Jackie Hendry

The nation's unemployment rate is around 15%, “2020 Homeless Count” numbers are in, Rapid City sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases, tribes maintain sovereignty regarding their checkpoints, and CFAP provides up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America's farmers and ranchers.  

The state public health lab is organizing mass COVID-19 testing in nursing homes over the next month—starting in communities with substantial spread of the virus.

Long-term care facilities in the state face two overwhelming challenges. Their residents are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. In fact, more than half of the state’s COVID fatalities are older patients.   The pandemic is also exacerbating existing financial challenges.      

In The Moment ... April 30, 2020 Show 807 Hour 2

Tonight at 8 Central 7 Mountain, South Dakota Focus will take a closer look at the nursing home and long term care facilities in the state in relation to COVID 19. SDPB's Stephanie Rissler is the host of the show and joins us today with a preview.

We are also joined by SDPB's Jackie Hendry who will be featured on the program.

It was announced today that the state high school boy's and girl's basketball tournaments are postponed due to the COVID 19 outbreak.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem gave an executive order for all schools to close for deep cleaning.

The Special Olympics of South Dakota is canceling this weekend’s state basketball tournament in Pierre as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus. 

It’s also suspending all sports activities in the state until March 31st.

Darryl Nordquist is the President and CEO of the Special Olympics South Dakota. He says the decision to cancel this weekend’s tournament comes after direction from the Special Olympics’ international office.

The Statehouse podcast is SDPB Radio's legislative podcast that features a compilation of the top stories coming from Pierre.

 Politics and public policy reporting is supported by The Center for Western Studies at Augustana University

In The Moment ... February 24, 2020 Show 759 Hour 2

The Statehouse podcast is SDPB Radio's legislative podcast that features a compilation of the top stories coming from Pierre.

Today, SDPB’s political reporters joined Lori on In the Moment for a roundtable discussion. 

  Politics and public policy reporting is supported by The Center for Western Studies at Augustana University

The Statehouse podcast is SDPB Radio's legislative podcast that features a compilation of the top stories coming from Pierre.

  Politics and public policy reporting is supported by The Center for Western Studies at Augustana University

In The Moment ... February 13, 2020 Show 753 Hour 2

The House Education Committee considered a bill banning racially derogatory team names and mascots in public schools last week. The bill died in committee, but this isn't the first time the statehouse has considered the issue. And the bill's prime sponsor says it won't be the last. SDPB's Jackie Hendry joins us with more.

  Politics and public policy reporting is supported by The Center for Western Studies at Augustana University

In The Moment ... February 10, 2020 Show 750 Hour 2

Our weekly SDPB legislative roundtable brings journalists from across the state together for a look at what's happening in Pierre. Today we're joined by SDPB's Seth Tupper in Rapid City, Jackie Hendry in Sioux Falls, Stephanie Rissler in Vermillion, and Lee Strubinger in Pierre. 

Politics and public policy reporting is supported by The Center for Western Studies at Augustana University

In The Moment ... February 5, 2020 Show 747 Hour 1

Dakota Life is a series on SDPB TV focused on stories about interesting South Dakota people, places, and things. New episodes air the first Thursday of each month at 8 Central time, 7 Mountain time.

Tomorrow's episode features the work of SDPB's Melissa Hammersma Sievers. She, SDPB's Katy Beem, and SDPB's Jackie Hendry join us to discuss the upcoming episode.

In The Moment ... February 4, 2020 Show 746 Hour 1

In The Moment checks in with SDPB journalists from around the state for our weekly Statehouse roundtable. Seth Tupper joins from the Black Hills Surgical Hospital Studio in Rapid City. Jackie Hendry is in the Kirby Family Studio in Sioux Falls. Stephanie Rissler connects from SDPB's studio on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion. And Lee Strubinger is located at the State Capitol building in Pierre.

The South Dakota Board of Regents is pressing lawmakers to support needs-based scholarships for college students. Senate Bill 72 establishes the Dakota’s Promise scholarship for low-income students. It hasn’t yet reached committee, but a similar bill last year passed the Senate unanimously before failing on the House floor.

During an informational presentation to the Senate Education Committee, Board of Regents Executive Director Paul Beran says this year’s bill addresses some of the concerns raise last year.

In The Moment ... January 24, 2020 Show 740 Hour 1

South Dakota Public Broadcasting brings you the latest from the state legislative session in Pierre. Today we gather SDPB reporters for a roundtable discussion that spans the state. 

We are joined by Seth Tupper (@SethTupper), Lee Strubinger (@LeeSDPB), Jackie Hendry (@JackieHendrySD), and Stephanie Rissler (StephanieSDPB).  

Curious how to keep up with SDPB’s Statehouse coverage? Well, there are a few ways you can stay informed:

South Dakota laws related to certified registered nurse anesthetists—or CRNAs—haven’t been updated since 1979. But a bill to give CRNAs broader practice outside of hospital settings is now moving to the senate floor.

Senate Bill 50 brings South Dakota CRNA practices up to par with national standards. It also expands collaboration to non-physician care providers like dentists, and gives them authority to prescribe controlled substances for pain management based on their training.

LifeScape—a nonprofit that serves people with disabilities—is leasing more than 30 acres from the USD Discovery District in Sioux Falls. The site will serve as LifeScape’s new hospital, school and rehab facility.

USD and LifeScape leaders expect the partnership to advance research and fill workforce needs in disability care.

