There might be a discussion about a data center in Clay County or surrounding Vermillion. Not much is known but more details are on the way tomorrow.
Winds in excess of 130 mph hit north-central South Dakota early Monday, breaking records and causing significant damage.
The National Weather Service Aberdeen office reported a 131 mph wind gust in Highmore in Hyde County. Photos posted by multiple media outlets show numerous trees uprooted, roofs ripped off buildings, grain silos folded in and downed wind turbines.
The NWS had issued a severe thunderstorm warning at the time of the storm, and it would be the highest recorded thunderstorm wind gust (not from a tornado or derecho) since 1983. The NWS confirmed the winds did not come from a tornado.
Meanwhile, a tornado was reported 2 miles south of Andover. No injuries were reported.
If the 131 mph gust is verified, it would be the 15th-strongest thunderstorm wind gust ever recorded in the United States and second-highest gust in South Dakota. In 2010, winds of 142 mph were measured in Lantry (Dewey County).
This fact brief responds to claims such as this one.
The Washington Post, Why a 131-mph wind gust in South Dakota caught my attention
Aberdeen National Weather Service office Facebook page, Wind summary for June 29 storms
KELO-TV, Early morning storm impacting area Monday
Aberdeen Insider, Aberdeen spared as two tornados, gusts as high as 131 mph recorded
Meteorologist Max Velocity, Facebook Post
A four-person team of paddlers from the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” launched an ambitious attempt on Tuesday to set a new speed record on the Missouri River, taking on its full length in a continuous ultra-endurance effort.
The challenge for the Missouri River Speed Record team is to travel the entire course of the Missouri River — from its headwaters near Three Forks, Montana, in the Rocky Mountains to its confluence with the Mississippi River near St. Louis — as fast as possible in a 23-foot-long canoe made of a strong and durable synthetic fiber and full of the weight of four men and various pieces of equipment.
“We’re not just trying to go fast — we’re trying to do everything right for thousands of miles,” said 50-year-old Scott Miller of Minneapolis, who is the team captain. “The Missouri is unpredictable. Wind, heat and nearly 1,000 miles of reservoirs with little to no current all stack up.”
He said the Missouri River presents a uniquely complex challenge. In addition to its length, paddlers must contend with large reservoirs, flowing river sections, wind-driven waves, commercial barge traffic and multiple dam portages. Also, summer conditions can include extreme heat, strong headwinds and rapidly changing water levels.
“We know that we’ll run into some big storms,” Miller said. “We know we’ll have high winds. We know in places we’ll probably have low water because there wasn’t a ton of snow in the mountains. What there was melted off pretty early, so we’ll probably be hitting bottom and hitting sand and rocks in places (and) dealing with the big winds and waves on the reservoirs, but it’s not catastrophically low. We’re happy about that. We think we can get through. When the storms come and the big winds and waves come, we’ve got strategies for dealing with that, including going to shore and taking cover as needed.”
The Missouri River Speed Record team’s effort brings together experienced endurance paddlers, a coordinated ground support crew and a plan built around river conditions, dam portages and changing weather patterns.
Miller previously led a squad who set a Guinness World Record for the fastest paddle down the Mississippi River in 2023. He is joined this year in a canoe on the Missouri River by three other Minnesotans: Scott Duffus, 69, of Owatonna; Curt Leitz, 55, of Duluth; and Lada Zednik, 42, of Rockford. They will paddle in rotating shifts to maintain near-continuous forward progress.
“I would say we can only control what we’re able to control,” Leitz said. “Personally, I don’t pay any attention to forecasts beyond five days, and we know that there are going to be times when we have to adapt, improvise and overcome, so we’re just going to roll with it.”
A dedicated support crew — using both motorboats and shore vehicles — will assist at key access points along the river, providing food, equipment, safety oversight and real-time adjustments as conditions evolve. A film crew from Montana-based Wilderness Mindset is documenting the journey.
At more than 2,340 miles, the Missouri River is generally considered the longest river in North America, touching seven states — including South Dakota and Nebraska — as it meanders through the heart of the United States.
The Missouri River Speed Record team will attempt to break the longstanding “Fastest Known Paddle” record set in 1980 on the Missouri River by legendary paddlers Verlen Kruger and Steve Landick: 33 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.
Miller said that record remains a formidable benchmark, requiring not only elite physical conditioning, but also precise logistics, strategic navigation, and the ability to endure long days and nights on the water.
