To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

Chris Lawrence knows a thing or two about cancer.

His mother died of glioblastoma (a type of brain cancer) last May.

His father was diagnosed the same year with stage four colon cancer and Chris, himself, was diagnosed with stage four ductal cancer when he was 37 years old and a new father.

“I understand how challenging cancer can be. This month is the 10-year anniversary of when I was diagnosed.” says Lawrence, the founder and executive director of Hope Has Arrived - a nonprofit ministry started in 2018 as a direct result of his cancer fueled battle.

“Cancer has cut a deep wound in our hearts,” says Craig Lawrence – Chris’s dad. He and his wife of 56 years endured treatments and side effects of chemo together.

Cancer has had a profound impact on the family.

“It’s made me more grateful for the time I have, especially to be there for my wife and my kids and extended family, but it has also motivated me to want to help others find hope” says Chris.

Lawrence, a Sioux Falls native, will give a presentation on navigating the fears of cancer May 8 at a free luncheon.

Hope is the key to navigating the cancer journey, he says.

His father agrees.

“As a human being, knowing all that I have learned and all that I have endured, how can I stand by and do nothing for the suffering?” says Craig Lawrence, who helped set up the ministry.

“When I’m at the cancer center, I look at the faces – no one wants to be in that building.”

Providing emotional tools for those tormented by cancer and its treatments is the basic premise of Hope Has Arrived.

Offering support through stories and suggestions from folks who have been there helps define a path through the suffering.

Hope is not just optimism.

Spiritually, hope is a confident expectation and assurance in God’s promises, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Hope is also different than faith, which is defined as a deep confidence in a person, concept or divine entity. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Cancer removes the staircase.

Many individuals have been touched by cancer, yet it’s not always a death sentence.

Scientific breakthroughs have saved 18.6 million people in the United States, which is a bit more than 5 percent of our population, according to the American Cancer Society.

Talking about cancer is difficult for most families. The best thing a friend or relative can do for a newly diagnosed cancer patient is to be a good listener, says Charlie DeRidder, retired chaplain of the VA hospice and care team and board member of Hope has Arrived.

That means listening without judgement or trying to fix things.

“Listen without an agenda,” he says.

“People want to know how much you care and if you are willing to listen to them. They want someone to walk with them through the mess,” DeRidder says.

A cancer diagnosis upends your whole world. “Everything is reprioritized.”

“You recalibrate all your energy and become aware of your mortality,” he says.

Facing fears, loss and disappointments, patients often seek a relationship with a higher power. Hope Has Arrived helps uplift cancer victims through prayer, and a realization that others have faced similar circumstances.

Hope can sustain you through treatments and pain, says DeRidder. However, if the treatment is ineffective, it’s important for the patient to realize what’s ahead, he says.

The sufferer must make peace with dying.

“There are four things for the afflicted to say,” says DeRidder. They are:

1. Please forgive me.

2. I forgive you.

3. I love you.

4. Goodbye.

All are difficult to say but the stories, tips and advice found on the hopeagainstcancer.org website can be useful to victims and their families to start a conversation.

It’s a place to share your history, gain strength and find peace, DeRidder says.

The narratives are “pointing others with thoughtful care and guidance. They will inform you about the emotions and reactions you’ll have.”

It helps you realize, “you may face a cancer diagnosis, but it can be faced.”

To attend the presentation:

Cancer survivor Chris Lawrence will talk about fighting the fear of what’s ahead at a free luncheon at the Country Club of Sioux Falls, 3400 W. 22nd St. Sioux Falls.

Friday, May 8 from 11:45-1:15 p.m.

Presented by the Cru City Ministry of Sioux Falls and by Hope Has Arrived, a global, non-profit ministry registered in Sioux Falls.

RSVP to david.larson@cru.org

For more information about Hope Has Arrived go to hopeagainstcancer.org

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

South Dakota’s top public school leaders are being recognized for everything from long-term service and statewide influence to innovation, community partnership and early-career impact.

The South Dakota School Superintendents Association Executive Board announced its 2026 Superintendent Awards, honoring five education leaders who span the spectrum of experience and achievement across the state’s school districts. The recipients will be formally recognized at the annual Superintendent Conference in July 2026.

