America 250 is a great time to reflect on who we are and what we have fought to build and keep for so long. We are an example for freedom to the rest of the world, and a symbol of hope, as well.

With the release of two opinions on July 10, the South Dakota Supreme Court has resolved all cases considered during its court term year that began August 2025. As the Supreme Court begins its work now for its new term year, this will be the first time the Court has decided all pending cases from the prior term year before beginning a new term year. In prior years, the Court has started its new term with a handful of cases remaining from the previous year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting farmers first by offering them a new option to schedule appointments online with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Following a successful pilot program, FSA is now using a digital appointment platform across the agency to allow producers to make farm program or farm loan appointments online at their convenience.

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Housing (SDH) is now accepting applications for one state funded program and several federal funding programs that help communities meet their housing needs. Funding is available in 2026 through the HOME Investment Partnerships, Housing Tax Credit, Housing Opportunity Fund, Housing Trust Fund and Emergency Solutions Grants programs. Applications are available now, with all submissions due by 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the last working day of August.

In June of 1858, an enumeration of the white people in Yankton County would have revealed the presence of George Fiske, William Lyman, Samuel Mortimer (Spot), Samuel Jerou, A. B. Smith, Lytle Griffith, the first carpenter, Frank Chapel, James Stone, who had come in during the spring and was operating the ferry on the James River, which he had probably purchased from the trading firm or had built another boat, and Francis Dupuis. Mr. Dupuis was a skillful raftsman and had convoyed a small raft of sixteen red cedar logs from Fort Pierre to Yankton, which were employed in the construction of the trading post.

A leaky faucet that’s been on the to-do list for months; rain gutters growing plants; a smoke detector chirping but the tall ladder is a hassle to move in to get at it; the air conditioner filter needs to be changed, but your knees don’t like going down to the basement to change it; a hole in the drywall that needs to be patched from the ladder you moved in to change the smoke detector battery; the new desk kit with seven types of screws and one allen wrench that needs to be assembled —What do you do when you have any of these chores but no time, interest, proper tools, or ability to complete?