Bart Pfankuch

Bart Pfankuch

Title: content director; expertise: agriculture, state government, education, rural issues, Indigenous people, poverty; language spoken: English; contact: 605-937-9398 / bart.pfankuch@sdnewswatch.org

Wave of nursing home closures hitting small South Dakota communities

Wave of nursing home closures hitting small South Dakota communities

The health and stability of some of South Dakota’s most vulnerable residents are being threatened by a wave of closures of long-term care facilities across the state. Three nursing homes closed over the past three years and two more are slated for closure by February. Another 17 former Golden

More than $19 million paid to South Dakota farmers for tariff losses

South Dakota farmers recently received $19.4 million in payments from the federal government to offset losses due to an ongoing international trade war that has devastated two major agricultural industries in the state – soybeans and hogs. An agriculture industry official said that the emergency payments may help some farmers

After 10 years in prison, woman vows to end meth addiction

After 10 years in prison, woman vows to end meth addiction

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The turbulent path that led Athanasia Comer of Sioux Falls to a life of drinking, drugs and a decade behind bars can be traced to the moment when she was 11 and her stepfather appeared in her bedroom naked. Though he had been verbally and physically

Woman forges new future with family, not meth

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The lowest, most frightening point of Brandi Snow-Fly’s 15-year methamphetamine addiction wasn’t getting arrested, going to prison or losing custody of her children. The bottom came when Snow-Fly was in California several years ago, on the back end of a 5-month meth bender during

At age 60, madness of meth still haunts woman

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – In addiction parlance, it’s often said that an alcoholic or drug user must “hit rock bottom” before they can finally lift themselves to sobriety. For Teresa Peratt of Sioux Falls, the trauma throughout her life was so great – and her addiction and drug use so

Hot Springs woman hid addiction but found misery

HOT SPRINGS, S.D. – Throughout her 10-year addiction to methamphetamines, Valerie Henry always told herself she was better than the other hard-core meth addicts she encountered. Born and raised in a middle-class family in the tourism town of Hot Springs, S.D., Henry was brought up with a strong moral

Meth addiction takes toll on South Dakota women

Meth addiction takes toll on South Dakota women

PIERRE, S.D. – The scourge of methamphetamine addiction continues to ravage South Dakota and thousands of its residents and families. Statistics from the state Attorney General’s Office reveal that the meth epidemic has worsened in recent years. In 2017, a total of 3,390 people were arrested on meth-related