RAPID CITY, S.D. – United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, Alison Ramsdell made the announcement late yesterday that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, alongside the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department conducted a joint sex-trafficking operation during the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The goal of the operation was to apprehend persons attempting to set up sexual encounters with underage children.  According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office the operation ran from August 2nd through the 8th.

Seven men were arrested and charged as a result of the work:

26-year old Brockton Dominquez of Rapid City, 20 year-old Eli Poorman of Rapid City, Dustin Day, age 20, of Piedmont, 25 year-old Vance Coats of Box Elder, Brandon Bishop, age 26 out of Rapid City, 36 year-old Corey Simon of Rapid City, and 23 year-old Aaron Ray Williams, Jr. of Rapid City.  Those seven individuals are facing charges ranging from Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet to Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a Minor to Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.

Those charges carry penalties with mandatory minimums under federal statute, starting at 10 years up to life in federal prison.

The charges are accusations at this point in time and all seven individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  The cases will be federally prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox.

 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Josh Haiar / SD Searchlight) – South Dakota’s voter turnout has disappointed some military veterans.

Former Lt. Gov. Matt Michels, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has launched an initiative urging citizens to “Vote in Honor of a Veteran,” emphasizing the sacrifices made by military personnel to secure the democratic rights Americans enjoy.

“We always think that government is ‘they,’ but it really is ‘us,’” Michels said. “We the people.”

Michels shared the pitch Saturday to a crowd of about 100 during the annual USS South Dakota Day of Honor in Sioux Falls. He handed out sheets of stickers showcasing the slogan to fellow veterans, who were enthusiastic about the effort.

“It’s really about voting in honor of America,” said Douglas Starr, a World War II and Korean War veteran.

Michels said he will continue sharing the message with veteran organizations in the state.

The event, held on the second Saturday of August, commemorates the legacy of one of the most decorated ships of World War II. The ship gained fame for its actions in the European and Pacific theatres, participating in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Michels told a story from the second battle of Guadalcanal, in which the ship’s electrical system became disabled as the ship was under fire from Japanese destroyers. He said the ship received 27 hits, including a 14-inch shell that hit the rear turret. During this battle, 40 crew members were killed and 180 were wounded.

“Including 12-year-old Calvin Leon Graham, who had lied about his age to enlist,” Michels said. “He was the youngest American to fight in the war.”

Decommissioned in 1947, the battleship remains a symbol of service. The USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, which hosted Saturday’s event, includes a concrete outline of the ship’s main deck and the actual anchor, propeller, a 16-inch gun barrel, mast and exhibit hall.

Proving authoritarians wrong

Michels described the heroism displayed during World War II as continuing a fight for freedom that began with the American Revolution.

“If we pause and think about how this nation was started,” Michels said. “At the time, there were no nations that were governed by regular people. The monarchs, the kings and queens, those people were controlling everything. And those people thought regular people were too dumb. That they couldn’t handle it.”

Michels said it’s every American’s duty to prove authoritarians wrong.

“Everyone 18 and over can honor these women and men who have protected us, served us, given their lives,” he said. “What is it we can do? We can vote.”

Turnout across South Dakota in the June primary election was historically low at 17% — the lowest percentage since the state began combining presidential primaries with other primary races in 2000.

“It’s offensive,” Michels said.

For those who were too busy to vote, Michels has a message: “Yeah, well, a lot of people were too busy serving you and dying so that you would have this right.”

Michels served as lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019 and served prior to that in the Legislature. He was born in Pierre, grew up in Vermillion, and graduated from the University of South Dakota. He worked as a nurse from 1981 to 1985 while earning a law degree at USD. He then attended Naval Justice School and became a U.S. Navy officer, serving as a lawyer. He was honorably discharged in 1989.

 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Mariia Novoselia / South Dakota News Watch) – South Dakota’s increase of foreign-born population over the past 12 years exceeded the national average by three times, according to the American Community Survey Brief of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau report.

The state’s population of people born overseas grew by 45.5% between 2010 and 2022, or 10,000 people, compared to 15.6% across the entire United States.

Only North Dakota, where the foreign-born population grew from 17,000 to 38,000 people within the same 12 years, had a larger percentage increase.

