South Dakota

South Dakota Supreme Court rules against pot legalization

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that nullified a voter-passed amendment to the state constitution that would have legalized recreational marijuana use. Gov. Kristi Noem instigated the legal fight to strike down the amendment passed by voters in November. The Republican governor opposed marijuana legalization, but her administration argued in court that…

Contempt charges dropped for Marshals Service supervisors

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Contempt charges have been dismissed for three supervisors in the U.S. Marshals Service for a series of events that began with a deputy marshal refusing to disclose her vaccination status while serving in federal court in Aberdeen. Federal Judge Charles Kornmann filed the charges after directing anybody in his courtroom to be vaccinated for COVID-19.  When a deputy…

OSHA, South Dakota pork plant settle coronavirus complaint

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  – Federal regulators reached an agreement with Smithfield Foods to settle a contested citation of the company’s coronavirus safety measures during a massive outbreak last year at its South Dakota pork plant. The company will develop a plan to prevent infectious diseases at meatpacking plants nationwide and pay a $13,500 fine. The pork processing plant was one…

Noem announces campaign for second term as South Dakota governor

PIERRE, S.D. (KVRR) – South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem is running for reelection. “I’m excited to announce that I will be running for re-election as Governor of South Dakota” Noem announced on social media Friday afternoon.  “Together, we’ve accomplished so much…but there is much more we can do. South Dakota’s best days are still ahead. Noem says South Dakota…

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…

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…

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…

Company to build massive ramen plant in South Dakota

(Albany Farms)BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. – A California company plans to build one of the largest ramen producing facilities in the country in South Dakota. Albany Farms CEO Bill Saller says the complex in Belle Fourche will include a flour mill, production factories and packaging areas that would produce more than 100 million packages of ramen each year and eventually employ…