Category Archives: State

A Rapid City business with Winner connections has a chance to receive a $15,000 grant from a program that helps veteran-owned businesses.

Outside In, a children’s indoor playground, is owned by Taryn Pike and Kelsey Baird, both daughters of Phil and Cyndy DeMers of Winner. They have owned the business since 2018.

Since Pike is a veteran she qualified for this special loan from Street Shares Foundation, a nonprofit organization that exists to inspire, educate and support military entrepreneurial community.

Persons in the Winner community can help Pike by voting. They can go the website at: https://streetssharefoundation.org/vote

The deadline for voting is May 3.

For the rest of the story pick up a copy of the Winner Advocate or subscribe by calling (605) 842-1481!

By U.S. Sen Mike Rounds (R-SD)

We’re now in the end of April and COVID-19 is continuing to impact our daily lives. Around two thousand cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in South Dakota, and social distancing continues throughout the state.

While we hope the end of this period of uncertainty is coming soon, Congress continues to pass legislation to address the crisis and provide much-needed relief.

Recently, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law a $480 billion dollar package that provides more funding for hospitals, nationwide testing, and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) so more small businesses can now participate.

The PPP is a loan program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) for businesses with 500 employees or fewer, as well as self-employed individuals. As of Friday, April 24, casinos with 500 or fewer employees are now eligible for PPP loans.

I’ve been urging the SBA to make sure tribally-owned casinos and gaming operations in Deadwood are able to receive financial assistance during these times, so I’m glad the administration has now modified their rules.

The PPP provides up to $10 million in loans to businesses to help cover payroll costs for employees, as well as pay for rent, interest on mortgages and utilities. Businesses who use PPP loans to keep employees on the payroll can have most of the loan forgiven.

The PPP was originally allocated $350 billion in the CARES Act, but that money ran out in less than two weeks. This is a sign that the program is working, and businesses are able to keep their staff on the payroll for the time being.

However, because of the high demand for the program, our recent legislation provided an additional $320 billion for the PPP so even more businesses can receive these partially-forgivable loans. The Small Business Administration estimates that more than 80 percent of our small businesses in South Dakota have utilized the PPP so far.

If you’re interested in participating in the program, your local lender will be able to assist you in applying for a loan.

The bill we passed also clarifies that agricultural enterprises are eligible for the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), a program that got a funding boost in our legislation.

These loans will provide up to $10,000 of economic grants to businesses hurting because of COVID-19. Our ag community has been struggling for years due to low commodity prices, ongoing trade negotiations and, now, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is finalizing a proposal to provide a relief package to farmers and ranchers whose businesses have been impacted by COVID-19. As a vital component of our nation’s food supply chain, we must do everything we can to make sure they can continue to put food on the tables of America’s families.

The proposal isn’t final yet and needs to go through the official approval process in the federal government, but USDA’s goal is to begin taking applications in May and for farmers and ranchers to begin receiving their relief packages in June.

What we’ve learned about the proposal so far is that USDA will issue a single payment determined using two calculations: for price losses that occurred between January 1 and April 15, 2020, producers will be compensated for 85 percent of the price lost during that period.

The second part of the payment will help to cover 30 percent of expected losses from April 15 through the next two quarters. USDA’s proposal sets the payment limit at $125,000 per commodity with an overall limit of $250,000 per individual or entity.

We will continue reviewing the proposal to assess its impact on South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers. We’d also welcome input from the ag community in our state so we can share it with USDA.

We know businesses and families are struggling right now, and we hope that we’ll be able to safely reopen the country in the near future. In the meantime, we’re working to provide aid for those who need it during this crisis. Stay safe, and don’t hesitate to contact my office if there’s anything we can do to help.

Greg Whitlock, Secretary

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency.

President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of our food supply chain, and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need.

“During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA are standing with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of,” Secretary Perdue said.

“The American food supply chain had to adapt, and it remains safe, secure, and strong, and we all know that starts with America’s farmers and ranchers. This program will not only provide immediate relief for our farmers and ranchers, but it will also allow for the purchase and distribution of our agricultural abundance to help our fellow Americans in need.”

CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other USDA existing authorities. The program includes two major elements to achieve these goals.

Direct Support to Farmers and Ranchers: The program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.

USDA Purchase and Distribution: USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products.

