Latest news with #SiouxFalls
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sioux Falls street closures start Monday
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — Road construction projects will temporarily close several streets in Sioux Falls this week. Starting Monday, South Main Avenue will be closed between West 11th and 12th streets. South First Avenue will be closed on the north side of East 41st Street. North Northview Avenue will be closed between West Benson Road and West 54th Street North. North La Mesa Drive will be closed between West Madison and West Third streets. The roundabout will be closed at 85th Street and Parkway Avenue. Most of the closures will last through Monday. South First Avenue and the roundabout will be back open at the end of the week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A strictly free market would make businesses free to ignore South Dakota
State Reps. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, and Karla Lems, R-Canton, speak to the press after they announced their campaign for governor and lieutenant governor at an event in Sioux Falls on April 24, 2025, at the Military Heritage Alliance. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) South Dakota Republicans could be choosing from a crowded field when they make their choice for governor in the 2026 primary. With as many as five candidates in the race, would-be governors will need to find a way to distinguish themselves from the pack. The first announced candidate for that race was Speaker of the House Jon Hansen, a Dell Rapids attorney. He declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination in April. Hansen was the first candidate for governor to come from the new MAGA wing of the South Dakota Republican Party—referred to as 'grassroots patriots' in his announcement speech. His campaign platform contains many of the topics his wing of the party has made a priority: cutting government spending, allowing school choice, protecting private property rights, opposing abortion and tightening election laws. First candidate for governor focuses on property rights, spending and halting 'corporate welfare' Another topic that Hansen touched on was ending 'corporate welfare.' That's the name he has given to the practice of using taxpayer dollars to boost private business. His example of corporate welfare gone bad was Tru Shrimp. The company was given a $6.5 million loan of state and local funds six years ago to build a facility in Madison. While the company did manage to change its name to Iterro, it has yet to break ground. 'I think it's just unnecessary government mingling, and it's risky business, and they're wasting our taxpayer dollars to do it,' Hansen said in a South Dakota Searchlight story. 'It's the sort of stuff that we want to say 'no more' to. Let's get back to the free market, low tax and low regulation.' South Dakota got serious about using state dollars to entice and build business in 1987 when Gov. George Mickelson helped to create the Revolving Economic Development and Initiative Fund. Mickelson was able to convince the Legislature to implement a 1% sales tax increase that would sunset once it had raised $40 million for the REDI Fund. Since then the Governor's Office of Economic Development has made loans and grants worth millions of dollars to new and existing businesses and industries in the state. Taking state government loans and grants out of the marketplace would certainly be one way Hansen could approach his new role if he were elected governor. That tactic, however, fails to consider the fact that a financial boost from the state is sometimes what it takes to get the free market interested in investing in South Dakota. Putting an end to low-interest government loans would certainly put the state at a disadvantage when it comes to competing with other states for business and industry. A recent news release from the GOED showed just how invested the state has become in helping businesses grow. The news release noted a $3.4 million grant for the Big Stone Energy Storage Project thermal energy facility, a $2.6 million grant for a Bel Brands expansion and a $250,682 grant to Dakota Line Energy for a lagoon digester. The news release said the grants would result in $419 million in capital expenditures and create 180 full-time jobs. In essence, the state is betting $6 million in hopes of getting a $419 million payoff. That kind of 'government mingling,' as Hansen called it, seems to offer pretty good odds. It is, however, as he noted, 'risky business.' At its heart, investing in economic development will always be a bit of a gamble. That's why we expect government officials to place safe bets, though there is always the chance for a bust like Tru Shrimp. That's the nature of any gamble. Hansen won't be the only 'patriot' in the Republican primary for governor, with Aberdeen businessman and political influencer Toby Doeden also declaring his candidacy. If 'corporate welfare' is going to be an issue in the GOP primary, the people who like to use state loans and grants to boost their local economies have got to do a better job of telling about the benefits of government investment. One way to do that would be to keep telling their story after the initial news release has