Nassir Yemam moved to South Dakota in the early 2000s as a refugee from Ethiopia and lives in Sioux Falls.

“I haven’t had any bad experience, the people are good. I like the American way of life,” he said. “I’m really happy with the place where I am, that’s why I stayed here for a very long time.”

Weiwei Zhang, state demographer and South Dakota State University professor, said that despite the increase, the number of foreign-born residents in South Dakota is still low, compared to states like California and New York.

In fact, analysis of the American Community Survey Brief shows that South Dakota has the fifth-lowest share of foreign-born residents in the country. Out of South Dakota’s estimated 910,000 residents, nearly 32,000, or 3.5%, are from outside of the United States, according to the brief.

Zhang added that the increase in foreign-born population in South Dakota is an extension of the national trend. What’s notable, however, is where foreign-born residents come from, she said.

Before 2000, the largest number of people came to South Dakota from Latin America, which was closely followed by Asia and then Europe. Since 2000, more people have been moving to South Dakota from Asia and Africa, moving Latin America to third place.

In 2018, according to an American Immigration Council report, most foreign-born residents in South Dakota were from Guatemala, the Philippines, Mexico, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Financial impact of immigration in South Dakota

Households led by foreign-born residents paid $137.7 million in federal, state and local taxes in 2018, the same report said.

Zhang said some of the industries with the most workers from abroad are manufacturing, health care, transportation, and human and social services.

While official statistics do not contain data on why people might be moving to a particular place, Zhang said she speculates job opportunities, housing supply and existing ties with family or friends might be some of the reasons why people move to South Dakota from overseas.

For some people, moving to the United States is caused by “the fear for their lives and the lives of their family,” said Rebecca Kiesow-Knudsen, president and CEO at Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota.

Those people are refugees.

“No individual wishes to become a refugee. That’s not something that people desire,” Kiesow-Knudsen said.

Current affairs affect where people resettle from

As of July 31, more than 280 refugees have resettled in South Dakota in fiscal year 2024, which started in October, according to the Refugee Processing Center. This is an increase compared to last year’s 206 people.

So far, most people came from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Archives from the Refugee Processing Center show that 509 people from there have resettled in South Dakota since 2012.

Ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in terms of arrivals in South Dakota, are Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and Bhutan with 821 and 1,085 people, respectively.

Kiesow-Knudsen said countries from which people resettle in the United States tend to change based on conflicts that are happening around the world.

Kiesow-Knudsen added that it is difficult for the center to accurately say how many refugees are in the state. The organization only knows of those people who come to it and seek assistance.

“We know that there are many individuals who arrive, maybe in a different part of the country, and decide to move to South Dakota because it’s a good place for their families and never talk to us,” Kiesow-Knudsen said.

The process behind the scenes

The decision on how many refugees will relocate to the United States starts in the White House, said Kiesow-Knudsen. In 2023, the U.S. government sponsored more than 60,000 refugees to enter the country, according to the LSS Center for New Americans.

For fiscal year 2024, President Joe Biden authorized the admission of up to 125,000 refugees, according to the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. As of July 31, the United States has already welcomed more than 74,000 refugees, according to the Refugee Processing Center.

Kiesow-Knudsen said that once the president signs the determination that authorizes refugee admission, the U.S. Department of State begins a “very robust process” of background checks for individuals, registered as refugees, to gain approval status into the country.

LSS’s Center for New Americans is an affiliate of Global Refuge, a nonprofit organization, formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

Organizations, like the Center for New Americans, start “a back-and-forth conversation” with Global Refuge and local stakeholders about the number of refugees that they can serve, considering factors like employment environment, school situation and housing market, Kiesow-Knudsen said.

“The United States has this wonderful tradition of welcoming refugees and helping to integrate them into the country, and we are just a part of that process to help people become successful,” she said.

Center for New Americans consolidated with Multi-Cultural Center

The LSS Center for New Americans began the process of merging with the Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls in October 2022.

Kiesow-Knudsen said the Multi-Cultural Center, which had previously worked with Native American and immigrant populations, was trying to find a new executive director and reached out to the Center for New Americans.

Because the two organizations had been providing similar services and had a lot of synergy, both their boards of directors decided to merge.

