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Justice Antonin Scalia Dead At 79

February 13, 2016, 2:41 pm
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Antonin Scalia, the influential conservative and most provocative member of the Supreme Court, has died. He was 79.

The U.S. Marshal's Service in Washington confirmed Scalia's death at a private residence in the Big Bend area of South Texas.

The service's spokeswoman, Donna Sellers, says Scalia had retired for the evening and was found dead Saturday morning when he did not appear for breakfast.

Justice Scalia was scheduled to speak at an event at Augustana University in March. 

The university released a statement Saturday saying the event, the Boe Forum on Public Affairs, has been cancelled. 
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Bearcat Vehicle Credited With Saving Lives

February 13, 2016, 4:10 pm
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In the wake of an incident that left one Fargo police officer dead, a North Dakota sheriff is crediting a piece of equipment with saving the lives of fellow officers.

He's talking about the Bearcat.

Law enforcement set out on duty with the goal to save lives. But even our local authorities need protection; that's where the Bearcat comes in.

"Quite simply, having a tool like this saves lives," Sioux Falls Police Department Public Information Officer Sam Clemens says.

This armored vehicle transports officers to and from what could be a dangerous scene.

"Standoffs is the most common type of scenario where we'd use it, but anytime someone has a weapon, particularly a firearm, it would most likely be used in a situation like that,"Clemens said.

Situations like the one that unfolded in North Dakota this week.

The law enforcement community is reeling from the death of Fargo police officer Jason Moszer, who was shot while responding to a domestic disturbance.

Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney attested to the Bearcat's life-saving capabilities earlier this week.

"That Bearcat, had it not been on scene we would have had a lot more cops wounded or killed.  That bearcat was a lifesaver last night, it was an absolute lifesaver," Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney said.

"We know that there was a value in getting this, and people kind of raised some eyebrows when we got it and thought, 'Well, do we really need that?' Before we got this, we didn't have any type of armored vehicle or any vehicle that could provide substantial protection for officers. Now we have this, and we've used it many times to get both to get officers in and out and civilians," Officer Clemens said.

And that allows officers to get back to the business of saving lives.
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Sunday Boredom Busters: February 14, 2016

February 13, 2016, 6:00 pm
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The Hegg Brothers perform a special Valentine's Day concert called Heart to Heart.
The performance is at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls. Tickets range from $10 to $20.  All proceeds go to Avera's Planet Heart and Sanford's The Heart Screen.  First United Methodist is located at 401 S. Spring.

Learn how to curl with your Valentine.  Sioux Falls Curling is hosting a Learn to Curl event from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the SCHEELS IcePlex.  The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids and the Valentine's special is $15 for couples.  The IcePlex is located at the Sanford Sports Complex.

The Knights & Princesses Celebration is a Valentine event at the Here Be Dragons exhibit at the Great Plains Zoo.   Activities include decorating your own royal crown, creating a Valentine for your favorite animal, a fire-breathing photo op and a real-life dragon encounter during Zookeeper chats at 11 a.m., 1:30 & 3 p.m.    The celebration runs through Monday.  It's free with a zoo admission.  Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The Tea American Legion is serving a Pancake Breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon.  Your free will donation will benefit American Legion scholarship programs.

The Dakota Territory Gun Collectors Association is hosting a Gun Show at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.  Today's hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Admission is $5.

The Sioux Empire Community Theatre presents Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers.  The performance is at 2  p.m. at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux Falls.  Tickets are $20.

Sioux Falls Regional Outpouring is an evening of prayer, praise and worship.  It's located at 758 S. Phillips south of Lyon Park.  Fellowship is at 5:45 p.m.  Worship begins at 6 p.m.

Full Armor Fitness is hosting a fundraiser for Baby Sawyer who's been in the neonatal intensive care unit ever since being born last month.  The fundraiser goes from 1-4 p.m. and includes a silent auction, bake sale and raffles.  It costs $20 to take part in a workout.  Full Armor Fitness is located at  523 N. Kiwanis in Sioux Falls.