The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

On top of these targeted programs USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need.

USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs.

The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability.

Further details regarding eligibility, rates, and other implementation will be released at a later date.

Additional Background:

USDA has taken action during the COVID-19 national emergency to make sure children and families are fed during a time of school closures and job losses, as well as increase flexibilities and extensions in USDA’s farm programs to ensure the U.S. food supply chain remains safe and secure.

Feeding Kids and Families

USDA expanded flexibilities and waivers in all 50 states and territories to ensure kids and families who need food can get it during this national emergency.

USDA is partnering with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo, and others to deliver more than 1,000,000 meals a week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19.

USDA authorized Pandemic EBT in Michigan and Rhode Island, a supplemental food purchasing benefit to current SNAP participants and as a new EBT benefit to other eligible households to offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.

USDA expanded an innovative SNAP online grocery purchase pilot program in Arizona and California, Florida and Idaho, and DC and North Carolina, in addition to Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Actions to Ensure a Strong Food Supply Chain

USDA is working to ensure the food supply remains safe and secure.

USDA announced flexibilities to ensure food distribution for certain food products like dairy and eggs reach retail settings.

USDA announced farm loan flexibilities, deferrals, and maturity extensions.

Whole of Government Response in Rural America

USDA released The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide, a first-of-its-kind resource for rural leaders looking for federal funding and partnership opportunities to help address this pandemic.

USDA opened a second application window (April 14, 2020 to July 13, 2020) for $72 million of funding under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program.

USDA Rural Development lenders may offer 180-day loan payment deferrals without prior agency approval for Business and Industry Loan Guarantees, Rural Energy for America Program Loan Guarantees, Community Facilities Loan Guarantees, and Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees.

USDA will use the $100 million provided for the ReConnect Program in the CARES Act to invest in qualified 100 percent grant projects.

PIERRE – The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainty to individuals and families across South Dakota including financial hardships and the Department of Social Services (DSS) reminds the public it has programs to help.

“The mission of the Department of Social Services is to create strong families,” said DSS Cabinet Secretary Laurie Gill. “When families are struggling, there are options to help support and strengthen them.”

For families dealing with financial stress, there are economic assistance programs available through DSS that may help.

Programs include assistance with nutrition, home heating, and healthcare expenses, as well as temporary financial assistance for very low-income families with children who are deprived of parental support.

Eligibility varies by program. To apply, go online to dss.sd.gov and click on the Economic Assistance tab or call your local DSS office. Contact information for offices across South Dakota is available by clicking on the

Find Your Local Office link at dss.sd.gov.

Childcare assistance is also available to families who meet income guidelines and minimum work and/or school requirements.

Additional information including application forms are available by clicking on the Child Care tab at dss.sd.gov.

“These are difficult times and the Department of Social Services is committed to helping support families through them,” Gill said.

“If an individual lost their job or a family had wages significantly reduced, that can add a lot of stress to an already difficult situation. We are here to help when families need it.”

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), St. Louis Field Office, are warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for scam artists trying to use the COVID-19 economic impact payments as cover for schemes to steal personal information and money.

Ron Parsons, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, and Karl A. Stiften, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), St. Louis Field Office, made the announcement today in an effort to prevent taxpayers from falling victim to criminals using the recently approved economic impact payments as an opportunity to commit a crime.

Automatic COVID-19 economic impact payments started being deposited into taxpayers’ accounts on April 11. For most Americans, this will be a direct deposit into your bank account.

For the unbanked, retirees or other groups who have traditionally received tax refunds via paper check, they will receive their economic impact payment in this manner as well.

Scammers may try to get you to sign over your check to them or use this as an opportunity to get you to “verify” your filing information in order to receive your money, and then use your personal information at a later date to file false tax returns in an identity theft scheme.

Because of this, everyone receiving a COVID-19 related economic impact payment from the government is at risk.

Karl A. Stiften, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI St. Louis Field Office warned “The existence of a deadly national pandemic will not stop criminals seeking to capitalize on the fears and difficulties faced by the public as they try to line their own pockets by stealing your money or your personal information.”

“All of us need to vigilant in these times to protect ourselves and our loved ones from being defrauded,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “You should report any suspicious activity to federal law enforcement immediately. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19 or stimulus relief, you can contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866- 720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov.”