Wayne Kindle, superintendent of the Yankton School District, was named the 2026 Outstanding Superintendent Award recipient. Kindle has more than 37 years in public education as a teacher, principal and superintendent, including 13 years leading the Yankton district.

He is recognized for expanding career and technical education opportunities and establishing an early learning center. He also served as president of the South Dakota School Superintendents Association and is widely regarded for his student-centered leadership and mentorship.

The 2026 Distinguished Service Award went to Joel Jorgenson, who is retiring in 2026 after 41 years in education, including 28 years as a superintendent.

Most recently serving the Madison Central School District, Jorgenson is credited with strengthening academic programming, expanding student opportunities and fostering a culture of trust and belonging. Colleagues describe him as a values-driven leader and mentor whose influence extends statewide.

Joel Bailey, superintendent of the Platte-Geddes School District, was named the 2026 Community Leader of the Year. Bailey has served more than 21 years in education, including 12 as superintendent.

He is recognized for building strong community partnerships, securing grants to expand academic and workforce opportunities and improving district facilities and services. He is known for a people-first leadership style focused on students and families.

Jeffrey Clark, superintendent of the Hitchcock-Tulare School District, was selected as the 2026 Innovator of the Year. Clark has more than 25 years in education and 16 years as superintendent.

His leadership includes launching a districtwide one-to-one technology initiative, implementing a four-day school week, aligning curriculum and leading facility improvements. He also coordinates regional superintendent collaboration and shared career and technical education programs.

Jamie Nold, superintendent of the Sioux Falls School District, was named Rookie of the Year. In his first year as superintendent, Nold brings more than 34 years of experience in public education.

The association cited his emphasis on communication, attendance, graduation rates and student achievement, as well as his efforts to strengthen relationships with staff, school board members, community partners and lawmakers.

The City of Sioux Falls will hold its annual community tornado drill April 15 as part of South Dakota’s Severe Weather Awareness Week, encouraging residents, schools and businesses to review emergency plans ahead of storm season.

The drill is scheduled for 10:15 a.m., when the city’s outdoor warning sirens will be activated.

“Preparation and practice are critical as we enter another severe weather season,” said Regan Smith, the city’s emergency manager. “We urge everyone, especially those responsible for our most vulnerable residents, to know their plans and understand how to carry them out.”

City officials said the siren system is designed primarily to warn people who are outdoors and may not have access to phones, televisions or radios. The sirens are not intended to be heard indoors, where background noise, weather conditions or building structures can limit their effectiveness.

In addition to sirens, officials noted that Wireless Emergency Alerts are typically issued during tornado warnings or the most severe thunderstorm warnings, which include winds of 80 mph or greater and large hail. However, those alerts will not be sent during the drill.

“Residents shouldn’t rely solely on outdoor warning sirens to alert them to dangerous weather when they’re indoors,” Smith said. “WEAs have been a valuable tool, providing an additional layer of warning for the public, especially for those inside. As a backup, we recommend investing in a programmable National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio and keeping it in your bedroom with the tone alert enabled. These radios are also useful if you lose power or telecommunications service.”

Emergency officials are urging residents to treat the drill as an opportunity to practice how they would respond during severe weather. When sirens sound or an alert is issued, people should seek shelter immediately and remain there until the threat passes.

In homes, residents are advised to move to a basement or a small interior room on the lowest level, staying away from windows and taking cover under sturdy objects. Those in mobile homes should leave immediately and seek a more substantial shelter.

In schools, malls and other public buildings, individuals should go to designated shelter areas such as interior hallways or restrooms and avoid large open spaces like gyms.

Officials said vehicles are not safe during tornadoes and recommended seeking shelter in a nearby building if possible. If no shelter is available, people may lie flat in a low-lying area or remain in their vehicle with a seat belt fastened and their head down, though both options should be considered last resorts.

South Dakota’s Severe Weather Awareness Week runs April 13-17.

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

A devoted commitment to her church, her community and her children earned a Sioux Falls widow recognition as South Dakota’s Mother of the Year, according to the April 9, 1951, edition of the Lead Daily Call.

Notable among Anna Larson’s accomplishments was the influence she taught her children to bring into the world, raising attorneys, academics, a musician and a minister, all while serving her community — achievements worthy of praise from the official sponsor of Mother’s Day.