It's opening weekend for the faith-based film Until Forever.  The movie, shot in South Dakota, is playing at the Dells Theater in Dell Rapids and Carmike 10 in Rapid City.

Films playing at the Wells Fargo CineDome at the Washington Pavilion include Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, The Martian, Deepsea Challenge 3D and Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet.

New Hollywood releases playing at a theater near you include Zoolander No. 2, rated PG-13, How To Be Single and Deadpool, both rated R.
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Legslative Coffee Event Highlights Increasing Teacher Pay

February 13, 2016, 8:06 pm
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Half-cent sales tax and teacher-pay are hot topics in this year's legislative session, and the controversial proposal was the topic of discussion at a local event.

Former Harrisburg teacher Luella DeJong said she never thought she'd see the day South Dakota teachers would be appreciated for their hard work.

"I think for a long time teachers have been underpaid and probably not given the respect that they should be," Luella DeJong, Harrisburg, SD, said.

The half-cent sales tax increase for teacher pay was the highlight of a legislative coffee event in Harrisburg Saturday. Although it was a small gathering, everyone there had a big opinion about teacher salary.

Harrisburg resident Wayne Larsen said how much teachers make in the state has been a concern for years. He's hoping something actually gets done about it in this year's session.

"This year is I think the first year where there's enough momentum where maybe something is going to happen," Wayne Larsen, Harrisburg, SD, said.

Senator Ernie Otten is assuring residents here in Harrisburg, and across the state, that many legislators are working hard to make it happen. 

“I think that there is an understanding up in the legislature that we have to address this problem, and what we're working through is the mechanism," Ernie Otten, State Senator, said.

While most legislators are in favor of increasing teacher salary in the state, many are split on whether hiking up sales tax is the best option. DeJong says she will support the tax increase, as long as legislators make sure the money goes directly to teachers.

“The tax increase should be for teachers and schools alone and not start putting some of the money to other sources," DeJong said.

The half-cent sales tax will be up for debate in the house on Tuesday.

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Warm Weather Disrupts Mobridge Tournament

January 5, 2012, 4:00 pm
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This winter’s high temperatures are tough for winter sports enthusiasts including the organizers of South Dakota's largest ice fishing tournament.

Mobridge’s annual tournament will go on as planned, but there won't be any ice fishing. Because of the thin ice, the city’s tourism committee decided Thursday not to send anglers out onto it.

So anglers won't weigh in their fish for prizes. Mobridge will still host the event and draw for all the cash and prizes instead.

With fishermen out in boats on the open water near Mobridge, Thursday’s decision by the tourism committee has been a threat all winter. But it's still not one they wanted to make.

"I hate it that Mother Nature dealt the hand that they had to make this decision but I think they're making the right call," Jeff Jensen said.

Jenson is signed up for the tournament that's taking place next weekend made up of 450 two-person teams. He sat in on the meeting when tourism committee members made what they called a tough decision.

"Incredibly tough and as a committee and as a community we wanted to see those 900 people on the ice but it's just not safe. And that's our biggest responsibility to our anglers," committee member Jesse Konald said.

Ice fishing isn't banned in this area. In fact, there's ticker ice north of Mobridge and the committee even considered sending anglers up that direction for the tournament. But inevitably they decided against it.

Jensen can understand that call.

"There are places where you can still go ice fishing but to put 900 people out there for the whole day, it would have been a tough deal," Jensen said.

Still, he expects many will still fish Mobridge next weekend even though it won't count for anything in the tournament, whether they take to the ice or hop in a boat.

The tournament has been gaining popularity over the years. And this year the 450 team slots filled in about 40 minutes. Organizers don't expect this setback to affect that momentum moving forward.
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SD Age Of Consent & Child Porn Laws Don't Match

January 26, 2012, 4:15 pm
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A Rock County, Minnesota Sheriff's Deputy is on paid administrative leave while state investigators look into allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old and also received topless picture messages from her.

Under Minnesota law he could face criminal sexual conduct charges and possession of child pornography, but in South Dakota the sexual relationship would be legal.

