Latest news with #DakotaWesleyanUniversity
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City leaders ‘would like to have a prison in Mitchell'
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Project Prison Reset's task force is recommending existing Department of Corrections facilities or the Worthing or Mitchell areas for new men's prison construction. Mitchell city leaders want the group to consider Davison County. City leaders from Mitchell said they've already gathered support when it comes to listing Davison County as a possible location. DOC: Contraband attempt stopped at State Penitentiary 'The chamber and development corporations both passed resolutions separately to bring a prison to Mitchell. The county commission has supported a prison in Mitchell,' Mitchell Chamber and Development CEO Mike Lauritsen said. The Mitchell City Council approved a resolution on Monday that expresses interest in having the facilities built in Davison County, citing the need to meet criminal justice system demands. Lauritsen hopes the city's efforts to inform the public about possible economic opportunities will set them apart from other potential sites. 'This would be huge for our community. That's why we've done all of this work. We want it to go to Mitchell,' Lauritsen said. 'I know there's been struggles in other communities, and I think that's the reason we've made these steps.' The proposed site is a couple miles south of town. Mitchell leaders said the location would have minimal impact on the community but would be close enough to offer rehabilitation resources to inmates. 'If you want to do rehab programs, we've got some of the best programs in the state right there,' Mitchell Area Housing President Terry Sabers told the task force Tuesday. 'Dakota Wesleyan University is there. If you want more advanced programs, they are another three miles away.' They also asked the task force to consider Mitchell's secondary water system. 'Having that secured, our vision plan ten years ago was to have enough water for 130 years plus growth. So, we are really well situated there,' Davison County Commissioner John Claggett said. There were no final decisions made at yesterday's task force meeting, but it did serve as another opportunity for input and consideration. 'We'd like to have a prison in Mitchell,' Lauritsen said. At Mitchell's city council meeting Monday night, some residents expressed concerns about community safety and increased crime if prison facilities are built there. On Wednesday afternoon, the Mitchell Development Corporation announced it will hold three community forums to discuss the proposed site. The organization said in a news release a Mitchell Prison Task Force, made up of city and county officials, community leaders and representatives from the Governor's office will hold the following forums: Tuesday, June 17th, 2025: In-person forum at Mitchell Technical College Auditorium, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18th, 2025: Virtual forum at 7:00 p.m. (Access links will be available on the City and Development Corporation websites) Tuesday, June 24, 2025: Community Debate at Dakota Wesleyan University, 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Health care advocates form coalition urging Republicans to take their ‘Hands Off Medicaid'
Shelly Ten Napel, CEO of the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, participates in a debate on Sept. 19, 2024, at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. She is part of a new coalition opposing cuts to Medicaid. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) A group of South Dakota health care advocates launched a 'Hands Off Medicaid' coalition Thursday, pleading with the state's all-Republican congressional delegation to avoid proposed cuts. Medicaid is a federal-state health care program for low-income people. A U.S. House-approved budget reconciliation bill would reduce the program by $625 billion over 10 years under an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office. Shelley Ten Napel, CEO of the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, is a member of Hands Off Medicaid. 'The proposed cuts will be especially harmful to rural South Dakota,' Ten Napel said. 'When coverage rates fall, rural health centers lose critical funding – putting access to primary care, maternal care, dental services and behavioral health at risk for everyone in those communities.' U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, voted for the bill last week. It's now under consideration by the Senate. 'This bill is a strong conservative work product, and one that is long overdue,' Johnson said last week in a press release. 'It delivers a historic spending reduction and roots out abuse of federal programs. These changes are a meaningful attempt to turn our fiscal house in the right direction.' SD Rep. Johnson votes yes as U.S. House Republicans push through budget reconciliation bill Hands Off Medicaid's introductory press conference included Democrat Earl Pomeroy, who served as a U.S. representative for North Dakota from 1993 to 2011. He said millions of Americans could lose care. 'This bill represents a complete retreat from decades of bipartisan progress in expanding access to health care,' Pomeroy said. 'It will drive up the number of uninsured South Dakotans and leave rural hospitals drowning in tens of millions of dollars in uncompensated care.' That fear is shared by retired family physician Tom Dean. Born and raised near Wessington Springs, he retired after 43 years of practice and still lives in the small South Dakota town. 'I'm really frightened about the impact it will have on nursing homes,' Dean said. About 147,000 South Dakotans are enrolled in Medicaid. The advocates said 49% of seniors and people with disabilities receive nursing home and community-based care through Medicaid. They also say one out of four births in the state is covered by Medicaid. 