been issued. Beyond the cliched photo of local officials with hardhats and shovels for a groundbreaking, taxpayers deserve regular updates on capital expenditures and job creation. This would add a layer of government transparency to the use of tax dollars. It would also soften the criticism from people like Hansen when an outfit like Tru Shrimp is slow to pay off on its state investment. Politicians often like to tout the benefits of the 'free market.' By curtailing state grants and low-interest loans, that market will be free to invest in states that are more financially welcoming. In 1987, the state's economy was badly in need of a jump-start, and it got one from Gov. Mickelson and the REDI Fund. Since then, that gamble has paid off more often than it's gone bust. What Hansen calls 'corporate welfare' has been a usually sound investment for South Dakota. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Big fourth inning dooms Canaries in Kansas City
Kansas City, Kan. (Canaries) — A four-run fourth inning proved to be the difference Saturday as Kansas City topped the Canaries 5-3 at Legends Field. The Monarchs scored in the opening inning on a passed ball but the Birds jumped in front with two runs in the third. Scott Combs led off the frame with a double and scored when Jordan Barth doubled to centerfield. Barth later raced home on a base hit from Calvin Estrada. But Kansas City answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to jump in front for good. Mike Hart drew a leadoff walk in the seventh inning and scored on a sacrifice flyout from Scott Combs but the Birds could get no closer. Jordan Barth had to two hits to lead the Canaries offensively as Sioux Falls dips to 9-12 overall. The two teams wrap up their three game series Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sunday Boredom Busters: June 1st
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — The Sioux Falls Municipal Band performs a free concert. The performance is at 8 p.m. in the Terrace Park band shell. The municipal band will perform free weekly concerts through July. The Summer Concert Series at Good Earth State Park in Sioux Falls features the Back Alley Band. The concert starts at 4 p.m. A park entrance license is required. It's opening weekend for the City of Sioux Falls outdoor pools and aquatic centers. They're located at Drake Springs, Frank Olson, Kuehn, Laurel Oak and Terrace parks. Open swimming will go from 1 to 5 in the afternoons and 6:30 to 8 in the evenings. Splash pads at Hayward and Pioneer parks are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wild Water West is also open for the season. The water park west of Sioux Falls features a tornado alley, the Black Hole and a wave pool. The hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. American Legion Post 15 in Sioux Falls is hosting an all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast. Serving time is 8:30 a.m. to noon at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance. You're invited to play Pokémon and win prizes at the Game Chest in Sioux Falls. The hours are 12:30 to 5 p.m. All ages are welcome and it's free to play. Movies playing at the historic State Theater in downtown Sioux Falls include The Bad News Bears, rated PG and Twisters, rated PG-13. The Wells Fargo CineDome & Sweetman Planetarium at the Washington Pavilion features T-Rex, Mars: The Ultimate Voyage and 3-2-1 Liftoff. New movie releases playing at a theater near you include Karate Kid Legends, rated PG-13 and Bring Her Back, rated R. Enjoy a night of Sprint Car racing in at Huset's Speedway in Brandon. Gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. The races start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, $10 for students and free for ages 12 and under. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storm Center PM Update: Starting June with Warmth and Smoke
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It has been another hazy day across KELOLAND, but temperatures have stayed above average in the 70s and 80s. Canadian wildfire smoke will continue to hang around going into the evening and through tomorrow. Most of the smoke will be aloft, but could be near the surface at times and reduce visibility. The quiet weather continues for tonight with lows staying seasonable in the 50s. Breezy winds West River will calm down and by tomorrow we will see southerly flow return. The heat will get turned up across KELOLAND, just in time for the first day of meteorological summer. We will see highs climb into the mid to upper 80s, with some of us sitting on the brink of 90. The upper level ridge that has been bringing us this warmth will move eastward into Monday and drag a cold front through KELOLAND. A line of showers and thunderstorms is looking to form late Monday afternoon and push eastward going into the evening. Portions of eastern and southern KELOLAND are in a slight risk for severe weather. The main threats with strong to severe storms will be large hail, strong wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall. Behind the front, temperatures will cool back into the 60s and 70s. Going into next weekend, we will look to get back to more seasonable highs for this time of year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