Larson represented the ideals of American Mothers, Inc., a charitable organization that grew out of the efforts of Anna Reeves Jarvis, organizer of the first Mother’s Day celebration.

According to the organization, the first celebration was held in West Virginia in 1908. The next year, South Dakota became the first state to officially observe Mother’s Day with a proclamation by Gov. Robert Vessey, and by 1914, the day was observed nationally.

Future First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt launched an American Mothers initiative to expand Mother’s Day for the benefit of mothers and children in need in 1931. Partnering with J.C. Penney’s Golden Rule Foundation, charitable committees of American Mothers organized across the nation.

With committees recognizing notable women in their state, among the 50 honorees, one remarkable nurturer is awarded the title of national Mother of the Year, with the goal of both recognizing the hard work and accomplishments of the recipient while also serving as inspiration to others.

The American Mothers South Dakota committee has recognized many caring mothers, including suffragette and 1947 recipient Mamie Shields Pyle, mother of Gladys Pyle, who became the first female U.S. senator to win an election without previously being appointed to the position.

Exceptional South Dakota mothers have also risen to recognition beyond state borders. Cora Hjertaa Stavig took the national Mother of the Year title in 1964, according to the Argus Leader, and Jean “Dawn” Morris in 2001.

This year, the South Dakota American Mothers committee selected Winter Hendrickson of Huron as the 2026 South Dakota Mother of the Year. According to the organization, the wife, mother and advocate “is a reflection of quiet strength, faithful service, and the belief that saying yes to one child can change generations.”

Notable events in South Dakota history

25 years ago — High winds fueled the fiery destruction of a Sioux Falls’ apartment complex, according to the April 8, 2001, edition of the Argus Leader. Nearly every city firetruck and more than 40 firefighters responded to the inferno on Valhalla Blvd just south of the Sioux Empire Mall. All residents were able to escape without injury.

50 years ago — South Dakota’s state flower, the Pasque flower, put on a unique display for the Mitchell area, according to the April 5, 1976, edition of The Daily Republic. Blooms of the “Easter flower” were reported to be covering hillsides throughout the James River Valley.

75 years ago — Upset over the contract, famed pianist Jose Iturbi cancelled his performance at the Aberdeen Civic Arena just moments before the show, according to the April 9, 1951, edition of the Rapid City Journal. After a delay, the Spanish performer was persuaded to take the stage, blaming problems on his manager, he praised the community for their role in the show.

100 years ago — South Dakota druggists were declining to stock certain health products containing alcohol, according to the April 8, 1926, edition of the Argus Leader. The state’s strict prohibition laws left retailers fearing prosecution for distributing the products.

125 years ago — U.S. authorities concluded Northwestern Railroad employee W. F. Robinson had not robbed the federal government after receiving eye witness reports of the depot worker stealing mail sacks and using them for grain delivery, according to the April 4, 1901, edition of The Brookings Register. Investigators found the Robinson had merely purchased undeliverable sacks originally intended for a “U.S.A. Peterson.”

If President Donald Trump and his top education chief have their druthers, she’ll be the last United States secretary of education to visit the Mount Rushmore State

.“That’s the goal,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon told The Dakota Scout following a news conference Wednesday at McCrossan Boys Ranch in northwest Sioux Falls.

McMahon, joined by Gov. Larry Rhoden, is in the midst of a 50-state tour aimed at building support for the Trump administration’s proposal to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education — a move that would require an act of Congress where it faces staunch resistance from Democrats.

“The whole initiative of this administration is really to return education to the states,” McMahon said.

Created in 1980, the federal Education Department has overseen decades of growing federal involvement in schools. McMahon argued that investment has not translated into improved outcomes.

“You’ve spent $3 trillion to see our scores continually decline,” she said, contending that as much as half of every dollar the federal government directs to the states gets eaten up with administrative expenses. “So we’re clearly doing something wrong.”

Under the administration’s proposal, federal funding streams such as Title I and IDEA would continue through block grants, which award funding to states without detailed regulatory requirements. Instead, states would have more authority and leeway on how the federal dollars are spent within school districts.

“You know where you need to spend your money … and not try to dictate from a bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.,” McMahon said. “We want to let teachers be able to teach.”

Rhoden aligned himself with that vision, framing it as an extension of South Dakota’s longstanding emphasis on local control.