'Medicaid is a major payer for prenatal, delivery and postpartum care,' Dean said. 'And that's a major concern, especially in rural areas, but across the country. This country has an alarmingly high maternal mortality rate.' The U.S. maternal mortality rate in 2022 was 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to a report from the Commonwealth Fund, compared to zero in Norway, 1.2 in Switzerland, 3.4 in Japan, 3.5 in Germany, and 8.4 in Canada. Shannon Bacon is the director of external affairs at Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas. She said access to obstetric care is declining across the state because fewer facilities are offering those services, in part because it 'typically is a money-loser for hospitals, and especially for small rural hospitals that are already financially stressed.' 'And if we lose Medicaid coverage, it will make that problem even worse,' Bacon said. 'And as a result, it will have a direct impact on outcomes.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill includes a policy change that would require Medicaid enrollees who are between the ages of 19 and 65 to work, participate in community service, or attend an educational program at least 80 hours a month. The language has numerous exceptions, including for pregnant women, parents of dependent children, people who have complex medical conditions, tribal community members, those in the foster care system, people who were in foster care who are below the age of 26, and individuals released from incarceration in the last 90 days, among others. Meanwhile, South Dakota officials are considering imposing their own work requirements on adult Medicaid expansion enrollees who don't qualify for a list of exceptions. South Dakotans voted in 2022 to expand Medicaid to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level, a decision that allowed the state to capitalize on a 90% federal funding match. The first of two public hearings on the state's Medicaid expansion work requirements proposal is at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the state Department of Social Services in Pierre. States Newsroom's D.C. Bureau contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Latest report shows housing, child care remain issues for Mitchell area economic health
May 13—MITCHELL — The latest Mitchell-area economic report is out, and its highlights reveal housing prices, child care and the rising cost of healthcare as issues to address for city development leaders and officials. The report, a joint effort between Dakota Wesleyan University, the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office, was revealed to the public at a press conference Tuesday, May 13 on the DWU campus. Takeaways from the report, the data for which was gathered and parsed by 18 students in Tracy Dice's principles of macroeconomics class, include both positives and negatives on various factors that play into community economic health. Among those points singled out for attention at the Tuesday presentation was the ongoing need for housing in Mitchell. According to the report, housing prices have risen significantly, with the average home price reaching $431,000. Combined with stagnant local incomes and rising mortgage rates, affordability remains a key issue. Mike Lauritsen, CEO of the Mitchell Area Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce, said feedback confirms what the local leaders are already well aware of — to grow business, one needs to grow the workforce. That is done by making sure there is plenty of housing for those workers. "This is not unique to Mitchell. We know there is a housing shortage across South Dakota," Lauritsen said. "As we add supply, we hope that housing prices will go down. That's our goal." He noted homes are in the process of being erected or brought to housing developments in the community, and more are planned to help ease the housing crunch. The housing shortage is exacerbated by the fact that small businesses dominate the regional economy, but workforce shortages and lack of affordable childcare limit their growth. "One student looked into a report that listed all of the daycares in Mitchell and she split Mitchell up into four quadrants based on populations, and you can see at in-home daycares, 92% are in the north half of Mitchell. When you add (all daycares) together, they have a capacity of 576," Dice told the audience. "In a 20-mile radius of the Mitchell area, there are 3,026 kids who would be of daycare age, which greatly exceeds the 576. We can look at our population and see that we do not have enough daycares in our city to meet demand." Mitchell-area demographics were also highlighted during the presentation. Rising healthcare costs, a shortage of healthcare professionals and an aging population strain regional resources. Because of that, telehealth and mobile healthcare units have started to address rural access issues, but the state faces ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining healthcare workers. Gender wage gaps also persist in the healthcare field, with men earning an average of 15% more than women across Mitchell, Huron and Yankton, the data showed. In a surprise under the public transportation section of the report, Lauritsen said numbers appear to indicate that Mitchell provides more rides through public transport than its neighbor Huron, but does so at a lesser cost. Finding out exactly why that is could lead to answers for cost-saving measures in other sectors. "This is some of the information that comes out of this report where you say, 'Oh, this is interesting.' And then you start to dig in to figure out why. We don't know the answer to that, but this is something we thought was very interesting that the students found," Lauritsen said. Other highlights included a notation that 70% of Mitchell's city revenue comes from sales tax, with half of consumer spending driven by visitors outside the city. That data reveals Mitchell's role as a regional hub, but it also underscores