Health

Outdoor recreation in SD sees big boost during pandemic

South Dakota’s billion-dollar outdoor recreation economy boomed in 2020, providing a much-needed economic boost in several business sectors while giving hope to wildlife management agencies that they can reverse a long-term decline in the number of licensed hunters and anglers. As movie theaters closed, concerts were canceled, stores shut

Colleges part 5: Town Hall panelists push for greater degree access for all

Colleges part 5: Town Hall panelists push for greater degree access for all

South Dakota’s colleges and universities face a delicate balancing act as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout, a group of state higher education officials said during a virtual town hall meeting held Dec. 17. One major theme emerged from the town hall: that in order to maintain

Colleges part 3: Students cross hurdles while learning during a pandemic

As part of its in-depth look at the state of higher education in the state, South Dakota News Watch made contact with students who experienced learning during a pandemic close up. Here are three of their stories. Making frugal financial choices Sydney Becker, 19, is a graduate of Lincoln High

Colleges part 2: Pandemic puts college degree out of reach for more South Dakotans

The COVID-19 pandemic has further lowered the ability of low-income and minority students in South Dakota, including Native Americans, to enroll in college, obtain a degree and gain the lifelong financial and upward mobility benefits that come with higher education. Education experts in South Dakota and around the country are

Colleges at a crossroads: Pandemic creates new challenges and highlights historic concerns

Colleges and universities across South Dakota were facing long-range financial, logistical and access challenges even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Enrollment was falling, state financial support for public universities was dropping, and rising tuition led to high loan burdens for many students and reduced access to obtaining a degree for

COVID-19 vaccine distribution will be challenging in South Dakota

Ensuring widespread distribution, usage and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in South Dakota will be challenging, health experts say, due to the rural nature of the state, the difficulty in storing and distributing doses of the vaccine and concerns that some people will be reluctant to be vaccinated. South Dakota

Some COVID patients flown out of state as SD hospital ICU capacity dwindles

South Dakota’s largest hospitals are at or above their capacity to care for critically ill COVID-19 patients, forcing some of the sickest patients to be flown out of state to receive care. The strain of a months-long surge in coronavirus cases has reduced hospital capacity to care for those