However, he added that he likes the Missouri River Speed Record team’s chances to set a new “Fastest Known Paddle” record.
“We have done a lot of training and preparation, and we have a great support team,” Miller said. “However, we know there will be high winds, storms, big waves and a battle against heat, injury, sleep deprivation, dehydration and a host of other maladies, so it’s certainly no guarantee.”
The Friends of the Missouri National Recreational River organization — an official nonprofit partner of the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR), a Yankton-based unit of the National Park Service (NPS) — invited the public to meet the team of paddlers last month at the Riverside Park Amphitheater in Yankton. This event, which received support from the South Dakota Canoe & Kayak Association, included a presentation and a question-and-answer session.
The Missouri River Speed Record team’s final practice trip in preparation for its speed-record attempt on the Missouri River took place May 8-10 and included paddling on Lake Francis Case near Pickstown and Lewis and Clark Lake near Yankton.
“We’ve each done some paddling, and we’ve done some paddling together since then, but in terms of a full training run with support from the team (and) testing all the systems, the Yankton trip was the final run-through,” Leitz said.
He said that training run went swimmingly for the most part.
“We did learn a lot,” Leitz said. “A lot of small details needed to be ironed out, but there were no major hiccups — nothing that needed to be completely reworked or redesigned. We did run into low water below Yankton. … We also learned that we can hop out of the canoe and drag it as necessary, and we understand that that’s going to be part of this adventure.”
The Missouri River Speed Record team members had planned to paddle in their canoe for about 48 hours during their southeast South Dakota practice trip, including on the MNRR, which covers a total of 98 miles between two free-flowing stretches of the river, including a 39-mile section from Fort Randall Dam near Pickstown to Running Water and a 59-mile segment from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton to Sioux City, Iowa, according to NPS.
“The low water at night threw us off, so we were only on the water for about 32 hours,” Miller said. “We went over 100 miles. We experienced the last 15 miles of (Lake) Francis Case, and then we went all the way down through the Missouri National Recreational River, and we did Lewis and Clark (Lake). We did almost the entire two segments of the (Missouri) National Recreational River there.”
He described the stretch of the Missouri River they traveled on in southeast South Dakota as “a beautiful area,” including Lewis and Clark Lake and its wide water views and scenic bluffs.
“We were just kind of in awe the whole time,” Miller said. “Every paddle stroke forward, we were seeing different cool stuff. There was always stuff to look at; none of us got bored, that’s for sure. … Lake Francis Case had a different feel; portaging around the (Fort Randall Dam) had a different feel than being on the river.”
The Missouri River Speed Record team members observed several paddlefish during their training run last month through the Yankton area.
“We saw dozens and dozens of them moving upstream and feeding with their mouths open (and) filtering the water at close range,” Leitz said. “The water was clear enough (that) we were watching them swim right under our canoe. It was absolutely ethereal.”
Leitz said he and his team members want to take in all of the scenery along the Missouri River that they possibly can during their speed-record attempt.
“It’s absolutely epic,” he said. “I would point out, as someone who had never seen that stretch of river (in southeast South Dakota) and is not very familiar with the Missouri River generally, I think that stretch is underappreciated by the broader public. … It’s a real gem right there around Yankton.”
Leitz said the Missouri River Speed Record team members saw several people cheer for and wave to them — including from the shores of the Missouri River, from boats traveling on the river and from house decks overlooking the river — during their southeast South Dakota practice trip last month.
“People on that wonderful, pedestrianized bridge right in (Yankton) were ringing cowbells and cheering us on,” he said of the Meridian Bridge. “It was a real injection of energy, and we’re looking forward to seeing these friends and followers when we come through (the Yankton area) on this run.”
Miller said Missouri River Speed Record team members were “feeling pretty great” on Monday, the day before their launch, as they prepared to embark on their epic adventure down the full distance of the Missouri River.
“We’re pretty organized,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of really good support crew members here. We’ve been here for a couple days getting ready, so we’re in pretty good shape. … We’ve been preparing for this for like two years. We’ve done a lot of training trips. We’ve perfected all our systems. We’ve got all the right equipment. We’ve got good cooks and good base camp people, and a good plan for moving the base camp every 24 hours. We’ve got support boats, and we’ve got our documentary film crew here. Everything’s going pretty darn good, actually.”
Miller added that, “If we do set the record (for ‘Fastest Known Paddle’), it will be the cherry on top of a delicious adventure sundae. It will be the thing that helps us remember and share all the wonderful stories and beautiful sights that we will see.”