the need to continuously invest in community amenities, housing, and economic diversification to remain competitive and sustain growth. The report also suggested that despite global economic challenges, including trade tensions and inflation, South Dakota continues to show resilience through strong agricultural output and favorable business environment. Lauritsen said the report is useful both for what it shows Mitchell doing well and what it shows Mitchell not doing well. The positive aspects of the report are encouraging, but it is difficult to correct problems when one doesn't know what those problems are. The report, broken down into easy-to-read graphs and charts, puts hard numbers into language understandable to the layman. He was grateful for the focus and expertise of both Dice and her students in bringing the report to life in a way that everyone can understand. Having assembled some of the economic reports in the mid-2010s himself, he is aware of how complex data interpretation can be. "I did the meat of the work on those early reports and they are rough, because I am no economist, and it's a lot of data to go through," Lauritsen said. "But we knew what we wanted to see in the future, and as you look at the reports produced, you can see the progress through the years. They get better, and better and better." Barrett Nielsen, a DWU senior who graduated Sunday, was one of the students who broke down data that was used in the report. The math major is looking to land his first job out of college, hopefully at a local financial institution, but for a portion of his senior year he was poring over numbers for the economic report. It's a lot of work, and categorizing the data and interpreting it requires focus, Nielsen said. There is little indication where the data will lead, and sometimes it reflects positive development while other times it reflects the negative. Other times, the data doesn't seem to say anything at all. That's all part of interpreting the data, he said. "The biggest thing that I learned as a math major is that data is very, very messy. Sometimes we don't even get results in general, and sometimes it's not the results we want," Nielsen said. "So it's just taking what we have and what we get and then making sure that we come to a reasonable outcome from that sort of processing." The report utilizes business data on file with the state Secretary of State office and other public sources and translates hard numbers into easy-to-understand graphics and tables. Formerly produced through Northern State University, the report later became an ongoing quarterly project spearheaded by students at Dakota Wesleyan and Dice, associate professor of business and economics at the school. The report is intended to help economic development and community leaders across the state interpret the data into useful information that they can apply to help boost both their local and statewide economy. Johnson said South Dakota and the country itself are facing uncertain times. From farm families to small businesses owners, concerns about tariffs and trade gaps abound, but so does hope. That optimism has fueled generations of South Dakotans in the past, but fair trade deals and fruitful negotiations factor heavily into that, so many of those families and owners are taking a wait-and-see approach. But Johnson said the data put together by the Dakota Wesleyan students will be a benefit for economic development leaders around the state. With solid data in hand, state leaders have a fighting chance to find a way to maximize growth and development. "This economic report, produced through a unique partnership between the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office, Dakota Wesleyan University and the Mitchell Area Development Corporation, offers valuable insights into the trends shaping our state's economy," Johnson said. "I commend the students, educators and community leaders who have contributed to this effort. Your work provides a vital lens through which we can better understand and support South Dakota's economic health and prosperity." The latest economic report assembled by Dakota Wesleyan is expected to be on the South Dakota Secretary of State's website in the near future. That page, where past economic reports can also be found, is located at
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two years and graduated: Local DWU students use dual credit, Bridge Year programs for bachelor's degrees
May 9—MITCHELL — Many students who graduated from high school 2023 are just wrapping up their sophomore year at a post-secondary school of their choice. They are getting deeper into higher-level courses specifically related to their major or minor, and are in the process of moving from being underclassmen to upperclassmen. But not Dakota Wesleyan University students Kyra Gropper and Camen Max. The two 2023 graduates of Mitchell High School are already wrapping up their bachelor's degrees from Dakota Wesleyan University, thanks in part to their focus on their fields of study, the high school dual credit program and the DWU Bridge Year program, all which set them on an accelerated pace to finish their studies at the four-year college ahead of many of their peers. Through the dual program, high school juniors and seniors enrolled at public, private or tribal high schools have the opportunity to enroll in college coursework by the credit hour at a reduced rate. Through the program, students like Gropper and Max can tackle many of their 100 and 200 level classes before they even step foot on campus. Coupled with the Bridge Year program, a partnership between the Mitchell School District and DWU that allows high school seniors to study on campus while still technically enrolled in high school, a student can complete a bachelor's program well earlier than they might otherwise. That's just what they did, and it has them pursuing their dreams a full two years ahead of schedule. Kyra Gropper was already a busy high