ST PAUL, MN – While there’s snow in the immediate forecast, the spring storm season has arrived in the region. In Minnesota state officials say with complaints related to homeowner insurance claims on the rise, it’s important to monitor changes in policies. The Minnesota Commerce Department said complaints from policyholders, largely stemming from their claims being denied, have more than doubled since 2020.
Julia Dreier, deputy commissioner of insurance for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, said under a changing climate, the nation is seeing plenty of extreme weather events resulting in wind and hail damage, and insurance companies are adjusting to what’s happening.
“Insurance costs are going to increase,” Dreier pointed out. “We do want to make sure that Minnesotans are prepared.”
As some carriers narrow what is covered or require higher deductibles, Dreier urged consumers to carefully review their policy when it is up for renewal, to avoid surprises when they have to file a claim. The department acknowledged changes can slip under the radar when consumers rely on paperless statements sent via email, or with busy schedules preventing them from reading all the fine print in documents they receive.
The department emphasized it is a complicated process in getting complaints resolved, noting some can be partially reversed in favor of the homeowner. Dreier noted they work closely with the industry to make sure a company’s actions are within the letter of the law.
“One of our jobs is to make sure that insurance companies aren’t doing something unethical when they’re submitting their policy forms to us and their rates to us for review,” Dreier added.
The department does have a new video on its YouTube channel, which offers more details on how to better prepare yourself ahead of any future claims, including knowing whether your policy offers flood protection and assessing the value of items in your home.
RAPID CITY, SD (Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight) – After the state declined to seek federal grant money to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollution last year, Rapid City was the only city in South Dakota to apply for the money.
Now, the second largest city in the state has worked through its $1 million planning grant and will apply for an implementation grant of up to $50 million to invest in more energy efficient systems and potentially pilot renewable energy programs. The entire grant pool through the Environmental Protection Agency for implementation is $4.6 billion nationwide.
The $1 million planning grant was spent on contracting a company to analyze Rapid City’s greenhouse gas emissions and prepare a report, efforts to gain feedback, supplies and a portion of the sustainability department’s salaries.
Monday night, the Rapid City Council authorized the city’s sustainability program to apply for the implementation grant by April 1. However, the council amended its agenda item to only authorize the application, leaving the ability to accept any potential grant funds up in the air.
Lysann Zeller, Rapid City’s program development manager for sustainability and stewardship, told councilors that the EPA plans to award implementation grants in the fall.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act allocated Climate Pollution Reduction funding for state and municipal government projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help mitigate climate change. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere. Getting to “net zero” greenhouse gas emission requires reducing energy consumption, which can be done through energy efficiency upgrades, and switching to renewable energy sources.
Rapid City’s plan currently focuses on city, school and nonprofit improvements, and it does not seek to regulate private business or residential emissions.
Some council members were hesitant to sign off on the application. Councilor Kevin Maher said some of the items in the plan “are just unrealistic.”
There’s also concern that the plan might cost more than what the grant provides. Councilor Bill Evans dismissed that concern.
“I believe the council already has a failsafe, because we’re not allowed to spend money that the council hasn’t approved, so if it hasn’t been previously approved it wouldn’t go through anyhow,” Evans said.
Zeller said the city wouldn’t be beholden to the plan as it’s drafted now, and that Rapid City has time to polish it and get more feedback. The city must provide a comprehensive climate action plan by August 2025.
Zeller spoke to South Dakota Searchlight after the council meeting. She said some concerns about the plan stem from a “misunderstanding” among some utility providers that the EPA would mandate items listed in the plan.
“That’d be entirely up to our city council or other people in the community,” Zeller said. “I don’t expect many of these things will be mandated in the near future, but the plan gives us information and ideas if we do want to move forward.”
The draft, which was submitted to the EPA on March 1, analyzes Rapid City’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity, which primarily burns fossil fuels, Zeller said, accounts for half of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions – including residential, commercial and industrial emissions. Transportation, including vehicles, accounts for a quarter of emissions.
Electricity accounts for nearly half of Rapid City’s greenhouse gas emissions, based on an analysis of 2021 usage in the Rapid City Community Climate Resiliency Plan. (Courtesy of Rapid City)
Electricity accounts for nearly half of Rapid City’s greenhouse gas emissions, based on an analysis of 2021 usage in the Rapid City Community Climate Resiliency Plan. This chart shows emissions using a unit of measure known as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. (Courtesy of Rapid City)
Based on the greenhouse gas inventory, using 2021 data, the city’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions stand at 19.66 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is above the national average of 14.9, according to 2022 data from the global carbon budget.
