The Dakota Scout

The Dakota Scout

Share this post

The Dakota Scout
The Dakota Scout
Gov. Noem sympathetic to men's prison site opponents, defends plan
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
State Politics

Gov. Noem sympathetic to men's prison site opponents, defends plan

Lincoln County group remains unsatisfied

Joe Sneve's avatar
Joe Sneve
Feb 29, 2024
∙ Paid
5

Share this post

The Dakota Scout
The Dakota Scout
Gov. Noem sympathetic to men's prison site opponents, defends plan
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
2
Share

PIERRE — Gov. Kristi Noem says she's still open to meeting with Lincoln County residents who want to stop a new prison from being built there.

But if that's going to happen, it won't be until a lawsuit brought against the governor's administration related to the project is resolved.

NEWS: South Dakota will have statewide vote on Medicaid work requirement authority

"I know that community is struggling with the location, it's one of those things that we'll continue to work on," Noem told The Dakota Scout Monday in a sit-down interview at her state Capitol office. "But litigation always makes things very difficult as far as what I can do and what I can say. But absolutely, my door is always open to people when I have the opportunity."

In November, Noem and DOC Secretary Kellie Wasko had been invited to attend a public forum being hosted by a group calling itself Neighbors Opposed to Prison Expansion (NOPE). However, neither attended after NOPE — less than a week before the forum — sued the state, contending the DOC cannot place the planned men's prison on a 320-acre site near Worthing without the consent of local government planners, while also asking for a ruling on whether the process used to select the planned location was legal.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Dakota Scout to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 The Dakota Scout
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More