Special Agent in Charge Stiften offers the following information and tips to spot a scam and understand how the COVID-19 related economic impact payments will be issued.

For the rest of the story, pick up this week’s edition of the Winner Advocate or subscribe to the Winner Advocate at 1-605-842-1481!

Kaden Keiser of the Winner Area wrestling team is one of the nominees for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader sports awards in wrestling.

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event will be an online broadcast with national celebrities that will air June 18 at 6 p.m.

The Argus Leader Sports awards are an annual event that honors high school athletes, coaches, teams and community members for their achievements during the 2919-2020 school year, culminating with the unveiling of boys and girls athletes of the year.

Keiser is a four-time state placer. As a 7th grader he took 6th place and as an 8th grader he was runner-up.

Keiser is a two-time state champion his freshman and sophomore years.

“Kaden is very deserving of this award,” said Winner wrestling coach Spencer Novotny. “He has a great work ethic and is never satisfied. He has goals and he does what he has to do to accomplish them.

Not only is he a four-time placer he broke Jason Orel’s (2003 season) takedown record this year as a sophomore. Kaden is one of those guys that leads by example and pushes his teammates. He is al all around good kid.

He is sitting at 183 wins after his 10th grade season,” said Novotny.

The sports show will feature more than 20 professional athletes as hosts and presenters as part of the annual tradition of honoring high school athletes for their hard work and dedication during the past school year.

In addition to Keiser, Nash Hutmacher of Chamberlain is nominated for this honor. Hutmacher won last year.

By Governor Kristi Noem
April 10, 2020

South Dakotans are stepping up. They are taking personal responsibility to keep themselves, their loved ones, and their fellow citizens safe. They’re practicing social distancing.

And our frontline workers are bravely serving their fellow South Dakotans, fighting this virus day-in and day-out.

The State of South Dakota is doing our part as well. This week I signed four executive orders to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Some had to do with the entire state; one specifically told vulnerable populations in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties to stay home for the next three weeks.

We unveiled a new tool for South Dakotans to use to help fight the spread of the virus as well. Many South Dakotans have already downloaded the Care 19 app, which will empower individuals to do their part by providing accurate and timely information to assist the Department of Health’s contact tracing efforts.

South Dakota is the second state in the nation to adopt this new technology.

But in addition to these and many other mitigation efforts that we are employing, many South Dakotans are also offering their prayers as another powerful weapon in the fight against COVID-19.

And this week is an important time to do so. The Jewish Passover started this past Wednesday. For Christians, today is Good Friday; Sunday is Easter. This Holy Week is the perfect time for us to join together and pray for an end to this pandemic.

I declared this past Wednesday a Statewide Day of Prayer. But our prayers shouldn’t stop there. We should all continue to pray for success in the fight against this disease, for comfort for those who have suffered loss, and for strength for all those who continue to fight, both in South Dakota and around the world.

Our celebrations may be a little different this Holy Week. We may not be able to gather in big groups with friends and family or praise God in fellowship with our respective churches.

I would encourage South Dakotans to take this unique opportunity to develop new traditions for praising God.

I wanted to highlight one example of this: a group of young South Dakotans who, together with their classmates, offered this beautiful prayer for peace in times of adversity.

I’d encourage you to listen to their beautiful song, and I am so grateful that they found a way to praise God (and warm all of our hearts) while still practicing social distancing.

Thanks to all the hard work South Dakotans are doing, we’ve cut our projected peak infection rate in half already. South Dakotans have been absolute rockstars, but there’s more work to do.

We will continue to use every tool available to us to fight this virus.

Together, we can do this.

By Sen. John Thune

Hey, parents. I know these are crazy times we’re living in, and many of you have now unexpectedly added “teacher” to your long list of titles, which also likely includes “coach,” “cook,” and “hall monitor.”

Hopefully there haven’t been too many visits to the principal’s office. While I don’t have a solution to everything you’re facing right now, I’ve got something that I hope will at least help.

More on that in a minute, though.

Throughout this coronavirus outbreak, Congress has been focused on providing support and relief to the American people. We’ve already passed, and the president has signed, three relief packages that are already helping families, workers, small businesses, and the country’s health care community.

