BROOKINGS, South Dakota, April 22 -- South Dakota State University posted the following news: * * * A legacy of light: Laura Diddle retires after transforming choral music at SDSU * When Laura Diddle arrived at South Dakota State University in 2003, she stepped into a role that would allow her to bring together her talents in teaching, conducting and mentorship. Over the next two decades, that role would grow into something greater, shaping not only a choral program, but generations of SDS  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 [Category: Political] -- America First Legal, a civil rights organization, posted the following news release: * * * America First Legal Partners with Coalition of States to Defend President Trump's Election Integrity Executive Order * America First Legal (AFL) is partnering with a coalition of 12 states to intervene in two federal lawsuits challenging President Trump's recent executive order aimed at strengthening election integrity, verifying citizenship in federal elec  more

WASHINGTON, April 23 (TNSLrpt) -- State Employment and Unemployment February 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics - April 22, 2026 (18 pages) * * * Unemployment rates were higher in Febraury in 1 state and stable in 49 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Thirteen states and the District had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 2 states had decreases, and 35 states had little change. The national une  more

ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 22 [Category: Construction] -- Associated General Contractors of America posted the following news release: * * * Construction Jobs Increase In 30 States And D.C. Between February 2025 And February 2026; 22 States Have One-Month Gain In Construction Jobs * Texas and Montana Have the Largest Number and Percent of 12-Month Increases, While California and Alaska Trail; Florida and Montana Lead in Monthly Gains, While New Jersey and Delaware Have the Biggest and Steepe  more

BROOKINGS, South Dakota, April 22 -- South Dakota State University posted the following news: * * * Four student speakers to be featured at SDSU spring 2026 commencement * Four South Dakota State University soon-to-be graduates will be featured speakers at the university's 140th commencement May 9 at First Bank & Trust Arena. SDSU will have three ceremonies as more than 1,800 students plan to walk across the stage for their degrees. The student speakers at each of the ceremonies include:  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, April 23 -- Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued the following news release on April 22, 2026: * * * Carr Urges Payment Processors to Stop Transactions of Illegal Chinese Vapes Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in sending a letter to credit card companies urging them to stop the sale of illegal vape products facilitated through their payment card networks. Illegal vapes, overwhelmingly manufactured in China, now accoun  more

PIERRE, South Dakota, April 22 -- Gov. Larry Rhoden, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Gov. Rhoden Breaks Ground on New Men's Prison * PIERRE, S.D. - Today, Governor Larry Rhoden broke ground on the largest single investment in public safety in state history: the new men's prison in Sioux Falls. You can find photos of the groundbreaking here and here. "This prison is a representation of results to keep South Dakota safe, and I am proud of the work we have done to get  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Rounds Receives Support for Oversight of Lab-Grown "Meat" Products from HHS Secretary Kennedy * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) questioned Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on lab-grown "meat" products. Secretary Kennedy, in a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agenci  more

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, April 22 -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following news: * * * Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill Joins Missouri in Coalition to Defend Executive Order on Election Integrity * Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill joined Missouri and 10 other states in a motion to intervene to defend a presidential executive order that would allow access to resources that would verify voter-registration lists against lawfare from left-wing activists. On Mar  more

RAPID CITY, South Dakota, April 21 -- The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology issued the following news release: * * * South Dakota Mines Strike Gold at Collegiate World Mining Championships * After nearly 50 years of competition, the South Dakota Mines men's mining and mucking team captured the prestigious Sunshine Trophy, earning first overall in the fiercely competitive field at the 48 th International Collegiate Mining Competition. The momentum didn't stop there. The university  more

RAPID CITY, South Dakota, April 22 -- The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology issued the following news release: * * * South Dakota Mines Student Wins Braun Award for Ethanol Dishwasher Invention * Innovation was not always part of Roberto Perez Torres' plan. Growing up in Puerto Rico, he was searching for direction, never imagining that he would one day become an award-winning inventor. But Perez Torres is the first to point out that life has a way of opening unexpected doors, esp  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Senate Minority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune Joins America's Newsroom on Fox News * Click here to watch. WASHINGTON -U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America's Newsroom on Fox News. On the War Powers Act: "I think that the Democrats... are almost cheering against American success in this region, which obviously strikes at the very heart of America's national security interest. So it  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Senate Minority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Democrats Continue Following Biden's Failed Border Blueprint * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, yesterday Republicans moved to begin consideration of a budget resolution to fund law enforcement -   more

WASHINGTON, April 21 -- Senate Minority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Republicans Stand With Law Enforcement, Reject Democrats' Defund the Police Agenda * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "As you all know, the Senate this year has passed 11 of the 12 appropriations bills.  more

VERMILLION, South Dakota, April 22 -- The University of South Dakota posted the following news: * * * USD Extends Contract With Athletic Director Jon Schemmel Through 2030-31 Academic Year * Schemmel began serving as director of athletics in January of 2024, bringing ten years of experience working in Division I athletic departments and having previously served USD as senior associate athletic director for development from 2012-2017. Under Schemmel's leadership, the South Dakota Coyote foo  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Geological Survey issued 'A Three-Dimensional Geologic Framework Model of the Northern Great Plains Region of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, USA,' Scientific Investigations Report 20265127, authored by Leland R. Spangler. Funded by the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, the model spans 381,000 square kilometers across four states. It integrates over 300,000 data points from wells, maps, and geophysics to map 41 stratigraph  more

WASHINGTON, April 22 -- The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries released the following written testimony by Kristin Conzet, executive director of the Western Dakota Regional Water System, from an April 16, 2026, hearing on the Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act (H.R. 7288): * * * Dear Chairwoman Hageman and Ranking Member Hoyle: Please accept this written testimony for inclusion in the official record of the Subcommittee on Water,  more

RICHMOND, Kentucky, April 23 -- Eastern Kentucky University issued the following news: * * * Whitnee Coy Honored with EKU's Young Alumni Award Dr. Whitnee Coy, '15, was awarded with the Young Alumni Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Young Alumni Award recognizes individuals who graduated from EKU in the last 10 years and have demonstrated exceptional talent i  more