If you're over the age of 16 in South Dakota any consensual relationship is legal, but when it comes to child pornography it's a different story.

While a 16 year old is old enough to consent to a sexual relationship they could face a felony child pornography charge if they are caught sexting.

"A 16 or 17-year-old cannot consent to be depicted in a photograph or video, that's considered child pornography, but they can have consensual sex at that age," Minnehaha County State's Attorney Aaron McGowan said.

The age of consent inconsistency found in South Dakota law isn't the same in Minnesota. Under Minnesota law there is a four-year window. A 16 or 17-year-old can consent to sex as long as the other person isn't more than four years older than them. In the Rock County case, court documents say deputy Kyle Kreun was 28-years-old and the teen he was allegedly having a relationship with was 17, putting Kreun outside the four-year window.

With the different parts of South Dakota law using a different age to figure out who a minor is, prosecutors like Minnehaha County State's Attorney Aaron McGowan, have to use their own judgement when trying to figure out charges when a relationship involves a teen

"It's something we've noticed. We always take the age, and the age disparity, into consideration in bringing forth charges, but it can be quite confusing bouncing around from chapter to chapter and deciding what is a crime based on the age of your minor, or your victim in each case," McGowan said.

As for whether he believes the law should be changed, McGowan says that's for lawmakers to decide.

"We'll certainly leave that to the legislature to make those decisions. It's something that we look at and we use our prosecutorial discretion appropriately," McGowan said.

There has been some discussion on changing the age of consent in past legislative sessions, but lawmakers aren't currently discussing any laws this session.
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SDSU Women Prepare For Game Against Purdue

March 16, 2012, 4:23 pm
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SDSU players and fans are gearing up for another NCAA Tournament game; the women's team hits the court on Saturday.

The Jacks make their fourth consecutive trip to the big dance when they tip off against Purdue.  The women's team arrived in West Lafayette, Indiana, Friday afternoon and wasted no time getting to work.

The day started with a quick press conference and then they got their feet wet at Mackey Arena, home of the Purdue Boilermakers. The fans are something they gave credit to in their Summit League Championship, calling them the sixth player.  Saturday, Purdue will have the home court advantage.

Tip off is at 12:30 p.m. CDT Saturday.  You can watch the game on ESPN 2 and be sure to follow the action in a live blog.

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Five-Year Anniversary Of Aberdeen Flood

May 7, 2012, 4:39 pm
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The City of Madison is reaching out to Aberdeen for advice handling the aftermath of heavy rains.

This past weekend was the fifth anniversary of a major flood in the Hub City. Aberdeen's city engineer spoke with Madison officials Monday after a heavy downpour hit Madison over the weekend.

Aberdeen not only faced cleanup efforts at the time. It’s also been working to prevent future flooding.

Since the 2007 flood, the city has spent more than $2.5 million on its storm sewer system and $500,000 on the sanitary sewer. There are millions of dollars worth of additional projects in the works as well.

Considering the way streets and homes in Aberdeen looked five years ago, Steven Post likes to see the projects taking place.

"Any time we get a big rain like that or we see the big cells building or every color on the radar, yeah, we always think about it," Post said.

Post's home is in a northern Aberdeen neighborhood where water covered streets and filled homes.

A large holding pond the city built since the flood should help prevent a repeat in the future, at least in the north part of town. It's designed to hold back excess water so it doesn't all flow that direction at the same time.

That's just one project the city has done. It’s starting to spend more on work to its sewer systems as well.

"Each budget year we try to come up with a number of projects. We try to do $2 million to $3 million worth each year in different areas," city engineer Robin Bobzien said.

Another part of town near the Second Street overpass was hit hard by flooding in 2007. The drainage system there can handle between five and six inches of rain falling in a day but not another eight or nine. There are several places that would be hurting if a downpour to that degree hit again.

"It's not that we're sitting back and just waiting to see what happens. We are doing projects but there's never enough money to go around to get them all at the same time either," Bobzien said.

In fact, the city is holding back on some street work so it can afford more drainage improvements.