We’ve prioritized things like ensuring anyone who needs to get tested for the coronavirus can do so at no cost to themselves. We’re making sure that no-strings-attached emergency cash payments make it into Americans’ hands as soon as possible and that small businesses have the support they need to keep their operations open and employees on payroll.

Importantly, doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals are getting additional and much-needed resources to both treat patients and help protect themselves on the front lines of this battle.

Everyone is feeling the effect of this ongoing pandemic, which is why we tried to make it a little easier for graduates to manage their student loan debt. I’m glad a bill I helped write was included in the last relief package the president signed.

It will give employers the option to help graduates pay down student loan debt by up to $5,250 per employee each year tax-free. The new law will also allow graduates to defer payments and interest for six months – penalty-free – on qualified federal student loans.

And for those Americans who are out of work as a result of this crisis, we’re strengthening states’ unemployment benefit programs for those who need them the most.

Our recent efforts have also helped the farming and ranching community, which has faced hurdle after hurdle these last few years.

At my urging, the latest bill replenished the critically important Commodity Credit Corporation and allocated nearly $10 billion in emergency funding to help producers in South Dakota and around the country.

There’s so much support for this effort that I teamed up with U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson to lead a bipartisan group of senators and members of the House – a group that represents more than 25 percent of the entire Congress – to urge the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take immediate action using the resources we provided in the new law.

Everyone is still adjusting to this new lifestyle where social distancing and teleworking are now considered normal, especially parents who’ve now become at-home educators.

Since many schools are closed for the foreseeable future – some for the remainder of the school year – I wanted to do my part to help those parents, students, and teachers who are adjusting to this new at-home learning environment on top of everything else they’re facing these days.

That’s why I decided to record a short video lesson about the basics of the federal government that parents can show to their at-home students or teachers can work into curriculums they might already be using for virtual learning experiences.

I’m hoping it will help provide educators and students with a tiny bit of additional content that could help diversify virtual lesson plans during these unusual times.

If you’re interested in using my video lesson, you can find it on my social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter (@SenJohnThune), or by visiting www.thune.senate.gov/COVID19. If you find it helpful and would be interested in additional lessons, please leave a comment and let me know.

By visiting the same website, you can find additional coronavirus-related updates from me and my staff, plus a ton of helpful links and resources that will help South Dakotans better navigate this crisis. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, call, email, or write, and we’ll get it to you as soon as possible.

We’re learning more and more each day about what bonds us as Americans because we’re all experiencing and coping with this crisis together.

We’re also learning about new ways to contribute to our communities and stay connected with friends and family even when we’re afar. In these uncertain times, I urge you to embody the examples of kindness we’re seeing in South Dakota and around the country and continue to share stories of hope, support, and generosity when you see them.

By Governor Kristi Noem
April 3, 2020

With the COVID-19 situation continuing to be very fluid in South Dakota, it is important for us to remember that this a marathon, not a sprint. In today’s 24/7 news cycle, the information coming at us on TV or social media can easily overwhelm us.

By now, many of you have heard me say that I’m relying on the science, facts, and data to drive the state’s response to the virus. Our team’s decision-making is guided by the realities on the ground in South Dakota, rather than trying to apply a one-size-fits-all approach.

My role with respect to public safety is something I take very seriously. But it’s also important for us to remember that it’s the people themselves who are primarily responsible for their safety.

Under our Constitutions at the state and federal levels, the people have expansive freedoms – they are free to exercise their rights to work, worship, and play – or to stay at home, or to conduct social distancing.

Since the middle of February, I have been very clear that our people need to take their responsibility for personal health and safety seriously – that they should be practicing good public hygiene and social distancing.

And, with few exceptions, the people of South Dakota are doing a tremendous job. We have bent the curve a great deal. We have kept our hospital capacity at a manageable level.

And we continue to push out our peak infection day far into the future.

This is great news, and we must stay the course.

We must remember that the objective here is not to stop the spread of COVID-19; the science tells us that is not possible. What we are trying to accomplish is to slow the spread, and flatten the curve, so that our people and our healthcare system are not overwhelmed.

This will give us more time to develop successful treatments and, hopefully, an effective vaccine.

South Dakota is not New York City, and our sense of personal responsibility, our resiliency, and our already sparse population density put us in a great position to manage the spread of the virus without needing to resort to the kinds of draconian shutdowns adopted by big coastal cities or even other countries.

