Category Archives: State

Labor Day is a time to fire up the grill, wave summer goodbye and celebrate American workers.

A South Dakota senator played a major role in establishing the federal holiday.

On Aug. 28, 1893, Sen. James Kyle of South Dakota introduced S. 730 to the U.S. Senate to make Labor Day a legal national holiday on the first Monday of September each year. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill on June 28, 1894.

By then, a fall holiday called Labor Day was already being observed. Beginning in the late 19th century, parades, picnics and other celebrations took place to support labor issues such as shorter hours, better pay and safer working conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

On Sept. 5, 1882, a pivotal event occurred in New York City when an estimated 10,000 people marched in what became the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. Other cities began to have parades to show the public the strength of the trade and labor organizations, followed by a festival for the workers and their friends and families. States began making Labor Day an official public holiday.

In introducing the legislation, Kyle said that labor organizations were united in asking that the first Monday of September be set apart as a holiday in order to make the observance uniform. This would result in workers enjoying vacation privileges on the same day, according to the Dec. 1, 1965, issue of “The Wi-Iyohi,” a monthly bulletin published by the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Prior to serving as a U.S. Senator, Kyle served as pastor at the Congregational Church in Aberdeen and as finance officer for Yankton College. A speech he delivered at a Fourth of July celebration in Aberdeen in 1890 vaulted him to public attention.

According to “The Wi-Iyohi,” Kyle spoke in favor of women’s suffrage and prohibition, and took a swing at big corporations, banks and railroads. This speech resulted in Independents nominating Kyle for election to the state senate. He won and headed to Pierre in January 1891. At that time, the Legislature chose South Dakota’s U.S. senators, and the 36-year old Kyle was chosen on Feb. 16, 1891, to succeed Gideon Moody.

He entered the U.S. Senate as an independent and Populist and aligned with the Democratic caucus in the U.S. Senate.

Kyle was re-elected in 1897 as an independent. Republican legislators supported him, and he aligned with the Republican caucus in the U.S. Senate for his second term.

“Analyzed it is evident that Mr. Kyle had one quality that was his best asset. The belief of both his political friends and his political enemies that he was honest, non-partisan and would represent the people of South Dakota regardless of their political faith,” said South Dakota Gov. M.Q. Sharpe during a Labor Day radio address in 1946.

Kyle attracted nationwide attention as senator.

“Of the new men whose entrance to congress was a surprise to the country I considered Senator James Henderson Kyle of South Dakota among the clearest headed … As a senator of the United States he is quiet, cautious and level headed,” stated an article in the Wichita Daily Eagle on Feb. 23, 1894.

Kyle’s name again appeared in newspapers nationwide in the spring and summer of 1894 when lobbyist C.W. Buttz, originally from North Dakota, was accused of attempting to bribe Kyle and Sen. Eppa Hunton of Virginia to vote against a tariff bill. A senatorial investigating committee found Buttz guilty of offering a bribe, despite his denial, and exonerated the senators from all blame.

Born in Ohio, Kyle moved to Ipswich in 1885 and then to Aberdeen in 1889. He remembered Aberdeen as a U.S. senator, securing funding for a Carnegie Library in that city. Through his efforts an office of the internal revenue collector for the Dakotas was located in Aberdeen and he was instrumental in having Aberdeen designated as a place for holding federal court, according to the July 15, 1901, Dakota Farmers’ Leader.

Kyle died on July 1, 1901, in Aberdeen at the age of 47. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Aberdeen.

“Labor never had a better friend than Senator Kyle,” said his successor as senator, Alfred Kittredge, when memorializing Kyle, “and no one better understood its needs or extended a more sympathetic and helping hand. As a boy he worked upon the farm to aid in securing the education he so eagerly sought and highly prized, as a man and Senator he did not forget the labor of his youth.”

Kyle’s name lives on in the South Dakota town named for him, and in the holiday honoring the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of this country.

This moment in South Dakota history is provided by the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising partner of the South Dakota State Historical Society at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. Find us on the web at www.sdhsf.org. Contact us at info@sdhsf.org to submit a story idea.