Back on the north side of town, Post is happy with the efforts and hopes they don't end.

"We feel a lot better now," Post said. "Hopefully we just don't get hit like that again."

Aberdeen is still dealing with flooding effects five years later. For example, water damaged some sewer lines as it overwhelmed them and some still need to be fixed.

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Buffalo Roundup Underway In NW Iowa

May 14, 2012, 1:42 pm
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Cowboys on horseback are at work in northwest Iowa, trying to round up buffalo that broke out of a ranch near Ashton.

Authorities say 225 buffalo broke out of their pen at the Frick and Joe Buffalo Ranch Sunday evening.  While they have corralled most of the herd, more than 30 buffalo are still roaming fields.

Motorists are being asked to be careful while traveling in the area.

KELOLAND News rode along as authorities tracked down the animals Monday afternoon.  Tune in to KELOLAND News at 6 for that story.

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Sioux Falls Police Bust Mobile Meth Lab

August 7, 2012, 3:36 am
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Sioux Falls police found a mobile meth lab as they made a traffic stop Monday evening.

They pulled over the vehicle just after 8 p.m. near the corner of 12th Street and Williams Avenue.

Police say they found what they call a "one pot" meth lab in the vehicle.  It's more commonly known as the shake and bake method

In this case, police say it was not active at the time.

They arrested 37-year-old James Hunt and 33-year-old Tiffani Stauffacher for possession and manufacturing of a controlled substance among with other charges.

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Murder Charge Filed In Shooting Near Marty

November 27, 2012, 2:00 pm
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The South Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 23-year-old Dancing Bull Fischer with one count of second-degree murder for shooting and killing his uncle early Tuesday morning on the Yankton Sioux Indian Reservation.

Court documents say that Dancing Bull Fischer was drinking alcohol with 47-year-old Tony Fischer Senior and Tony’s son, Dominic Fischer, just before 1 a.m. Tuesday at a mobile home just a few miles north of Marty, South Dakota.

Court documents say that two other people who were trying to sleep in the home at the time could hear Dancing Bull Fischer yelling in the living room and then heard four to five gunshots. When they walked out into the living room, they saw Dancing Bull Fischer holding an assault rifle and Tony Fischer Sr. and Dominic Fischer on the floor.

Witnesses observed that Tony Fischer Sr. had a gunshot wound to the head. Tony Fischer Junior tells KELOLAND News that Dancing Bull Fischer is the nephew of Tony Fischer Sr.

Dominic Fischer is currently at Avera McKennan hospital in Sioux Falls with critical injuries.

Dancing Bull Fischer is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

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Police Search Turns Up Meth, Pot and Paraphernalia

February 6, 2013, 8:09 pm
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Three people are in jail following a meth lab bust in Sioux Falls. Authorities searched a home located at 2205 S. Grange Avenue Wednesday. They found meth and materials to make meth and other drugs.

“There were numerous reports of methamphetamine use and production,” Sioux Falls Police Lieutenant Terry Mixell said. “The components are in the garage. That doesn't mean they weren't used in the house and discarded to the garage.”

The home is located across the street from Augustana College. Even in a busier neighborhood, Augie Student Danielle Gunter says it stuck out and the raid did not surprise to her.

“It's always a different car in the back and people coming around and going. I don't really even know who lives there,” Gunter said.

Police say multiple tips led to an investigation before Wednesday’s search. They spent more than four hours at the scene sorting through the evidence.

“That house has been very active for the last year we had a lot of incidents there,” Augustana College Campus Safety Director Rick Tupper said.

Tupper says campus security officers patrol some of the streets surrounding the college. They also cooperate with University of Sioux Falls officers and alert police during suspicious activity.

“We maintain a good three-block radius around the campus just to maintain some visual and contact with our neighbors,” Tupper said.

