The South Dakota Softball Coaches Association Academic All-State team includes seniors who were nominated by their coach and have a GPA of 3.5 or above. In Class A, Dakota Valley’s seniors to receive this recognition were Logan Miller and Emma Wiese.

.

Dakota Valley Panthers who were named to the Class B Region 1 Academic All-State team were Isaac Bruns, Jake Pruchniak and Randy Rosenquist. These seniors were named to the team because they met the requirements of having a GPA of 3.5 or above.

Two Dakota Valley baseball seniors made the cut as finalists for South Dakota High School Baseball Association’s (SDHSBA) Class B Player of the Year for the 2023 season. Jaxon Hennies and Jake Pruchniak were 2 of 5 players from the state to be named to this exclusive list.

Approximately 170 Virginia Military Institute cadets, commissioned into the armed services in Cameron Hall Monday, May 15 in the annual Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) joint commissioning ceremony. The historic day marked the first time VMI cadets were sworn in to all six branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. The ceremony was livestreamed for family and friends who could not attend the event in person.

A wonderful Sunday was had by Dakota Dunes residents on June 4. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Dakota Dunes Community Association (DDCA) hosted three food trucks at the Prairie Park in Dakota Dunes. Specialty corn dogs, street tacos, chicken wings and more were available for locals to feast on and enjoy courtesy of the DDCA. Many congregated to munch on delicious food and chat with friends and neighbors.

Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales was released from Webb County Jail in Laredo, TX on May 31 into the hands of another law enforcement agency and is being transported back to Union County, SD. Castellanos-Rosales is being charged with first-degree murder and a charge of seconddegree murder stemming from the death of 23-year-old Jordan “Jordy” Beardshear back on April 25. Authorities found Beardshear’s body inside her Dakota Dunes apartment on April 26.

Tyson Foods shared, in a press release, they will be terminating 262 corporate employees who were working at the Dakota Dunes location. Those in the corporate positions were offered the opportunity to keep their jobs if they relocated to Springdale, AK. The employees being terminated at the end of July chose not to relocate.

For over 15 years, Elk Point and surrounding communities have supported the local blood bank, LifeServe Blood Center, with at least six blood donation opportunities per year. Over the course of May, one blood drive was hosted to support the 150-plus local hospitals that LifeServe Blood Center serves. From this drive, 21 units of blood were collected which has the ability to save up to 63 local lives.

The South Dakota High School Athletic Association State Championship Track Meet was held on May 25 through May 27 at Howard Wood in Sioux Falls. With teams from all parts of South Dakota across classes B, A, and AA, the competition level was set to be higher than ever.