Connect with us

South Dakota

'Christmas at the Capitol' marks kickoff to holiday season in South Dakota

Published

on

'Christmas at the Capitol' marks kickoff to holiday season in South Dakota


(Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — The Christmas season has officially started in South Dakota’s capital city.

Gov. Kristi Noem and First Gentleman Bryon Noem, along with Pierre Mayor Steve Harding, hosted the annual state Capitol tree lighting ceremony in Pierre Tuesday night, marking the kickoff of the holiday display that has become a must-see attraction in the state.

This year, over 90 trees adorn the hallways of the building, displaying the ornaments of different service organizations and groups across the state that were chosen to decorate them.

NEWS: State House, Senate announce new legislative committee assignments

“This is always a special event and the kickoff to the holiday season in South Dakota,” Noem said, noting that the lighting ceremony has become one of her favorite events to attend as governor.

This year, the theme is “Through a Child’s Eye.” The featured tree – a 28-foot Colorado blue spruce – was donated by Deb Lutz and her family from Mobridge. Lutz’s daughter, Carrie, planted the tree’s seed 30 years ago with her dad, Darwin. Carrie’s dad, a regular attendee to Christmas at the Capitol every year, dreamed of donating the tree for the annual affair. Darwin passed away in 2021, but this year, that wish finally came true.

Advertisement

The tree was decorated by this year’s prime sponsor, the YMCA Youth Development organization – in coordination with the Oahe YMCA in Pierre. The decorations, which include candies, desserts and miscellaneous Christmas trinkets, are extremely large in size as a way to capture the way that kids see Christmas time.

Noem encouraged others to think of the holiday season this year in the way that a child does.

“I think you’ll find it’s even more memorable and enjoyable when we look at it like they do,” Noem said.

In addition to the tree and decorations displayed on three floors of the Capitol, various events and celebrations will occur throughout the duration of the display. They can be followed on Christmas at the Capitol’s Facebook page. Children are also encouraged to leave letters for Santa in the mailbox, located on the first floor near the first ladies and gentleman display.

Christmas at the Capitol is open to viewing by the public every day until Dec. 26, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sights and scenes from the 2024 Christmas at the Capitol in Pierre. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

NEWS: More South Dakota governments found to have broken state’s open meetings laws



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

South Dakota

Brooklyn Meyer scores 19 and South Dakota State women beat No. 21 Oregon 75-70

Published

on

Brooklyn Meyer scores 19 and South Dakota State women beat No. 21 Oregon 75-70


Associated Press

LAIE, Hawaii (AP) — Brooklyn Meyer had 19 points and eight rebounds, Paige Meyer added 16 points, six rebounds and four assists and South Dakota State beat No. 21 Oregon 75-70 on Tuesday in the Hawaii North Shore Showcase.

Haleigh Timmer made a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left to give South Dakota State a 72-66 lead. The Jackrabbits turned it over on their next possession and Amina Muhammad made a fast-break layup to get Oregon within 72-70.

Advertisement

Timmer made 1 of 2 free throws with 24.7 seconds left for a 73-70 lead. After a timeout, Peyton Scott was short on a 3-point attempt and Madison Mathiowetz added two free throws at the other end for a two-possession lead.

The game featured nine ties and nine lead changes.

Timmer finished with 15 points for South Dakota State (4-2). Madysen Vlastuin made all three of her 3-point attempts and scored 11 points.

Deja Kelly scored 19 points and Muhammad had 10 points and eight rebounds for Oregon (6-2), which was coming of a 74-58 loss to Georgia Tech.

South Dakota State plays on Sunday at Ball State. Oregon hosts Washington State on Wednesday.

Advertisement

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball




Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

South Dakota

Congress may have to ‘put the brakes on’ some uses of presidential power, Thune says • South Dakota Searchlight

Published

on

Congress may have to ‘put the brakes on’ some uses of presidential power, Thune says • South Dakota Searchlight


BRANDON — Incoming U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, signaled Tuesday he’s willing to push back against potential attempts by President-elect Donald Trump to expand presidential power over federal spending.

“Every president is going to come in and try to do as much as they can by executive action as possible,” Thune said. “Congress, in some cases, is going to be the entity that sometimes will have to put the brakes on.”

Thune spoke Tuesday to the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and also took questions from reporters. He said Republicans in Congress will work with Trump to achieve shared policy goals.

“The things we want to achieve at present are by and large the same,” Thune said. “How we get there is another matter, and we’ll have to work through that.”

Advertisement

Trump’s pick for his budget director, Russ Vought, served in the same role during the first Trump administration. Vought has since outlined an aggressive vision for presidential power in Project 2025, a 922-page document from the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation.

New Trump budget chief wrote Project 2025’s agenda for empowering the presidency

“The President should use every possible tool to propose and impose fiscal discipline on the federal government.” Vought wrote. “Anything short of that would constitute abject failure.”