SDPB presents a free, 60-minute preview of never-before-seen footage from THE VIETNAM WAR, the new 10-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

The screening is Friday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m. at the Rosebud Sioux Veterans Affairs Building, located at 2 Legion Avenue in Rosebud, near the Rosebud Fairgrounds. The event is being held in conjunction with the Rosebud Fair, Wacipi, and Rodeo.

The screening is free and open to the public. A light meal and reception for veterans and their families follows the screening. During the reception, SDPB producers will be on-hand to record interviews with Vietnam War & Vietnam Era Veterans, and others who have stories to share.

In addition to the screening, Francis Whitebird will provide opening remarks. A member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Whitebird served 19 months as a Combat Medic during the Vietnam War and has been awarded a Combat Medical Badge as well as a Purple Heart. Whitebird’s father, Noah Whitebird, was a WWII Lakota Code Talker and Whitebird’s grandfathers fought in the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Battle of Rosebud. Whitebird’s two sons, Brendan and Colin Whitebird, served in Iraq. A graduate of Flandreau Indian School and South Dakota State University, Whitebird holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University. Whitebird was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs by Governor George Mickelson and currently serves on the South Dakota Historical Society Board of Trustees.

More than 200 youth from 23 South Dakota Counties attended the 2017 4-H Camp hosted by the South Dakota 4-H Program held at Camp Bob Marshall in Custer.

“Camping programs offered through South Dakota 4-H provide youth the opportunity to gain valuable life skills in a safe environment,” said Donna Bittiker, SDSU Extension State 4-H Program Director. “The youth choose to attend camp because they want to have fun, which they do, but typically camp attendees don’t realize until they are much older the lifelong value of their youth camping experience.”

This camp was open to both 4-H members and non-members ages 8-12.

The theme, Imagination Station, encouraged youth to explore several activities including areas of science. Activities included: solar ovens, electrical circuits, tie dying, soap carving, a nature hike, drone discovery and much more.

“4-H exposes youth to a multitude of topic areas, which allows them a hands-on approach to career exploration,” said Hilary Risner, Regional 4-H Youth Program Advisor.

Youth also had the opportunity to partake in recreational activities in Bismark Lake, such as canoeing, swimming and fishing.

“Camp gives youth an opportunity to broaden their horizons,” Bittiker said. “Youth learn valuable skills, such as making new friends, sharing personal space with others, managing personal items and exploring new adventures that may be outside of their comfort zone.”

Following camp, youth were surveyed. Campers indicated that through 4-H Camp, they had a high ability to make new friends, a willingness to try new things and an ability to share their ideas respectfully.

“These are three components of personal development that 4-H strives to accomplish with youth through hands-on experiences such as camp,” Risner said.

It’s birthday season for several South Dakota towns, but the biggest celebration this year will be for Fort Pierre, the state’s first community to turn 200. But take note, our oldest town is not resting on its historical laurels. The Missouri River city aims to start its third century with a bang.

Two hundred years ago, the site of today’s Fort Pierre became a community of sorts when Joseph LaFramboise opened a trading post at the junction of the Bad and Missouri rivers. It was just 74 years after the Verendrye brothers had buried a lead plate on a nearby bluff claiming the region for France.

Fort LaFramboise eventually fizzled but in 1832 it was rebuilt as Fort Pierre Chouteau, named for a principal owner of the famed American Fur Company. Chouteau’s post prospered for decades, and became the midway meeting place connecting St. Louis with a number of smaller posts to the north and west in today’s Montana and North Dakota.

Chouteau pioneered the use of steamboats on the long and treacherous Missouri. Though boat captains and crews were befuddled by high water, low water, strong currents and submerged stumps, their cargo of pelts and hides made Chouteau a rich man until the beaver and buffalo began to disappear. By 1855, he was losing money so he sold the site to the U.S. government for use as a frontier army post.

Mayor Gloria Hanson puts Fort Pierre’s early history in perspective like this: “Thirty three years before the Declaration of Independence was signed two French guys claimed it,” she says. “When the Fort was established, Napoleon was occupying Europe, The War of 1812 was raging, Lewis and Clark were making their trek, the Louisiana Purchase was being negotiated and then you have Fort Pierre being settled. The history just blows me away,” she says.

Local historian John Duffy says the Bicentennial will help reinforce knowledge of Fort Pierre’s history along with new development by connecting people. “The anniversary draws people to become involved and is bringing the town together. We have a lot of young families, retired families, and professionals. Eighty-five percent of residents work in Pierre. This is the time to draw everyone together.”

