WASHINGTON, DC – House Republicans held a closed-door meeting Wednesday to decide who their nominee for Speaker of the House will be.
This process comes as a result of last week’s vote to vacate the position, ousting the former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the position.
Majority Leader of the House Steve Scalise was nominated in that meeting after a lengthy discussion deciding if he or Ohio Representative Jim Jordan should be the new speaker.
South Dakota’s lone representative Dusty Johnson says he supports Scalise for the nomination but stressed how much he thinks this process put other issues on hold.
“America’s got real problems we clearly have a southern border in crisis, House Republicans were making progress on that front. We also are $33 trillion in debt and House Republicans were making progress on that front, passing appropriations bills that cut 20% and 30% of the waste. Things that we need to get done, unfortunately, all of that progress has come to a screeching halt,” said Johnson.
Now that the Republican nominee is selected, the House of Representatives will hold a roll call vote in the next few days to decide who will be the new Speaker of the House.
ORANGE CITY, IA – According to the Sioux County Sheriff, more charges have been filed against a Hospers, Iowa man arrested last month.
35-year-old Andrew Joslin is now facing a list of charges, including two counts of Second Degree Sexual Abuse, and two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a minor.
Joslin was arrested on September 5th after authorities said it was reported that he solicited a girl for sex. During the investigation, officials learned that he had sex with the girl at a Hospers home.
Joslin remains in the Sioux County Jail.
ABERDEEN, SD – After the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission denied Summit Carbon Solutions’ CO2 pipeline permit in September, the company is taking a new approach.
“You might call it a new leaf. We are committed to working with counties across the state of South Dakota to find a path through. We heard the PUC loud and clear,” said Sabrina Zenor, a spokesperson for Summit.
Zenor described a new grant offer to emergency managers of every affected county. The grant would offer a $50,000 base grant plus an additional $1,000 for every mile that Summit touches in the county.
Brown County landowner Craig Schaunaman maintains his skepticism.
“It looks like they’re trying to buy their way into the counties rather than work their way into the counties,” Schaunaman said.
In McPherson County, landowner Mark Lampa points to Summit Carbon Solutions’ activity outside of the state.
“In North Dakota, they are still asking the state Public Service Commission to preempt the county ordinances that have been put in place up there. So they haven’t changed strategies everywhere,” said Lampa.
Zenor said the pipeline company will resubmit its application when it has a new route established in the state.
“We are committed to working with counties across the state to get that path forward,” said Zenor. “We had acquired almost 75% of voluntary easements across the county.”
VERMILLION, SD – The University of South Dakota notified the campus community Wednesday morning of a sexual assault that took place in a residence hall on campus last Saturday. This is the sixth assault this semester.
The incident happened in the early morning on Oct. 7 in a residence hall on the north side of campus.
According to the university’s message, the assault was perpetrated by an acquaintance, and law enforcement does not believe there is an imminent threat to the campus community at this time.
The University Police Department urges anyone who believes they have been the victim of a crime or has witnessed a crime to contact local law enforcement.
The UPD non-emergency number is 605-658-6199. Please dial 911 in the event of an emergency.
Additional resources can be found on the USD I Care website.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your safety or security, please contact the University Police Department at 605-658-6199.
PIERRE, SD – Zebra mussels have been found in yet another body of water in South Dakota.
According to South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, the aquatic invasive species was found while pulling docks for the winter. Big Stone Lake is on the Minnesota-South Dakota border.
“While pulling docks, one of the dock removal companies reported finding zebra mussels on several structures,” said Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Tanner Davis. “The zebra mussels were confirmed by fisheries staff following these findings.”
GFP said the Zebra Mussel Rapid Response Team will now place high-profile signs on access areas, actively engage boaters using the infested water, and reiterate information on decontamination requirements.
Big Stone will now be added to the long list of waterbodies in South Dakota infested with zebra mussels. These include, the Pactola Reservoir, Enemy Swim Lake, Blue Dog Lake, Lake Cochrane, Lake Kampeska, Lake Sharpe, Lake Francis Case, Lewis and Clark Lake, parts of the Missouri River, McCook Lake, South Rush Lake, Lake Yankton, Clear Lake, Lake Mitchell, Roy Lake, the Big Sioux River, Pickerel Lake and Dahme Quarry.
PIERRE, SD – This year, South Dakota students earned an average composite score above the national average — the highest in the region.
South Dakota students earned an average composite score of 21.1
Nearly 60 percent of the state’s 2023 graduates took the ACT.
“South Dakota’s ACT scores are good,” said Secretary of Education Joseph Graves. “Taking the ACT means a student is considering education beyond high school, and in a knowledge-based economy, that’s a critical thing. I credit South Dakota high school students’ better performance to the fact that we kept our schools open during the pandemic. Our students and teachers did the work straight through a difficult time.”
The Department of Education reports that 59 percent of South Dakota’s 2023 graduates scored a 20 or above on the ACT, compared to 49.5 percent for Midwestern states, and 44.3 percent nationally. South Dakota’s public universities require an 18 for general acceptance into their institutions.
The ACT composite score reflects sub-scores in English, math, reading, and science.
South Dakota’s ACT test-takers indicated they have an interest in staying in state to pursue further education.
Of the institutions identified to receive students’ scores, the top 10 are universities and technical colleges in South Dakota.
YANKTON, SD – A Yankton man charged in a fatal shooting in September has pleaded not guilty.
Cody James Auch, 20, was arrested and charged with Manslaughter, Reckless discharge of a firearm, and possession of a loaded firearm while intoxicated for his connection to a man who appeared at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital with a gunshot wound in the morning hours of September 24th.
The victim later died of his wounds.
Auch appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Auch’s trial has been scheduled to begin on March 18th, 2023.
YANKTON, SD – Ricky Leroy German of Yankton has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for Aggravated Assault.
The sentence stems from a hostage situation that occurred in March of this year. German, age 63, held two civilians hostage in a home on the 1700 block of College Street. Law enforcement negotiated the situation down to a point where they could take German into custody.
In addition to the Aggravated Assault sentencing, German faces Identity Theft charges in Charles Mix County. German was sentenced this morning/yesterday in Yankton County Court.
His sentence begins immediately and he will be held in the Yankton County Jail until he is transferred to the South Dakota State Penitentiary or can appear in court for the charges against him in Charles Mix County.
