Spring

In The Moment ... April 7, 2020 Show 790 Hour 2

We're at the beginning of the migratory season in South Dakota. Not for humans, of course. We're mostly staying home these days. But we are getting outside. Breathing the spring air. Listening to the birds express their urge to sing. Here's SDPB's Brian Gevik:

In The Moment ... March 12, 2020 Show 772 Hour 1

The first pasque flowers are blossoming in South Dakota. State residents brace for a pandemic. And politics goes on as usual.

Kevin Woster's SDPB blog is online at sdpb.org/woster. 

In The Moment ... February 21, 2020 Show 758 Hour 1

Eliza Blue lives on a ranch near Bison with her husband and children. Like most South Dakotans, she appreciates the promise of a good thaw, even if at this time of year warm days slip back into windswept cold all too soon. Here Eliza Blue tells the story on Postcards from the Prairie.  

Avera announced it is part of an international collaboration for the care of lung cancer patients. This FDA approved clinical trial is called the SPRING trial. It stands for Survival Prolongation by Rationale Innovative Genomics. Patients are given a three-drug protocol that incorporates immunotherapy (avelumab) and two other therapies (palbociclib and axitinib). Dr. Ben Soloman, principal investigator for the SPRING clinical trial, and medical oncologist with Avera Cancer Institute joins us to discuss the study.

The Avera Cancer Institute in Sioux Falls is partnering with an international research organization for a ground-breaking study of lung cancer treatment. Members of the team believe this study could help eradicate metastatic cancer by 2025.

Dr. Vladimir Lazar is the founder of the World Innovative Networking Consortium (WIN). According to Dr. Lazar, 60% of lung cancer patients are first diagnosed after the cancer has metastasized. Less than 3% of those patients survive longer than five years after their diagnosis. 

In The Moment ... March 20, 2017 Show 053 Hour 2

We welcome the first day of Spring with conversations about the Vernal Equinox. First we talk with NASA scientist Yari Collado-Vega with news from NASA about the dance of the solar system as well as a preview of a major astronomical event in August.

We continue the conversation by asking what the vernal equinox has meant throughout history for humanity. Dr. Richard Swanson is with Augustana University's Religion Department.

SDPB's Gary Ellenbolt joins us with an update of the state basketball championships.

2016 brought significant spring and fall wildfires to South Dakota.  The State Fire Meteorologist Darren  Clabo says these fires follow a trend of longer fire seasons.

During major wildfires Clabo is on hand to help crews predict the weather and plan out their attack.   When he’s not helping fight fires, Clabo spends time tracking the climate.

Spring weather is here. For many South Dakotans that means getting outdoors and barbecuing or even standing around a campfire. While people take advantage of the warmer weather, first responders urge them to enjoy fire with caution. Sioux Falls Fire Rescue crews are using controlled demonstrations to prove how dangerous unattended grills and fire pits can be.

Sioux Falls fire inspector Tyler Tjeerdsma tosses hamburgers onto a grill that stands right next to a wall. He closes the lid, and within minutes the beige vinyl siding blackens and peels apart like taffy.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has released its seasonal drought outlook. For April through June, forecasters expect drier than average conditions for the eastern edge of South Dakota. The latest weekly U.S. drought monitor map released on Thursday shows 82 percent of the state as either abnormally dry or in moderate drought conditions.

With another blast of cold weather hitting the region, people are ready for the season to come to an end. With the first day of spring only 22 days away, state climatologist Dennis Todey discussed the outlook for the coming months.

Julie Hoffman of East River Nursery in Huron discussed composting, worms and preparing for spring planting on Dakota Midday's bi-weekly gardening segment.

Today is the first day of spring - even though temperatures remain below normal in South Dakota.  Regular Dakota Midday guest Norm Evers of Norm's Greenhouse in Aurora answered questions about spring planting.