Danielle Ferguson

Danielle Ferguson

Danielle Ferguson, investigative reporter, lives in Sioux Falls. She grew up in Salem and previously worked as a watchdog reporter at the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

Spike in suicides in South Dakota causing fears of emerging mental-health crisis

A significant spike in the number of suicides in South Dakota in the first three months of 2021 has put the state on pace for a record year for suicide deaths and has prevention experts worried that a long-range mental-health crisis may be emerging. New data from the state Department

Successful opioid addiction treatment slow to catch on in South Dakota

South Dakotans battling addiction to opioids are increasingly relying on medication-assisted treatments to overcome their cravings for the dangerous drugs and to avoid potentially deadly overdoses. However, access to the life-saving medications is limited in South Dakota and some physicians in the state are reluctant to prescribe the drugs that

Daycare limits putting financial and logistical hardships on South Dakota families

A major decline in the availability of affordable child-care options in South Dakota has prevented some parents from entering the workforce and created financial and emotional hardships for low-income families and single parents trying to balance work and daycare needs. Thousands of available daycare slots for children in South Dakota

Worker shortage in South Dakota could raise wages but deter economic growth

South Dakota businesses in the midst of a vigorous post-pandemic economic recovery are scrambling to attract new employees from what has become a limited pool of potential workers. The vast number of open positions and reduced available workforce are the latest wrinkles in the state economy caused by the COVID-19

Economists: Eliminating sales tax on food would aid low-income families in South Dakota

Economists: Eliminating sales tax on food would aid low-income families in South Dakota

Charging sales tax on food purchases is regressive by nature but is especially unfair to low-income South Dakotans who already spend a disproportionate amount of their income to meet basic needs, two prominent South Dakota economists said. Eliminating the sales tax on groceries could help alleviate some of the financial

Experts urge youth vaccinations, but COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is strong in South Dakota

Healthcare professionals say vaccinating young people against COVID-19 this summer is critical to reaching herd immunity against the virus and to protect youth against potentially devastating long-term effects of the virus. But many teenagers in South Dakota and other states have been slow to warm to vaccination, with some facing

Frenzied housing market putting homeownership out of reach for some South Dakotans

Historically low interest rates, a rush of out-of-state homebuyers, limited inventory and higher construction prices for new homes have made for a frenzied housing market that has put homeownership further out of reach for some South Dakota residents. The highly competitive housing market is leading to a range of outcomes