WORKING TOGETHER When a crew takes on an assignment for a wildland fire, there needs to be three firefighters. The crew consists of one Engine Boss and two firefighters. The firefighters have had to take extra classes to become certified as wildland firefighters FF2,...
SUPPORTING THE SHARPSHOOTERS Stop out at the Main Street Humboldt Bar each Sunday for the Chase the Ace fundraiser, which benefits the Humboldt Sharpshooters. Tickets are purchased from 4-5 p.m. and the drawing takes place shortly after 5. (Photo/Submitted) RAISING...
HAFR RECEIVES A NEW ENGINE The Hartford Area Fire and Rescue received a new Engine in June, which will help them provide better services to the community and surrounding areas. The Engine was custom-built by Heiman Fire Equipment. (Photo/Submitted) PREPARING FOR...
Dave Baumeister | County Correspondent SIOUX FALLS – The second week of budget meetings took center stage after the regular Minnehaha County Commission meeting on Tuesday, July 1, which only lasted 19 minutes.The following budget meeting, though, went much longer,...
Sara Stadem | Editor “Go see what you can discover outside.” “Take a break from the screens – go play outside!” “Get outside and burn some of that energy.” Does any of this sound familiar to you? How many times are we encouraging children to go outside and play, to...
The annual parish-wide “Rummage for Missions” at the United Methodist Church in Colton is almost here! The event is hosted by Pastor Susan at the parsonage during the Colton town festival, which is July 18-19.Beginning Sunday, July 13, Pastor Susan will be accepting...
HUMBOLDT, SD – Get ready for three jam-packed days of small-town fun and big-time entertainment as Main Street Days returns to Humboldt on July 4, 5 and 6, 2025! With live music, family activities, a patriotic parade, fireworks, and more, this hometown celebration has...
Sara Stadem | Editor The West Central Booster Club is once again gearing up for its annual golf tournament, which is set for Friday, July 25, at Central Valley Golf Course in Hartford.The 18-hole four-person scramble will have a 2 p.m. shotgun start with a cost of...
District 9 Column The end of June brings a flurry of U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decisions. Two recent cases have significant ramifications for the children of South Dakota. The first case is Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton in which the porn industry sued the state of...
Senator John Thune On the Fourth of July, Americans across the country will gather with family, friends, and their communities to celebrate our nation’s independence. After the parades and barbecues have ended, when I’m looking out at the wide South Dakota sky before...
Governor Larry Rhoden I was born and raised in West River, and that part of the state reflects the great American West in a lot of ways. The hillcrests and valleys are a bit sharper, the prairies have more cows and grass than corn and soybeans, and the Black Hills are...
TAKING HOME THE TROPHY Montrose’s Lyndon Johnson was the USRA B-Modified Winner at I-90 Speedway in Hartford on Saturday, June 28. (Photo/Dirt Shotz) 27 entries - IMCA RaceSaver Sprint CarsSpielman Excavating A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 17-Lee Goos Jr[14]; 2. 65X-Sawyer...
AGENTS OF DISTINCTION Broker Associate Dave Larson of Hartford was honored at the 2025 Agents of Distinction Awards Ceremony, which honored Sioux Empire’s top 60 real estate agents of 2024. The event was put on by First Dakota and Anthem Title. (Photo/Submitted) Sara...
PROGRESS CONTINUESThe Crooks Veteran’s Park continues progress as they work to finalize the park. The committee hopes to have everything finalized by October 1. (Photo/Submitted) ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE PARK Six granite slabs light up at the Crooks Veteran’s Park....
Minnehaha County Commissioners Dave Baumeister | County Correspondent SIOUX FALLS – During a short meeting on Tuesday, June 24, Captain Joe Bosman of the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department briefed commissioners on a new program to add a “force multiplier” to local...
DAR DEDICATION There were over 30 community members and friends of Artz present at the DAR ceremony, which was held on Friday, June 13. Pictured (left to right) at the graveside dedication for Wanda Meyer Artz’s are Brian Theel, Charles Meyer, David Artz, Larry...
More than $32,000 given to community groups Sioux Valley Energy and its members are making an impact in Minnehaha County. During the most recent quarterly meeting of the Sioux Valley Energy Customers’ Trust Board of Directors, $32,725 in grants were awarded by the...
PIERRE, S.D. – A newly updated ‘Move Over’ law goes into effect across South Dakota on July 1, expanding protections for authorized vehicles occupying the shoulder of the highway with amber, yellow, or blue warning lights. The goal is simple: keep more people safe on...
THE CREATORS Dell Rapids residents Cami Wolles and Lucy Vargas created the Stars, Stripes & Strides for Veterans for their love of running and wanting to give back to the community. They both have family members who have served and felt it was a good cause to...
More than 215,000 South Dakotans among 72.2 million Americans expected to travel SIOUX FALLS, SD – From sea to shining sea and from Spearfish to Sioux Falls, AAA is projecting strong travel volume for the upcoming Independence Day holiday.Travelers are gearing up for...