South Dakota News

AAA predicts busy holiday travel season despite high gas prices

FARGO (KVRR) – Gasoline prices surged in October and are likely to remain elevated through the holiday season. AAA spokesman Gene LaDoucer says in North Dakota, the average price for gas is about $3.20 per gallon. LaDoucer says Thanksgiving gas prices haven’t been this high since 2013.  Last Thanksgiving, the state average was $1.99 per gallon. “As it appears these high…

South Dakota House launches impeachment investigation

Jason RavnsborgPIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s House is investigating whether the state’s attorney general should be impeached for his conduct surrounding a car crash last year that killed a pedestrian. A sizable majority of the Republican-dominated House voted Tuesday to have a committee recommend whether Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should be impeached. It could take weeks for the committee of…

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 6 more Trump associates in probe

WASHINGTON (AP) – A committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas to six associates of former President Donald Trump who were involved in his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election, further escalating the panel’s probe into the origins of the violent attack. The panel’s chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, said in a statement Monday…

Ponzi cattle scheme operator gets 91 months in prison

RAPID CITY, S.D. – A South Dakota feedlot operator who pleaded guilty to operating a Ponzi cattle scheme has been sentenced to nearly eight years in prison. Prosecutors say Robert Blom, of Corsica, resold the same cattle to multiple investors and made a profit of about $24 million from 2014 to 2019. He resold cattle he didn’t have, falsified invoices…

Vaccine mandate protesters sue South Dakota over permit

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Protesters against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in South Dakota are suing Gov. Kristi Noem after the state denied their application to demonstrate on Capitol grounds during a special legislative session this month. The group of protesters say they planned to hold a demonstration next week to push the Legislature to take up a bill that would keep…

Biden mandates vaccines or tests for big companies by January 4

OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses

WASHINGTON – Tens of millions of Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or get tested for the virus weekly under government rules that took effect Thursday. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said companies that fail to comply could face penalties of nearly $14,000 per violation….

South Dakota man pleads guilty in starvation death of toddler

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A Brookings man has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for his role in the 2019 starvation death of a toddler. Robert Price, Jr. entered the plea after reaching an agreement with prosecutors. Price and the child’s aunt, Renae Fayant, were indicted by a grand jury in July 2019 on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and…

Jean Rounds, wife of Sen. Mike Rounds, dies from cancer

Sen. Mike Rounds, Jean RoundsSIOUX FALLS, S.D.  – Jean Rounds, the wife of Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, has died in hospice care. She was 65. Jean Rounds had been undergoing treatment for cancer since May of 2019. Doctors initially found a malignant, aggressive tumor near her sciatic nerve and she underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and surgery….

Dozens of Sanford, Essentia employees dismissed over vaccine mandates

FARGO (KVRR) – Sanford Health says out of approximately 9,800 employees who work in the Fargo region, 31 employees have left as a result of the company’s vaccine mandate. Vice-President and Medical Officer Dr. Doug Griffin says Sanford employees who don’t have an approved exemption or who haven’t started their vaccine series by today (Nov. 1) will be suspended for…