Category Archives: State

The state minimum wage will increase from $8.65/hour to $8.85/hour effective Jan. 1, 2018.

The minimum wage is annually adjusted by any increase in the cost of living, as measured in the Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Department of Labor. This year’s increase was 1.9 percent and is rounded up to the nearest five cents.

The hourly minimum wage for tipped employees will be $4.425/hour effective Jan. 1, 2018, half the minimum wage for non-tipped employees. Wages and tips combined must equal at least the minimum wage.

These increases will apply to all South Dakota employers, with some limited exceptions. For more information, visit http://dlr.sd.gov/employment_laws/minimum_wage.aspx.

Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined with attorneys general around the country in a letter to Equifax requesting that it disable links for enrollment in fee-based credit monitoring service in the wake of the massive data breach impacting 143 million people.

“This breach affects millions of Americans including thousands of South Dakotans. Consumers, who are at absolutely no fault in this situation, should not have to pay anyone especially Equifax to either monitor or to freeze their credit,” said Jackley.

The investigation was launched as soon as Equifax publicly disclosed the breach. Equifax is offering free credit monitoring services in response to the breach, but the attorneys general today objected to Equifax “seemingly using its own data breach as an opportunity to sell services to breach victims,” they wrote.

“We believe continuing to offer consumers a fee-based service in addition to Equifax’s free monitoring services will serve to only confuse consumers who are already struggling to make decisions on how to best protect themselves in the wake of this massive breach,” the attorneys general wrote. “Selling a fee-based product that competes with Equifax’s own free offer of credit monitoring services to victims of Equifax’s own data breach is unfair, particularly if consumers are not sure if their information was compromised.”

The attorneys general also said that, although Equifax has agreed to waive credit freeze fees for those who would otherwise be subject to them, the other two credit bureaus, Experian and Transunion, continue to charge fees for security freezes. The attorneys general said that Equifax should be taking steps to reimburse consumers who incur these fees to completely freeze their credit.

The attorneys general have also had communications with Equifax expressing concerns about terms of service relative to the free credit monitoring services and the prominence of service enrollment information on Equifax’s Web page. Equifax was responsive to these concerns.

The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) will host the 52nd annual Buffalo Roundup and 24th annual Arts Festival in Custer State Park later this month.

The Buffalo Roundup begins at 9:30 a.m. MDT on Friday, Sept. 29. The Arts Festival will run from Thursday, Sept. 28, through Saturday, Sept. 30.

“Each year, the Buffalo Roundup brings up to 20,000 spectators from around the world to Custer State Park to view the park’s 1,300 buffalo and watch the Old West come alive,” said Katie Ceroll, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation. “To have an arts festival with more than 125 arts and craft exhibitors means that there will be no shortage of entertainment this year for the entire family.”

The parking areas for the Roundup, located near the corrals along the Wildlife Loop Road, open at 6:15 a.m. MDT and close at 9 a.m. MDT on Sept. 29. For safety reasons, spectators need to remain in the viewing areas until all the buffalo are corralled which typically occurs around noon.

The annual Arts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. MDT on Thursday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30. The Arts Festival takes place near the State Game Lodge.

The grand re-opening of the Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center will take place Thursday, Sept. 28. This historic building previously housed the Custer State Park Visitor Center; it has been renovated to become the new Outdoor Education Center.

“While the Buffalo Roundup’s primary purpose is herd management, it also provides our visitors an experience that is unique in the entire world,” said Jim Hagen, Secretary of the Department of Tourism. “We hear from visitors around the globe about how incredible it is to watch the bison thunder over the rolling prairie. It’s something they never forget and provides great storytelling and organic word-of-mouth marketing about our state.”

A state park entrance license is required on Thursday and Saturday, but there is no cost to attend the Buffalo Roundup or Arts Festival on Friday. Share this year’s event photos with us and let others who cannot attend take in the experience with you by using #SDintheField and #BuffaloRoundup when posting images to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Next year’s Buffalo Roundup will be held Friday, Sept. 28, 2018.

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U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) invited South Dakota students interested in being nominated to one of the four U.S service academies for the class of 2019 to apply by October 31, 2017.

South Dakotans between the ages of 17 and 23 may apply to any of the four service academies if they meet eligibility requirements in leadership, physical aptitude, scholarship, and character. The four service academies are the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.

“The men and women who attend our nation’s military academies are some of the very best our country has to offer,” said Thune. “Their leadership and commitment protect our nation and keep our freedoms secure. It is an honor to nominate South Dakotan each year to our nation’s service academies.”

“Year after year, I’m amazed by the integrity, grit, and determination of the South Dakota students who apply to our nation’s service academies,” said Noem. “I’m honored to be able to nominate some of these incredible young people to serve and I look forward to seeing all they will accomplish.”

Thune and Noem will each compile separate lists and make nominations to the academies of the most qualified candidates by January 31, 2018. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications to both congressional offices in order to better their chances of receiving a nomination. The academies will make the final decision on acceptance and announce appointments next spring.
Interested applicants should contact Thune’s office at (605) 334-9596 or Noem’s office at (605) 275-2868.

