The North Sioux City Council convened on March 21 as the regular council, but also held a prior meeting as the Local Board of Equalization. There were five grievances to hear from North Sioux City residents contesting their assessed property values.

The winter weather advisory in southeast South Dakota could not stop the Dakota Valley boys basketball team from rolling past Hot Springs in the 1st round of state tournament play. The Panthers won big, versus the Bison, by a score of 80-47 at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls on March 16.

Buzzer beater leads Huskies to 4th place finish March 16, 2023 will be a night to remember for Devon Schmitz. Not only because it was his birthday, but his last second 3-point shot sent the Huskies into the winning side of the Class A State Boys Basketball tournament brackets.

An election integrity bill, supported by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, passed another legislative hurdle Wednesday, March 1. Senate Bill 207 would strengthen the ban on the inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars to influence the outcome of an election.

Governor Kristi Noem, in coordination with the South Dakota Depar tment of Veterans Affairs, is proclaiming Wednesday, March 29, 2023, as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day.” The Governor and the Department are calling on all South Dakotans to recognize the courage, service and sacrifice of the men and women who served during the Vietnam War. More than 27,000 South Dakotans were called upon to stand up and fight.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 2021 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis, which shows that environmental releases of TRI chemicals from facilities across the nation covered by the program remained below pre-pandemic levels and releases in 2021 are 10 percent lower than 2012 releases, even with an eight percent increase from 2020 to 2021. Additionally, in 2021, facilities managed more than 89 percent of their TRI chemical waste through preferred practices such as recycling, energy recovery and treatment, while reporting that they released 11 percent of their TRI chemical waste into the environment.

Multiple teacher and coaching contracts were approved at the Elk Point-Jefferson School Board meeting March 13. Non-certified personnel salary agreements were approved for Melissa Curry adding Middle School/High School Principal’s Secretary for 2022-23 school year and Jake Terry as 7th Period – sixth grade computer class for 2022-23 school year.

The family of Eldon Barnes filed a lawsuit against Prairie Estates and Thomas Olson, a medical director, after the death of Barnes. Barnes was admitted into Prairies Estates Healthcare Community in March 2015.

The South Dakota Department of Health (SDDOH) Office of Health Facilities Licensure and Certification is providing a grant opportunity to support skilled nursing and long-term care facilities in enhancing their infection prevention infrastructure necessary to support resident, visitor and facility healthcare personnel safety. This funding supports recruitment and retention opportunities for skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities and assisted living centers in South Dakota.

At Dakota Valley Elementary School, we are ready to begin welcoming our newest Panthers to the district during our Kindergarten Round-Up event on March 30 and 31. These newest students will be members of the class of 2036! Each year as we hold this event, it gives our teachers a chance to share about school and kindergarten readiness with families, which many times includes the cognitive abilities that encompass what is referred to as Executive Function.