South Dakota
Palliative care: Little understood, but life-changing for those who need it • South Dakota Searchlight
The role of palliative care is often misunderstood, just like the word itself isn’t one people fully comprehend when they first hear it, often confusing it with hospice.
In reality, very few of us are untouched by the need for this care, often with an aging parent, perhaps a friend dealing with illness, or we might even need it ourselves. Many South Dakotans benefit from palliative care as they go about their daily lives, remaining as active as is reasonably possible while coping with difficult circumstances. These folks deserve comfort, care and dignity and to have it without incurring great expense and the debt that often comes with it.
Palliative care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness, such as cancer, with the goal of improving quality of life for both the patient and family. Palliative care is delivered by a specially trained team of doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains who provide an extra layer of support to anyone with a serious illness wherever they receive care, no matter their prognosis. It is provided alongside curative treatment and is based on what matters most to the patient. Easily accessible palliative care is largely not available for many South Dakota residents, specifically for many located in rural settings.
Even in areas with relatively good access to palliative care, gaps remain, especially for home-based palliative care provided by an interdisciplinary team. Reimbursement for palliative care is generally restricted to physicians and advanced practice providers, limiting organizations’ ability to provide a specially trained interdisciplinary team, but this team is critical to support the patient and caregivers. They address not only physical symptoms, but also psychosocial, emotional and spiritual stressors of serious illness. This interdisciplinary care not only improves the patient’s daily life enjoyment, but also frequently reduces the cost of care for health systems and payers. In short, it improves health and financial outcomes and should be forefront on the agenda for anybody who wants a healthier South Dakota.
These folks deserve comfort, care and dignity and to have it without incurring great expense and the debt that often comes with it.
With that in mind, last month South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO), alongside a palliative care provider from South Dakota, joined a group of advocates from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Washington, D.C., to attend a meeting of the Patient Quality of Life Coalition to let our South Dakota congressional delegation know about the need for better access to palliative care.
It was in support of the federal Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), a bipartisan bill that aims to tackle some of the current obstacles preventing many patients from accessing palliative care, chiefly availability of practitioners. PCHETA’s goals largely center on improved training and education around palliative care, attempting to bolster resources available but also to help people understand why palliative care matters. This federal legislation could have a big impact in our state. PCHETA’s goals resonate strongly in my life and with many folks I work with every day in my role as Hospice and Palliative Care Program manager for SDAHO.
As an advanced hospice and palliative care certified social worker, I have had the privilege to support patients and families on their journey living with serious illness. As a person living with a serious illness myself, I have also experienced the benefits of receiving palliative care. Ensuring all South Dakotans have access to palliative care is both professionally and personally crucial to me.
Palliative care plays a crucial role in the lives of many, and getting the infrastructure in place to make sure it serves our family, friends and neighbors well in the future is important business. This legislation can help increase access to these critical services that should not be limited to urban or hospital-based care, as they often are now. For lawmakers concerned about increasing health care costs, PCHETA also promises to be a prudent investment.
During the 2024 South Dakota legislative session, a definition of palliative care was formally added to state law. It was a small but crucial step in helping people receive the care they need, where they need it. The definition starts the process of establishing the structure needed for the reimbursement of the entire interdisciplinary team.
There is much work ahead and I look forward to partnering with many in South Dakota on setting a strong foundation in place so that palliative care is available to all who need it. I also want to thank Sen. Mike Rounds for sponsoring PCHETA and ask Sen. John Thune to consider signing on as a sponsor, putting needed federal emphasis and resources toward improving the lives of South Dakotans who badly need these services.
Palliative care isn’t always easy to understand, but for those living with serious illness, it can be life-changing. For a complicated and overburdened health care system, it can reduce hospital stays and care costs. For those who want to improve health care outcomes in South Dakota, it must be part of the solution.
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BURKE, S.D. – A Nebraska man who died in a single vehicle crash Tuesday evening, 10 miles east of Burke has been identified.
Preliminary crash information from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety indicates Roy Robert Cadwallader, 71, of Stuart, Nebraska, the driver of a 1939 Chevrolet JB Coupe, was traveling eastbound on Highway 18 when the vehicle left the roadway and entered the ditch. The vehicle struck an approach, went airborne, then rolled.
