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We preview the 81st Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with the city's mayor, Mark Carstensen.

Are the Great Plains poised for another Dust Bowl? We talk with USD geologist Mark Sweeney about heatwaves, drought, and the new problems caused by modern irrigation.

The U.S. labor market is shifting in significant ways. Morning Macro with Joe Santos takes a look at patterns in South Dakota and possible explanations for the flux.

General Custer is one of the most written about people in American history. Author Sandy Bernard has spent many years researching his life, the US Army in the Plains Indian wars, and worked with the National Park Service on a number of projects about this history. He recently wrote a new biography and Dr. Jones was pleased to have this conversation about Custer's controversial life and what it means to America and the Great Plains. The book is available at: sdhspress.com/books/george-armstrong-custer

Each day, SDPB's journalism team works to bring you pertinent news coverage. We then compile those stories into one neatly formatted daily podcast so that you can stay informed.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

The South Dakota Department of Health stopped providing daily COVID-19 updates earlier this month. It now updates the data every Wednesday.  

Elizabeth Racz is an epidemiologist at South Dakota Mines. She says an increase in out-of-state tourists and the rise of the more contagious Delta variant should prompt state officials to provide daily reports again.  

More than a hundred people stood in the rain to make their voices heard about Sanford’s vaccination mandate. Many held signs with false statistics about the vaccine and phrases like “my body, my choice.”  

Thunder Valley CDC is offering classes for tribal members designed to help them become homeowners. The Pine Ridge-based community development corporation works to serve the needs of the community. 

Thunder Valley CDC has several ways it provides services to tribal members. One is focused on homeownership. Star Means is the Director of Housing and Homeowner Initiative for Thunder Valley. They provide monthly classes for those interested in buying their first home. 

South Dakota prison employees will  receive temporary bonuses and raises for certain kinds of work, according to an email obtained by SDPB.  

South Dakota Mines epidemiologist Elizabeth Racz, Ph.D., offers insight into current COVID reporting in South Dakota and why it conflicts with CDC reporting.

With heat advisories in effect across the state, drought conditions are worsening. Laura Edwards is SDSU Extension's State Climatologist. She joins us with this week's drought monitor update.

A new report shines light on student absences and other pandemic problems in schools.  

The state Department of Education surveyed districts in May to come up with the data.  

Each day, SDPB's journalism team works to bring you pertinent news coverage. We then compile those stories into one neatly formatted daily podcast so that you can stay informed.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

Workers are in high demand across the country. That includes the Black Hills where businesses need to hire extra staff during the tourism season.  

Employers are raising wages, providing bonuses, and shortening hours to attract and retain workers. Meanwhile, workers have some newfound clout as they shop around for the best job.  

Benjamin Stout is a 29-year-old line cook at Tally’s in Rapid City. He’s earning his highest hourly wage since he began working in kitchens more than ten years ago.   

High overnight temperatures combined with a continued lack of rainfall are making drought conditions across the state worse. 

Laura Edwards is the state climatologist. She says the higher night-time temperatures have an effect on plant growth. 

“We see our plants stress a lot, from garden and lawns all the way to row crops of corn and soybeans, really stressing a lot on those hot days,” Edwards says. 

Edwards says not being able to cool off enough at night is also a problem for animals and people without air conditioning. 

SDPB's In the Moment has spent the month of July spotlighting what we called "Summer School." And we've talked a lot about Critical Race Theory in that context. 

We also talked about the regular revision of statewide Social Studies standards. And we explored some really tough elements of our history. Manifest Destiny. Government Boarding schools. The politics of patriotism and education. We also got to know people who are sharing the story of our history with students and with visitors from around the world. 

The Centers for Disease Control is updating its guidance on masks as COVID-19 cases increase.

A health official says it’s tough to know how to respond in South Dakota. He says that’s because the state isn’t doing enough testing.

Plus, a worker is recovering after he was partially buried by a trench collapse. He was trapped alone for four hours and in 100-degree heat while working on water pipes at a home in Keystone. 