“We have high greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., particularly high in South Dakota because of our electricity source as well as the fact that we all drive to go anywhere since we’re such a rural state,” Zeller said.
The plan’s “short list of ideas” includes efforts to increase energy efficiency in specific public and nonprofit buildings, update lighting to energy efficient LEDs and invest in renewable energy pilot projects. According to a preliminary budget released in late February, the plan could cost over $37 million, with nearly $16 million of the money spent on emergency efficiency improvements for Rapid City area school buildings serving primarily low-income students (improving all Rapid City schools would cost over $37 million alone). The plan includes an amount to be determined for staffing, inflation and other indirect costs.
Many of the Rapid City Area Schools facilities are decades old.
“RCAS has a lot of old facilities and a lot to gain from making energy efficiency improvements not only to improve costs but improve working conditions for teachers and learning conditions for students,” Zeller told South Dakota Searchlight. “It’s a no brainer — low hanging fruit for the community.”
The plan also includes upgrading sports field lighting to LEDs across the city and investing in renewable energy programs, such as a South Dakota Mines campus pilot focusing on rooftop solar and geothermal energy and another program installing solar panels on the city’s water reclamation facility. Owned and operated by the city, the system could offset the facility’s electricity use and sell excess generation to the local energy grid, according to the report.
“The objective of this initial priority community climate resiliency plan was not necessarily to determine what’s feasible,” Zeller said. “It was simply to collect ideas from a variety of stakeholders and get input from different folks.”
RAPID CITY, SD – Blaming a rise in thefts and fights breaking out, Uptown Rapid Mall has enacted a new policy banning individuals under the age of 18 from the property if they are not accompanied by an adult.
The policy says that proof of age may be required if the age of the youth or guardian is difficult to determine and that a valid photo identification with a date of birth may be required. The posting listed driver’s licenses, state or military IDs, passports and visas as valid forms IDs.
Under the new policy, one adult over the age of 18 may accompany up to three youths provided that they are the parent or guardian of at least one of the children. Additionally, one parent or guardian over the age of 21 may accompany all of their children.
Individuals under the age of 18 who work at the mall may gain access to the property without a parent or guardian. However, they may be asked for proof of employment and must go directly to their working area and leave directly after their shift has concluded.
Uptown Rapid is owned by RockStep Capital and the new policy is being implemented across all properties they own.
Uptown Rapid commented on the new policy. “A Youth Escort Policy is a policy our corporation has implemented for their malls across the US, along with several other mall owners in our nation. With theft on the rise, and fights continually breaking out, we too have implemented this policy. A majority of the thefts and fights are among the age group of 18 years and younger. We want a safe environment for our shoppers and business owners.”
WATERTOWN, SD – On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at approximately 2:49 PM, the Watertown Police Department responded to a reported stabbing incident in the 1000 block of 4th Ave NW. Upon arrival, officers found an adult victim with two stab wounds.
The victim was quickly taken to the hospital by Watertown Fire Rescue due to potentially life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, identified as Wanda Shepherd, a 70-year-old resident of Watertown, was located and apprehended without further incident shortly after the police arrived at the scene.
Shepherd has been taken into custody and charged with Aggravated Assault. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, with the Watertown Police Department receiving assistance from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
The Watertown Police Department wants to assure the public that there is no immediate danger to their safety following this incident. They urge anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Watertown Police Department at 605-882-6210.
SIOUX FALLS, SD – The South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC), a farmer-led organization dedicated to advancing the soybean industry, is inviting applications for three open seats on its board of directors.
The SDSRPC, which invests and manages checkoff dollars on behalf of South Dakota soybean farmers, is governed by a board of farmer leaders from nine districts across the state. The upcoming election will fill one seat each in Districts Five, Six, and Nine.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates interested in serving on the SDSRPC board must meet the following criteria:
· Be a resident of South Dakota
· Be a participating grower in the soybean checkoff
· Reside in the district they wish to represent
District Details
· District Five includes Beadle, Bennett, Buffalo, Custer, Fall River, Gregory, Haakon, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Todd, and Tripp counties.
· District Six comprises Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, and Kingsbury counties.
· District Nine encompasses Butte, Dewey, Faulk, Lawrence, Meade, Potter, Spink, Stanley, Sully, Walworth, and Ziebach counties.
Interested candidates should contact Becky Cypher at (605)330-9942 to obtain a petition. Completed petitions must be returned to the SDSRPC office by 4:30 p.m. on April 15, 2024. If more than one eligible candidate from a district completes a petition, an election will be held from May 15 to June 13, 2024.