“We’ve had a lot of conversations,” Rhoden said. “We’ve moved to the science of reading and replaced Common Core with common sense in South Dakota, and we’re looking forward to seeing better results.”

He said authority should flow not only from Washington to the states, but from the state to local districts — and in South Dakota, there are 147 of them.

“Each one of them has a school board for a reason,” Rhoden said. “Government’s best when it’s closest to the people.”

South Dakota Education Secretary Joe Graves added that the state already administers many federally funded programs, suggesting a shift away from Washington would not require additional staffing.

“These programs are already being administered by staff at the South Dakota Department of Education, so there would be no need for additional staff,” Graves said.

McMahon’s visit also highlighted how those policies intersect with classrooms on the ground. At McCrossan Boys Ranch, she toured facilities that blend academics with hands-on training for at-risk youth.

“They’re not only making up in their academic classes, but they’re also actually learning skills and trades,” she said, describing a stop in a science lab where students were dissecting a piglet. “They were incredibly enthusiastic.”

She called the ranch “a great model” for addressing both academic and behavioral challenges — a need Graves said is growing in South Dakota.

“We don’t have enough placements for children who are struggling,” Graves said. “So one of the things we do is we wind up sending them out of state. And that’s crazy because that just adds to the cost and takes the children away from their parents.”

McMahon said her nationwide tour is designed to identify successful programs that can be shared across states if federal oversight is reduced.

“My goal … is to see all of the best practices that are happening around the country, and then help develop tool kits to distribute to the states,” she said.

Before becoming education secretary, McMahon served as administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 during Trump’s first term, overseeing disaster relief and workforce development initiatives, including the White House’s Pledge to America’s Workers.

A government task force focused on improving South Dakota’s open meetings laws has declined to take immediate action on a proposal that would require certain local governments to record official meetings.

The South Dakota Advisory Task Force Committee on Open Meetings Laws met for the second time Tuesday, April 7, examining five new proposals to the state’s sunshine laws.

Among those was the decision not to take immediate action on an act focused on the recording and retention of meetings of political subdivisions.

The proposal, as written, would have required not only state entities, but county commissions and municipalities made up of 5,000 or more residents to create audio recordings of all official meetings and retain those records for an unspecified period of time.

Executive sessions would be exempt from the recording requirement.

The task force debated both the population threshold, as well as the retention period and which local entities the requirement would apply to.

McPherson County State’s Attorney Austin Hoffman said he’d prefer to see all county commissions included in the recording requirement, citing the technology availability already installed in county courthouses throughout South Dakota.

“I do think that this is a pretty light requirement in 2026,” added Clay County Commissioner Geoffrey Gray-Lobe. “... [A commission] that isn’t capable of figuring out how to audio record a meeting in 2026 —I think that indicates a level of inefficiency and kind of a refusal to grow with the times that is problematic.”

While the task force agreed upon requiring all counties to record their meetings, it struggled where to draw the line on municipalities. Various proposals aimed to keep the population threshold at 5,000, while others suggested reducing it to cities and towns of 500 people or more.

One member cautioned that some smaller towns throughout South Dakota don’t typically meet in the same location for every meeting, and that the burden of moving audio equipment between sites could be too great.

While the group appeared to generally agree on a threshold of municipalities with 1,500 people, and a retention period of seven years, debates over who exactly would be required to record was set for another day.

The task force struggled to determine whether committees or advisory task forces — such a cemetery board or museum board — would be required to record under the proposal’s wording, leading to the unanimous decision to table the item to seek improved, unambiguous wording.

It’s unclear when the task force will reconvene. Passage of any proposal through the task force is expected to be introduced to the South Dakota Legislature in 2027 for further consideration by lawmakers.

Public comment should begin meetings, task force advises

Beyond the issue of recordings, the task force took up multiple other proposals, including when public comment should be held during meetings of local government.

As the law stands, public bodies are required to offer a period of public comment at their meetings. Missing from the law is any requirement as to when.

Minnehaha County Commissioner Cole Heisey introduced a proposal that would require public comment be allowed before each individual agenda item, ensuring any constituent has the opportunity to speak immediately preceding any decisions or board discussion.

Multiple task force members agreed with the spirit of Heisey’s proposal, but contended that a single period of public comment was sufficient. Instead, the task force unanimously agreed to require public comment be had immediately following the approval of an agenda.