Attorney General Marty Jackley is alerting South Dakota citizens that a data breach of Equifax, one of the three (3) Credit Bureaus, has occurred which allowed thieves to access more than 143 million American consumers personal identifying information with 200,000 of them being South Dakota residents.

The facts according to Equifax are as follows:
“The breach lasted from mid-May through July. The hackers accessed people’s names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers. They also stole credit card numbers for about 209,000 people and dispute documents with personal identifying information for about 182,000 people.

And they grabbed personal information of people in the UK and Canada too.”

At this time we are strongly encouraging South Dakota consumers to use the following website to determine if they are one of the potential victims – www.equifaxsecurity2017.com

• Click on the “Potential Impact” tab and enter your last name and the last six digits of you Social Security number. Your Social Security number is sensitive information, so make sure you are on a secure computer and an encrypted network connection any time you enter it.

If the site indicates you are one of the potential victims you will be asked if you want to enroll in Equifax’s TrustedID Premier credit monitoring program. If you opt to do this you will then be instructed to return to the site to enroll in this program on or after September 14, 2017 through November 21, 2017.

“Identity theft and security breaches continue to plague consumers and businesses alike. Everyone needs to take a more proactive role of protecting personal identifying information. Regardless of whether you have been affected by this breach, every consumer should get in the habit of accessing their free credit report to be alerted to matters affecting their credit,” said Jackley.

Even in light of this data breach, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division encourages consumers to continue the practice of checking their credit reports on a regular basis by visiting www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228 for a free copy of your credit report. Consumers are entitled to a free copy from each company every 12 months. If consumers find errors on their report, contact the reporting agency in writing. Consumers may also want to consider some of the following options as a better way of protecting themselves.

• Consider placing a CREDIT FREEZE on your files. A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. Keep in mind that a credit freeze won’t prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts.

• Monitor your existing credit card and bank accounts closely for charges you don’t recognize.

• If you decide against a credit freeze, consider placing a FRAUD ALERT on your files. A fraud alert warns creditors that you may be an identity theft victim and that they should verify that anyone seeking credit in your name really is you.

South Dakota consumers may contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or consumerhelp@state.sd.us for any questions or concerns. The Privacy Rights handbook is also available and is designed to assist consumers in protecting their privacy.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation reminds land owners hay remaining in highway ditches after Oct. 1 is deemed illegal.

After Oct. 1, the department will remove or authorize the removal of any illegal hay bales remaining in the public right of way.

Any person wishing to claim ownership of illegal bales must obtain a permit from the South Dakota Department of Transportation. Those permits are issued on a first-come first-served basis and allow permit holders to take ownership of any illegal hay bale.

Permits are available at Department of Transportation area offices in the following communities: Aberdeen, Belle Fourche, Custer, Huron, Mitchell, Mobridge, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown, Winner and Yankton. Phone numbers can be found on the website at http://www.sddot.com/dot/region/Default.aspx.

For more information, contact the Division of Operations at 605-773-3571.

As a mosquito-transmitted virus, West Nile Virus is usually thought of as a summertime problem. However, data shows that a significant number of human cases occur after August 31.

“This fall, South Dakotans should not relax their protection efforts,” said Russ Daly, Professor, SDSU Extension Veterinarian, State Public Health Veterinarian. “While it’s true that in South Dakota, most West Nile Virus cases occur during August, in most years, new human infections are detected well into September,” Daly said.

Daly quotes a retrospective of South Dakota West Nile Virus epidemiology which revealed 17 percent of cases from 2001-2011 occurred after August 31. In recent years, cases have even been observed in October.

“West Nile Virus is a fact of life during South Dakota summers. However, realizing the threat also persists into the early fall will mean people can take steps to prevent these later infections,” Daly said.

Human cases of West Nile Virus have been detected in all 66 counties in South Dakota, over all age groups and ethnicities.

Seasonal Pattern
The seasonal pattern of West Nile Virus infection in South Dakota reflects the presence and activity of its carrier, the Culex tarsalis mosquito species.

This mosquito species, Daly explained, is prevalent throughout South Dakota, preferring to feed on birds and people.

“As the summer progresses, their feeding preference shifts more towards people, making late-summer barbecues and football games a prime focus for them,” Daly said.

Symptoms
Most people exposed to West Nile Virus show no signs of illness, as evidenced by serologic studies that find people have developed antibody responses in the absence of sickness.

However, one in five people infected develop West Nile Fever, and one in 100 go on to a more severe neuroinvasive disease – of those cases 10 percent are fatal.

Symptoms of illness occur two to 15 days after a bite from an infected mosquito.

“This makes it possible for people to develop symptoms even after mosquito activity has stopped in the fall,” Daly said.

West Nile Fever is characterized by fever, body aches, headache, rashes and swollen glands – symptoms that could be caused by a number of illnesses.

People with those symptoms should see their healthcare provider.

While there are no specific cures for West Nile Virus infections, supportive care may be necessary in some cases.

Prevention
More importantly, people should still be vigilant against mosquitoes right up until the first killing frost.

Perhaps the best line of prevention is to use insect repellents when it’s necessary to be out at night, in addition to wearing long pants and long sleeved-shirts.

