South Dakota
Department of Corrections pledges to rebuild sweat lodges dismantled during prison lockdown • South Dakota Searchlight
The South Dakota Department of Corrections says it will rebuild three sweat lodges dismantled during a weekslong lockdown at the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
The DOC started what it described as a “proactive” lockdown to perform a facility-wide search for contraband on Sept. 15. Last week, the agency sent a press release saying it was transitioning out of lockdown status.
Between announcing the lockdown’s beginning and its end, the DOC sent a news release with photos of alleged contraband, including sharp objects and a mobile wi-fi hotspot. The DOC sent a news release with more photos of alleged contraband Monday evening, in a release calling the lockdown a success.
The agency did not mention the sweat lodges in any of the the releases.
State prison system puts nearly 1,300 inmates on indefinite lockdown
Late last week, an inmate named Gerald Thin Elk told South Dakota Searchlight that inmates went five days without showers at the start of the lockdown, that most of his unit remained on lockdown after its end was announced, and that the lodges had been dismantled as inmates sat in their cells.
“They tore all three of them down,” Thin Elk said.
He’d heard that a Native American medicine man was called in to make sure the lodges were removed respectfully, but “we just hope that nothing bad comes back on those people that handled those.”
DOC spokesman Michael Winder later confirmed via email that the sweat lodges were “disassembled” during the lockdown as part of the contraband search.
“The lodges will be reassembled at a later time with a medicine man to bless them,” Winder said.
Winder did not answer questions on whether the lodge teardown turned up contraband, what kind of contraband may have been suspected, if a medicine man oversaw the disassembly, or if the DOC has alternative spiritual practice options for Native American inmates.
The Monday news release on contraband found during the lockdown did not indicate where any of the seized items were found.
Right to religion
The constitutional rights of inmates inside institutions are restricted, but the right to practice one’s religion has protections under federal law. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 states that “no government shall impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person residing in or confined to an institution.”
A sweat lodge (“inipi” in Lakota) is a domed, ceremonial space. Hot rocks are placed in the center, and participants pour water over them to the sound of drums and songs of prayer. Participants in the purification rite traditionally share a peace pipe, as well. The smoke and steam are said to carry prayers to the creator.
Before the lockdown, there were sweat lodges at the state penitentiary, Jameson Annex and minimum security Unit C.
Prison families group hopes to push lawmakers, corrections officials to address concerns
Thin Elk said he frequently attended one of the three weekly sweats on the prison grounds in Sioux Falls after spending years using another lodge at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield.
“I’m one of the guys that helped the younger natives in here recenter themselves to try to put them back in touch with their traditional values and their way of life,” Thin Elk said.
The Durfee lodge, which was not affected during the lockdown, is larger than any of the three on the prison grounds in Sioux Falls, Thin Elk said. But the prison lodges are all larger and were regularly filled with more people than any lodge Thin Elk has seen outside the prison walls.
“It’s not even close,” Thin Elk said.
Thin Elk also expressed concerns about other changes to in-prison religious activity. He pointed to church services that had been offered at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evenings by Lutheran volunteers from various churches through the St. Dysmas ministry group.
The services switched to Wednesday afternoons at 1:30 p.m., then to Wednesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. over the past year. Republican former state Rep. Tim Goodwin, of Rapid City, who is running for a chance to return to Pierre this year, said during an inmate family group’s meeting last month that those changes had become a hassle for volunteers like him.
Thin Elk said the changes, as well as multiple lockdowns this year, have made it harder for inmates to practice their religion.
“It’s made things very complicated in here,” Thin Elk said.
Reaction from ACLU, Corrections Commission leader
Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, said in a statement that religious freedom behind prison walls is a right that should not be fooled with lightly. Courts have regularly shot down policy-based denials of religious freedom in prisons.
Chapman also noted that Native Americans make up 9% of South Dakota’s population but more than a third of its inmate population. According to the DOC’s 2023 Annual Statistical Report, 38% of male inmates imprisoned on a current charge and 47% of male inmates house for parole violations are Native American.
Particularly given that disparity, Chapman noted, the significance of tearing down a place of worship for Native American inmates “cannot be overstated.”
“Oftentimes, an individual’s connections to their religious and cultural community may be their only source of hope while in prison,” Chapman wrote. “For incarcerated Native Americans, ceremonies like inipi sweats are a critical point of access to not just their spiritual practices, but also to their cultural identities.”
State Sen. Shawn Bordeaux, D-Mission, was recently elected president of the state Corrections Commission. He said he was troubled to hear about the situation, which Thin Elk reached out to him about, but was told by DOC that the lodges will be built back.
