The South Dakota Municipal League (SDML) has selected David Reiss of Pierre as the next executive director of the SDML. “We have a really good feeling about the health of the Municipal League and what David brings to the organization,” SDML Past President Steve Allender said.

Retail businesses across South Dakota are preparing for hunters to hit the fields Oct. 15, the opening day of the 2022 pheasant hunting season. Thousands of hunters from around the country come to South Dakota each year to enjoy this unique and memorable tradition.

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission held their meeting at the Rapid City Outdoor Campus Oct. 6-7.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) reminds landowners hay remaining in highway ditches needs to be removed. The bales must be removed to ensure road safety in the coming months.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 8.7 percent in 2023, the Social Security Administration announced. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January. The 8.7 percent cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 65 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2023. Increased payments to more than 7 million SSI beneficiaries will begin Dec. 30, 2022. (Note: some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits). The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Medicare premiums are going down and Social Security benefits are going up in 2023, which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room,” Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi said.

Once again, schools have become the target of a TikTok Challenge and not in a good way. Last year the school’s experienced strains of vandalism as students were challenged to photograph or video themselves vandalizing school property. The new challenge – “swatting” – goes even further. Swatting is when a person makes a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address. On Thursday, Oct. 13 at least five schools were targeted – Watertown High School, Brookings High School, Mitchell Senior High School, Rapid City High School and Lincoln High School (in Sioux Falls). Because of these prank calls, law enforcement officials surrounded and swept through the school while students were told to shelter-in-place. During the week of Oct. 3, over two dozen schools in South Carolina also faced the same issue. While the immediate school districts haven’t been impacted, it’s still a cause for concern. “I am aware that this has been occurring,” Dakota Valley Superintendent Dr. Tonia Warzecha said. “We have an updated safety guide in place, and we will implement those protocols should this occur at Dakota Valley.” “At this time it has not impacted the EPJ district,” Elk Point-Jefferson Superintendent Philip Schonebaum said. “If it were to happen we would stick to previous trainings on intruder/ other items. Swatting is a serious crime and a perpetrator, if caught, can face jail time. The local authorities are aware of this harmful TikTok craze. I believe that the best defense for these types of things is education, from parents and school districts, on proper uses of social media.”

At 3:47 p.m. Monday, Oct.

The latest Fire Loss in the U.S. report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows the largest number of home fire deaths since 2007, ref lecting a 14-year high. According to the report, people are more likely to die in a reported home fire today than in 1980. These statistics underscore a concerning trend: While the number of U.S. home fires has continued to decline over time, the home fire death rate has stagnated in recent years, with annual spikes like the most recent one seen in 2021.

U.S. Sen.

The 2023 South Dakota State Park annual entrance licenses are now available. If you don’t have a current entrance license, it’s a great opportunity to buy now for over 19 months of access for just $36. The 2023 licenses are valid now until May 19, 2024.