school student when she decided to take on some extra work through the dual credit program. She participated in multiple varsity sports, including competitive cheer, gymnastics and track, and maintained a consistent 4.0 grade point average during her time in high school. She also participated in organizations such as Health Occupation Students of America. She was seriously interested in a specific career, and the dual credit program kicked off that journey on the right foot. "I always knew I wanted to go into the healthcare field, so that kind of helped me start looking into the nursing program here," Gropper told the Mitchell Republic in a recent interview. "So I took a lot of online summer classes to get ahead, and then my senior year I bridged here and attended Dakota Wesleyan full-time as a senior in high school." The Bridge Year Program is a partnership between Dakota Wesleyan and Mitchell High School that gives students an opportunity to begin their college career while still in high school. It is designed to help them get a jump start on college and help in the transition to college life with a fall or spring start. The program serves as a complement to the dual credits program. It was a great transition for Gropper, who could get advanced work done on her degree and still participate in high school sports while enrolled in college during her senior year of high school. The program did take a little getting used to, including adapting to more online classes. "I would say they were tricky at first, just finding that balance because most of the dual credits I started with were all online. I didn't do in-person dual credits until I came here my senior year," Gropper said. "So it was kind of tricky finding that balance with sports and activities to get all that workload done. But I managed it well." College coursework is naturally more challenging than its equivalent in high school, but Gropper found the work invigorating. She navigated the ins and outs of the nursing program at Dakota Wesleyan thanks to her focus and ongoing support from her professors and school officials, she said. It didn't take long and she was embracing the material and college teaching style. "It was an adjustment at first, but I got used to it. I got into a good study rhythm, and I've been doing good ever since," Gropper said. She managed it well enough that she is already ready to walk across the same stage she crossed two years ago for her MHS graduation. She will complete the four-year bachelor's of science nursing program and will have her registered nurse license once she graduates. Support came in the form of her parents, Clayton and Jennifer, and her professors at Dakota Wesleyan. "My parents are very supportive, which helps. They've taught me great life lessons of studying and things like that, and that's very important to do well academically, so that does help as well," Gropper said. "And the professors have been really great. If you have a question, you can always go in and talk to them, so it's been really good." Soon it's on to the NCLEX test, a standardized test administered to nursing graduates that assess their competence for practicing as a licensed registered nurse. She has been studying and is confident she can handle it. Eventually, she wants to look into becoming a nurse anesthetist. She also has a job lined up after graduation. Come July, she will join the staff at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls as part of their float nurse pool. In that position, she will work on five different floors in different disciplines. She is especially looking forward to working in the ICU, which is a prerequisite for becoming a nurse anesthetist. The dual credits program and the Bridge Year program were a big part in her getting a jump on her career goals, and though it was a lot of work, she said other students can find the same advantage she did but putting in effort and focus. "I would definitely recommend it to someone who knows or has a general idea of what they want to do, just to get that head start. Just get your work done, which can be hard to balance high school and college classes, but it is very manageable," Gropper said. "Everyone here on campus is also very supportive of every student. All the professors are great, so it's been a good experience." It's been a fast-paced few years tackling high school and college at the same time, but she is ready for the next step, and she said she's not done just yet. "It's not the end of my education journey," Gropper said. Like Gropper, Max was already a busy high schooler when he decided to look into the dual credit and Bridge Year programs. He was also an athlete, but a series of shoulder surgeries took a bite out of his participation more than he would have liked. By the time he was a junior, he was already thinking about his own future and career. The programs suited him well in getting a jump start on his studies, and he soon found himself taking online classes and then making a transition to in-person classes at Dakota Wesleyan almost exclusively his senior year. "I would say junior year of high school was transitioning to college more than anything else," Max said. "Dual credit classes became a big thing, and then senior year, being on campus here, I was never at the high school for classes my senior year." It all put him on a path to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice and behavioral science in just two years, while also pursuing studies at Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls. His goal? Entering the world of law enforcement with an ultimate destination of joining the South Dakota Highway Patrol, a decision spurred by family and a desire to serve the public. "Service has always been instilled in me. My mom was a probation officer — so somewhat in the criminal justice system — but then my sophomore and junior year, it really hit me. It's an important role," Max said. His studies were a lot of work, combining high school