Home | The Dakota Scout

SCOUTING REPORT | Local food, papers please, wealthy socialists, sealing history

A weekly digest of interesting local, state, national and even international developments

Aug 30, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

VIEWPOINT | The FDA is moving faster on psychedelics – now D.C. must do more

Guest column by Peter J. Pitts, former FDA associate commissioner

Aug 30, 2026

VIEWPOINT | The FDA is moving faster on psychedelics – now D.C. must do more

CARTOON | Feverish fowl

As seen in the Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2026, print edition of The Dakota Scout

Aug 30, 2026

Ryan M Stoick

Minnehaha, Lincoln counties look to shape regulations for large data centers

Local governments wrestling with topic despite new South Dakota law addressing power, water concerns

Aug 30, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

Minnehaha, Lincoln counties look to shape regulations for large data centers

Hundreds honor legacy of T. Denny Sanford and billions donated

Banker, philanthropist funded health care, child services, education, quality of life and more

Aug 29, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

Hundreds honor legacy of T. Denny Sanford and billions donated

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State Politics

South Dakota enters settlement with Facebook over child targeting

States accused social media companies of getting kids addicted

Aug 26, 2026

The Dakota Scout

$588K Medicaid fraud case lands South Dakota Pierre woman on probation

Former nursing home owner Sharon Laraye Monson had faced potential 42-year sentence after being indicted on six felony charges.

Aug 25, 2026

Joe Sneve

Voter groups, Minnehaha County man sue state over voter registration law

Legislature, Gov. Larry Rhoden enacted new law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for new voters

Aug 24, 2026

The Dakota Scout

Fate of Farm Bill could depend on results of midterm election

South Dakota congressional delegation does Dakotafest town hall in Mitchell

Aug 19, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

Ahlers, McCleerey try to appeal to moderates while swinging at GOP status quo

Democratic lieutenant governor nominee raises property rights, health care, bipartisanship as key parts of policy platform

Aug 12, 2026

Dominik Dausch

Ahlers selects Sisseton farmer, ex-lawmaker as running mate

South Dakota election website lists Steven McCleerey's name early, preempting planned Wednesday announcement from Democratic candidate in governor's race

Aug 11, 2026

Dominik Dausch

Sioux falls

Minnehaha, Lincoln counties look to shape regulations for large data centers

Local governments wrestling with topic despite new South Dakota law addressing power, water concerns

Aug 30, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

Hundreds honor legacy of T. Denny Sanford and billions donated

Banker, philanthropist funded health care, child services, education, quality of life and more

Aug 29, 2026

Jonathan Ellis

Government use of Flock surveillance pits privacy fears vs. public safety benefits

Local South Dakota governments, state officials struggle to decide how data captured by license plate cameras ought to be regulated

Aug 29, 2026

Joe Sneve

Mitakuye Owas’in festival brings Native culture to Levitt at the Falls

Event features Native American music, arts and dancing

Aug 28, 2026

Dorene Weinstein

South Dakota DOT offers $3.5M to plan 36 bridge projects across the state

Funding designated for design, physical surveys, hydraulic studies to help determine replacement needs

Aug 28, 2026

Jacob Brende

First Bank & Trust invests in SDSU student writers, local journalism

New section in The Dakota Scout features news from university, offers interns a chance to hone skills

Aug 28, 2026

The Dakota Scout

THE LATEST FROM…

Check out what veteran reporters Jonathan Ellis and Joe Sneve are covering as well as The Dakota Scout’s other trusted team members.

Joe Sneve

Jonathan Ellis

Dan Gehlsen

Dominik Dausch

VIEWPOINTS

Beating a dead pandemic | Banking on journalisms future with The Collegian | Marijuana markets | The Scout's next big step | Aug. 29, 2026 Ben Nesselhuf

Aug 29, 2026

Room for improvement | ‘Back to normal ... what we have here is good’ | A big job | The Democrats most winnable race? | Using AI to improve record keeping | Online & early voter registration

Aug 22, 2026

Asking hard questions | Connecting dots | Clinging to leadership | Flock camera hype | Surveying Smithfield | Surviving a fire | Hiring the right person

Aug 15, 2026

Visiting Wrigley | Winning state | Forging better athletes | New 9-to-5er | Making a majority | Hiding in the bathroom | Abnormally triggered | Building better businesses

Aug 8, 2026

THE SCOUTING LOUNGE PODCAST

A weekly podcast where award-winning reporters Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis ditch the gotcha journalism to bring candid, behind-the-scenes conversations with South Dakota’s political leaders, celebrities and newsmakers.

SCOUTING REPORT | Local food, papers please, wealthy socialists, sealing history

VIEWPOINT | The FDA is moving faster on psychedelics – now D.C. must do more

CARTOON | Feverish fowl

Minnehaha, Lincoln counties look to shape regulations for large data centers

Hundreds honor legacy of T. Denny Sanford and billions donated

Get the latest local news and exclusive content straight to your email inbox.

Sign Up Today

State Politics

South Dakota enters settlement with Facebook over child targeting

$588K Medicaid fraud case lands South Dakota Pierre woman on probation

Voter groups, Minnehaha County man sue state over voter registration law

Fate of Farm Bill could depend on results of midterm election

Ahlers, McCleerey try to appeal to moderates while swinging at GOP status quo

Ahlers selects Sisseton farmer, ex-lawmaker as running mate

Sioux falls

Minnehaha, Lincoln counties look to shape regulations for large data centers

Hundreds honor legacy of T. Denny Sanford and billions donated

Government use of Flock surveillance pits privacy fears vs. public safety benefits

Mitakuye Owas’in festival brings Native culture to Levitt at the Falls

South Dakota DOT offers $3.5M to plan 36 bridge projects across the state

First Bank & Trust invests in SDSU student writers, local journalism

THE LATEST FROM…

Check out what veteran reporters Jonathan Ellis and Joe Sneve are covering as well as The Dakota Scout’s other trusted team members.

Joe Sneve

Jonathan Ellis

Dan Gehlsen

Dominik Dausch

VIEWPOINTS

Beating a dead pandemic | Banking on journalisms future with The Collegian | Marijuana markets | The Scout's next big step | Aug. 29, 2026 Ben Nesselhuf

Room for improvement | ‘Back to normal ... what we have here is good’ | A big job | The Democrats most winnable race? | Using AI to improve record keeping | Online & early voter registration

Asking hard questions | Connecting dots | Clinging to leadership | Flock camera hype | Surveying Smithfield | Surviving a fire | Hiring the right person

Visiting Wrigley | Winning state | Forging better athletes | New 9-to-5er | Making a majority | Hiding in the bathroom | Abnormally triggered | Building better businesses

THE SCOUTING LOUNGE PODCAST

A weekly podcast where award-winning reporters Joe Sneve and Jonathan Ellis ditch the gotcha journalism to bring candid, behind-the-scenes conversations with South Dakota’s political leaders, celebrities and newsmakers.

THE LOUNGE