MADISON, South Dakota, July 9 -- Dakota State University issued the following news on July 8: Four students are currently conducting astrobiology research under the leadership of Associate Research Professor, Dr. Michael Gaylor, who serves as a lead investigator for the National Science Foundation's EPSCoR program. The EPSCoR program builds training, infrastructure, and talent in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in underrepresented states. Dakota State received a   more

LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 7 -- Gov. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Governor Pete Ricketts recently joined the governors of Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota to write a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler. The four governors expressed their concern over the EPA's willingness to consider 52 applications for retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs). "Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the misuse of small refinery wa  more

FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota, July 10 -- Otter Tail Power, a subsidiary of Otter Tail, issued the following news: Otter Tail Power Company's Astoria Station project is in full swing in Deuel County, South Dakota, where you'll find approximately 250 people working on site. While the company and contractors are working to ensure everyone is following safety protocols and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic, thirteen people working on the Astoria  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 10 -- South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg issued the following news release: Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg and the Division of Criminal Investigation released the summary into the shooting of Michael Andreas Beckham, 46, Webster, on June 2, 2020, in Day County near Webster, South Dakota. The Division of Criminal Investigation, assisted by the Day County Sheriff's Office, Webster Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, and the South Dakota High  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 7 -- South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg issued the following news release on July 6: In a unanimous decision the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled that presidential electors can only cast their ballot for the candidate who won the popular vote in their state. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg helped assemble a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 44 states and the District of Columbia in filing an amicus curiae brief to join t  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 8 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced state gross domestic product (GDP) decreases for all 50 states. The South Dakota economy contracted by 2.2%, the second smallest amount in the country, for the first quarter of 2020, which covers January to March. "The credit here goes to the people of South Dakota," said Governor Kristi Noem. "Obviously, our low taxes and reasonable regulatory   more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 10 -- The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation issued the following news release: The latest number of continued state claims is 17,142 for the week ending June 20, a decrease of 8,044 from the pandemic high of 25,186 for the week ending May 9. This indicates the number of unemployed workers eligible for and receiving benefits after their initial claim. "I want to remind claimants that not returning to work when there is available work could be considered   more

VERMILLION, South Dakota, July 10 -- The University of South Dakota issued the following news: The University of South Dakota's podcast, Credit Hour, introduced a new series titled "Voices Amplified," focused on conversations exploring race, social justice and criminal justice reform. In the first episode, "Exploring the History of Social Justice," Laura Renee Chandler, Ph.D., director of the Center for Diversity and Community, discussed topics ranging from protests to institutional bias to th  more