studies and college classes and then splitting his time between Southeast Tech and Dakota Wesleyan recently. But he was used to hard work in the classroom, and embraced the challenge. He credited his parents, Chris and Kim, for steadfast support and the overall atmosphere he experienced as a high school student on a four-year college campus as vital to allowing him to pursue his goals. He did not feel out of place on campus among students who were a bit older than he was. "When you come, even with in-person classes, everyone else thinks you're just a college kid. No one knows you're a high schooler. Once you're in, you're welcomed," Max said. "You're just able to do whatever everyone else is doing. There are no setbacks. I enjoyed it. I feel like I was able to step ahead and be able to be in those classes." Ironically, having completed his bachelor's degree and other studies two years ahead of schedule, he is still a few months short of the 21-year-old age requirement for entry into the South Dakota Highway Patrol training academy program, which runs 23 weeks at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Pierre. But he has already gone through an internship with the program, and it served as both confirmation of his wish to join the service as well as an eye-opening experience into the finer points of law enforcement life and procedure. "Being able to see stuff through the internship, it just becomes more real," Max said. "As you go through the program, it becomes more and more real, and (you see) what every man and woman first responder deals with and how difficult it is and how different it is in each situation." When Max finishes his graduation program at Southeast Technical College on Friday in Sioux Falls, he'll turn around and head back to Mitchell for his Dakota Wesleyan graduation program on Sunday. After that, he'll focus on getting on board with the Highway Patrol. His academic studies have kept him busy, but it's time to move on to the real work of the public service he has been pursuing. His time at Dakota Wesleyan — and the dual credit and Bridge Year program that accelerated his progress — played a huge role in getting him where he is. He said up and coming high school students can likely find the same success he did if they embrace the work and have a clear vision of their goals. It worked for him, and he can't wait to get started on the next step. "I feel like I've been directed on this path for a reason, whether it be what I've seen or what I've been able to do in the internship or being raised in the family that I've been raised in," Max said. "(My experience has been) there are a lot of different classes that are going to work for different programs and different majors, so it never hurts to get your foot in the door. But if you know what you want to do, chase it. Just go after it." Both Max and Gropper are graduating Summa Cum Laude from Dakota Wesleyan, the highest academic designation. Recipients of the distinction must have a 3.85 to 4.0 grade-point average. A total of 190 graduates will receive degrees in 2025. Dakota Wesleyan's commencement will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 11 at the Corn Palace in downtown Mitchell.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dakota Wesleyan University to present honorary doctorate Sunday
May 8—MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan University will confer an honorary Doctor of Science degree at its commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 11. Dr. Robert McWhirter will receive the degree to be presented by DWU President Dan Kittle. McWhirter has shown a decades-long commitment to Dakota Wesleyan. Serving as DWU's team physician from 1985 to 2013, he volunteered his time and expertise, overseeing the health and success of countless student-athletes. Throughout his career, McWhirter has been one of the most impactful supporters of sports medicine and the Dakota Wesleyan athletic training program to serve the university. He played a vital role in the program's accreditation process and mentored many students who have gone on to distinguished careers in a variety of medical fields. He served twelve years on the DWU Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2003, according to a press release from the school In addition, Dr. McWhirter has provided significant financial support to DWU. His 39 years of consecutive financial support highlights his unwavering generosity, including funding the Athletic Training Senior Scholarships and the Robert McWhirter Endowed Scholarship for Athletic Training, the McWhirter Field at Cadwell Park where the DWU softball team plays, and numerous upgrades of athletic training equipment at Joe Quintal Field and beyond. McWhirter operated the Mitchell Orthopedic Clinic from 1985 until his retirement in 2013. For his many contributions to athletic training and athlete health, he was inducted into the Dakota Wesleyan University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Mitchell High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He also received the Community Service Award from the South Dakota State Medical Association in 2012. This award is presented each year to "a physician who demonstrates outstanding work in community affairs." A past employee and friend said about Dr. Mac, "I cannot fully express my gratitude for Dr. McWhirter's impact on my own career in athletic training and education. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping my professional journey. The Dakota Wesleyan University motto, 'Sacrifice or Service' is exemplified in Dr. McWhirter's life. Through his tireless dedication to improving the lives of those around him and his enduring contributions to the Mitchell community, he has created a legacy that will benefit future generations." McWhirter will be honored during the DWU commencement ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The event is free and open to the public and can be live streamed at