“The vision of LSS is that every South Dakotan is healthy, safe and accepted, and that last part is really what the MCC focuses on – that feeling of acceptance in Sioux Falls and in South Dakota, being able to celebrate our community and the diversity that’s here,” said Valeria Wicker, leading supervisor for the LSS Multi-Cultural Center.

Upon arrival: Community orientation

Kiesow-Knudsen said as a resettlement agency, LSS’s Center for New Americans has the responsibility to “make sure that people get integrated into the community.”

This means that a few weeks before a refugee lands at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, the Center for New Americans receives a case file about them. This way, the organization’s case management team arranges housing and provides “basic, ‘What do I need to have in my home in order to live there?’ items,” Kiesow-Knudsen said.

The team then meets the refugee at the airport, provides them with interpretation and translation services, takes them to their new home and welcomes them with a culturally appropriate meal.

Soon afterwards, new arrivals are invited to take part in community orientation, which spans two weeks. Ethiopia native Yemam remembers his orientation as “very, very helpful.”

He said the program covered topics like getting a job, doing groceries and “starting a new life in America.” To Yemam, this means “depending on yourself.”

Yemam said the center paid a lot of attention to preparing refugees to enter the workforce by connecting them with different opportunities and helping them get ready for job interviews.

“Some people who come to the United States get the feeling that when they come here, dreams come true, but life is not easy the way you think,” he said. “To make life easy, you need to work hard. That’s what the American dream is like.”

Yemam works at the African Community Center of Sioux Falls, providing services to African immigrants and their families.

Kiesow-Knudsen said the federal government provides financial assistance to refugees for up to eight months, which is “a quick turnaround.”

She added that orientation leaders often invite members of the Sioux Falls community, representatives from law enforcement, Falls Community Health, the school district and more.

One of Yemam’s biggest dreams is to send his 17-year-old son to college.

“My whole success is his future,” he said. “I tell him that if he works hard on his education after high school, he will have a better life for 40 years.”

English ‘is the key’ to enjoying life in America

Aside from community orientation, the Center for New Americans also provides English classes that can range in length, depending on the student’s fluency.

“English here, in this country, is the key,” Yemam said. “The more you speak English and the more you understand English, the more you enjoy life.”

Kiesow-Knudsen said the process of acquiring a driver’s license can be long for refugees, and not speaking English can make it particularly difficult. She said the center offers classes in several languages to help people understand the basics of what they will need to pass the written examination.

Yemam said he had driven a car with a manual transmission before coming to the United States, so he was able to pass the driving exam with ease. He recalls the first vehicle he bought here, a $300 Nissan.

“It was a big deal for me,” he said.

Community keeps culture alive: ‘We feel free’

Yemam said one of the traits that American and Ethiopian cultures share is respect.

“Americans are very, very respectful people,” he said. “That’s why when we come to the United States, we feel free because nobody took away our faith, our culture or our anything. They respect what we have, and we have the right to practice our culture.”

Yemam said the community of Ethiopians in Sioux Falls is sizable and vibrant. People tend to gather for church services, celebrations or mourning ceremonies.

For such occasions, Ethiopians usually dress up in traditional clothing, cook authentic food, meet up or call each other, he said.

Because many Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar to set days for religious holidays, some Ethiopian families in the United States celebrate two Easters, for example: one with their American neighbors and another that aligns with fellow Ethiopians, Yemam said.

“I say, ‘Thank you, God’ for everything that I have,” Yemam said. “I always believe that I am blessed, I have no complaints.”

 

FORT PIERRE, S.D. (Austin Goss / The Dakota Scout) – South Dakota state lawmakers have spent a lot of time talking about “workforce housing” over the last several years.

From small communities to large, the need to increase the number of living options available to working class families has become a focal point across all levels of government, particularly as the population of the Rushmore State continues to tick upward.

No one gets that better than Mike Weisgram, a second-term lawmaker from Fort Pierre who helped usher through hotly contested legislative efforts to aid housing construction.

Prior to his current stint in the Legislature, Weisgram served as a City Council member in his community from 2015 to 2020.

“I was a city councilman, and we talked about housing being a challenge,” Weisgram said. “When I got asked to run for the Legislature it became one of the things I ran on.”