Prosecutors allege a Sioux Falls man provided the drugs that killed 14-year-old McKenna Wendel while another parolee helped conceal evidence.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Iowa indicted 51-year-old Mark Milk of Sioux Falls on five felony counts related to the death of his 14-year-old niece, McKenna Wendel, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, according to reporting by South Dakota Searchlight. In the indictment, Milk is accused of providing the cocaine that killed Wendel on March 14, giving her THC, transporting her across state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity and concealing evidence. Jon Rogness, 38, of Brookings, also was indicted on two felony counts alleging he helped conceal evidence.
Both men were on parole at the time of the alleged crimes, according to the South Dakota Searchlight reporting. Milk had been released in 2024 after then-Gov. Kristi Noem commuted his life sentence for manslaughter, while Rogness was serving parole after a manslaughter conviction. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Leif Olson declined to discuss details beyond the charges, saying investigators will "prove at trial" the allegations outlined in the indictment.
I've never knew how different the reservations in South Dakota were compared to other states. Are there any solutions on how the poverty rate can be lowered?
Heck's BBQ will be providing food.
Participants include the following.
Café Brulé
Cee Cee's Scratch Kitchen & Bar
Dakota Brick House
Hartford Steak House
Jefferson Beer Supply / The Wurst Place
Mamacita's
Mulberry Pie Wood-Fired Pizza
McDonald's
Old Lumber Company
Toby's Lounge
Valiant Vineyards
Vermillion Eagles Club
XIX Brewing Company
PIERRE — A governor-appointed board unanimously approved higher prices and a higher income limit Monday for an affordable housing program.
The South Dakota Governor’s House program sells two- and three-bedroom homes built by inmates at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield that are shipped across the state to eligible buyers.
The program also offers daycare models, which can be owned by daycare providers or nonprofit organizations. For buyers in rural areas with less than 5,000 people, the authority provides DakotaPlex units intended to be used as duplexes, triplexes or quadriplexes.
Buyers are responsible for buying a building permit, finding a lot, laying the foundation and flooring, and hooking up utilities and appliances.
This year’s change is the “smallest price increase we’ve had in many, many years,” according to Mike Harsma, who heads the Governor’s House program for South Dakota Housing.
On July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, the homes will be priced as follows:
Last year, units increased at least 6%. The rise in prices this year is due mostly to increased fuel costs, according to Chas Olson, executive director of the South Dakota Housing Development Authority. The cost of delivery for a home is included in the total price of a Governor’s House.
“Whether we’re moving a Governor’s House from Springfield to Sioux Falls or we’re moving it across the state to Buffalo, South Dakota, we get the same amount for that moving fee,” Olson said. “The cost of fuel, where it is now and kind of the uncertainty around that, we had to build in a little bit of a cushion just to be sure that we weren’t taking too big a loss on the fuel.”
Buyers of Governor’s Houses must meet income requirements. The board approved a higher income limit, now at 100% of the state’s median income, regardless of household size.
Families that make up to $103,400 now qualify for the program. In previous years, buyers in one- to two-person households could qualify if they made $72,380 or less and households of three or more people could qualify if they made $82,720 or less.
“It’s hard to get people qualified at those income levels,” Olson said. It had been about 14 years since that limit was adjusted, he said, “and with the cost of everything now, I mean, it was just time.”
Board members also approved a program that’s modeled after a piece of legislation that failed earlier this year in the Legislature. It’s a mortgage assistance program for qualifying buyers of manufactured homes.
The authority also provides down payment assistance for traditional homes. Down payments for manufactured homes are often higher than a typical mortgage down payment, according to Amy Eldridge, of the authority.
A manufactured home is a mobile home that’s built on a permanent framework. The homes must have all required utilities, including plumbing and climate control.
Eligible buyers can apply for a low-interest loan of up to 50% of their mortgage down payment from the assistance program, with total assistance not exceeding $10,000. The income limit for the program is $124,080.
Olson hopes to see the program available to interested buyers within the next month.
“We just need more homes at lower price points,” he said, “and we need ways to get that done.”
I've messed with dolphin for years. Mostly playing Single-Player games. Yesterday my cousin wanted to do netplay with Super Mario Strikers. I've heard of people playing online but never dabbled into it.
Last night we booted it up, started netplay and wow! Smooth like butter. No input delay. I cannot believe I've never tried this. Looking forward to try Mario Party and revisit other childhood party games.