Police arrested Heather C. Schmidt, Nicholas Sherard and Jonathan K. Wallace for manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance, marijuana possession, maintaining a place where drugs are kept or sold and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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SDHSAA State Wrestling Championships Set For Friday, Saturday

February 21, 2013, 8:54 am
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The 54th Annual South Dakota State High School Wrestling Championship Tournaments will take place this Friday & Saturday, featuring the Class ‘A’ Tournament in Watertown and the Class ‘B’ event in Aberdeen.

A total of 11 returning individual state champions will be participating, as well as Defending Team Champions Canton and Pierre T.F. Riggs. Both tournaments can be viewed live via South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s website: sports.sdpb.org.
The Class ‘B’ field features six returning Individual Champions, with two brackets featuring a potential clash of defending title holders: Nolan Richie (Webster; 2012 113-lb. champ) and Ryan Schuman (Tri-Valley; 2012 120-lb. champ) in the 126-pound class, and Jace Christiansen (Flandreau; 2012 132-lb. champ) and Alex Davies (Canton; 2012 138-lb. champ) in the 145-pound bracket. Other returning individual champions include Luke Loudenberg of Howard and Eugene Martin from Kingsbury County.

On the Class ‘A’ side, five Individual Champions will be back looking for consecutive titles. Included in that mix will be Sioux Falls Roosevelt junior Troy Kiggins; Kiggins will be in search of his third straight title, after capturing crowns at 106 pounds in 2011 and 113 pounds in 2012. Kiggins will have to defeat fellow returning champion David Potratz from Sioux Falls Washington (106 pounds) to complete the three-peat. Other returning champions in Class ‘A’ inclue Caleb Stoltenburg (Pierre), Nate Rotert (Spearfish/Lead-Deadwood) and Tanner Lambert (Dakota Valley).

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Tribal Members Protest Chamberlain Graduation After Honor Song Controversy

May 19, 2013, 8:00 pm
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Tribal members stood outside the Chamberlain graduation in protest after the District told Native American students they could not have an honor song sung at their graduation ceremony.

"I want them to be proud of their heritage, proud of their culture, and proud of their language," Tally Colombe said.

Last week, Chamberlain High School students took a petition to the school board asking for the song to be sung. The school board voted it down 6 to 1. The school board says they had concerns about how this petition came about. These tribal members say this song is to honor all the students on their big day.

"All the graduates need to be honored and this is how we do it, this is how we say we appreciate you and we want to thank you for all your accomplishments," Kevin Wright with the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe said.

The school allowed tribal members to sing the honor song outside the graduation on the street after the ceremony was over. Hundreds of people gathered to watch. Tribal members say this has become more than singing a song.

"Initially it was the honor song and it was for the seniors, but obviously what we are starting to see are a lot of unresolved issues with this community," James Cadwell with Crow Creek Sioux Tribe said.

They say they hope next year they will move this traditional honor song inside.

"My sister is coming to this school and by the time she graduates I'm going to try to get it there," Chamberlain High School Graduate Chris Rodriguez said.

The tribe is also asking for a boycott of Chamberlain businesses, withdrawing millions from a tribal fund out of a local bank, and asked the School District to return an eagle feather staff that was given to them years ago.

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Police Catch Wanted Man With Shoplifting Call

July 26, 2013, 9:00 am
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A shoplifting call led Sioux Falls police to a man wanted in connection with a weekend hit and run crash that turned up a mobile meth lab.

On Thursday around 11 a.m., officers were called to Kohl's on South Louise Avenue. When they got there, a man and woman were leaving the store and the man took off running.

Police say they caught up with 36-year-old Jason Oldehoff in The Empire Mall parking lot and arrested him. Oldehoff also had meth on him at the time.

On Saturday afternoon, authorities say Oldehoff crashed a Nissan Altima into a traffic pole at 18th Street and Bahnson Avenue then ran off, leaving two other people inside the car. When officers arrived at the scene Saturday, they found meth and components for a one-pot meth lab in the trunk.

Authorities also say the same woman, Christina Vincent, who was arrested following the crash was arrested again at the scene on Thursday.

Now, Vincent is charged with shoplifting and harboring Oldehoff.

Oldehoff faces numerous charges and is in court Friday afternoon.