While other towns in the state embark on their own journey toward less burdensome building, Weisgram and his local counterparts are forced to watch 49 lots in Stanley County remain untouchable for residential purposes, tied up in federal government control.

Since the early 2000s, the Army Corps of Engineers has owned those lots, all of which are in close proximity to the Missouri River, purchased in the name of flood control.

Constituents in the Pierre-Fort Pierre area before the turn of the millennium had been figuratively flooding government phone lines with frustrations about their waterlogged basements, a product of diluted soil near the river allowing water to seep in.

An idea was born out of the quagmire — have the Army Corps of Engineers buy homeowners out. Already with a heavy presence in the area because of the Oahe Dam just upstream, the Corps has long owned much of the lands in the area that border the Missouri.

That undertaking required an act of Congress. Thankfully for advocates of buyouts, they had savvy political operator Sen. Tom Daschle in their corner. In coordination with the Corps, Daschle, the Democratic Senate leader, breathed life into the idea, eventually getting approval from his legislative colleagues in Washington. Interested homeowners were bought out, and their homes were picked up and moved to a different location if they so chose.

Fort Pierre city officials valued the purchase at about $5.45 million shortly after the ink was dry on the sale.

“I was in the carpet business at the time, it was a wonderful time for us through and through,” Weisgram joked, referring to the time period from flooded basements to rehoming as a “mini housing boom” for the area.

Over 20 years and a career later, Weisgram and Fort Pierre Mayor Gloria Hanson want another mini housing boom — and they want the 49 lots back to start it. They’re leaning on their fellow Fort Pierre resident, Sen. Mike Rounds, for help.

“About 18 months ago we had a cup of coffee about trying to get this through,” Weisgram said. “He was all in.”

Rounds dispatched Frank Tedeschi, a veteran former employee of the Corps now working for the senator, to begin the negotiations. Hanson met with Tedeschi at the senator’s D.C. office in February, and in April the three separate parties met remotely to advance the idea.

Key to potentially moving the negotiations forward is a feasibility study that the Corps has to conduct in order to initiate the sale, which would outline the impact on the environment and area. That could take several years to complete, which is why Rounds’ office is advocating for using the feasibility study that was used to get the sale done back in the late 1990s.

Fort Pierre is focused on the widespread benefits that would be felt if the lots were to be developed. For one, it would restore patchwork neighborhoods — where whole blocks of houses appear missing from those around them. More families would move in, shoring up attendance at the local K-12 school and adding to the strapped workforce. And those who owned the lots would be paying property taxes — the Corps is exempt from doing so.

Though the city of Pierre also saw a handful of residential lots sold away to the Corps at the same time, officials there opted not to pursue repurchasing them with Fort Pierre when afforded the opportunity.

“It is going to take another act of Congress to get this done,” Hanson said. “But these could eventually be well-placed, affordable lots.”

Stipulations that could come with the buyback would be aimed at preventing future flooding concerns. That could include building houses on slabs, putting in fill dirt, or preventing the construction of basements.

“We will follow their stipulations,” Hanson continued. “They just have to work with us on being able to accommodate a request.”

The Army Corps of Engineers did not respond to a request for information from The Dakota Scout in time for print publication, specifically about what it would take to get a deal across the finish line, and if it had a timeframe in mind. The federal government is rarely accused of moving quickly.

The lots in question are already equipped with utilities that would be necessary to build housing, such as water and electricity. And Fort Pierre has put to good use a few of them. On one, the city is building an all-season fish cleaning station, while another serves as a community garden. The city can lease the lots to build, but not for residential purposes.

“What would this mean for our community? It would be a real shot in the arm,” Weisgram added. “All the infrastructure is already there… We see the value this could add.”

In a statement, Rounds says that he is looking forward to working with both parties to “implement the recommendations to build back a stronger Fort Pierre.”

“Although planned and implemented with the best of intentions, these buyouts left a patchwork of occupied and unoccupied residential properties that continue to undermine the bonds of community and threaten the prosperity of Fort Pierre. I’ve asked the Corps of Engineers to examine how we can rebuild the community, to help revitalize Fort Pierre and increase its flood resilience.”

