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Statewide poll shows referendum on recreational marijuana legalization in SD could fail in November

Statewide poll shows referendum on recreational marijuana legalization in SD could fail in November

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles based on a July 2022 statewide poll conducted by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, and is the latest segment in the ongoing “South Dakota Matters” series of

New poll: Majority of South Dakotans oppose total ban on abortion and want voters, not lawmakers, to make the rules

New poll: Majority of South Dakotans oppose total ban on abortion and want voters, not lawmakers, to make the rules

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles based on a July 2022 statewide poll conducted by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, and is the latest segment in the ongoing “South Dakota Matters” series of

Burn pit legislation passed by Congress, but challenges await veterans needing care

Burn pit legislation passed by Congress, but challenges await veterans needing care

Combat veterans in South Dakota are encouraged by new legislation in Congress to expand treatment and benefits for soldiers exposed to toxic burn pits during deployment overseas, but questions remain about the federal government’s ability to effectively provide the needed health care. Those questions partly explain why Republican senators

Fraudulent farmers live lavishly until caught

BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. – Farmers and brokers who commit organic grain fraud have shown a propensity to spend big money on lavish lifestyles until the authorities catch up with them. When Belle Fourche organic grain broker Kent Duane Anderson turned to fraud, he made millions of dollars and used the

Fraud and weak USDA oversight chip away at integrity of organic food industry

Trey Wharton of Sioux Falls has made numerous sacrifices in his life in order to maintain a healthful lifestyle centered around a vegan diet and consistent consumption of organic foods. To afford organic products that are sometimes double or triple the cost of conventionally grown foods, Wharton works two jobs,

New, more contagious COVID-19 variant pushing infection rates back up in South Dakota

The emergence of the latest COVID-19 variant, which makes up nearly 80% of new cases nationally, is raising additional health concerns due to its ability to infect people even if they are vaccinated or have had a prior infection, and health officials are increasingly recommending precautions such as masking indoors

South Dakota’s 24/7 Sobriety program could be rolled out nationwide

A zero-tolerance testing approach to reducing drunken driving and other alcohol-related crimes that started in South Dakota could broaden its reach nationally, despite concerns from critics that it restricts the constitutional rights of some participants. The 24/7 Sobriety program, pioneered by former South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long, requires