South Dakota
House State Affairs committee passes bill prohibiting ‘obscene live conduct’ at colleges
The House State Affairs committee voted Monday morning to advance a bill prohibiting the Board of Regents or any institution under its control from using state resources for obscene live conduct.
Rep. Chris Karr’s (R-Sioux Falls) bill represents his second year of bringing legislation on this topic. In 2023, he sponsored and cosponsored bills aimed at preventing a student-led drag show held in November 2022 at South Dakota State University from ever happening again.
Drag became popular in 19th century British theater and has heavy roots in modern LGBTQ+ culture for its performance and entertainment styles that challenge traditional assumptions of gender identity and expression.
While Karr said in his rebuttal on Monday that opponents to his bill misunderstood it because he never mentioned drag or drag shows in his testimony Monday, opponent testimony and testimony from previous bill hearings indicates that’s where the focus lies.
A similar bill, House Bill 1113, to “prohibit the use of state resources for the provision of lewd or lascivious content,” was killed earlier in the session and mirrored the bills Karr brought in 2023, House Bill 1116 and House Bill 1125.
More: House committee kills bill aimed at limiting drag performances on South Dakota campuses
In introducing his bill, Karr said it would complement a policy by the South Dakota Board of Regents that prohibits minors who aren’t university students from attending events or being on campus without the supervision of an authorized adult, parent, legal guardian or other chaperone. The policy also prohibits programs involving the presence of minors to include obscene live conduct.
Karr’s bill prohibits the use of state-owned facilities or properties to develop, implement, facilitate, host, or promote any obscene live conduct, and prohibits spending public money in support of obscene live conduct.
The bill also requires the attorney general to represent the Board of Regents, an institution under its control or an employee of either if a complaint or lawsuit is brought against them for following the law.
Other proponents of the bill included Florence Thompson of South Dakota Parents Involved in Education and South Dakota Citizens for Liberty, and Norman Woods of Family Heritage Alliance Action.
More: Taking aim at drag shows, South Dakota Board of Regents pass ‘minors on campus’ policy
Opponents of the bill included Michael Garofalo with Student Federation, which represents the student governments at each of South Dakota’s six public colleges; Samantha Chapman with the ACLU of South Dakota; Melissa McCauley with South Dakota for Equity; Yvonne Taylor with the South Dakota Advocacy Network for Women; Ben Sherman; and Brett Ries.
They largely argued that this bill chills free speech and expression, poses a threat to vibrant and diverse campus activities, that the Board of Regents already has policy on this issue and that this could open up the state to a costly legal challenge.
Garofalo said legislative stances from the Student Federation require unanimous support from each institution, and student leaders were “keen” to stand in opposition to the bill. He said students want to close this chapter of opposition to drag shows and move on. He also said the bill could affect certain Hobo Day events at SDSU.
Campus organizations are uncomfortable after the “aftermath” of the discussions on this subject and similar legislation, some of the rhetoric and discourse was less than kind, and there are real people affected by bills like this, Garofalo added.
Eleven members of the committee voted to pass the bill while the sole two dissenting votes came from Democratic Reps. Erin Healy and Oren Lesmeister. The bill will now advance to a vote on the House floor.
South Dakota
MN officials warn dogs adopted from South Dakota show ‘high prevalence of canine brucellosis’
Image on the left shows a dog waiting for adoption in a shelter (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images). image on the right shows an optical microscope view of bacterium brucella canis causes brucellosis (Photo by: BSIP/Education Images/Un (Getty Images)
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is warning that some dogs adopted from South Dakota are testing positive for canine brucellosis, a contagious and uncurable infection.
Dogs from South Dakota carrying canine brucellosis
By the numbers:
State officials say that so far in 2026, there have been seven canine brucellosis positive dogs traced to South Dakota.
What they’re saying:
Companion Animal Program Veterinarian Dr. Steve Kivisto shared the following statement on the matter.
“We’re evaluating new import requirements and quarantine procedures for dogs coming into Minnesota from South Dakota due to a high prevalence of canine brucellosis in dogs rescued from that geographic area in the past few years,” said companion animal program veterinarian Dr. Steve Kivisto. “We’ve also had recent cases imported from other states and will consider additional requirements if those also prove to contain a pattern of canine brucellosis.”
Dig deeper:
Canine brucellosis is an infection that primarily affects dogs, but there are strains capable of infecting other species, including humans.
The infection in dogs is not curable, and should an owner choose to attempt treatment, their pet could still continue to shed the bacteria. Infected dogs would either need to be quarantined for life or humanely euthanized to prevent the spread.
People who live with or work closely with animals are also at risk of contracting brucellosis.
What you can do:
Officials say anyone bringing dogs into Minnesota for resale or adoption must have a veterinarian examine the animal and sign off on a certificate of veterinary inspection certifying that it appears free from disease.
Testing is also highly recommended since infected dogs can appear healthy.
The Source: This story uses information shared by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil discovered on a ranch in western South Dakota will be auctioned off in New York City on Tuesday with a possible sale price of $30 million or more.
The 38-foot long skeleton, nicknamed Gus, stands more than 12 feet tall and has one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found. According to Sotheby’s auction house, which is handling the sale, Gus could bring the highest sale price ever for a dinosaur fossil.
The dinosaur is from the late Cretaceous Period and was believed to have lived on Earth 67 million years ago.
The Harding County ranch where the skeleton was found lies in the famed Hell Creek Formation, a geological region of northwestern South Dakota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming where dinosaur finds are fairly common.
Several other major dinosaur finds have been made there, including Sue, the famous T. rex discovered in 1990. After legal wrangling over ownership, Sue was auctioned in 1997 at a sale price of $8.3 million to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where it remains today.
(Photo: Malcolm Ritter)
The first piece of Gus, a metatarsal from the dinosaur’s foot, was found in 2021 sticking out of the ground on a Harding County ranch owned by Gary and Dana Licking. The find was made by paleontologists with Theropoda Expeditions, a Texas company specializing in commercial excavation, preparation and mounting of dinosaur fossils.
The fossil consists of 183 bone elements, making up 61% of the possible bones in the dinosaur’s body and representing 75% to 80% of the original bone mass by weight, Sotheby’s said.
The dinosaur Sue is 40 feet long and 13 feet tall and is considered the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered at 90% of possible bone mass.
“This is our longest-term project ever,” Cassandra Hatton, worldwide head of Sotheby’s Science & Natural History division, said in the video. “From the day the first bone was discovered, we’ve been going back and forth to South Dakota to oversee this whole process.”
The lowest opening bid accepted will be $19 million, with an estimated sale price up to $30 million or more depending on buyer interest, Sotheby’s said.
Gus is named after rancher Gary Licking, whose nickname was Gus. Licking died at age 67 in February 2022, before the full extent of the T. rex skeleton was known.
Gary and Dana Licking married in 1983 and lived on their family ranch 11 miles west of Buffalo, according to Gary’s obituary.
Dana Licking said in Sotheby’s video that she was impressed at the level of skill and professionalism displayed by the paleontologists who discovered the skeleton.
“I’m really grateful that they found it because it could have been lost and nobody ever would learn anything about it,” she said.
Walter Stein, owner of PaleoAdventures in Belle Fourche, in western South Dakota, is an independent paleontologist who is also working to uncover fossils in the Hell Creek Formation.
Western South Dakota is likely to remain a hotbed for discovery of dinosaur fossils, said Stein, who last year opened the Dinosaurs of the Hell Creek Museum in Belle Fourche, a 6,500 square-foot museum with a working paleontology lab, interactive exhibits and dinosaur displays.
“Finding a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton with 183 bones doesn’t happen every day,” he said.
Stein said the auction of Gus could lead to a purchase by either a museum or a private individual or group.
But it is unlikely an American museum would have the funding to acquire Gus because many are struggling or struggling financially, Stein said. Across the world, however, interest remains high in major fossils in countries where funding may be more accessible, such as in Japan, Korea, China, Dubai, Saudi Arabia or in Europe, Stein said.
“On the one hand, I would love for this and every fossil I collect to go to a museum,” he said. “However, there’s so many dinosaur specimens and skeletons on display, it’s not going to affect the science that much if it ends up in private hands.”
— This story originally published on southdakotanewswatch.org.
Iverson Ford now offers the 2027 Ford Expedition, giving families throughout Huron, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Watertown, Brookings, De Smet, Redfield, Miller, and surrounding South Dakota communities access to a full-size SUV with advanced technology, impressive capability, and spacious three-row comfort.
— Iverson Ford is proud to offer the 2027 Ford Expedition, providing drivers throughout Eastern South Dakota with Ford’s latest full-size SUV engineered for growing families, outdoor adventures, towing capability, and everyday versatility. The newest Expedition combines three-row comfort, advanced driver-assist technologies, modern connectivity, and confident performance for today’s active lifestyles.
Located at 2500 Dakota Avenue South in Huron, Iverson Ford serves customers from Huron, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Watertown, Brookings, De Smet, Redfield, Miller, Woonsocket, and surrounding South Dakota communities. As part of the Iverson Auto Group, the dealership offers an extensive selection of new Ford vehicles supported by experienced product specialists, financing professionals, and certified Ford service technicians.
The 2027 Ford Expedition continues Ford’s commitment to delivering capability and comfort in one versatile SUV. Designed for families who need generous passenger space and flexible cargo capacity, the Expedition is well suited for daily commuting, weekend road trips, towing recreational equipment, and exploring South Dakota’s parks, lakes, and outdoor destinations.
“Our team enjoys helping customers find an SUV that fits both their lifestyle and long-term transportation needs,” said a representative of Iverson Ford. “The 2027 Ford Expedition offers the capability, technology, and versatility that many South Dakota families value, whether they’re traveling across town or across the state.”
Demand for full-size SUVs continues to grow as drivers seek vehicles that balance passenger comfort with towing capability and advanced safety features. Iverson Ford helps customers compare Expedition trim levels, explore available technologies, and select the model that best matches their family’s needs while providing continued support through financing, certified maintenance, and genuine Ford parts.
Drivers interested in the 2027 Ford Expedition are encouraged to browse available inventory online or visit Iverson Ford in Huron to experience the SUV firsthand.
About Iverson Ford
Iverson Ford is a full-service Ford dealership located in Huron, South Dakota. Serving drivers throughout Huron, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Watertown, Brookings, De Smet, Redfield, Miller, and surrounding communities, the dealership offers new Ford vehicles, quality pre-owned vehicles, financing, certified Ford service, genuine OEM Ford parts, and customer-focused automotive solutions backed by more than 75 years of service through the Iverson Auto Group.
Contact Info:
Name: Iverson Ford
Email: Send Email
Organization: Iverson Ford
Address: 2500 Dakota Ave S, Huron, SD 57350
Phone: +16053526464
Website: https://www.iversonford.com/
Release ID: 89197473
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