 

LINCOLN, NE – As summer break draws to a close and the school year begins, the Department of Health and Human Services shared Monday that they recognize this change can be exciting, overwhelming and stressful.

DHHS said that whether it is the first day of kindergarten, sophomore year of college, or post graduate school, it is normal to experience academic, mental and social challenges.

“Throughout our lives, there are a variety of different journeys we will experience; one being the academic journey,” Tony Green, Interim Director of Behavioral Health at DHHS, said. “It is important to ensure students will thrive throughout their academic journey while remembering to take care of their mental health, overall health and well-being.”

To ease the transition back to school, the DHHS said that you can keep these tips in mind when preparing for the upcoming semester:

Set a routine. A consistent routine set at the beginning of the semester can reduce uncertainty by setting a consistent rhythm. A routine can help you budget time for homework, socializing, family, hobbies, exercise, sleep, work and other activities.

Stay organized and use checklists. To avoid additional stress and save time later in the week, keep schoolwork organized throughout the week. Checklists can help prioritize important tasks and ensure enough time to finish them all.

Establish a relaxing space. Transitions can bring an influx in unfamiliar place and faces. Everyone experiences stress in life and school is no exception. Finding a comfortable and familiar spot to relax and take a deep breath can help you recharge both body and mind.

Find activities that help you manage stress. It is normal to experience stress for many reasons, including new or additional responsibilities, new living arrangements, and changes in daily schedules. It is important to find an activity that works well for you to help manage stress. Some suggestions are eating healthy foods, exercising, drinking plenty of water, getting enough restful sleep, practicing time management skills, learning to say “no,” journaling and practicing mindfulness with deep breathing.

Have fun! At the beginning of the school year, many colleges and universities host social events to provide opportunities for individuals to meet other students on campus. Many schools have academic or hobby groups and clubs that are available to students. Getting involved is a great way to establish friendships and build a social support system.

Do not be afraid to ask for help. You do not have to journey through this transition alone. Remember resources and help are available. If you notice yourself feeling physically, emotionally, or psychologically drained, please do not be afraid to ask for help. Most schools have counseling services or resources available to students. Reach out to your advisor, teacher, family, friend, or a trusted individual and ask for support.

Need to talk or get immediate help in a crisis? Help is available. If you or a loved one need assistance, please reach out to:

Call, text, or chat 988 for emotional support or for thoughts of suicide.

Your faith-based leader, healthcare professional, or student health center on campus.

Nebraska Family Helpline – Any question, any time. (888) 866-8660

Rural Response Hotline, (800) 464-0258

Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 (oprime dos para Español) or text TalkWithUs to 66746.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522

National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

 

IOWA Undated – John Deere could soon face wrongful termination lawsuits after laying off more than 1,000 workers in Iowa.

Now there is no lawsuit yet, but attorney Megan Bonanni is confident Deere & Company discriminated in its layoffs, targeting older, higher-paid workers. The lawyer from Michigan is investigating after one laid-off Deere worker reached out.

In 2019, Bonanni worked on a case involving the Ford Motor Company where former employees made similar claims. The sides reached a settlement in the case.

Bonanni says that a large number of the workers terminated by Deere were close to getting a boost to their pension or qualifying for retiree health care. Additionally, she said Deere offered transfers to some of the workers they planned on laying off, but that offer was largely given to its younger employees.

In a July statement, Deere & Co. noted salaried employees let go will get a severance package, including:

Up to 12 months of severance based on years of service

Pro-rated short-term incentive (STI) and long-term incentive cash (LTIC) compensation benefits

Payment for any earned and unused vacation or paid time off and other factors

Access to ongoing health and wellness benefits and 12 months of professional job placement services

Bonanni called the severance package “cover” for John Deere to make “bold and discriminatory decisions because most people will accept it out of fear.”

Bonanni says this is a growing trend in American companies called de-risking. Companies will try to better their stock price by offloading their future obligations in pensions, retiree health care, and other benefits factored into their stock price.

If former Deere workers decide to file lawsuits, each case would be considered individually, rather than a class-action lawsuit. Bonanni explained, saying the various workers laid-off lost different types of benefits, which each need to be judged by its own merit.