Latest news with #SouthDakotans
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
State employee charged with forging own medical marijuana card
A marijuana plant at the Dakota Herb grow operation near Tea, South Dakota. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Another former South Dakota state employee has been charged with allegedly committing a crime related to their job — the sixth such case since last summer. Alexandra Feiner, 24, of Pierre, is charged with three felonies and one misdemeanor for allegedly forging and approving her own medical marijuana card recertification without a doctor's approval and avoiding the renewal fee. The standard fee is $75 annually. South Dakota voters legalized medical marijuana by citizen initiative in 2020. The program is overseen by the state Health Department. Cardholders must meet requirements certified by a medical provider, such as suffering a debilitating illness, before they can be issued a card. Former state employee sentenced in fake vehicle title case Governor signs order to create secure web portal for whistleblowers Former state employee pleads guilty to faking food-service inspections Full archive 'The defendant is charged with using her position of trust as a Department of Health employee for her own personal benefit,' said Attorney General Marty Jackley. 'This type of conduct reflects poorly on those state government employees who work hard for South Dakotans.' According to a news release Monday from the Attorney General's Office, Feiner's criminal activity occurred between March 2024 and March of this year. The Attorney General's Office was tipped off about the case by a Pierre resident and former state Department of Health employee, according to court documents. Feiner worked with medical cannabis cards in the state Department of Health and was able to create and issue them. She legally obtained a medical cannabis card in 2023 but allegedly reissued the card to herself in 2024 without a medical provider certification. Feiner turned over her card to law enforcement, according to court documents. She is no longer an employee of the state, according to Open SD, the state government financial transparency website, and her initial court appearance hasn't been scheduled. Feiner faces up to nine total years in prison if convicted of the three felony charges, including forgery; offering a false or forged instrument for filing, registering or recording; and possession of a forged instrument. She faces up to one year in county jail if convicted of the misdemeanor charge of falsification of public records by a public officer or employee. The Feiner case is among six criminal prosecutions Jackley has filed against former state employees since last year for allegations related to their work for state government. One former employee, Lonna Carroll, used her position at the Department of Social Services to steal nearly $1.8 million over the course of 13 years. A jury found Carroll guilty of grand theft, and she's scheduled to be sentenced in July. Other criminal allegations against former state employees included creating fake vehicle titles to avoid excise taxes, falsifying food service inspections, and the personal use of foster family food vouchers. In response to the run of prosecutions, Jackley supported a package of four bills passed during the recent legislative session that will expand the investigatory authority of the state auditor; strengthen the Board of Internal Controls; institute mandatory reporting requirements for state employees and penalties for failing to report; and establish protections for whistleblowers. Gov. Larry Rhoden signed an executive order in April mandating the creation of a 'secure standard reporting mechanism' for employees. The portal will deliver whistleblower reports of malfeasance to the state's auditor and attorney general. Lawmakers also passed legislation this year strengthening the ability of the Legislature's Government Operations and Audit Committee to conduct investigations and issue orders known as subpoenas requiring people to testify or supply information. Last year, then-Gov. Kristi Noem added an extra internal control officer position to the executive branch and ordered state employees to undergo annual training aimed at preventing criminal activity. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Former state worker accused of forging marijuana card
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — A Pierre woman has been charged with four counts of falsifying her own medical marijuana card while she was an employee of the South Dakota Department of Health. The new Miss South Dakota has been crowned According to a news release from the South Dakota Attorney General's office, Alexandra Feiner, 24, has been charged with forgery, false and forged instrument, falsification public records and possession of a forged instrument with intent to defraud. 'The defendant is charged with using her position of trust as a Department of Health employee for her own personal benefit,' state Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a news release. His statement added, 'This type of conduct reflects poorly on those state government employees who work hard for South Dakotans.' The alleged crimes occurred between March 2024 and March 2025. The South Dakota Department of Health oversees the state's medical-marijuana program and cooperated with the investigation conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). The DOH has had more than four different medical-cannabis administrators since the program was created after the November 2020 election. Feiner applied for and received a medical cannabis card in April of 2023. She was certified to receive the card by practitioner Donna Linke of Healing Spirit Psychiatry and Counseling PLLC. Feiner paid for this application, court documents said. A renewal window opened up for Feiner's cannabis card in February of 2024. Feiner allegedly extended the expiration date of the card and approved her own renewal application. She then allegedly created a new medical cannabis card for herself and extended the expiration to May 1, 2025. According to court documents, DOH Secretary Melissa Magstadt reached out to the DCI on March 5 after another DOH employee overheard a former DOH employee speaking at a local gym. Magstadt confirmed Feiner had the ability within the system to create and issue medical marijuana cards. Court documents say Feiner's history records show there is not medical provider certification for the medical cannabis card issued to herself on March 19, 2024. According to the AG's office, one felony count of forgery carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; while one felony count of offering a false or forged Instrument for filing, registering or recording carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. One felony count of possession of a forged instrument carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. The charge of falsification of public records by a public officer or employee is a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in the county jail. It is alleged that the defendant avoided both the medical provider certification requirement and the fee. Feiner is listed as an inactive employee on the state's transparency website and appears to have left state government employment this spring. The program's previous administrator, Emily Kerr, left at approximately the same time. Whitney Brunner is currently the program administrator. KELOLAND News will have more coverage of Feiner's arrest online and on-air. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'It's mine': Wagner's housing effort brings dreams within reach
May 30—WAGNER, S.D. — When a pre-built home rolled into Wagner last fall, few could predict how significant it would become. For Irene Sully, 54, it wasn't just the first Governor's House to arrive in town — it was her very first home. "I never thought I'd be able to own a house," said Sully, a first-time homebuyer. "When they brought it in, I just stood there watching them unload it. It was such an emotional moment." Sully purchased the first Governor's Home brought to Wagner, part of a broader effort to bring affordable, high-quality housing options to the community. She's now finishing the interior and expects to move in soon. "My house has three bedrooms, two bathrooms — one with a tub and one with a walk-in shower," she said. "I've added a two-stall garage, and I'm planning a porch soon. It's everything I wanted." The initiative is being led locally by Wagner Area Growth, Inc. (WAG), a nonprofit development corporation working to strengthen the local economy. WAG has plans to bring in at least two more Governor's Houses to Wagner as part of this effort to expand affordable, high-quality housing options for the community. The homes are purchased from the South Dakota Housing Development Authority (SDHDA) through the Governor's House Program, which offers affordable, energy-efficient homes to income-qualified South Dakotans. "We're not just putting houses in the ground," said Margaret Doom, Wagner's economic development director. "We're building opportunity — for individuals, for families, and for the long-term future of Wagner." WAG owns the homes when they arrive and selects details like flooring, paint and appliances. Doom said the goal is to offer homes that feel modern and move-in ready. "We tried to put the best of everything into ours," she said. "The best appliances, flooring, colors — we want these to be homes people are proud of." The first home sold quickly to Sully. The second Governor's Home, now placed in town, is being used for open houses until it sells, giving residents a chance to see the quality firsthand. "There's a stigma that's followed Governor's Homes in the past, and we're working hard to change that," Doom said. "These homes are beautiful, customizable, and efficient." Governor's Houses have sometimes faced skepticism due to their affordability and prison-built origins, often seen as basic or low-end. Doom says WAG is challenging that perception by showing how high-quality and attractive these homes can be. Buyers are responsible for several key parts of the setup — including securing a lot, laying a foundation (such as a crawl space or basement), installing utilities, and adding floor coverings. For example, a buyer like Sully would need to choose a site, hire a contractor to pour the foundation, coordinate with utility companies, and make interior decisions. WAG helps guide them through each step. Governor's Houses are built by inmates at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield through a program managed by SDHDA. Since 1996, more than 3,300 have been sold. Prices typically range from $79,000 to $99,900, with income and net worth limits for eligibility. For a household of one or two, annual income must be under $66,570; for three or more, under $76,080. Doom says the homes are part of a broader effort to "jumpstart the housing cycle" — providing starter homes for young adults, long-term homes for families, and retirement-friendly options. "Right now, we don't have enough starter homes," Doom said. "And if young people can't find a place to live, they leave. We want to stop that." According to the U.S. Census, from 2010 to 2020, poverty in Wagner dropped significantly — and so did the population. While Doom questions whether those numbers reflect a true population decline or a drop in poverty, she believes the solution lies in housing revitalization. WAG is also focused on education — offering workshops on home maintenance, connecting residents with resources, and encouraging long-term stewardship. "A house only stays valuable if it's cared for," Doom said. "We want to teach people about siding, roofing, all of it. When someone eventually moves out, that house should still be in good shape for the next family." Doom also praised SDHDA's flexibility in working with nonprofits. The program allows up to a year to sell a home before payment is due — a grace period WAG didn't need for Sully's home but that she says is essential for other communities. "Every home we place is part of a bigger picture," she said. "It's not just about shelter — it's about bringing people into the community, helping them succeed, and building something sustainable." For Sully, that vision is already a reality. "I'm so proud of this home," she said. "It's mine. And it's in Wagner. That means everything." Looking ahead, Doom says Wagner's future won't be defined by population or wealth — but by lives changed. "Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all perfect small town," she said. "Every town has to define its own success. For us, that means making Wagner a place where people want to stay, grow, and dream big."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal action could make SD's Medicaid work requirements ‘an exercise in futility,' official says
