News Stories

Spring 2022 derecho cost $2.8 billion, NOAA says. Some damage won’t be fixed until 2024 - South Dakota Searchlight 01/17/2023

January 17, 2023
Crews are still working to clean up damage months after the May 2022 derecho, which swept a roughly 100-mile-wide wall of dust and winds over 100 mph across South Dakota. The derecho damage has a multi-state price tag of $2.8 billion, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information’s newly updated list of billion-dollar disaster events.  High winds struck South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with 13 tornadoes impacting eastern South Dakota and 21 across Minnesota, Iow...

Avera Medical Minute: Snow Plows Escort Pregnant Mom to Avera St. Mary’s - Dakota News Now 01/17/2023

January 17, 2023
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - In mid-December, Mary and Tanner Hilton of Pierre were getting ready to welcome their second child into the world. Once Mary’s labor pains started, they encountered a slight problem. “It was pretty white out at that point,” said Tanner. “I was reading all the broadcasts about how bad it was out and I wasn’t really sure how we were going to get to town.” The day the Hilton’s new bundle of joy decided he was ready to make his grand entrance turned out to be on...

“Hanson” snow plow honors late Webster DOT driver - Dakota News Now 01/10/2023

January 11, 2023
WEBSTER, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A Department of Transportation snow plow in Webster has a new name, and it wasn’t one chosen in a contest. Todd Hanson began driving for the South Dakota Department of Transportation in Webster when he was just 18 years old. After a 35-year career, Hanson passed away in the spring of 2022 after battling colon cancer. Those who worked with Hanson knew him as a man with a wealth of knowledge and experience, but he was never one to want the spotlight. ”Todd was a h...

New bridge's date a tentative summer 2024 - Capital Journal 01/10/2023

January 11, 2023
The new Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldron Memorial Bridge over the Missouri River is slowly but surely coming together. Upcoming work this winter will include pile driving for the Fort Pierre-side abutment and erecting the structural steel girders. “Concrete placing for the capitals at bent four is scheduled for later this week. The next items to be constructed will be the capitals at bent three and the caps at bents four and three,” according to the most recent bridge newsletter. “Due to winter we...

DOT: Storm made many roads impassable in southeast SD - Keloland 1/3/2022

January 04, 2023
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Tuesday’s massive winter storm has meant significant problems for any kind of travel on many roads. “I know the calls I’ve been on this morning, we’ve had multiple snow plow trucks get stuck themselves out there,” said Craig Smith, director of operations with the South Dakota Department of Transportation.Watch or read the full story here