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Trendigital Summit Brings Industry Leaders To Sioux Falls

January 23, 2014, 10:30 am
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Digital leaders from all over the country are here to school South Dakotans on new trends hitting the community. 

The Trendigital Technology & Marketing Summit begins at 1 p.m. Thursday and gives locals an opportunity to learn from industry leaders about digital trends.

Five different guest speakers will talk about that's hot online and how that can help you grow your business. Here's a look at the schedule:

The event at the Hilton Garden Inn is sold out, but KELOLAND.com will stream the event online. You can watch beginning at 1 p.m.

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Bonesteel Weekly Newspaper Is Closing

July 14, 2014, 9:43 am
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The weekly newspaper that served the Bonesteel area in southeast South Dakota is closing.

The Bonesteel Enterprise has published a note to subscribers that it has likely put out its last issue after 113 years.

Publisher and editor Scott Perlenfein and managing editor David Perlenfein thanked the community and said they had tried to sell the paper for some time.

They could not be reached for comment.

Bonesteel is south of Platte near the Nebraska border.

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Two People Stabbed At Van Eps Park

September 7, 2014, 2:11 pm
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Two people were stabbed around noon at Van Eps Park in downtown Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls Police say a victim has a serious but not life threatening cut to his neck and is undergoing surgery. Another victim received cuts to his legs and received numerous stitches at the hospital. Delfeido Seledonio Gonzales is arrested for two counts of aggravated assault. Cora Lynn McBride was arrested for simple assault on a different victim.

Last month, a 33-year-old woman was arrested after another stabbing at the park. There has been an increase in police calls to Van Eps Park which is on Minnesota Avenue.

Mayor Mike Huether is holding a press conference tomorrow to explain why he wants to ban alcohol at Van Eps and Tower Parks.

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Don't Jerk And Drive Campaign Pulled

December 11, 2014, 6:51 pm
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A new ad campaign aimed at keeping drivers safe on South Dakota roads, received a bigger negative response than expected.

It was so strong that state leaders decided to pull it.

We're talking about an ad that the Department of Public Safety began airing a little over a week ago.  The ad campaign is titled "don't jerk and drive." 

It was to remind drivers not to overcorrect by jerking the wheel if they started drifting off the road.  But now the state says the ad is inappropriate.

Here is a statement from Trevor Jones, Secretary, S.D. Dept. Of Public Safety:

I decided to pull the ad. This is an important safety message and I don't want this innuendo to distract from our goal to save lives on the road.

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Saturday Boredom Busters

January 9, 2015, 6:00 pm
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Elegant Xpressions in Sioux Falls is hosting a sale this weekend to benefit the Children's Miracle Network. A portion of sales during the Prom Xtravaganza will go to CMN. Today's hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday's hours are from noon to 4 p.m. Elegant Xpressions is located at 57th and Western.

The Lennox After Prom Prom Closet is selling slightly-used dresses  at a reduced price. The Prom Closet goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Second Reformed Church in Lennox. Enjoy coffee and cookies while you shop.

Take part in several winter sporting events during Frosty Frolics this weekend in Sioux Falls. Activities include an Ice Fishing Derby from 10 a.m. to noon at Family Park and a Guided Snowshoe Tour for Beginners from 1-3 p.m. at Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum. Memorial Ice Rink is hosting a curling demonstration from 4-5 p.m., broomball from 6-7 and a luminary skate from 6-9 p.m. The Hometown Glow Band performs at Great Bear Recreation Park from 7-9 p.m.

The Sioux Falls Skyforce basketball team plays the Los Angeles D-Fenders at the Sanford Pentagon. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m.

The Sioux Falls Stampede hockey team takes on the Omaha Lancers at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. They'll drop the puck at 7:05 p.m.

Racing enthusiasts will want to check out the Race and Hi Performance Swap Meet at the Expo Building of the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds.  The hours are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $8.  

It's the final weekend of outdoor holiday lights at Falls Park. Winter Wonderland is a free nightly light display running through Sunday.

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