sioux falls

February 23, 2021 Show 994.

Vaccine distribution and administration continues to accelerate in South Dakota. There are different "lanes" of vaccination for residents of the state. Sanford, Avera, and Monument Health have administered tens of thousands of vaccines. The Veterans Administration is now vaccinating veterans 50 and older. Indian Health Services is working quickly to vaccinate tribal community members. And now, pharmacies join the effort as well, as South Dakota seeks to vaccinate people 65 and older.  

In The Moment … January 11th, 2021 Show 970 Hour 1

A chance encounter while serving food to hungry South Dakotans led one Sioux Falls woman to think more deeply about the impact of poverty on people's lives. Katrina Lehr-McKinney gathered with other women to launch a drive to collect menstrual products for distribution to women who couldn't afford their own. The drive is called "The Pad Party," and it's in its eleventh year. Guests: Katrina Lehr-McKinney and Brienne Maner. 

In The Moment … January 6th, 2021 Show 967 Hour 1 South Dakota restaurants continue to try to mitigate the problems that the pandemic and loss of business have brought on.  Guests: Mike Haskett, owner of M.B. Haskett, downtown Sioux Falls. 

In The Moment … January 6th, 2021 Show 967 Hour 1 Diners, Drive-ins and Dives serves up more South Dakota flavor this Friday night when they premiere a new episode that includes Bread and Circus, located downtown Sioux Falls. Find the episode at 8 p.m. Central on the Food Network.  Guest: Barry Putzke, Bread and Circus co-owner. 

In The Moment … December 4, 2020 Show 954 Hour 1

This has been a year of both disruption and clarity for many South Dakotans. It's a year when we have realized more than ever how events that happen around the world can impact our daily lives here at home.

Craig Spencer is a biology professor at Augustana University in Sioux Falls. His classroom, however, isn't limited to the Augie campus. Today he's joining us to talk about how his work has taken him to Guatemala, and how that work has helped forge educational, economic, and human connections.

Your South Dakota COVID-19 numbers & news update for November 17th, 2020.

After rejecting a mask mandate last week, the Sioux Falls City Council is likely to pass a version that removes fines and other penalties.

Local health leaders support the measure regardless of enforcement.

Mayor TenHaken says removing penalties from the mask ordinance makes it easier to support.

“Enforceability and protecting law enforcement is a big concern of mine.”

TenHaken cast the tie-breaking vote against the ordinance last week.

But removing penalties isn’t the only thing that’s changed the mayor’s opinion on a mandate.

The Sioux Falls City Council voted against an ordinance that would have required masks indoors when social distancing isn’t possible. After nearly three hours of public comment and discussion, Mayor Paul TenHaken delivered the tie-breaking vote against the ordinance. 

City Council members maintained their divided opinions on the mask mandate. Supporters cited the rising case counts and a need to protect hospital capacity however possible. Opponents say a mandate is difficult to enforce, sows community division, and violates principles of personal liberty. 

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken is calling on businesses to set the tone for stronger COVID-19 mitigation efforts. He recently expressed frustration with the local Chamber of Commerce. 

The Chamber’s CEO says the group doesn’t have authority beyond encouraging members to follow CDC guidelines. 

Last month, Mayor TenHaken described a business initiative called the Safer Sioux Falls Pledge. He compared it to a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. 

In a normal year, fall is a busy season for Sioux Falls hospitals. This year, they’re struggling under the added weight of COVID-19. 

Local hospital leaders say staff are exhausted and frustrated as they watch many continue business as usual.

As of Monday, more than half of the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are in the Sioux Falls area.  

Chief Medical Officer Mike Elliott with Avera McKennan hospital confirms patients are two to a room in some cases.  

In The Moment … October 27, 2020 Show 929 Hour 2

 Today we're talking about the military experience for women throughout American history and how difficult it often is for women to tell their stories of service. It can also be challenging to seeks services after separating from military service from the VA. Joining us today for an update on women veterans in South Dakota, we welcome Sara Bennetts, a social worker and service line director for the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls. 

COVID-19 case counts and hospitalization rates in the Sioux Falls area are continuing to rise. Representatives from Sanford and Avera say they need the public’s help to keep them from being overwhelmed.

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken maintains his office will not pursue a mask mandate, but he says the need to slow the spread stretches beyond city limits.

Mayor TenHaken has strong words on the issue of masks:

Amazon is buying land in Sioux Falls, but the company is not saying exactly what it plans to do.

The company purchased 80 acres from the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, according to Bob Mundt, the foundation's president and CEO. The land is northwest of the I-29 and I-90 junction, along Marion Road.

Neither the foundation nor Amazon disclosed the purchase price. The public record of the sale is not yet available at the county courthouse.