The issue arose from some public bodies who only heard public comment at the end of an agenda, after decisions had been made and votes had been recorded. Task force members agreed that such practices effectively rendered public comment moot.

The revised proposal does not restrict public bodies from offering additional periods of public comment during an official meeting.

Official action should require motion & vote

Another proposal previously tabled due to time constraints, the task force unanimously approved an item that aims to close a loophole regarding official actions.

The proposal dictates that official action by any public body must occur in an official meeting and be preceded by a motion, second and vote of the members of the public body present and voting.

According to Assistant Attorney General Beverly Katz, existing codified law does not specifically require a motion or a second to vote on an agenda item.

Most public bodies already follow Robert’s Rules of Order, the task force agreed, which does require a motion and second prior to a vote, but codifying such procedure closes any potential loopholes.

“This came up in the Open Meetings Commission. Nothing says Robert’s Rules has to be followed,” Hoffman explained. “This is really just to put it in [statute].”

After discussion as to the proposal’s specific wording, the task force unanimously approved the item. A criminal penalty for violating the proposal was removed by the voting body.

Timeline for open meetings complaints

Elsewhere on the agenda, the task force unanimously advanced a proposal that would establish how long after an alleged open meetings violation a complaint can be filed with a state’s attorney.

With minimal discussion, Hoffman proposed a 180-day limitation to formally file a complaint, indicating concerns that allegations of open meetings violations could be weaponized years down the road.

Other task force members felt the six-month timeline was too restrictive, and the board later settled on a one-year limitation.

Local governments to keep detailed minutes

Another proposal claimed at cleaning up the state’s code book saw approval in part by the task force, related to what government meeting minutes should consist of.

Tabled at the November meeting, the original proposal sought to change wording in one chapter of codified law to require all public bodies — both on a state and local level — to keep “detailed minutes” made available to the public pursuant to open records laws.

Concerns were identified related to the broad definition of the term “all public bodies,” which task force members contended could include, for example, local library boards and volunteer fire departments. Another concern focused on ambiguity with the definition of “detailed minutes.”

Hoffman explained that other chapters of South Dakota law already regulate which entities are required to keep minutes, but was concerned some entities would not fall under the jurisdiction of the Open Meetings Commission should a violation be reported.

The proposal was amended to only impact state entities, and not local governments. The proposal included a definition of “detailed minutes” as including each vote taken and how each individual member voted.

The proposal was advanced unanimously.

Content courtesy of SiouxFallsLive.com.

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

PIERRE — It’s Veto Day in South Dakota.

State lawmakers return to the Capitol Monday for the final day of South Dakota’s 101st Legislative Session, where they’ll consider whether to override a pair of vetoes issued by Gov. Larry Rhoden. A proposed ban on lab-grown protein sales in the state and new regulations for in-home non-medical care providers had passed in the Legislature, but failed to earn the Republican governor’s support.

Both measures face steep odds of survival. Neither enjoyed veto-proof levels of support among lawmakers.

Here’s a look at the two measures getting one last look from legislators at the state capitol when lawmakers convene Monday afternoon.

House Bill 1077 would have banned the sale of lab-grown meat in South Dakota by classifying it as an adulterated food.

The bill divided South Dakota ranchers and farmers, including some lawmakers who are beef producers. While supporters of HB1077 see the bill as a preemptive strike to protect the state’s livestock industry from what they see as an emerging threat driven by corporate investment and environmental policy. Opponents — including the governor — countered that the bill undermined free-market principles and risked costly legal challenges, especially given that lab-grown meat is not yet sold in the state.

While it passed the House 45–22, that margin was two votes shy of the 47 necessary to eclipse the two-thirds mark.

In his veto, Rhoden — a Union Center rancher — questioned whether banning a product not yet on the market was a prudent use of state authority. His decision reflected a balancing act between protecting traditional agriculture and avoiding government overreach.

Rhoden’s second veto— stamped last week on House Bill 1138 — is also likely to hold. That measure would have required non-medical home care agencies to obtain state licensure and meet new training and background check standards.

The proposal drew support from advocacy groups concerned about the growing number of elderly residents relying on in-home services. Proponents argued licensure would bring accountability and transparency to an expanding but largely unregulated sector.