Hanson agrees that the celebration is time to move Fort Pierre in a new direction. “We have never done a good job of capitalizing on our rich history. Last year, for example, for a history field trip, students went to Pierre. I want our kids to have a ‘Don’t mess with Texas’ attitude about their hometown. So if they see trash in the street it would make them mad. I want to develop a passion for this place with everyone understanding how unique and special Fort Pierre is.”

The town has big plans for the 200th celebration, being held September 15-17. But, in anticipation of the birthday, music is planned throughout the summer. The Silver Spur has been holding concerts near the patio that overlooks the river. Country act Diamond Rio is booked for August 4. Drifter’s, the new convention center, has local bands scheduled throughout the summer. And for the finale in September, the community will hold a weekend-long celebration with a wagon train, parade, steak feed, arts festival, Suzy Bogguss concert, helicopter rides and a rodeo. For more event information visit www.fortpierre.com.

Katie Hunhoff is the editor and co-publisher of South Dakota Magazine, a print publication featuring the people and places of our favorite state. Visit www.southdakotamagazine.com for more information.

The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, along with a mobile Education Center, is coming to Chamberlain on Aug. 9-13 at the Chamberlain Rest Area and Information Center (I-90 Exit 264) and will be open 24-hours a day and free to the public. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the most visited memorials in our nation’s capital, with more than 5.6 million visitors each year. However, many Americans have not been able to visit what has become known to many as “The Wall.” The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the organization that built The Wall in 1982, wants to give all veterans and their family members all across America an opportunity to see the Memorial.

“Taking The Wall That Heals on the road gives thousands more veterans and their family members an opportunity to see The Wall and honor those who have served and sacrificed so much,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “It helps veterans from all of America’s conflicts to find healing and a powerful connection through their common military experiences.”

South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) is the coordinating host for this stop on the national tour. Julie Overgaard, SDPB Executive Director, said more than 200 volunteers are assisting with the project and will be staffing the exhibit, providing education and directing visitors to names.

“The Wall That Heals is on display during Bike Week and will be available for visitors from South Dakota and across the nation who are visiting our state for the Sturgis Rally,” Overgaard said. “Nearly $10,000 was raised from supporters across the state, including Scull Construction Service, Inc., to support this activity.”
More than 200,000 people visited The Wall That Heals in 2016. Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in nearly 500 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. Hosting The Wall That Heals provides a community with a multi-day experience that includes an educational experience for local schools and organizations on the history of the Vietnam era and The Wall. The exhibit includes The Wall replica and a mobile Education Center comprised of: digital displays of photos of service members whose names are on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left­ at The Wall in D.C.; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.

SDPB’s hosting of The Wall That Heals is being done in conjunction with the documentary THE VIETNAM WAR, a 10-part film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that will air in September on SDPB and PBS stations nationally. THE VIETNAM WAR tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. It premieres Sunday, September 17 on SDPB.

VVMF coordinates local stops of The Wall That Heals and the accompanying mobile Education Center. The current schedule and more information can be found at: www.thewallthatheals.org. The 2017 national The Wall That Heals tour is hauled through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and generously sponsored by: USAA, PBS, and GEICO. Local sponsors are Scull Construction Service, Inc. and Friends of SDPB.

South Dakota state government closed the 2017 budget year on June 30 marking the sixth consecutive year with a surplus, Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today. Despite lower revenue, the state general fund budget for Fiscal Year 2017 ended with a $7.9 million cash surplus due to lower expenditures than budgeted.

The fiscal year ended better than anticipated due to reduced expenses that sent more funds back to the general fund. In total, state agencies spent $15.6 million, or 1 percent, less than was appropriated by the Legislature. Revenue for Fiscal Year 2017 finished lower than estimates adopted by the Legislature in February by $7.6 million, or 0.48 percent. Combined, the state’s budget for Fiscal Year 2017 ended with a $7.9 million surplus.

“Finishing Fiscal Year 2017 with a surplus, without using our reserve funds, was a major accomplishment given the weakness we have experienced in our general fund revenue. This spring, I asked state agencies to reduce spending by $10 million to $15 million because of our lower revenues” Gov. Daugaard said. “State agencies responded, and all areas of state government were able to spend fewer tax dollars than appropriated to contribute to the budget surplus.”

