Top Stories

Boys & Girls Club opening 130-slot child-care facility in Brookings

BROOKINGS — On March 3, the Brookings Boys & Girls Club will open a new preschool facility — part of the Brookings Child Care Collaborative — featuring 130 slots for kids …

Public input sought for skateboarding renovation plans in Brookings

BROOKINGS — Plans are being made to renovate the skateboarding area near the high school in Brookings, but the parks department wants input from the community before anything concrete happens. …

Think winter's over? Think again, and prepare accordingly

Forty-six degrees Fahrenheit on Jan. 29. It would make a normal person think spring is near. I don’t want to hurt anyone's feelings, but if I was a betting person I would bet that we will see …

South Dakota's one-of-a-kind drug ingestion laws might be changing

A bill before the 2025 South Dakota Legislature would prevent felony possession by ingestion — a crime unique to South Dakota — until a third conviction.
Drug ingestion would no longer be a felony crime on the first or second offense under the terms of a bill endorsed by a Senate panel on Tuesday in Pierre. South Dakota is the only state in the …

South Dakota making its stand against the 'Green Glacier'

When crossing the Missouri River in the southern part of South Dakota, dense canopies of cedar trees, pictured above in the distance, can be seen on either side of the riverbank. Fifty years ago, those trees weren't there. This is the most glaring evidence of the
BROOKINGS — It starts slowly. A tree here, a shrub over there. Then a few years go by. Pastures that once lasted until September are now overgrazed by early August. Suddenly, trees and …
More local news

Registration opens for Master Gardener training in South Dakota

BROOKINGS — Registration is open for the 2025 South Dakota State University Extension Master Gardener training. The course is open to anyone who would like to learn horticulture skills and …

Praying for what we get

For people of faith, prayer is very important. And it should be. It’s our primary means of communicating with God. In some cases — the life-and-death cases — prayer is all we have. …

Coffeehouse tips go to support group for the blind in Brookings

BROOKINGS — The Mission of the Month at the Mission Coffeehouse at First Lutheran Church for February is the Brookings chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. The Brookings Area …

Senior living facility in Brookings to host hymn service

BROOKINGS — First Presbyterian Church will lead a brief worship and hymn service at Peaceful Pines at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9. Peaceful Pines Senior Living is at 900 20th St. S. in Brookings. …

Brookings-area calendar for Feb. 8-14, 2025

Read all about the activities that Brookings-area groups have planned in the days ahead.

Sioux Falls man arrested in Volga burglary case

VOLGA — Suspects have been identified and an arrest made in a Jan. 30 burglary at Valley Mart in Volga that involved cash being taken from video lottery machines, according to the Brookings …
Obituaries
Arlene Hendrickson
Arlene ‘Susie’ Hendrickson
Arlene “Susie” Hendrickson, 99, died peacefully, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at her home at Legends on Lake Lorrane in Sioux Falls, SD, surrounded by her family and devoted caregivers. …
Edith Pecks
Edith Pecks, age, 88 of Thermopolis, Wyoming, died Feb 1, 2025, at Thermopolis Rehab and Wellness. Funeral service will be 2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, at Ellsworth Funeral Home. Visitation will be one …
James Lietz
James Lietz
James Bradley Lietz, 60, of Brookings, SD, passed away peacefully Friday Jan. 31, 2025. A memorial service has been set for 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings SD. …
Duane Lee
Duane F. Lee
Duane F. Lee, 93, of Oldham, SD, died Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Good Samaritan Society in De Smet. Services will be 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, at Oldham Lutheran Church with visitation one hour …
Adam Nelson
Adam Nelson
Funeral services for Adam Nelson, age 44, of Lake Preston, will be 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at Lake Whitewood Church rural Arlington. Visitation will be Thursday, Feb. 6, at Johnson-Henry Funeral …
Local sports