But the bill also faced resistance — including from within state government.

In his veto message, Rhoden raised concerns that the measure would create a false sense of security for families while placing new burdens on small providers, particularly in rural areas. He also pointed to the limited capacity of the Department of Health, which is already dealing with staffing shortages and a surge in complaints tied to existing regulatory responsibilities.

The bill’s licensing fee and added requirements, he argued, could reduce access to care by discouraging smaller operators from continuing to provide services.

While more than two-thirds of House lawmakers voted for the regulations, only 20 senators supported the legislation. It takes 24 votes to achieve two-thirds in the 35-seat Senate.

Because both measures originated in the state House, representatives will be first to take up Rhoden’s vetoes when the Legislature gavels in at 1 p.m.

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

For decades, Roger Esquibel has stood his post. As a Marine who served during the Iraq War, he lived by a code that prioritized the safety of others over his own comfort, a silent promise to protect a community he might never meet.

But today, in his quiet home in Sioux Falls, the battlefield has shifted. The uniform is gone, replaced by the steady, rhythmic hum of a dialysis machine that keeps the 55-year-old veteran alive, one grueling session at a time.

The man who once answered the call to serve his country now faces a mission he cannot complete alone. Roger is in urgent need of a living kidney donor – a final “watch” that requires a different kind of hero. This is a story of the ultimate service: a veteran who gave to his nation, now waiting for his community to serve him in the most personal way a human being can.

A Marine in retreat

For a veteran trained for the rigors of endurance, the physical toll of kidney failure has become a different kind of battle – one where the enemy is internal, and the clock is ticking. Roger’s battle began in October 2021, when the lingering ill-effects from a serious bout of Covid 19 caused permanent kidney damage forcing Roger into a life sustained by machines.

Twice a week he reports for duty at Sanford Imagenetics, but the mission has changed. Instead of field operations, he occupies a clinical chair for nearly four hours at a stretch. “The chairs are cold,” Roger says, his voice reflecting a weary resilience. “I need blankets to stay warm. I can hear my own blood cycling though the machine. When my treatment is over, I am exhausted.”

While he is currently on the transplant list at Avera and Donor Outreach for Veterans (DOVE), a non-profit veterans’ organization that seeks out living kidney donors, the gravity of his situation is punctuated by the doors that have already closed. The realization of how dire his condition has become hit home when Sanford determined he was not a candidate for its donor program.

Now his survival rests on the biological timeline that only a living donor can reset.

The advocate from afar

Across the country in New Jersey, Donna Tissot felt the pull of a mission that transcended state lines. A kidney advocate with eight years of experience and 28 lives saved through her intervention, Donna is no stranger to the high stakes of organ procurement. But when Roger reached out to her six months ago, his voice carried a weight that even she found hard to ignore.

“Roger wasn’t just tired; he was worn down from fighting every single day to stay alive,” Donna said. “Dialysis was taking everything out of him. And yet he wasn’t complaining. He just didn’t have the strength to advocate for himself.”

For Donna, the conversation was a turning point. While Roger was locked in the physical exhaustion of treatment, Donna became his external voice, the strategist for a battle he was too weak to lead. “Our conversation stayed with me,” she says. “I realized in the moment that staying on the sidelines wasn’t an option. This is what I do – I step up when someone is too sick and exhausted to tell their own story.”

Now Donna is searching the country looking for the one person whose “ultimate service” will match the years Roger gave his.

A new kind of heroism

With approximately 90,000 people currently awaiting a kidney, living donations serve as a vital alternative to long waiting lists for deceased donor kidneys. Especially since Covid, the reality of living donation is becoming a cornerstone of American altruism. In 2025, there were 6,521 kidney transplants from living donors. These aren’t just clinical success stories; rather, they are 6,521 individual decisions to step up and help fill the organ donation gap for those with kidney failure.

The hurdle for many, however, is a simple misunderstanding of how the process works “Many assume that deciding to be an organ donor and denoting that on their driver’s license covers it,” Donna says. “But that is a gift for the future. Waiting times (for kidney transplants) remain are long.”

Just how long?

Duke Health reports that the wait time for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor is three to five years. But for those seeking a transplant from a living donor the wait is much shorter, often occurring within three to six months or at most within a year.

