South Dakotans aim to save on back-to-school shopping despite higher costs

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - As families prepare for the final stretch of summer, back-to-school shopping has already begun. Researchers found that some are worried about the impact of new tariffs, leading to an earlier start to the shopping …

South Dakota Chislic Fest switching to biennial format

FREEMAN, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - South Dakota’s state nosh, chislic, has always been the star of the show at Chislic Fest in Freeman. Fans of the food again celebrated this weekend, but festival organizers said things will look different after this year. …

Is there a future for nuclear power in South Dakota? NorthWestern Energy looking to find out

MITCHELL — Does nuclear power have a future in South Dakota? At least one energy company, a state elected official and a technical college president are interested in finding out. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission earlier this month approved a …

How Many South Dakotas Can You Fit in These HUGE Places?

South Dakota is a decent-sized state. In fact, it's bigger than most U.S. states, coming in at number 17 on the official rankings. At 77,116 Square Miles, it's slightly bigger than the state of Washington and slightly smaller than the state of …

South Dakota Senator John Thune & Congressman Dusty Johnson share thoughts on “Big Beautiful Bill”

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - With President Donald Trump signing the Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, many South Dakotans may be wondering how the bill will directly impact the Mount Rushmore State. KOTA Territory News spoke with South Dakota Senator …

Chislic sure is tasty, but is it recognized as a state symbol in South Dakota?

By Michael KlinskiSouth Dakota News Watch Yes South Dakota officially designated chislic, a dish of fried or grilled salted cubes of meat sometimes served on skewers, as the official state “nosh” in 2018. The bite-sized food has been a uniquely South …

South Dakota Farmland Values Continue Upward Trend

HURON — Farmland values in South Dakota ticked up in the first half of 2025, according to the semiannual benchmark farmland report from Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica). This steady growth underscores the financial strength in agriculture, even …

South Dakota's most recent fiscal surplus fueled by unclaimed property

By Jackson DircksSDPB News At the latest legislative interim appropriations meeting, a new law came to the forefront. That’s because the state saw a “windfall” of one-time funds from unclaimed property. Unclaimed property is any abandoned or private assets …

South Dakota boasts best unemployment rate in the country

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - If you’re looking for a job, South Dakota may be the place for you. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, South Dakota still has the lowest unemployment rate of any state in the country, leaving South …

South Dakota boasts best unemployment rate.