While many communities have mosquito-spraying programs in place through the summer and early fall, property owners can do their part to reduce mosquito habitat by getting rid of sources of standing water.

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is reminding campers that the end of the summer doesn’t mean the end of camping at South Dakota state parks.

“The changing seasons provide another memorable opportunity to visit and use our state parks,” said state park director Katie Ceroll. “While beach traffic may be slowed down, fall colors and crisp weather make hiking opportunities exceptional. Cabins and lodges make great fall accommodations.”

Campsite reservations for the South Dakota state parks are taken throughout the year and can be made as late as the day of arrival. Cabin and Lodge reservations must be made at least two days before arrival. Any sites not reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additionally, campsites and cabins at Custer State Park can be reserved up to one year in advance. At all other parks, reservations for campsites and cabins can be made as much as 90 days prior to arrival.

Group campsites located at Custer State Park and Lewis and Clark Recreation Area can also be booked one year in advance. Group lodges that can be reserved one year ahead of time include:

Avera Gregory Hospital Administrator Anthony Timanus departs his role as leader of the health care facility to return to a role he knows well.

The father of five will begin a one-year deployment to Southeast Asia where he’ll serve as company commander of C Company, First Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment of the South Dakota Army National Guard. Timanus, who has held his position with Avera Gregory for six years and who also serves as administrator of Rosebud Country Care Center – Avera Health, said his unit will provide medical evacuation services to U.S. and allied forces in his area of operations.

Timanus, a U.S. Army Major, leads a unit that consists of 139 soldiers and 15 aircraft. He said considering this is his first deployment 10 years, he’s assured in those who will continue care in his adopted hometown.

“I served 11 years of active duty and deployments are hard, but my wife, Karen, and I are in a good place. She has a lot of family here to provide support,” he said. “I feel better about this one compared to others. I am indebted to Avera leaders as well as my Gregory team.”

Bryan Breitling, CEO of the Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller, S.D., will serve as interim administrator of Avera Gregory. Breitling, who aided Timanus during his career start with Avera in 2011, said he’s done well for the community and the hospital.

“Anthony’s deployment demonstrates his willingness to serve our nation as well as our health system,” said Breitling. “I’ll split time between Miller and Gregory and have full confidence. I look forward to supporting its excellent work. Gregory has dedicated staff across the board.”

Katie Biggins, RN, Avera Gregory Director of Clinical Services, said Timanus will certainly be missed. She helped more than 150 staff and family surprise him with a party the week before he departed.
“Tony’s a commendable leader; we all wish him well in his mission,” she said. “We have a lot of pride in his service and sacrifice. We all look forward to welcoming him back once he’s finished.”

Curt Hohman, Avera Senior Vice President for managed facilities said Avera’s focus on serving others is embodied in Timanus’ sacrifice.
“We wish Tony the best on his deployment and realize his dedication to his country and to us is exemplary,” said Hohman. “We know he’s setting a great example through honoring his commitment to our mission as well as his military mission. We applaud him for serving and thank him for that level of unselfishness.”

Timanus said he’s felt honored to Hohman and his entire Avera team for its unyielding support.

“They have shown a commitment to me throughout my Avera career and I appreciate that support, as does my family,” he said. “Bryan will do a great job and not much will change – the excellence in care will certainly not falter. They will be in great hands.”

South Dakota employers, schools and residents are encouraged to show their support for all service members deployed overseas by participating in R.E.D. (Remember Everyone Deployed) Shirt Friday.

The South Dakota National Guard, Ellsworth Air Force Base and the S.D. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve invites the public to participate by wearing a red shirt on all Fridays while South Dakota citizens are deployed to remember and honor all members of the military for their service to the state and nation.

An Aug. 25 R.E.D. event is being held to highlight the nearly 125 members of the South Dakota Air National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing currently deployed overseas. Throughout the past year, the SDNG has been highlighting deployed units and individual members during R.E.D Friday events.

“Wearing red shirts on Fridays sends a strong and unified message to our service members and families that they are not forgotten and we appreciate their sacrifice to our country,” said Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, adjutant general of the SDNG. “Wearing a red shirt is a simple gesture, but the meaning behind it is significant.”

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has demonstrated his support by signing a proclamation announcing all Fridays that South Dakota citizens are deployed in harm’s way to be R.E.D. Shirt Friday in South Dakota.

South Dakota employers, schools and citizens are encouraged to provide additional support by:
* Sign a Statement of Support through the ESGR to show your support (for more information about this please contact MAJ Lona Christensen, SD ESGR Program Director, at 605-737-6540)
* Sending cards/letters to the unit or someone in the unit
* Create a banner or video from your organization to send to the unit
* Check in with the family of a deployed service member
* Provide a meal for a family of a deployed service member
* Use the hashtag #RememberEveryoneDeployed when posting your pictures to social media sites
* Send a picture of your company to redshirtfriday.southdakota@gmail.com and we may share your picture through our social media sites
* Support the S.D. Veteran’s Home in Hot Springs or a veteran service organization in your community

Currently, there are more than 300 South Dakota Army and Air National Guard members and about 550 Airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base deployed to various location around the globe.