This is where the “ultimate service” comes full circle. For Roger, the Marine Corps wasn’t just a job; it was a commitment to be there when the nation called. Now, the call is being put out to the Sioux Falls community. You don’t need a uniform or years of training to answer. You only need the willingness to undergo a procedure that, for most, results in a short recovery and a lifetime of knowing that a veteran – a neighbor – is still here because of you.

Fighting for time

Now in his greatest hour of need, Roger is searching for one person to help him secure a future that a machine cannot provide. “Dialysis isn’t living – it’s surviving,” he admits with a quiet honesty. “I am a father of three amazing daughters, ages 24, 22, and 13. I am reaching out for a living donor so my remaining time on this earth can be spent with them and eventually with my future grandkids.”

The Marine Corps instilled in Roger a foundation of strength, resilience and the value of putting others before himself – values he has carried in every facet of his life. Yet, as he looks back on his 55 years, he recognizes that his toughest battle didn’t take place in a uniform or on a distant shore. It is happening right now, twice a week in a clinical chair.

Roger remains a fighter, but he is a fighter who needs a teammate. “Every week my life revolves around my dialysis treatments, but through it all, I keep fighting because I am not ready to miss out on life,” he says.

For Donna Tissot, the mission is clear: it is time for the community to return the favor. “The greatest honor we can give a veteran is the gift of time,” Donna says. “The waiting list for a new kidney remains long, but Marine Corps veteran Roger Esquibel urgently needs a living donor now. After serving our country, he needs someone to step forward and give him a second chance at life.”

How you can help

You don’t need to be a soldier to save a life; you only need to be a match. To learn more about becoming a living donor for Roger or to begin the screening process, please visit:

https://medsleuth.my.site.com/dove/donors or

https://dovetransplant.org/roger-z-esquibel-iii/

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

A missing teenager has been found dead nearly a week after police say she was last seen.

Police in Sioux Falls confirmed Thursday afternoon the recovery of a body identified as 14-year-old McKenna Wendel.

Authorities did not release additional information related to the location or timing of the discovery nor whether the death was deemed suspicious.

“The Sioux Falls Police Department, along with many other resources from the region, will continue to piece together what happened to McKenna,” Lt. Nick Butler said in a statement Thursday, March 19.

Wendel had been missing since Friday, March 13, according to law enforcement. Lt. Aaron Nyberg said Wendel was last known to be in Sioux Falls with a family member.

Butler said police are not seeking assistance from the public in locating any additional subject related to the case, and that no danger is believed to exist to the public.

Authorities declined to release any additional information, but are expected to provide an update to the investigation on Monday.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Sioux Falls Police Department at 605-367-7000.

Content courtesy of SiouxFallsLive.com

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

To submit a letter to the editor or a guest column to The Dakota Scout’s VIEWPOINTS section, email viewpoints@thedakotascout.com

SiouxFalls.Business

Send obituaries to obits@thedakotascout.com

To place a public notice in The Dakota Scout, email legals@thedakotascout.com

Former South Dakota Gov. Krsiti Noem has been sacked as President Donald Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, becoming the first high-profile cabinet member to lose a job during Trump’s second term.

Trump announced on social media that he is replacing Noem with Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

“The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland.’”

Subscribe now

The move comes two days after Noem told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Trump approved a $220 million ad campaign to a firm tied to a political ally. At the time, Noem was already embattled for her role in sending thousands of Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to Minneapolis. Federal agents shot and killed two protesters during clashes that took place there.

Trump eventually turned the operation over to Border Czar Tom Homan to calm the situation.

It appeared Noem might survive as Homeland Security secretary, a role she assumed about 13 months ago. But then came Tuesday’s Judiciary hearing in which both Democrats and Republicans questioned the ad campaign that went to one of her allies. The ads featured Noem prominently, warning people in the country illegally to leave before they got deported.

For South Dakotans, the ad campaign was similar to Noem’s Freedom Works Here campaign. The ad campaign, which exceeded $5 million, featured Noem pretending to work in different professions in a bid to recruit out-of-state workers. It also went to a firm run by her political allies.

The Dakota Scout reached out to Noem last week to query her on her future plans. There was no response.

Trump lauded Mullin’s credentials.

“Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties — in 2016, 2020, and 2024! A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda. As the only Native American in the Senate, Markwayne is a fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities. Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Markwayne will make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”