MITCHELL, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Mitchell law enforcement announce that a person has been arrested in the investigation of a female that was found this week in Mitchell.
The deceased has been identified as Melody Fae Gooch, 57, of Detroit, MI. Her body was discovered at 10:54 p.m. Monday night at the Mitchell I-90 Travel Center.
“South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation and Mitchell law enforcement have been working to notify Melody’s family members, collect evidence, and analyze security videos, and we have now arrested a suspect identified as Anthony Harris,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This has been a cooperative effort between many different local and state agencies.”
Anthony Harris, 50, of Detroit MI has been detained in Washington State. He has been charged with Second-Degree Murder and Improper Disposal.
“We are continuing to follow up on any information we receive, and the investigation is on-going,” said Attorney General Jackley.
People who may have known or seen the deceased in the Mitchell area between Saturday, March 9, and Monday, March 11, are asked to call the Mitchell Police Department at 605-995-8400.
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota has a higher-than-national-average rate for certain health indicators, such as high blood pressure in adults. State officials hope an emerging digital tool will help some communities achieve better outcomes by overcoming some barriers.
The state health department is rolling out its Nexus SD platform in Rapid City and Mitchell. Rachel Sehr, the department’s community engagement director, said it works as a referral service for high-risk and underserved populations.
There are two versions: one for providers and support organizations to relay information, and a separate online search tool for residents. By streamlining connections, Sehr said, partners can take a quicker path to address social determinants of health.
“And that really allows everybody who’s using it to have a much more broad picture of what’s happening with that individual,” she said.
For the person seeking guidance, that limits how many times they have to explain their situation or go through a screening process. And the platform isn’t only for health-care needs. It can help with food access or transportation. It’s unclear how personal information will be protected in the database shared by providers, but officials have noted that users can search for help anonymously.
The project’s launch relies on funds awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sehr pointed to similar efforts in large cities such as San Diego and said her team hopes it can be rolled out statewide in South Dakota.
“We’ll be targeting community by community throughout the state,” she said, “trying to onboard multiple organizations within a single community at a time.”
The initial project phase goes for another year, and a larger expansion might depend on the availability of funding. The health department said ushering in a holistic approach to community wellness could help inform policy and investment decisions to better respond to the unmet needs of vulnerable populations.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Travelers United, a consumer watchdog group, has filed a civil lawsuit against Governor Kristi Noem.
The non-profit focuses on the travel industry and claims the Governor’s social media post about a dental practice in Texas is an advertisement that encourages medical tourism. Travelers United claims Noem is a social media influencer and is subject to certain laws that govern what the group says is “advertising on behalf of a brand.”
On Monday, Noem posted a nearly five minute video on her personal social media accounts including Twitter, now known as X, telling people what a great experience she had getting her teeth fixed at Smiles Texas, in the Houston area.
Travelers United says that they believe the Governor received some sort of compensation and they want that acknowledged in Noem’s posts.
The group says that, as a social media influencer, Noem has to follow certain rules just like everybody else. In the lawsuit, they say she has nearly a half million followers on X, nearly a million on Truth Social, 273 thousand on Facebook, and a quarter million followers on Instagram.
The civil lawsuit is filed in Washington, DC’s Superior Court under the Consumer Protection Procedures Act. It asks the court to stop Noem from advertising on social media without disclosing that she is advertising.
