25-04-2025
Rhoden picks Wheeler as judge, taps 2 for Cabinet
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — This has been a busy week for Gov. Larry Rhoden on the personnel front.
On Friday, the new governor announced his selection of David Wheeler to succeed Third Circuit Judge Greg Stoltenburg upon Stoltenburg's retirement.
Wheeler, a lawyer, resigned from the state Senate on Thursday.
Man arrested for robbery near 10th and Cliff
Gov. Rhoden requested suggestions from the public to fill the Senate vacancy.
That news came the day after Gov. Rhoden announced the promotion of Alvin Young to replace David Flute as state secretary of tribal relations.
Young, who's been in law enforcement 23 years, was the state government's tribal law enforcement liaison. Young began his new role on Friday, succeeding Flute.
Flute, a former chairman of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, and state Information and Telecommunications Commissioner Madhu Gottumukkala recently resigned from their positions in state government to accept new roles in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Kristi Noem had stepped down as South Dakota's governor in January, after her confirmation by the U.S. Senate as the nation's new Homeland Security secretary. Rhoden had been her lieutenant governor and automatically succeeded her.
Now Flute and Gottumukkala are joining Noem in the federal department.
Flute becomes senior tribal advisor on Indian affairs. Gottumukkala is the new deputy director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
On Wednesday, Gov. Rhoden announced that Bill Even is returning to state government as the new commissioner of economic development.
Even, who had served in past roles as state agriculture secretary and economic development director, recently stepped down as head of the National Pork Board. He succeeds Joe Fiala, who will continue in the role of deputy commissioner.
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