Cadwallander died at the scene.
The crash occurred at approximately 7:24 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 near mile marker 296, about 10 miles east of Burke in Gregory County. Seat belt use remains under investigation, according to the SDDPS.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary. The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “Mitchell Republic.” Often, the “Mitchell Republic” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 13, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 13 drawing
03-13-44-50-53, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 13 drawing
06-13-31-35-48, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Dakota Cash numbers from June 13 drawing
04-10-18-28-30
Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 13 drawing
03-05-11-13-49, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
America is in a race, one that will define global economic leadership for the next decade. China is aggressively
positioning
itself as a center for artificial intelligence development and deployment. The winner will capture enormous competitive advantages in innovation, job creation and geopolitical influence. But there’s a detail often overlooked in this high-stakes competition. None of it happens without reliable critical infrastructure, such as power and data centers.
Winning the AI race is fundamentally about establishing the critical infrastructure that powers innovation. AI systems rely on data centers, and data centers require electricity. If the United States intends to remain competitive, we must be able to build and power that infrastructure efficiently and affordably. That requires thoughtful policy, modernized permitting and a clear commitment to growth.
Data centers are not secondary to the tech economy. They are the foundation. The nation that builds and controls the most advanced, reliable and affordable data center infrastructure will lead in AI development and deployment.
Here in South Dakota, we have the essential components to build this critical infrastructure. Our affordable energy, vast land and strong workforce create the necessary conditions for establishing data center facilities that can compete globally. Tech employment in our state has grown
17 percent
in recent years, outpacing many parts of the country. This is a signal that South Dakota can support and sustain the specialized environment required for advanced infrastructure development.
But having these advantages is not enough. The window of opportunity is finite, and other states are mobilizing their own competitive advantages. If we want South Dakota to be where America builds the critical infrastructure that powers the AI future, we must act decisively. Supporting and enabling this infrastructure development is not a favor to industry. It is imperative for our state and our nation.
Establishing critical data center infrastructure in South Dakota delivers immediate and long-term benefits for our communities. Big Watt alone currently contributes roughly $900,000 a year in kilowatt-hour taxes directly to local schools and could eventually provide more than $160 million annually as future phases come online. Its payroll already totals several million dollars a year, with nearly all staff drawn from within the region. This kind of investment can strengthen schools, support local businesses and create lasting economic opportunity.
Additionally, construction and development of this infrastructure alone can support hundreds of electricians, contractors, engineers and skilled trades workers. These are good-paying jobs that circulate dollars through local businesses. For rural parts of our state, that kind of investment can be transformative.
At Oahe Electric Cooperative, we see how thoughtful planning and load growth can support grid upgrades while protecting affordability for the families and small businesses we serve. We also know South Dakota is already a leader in renewable energy, with 29 wind projects totaling 3,476 megawatts, along with growing solar capacity and grid storage resources. As demand for electricity grows, we are taking on new generation responsibly through an all-of-the-above energy strategy that rests on a reliable foundation of natural gas and coal, accompanied by wind and solar resources. Just as importantly, data centers should be required to pay the upfront costs associated with their onboarding so existing consumers are not left subsidizing the infrastructure needed to support large-scale new load. When planned responsibly, this approach can support grid upgrades and new generation in ways that maintain reliability and protect affordability for South Dakota’s households and small businesses.
The broader significance is strategic. By establishing critical infrastructure for the technology economy, South Dakota positions itself as essential to American competitiveness. We attract complementary investment, develop specialized workforce expertise and build advantages that strengthen our state’s position in the global economy for decades. If our policies create uncertainty or make infrastructure development
financially unworkable
, capital will flow to other states where the path is clearer and the commitment is stronger. We must transform from a state watching the technology race to a state where the race is won.
Our state must act now to establish the critical infrastructure that will power American innovation for the next decade. This is our moment to position South Dakota as essential to winning the technology race. With practical regulations and a clear commitment to supporting data center infrastructure development, we can ensure that South Dakota is where America builds the advanced infrastructure that leads the world in artificial intelligence. The technology shaping the global economy will be powered by the infrastructure we build today. South Dakota can be that foundation.
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