Restaurant inspection update: Meatloaf loafing above the pork, slimy lettuce, rodent feces – and other food safety violations

State and city food inspectors in Iowa and South Dakota have found various food safety violations in local restaurants and stores in recent weeks. Violations include insufficient refrigeration, improper food cooling, handling food with bare hands, and dirty facilities. The public is reminded that these reports are only a snapshot in time and that violations are often corrected on the spot. For more details, visit the respective state departments’ websites. Continue reading Restaurant inspection update: Meatloaf loafing above the pork, slimy lettuce, rodent feces – and other food safety violations

Crush of complaints forces state to hire extra help for officer misconduct investigations

There are so many complaints about cops now flowing into the Division of Criminal Investigation that the agency has hired a second full-time investigator to handle them.

Former FBI agent Dave Keith was hired to handle allegations of officer misbehavior recently, DCI Director Dan Satterlee said Wednesday during the March meeting of the Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training Commission in Pierre.

The primary investigator of officer misbehavior has been busy dealing with the spike in complaints since 2021, when the DCI streamlined the process and made an online complaint form available. Continue reading Crush of complaints forces state to hire extra help for officer misconduct investigations

South Dakota cities cap video lottery as state eyes betting increase

South Dakota keeps adding video lottery machines, with 567 more terminals and over $1.17 billion gambled this year, earning a record-setting $163 million in revenue for the state.

As the games continue their sprawl and the Legislature weighs an increase in betting limits, some South Dakota communities are trying to figure out a middle-of-the-road solution for the future of the 34-year-old games. Continue reading South Dakota cities cap video lottery as state eyes betting increase

People lock their love to Yankton’s Meridian Bridge. But that’s heavy love.

There are a lot of places to go for a hike around Siouxland. But one of the most interesting places — at least in my opinion — is the hike across the Meridian Bridge that spans the Missouri River over in Yankton.

And if you look closely at the chainlink fencing beside the pathway, you’ll notice lots of padlocks. At least there were when I hoofed it across the span the summer before last. The bridge is an interesting structure without the padlocks, though. I remember crossing over it on my way to Bogner’s Steakhouse in Crofton, NE with a date during college and family during the 1970s. I recall hearing that the bridge used to be a draw bridge of some sort at one time or another. Anyway, lovers or sweethearts, put their initials or names on these padlocks and maybe even inscribe the date. Then they throw the keys into the river. It all symbolizes unbreakable love, I guess. Continue reading People lock their love to Yankton’s Meridian Bridge. But that’s heavy love.