A news release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Wednesday said that the agency and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed two positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Woodbury County, Iowa.
The affected sites are both backyard mixed-species flocks. Continue reading Two cases of bird flu found In Woodbury County
The South Dakota Housing Development Authority Board signed off on another $19 million in housing infrastructure funding for 19 projects on Tuesday.
Part of that money included a $2,707,580 grant to PBR Capital Group LLC for the Union Crossing Development – Phase 1 in North Sioux City. The project consists of infrastructure development to accommodate 136 homes, which will include 56 single-family homes, 18 triplexes, six fourplexes, and one duplex. Continue reading Union Crossing development in North Sioux awarded $2.71 million grant for housing infrastructure
No growl, no howl with this guy. And please don’t call Animal Control, either. He won’t hurt anybody. I doubt he wouldn’t be a very good watchdog, but he sure looks cute.
If you’re worried about the pup being lonely or hungry . . . I wouldn’t worry about that, because he has some kitty company as well as some canine friends, too. I’m sure he has recently been fed a healthy meal, if you know what I mean. Continue reading Siouxland Observed #8: Woof! Where am I?
Preliminary estimates show South Dakota’s unemployment rate increased from 0.1 percent to 2.0 percent in October 2023. The labor force increased over the month by 800 workers (0.2 percent) to 484,700 workers. The level of unemployment increased by 500 (5.3 percent) to 9,900 workers.
South Dakota’s October 2023 labor force of 484,700 increased compared to the October 2022 level of 475,000. The level of employed increased by 10,400 (2.2 percent); the level of unemployed decreased by 600 persons (5.7 percent). The unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percent to 2.0 percent.
The most recent year we have records for is 2021, for which data was released on Dec. 12, 2022. That census of wages and income shows that the median household income in the U.S. was $69,717, while the median household income in South Dakota was $66,8443 (95.88 percent of the national median).
But when you look at the salaries people are getting paid to be teachers (we still are one of the worst states in terms of teacher pay in the nation), natural resources and mining, construction, trades, transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality services (shame on you tourism industry), and even local, state, and federal government a person has to wonder why we’re paying our workers such low wages? Continue reading Employment on the rise, wages miss the mark In S.D.
Bob Douglas, touted as a success story of Gov. Kristi Noem’s “Freedom Works Here” workforce recruitment campaign in South Dakota, confirmed a few things during a recent interview with News Watch.
The 66-year-old recreational vehicle salesman does enjoy freedom, it turns out. And he loves South Dakota. He plans to move to the Sioux Falls area once he sells his house in southern California, maybe as early as next spring. Douglas was referenced in a Sept. 21 press release from the governor’s office as having “recently moved to South Dakota.”
As for being heralded by the governor’s staff as an example of Noem’s $6.5 million ad campaign drawing new residents to the Mount Rushmore State, well, that’s not exactly true either. Continue reading ‘Freedom’ not enough to fill South Dakota jobs: Local business leaders say there are hurdles with campaign
Even though there’s snow on the greens and fairways of Two Rivers Golf Club on the eastern edge of Dakota Dunes, there’s been plenty of activity near the clubhouse this fall. About 100 yards northwest of that building, the wooden frame of a large new building is starting to take shape. Once completed it will be the home of the golf club’s corporate offices as well as its corporate partners. Continue reading Two Rivers Golf Club building corporate offices
He’s leaning a little bit, but not too much. You can see right into his heart, by golly. Word is he might be scheduled for a bypass, but he isn’t talking. He doesn’t want to get anyone too riled up — at least not any more than they already are. After all, it’s Thanksgiving. He says even with a bypass he’ll do just fine. In fact, Ol’ Red says the doctors tell him he will probably be feeling better. He might even take up water skiing next summer. Continue reading Siouxland Observed #7: Where is this old fellow?
State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past four weeks, including insects, moldy salads, and beef that was hauled to a restaurant in buckets from a questionable out-of-state slaughtering operation.
One restaurant agreed to close due to the “heavy presence” of cockroaches, and for the 11th time in the past 29 months, state inspectors cited a Des Moines food store for the same violation: failing to have a certified food protection manager on staff to ensure the safe handling of food. Continue reading Restaurant inspection update: Rodents in the oven, mystery meat and insects
News Briefs, Events, and Stuff You Should Know About In The Days Ahead. Continue reading The Roundup
A look at what’s new, what’s being built, and what’s coming up. Including photos when possible. This is where we try to get our questions answered. Continue reading Noteworthy business news
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