SOUTH DAKOTA Undated – The make up of the South Dakota Legislature will be significantly different in 2025, after hard-right GOP candidates pulled off upsets over a handful of longtime incumbents.
Two major keys to the results, according to many political observers, were the lack of top of the ticket races and low voter turnout overall. When the dust settled at least half a dozen sitting Republican lawmakers within the party’s more moderate faction were voted out of their positions Tuesday and that sets the stage for major changes in in the makeup of both the House and the Senate next year.
Chief among those were the defeats of Sens. Erin Tobin and Jean Hunhoff.
Hunhoff, of Yankton has long headed the Legislature’s powerful, budget-setting Appropriations Committee and is the longest serving female lawmaker in state history representing District 18.
Tobin, who joined the Legislature in 2020 in an upset bid that unseated a longtime incumbent, has been considered by many of her more like minded colleagues to be a “rising star” within the party.
Other races that came up with surprising results included the defeat of veteran House lawmaker Tamara St. John, Rep. Tyler Tordsen in District 14, and former Speaker of the House Spencer Gosch regaining his former seat in north central South Dakota, defeating Rep. James Wangsness. Former House lawmaker and congressional candidate Taffy Howard also advanced out of the primary.
Out thanks to the Dakota Scout for contributing to this story.
DIMOCK, S.D. – One person sustained life-threatening injuries in a three vehicle crash Wednesday morning near Dimock.
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety says around 9:45 am the driver of a 2013 Ford Escape was stopped in the northbound lane of SD Highway 37 near mile marker 59 waiting for oncoming traffic to clear to turn into a private driveway. A 2009 Ford van was also traveling northbound on SD Highway 37 and collided with the Escape, sending it into the southbound lane of traffic.
A 2019 Peterbilt fuel truck was traveling southbound at this location and collided with the Ford Escape in the southbound lane. The Ford van came to rest in the middle of the highway. The Ford Escape came to rest in the northbound lane and the fuel truck came to rest on the west shoulder of the roadway.
The driver and four minor-age passengers of the Ford van were transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Ford Escape was transported to a nearby health center with non-life-threatening injuries, while her passenger was taken to a nearby hospital and then flown to a Sioux Falls hospital with serious life-threatening injuries. The driver of the fuel truck sustained minor injuries.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
CLAY COUNTY, S.D. – A 22-year-old woman died this morning in a single-vehicle crash near Vermillion, SD.
The name of the person involved has not been released pending notification of family members.
Preliminary crash information indicates the driver of a 2018 Chevrolet Impala was northbound on SD Highway 19 near mile marker 0, having just crossed over the Nebraska/South Dakota bridge. The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway and entered the east ditch where the vehicle vaulted over a field approach and rolled. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and sustained fatal injuries.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary.
The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
RAPID CITY, S.D. – If you remember we talked quite a bit last year, in September to be exact, about the man who stole a bus in Rapid City and was caught, with the bus, about 200 miles away near Chamberlain South Dakota after stopping for a nap.
Well a next step has taken place in the case as the man accused of stealing a charter bus from the parking lot of a Holiday Inn in Rapid City made a court appearance Tuesday.
39-year-old Edwardo Santiago, who took the charter bus, valued at $300,000, for a joyride, and a nap, appeared with his attorney who informed the Court that he and his client are still looking for a plea deal but haven’t come to terms on one yet. His attorney asked for a bond so Santiago could get an evaluation.
Judge Heidi Linngren denied the request, saying he could still receive an evaluation in jail.
Another status hearing is set for June 18.
O’BRIEN COUNTY, IA – The United States Department of Agriculture announced that a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in a dairy herd in O’Brien County. This is the first reported case of HPAI within a dairy herd in Iowa.
HPAI can travel in wild birds, but is often fatal to domestic birds such as chickens and turkeys. Less than a month ago the USDA announced bird flu had been found among dairy cows in several states. Now, they are tightening the restrictions on taking those livestock over state lines.
“Given the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza within dairy cattle in many other states, it is not a surprise that we would have a case given the size of our dairy industry in Iowa. While lactating dairy cattle appear to recover with supportive care, we know this destructive virus continues to be deadly for poultry. Our team at the Department has been preparing for this possibility and will soon be announcing additional response steps to protect our flocks and herds,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
“Poultry producers and dairy farmers should immediately take steps to harden their biosecurity defenses, limit unnecessary visitors, and report symptomatic birds or cattle to the Department,” added Naig. “This remains an evolving situation and we will continue to be in close communication with stakeholders, USDA, and other states as we evaluate our response. Our top priority is to protect our livestock and the farmers and people who care for them.”
It’s been a rough couple of weeks in the state with cases of HPAI. On May 28 there was a reported outbreak affecting 4.2 million laying hens in the state, then just 2 days later a flock of almost 103,000 turkeys were found to be infected in Cherokee County. The birds at both of those facilities were destroyed to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Investigators are trying to determine how the virus was introduced into the flocks and herd.
So far the USDA has confirmed cases in South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Kansas, Idaho, Colorado, and now Iowa.
Suspected signs of HPAI in poultry include:
Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
Decrease in egg production
Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
Difficulty breathing
Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
Stumbling and/or falling down
Diarrhea
Suspected signs of HPAI in dairy cows include:
Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination
Clear nasal discharge
Drop in milk production
Tacky or loose feces
Lethargy
Dehydration
Fever
Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk
