South Dakota
Gov. Rhoden announces South Dakota Defense Institute
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – South Dakota is putting new money behind an effort Governor Larry Rhoden says will make national security the state’s “next big industry.”
Speaking at The Box during the Black Hills Military Coalition’s Defense & Industry Symposium, Rhoden announced the creation of the South Dakota Defense Institute (SDDI) — a new hub intended to connect business, education, and government and help South Dakota companies compete for federal defense contracts.
“We announced the creation of the South Dakota Defense Institute,” Rhoden said. “And this is a big step in hanging meat on the bones of the commitment I made in the State address… That national defense would be South Dakota’s next big industry.”
Rhoden said the state will invest $5 million from the Future Fund to establish and operate the institute for an initial five-year period.
According to the governor’s office, the institute is expected to serve as a central coordinating point for partners across the defense ecosystem and, once operational, engage directly with federal defense agencies and other related stakeholders to support businesses pursuing defense contracting opportunities.
Rhoden also announced an additional $1 million from the Future Fund to Elevate Rapid City to help purchase a building in Rapid City’s “Innovation District.” The facility will serve as the institute’s headquarters and is also expected to function as a collaboration space to bring together students, researchers, and defense companies to support innovation, workforce development, and industry growth.
South Dakota’s Commissioner to the Governor’s Office on Economic Development, Bill Even, gave us more info on the actual physical construction of the space. “The School of Mines and Western Dakota Tech have been pretty integral in figuring out how we really jump start the innovation district in downtown Rapid City with the natural focus on national defense,” He said. “And so we’ve identified some properties and we’ll be working closely with Elevate to secure those as well.”
The governor’s office said the South Dakota Defense Institute will be organized adjacent to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and staffed by experienced leaders with military and defense industry backgrounds.
The institute will partner with private businesses and local economic development organizations, along with state agencies including the South Dakota National Guard, the Department of Labor and Regulation, the Board of Regents, and the Board of Technical Education.
State officials said additional details on staffing, timelines and programming will be released as the institute’s launch progresses.
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South Dakota
Norma Lindell, 93
Norma Lindell, 93, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Avera Brady Health and Rehab in Mitchell. Visitation will be Saturday, July 18, from 1-4:00 PM at Bittner Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Howard, SD.
NormaJean Marie (Callies) Lindell was born in Mitchell, SD, on April 18, 1932, to Peter C. and Norma A. (Killeaney) Christensen. She was the oldest daughter, along with her younger brother James N. Christensen. She lost her mother when she was eleven and helped her father raise her 2-year younger brother, Jimmy. Her grandmother also helped her dad raise her and her brother. Norma grew up in Howard, SD, and married Ira Callies. To this union were born four sons.
Norma liked working with people and eventually owned her own restaurant business in Howard. Previous to that, she worked for many years in the Black Hills area, where she managed a campground and worked at the well-known Chute Rooster in Hill City. After returning to Howard, she met and married Clyde Lindell of Milaca, Minnesota. Following his death in 1986, she moved back to South Dakota and lived in Centerville, Madison, and finally Mitchell until her death.
She was proud of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She loved music and dancing. Her father taught her how to dance, and they attended many dances throughout the area.
Norma is survived by her sons: Byron (Kaelyn) Callies of Watertown, SD, Lonnie (Susan) Callies of Mitchell, SD, and Dana (Deb) Callies of South Venice, Florida, along with many generations of grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her mother, father, brother Jimmy, and son Dale.
Celebrate a life with the whole community in The Dakota Scout. Contact obits@thedakotascout.com to have your loved one remembered today.
South Dakota
SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for June 28, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 28, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 28 drawing
04-11-31-54-58, Bonus: 03
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
Team South Dakota gets strong performances at National Junior High Finals Rodeo
GUTHRIE, Okla. — Hadley Peppel and Team South Dakota had a strong showing at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo, which ran from June 21-27 at the Lazy E Arena.
Peppel, who hails from Herrick, was the winner in the bareback riding short-go on Saturday and finished second in the aggregate over three runs, finishing with 192 points and earning $870.71. Jace Wild Green, of Dexter, New Mexico, was the aggregate champion with a score of 198 and claiming $1,160.95.
Peppel was first in the short-go with 67 points and Wild Green was second with 62 points. Wild Green won both of the first two performances during the week, scoring 73- and 63-point rides, respectively. Peppel also took fourth in the first-go with a ride of 66 points.
In boys goat tying, Henry’s Ace Lammers finished as the champion with a total time of 27.99 seconds, powered by a first-place effort in the short-go (8.28 seconds). Lammers earned $1,608.53, plus another $618.66 for the short-go.
Powered by Lammers and Peppel, South Dakota’s boys participants finished third as a team with 4,525 points, only behind Texas (7,080) and Utah (6,585). Overall, South Dakota finished fourth in the team standings with 5,865 points, which was won by Texas (10.208.33), followed by Utah (7,780) and Oklahoma (7,520) and South Dakota. The South Dakota girls participants were fifth in the girls team standings with 1,920 points.
In the second-go of the ribbon roping event, a pair of South Dakota teams fared well. Colome’s Jakob Heath and Miller’s Grace Saiegna had the second-best time in 7.64 seconds, earning $1,497.02. Salenga was also sixth in the all-around cowgirl final standings, scoring 670 points. Wessington Springs’ Wyatt Fagerhaug and Buffalo’s Tommi Holmes teamed up to finish fourth in their ribbon roping performance in a time of 7.87 seconds, earning $953.63.
In barrel racing, Fort Pierre’s Emry Dowling took third in the aggregate timing with a time of 45.51 seconds, good for $1,201.43. Hadlee Landers, of Lawton, Oklahoma, won with a time of 44.514 seconds won the overall title, with Williams, Arizona’s Crosslyn Vest taking second (45.22 seconds). Dowling was also third-fastest in the short-go finals (15.031 seconds), which earned her $462.09, and she was fourth in the first-go (15.193 seconds).
Valentine, Nebraska’s Talon Scheer, who competed for Team South Dakota, had top-10 performances in the girls breakaway and goat tying in the first round of performances, taking fifth in the breakaway and 10th in the goat tying.
In the light rifle shooting competition, Ruger Pelster, of Harrison, Neb., finished third with a three-event score of 327 targets. Chisum Pelster was 11th (312 targets) and Grace Gesinger, of White River, was 13th (307 targets) in the finals.
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.
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