• PFAS in South Dakota News: Brooking 3M plant contamination; firefighting foam related illnesses burden for Rushmore State veterans
• Proposed federal EPA PFAS regulation could cost South Dakota millions for testing, cleanup 

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South Dakota News Watch poll: Johnson, Rhoden set pace in South Dakota governor's race

Former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem was term limited, so reportage similar to the new article below from South Dakota News Watch was coming even if she hadn't taken off for the bright lights of Washington D.C.

Speaking for myself, I can't predict who will be the Republican gubernatorial candidate on the 2026 general election, given the topsy-turvy nature of Republican Party politics in South Dakota. Should be an interesting show.

From South Dakota News Watch.

Poll: Johnson, Rhoden set pace in South Dakota governor's race
by Stu Whitney, South Dakota News Watch

Early voter support in the 2026 Republican primary race for South Dakota governor is focused on U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and incumbent Gov. Larry Rhoden, according to a poll of 500 registered GOP voters co-sponsored by South Dakota News Watch.

But an expected crowded field could complicate the path to victory in the primary, with 35% of the vote needed to avoid a runoff election.

The statewide survey, also sponsored by the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, showed Johnson at 28% and Rhoden at 27%, with Attorney General Marty Jackley at 18%.

Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden polled at 4%, followed by South Dakota Speaker of the House Jon Hansen at 2%.

The number of respondents who said they were undecided was 20%. That underscores the early nature of a race in which Hansen, a Dell Rapids lawyer and anti-abortion advocate, is the only one to have officially declared his candidacy.

Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy conducted the poll of registered Republican voters April 9-11, using random selections from a telephone-matched state voter registration list that included both landline and cellphone numbers. The margin of error was no more than 4.5 percentage points.

Here are key takeaways as candidates begin planning their campaigns:

Money talks for 'leading candidate'

Johnson, elected to a fourth term in Congress in 2024, has $5.9 million in his “Friends of Dusty Johnson” campaign committee as of last filing and can shift that money toward a state race. His intention to run for governor has been well-known in state political circles for some time.

Combined with name recognition and decades of political experience, Johnson's campaign fund makes the 48-year-old Pierre native a major player in the governor's race, even with an incumbent in the field.

"I'm grateful to be the leading candidate for governor in the early going, but my focus is on working for our country," Johnson told News Watch in reaction to the poll. "We've got a narrow window to secure conservative wins in Washington, and I plan to keep delivering. I'll worry about the next race later."

Mindful that other Republicans will try to portray him as too moderate or not sufficiently loyal to President Donald Trump, Johnson has aligned himself with Trump on numerous issues in 2025, including tariffs, federal spending cuts and a potential takeover of the Panama Canal.

The poll showed that Trump carries a 68% favorability rating among South Dakota Republicans voters, compared to 52% for Johnson and 40% for Rhoden.

At times Johnson has taken a more centrist tone, introducing a Wounded Knee Massacre site bill in Congress that would preserve a section of the land where hundreds of Lakota Indians were massacred by the U.S. Army in 1890.

Rhoden needs to raise money, sell vision

Rhoden, a 66-year-old Meade County rancher, is a former state legislator who served as lieutenant governor to former Gov. Kristi Noem. He took the top job in late January when Noem was confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in the Trump administration.

The latest campaign filing from his “Rhoden for Governor” campaign committee shows a balance of about $91,000. His ability to sell donors on his vision for another term and raise cash quickly will determine his viability in the race.

Julia Hellwege, an associate political science professor at USD and director of the Chiesman Center, said that Noem's departure and Rhoden's ascension to the top job "threw a wrench" into the race by allowing him to run as an incumbent.

"It sort of changed the landscape for the other candidates," said Hellwege.

The poll showed that 40% of respondents had a neutral view of Rhoden, compared to 23% for Johnson. Also, 13% didn't recognize the governor's name, more than half of those who hadn't heard of Johnson (6%).

Establishing a political identity separate from Noem, a challenge when taking office in the midst of a legislative session, will be a priority for Rhoden. The governor has heralded a pro-business approach as part of his "Open for Opportunity" tour, hoping to impress top-level donors with an eye toward 2026.

Like Johnson, he is widely expected to run but has not formally entered the race.

"I’ve been receiving a lot of encouragement from South Dakotans to keep doing the job of governor," Rhoden told News Watch in reaction to the poll. "Sandy (his wife) and I are encouraged by this information — but campaigns are too long and a distraction from public service. South Dakota is a great state, and I’m focused on doing my job serving the people as governor."

Rhoden draws well-balanced support

The poll showed that male voters support Rhoden (31%) over Johnson (28%) and Jackley (17%), while Johnson has the early lead among female voters at 29%, followed by Rhoden at 22% and Jackley at 19%.

There’s also a geographical divide. Johnson leads in the Sioux Falls Metro region (Minnehaha and Lincoln counties) with 34%, with Rhoden at 26% and Jackley at 18%. Among West River voters, Rhoden has the edge at 27%, followed by Johnson (24%) and Jackley (23%).