Mundt said, “We’re excited to make the sale, and we’re anxious to see what it is that they build there.”

In The Moment … October 6, 2020 Show 917 Hour 2

SDPB's Nate Wek is in Hot Springs today where the Boys Class A Golf Tournament is being held. And he joins us with information on the Boys AA Tournament in Sioux Falls along with the Girls Class A Tennis Tournament in Rapid City. Sports reporting at SDPB is sporsored by Horton Inc.  

Coronavirus cases continue to rise in and around Sioux Falls. Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties make up 25% of the state’s total active cases.

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken is not pursuing a city-wide mask mandate, but he is encouraging businesses and individuals to double-down on COVID-19 prevention measures.

Mayor TenHaken says all 1,300 city employees are now required to wear masks in an effort to prevent spreading the coronavirus. As for a city-wide mandate:

“You will not see my administration mandating any mask-wearing requirements at this time.”

In The Moment … October 5, 2020 Show 916 Hour 1

High School golf and tennis take center stage this week. Starting today, the Boys Class A Golf Tournament is Hot Springs while the Class AA Tournament is in Sioux Falls. And the Girls Class A Tennis Tournament starts today in Rapid City. Nate Wek is in the Black Hills this week to cover the action and he'll be joining us throughout the week on In The Moment with updates.  Sports reporting at SDPB is sporsored by Horton Inc.  

In The Moment … October 2, 2020 Show 915 Hour 1

Badger Clark became South Dakota's first poet laureate in 1937. The son of a Methodist minister, it is said his habit of smoking was part of what kept him from the halls of academia and his individuality found him happily living and writing in a small rustic cabin you can still visit today in Custer State Park.  This weekend you can celebrate the life and poetry of Badger Clark at Badgerstock in Sioux Falls.

Arts, Literature & Music reporting at SDPB is sporsored by NSU Fine Arts

The federal government is providing money to help develop a Sioux Falls industrial park that's the site of a long-rumored but unconfirmed project with Amazon.

The Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration announced a $1.9 million grant Wednesday to the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. The foundation will use the money at Foundation Park, a partially developed, 800-acre area immediately northwest of the I-29 and I-90 junction.

In The Moment … September 28, 2020 Show 911 Hour 1

If passed, Amendment B on South Dakota's general election ballot would change the state's constitution to allow sports betting in Deadwood. On tomorrow's program, we'll visit with State Senator Bob Ewing who sponsored the bill in Pierre. Today, we're joined by Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard of Sioux Falls. Haugaard represents District 10 and provides primary opposition to Amendment B on the ballot.

In The Moment … September 8, 2020 Show 897 Hour 1

Girls on the run is a transformational and positive physical activity program for girls in grades 3-5. The program's goal is to ready girls both physically and emotionally to complete a celebratory 5K run. Jennifer Hoesing is the Chief Development Officer at EmBe in Sioux Falls. She's here to tell us more about the Fall 2020 Girls on the Run program. 

How many recovered jobs are out there in the state? Plus, how has one South Dakota company become one of the nation's top solar contractors? 

This and more in today's SDPB News Podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

  After nearly a decade of planning, Sioux Falls will open a new center for substance abuse and mental health services next year. That announcement comes with a half-million-dollar donation. 

The Link Community Triage Center in downtown Sioux Falls will serve as a starting point. Rather than visiting the emergency room, people can come to the Link to be connected to appropriate resources in the community.

In The Moment … August 26, 2020 Show 889 Hour 2

There are so many house plants to choose from. When making your selection there are things to be thinking about. What size do you want this plant to become, do you want that plant to grow from the floor up or vice versa. Erik Helland is the owner & president of Landscape Garden Centers in Sioux Falls.

Leadership from South Dakota colleges and universities say they have campuses prepared for COVID-19 as the fall semester begins. What message are they trying to address to students? 

This and more in today’s SDPB News Podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

In The Moment … August 19, 2020 Show 884 Hour 1

When it comes to ornamental grasses there are several varieties to choose from. What's best for South Dakota's environment and are their selections that are native? Our series South Dakota Home Garden continues and hopes to answer these questions. Erik Helland is the owner & president of Landscape Garden Centers in Sioux Falls.

What might be factors in getting a city-wide mask mandate in Sioux Falls? Where is federal aid money going to for South Dakota schools? 

All this and more in today’s SDPB News Podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

What is the latest forest service ban to prevent human-made fires? This and more in today’s SDPB News Podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.  

How does South Dakota's top election official view mail-in voting ahead of November's election? Plus, what is the state Department of Health's warning about with COVID-19 tests? All this and more in today’s SDPB News Podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.