Fast start leads Sioux Falls Washington over Brookings

Brookings’ Logan Smidt passes while being surrounded by Sioux Falls Washington defenders on Tuesday night during a game at Bob Jostad Gymnasium in Brookings. The Bobcats lost 50-31.
A strong start for Sioux Falls Washington on Tuesday night led to the Warriors beating Brookings 50-31 at Bob Jostad Gymnasium.
Six Brookings Rangers teams were in action over the weekend and four of them had winning records.
Read more.
Brookings’ Kami Erickson, right, wrestles against a Harrisburg wrestler in the 126-pound weight class on Tuesday night in the auxiliary gym at Brookings High School.
The Brookings girls’ wrestling team beat Harrisburg 24-9 in a dual on Tuesday night in the auxiliary gym at Brookings High School.
Read more.
The Brookings wrestling teams hosted Harrisburg on Tuesday night in the auxiliary gym at Brookings High School.
Dakota Valley came from behind in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night and beat the Sioux Valley girls’ basketball team 73-65 on Tuesday night.
The Deubrook Area girls’ basketball team blew out Madison at home on Tuesday night.
The SoDak Spurs Soccer Club will have two players heading to Orlando for an Olympic Devolpment Program event.
SDSU Jackrabbits Athletics

Second half surge pushes Jackrabbits over Fighting Hawks

South Dakota State’s Haleigh Timmer shoots a 3-pointer during a game against Dakota Wesleyan on Dec. 11 in Brookings. Timmer surpassed 1,000-career points on Wednesday night during a 66-45 win over North Dakota in Grand Forks.
South Dakota State outscored North Dakota 46-17 in the second half on Wednesday night and the Jackrabbits beat the Fighting Hawks 66-45 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Preseason polls highlights South Dakota State's Barnard, Jarecki

South Dakota State’s Akayla Barnard and Mia Jarecki were listed as the Jackrabbits’ Preseason Players to Watch on Wednesday, Feb. 5, as part of The Summit League’s release of its 2025 Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Wednesday. SDSU was picked to finish second among the seven teams in The Summit League standings.

Jackrabbits top Utah Valley, Wyoming in Brookings

The South Dakota State wrestling team won its first two Big 12 home matches of the season over the weekend. The Jackrabbits edged out Utah Valley 21-16 on Friday night and then dominated Wyoming …

South Dakota State handles business in Omaha

South Dakota continued its dominance over the Summit League on Saturday afternoon as the Jackrabbits came away with a 93-63 win over Omaha.

Fighting Hawks end Jackrabbits win streak

South Dakota State

North Dakota got off to a hot start on Saturday afternoon and theFighting Hawks snapped South Dakota State’s five-game win streak with an 80-75 victory.

Jackrabbits overcome slow start to beat Bison in Fargo

South Dakota State’s Joe Sayler shoots a corner 3-pointer during a 72-62 win over North Dakota State on Thursday night at the Sanford Health Athletic Center in Fargo.

South Dakota State overcame a rough start on Thursday night and came away with a 72-62 victory over North Dakota State at the Sanford Health Athletic Center.

Police report
Read all about recent cases handled by circuit and magistrate courts in Brookings County.
Read all about recent cases handled by circuit and magistrate courts in Brookings County.
Opinion

The new Trump religion

President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20.

On Jan 20, the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump came off with a strong dose of religion. Leading off the clergymen (no women today, … but the next day) was Cardinal Timothy Dolan, …

Some in the South Dakota Legislature want to require that the Ten Commandments be posted in every public-school classroom. They claim this honors the historical Christian influence in our state and …
South Dakota voters aren’t particularly fond of ballot measures that seek to change the state constitution. They’re even less enamored of attempts to mess with the way that their …
South Dakota’s Republican-dominated Legislature has never been a fan of expanded Medicaid. Now a proposed constitutional amendment making its way through the Capitol offers a back-door way for …
Web extra content
The wind and terrain can quickly change how a fire, like this one near Los Angeles in January 2025, behaves.
How satellites and AI help fight wildfires today
Fire spotters used to watch with binoculars from forest towers. Now, technology can help forecast fire behavior, but human experience is still essential.
Vinyl's shocking comeback: Why everyone's talking about records again
Bandcamp explores the surprising resurgence of vinyl and why it's become a cultural movement.
4 realistic resolutions for working parents to consider in 2025
(BPT) - The 2024 U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory shed light on the immense amount of stress parents are under. Part of this is due to the pressure that comes with raising children, working and …
Transform Your Garden in 2025 with These 10 Award-Winning Plants and Products
(BPT) - As winter turns into spring, it's time for gardeners to consider which plants they'll cultivate in planters, pots and gardens. If you're in the midst of planning your garden and need …
When retirees go rural
The Daily Yonder profiles senior citizens who made the choice to relocate from urban to rural areas for their retirement.