“I was kind of taken aback,” Bordeaux said. “At first, I was a little perturbed to hear that they had done this, and I thought ‘there’s got to be a more appropriate way of going through and checking things,’” Bordeaux said.
He doesn’t have a clear understanding of the DOC’s goals, he said, nor of what kinds of contraband the agency may have been searching for that would have necessitated a full takedown of the lodges. He wants to know if the lodges have ever been taken down in similar situations.
“For me, I don’t know what all the protocols are,” Bordeaux said. “I want to know what they did, how they were doing it and what they’ve done in the past.”
Lockdown rundown
The recent lockdown at the state penitentiary in Sioux Falls was a search for contraband, which the Department of Corrections said is “a device, instrument, material, or substance which is readily capable of causing or inducing fear of death or bodily injury,” or can be “illicit substances such as controlled substances and alcohol.”
“Although some of the items retrieved are tools used in the facility, if they are not stored or used for their intended purposes, they become contraband, and in some instances, dangerous contraband,” the DOC said via news release on Monday.
Correctional officers found “handmade weapons,” items that could be turned into weapons, illicit substances, electronic equipment and “excess property,” the DOC said.
Any “potential criminal activity” is being referred to the Attorney General’s Office, the release says.
Selected images of alleged contraband seized during a lockdown at the state penitentiary. (Images courtesy of state Department of Corrections)
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A free worship concert is coming to Rapid City this Friday night as part of the annual Homeschool South Dakota Conference.
The concert will take place May 15th at The Monument and will officially kick off the two-day conference event. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the concert beginning at 7:30.
The evening will feature praise and worship music from Mike Weaver, the lead singer of the Christian band Big Daddy Weave. Organizers say the concert is completely free and open to the public, no tickets or conference registration required.
The Homeschool South Dakota Conference brings together homeschooling families from across the state for educational sessions, guest speakers and community activities throughout the weekend.
Organizers say the concert is designed to be a community-wide event welcoming anyone interested in attending. Additional information about the conference and concert is available through Homeschool South Dakota.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
South Dakota knows how to slow down. Hot Springs runs an 87-degree natural mineral pool that has drawn visitors since 1890. Spearfish anchors itself with a working fish hatchery dating back to 1896. Mitchell rebuilds its Corn Palace exterior every year out of actual corn. These are six of the state’s most relaxing small towns.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen sits in the James River valley of northeastern South Dakota, known locally for being the closest thing the state has to an Oz theme park. Storybook Land, a free-admission public park on the north side of the city, is built around L. Frank Baum’s connection to the area. Baum lived and published in Aberdeen in the 1880s, and the park features a full Wizard of Oz land with a yellow brick road, the Emerald City, and Dorothy’s House. The same park complex includes a castle, fairy-tale attractions, and a small petting zoo.
Downtown, the Hagerty & Lloyd Historic District holds some of Aberdeen’s oldest homes and buildings, including the Margaret and Maurice Lamont House, a Tudor Revival. Richmond Lake Recreation Area, about 10 miles northwest of town, adds hiking, biking, and camping on a reservoir that is the local summer anchor.
Hot Springs
Relaxation is built into Hot Springs. You can soak in the warm natural waters of the Evans Plunge Mineral Springs, which have drawn visitors for over a century. Established in 1890, the spring-fed waters naturally hold a year-round 87-degree temperature. In addition to the thermal springs at Evans Plunge, you have hot tubs, steam rooms, slides, and more.
Beyond the soak, the Mammoth Site is an active paleontological dig featuring remains of Ice Age giants. Consider booking a stay at the historic Red Rock River Resort Hotel & Spa, a sandstone building constructed in 1891. Family-owned and located downtown, the hotel offers quality care and a well-preserved interior. It’s within walking distance of Evans Plunge and other hot spring locations.
Lead
A close neighbor to the busier Deadwood, Lead is a town every bit as historic and far more relaxing. It’s an old mining town at its core, with several modern amenities along its historic Main Street. The Black Hills Mining Museum showcases the area’s gold rush, while the Homestake Opera House, which hosts year-round tours, concerts, dances, and educational events, is a century-old building that once held a bowling alley, billiards hall, and more.
For families, the Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center takes a deep dive into the region’s history, its people, and the ongoing scientific research conducted in its underground laboratories. Lead is the right town for South Dakota’s Wild West history without the commercial trappings.
Spearfish
On the northern edge of the Black Hills, Spearfish sits at the mouth of Spearfish Canyon, a 19-mile limestone gorge cut by Spearfish Creek that drops several notable waterfalls along its length. The Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway follows the canyon floor, past Bridal Veil Falls and Roughlock Falls, and provides one of the most reliably beautiful and uncrowded drives in the state. The D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, established in 1896 and now run as a historic site, anchors the town’s history with restored buildings, raceway ponds full of visible trout, and the Von Bayer Museum of Fish Culture.
