South Dakota
Federal judge in Alabama lets Title IX rule protecting LGBTQ kids go forward in four states • South Dakota Searchlight
A federal judge has struck down an attempt by Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to halt enforcement of the Biden administration’s final rule for Title IX, shortly before the final rule takes effect nationwide on Thursday.
The administration’s updated regulations — which seek to extend federal discrimination protections for LGBTQ students — have been met with a wave of GOP pushback since being announced by the Department of Education in April.
Though the final rule is slated to go into effect on Thursday, it’s now blocked in 22 states and has faced mounting legal uncertainty.
“In short, although Plaintiffs may dislike the Department’s rules, they have failed to show a substantial likelihood of success in proving the Department’s rulemaking was unreasonable or not reasonably explained,” Judge Annemarie Carney Axon of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama wrote Tuesday in a 122-page opinion.
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Axon, who was appointed by then-President Donald Trump, also wrote that “the evidentiary record is sparse, and the legal arguments are conclusory and underdeveloped.”
In late April, the group of Southern states, all with GOP attorneys general, sued the administration in federal court in Alabama over the regulations. Multiple organizations also tacked onto the lawsuit, including the Independent Women’s Law Center, the Independent Women’s Network, Parents Defending Education and Speech First.
They quickly appealed Tuesday’s ruling later in the day to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
Since the department released the final rule, 26 states in total have signed onto lawsuits seeking to block the updated regulations from taking effect.
Across multiple temporary injunctions, the final rule is blocked in Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
On Wednesday, Judge Jodi W. Dishman of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma halted the final rule from taking effect in the state. Oklahoma individually sued the administration back in May.
To further complicate the matter, when Judge John Broomes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas temporarily blocked the measure in the Sunflower State, Alaska, Utah and Wyoming earlier in July, he extended it to also include “the schools attended by the members of Young America’s Foundation or Female Athletes United, as well as the schools attended by the children of the members of Moms for Liberty,” all groups that sued alongside those four states.
This means the final rule is blocked in schools across the country, including in states that never challenged the updated regulations. Despite Axon’s Tuesday ruling, the final rule will still be halted in any K-12 school or college in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina that is impacted by the earlier Kansas decision.
The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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South Dakota
South Dakota: GFP Commission modifies bounty program – focuses on youth trapping and coyote removal
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission passed a resolution to end the current Nest Predator Bounty Program at their March meeting in Pierre and create two separate programs within the existing budget and time period.The Nest Predator Bounty Program began in 2019 with the implementation of the Second Century Initiative. This reinvigorated trapping as an outdoor recreational opportunity and a means to get youth engaged and spend more time outdoors.
Data collected from the program shows that the level of youth participation over the past 4 years has exceeded 30%. In 2024 and 2025, youth participation reached 46%.”The Nest Predator Bounty Program has been incredibly successful at engaging youth in wildlife management and our tradition of trapping in South Dakota,” said Kevin Robling, GFP Secretary.
In total, 342,743 nest predators were removed since the program’s inception.”Intense nest predator removal in localized areas during the nesting season can contribute to higher nest success and we encourage individuals to continue to participate in this management activity,” continued Robling. “In 2026, we are going to focus on continuing to get youth outdoors and addressing our coyote population.”
As part of this focus, the current Nest Predator Bounty Program is ending. The allocated $500,000 for this program will be split into two separate programs: the Youth Trapping Recruitment Program and the Coyote Bounty Program.
Youth Trapping Recruitment Program
The Youth Trapping Recruitment Program will be open for South Dakota youth age 17 and under. Tails from raccoon, striped skunk, badger, opossum, and red fox will be worth $10.The program will run from March 1-July 1, unless the $200,000 limit is reached first.”Youth recruitment and retention in trapping and wildlife management is a key component of this program,” said Robling. “We are thrilled with the amount of youth participation we have seen, so we want to continue this momentum.”
Coyote Bounty Program
The Coyote Bounty Program will be open for all South Dakota residents. Tails from coyotes will be worth $30.The program will run from April 1-July 1, unless the $300,000 limit is reached first.”Controlling the coyote population is critical for both our agricultural industry and wildlife populations,” stated Robling. “The newly created Coyote Bounty Program will assist in the management of these predators to help protect newborn calves and lambs for agricultural producers and enhance fawn survival for deer and antelope.”
Tail Submission Opportunities
Individuals wishing to participate in either of these programs may submit tails to their local GFP office during designated tail turn in opportunities. Households are eligible to submit up to $590 worth of tails in each program.
–South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
South Dakota
SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 5, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 5 drawing
17-20-23-30-33, Bonus: 05
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.
South Dakota
DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Nine school districts have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Perkins Reserve Grant by the South Dakota Department of Education.
The grant provides major equipment upgrades for Career and Technical Education programs, helping to equip students with the skills and experiences needed for post-secondary education and the workforce.
“CTE programs are constantly evolving to match the pace of workforce needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Joseph Graves.
“The South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant aids schools in equipping students with current technologies, resources, and tools, offering students a realistic, hands-on learning experience that will strengthen their marketability to colleges or employers once they leave the K-12 education system.”
The following school districts have been named as the 2026 recipients:
- Aberdeen School District:
- Awarded $30,233 for new precision machine equipment for the manufacturing program.
- De Smet School District:
- Awarded $15,898 for modernizing metal fabrication within agriculture programs.
- Lake Preston School District:
- Awarded $43,160 for expansion of program offers in multiple career clusters to strengthen industrial alignment.
- McLaughlin School District:
- Awarded $11,997 to purchase equipment to offer a new culinary arts program.
- Menno School District:
- Awarded $32,844 to purchase small engines and attend professional development opportunities to enhance the agricultural mechanics program.
- Mitchell School District:
- Awarded $38,663 for the modernization of the automotive technology lab.
- Timber Lake School District:
- Awarded $42,400 for the expansion of agriculture course offerings to strengthen industry alignment.
- Wakpala School District:
- Awarded $40,145 to purchase a skid steer simulator to enhance the agriculture and construction program.
- Wolsey-Wessington School District:
- Awarded $26,201 to purchase industry-aligned equipment to enhance the agriculture and construction program.
You can learn more about the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant at doe.sd.gov.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
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