South Dakota Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff speaks at a press conference in Sioux Falls on April 25, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) South Dakota's proposal to implement work requirements for Medicaid expansion could be 'an exercise in futility' now that the federal government is also considering it, said state Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff. The state began drafting its proposal immediately following the end of the state legislative session in March, Althoff said, before debates about work requirements heated up at the congressional level. Department officials presented their plan at the state Board of Social Services meeting Friday morning via video conference, just before the first of two public hearings on the proposal. 'Respectfully, humbly, we ask for your grace,' Althoff told board members, 'because we're asking for your feedback on something that might be obsoleted by the vote of 100 senators and the stroke of a pen from our president.' Health care advocates form coalition urging Republicans to take their 'Hands Off Medicaid' Medicaid is government-funded health insurance for people with low incomes. 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 — funding that could be in jeopardy, pending the outcome of congressional action. Last year, voters passed another constitutional amendment to let the state seek approval from the federal government to impose work requirements on expansion enrollees. At the federal level, proposed Medicaid work requirements would mandate those between ages 19 and 65 who rely on the program to work, participate in community service, or attend an educational program for at least 80 hours each month. The work requirement would be applied at the time of application, and Medicaid renewal would be changed to every six months instead of an annual basis. South Dakota's plan would require adult Medicaid recipients work, train, attend school or serve as a caretaker for a child or elderly or disabled person in their home unless they meet an exception. Compliance with the state-level work rules would be reviewed on an annual basis, at the time of Medicaid renewal, rather than at the time of application. The state would not require a set number of hours of work or education time. Heather Petermann, Medicaid director at the department, said the requirement would be a 'complement' to Medicaid to 'encourage' work without 'trying to track arbitrary work hours.' 'This approach really recognizes that for many individuals who need assistance with health care, that comes first,' Petermann said. 'Then it allows them to maintain their health so that they can work, or obtain the health needed to seek employment.' The federal government also has more exceptions in its proposal than the state, including tribal community members, people who are in foster care or were in foster care who are younger than 26, and people released from incarceration in the last 90 days. South Dakota would allow exceptions for people who are: Pregnant or postpartum. Disabled, as determined by the Social Security Administration. Diagnosed with cancer or another serious or terminal medical condition by a physician. In an intensive behavioral health treatment program, hospitalized or living in a nursing home. In an area with unemployment 20% or more above the national average and are exempt from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. As of last month, 30,542 South Dakotans were covered by the Medicaid expansion. The state estimates 80% of them already work or qualify for an exception. SD seeks Medicaid work rules in spite of similar moves by Congress The proposed state-level work requirement would reduce enrollment by an estimated 5-10% in the first year. That would save the Medicaid program between $48.9 million and $71 million in the first year, the department says. The federal proposal as it stands now will cost more administratively than South Dakota's proposed work requirements, Althoff added. States 'will be asked to absorb' costs if the federal proposal is adopted. The state's proposal requires less administrative oversight to reduce anticipated costs, due in part to the state's tight budget approved by the Legislature this year. 'That's just sort of naming the tension about how not having new funds is sort of an important wrinkle to our development process,' Althoff said. 'It's really having to be done within an existing budget.' Board member Colleen Winter said the proposal is 'respectful' of the individuals the department serves. Work requirements are already in place for some federal programs, such as SNAP, and state efforts, such as child care assistance and parental reunification expectations within Child Protection Services. While more than 20 people sat in on a virtual public hearing regarding the state's proposed Medicaid work requirements on Friday, only one member of the public spoke. Attorney Nathaniel Amdur-Clark spoke on behalf of the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board. He said his client wants to see an exception for Indian Health Service beneficiaries. Native Americans who are tribal enrolled members are eligible to receive health care services through the federal Indian Health Service. Those individuals are eligible for Medicaid coverage even if they do not meet other Medicaid requirements, such as income limits, 'to implement and further trust and treaty obligations the U.S. has to provide health care' for tribal members, Amdur-Clark said. Though Althoff and Petermann did not respond to Amdur-Clark's comments about IHS patients, they did address the subject during the earlier board meeting. Petermann said the proposal includes 'geographic exemptions,' including areas of the state with 'high unemployment.' 'Things like that would also apply to tribal members and American Indians, but we otherwise did not call out or exclude American Indians,' Petermann said. 'The approach is that this is a benefit and we want that dignity and pride to be part of the benefit for everybody, so they would be treated the same in this approach.' Amdur-Clark added that there are technical concerns regarding exemptions in the proposal and that more work is needed to achieve 'real tribal consultation.' The department met with some tribal leaders last week to discuss the proposal, Althoff said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Shelly Ten Napel, CEO of the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, said in an emailed statement that her organization is monitoring state and federal work requirement proposals closely. The group did not give input at the first public meeting, but plans to share its perspective on state work requirements during the public comment period. Ten Napel opposed last year's ballot measure authorizing the state's pursuit of work requirements. Compared to the work requirement proposal being considered in Congress, Ten Napel said, the state proposal is 'overall pretty reasonable.' Gov. Larry Rhoden's administration 'did a careful job of responding to concerns' raised during the debate last year, Ten Napel said, including administrative burdens and exceptions. 