Students, parents, faculty and staff were at Dakota Valley’s Performing Arts Center on Monday, October 20, 2025 in order to celebrate current National Honor Society (NHS) members, as well as the brand new class of inductees.

Multiple Panthers were seen on the streets of Brookings, South Dakota on Saturday, October 11, 2025. This was because the Dakota Valley marching band was in Jackrabbit territory to compete and perform at South Dakota State’s Hobo Day Parade. The annual event was taking place to celebrate the college’s homecoming festivities and also incorporated a band competition for high school band programs. It was a long morning, but well worth it as the Panthers brought home top honors.

Residents of Dakota Dunes were notified by email and text messaging services, on October 17, 2025 that changes were coming to the practice of leasing dwellings within the community. As of November 15, 2025 renting of units will no longer be allowed. However, property owners who are currently leasing rental homes in the Dunes can continue to do so as long as they have alerted the homeowner’s association (HOA) and followed the correct steps and procedures.

The North Sioux City City Commission approved the final payment and a change order for the Penrose Drive Reconstruction project during its regular meeting Monday, October 20, marking a significant step forward in the city’s ongoing flood recovery efforts.

Beautiful voices and plenty of musical talent was heard on Monday, October 20, 2025 in the middle school gym at Elk Point-Jefferson. The Huskies hosted an All-Choir Concert which began at 7 pm and included multiple soloists. Students were led by EPJ’s music director Katelyn Brunick.

Br ight and early on Saturday, October 11, 2025 high schoolers and middle schoolers in band, at Elk Point-Jefferson, traveled to Yankton, South Dakota. They were headed there for their final marching band competition of the season. The destination site was hosting the annual event known as March to the Meridian. The contest included many band programs from both South Dakota and Nebraska. There is a parade component with schools marching across the iconic Meridian Bridge.

Construction advances on Elk Point-Jefferson’s new multipurpose room, a centerpiece of the district’s $8.3 million facilities upgrade.

With the federal government shutdown continuing into November, local food pantries like Elk Point’s are preparing for a wave of new need—especially as SNAP benefits are suspended for the month, leaving millions of Americans without critical food assistance.

The city of Elk Point is mourning the loss of longtime Ward 2 representative and City Council President Lance Penfield, who died Oct. 13 in Omaha, Nebraska.

The combat sport, and a highly practiced martial art, of judo has been popular with some high schoolers in the area. So popular in fact, that Eston and Bella Monical, from Dakota Dunes, traveled to judo’s birthplace of Japan this past summer. The siblings are both brown belts and they visited the Asian country accompanied by their mom Wendy.