Downtown Spearfish has a walkable core along Main Street with local restaurants including Killian’s Food and Drink and Lucky’s 13 Pub. For shorter outings, Spearfish City Park features the hatchery at one end, a sculpture walk along the creek, and shaded picnic grounds. Combined with its easy access to Deadwood, Lead, and the rest of the northern Black Hills, Spearfish offers a strong base for anyone wanting to relax without giving up access to outdoor activities.
Custer
Custer is the gateway to Custer State Park, a 71,000-acre preserve in the southern Black Hills that holds one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the country, roughly 1,300 head, along with elk, pronghorn, and mule deer. The Wildlife Loop Road runs 18 miles through open grassland and mixed pine, with frequent wildlife sightings. Jewel Cave National Monument, 15 miles west of town, has more than 215 mapped miles of passages, ranking it among the longest cave systems in the world.
Downtown Custer itself is compact, with Sage Creek Grille serving elk-stuffed mushrooms and other regional dishes; it has been a fixture on Mount Rushmore Road for two decades. The Crazy Horse Memorial, still under construction since 1948, sits 15 miles north on Highway 385. For outdoor activity, Custer is the closest town to both the 109-mile Mickelson rail-trail and the trailhead for Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota at 7,242 feet.
Mitchell
Mitchell is home to the Corn Palace, a civic auditorium on Main Street whose exterior is redesigned every year out of actual corn, grain, and native grasses by a rotating group of local artists. The original structure dates to 1892, with the current building completed in 1921. New murals go up each summer. The building hosts high school basketball, concerts, and the annual Corn Palace Festival in late August. Admission is free year-round.
Woolworth’s Caramel Apples, next door, has been making the same recipe since the 1950s. The Dakota Discovery Museum a few blocks away covers regional history with a restored 1886 one-room schoolhouse, 1900 farmhouse, and 1909 Italianate home, plus a collection of Native American art and early 20th-century prairie paintings by Oscar Howe and Harvey Dunn.
Visit Relaxing South Dakota Today
These six towns split fairly cleanly between two South Dakotas: the prairie side, Aberdeen and Mitchell, and the Black Hills side, Hot Springs, Lead, Spearfish, and Custer. The prairie towns are anchored by one or two strong local institutions and a quieter pace. The Black Hills towns are anchored by the landscape itself. Either side rewards a weekend, and together they give you a fuller picture of the state than Mount Rushmore alone ever could.
The state Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway has both increased its cohort size and endowed about 50 new teachers. Advocates say in a state with a noted teacher shortage, it represents steps toward closing the gap for educators.
The pathway gives qualified and interested paraprofessionals the opportunity to advance their careers and become fully fledged teachers.
For Kathryn Blaha, state Department of Education Division of Accreditation director, it does make a difference in the lives of those involved, and the communities they serve.
“As I listen to people who have been accepted into the program and hear their stories, it’s an opportunity for them to make a difference at a different level in the classroom, but it’s also making a significant impact on the communities that they’re living in and the financial changes for their own personal children,” Blaha said.
These cohorts are expanding to provide more opportunities on the back of support from the governor.
“We’ve had state support for additional funding for the program,” Blaha said. “It really is a program that allows individuals who otherwise may not have had an opportunity to seek a position as a teacher in a classroom to gain the experience and training to do so.”
As a result, Blaha said the new cohort will have over 70 positions. That’s the largest group since the inception of the program in 2023.
“It’s been a tremendous program,” Blaha said. “We have 118 that have graduated as of the spring and summer 2026 graduation ceremonies. We’re really to the impact and the differences those individuals will make.”
The program is run through Northern State University and takes an average of two years to complete.
-
Seattle, WA4 minutes agoSeattle Mayor Wilson names Esther Handy interim chief of staff in senior staffing shakeup
-
San Diego, CA10 minutes agoFeeding San Diego explains the impact of high gas prices on fueling fleet & food rescue
-
Milwaukee, WI16 minutes agoHow Milwaukee Riverkeeper Broke a World Record
-
Atlanta, GA22 minutes agoAtlanta soccer fans get first glimpse at FIFA World Cup Trophy
-
Minneapolis, MN28 minutes agoWith evictions on the rise, Minnesota lawmakers pass $40 million in rental assistance
-
Indianapolis, IN34 minutes agoNow that schedule’s out, here are Indianapolis Colts 2026 game-by-game predictions
-
Pittsburg, PA40 minutes agoA Bethel Park homeowner paid a contractor nearly $3,000 to repair his porch. He says no one showed up.
-
Augusta, GA46 minutes agoFour indicted in Augusta on federal drug trafficking charges