South Dakota
Former lieutenant governor launches ‘Vote in Honor of a Veteran’ initiative • South Dakota Searchlight
SIOUX FALLS — South Dakota’s voter turnout has disappointed some military veterans.
Former Lt. Gov. Matt Michels, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, has launched an initiative urging citizens to “Vote in Honor of a Veteran,” emphasizing the sacrifices made by military personnel to secure the democratic rights Americans enjoy.
“We always think that government is ‘they,’ but it really is ‘us,’” Michels said. “We the people.”
Michels shared the pitch Saturday to a crowd of about 100 during the annual USS South Dakota Day of Honor in Sioux Falls. He handed out sheets of stickers showcasing the slogan to fellow veterans, who were enthusiastic about the effort.
“It’s really about voting in honor of America,” said Douglas Starr, a World War II and Korean War veteran.
Michels said he will continue sharing the message with veteran organizations in the state.
The event, held on the second Saturday of August, commemorates the legacy of one of the most decorated ships of World War II. The ship gained fame for its actions in the European and Pacific theatres, participating in the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Michels told a story from the second battle of Guadalcanal, in which the ship’s electrical system became disabled as the ship was under fire from Japanese destroyers. He said the ship received 27 hits, including a 14-inch shell that hit the rear turret. During this battle, 40 crew members were killed and 180 were wounded.
“Including 12-year-old Calvin Leon Graham, who had lied about his age to enlist,” Michels said. “He was the youngest American to fight in the war.”
Decommissioned in 1947, the battleship remains a symbol of service. The USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, which hosted Saturday’s event, includes a concrete outline of the ship’s main deck and the actual anchor, propeller, a 16-inch gun barrel, mast and exhibit hall.
Proving authoritarians wrong
Michels described the heroism displayed during World War II as continuing a fight for freedom that began with the American Revolution.
“If we pause and think about how this nation was started,” Michels said. “At the time, there were no nations that were governed by regular people. The monarchs, the kings and queens, those people were controlling everything. And those people thought regular people were too dumb. That they couldn’t handle it.”
Michels said it’s every American’s duty to prove authoritarians wrong.
“Everyone 18 and over can honor these women and men who have protected us, served us, given their lives,” he said. “What is it we can do? We can vote.”
Turnout across South Dakota in the June primary election was historically low at 17% — the lowest percentage since the state began combining presidential primaries with other primary races in 2000.
“It’s offensive,” Michels said.
For those who were too busy to vote, Michels has a message: “Yeah, well, a lot of people were too busy serving you and dying so that you would have this right.”
Michels served as lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019 and served prior to that in the Legislature. He was born in Pierre, grew up in Vermillion, and graduated from the University of South Dakota. He worked as a nurse from 1981 to 1985 while earning a law degree at USD. He then attended Naval Justice School and became a U.S. Navy officer, serving as a lawyer. He was honorably discharged in 1989.
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South Dakota
17 Republican attorneys general, including South Dakota’s, sue California over plastics law
Seventeen Republican attorneys general, including South Dakota’s, have sued California over a state law that requires plastic packaging producers to move away from single-use plastics, alleging that the law will raise costs for consumers across the country.
Led by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, the
complaint
filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of California challenges California’s Plastics Act. Under the law, which took effect May 1, plastic packaging producers
must reduce single-use plastic
by 25% and ensure all packaging is recyclable or compostable by 2032.
Joining Hilgers in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. They say the law is an attempt by California “to impose its own policy preferences on the entire nation.”
The law “will cause steep and persistent price increases” on products used daily by consumers in other states, the plaintiffs argue.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a news release that the California law “imposes unreasonable, burdensome requirements on businesses and consumers nationwide.”
The attorneys general also assert that the law violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution by interfering with interstate commerce, and that it improperly extends regulatory authority to a private organization. California appointed a nonprofit, the Circular Action Alliance, to help develop, administer and implement the law.
“Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country. If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities,” Hilgers said in a news release. “Nebraska is continuing to fight for consumers against California’s overreach.”
Environmental advocacy groups also
sued
California earlier this month, alleging the new regulations “fall short” in meeting the state’s aims of reducing plastic packaging, and that they contain loopholes for producers.
— This story was originally published on southdakotasearchlight.com.
South Dakota
SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for June 25, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 25, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 25 drawing
03-13-14-34-45, 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.
South Dakota
South Dakota Supreme Court upholds Box Elder burglary, assault convictions
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the convictions of a Pennington County man sentenced for threatening a Box Elder resident with a handgun during a 2025 home invasion.
In a unanimous decision, the court affirmed the convictions of Chris David Kujawa, who was found guilty of first-degree burglary and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A Pennington County jury convicted Kujawa in May 2025, and he was sentenced to concurrent 12-year prison terms.
According to trial testimony, Kujawa forced his way into a Box Elder home, accused the homeowner of stealing property and pointed a handgun at the victim’s head while threatening to kill him. The victim testified Kujawa also threatened his wife.
Kujawa appealed the convictions, arguing the trial court improperly limited questions about the victim’s prior convictions and incorrectly responded to a question from jurors during deliberations.
The Supreme Court rejected those arguments, finding that any error related to the victim’s prior conviction did not affect the outcome of the case and that the judge properly directed jurors to review instructions that accurately stated the law.
“The Supreme Court’s decision affirms the jury’s verdict and recognizes the strength of the evidence presented at trial,” Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a statement.
The Attorney General’s Office represented the state during the appeal.
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