Tacos:
Pollo Ranchero
Asada
Pollo Asado
Birria
Al Pastor
California Pupusas & Bakery is the place we tried.
Republican candidate for governor Toby Doeden has some criticism for whichever South Dakota legislator got a law passed requiring runoff elections.
“We should just cancel the 35% rule and just award me the winner, like that’s it,” Doeden said while laughing in a video published Monday on YouTube. He added, without a laugh, “such a silly rule anyway. They put this in back in the ’80s. I don’t know who did it, but whoever did it should be discredited. Like, it’s ridiculous. You ask the people to vote. Whoever gets the most votes wins.”
Doeden doesn’t have to look far to learn who’s responsible. The law is credited to a legendary former lawmaker from Doeden’s own city and party: the late Joe Barnett, an Aberdeen Republican. Northern State University’s Joseph H. Barnett Center, which is Aberdeen’s major indoor athletic venue, was named in Barnett’s honor.
The former state House speaker and majority leader served 19 years in the House before he died in 1985, the same year his runoff law passed. The law requires a runoff if nobody reaches 35% in a primary with three or more candidates for governor, U.S. Senate or U.S. House. Previously, if nobody reached 35% in such a race, the party’s nomination was decided by delegates at state party conventions.
Doeden, a businessman running his first campaign for elected office, finished first in a four-way Republican primary on June 2. But with 31% support instead of the required 35% to win, he was thrown into a July 28 runoff with Gov. Larry Rhoden, who finished second with 25%.
A Doeden campaign spokesperson sent a written statement Tuesday in response to South Dakota Searchlight questions about Doeden’s comments on the runoff law and its origins.
“Mr. Doeden’s comments were obviously made in jest and did not insinuate anything specifically regarding Former Speaker Barnett or his legislative record,” the statement said. “Joseph Barnett was a great and highly respected leader that Aberdeen was lucky to have.”
Former colleagues of Barnett shared bipartisan praise for the deceased lawmaker in interviews with Searchlight.
Democratic former state lawmaker Lars Herseth represented Brown County alongside Barnett.
“I don’t know of anyone, in my time, who did more to serve Brown County than Joe Barnett,” Herseth said.
Don Frankenfeld, of Rapid City, served as a Republican in the state Senate while Barnett was in the House. He said Barnett “was a genius, both intellectually and politically.”
“He had tremendous weight in determining legislative decisions,” Frankenfeld said. “He was also a very thoughtful person.”
Kent Frerichs is a Democratic former lawmaker from Wilmot who served with Barnett.
“He went out of his way to try to make sure that everybody would have equal opportunity to be heard,” Frerichs said.
The context for Barnett’s 1985 legislation was the 1986 governor race. Former House Speaker George S. Mickelson was preparing to run in a crowded Republican primary that also included former U.S. Rep. Clint Roberts.
Frankenfeld said Mickelson was concerned that if no candidate reached 35%, the decision would move to a convention that was “unpredictable, not representative of the party as a whole” and more likely to be driven by “activists.”
“There is a pretty easy chance of it being manipulated,” Frankenfeld said.
Barnett did not live to see the law in action. He died of a heart attack on May 1, 1985. In 1986, Mickelson won the Republican nomination for governor with 35.3% of the votes and went on to beat Herseth in the general election. This year’s July 28 runoff will be the first to be carried out under Barnett’s law.
Frerichs said his concern about Doeden is encapsulated by the candidate’s criticism of the runoff law.
“He’s confident, but doesn’t seem to know a lot of these things,” Frerichs said of Doeden.
Frankenfeld said that’s attractive to some voters.
“Part of his appeal, and part of his baggage, is his lack of experience in government,” Frankenfeld said. “He almost wears political ignorance as a badge of honor.”
The statement from Doeden’s spokesperson said Doeden “knew that the previous nomination process for statewide office was totally bogus and that it should always be the people who choose their leaders, not a powerful few.”
“Mr. Doeden won the June 2nd Primary in tremendous fashion and is beyond grateful for his widespread support,” the statement said. “He looks forward to obtaining the final nomination after the July 28th run off.”
Rhoden campaign spokesman Ian Fury said in a written statement to Searchlight, “Winners win, and losers complain about the rules.”
Rhoden’s running mate, Republican Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen, maintains a website called SoDak Governors devoted to South Dakota political history. On that website, Venhuizen wrote in 2017 of Barnett, “it was said he was held in such high regard that legislators of both parties would pass legislation solely on his word.”