CEO Steve Watkins points to a picture of children with polio breaking ground for the current LifeScape hospital back in 1948. He says specialized care isn’t the only thing that’s changed since then.

In The Moment ... January 2, 2020 Show 725 Hour 2

Palliative care helps relieve symptoms of serious illnesses, but it's not a one-size-fits-all method of specialized care. It's also not always accessible in areas where it's needed most. 

Talking with loved ones about death is difficult, and some conversations about end-of-life arrangements are put off until it’s too late. But students at Dakota Wesleyan University have the chance to practice discussing mortality with loved ones and total strangers at the Death Café.  

Sixty-three of South Dakota’s 66 counties submitted disaster declarations after this year’s devastating blizzards, floods, and tornadoes. In Governor Kristi Noem’s budget address for fiscal year 2021, she outlines a plan to recover from this year’s disasters and mitigate future damages. 

The governor’s budget proposal includes a partnership between state and local governments to manage the high cost of this year’s natural disasters. The state already offers some assistance, but Noem says local governments have expressed concerns in the face of record-breaking damages.  

According to the Small Business Administration, 99% of businesses in South Dakota are small businesses. That includes everything from family farms to specialty boutiques.

In Sioux Falls, Mayor Paul TenHaken issued a formal proclamation recognizing tomorrow as Small Business Saturday.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving has been an occasion to support local and small businesses for about ten years. But after the press conference at Luca—an Italian leather goods store in downtown Sioux Falls--Mayor TenHaken practiced what he proclaimed.

Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell is going global with its first international recruitment office in Nigeria.

Dakota Wesleyan is hoping to capitalize on partnerships with one of Africa’s fastest-growing countries.

Dakota Wesleyan has a long history of hosting international students. Dr. John Ifediora graduated from Dakota Wesleyan in 1979. After working as a professor in the University of Wisconsin System, he’s now on faculty at American University in D.C. He’s also leading Dakota Wesleyan’s first international recruitment office in his home country.

  Note: This story originally aired on 11/12/19

Ten employers and more than 70 inmates participated in the Second Chance Job Fair at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. The event helps men who are currently incarcerated prepare for the next chapter of life and envision a place in their community beyond the penitentiary.

This is the first job fair of its kind at the penitentiary, and it’s the result of nearly six months of partnerships and preparation.

On Sunday, the new Avera Addiction Care Center in Sioux Falls is hosting a community open house. The voluntary 28-day treatment center offers a variety of treatments for alcohol and drug addiction.

But the new center also highlights the importance of community in the healing process.

Avera used to refer up to 25 patients a month to residential addiction recovery facilities—some of them hundreds of miles away. Assistant Vice President for Avera Behavioral Health Services Thomas Otten says that’s one of the reasons this new addiction care center is here now.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than four-thousand South Dakotans will receive a cancer diagnosis this year. But that’s not the only number advocates bring to elected officials to make the case for research funding.

During its annual South Dakota Policy Luncheon, the state American Cancer Society chapter highlighted the economic impact of cancer research. 

In the last fiscal year, the National Institute of Health invested nearly $24 million in South Dakota. That resulted in $71 million of new economic activity, and more than 500 jobs.

Education majors at Augustana University have the opportunity to experience cutting-edge classroom tools through Makerspace workshops. Robots, iPads and circuit boards help students of any level engage with a variety of subjects in a way that feels like play.

The three Makerspace workshops this semester are financed with the Oliver Innovation Fund through Augustana to encourage creativity throughout the university. Assistant Professor of education Michelle Powers applied for the grant to help future teachers learn to incorporate Makerspace in their classrooms.

In The Moment ... November 7, 2019 Show 696 Hour 2

Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA therapy, is one of the most effective treatments for children with autism. But South Dakota families lost health insurance coverage for the expensive therapy earlier this year. After a bill to require coverage failed in the last legislative session, the state added ABA therapy to its benchmark plan under the Affordable Care Act for 2021, leaving a one-year coverage gap.

Six nursing homes in South Dakota closed over the last year and a half--including the Hudson Care and Rehab Center within the last month. The closures are driven by low Medicaid reimbursement rates from the state. 

The legislature approved a 10% reimbursement increase earlier this year. But testimony during last week's Government Operations and Audit Committee meeting shows the problem is far from solved. 

Haunted Houses are serious business. Just ask the volunteers at Jaycees FEARgrounds in Sioux Falls. 

Haunted attractions are an industry---spawning national conferences, associations, and even safety certifications. However, a good scare can offer camaraderie, whether you’re the one giving or receiving the spook. 

We stand in line at  the Jaycees FEAR-grounds, and there’s no ignoring the screams of other visitors deep within the haunted house. To distract myself, I check in with my friends Brady Mayer and Megan Gayer.

A language program on the Pine Ridge reservation is teaching a new generation to speak Lakota. That work is starting with the youngest voices and providing new preschool opportunities in a part of the state where early childhood education is limited.

The Lakota Immersion Preschool began as a small daycare in Peter Hill’s home. 

“It was my daughter and four other kids, and we operated like that for the first year.”

That was in 2012. 

In The Moment ... October 17, 2019 Show 681 Hour 2

SDPB Health and Education reporter Jackie Hendry joins Lori Walsh to preview the discussion on early childhood education (Pre-K) on SDPB-TV's South Dakota Focus with Stephanie Rissler.

Education and healthcare reporting on SDPB is supported by Regional Health, helping patients and communities live well