Hellwege noted that Rhoden stayed consistent among all four quadrants of the state, with each region between 26% and 29% in his favor, a balance that she said he could build on. Johnson showed a 10-point dip the Sioux Falls Metro (34%) and West River (24%).

Johnson has the highest share of young voters supporting him, with 35% of GOP respondents aged 18-34 saying they would vote for him if the election were held today, followed by Rhoden (32%) and Jackley (14%).

Jackley surprised by third-place result

Jackley told News Watch that he was surprised by his third-place standing in the poll, 10 points behind the leader.

The 54-year-old Sturgis native has about $520,000 in his campaign fund and is well-established in South Dakota's political and legal communities. He previously ran for governor in 2018, losing in the Republican primary to Noem.

Jackley, who has professional ties to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, will work to build momentum with endorsements and support from groups such as the National Association of Attorneys General, of which he serves as vice president.

He has scheduled a major fundraiser for May 5 at the Arrowhead Country Club in Rapid City.

"I continue to receive encouragement to run for governor from South Dakotans who want a common sense conservative in the race," Jackley told News Watch. "But right now I’m focused on keeping our streets safe and leading the fight against government corruption.”

Michael Card, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of South Dakota, also expressed surprise at Jackley's standing in the poll.

"There's a lot of time left, but I thought he would be a lot closer to Johnson and Rhoden," said Card. "Rhoden is 5 points ahead of him West River, where he should be strong, and he's not really in consideration in Sioux Falls Metro and East River/South, where he's below the number of undecideds. It shows that crime or personal safety may not be the issue that's on people's minds right now."

Hansen, Doeden unknown to most voters

Hansen, who announced his candidacy along with running mate Karla Lems on April 24 in Sioux Falls, is well-known to political insiders as a force behind defeating the 2024 constitutional amendment to legalize abortion in South Dakota.

The 39-year-old property rights advocate rose to the office of House speaker as part of a populist surge in Pierre stemming from the 2024 GOP primary elections.

The News Watch poll showed he has a lot of work to do to translate those efforts into a viable statewide campaign. In a section of the survey used to gauge favorability, 54% of Republican voters surveyed didn't recognize Hansen's name.

The poll was taken before his campaign kickoff event at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance, where Hansen vowed to reduce government waste and corruption in support of "grassroots patriots from all across the state."

Name identity is also a problem for Doeden, whose Dakota First Action PAC helped boost anti-carbon pipeline efforts and send populist candidates to the state Legislature.

Doeden can self-fund campaign efforts with resources from his car dealerships and real estate holdings, but his social media outreach hasn't boosted his profile to casual voters. Nearly 60% of poll respondents did not recognize his name.

History has shown that hard-right candidates can make waves in South Dakota Republican primaries, such as Taffy Howard's 41% performance in the 2022 U.S. House race against Johnson. But there is typically a ceiling to such support.

"Both (Hansen and Doeden) have advantages with the MAGA (Make America Great Again) branch of the Republican Party," said Card. "But that also means that they have people who won't support them because of that perspective."

Noem, Thune lead in SD favorability

The poll also shed light on the popularity and name recognition of South Dakota politicians among Republican voters.

Noem, who served as governor from 2019-2025 before leaving for her Cabinet position, had a favorable rating of 61%, which puts her at the top of the list. The 53-year-old Castlewood native also had the highest unfavorable rating at 25%.

Mason-Dixon polling allows for a neutral response (neither favorable or unfavorable). Only 14% of respondents had a neutral opinion of the former governor.

Noem's job performance as Homeland secretary was part of a separate statewide poll that News Watch will release April 29.

The next highest favorability rating (56%) among GOP voters belonged to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has worked closely with the Trump administration since the president took office. Thune’s unfavorable rating was the lowest among those polled, at 8.6%.

Thune was followed in favorability by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (53%), who is expected to run to keep his Senate seat in 2026. He was followed by Jackley (53%), Johnson (52%), Rhoden (40%), Hansen (12%) and Doeden (10%).

The poll showed Johnson with an unfavorable rating of 19% within the party, compared to 7% for Rhoden and 10% for Jackley.

"There's always the inside-the-GOP question about some voters' concerns about Dusty, which he has tried to address with symbolic support of Trump," said Hellwege. "I think there's also an inherent mistrust of Washington and members of Congress generally, which could be part of what we're seeing."

This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they're published. Contact Stu Whitney at [email protected].

Photo: Gubernatorial frontrunner and current US Congress member for South Dakota, Dusty Johnson. From South Dakota News Watch.

This South Dakota News Watch article is republished online with the SD News Watch's permission.

Related posts

• News digest: no surprise in deep red Rushmore State as Trump polls well in South Dakota 
• Poll shows South Dakota voters question integrity of elections; South Dakota War College names rise of election truthers #1 2023 story

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. 

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6