- Airport secures the bag. The Sioux Falls Regional Airport expansion got a big boon this week from Congress with a $30 million appropriation. SiouxFalls.Business has the details here.
- What's happening in Pierre? Quite a bit. Thank goodness for our friends at South Dakota Searchlight being the boots on the ground reporting (so I don't have to).
- One of the big headlines is a potential for the "big three" – education, medicaid providers and state employees – to get more than a 0% funding increase.
- Gov. Larry Rhoden also officially signed a bill to deregulate gun silencers, which he said positions South Dakota as the "the most Second Amendment-friendly state in America."
- There's also been action on cellphone bans, sports betting, requiring employers to check the immigration status of employees and a bill that would require public schools to teach students to teach material that "shows the progress of prenatal human development from fertilization through birth.”
- Mentor mayor. Mayor Paul TenHaken last week was recognized by a national nonprofit for his work championing youth mentoring. During his term as mayor, he's been a vocal advocate for mentoring elementary students, started the Mayor's Youth Council to mentor high school students, and supported mentorship and support for folks transitioning out of incarceration. He was honored at the 2026 National Mentoring Summit last Thursday, Feb. 5, in Washington, D.C.
- P.S. More mentors are needed. For a list of organizations seeking volunteers or for more information, call the Helpline Center at 211 or visit helplinecenter.org/volunteer-connections/sioux52.
- Call for art. The city is now accepting applications from artists who want to paint storm inlets to help educate the public on the importance of water quality and remind them that storm drains lead directly to the river. Want to see your art on a storm inlet? Get the details here. Applications are due May 1.
Simplified: Pierre latest, mentor mayor and airport money
Your TL;DR headlines for the week.
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