'We look forward to working with them to ensure smooth implementation of the new rules if they are approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,' Ten Napel said in the statement. 'We also encourage members of Congress to take a careful look at the common sense approach South Dakota is taking and rethink some of the heavy-handed rules currently under consideration in the Big Beautiful Bill.' The 'big beautiful bill' is the budget reconciliation legislation that the U.S. House sent to the Senate last week, including a Medicaid work requirements provision. Petermann said during the board meeting that South Dakota could perhaps seek to impose its own work requirements, even if the federal legislation passes. 'For example, some of the draft language does include references to things like 'the provisions from the federal legislation cannot be waived,' but we don't know whether that means states still could or couldn't have something that is less or more restrictive, as long as it has the same components,' Petermann said. 'We really don't know for sure yet.' If the state moves forward, it will submit an application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in July or August. After that, the proposal would go through a federal comment period and application review. The department's next public hearing on the proposed Medicaid work requirements is set for 11 a.m. Central on June 12 at the Sioux Falls office of the Department of Social Services, and online.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Landowners urge Reynolds to pass bill limiting eminent domain for CO2 pipelines
Opponents to carbon sequestration pipelines gathered outside of the Iowa Capitol Oct. 8, 2024. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Gov. Kim Reynolds has just two weeks to either sign or veto a controversial bill that would impact carbon dioxide pipelines in Iowa. On a Friday press call, landowners urged Reynolds to uphold Iowa and GOP values around property rights by signing the bill into law. House File 639 advanced from the Senate May 13, following four years of effort from a group of landowners and House lawmakers. The bill would do a number of things including require carbon sequestration projects prove they are a common carrier, in order to use eminent domain. The legislation, and landowner support, comes largely in response to a proposed carbon sequestration pipeline project, the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, that would connect to nearly 60 ethanol plants and pipe the sequestered carbon dioxide through Iowa and surrounding states to underground storage in North Dakota. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Those opposed to the project say a private company should not be given the right to condemn agricultural land. South Dakotans recently codified that opinion with a law that specifically bans CO2 pipelines from the right of eminent domain, which has caused Summit to reevaluate its path through the state. Marty Maher, an affected landowner from Montgomery County, urged Reynolds to uphold the Iowa Republican platform, which opposes the use of eminent domain by the use of a private party or for-profit entity. 'Do party platforms mean anything to the elected Republican officials, or are platforms just feel-good projects for the party faithful?' Maher asked. Maher said the bill 'levels the playing field' between landowners, neighbors and the utilities commission. 'I am sure that you want to be remembered as the governor that supported common sense property rights in Iowa and leveled the playing field for all residents in the state for many years to come,' Maher said, addressing his comments to the governor. Mary Powell, a Shelby County landowner, shared a similar sentiment and recalled times the governor quoted Iowa's motto, 'Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.' 'Like many Iowans, I appreciate Gov. Reynolds stating the Iowa motto is a belief and not empty words, but Iowans need action,' Powell said. 'We need Gov. Reynolds to sign 639 into law.' Reynolds said last week on Iowa Press she was meeting with stakeholders on both sides to determine her stance on the bill. Another Shelby County landowner, Cindy Hansen, said on the Friday call that she and other landowners met with the governor and her advisory team Thursday evening to share their point of view. Hansen said the governor did not ask any questions or give an indication as to how she would act, but did listen to the landowners' perspective. The bill would also increase the insurance requirements for CO2 pipeline operators to cover any accidental or intentional discharges and any insurance rate increases landowners face because of the pipeline. The bill additionally requires Iowa Utilities Commissioners to be present at all hearings and expands the scope of who may intervene in IUC proceedings. Meghan Sloma, said on Friday's call that as a neighbor to the pipeline, she was not allowed to testify in the IUC hearings because it didn't go through her property, even though she would be 'very much affected' by the pipeline. 'I think that's very important, that the right that I have for my voice to be heard regarding what happens to my land, that it be protected,' Sloma said. 'To me, it is just basic fairness and equality.' Sloma said while the pipeline project brought up the need for this legislation, the bill is not 'anti pipeline' or 'anti progress.' Opponents of the bill include farming organizations like Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, who argue the legislation would stop Iowa from entering the ultra-low carbon ethanol market. This loss of market, they argue, would in turn hurt Iowa farmers and the state's economy. IRFA also argued in a press conference last week, that the bill has a slew of 'unintended negative consequences.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