Trump has meanwhile tried to assert greater control over the Cabinet selection process, calling for the Senate to recess the chamber early next year so he can appoint whoever he wants without having to go through the confirmation process.

Thune said Tuesday he plans to immediately begin committee hearings on Cabinet nominees when Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025.

Advertisement

That’ll give the Senate a head start vetting Trump’s nominees before his inauguration on Jan. 20. After Trump is sworn in, Thune expects some nominations to quickly hit the floor of the Senate. 

“The committees can’t report them out until the president is officially sworn in and they’re officially nominated,” Thune told the audience Tuesday in Brandon. “But they could do hearings.”

Thune told South Dakota reporters after the event that even though some questions have been raised about nominees, they “deserve a fair process” where senators question them on their background, qualifications and whether they “ought to be in these really important positions.”

Thune said he has not taken recess appointments off the table if Democrats try to obstruct or delay the confirmation of nominees when they reach the Senate floor, “particularly if they’re well regarded and they have bipartisan support.”

Top priorities for Republican senators heading into the new session of Congress, Thune said, include extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts and securing the nation’s southern border. 

Advertisement

Thune said he plans to begin drafting a budget reconciliation resolution to push an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, key provisions of which expire at the end of 2025. The reconciliation process allows tax and spending bills to pass the Senate with 51 votes, instead of the 60 needed for most Senate legislation. Republicans will control 53 seats in the new Senate and will also control the House.

Failing to extend the tax cuts would lead to a $4 trillion tax increase, Thune said. 

States Newsroom’s D.C. Bureau contributed to this report.

 

Advertisement

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

South Dakota

Complete listing of the 2024 South Dakota high school volleyball all-state teams

Published

on

Complete listing of the 2024 South Dakota high school volleyball all-state teams


The following players have been selected to the South Dakota Volleyball Coaches Association’s 2024 all-state teams. The players are selected to the teams based on votes of the coaches in their respective classes.

First team

Maggie Meister, 5-7, sr., libero, Harrisburg (590 digs, 27 aces)

Gabi Zachariasen, 6-0, jr., outside hitter, Harrisburg (403 kills, .312 hitting pct., 32 aces, 32 blocks, 221 digs)

Advertisement

Emory Brosnahan, 6-0, sr., right-side/outside hitter, Sioux Falls Jefferson (332 kills, 37 aces, 36 blocks, 296 digs)

Emery Thury, 5-10, sr., outside hitter, Watertown (509 kills, .332 hitting pct., 36 blocks, 357 digs)

Keira McManus, 5-10, sr., outside hitter, O’Gorman (171 kills, 45 aces, 70 blocks)

Kate Wiebesiek, 5-6, sr., setter, Sioux Falls Roosevelt (827 assists, 202 digs, 37 aces, 98 kills)

Kaelyn Snoozy, 5-11, sr., outside hitter, Sioux Falls Washington (460 kills, 333 digs, 34 aces)

Advertisement
Harrisburg’s Josalyn Samuels sets the ball against Sioux Falls Washington in the Class AA state championship match Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls.

Trent Singer / Sioux Falls Live

Second team

Taryn Kirsch, 5-10, sr., libero, Sioux Falls Washington (503 digs, 43 aces)

Advertisement

Abby Gruber, 5-11, jr., middle hitter, Brandon Valley (300 kills, 58 blocks)

Joselyn Samuels, 6-0, fr., setter, Harrisburg (870 assists, 134 digs, 56 aces, 30 blocks, 79 kills)

Lauryn Burckhard, 6-1, so., outside hitter, Aberdeen Central (304 kills, 31 aces, 125 digs)

Isabel Simmons, 6-1, sr., middle/right-side hitter, Sioux Falls Jefferson (266 kills, 79 blocks, 30 aces)

Kyra Hermanson, 5-10, sr., setter, O’Gorman (86 kills, 794 assists, 215 digs, 57 aces)

Advertisement

Cate Legel, 5-10, sr., outside hitter Sioux Falls Washington (320 kills, 37 aces, 286 digs)

54158493197_44195123ef_k.jpg

Sioux Falls Christian’s Addisen Barber plays a ball at the net during the Class A state volleyball semifinals on Nov. 22, 2024 at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls.

Tim Tushla / South Dakota Public Broadcasting

First team

Advertisement

Addisen Barber, 5-9, sr., setter, Sioux Falls Christian (928 assists, 184 digs, 47 aces, 145 kills)

Madelynn Henry, 6-0, so., outside hitter, Dell Rapids (478 kills, 50 aces, 33 blocks, 181 digs)

Bentlee Kollbaum, 5-11, sr., outside hitter, Elk Point-Jefferson

Claire Munch, 5-11, jr., outside hitter, Dakota Valley (557 kills, .318 hitting pct., 393 digs, 51 aces, 32 blocks)

Jolie Palmer, 5-6, jr., setter, Miller (515 digs, 81 aces)

Advertisement

Sophi Randall, 6-0, sr., setter, Dell Rapids (887 assists, 243 digs, 153 kills)

Reagan Rus, 5-8, sr., outside hitter, Mount Vernon/Plankinton (473 kills, 38 aces, 332 digs)

11-21-24PrepVolleyballClassAQuarterfinalMVPvsDakotaValley-11.jpg

Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Reagan Rus attacks a ball in the Class A state volleyball quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at the Premier Center.

Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

Advertisement

Second team

Madelyn Munch, 5-7, so., outside hitter, Dakota Valley (1,060 assists, 51 aces, 250 digs, 63 kills)

Addison Neuendorf, 5-6, jr., outside hitter, Hamlin (395 kills, 52 aces, 402 digs)

Kaedyn Sapp, 6-0, sr., outside hitter, Sioux Valley (363 kills, 54 aces)

Brietta Tims, 5-10, sr., outside hitter, Sioux Falls Christian (380 kills, 220 digs, 50 blocks)

Advertisement

Daynica Witzel, 5-7, sr., outside hitter, Baltic

Honorable mention

Charley Henderson, 5-9, sr., middle hitter, Mobridge/Pollock

Abby Kjenstad, 5-8, jr., outside hitter, Great Plains Lutheran (333 kills, .371 hitting pct., 50 blocks, 425 digs, 34 aces)

Lauryn Kloth, 6-2, sr., middle hitter, Dell Rapids (230 kills, 88 blocks)

Advertisement

Keelie Kuil, 5-8, sr., outside hitter, Winner (335 kills, 321 digs, 39 aces, 26 blocks)

Macy Plucker, 5-8, sr., outside hitter, Canton

Andrea Renkly, 6-0, sr., outside hitter, Elkton-Lake Benton

Jenna Vande Weerd, 6-1, sr., middle hitter, Canton

First team

Advertisement

Lily Van Hal, 5-8, jr., setter/right-side hitter, Chester (357 kills, .421 hitting pct., 668 assists, 100 aces, 30 blocks, 308 digs)

Kyleigh Schopp, 6-0, sr., middle hitter, Warner (477 kills, .359 hitting pct., 30 aces, 82 blocks, 93 digs)

Kailee Frank, 5-7, sr., outside/middle hitter, Burke (375 kills, 42 aces, 337 digs)

Katelyn Schroeder, 6-0, sr., Hitchcock-Tulare (485 kills, .445 hitting pct., 394 digs, 46 aces)

Ashley Haven, 6-0, jr., middle hitter, Northwestern (453 kills)

Advertisement

Jacy Wolf, 5-5, so., outside hitter/setter, Chester (341 kills, 34 aces, 292 assists, 368 digs)

Taylor Hoxeng, 5-4, jr., libero, Gayville-Volin (606 digs, 63 aces)

11-21-24PrepVolleyballClassBQuarterfinalBurkevsKadokaArea-3.jpg

Burke’s Kailee Frank hits a serve in a Class B state volleyball quarterfinal on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at the Premier Center.

Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic

Advertisement

Second team

Carly Cotton, 5-7, sr., outside hitter, Faulkton Area (487 kills, 75 aces, 602 digs)

Brynlee Landis, 5-8, jr., outside hitter, Colman-Egan (399 kills, 36 aces, 32 blocks, 352 digs)

TyAnn Mortenson, 5-11, sr., middle hitter, Faith

Emerson Carter, 6-0, sr., middle hitter, Castlewood (415 kills, 40 aces, 35 blocks, 107 digs)

Advertisement

Kendal Uttecht, 5-7, jr., setter, Wolsey-Wessington

Honorable mention

Paige Bull, 6-1, sr., middle hitter, Burke (309 kills, .356 hitting pct., 123 blocks)

Jordyn Jensen, 5-4, sr., libero/defensive specialist, Warner (554 digs, 74 aces)

Isabella Stubkjaer, 5-2, sr., libero, Sioux Falls Lutheran (548 digs, 115 kills, 50 aces)

Advertisement

Lila Johnson, 5-8, so., setter/right-side hitter, Hitchcock-Tulare (599 assists, 80 aces, 227 digs, 122 kills)

Samara Clemente, 6-0, sr., middle hitter, Wolsey-Wessington

Marley Guthmiller, 5-8, jr., outside hitter, Ipswich (345 kills, 50 aces, 286 digs)

  • 2023 — Class AA (Zachariasen, Meister, Thury, Hermanson and Kirsch, first team; Samuels, second team); Class A (Barber and Randall, first team; Henry and Palmer, second team, Henderson, Plucker and Kollbaum, honorable mention); Class B (Frank, Van Hal and Haven, first team; Schroeder and Schopp, second team; Mortenson and Cotton, honorable mention).
  • 2022 — Class AA (Malchow and Meister, second team); Class A (Barber, honorable mention); Class B (Van Hal, first team; Mortenson, second team; and Schroeder and Frank, honorable mention).
  • 2021 — Class B (Schroeder, honorable mention).





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending