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Matt McCaulley: Sioux Falls lawyer has become a behind-the-scenes power broker in Pierre

PIERRE, S.D. – For someone who doesn’t hold elected office, attorney Matt McCaulley of Sioux Falls has amassed a significant amount of political clout, and he is among the most influential people in Pierre during South Dakota’s annual legislative sessions. Throughout his more than 14 years of lobbying,

Municipal growth and rural utility rates at stake in SD electricity squabble

A long, simmering battle between electricity providers in South Dakota is coming to a head as the 2020 legislative session winds down, and at stake is the potential for faster economic growth in some cities versus the possibility of higher electric rates for rural residents. The debate is raging between

Land ownership question hovers over $185M Sioux Falls redevelopment plan

Questions about the ownership of a strip of land within the Sioux Steel Co. site in downtown Sioux Falls has created a new, unexpected hurdle for the proposed $185 million redevelopment of the property. The land in question was once a channel of the Big Sioux River and has ownership

South Dakota News Watch wins grant to report on Native American issues

South Dakota News Watch has been accepted into a national grant and educational program that will enable News Watch to expand its coverage of the Native American community in South Dakota throughout 2020. In February, News Watch was one of 12 journalism organizations selected for participation in the Solutions Journalism

SD hunter residency investigation and arrest create ‘nightmare’ for retired combat veteran

The legal language describing who qualifies as a South Dakota resident when it comes to in-state hunting privileges is laid out in state law, but the real-world definition is now murkier than ever.

California energy firm will turn SD farm wastes into usable natural gas

A new industry launching in South Dakota will use manure from dairy farms to generate usable natural gas, creating a new income stream for some South Dakota farmers and reducing greenhouse gas emissions along the way. California-based renewable energy company Brightmark Energy announced plans on Feb. 5 to capture, refine

Concerns arise that new SD electronic bill monitoring system makes state government less transparent

A new online system for drafting, co-sponsoring and tracking bills through the South Dakota Legislature has some people concerned that the modernized system has made the legislative process less transparent and has removed some of the human element from lawmaking. State officials said the new system was needed to update