Collectively, the three branches of state government spent $15.6 less than appropriated. Of the general fund reversions, $14.4 million came from Executive Branch agencies, and $1.2 million came from the Unified Judicial System, the Legislature, the Board of Regents and constitutional offices.

South Dakota’s sales and use tax receipts, the state’s largest revenue source, finished the fiscal year slightly above revised budgeted levels, growing 10.49 percent compared to the prior year. This high rate of growth is due to the increase in the sales tax rate that took effect on June 1, 2016. Collections from the sales and use tax accounted for nearly 61 percent of total general fund receipts in Fiscal Year 2017.

Sources of revenue with notable increases were the severance tax, the bank franchise tax and the contractor’s excise tax, which grew 46.3 percent, 39.7 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively, over FY2016. Ongoing receipts to the general fund totaled $1,540.9 million which grew 7.1 percent compared to the previous year.

South Dakota state government ended FY2017 by transferring $7.9 million to the Budget Reserve Fund, as required by law. The state’s Budget Reserve Fund now has a $121.3 million balance and the General Revenue Replacement Fund has a $44 million balance. The combination of those two funds, totaling $165.3 million, represents a combined reserve of 10.7 percent of total general fund spending for FY2017.

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) is pleased to announce the details for the Bulldoze, Build, and Beautify (BBB) activity under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. GOED has set aside $1 million of its FY 2017 CDBG allocation to support this activity.

“We’re excited to launch this program after a lot of hard work and planning,” said Commissioner Scott Stern, GOED. “For communities to determine eligibility, and to address blighted properties in and understand the application process and timeline, we invite you to please review the eligibility requirements carefully. Interested applicants can also talk to regional planning districts for support and answer to questions as you prepare your materials.”

All interested communities should work through their regional Planning District for support in completing the application process described below, as well as for the administration of awards.

PIERRE – Extreme drought has worsened over the past week in north-central South Dakota.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows nearly 11 percent of the state in extreme drought, up from a little over 4 percent last week.
Roughly 31 percent of the state is rated in severe drought, which is up slightly from a week ago.

Another nearly 31 percent of South Dakota is experiencing moderate drought conditions, an increase from just below 24 percent last week.
The Agriculture Department estimates that the state’s winter wheat crop will total 28 million bushels, down 56 percent from last year, and the spring wheat crop at 32 million bushels, down 32 percent.

The department has designated numerous counties in the Dakotas and Montana as natural disasters, paving the way for federal aid.

Authorities say they have arrested six people after a search warrant found drugs firearms and thousands of dollars inside a home in White River.

According to the Mellette County Sheriff’s Office, the search warrant was issued on the home early Friday morning. Cocaine, hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana wax, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, firearms and $2,210 in U.S. currency were seized as evidence.

The sheriff’s office said three males and two females were arrested for drug offenses. One juvenile was arrested on grand theft.

For the first time in five weeks, the national average gas price is increasing. At $2.26, today’s price has been moving higher since July 6 and is three cents more than last week. The moderate price surge follows a week of solid demand growth and a third straight week of gasoline inventory drawdowns across the country.

“Gas prices are still at some of the cheapest prices we’ve seen this year, but consumers should take advantage of them while they can,” said Marilyn Buskohl, AAA spokesperson. “This week, drivers in 31 states are paying more than last week for a gallon of gas. And we expect to see slight price increases throughout July, so now’s the time to hit the road.”

Current Price Averages per Gallon of Regular Gasoline

Sioux Falls – $2.14, down 10 cents from one month ago … up 5 cents from 6/26/16
Rapid City – $2.23, down 19 cents from one month ago … down 20 cents from 6/26/16
South Dakota – $2.25, down 12 cents from one month ago … down 7 cents from 6/26/16
U.S. – $2.26, down 8 cents from one month ago … up 3 cents from 6/26/16

Of the states seeing jumps in gas prices, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky top the charts with double-digit increases. Thirteen states, mostly on the West Coast and in the Rockies, saw prices decrease by pennies. Across the country, consumers can find gas for $2.25 or less at 58 percent of gas stations.