ELLSWORTH AFB, South Dakota, July 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Ellsworth Air Force Base (28th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: By Airman 1st Class Brittany Kenney, 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs With warmer weather comes the need for consistent landscaping, especially over larger areas common to the Great Plains. Ellsworth is no exception, but with varying states of weather and manning issues, consistency can be hard to achieve. To combat this, the base is embracing innovation by using robotic   more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 2 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on July 1, 2024: The Department of Agriculture & Natural Resource's (DANR) foreign-owned ag land bill, HB 1231, became law today. The bill places restrictions on the ownership of U.S. agricultural land, stopping six Evil Foreign Governments from buying up South Dakota's precious ag land. "Evil Foreign Governments, like the Chinese Communist Party, are not our friends. They should not be free to   more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 2 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on July 1, 2024: The historic bill to combat antisemitism, HB 1076, became law today. The bill requires the consideration of the definition of antisemitism when investigating unfair or discriminatory practices. It defines antisemitism and makes it easier to prove when discriminatory conduct is motivated by antisemitism. "I am very proud of this historic legislation that will keep our Jewish peop  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 2 -- Gov. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release on July 1, 2024: The bill to enhance teacher compensation, SB 127, became law today. The bill establishes a minimum teacher salary and revises the requirements pertaining to average teacher compensation. "We've all seen the amazing impact a great teacher can have on a student's future," said Governor Noem. "We are making sure our teachers receive the pay that they rightly deserve for all the gre  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, July 2 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following letter on July 1, 2024: * * * Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds sent a letter to Department of Labor's Acting Secretary Julie Su in response to Iowa businesses being targeted with excessive fines. The full letter reads as: "I am writing on behalf of small businesses across Iowa that are facing excessive fines due to the U.S. Department of Labor's enforcement of youth labor laws. "My office has received multiple reports of sm  more

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, July 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa issued the following news release: A Lyon County man who defrauded pork producers while working as the regional manager of an Iowa livestock dealer, "Lynch Livestock," was sentenced on June 24, 2024, to six months in federal prison. Robert Harry Bickerstaff, age 52, from Rock Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2023, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. At plea and sentenci  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, July 3 -- The South Dakota Department of Transportation issued the following news release: The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) has received a $25 million RAISE discretionary grant dedicated to a reconstruction project on U.S. Highway 18 in Bennett County. "Being awarded a RAISE discretionary grant helps to build and repair infrastructure to benefit South Dakotans for future generations to come," said Joel Jundt, Secretary of Transportation. "Our Bennett C  more