Category: South Dakota

Business, Dakota Dunes, economic development, South DakotaLeave a comment

Two Rivers Golf Club building corporate offices

Gary Dickson

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

Agriculture, Siouxland, Siouxland Observed, South DakotaLeave a comment

Siouxland Observed #7: Where is this old fellow?

Gary Dickson

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?

Dakota Dunes, Education, North Sioux City, South DakotaLeave a comment

DV college-bound juniors and seniors exceed on ACTs in 2022 compared to state

Gary Dickson

The Dakota Valley School Board received good information last Monday evening Nov. 13 when Superintendent Dr. Tonia Warzecha gave a report on the district’s college-bound juniors and seniors’ recent performance on the ACTs.

Those readers growing up in South Dakota and other states may recall taking the ACT exam in high school. It is a national college admission exam that consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics, reading, science, STEM and (optional) ELA, also known as English Language Arts and Writing. ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States.

Every subject area shows DV students scoring higher than the state average each year. Continue reading DV college-bound juniors and seniors exceed on ACTs in 2022 compared to state

South Dakota, SportsLeave a comment

Coyote women beat Big East DePaul in Battle 4 Atlantis; fall to Michigan in semis

Gary Dickson

South Dakota junior Grace Larkins recorded her 10th career 20-point game as the Coyotes knocked off the Big East’s DePaul 83-71 on Saturday night in Imperial Arena inside the Atlantis Resort.
 
South Dakota (3-1) put together its best shooting performance of the season. The Coyotes made 54.4 percent (31-for-57) from the floor, 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from behind the arc and 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the stripe.

South Dakota was the only mid-major to win on the first day of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Continue reading Coyote women beat Big East DePaul in Battle 4 Atlantis; fall to Michigan in semis

Agriculture, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

$8.3B in crop insurance payouts to South Dakota farmers: A cost of climate change

Gary Dickson

South Dakota farmers have received nearly $10 billion in payouts from the Federal Crop Insurance Corp. over roughly the past two decades, with payments specifically due to weather disasters rising significantly during that time.

Between 2001 and 2022, South Dakota was among the top states in the nation for receiving insurance payouts for crop losses due to weather disasters, a trend environmentalists have said reveals a hidden but rapidly rising cost of climate change that is increasing the frequency and severity of storms that damage crops.

American taxpayers have funded a large portion of the payouts, as nearly 65% of the premiums for the crop insurance program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are subsidized with federal funding. Continue reading $8.3B in crop insurance payouts to South Dakota farmers: A cost of climate change

Agriculture, Environment, Iowa, Minnesota, Siouxland, South DakotaLeave a comment

Less rain results in a cleaner Big Sioux River, report says

Gary Dickson

Less precipitation means less pollution is running into the Big Sioux River, according to a 2023 water quality report. “You can see a pretty strong correlation between the amount of rainfall and water quality,” Friends of the Big Sioux River’s Emily Oyos said. “A very direct correlation.”

“We had a significantly less amount of rain than 2022, and that has resulted in better numbers,” said Rachel Kloos, with Friends of the Big Sioux River. Otherwise, the results reveal many of the same problems as in past years. Continue reading Less rain results in a cleaner Big Sioux River, report says

Business, Community, economic development, Government, Siouxland, South DakotaLeave a comment

North Sioux councilors hear bypass meeting complaints; deal with rock nuisance; nudge along new housing development; approve liquor licenses.

Gary Dickson

It was a busy, long meeting for North Sioux City’s City Council this last Monday evening as they addressed a variety of issues from the ongoing McCook Lake canal to a dog daycare owner unhappy with the several proposed Northshore bypass options to a new housing development in the works west of Sioux Point Rd. and south of Quinella Drive and approved the renewal of a slew of liquor licenses. Then there was the issue of rocks too close to the street. Continue reading North Sioux councilors hear bypass meeting complaints; deal with rock nuisance; nudge along new housing development; approve liquor licenses.

Government, Siouxland, South DakotaLeave a comment

Former small-town Minnesota mayor is behind the rise of electoral activism in South Dakota. He’s just getting started.

Gary Dickson

One of the Midwest’s most prominent election deniers stood next to a pinball machine at the Military Heritage Alliance in Sioux Falls in October, outlining how he impacted South Dakota’s 2022 race for secretary of state.

Rick Weible, a 51-year-old computer analyst and Republican Party operative had just given a slideshow to a group called Concerned Citizens of Lincoln County about alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential election and perceived vulnerabilities in South Dakota’s voting systems.

“I was upsetting the apple cart,” Weible said of that election. “I brought my Minnesota experience into South Dakota because I was thinking, ‘If I can’t fix Minnesota, how can I get involved somewhere else to force some of these changes?’” Continue reading Former small-town Minnesota mayor is behind the rise of electoral activism in South Dakota. He’s just getting started.