All this and more in today’s SDPB News Podcast.

Avera Health is selling its celebrated telemedicine services to an investment firm.  

Avera eCare will become Avel eCare but its headquarters and 230 workers will remain in Sioux Falls. Patients will see no interruption of services.  

The nonprofit is selling to Aquiline Capital Partners, which is based in New York and London.  

The Centers for Disease Control is updating its guidance on masks as COVID-19 cases increase.  

A health official says it’s tough to know how to respond in South Dakota. He says that’s because the state isn’t doing enough testing.  

The CDC's new mask guidance says even vaccinated people should wear a mask indoors in areas with significant or high spread of the coronavirus.  

Dozens of new United States citizens attended a naturalization ceremony in Sioux Falls on Wednesday. Pandemic safety precautions mean the ceremonies are smaller than usual, but the occasion is still a source of pride for new Americans.  

Four ceremonies marked the citizenship of 55 people from 24 different countries. Each group took the Oath of Allegiance in a conference room that overlooked the Big Sioux River in downtown Sioux Falls. As temperatures reached 100 degrees, family members stood outside and watched from the other side of a large window.  

South Dakota health care providers are striving to provide access to people seeking the COVID vaccine. Michaela Sieber is the executive director of the SDUIH Clinic. She joins us to talk about the group's pop-up clinic at the Empire Mall in Sioux Falls.

Thunder Valley CDC is doing first-time-home-buyers classes for Native Americans. SDPB's Richard Two Bulls joins us with more.

Parents preparing for back to school are learning more about district policies for COVID mitigation, in-person learning, and vaccine reporting. Bart Pfankuch is the content director for South Dakota News Watch.

  The chair of the legislative redistricting commission expects the group to meet at the end of next month. 

Yankton High School canceled its spring play last year due to COVID-19. But over a year later, the cast is finally getting a chance to perform. 

Students were over a month into rehearsals for the musical Xanadu, and they were excited. Amy Miner is a teacher at Yankton High School and directs the spring play every year.  

A federal safety agency is investigating after a worker was rescued near Keystone after he was buried in a trench collapse for four hours and in 100-degree heat.  

Parents preparing for back to school are learning more about district policies for COVID mitigation, in-person learning, and vaccine reporting. Bart Pfankuch is the content director for South Dakota News Watch.

A statewide committee is finalizing revised standards for social-studies education. The revisions are publishing soon with a public-input period to follow.  

The CEO of a farmer-owned pork processing company told the Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary that the city is the perfect location for its second plant.  

Scott Webb said Wholestone Farms is working on the permitting process while addressing concerns about staffing, housing and the environment.  

Wholestone hopes to begin building its modern, $500 million plant next spring. It wants to start hiring in 2025 before eventually filling about 2,500 positions.   

South Dakota has one of the top-10 high school rodeo teams in the country. The National High School Rodeo Finals recently concluded in Lincoln, Nebraska.  

Former House Majority Leader David Lust, who died last week, is remembered by colleagues as an intelligent debater.  

That was on full display in 2018. He sparred with fellow legislator Mark Mickelson about an effort to limit out-of-state contributions to ballot questions.

More than $10 million in out-of-state money was poured into campaigns for and against ballot questions in 2016. One of those that passed was Marcy’s Law—a voter-approved crime victims’ rights law.

Former Speaker Mickelson says those debates were challenging and intellectually stimulating.

Governor Kristi Noem met with State Penitentiary workers for an hour on Friday afternoon. 

A recent whistleblower complaint raised a number of issues and Noem says the preliminary investigation backed up some of those concerns.  

Plus, a former South Dakota legislative leader from Rapid City has died suddenly.

Republican David Lust is remembered by colleagues as a tough lawmaker who was involved for the right reasons.

This and more.

South Dakota has the smallest Jewish population in the country. But the community has temporarily grown as eight rabbinical students tour western South Dakota.