Imagine leaving a gun in an unlocked vehicle. Imagine that gun is stolen and ends up shooting a kid. Killing a kid. It’s more than an exercise in imagining. It happens. It just did in …
As South Dakota voters get ready to wade through seven ballot issues in November, more are lining up for the 2026 election. Already turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office are two …
Even in these deeply troubled political times, you can sometimes see a flicker of hope coming from what former President George H.W. Bush called “a thousand points of light.” And I …
Just when we thought bipartisanship was dead in South Dakota, Democrats have joined Republicans in opposing Amendment H. That amendment, on the ballot in November, creates what detractors are …
The short-sighted nature of South Dakota’s Legislature is coming back around to bite them right in the wallet. In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers chose to temporarily cut the state …
Social media has become a big part of Americans’ lives. It’s a source of entertainment and information, a way to connect with friends and family, and a place to shop, do business, and …
This fall, for the third time, South Dakotans are being asked to vote on whether to approve marijuana (cannabis) for recreational use (marijuana use as a medical treatment was approved in 2020). In …
A couple days back I was sifting through my emails when I happened upon a recent column by Sen. John Thune. He was lamenting how American families are being hurt by the “reckless …
Vice President Kamala Harris provided voters with an early look into her deft leadership style. Faced with the biggest decision of her brief presidential campaign, Harris ignored the favorite of …
It’s like something out of one of those old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals: “Hey gang, my dad’s got a barn! Let’s put on a show!” Instead of putting on a show, …
The U.S. finished its withdrawal from its last military base in Niger recently, and bad actors are already filling the vacuum. The consequences will extend far beyond Africa’s troubled Sahel …
The United States had an opportunity to close a chapter on a sad, decades-long saga when the government reached a plea deal with three men accused of plotting the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Then, …
During retirement, one of my freelance assignments was covering the Legislature for the South Dakota Newspaper Association. I enjoyed the work, though the weekly travel from my home in Brookings was …
On many days, all you need to do is to step outside to feel one of South Dakota’s deadliest hazards: extreme heat. So far in FY 2024, the dangers of heat illness have killed 34 workers …
Years ago, I lost a dear friend of mine to suicide, and it was fundamentally life changing for me. After that incident, I remember thinking, “I should have done something. I should have said …
The Supreme Court’s 2024 term might have been defined, to the general public at least, by multiple decisions concerning Donald Trump. These cases matter. But the bigger picture is in how the …
Abortion opponents peddle various myths about the procedure to discredit it and demonize the people who provide or support it. Abortion is healthcare. The earlier it is available, the easier it …
President Biden explained his abrupt departure from the presidential campaign in a speech to the nation recently ... actually, no he didn’t. He delivered an address from the Oval Office saying …
“He was bullied almost every day. He was just an outcast.” That observation by a former classmate of the 20-year-old man shot and killed by Secret Service agents after attempting to …
In an Oval Office speech, President Biden announced that he supports reforming the Supreme Court, “because this is critical to our democracy.” But how? There are reforms that would make …