Jointly, with Department of Health officials as well as officials from each of the three hospital systems (Avera, Monument Health, and Sanford Health), our team has illustrated exactly what our projections look like for the next several months.

Now, given the fluidity of the situation, our estimates are dynamic, not static. As the situation on the ground changes, we will continue to be flexible in our response to that new information.

My team has been thoughtful, strategic, and guided by the science, facts and data from what is happening on the ground here, in South Dakota, since January.

These new estimates are a guide. We will continue to refine them as we learn more about this virus and it’s impact on our state.

Again, I want to thank the people of South Dakota for doing everything they have thus far. Together, we will get through this.

[To review our current projections for COVID-19 in South Dakota, please visit Covid.SD.Gov .]

Exploring South Dakota
By John Andrews/ Editor at South Dakota Magazine

The coronavirus has upended lives around the world. Our routines as we knew them just a few short weeks ago no longer exist. Many of us, including the South Dakota Magazine staff, are working from home.

Businesses are shuttered, gatherings of more than 10 people are forbidden and — in the event that folks do need to leave their houses — a 6-foot buffer between humans at the very least must be maintained, all in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly virus.

One refrain that keeps popping up, though, is that the outdoors are never closed. We try to take a walk around Yankton every day that the weather allows (and we all know that the transition from winter to spring in South Dakota can be wildly unpredictable).

The movement and fresh air do wonders for both our physical and mental health. With that in mind, here are three favorite hiking trails that I’ve discovered while on the road. Later, in our July/August issue, we’ll have even more ways you can safely enjoy the outdoors in South Dakota during what is shaping up to be an unprecedented summer.

Stay safe and healthy by exploring these or other trails near you.

Stratobowl Trail

It’s a short and easy hike from busy Highway 16 to the spot where scientists made history in 1935. The Stratobowl Rim Trail begins on a gravel maintenance route about 2 miles west of Bear Country USA (look for a closed gate and maybe a parked car or two).

The path is wide and well maintained, but there are plenty of large rocks along the way, so be sure to have sturdy footwear.

Nearly every step of the 0.8-mile trail follows the well-worn road through the tall pine trees of the Black Hills National Forest. The trail branches off to the left near the end, and a narrower path leads to four granite slabs that tell the story of the Stratobowl balloon launches of 1934 and 1935 that sought to collect information about the upper reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere.

During the second launch, scientists floated more than 72,000 feet into the stratosphere, higher than any human had previously traveled.

An overlook tucked among the limestone cliffs provides a panoramic view of the Black Hills and the bowl below. Plan about an hour for the out and back hike.

Alkali Trail

This short and family-friendly trail takes hikers through a variety of Black Hills landscapes: a creek valley, ponderosa pine forests and prairie meadows, all in the shadow of Bear Butte.

From Interstate 90, take exit 34. Follow a gravel road toward Sturgis known locally as the Old Stone Road or the Fort Meade Backcountry Byway. Around a bend the road crosses Alkali Creek.

After another few hundred feet, you’ll find the gravesite of Black Hills outlaw Curley Grimes. Across the road is a small campground and access to the Alkali Trail.

Grab a brochure at the trailhead and follow along to each of 10 marked posts along the path.

Starting at the creek and progressing through the woods, into a clearing and back, each stop provides a natural history lesson — Native Americans used the green ash trees to fashion poles, bows and arrows; rocks covered with lichens are slowly decomposing into soil; patches of snowberry provide excellent winter cover for deer.

The Alkali Trail is slightly more than half a mile long. Allow about 45 minutes for a leisurely hike.

Gavins Point Nature Trail

The Gavins Point Nature Trail is a family-friendly path within the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area, about 9 miles west of Yankton. A kiosk at the trailhead offers brochures that explain the types of trees and insects found in the forest.

Kids can use them as a scavenger hunt guide as they traverse the 1.2-mile dirt path. They’ll have fun identifying the Eastern red cedars, bur oaks and old cottonwoods that grow thick along the Missouri River bluffs, and the millipedes and spiders that crawl around the undergrowth.

Adults will appreciate the exercise. Two wooden bridges, a set of stairs and several inclines account for the trail’s moderate rating.

About halfway through, hikers are rewarded with a magnificent view of the shimmering water and chalkstone bluffs of Lewis and Clark Lake.