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How can female runners stay safe following the murder of Laken Riley?

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2 years ago

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How can female runners stay safe following the murder of Laken Riley?


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Almost a week has gone by since the death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered while running alone at the University of Georgia.

Since her murder, there has been an uproar of emotions amongst female runners across the nation and in South Dakota, who’ve expressed fear, sadness, and an overall sense of helplessness. How can these women look to achieve their goals and stay safe?

The Sioux Falls Women Run group was created as a safe space for female runners in the area to connect and look out for one another.

The group has over 3,000 members and it gives these women an opportunity to run with others. Board member of the Sioux Falls Women Run group, Iryna Schneider questions if women are an easy target for people who are not doing well and need to release their anger.

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She said there is no other reason for finding an unprotected victim.

“Solo runs are some people’s safe place, it’s a place to be one-on-one. it’s a beautiful place to be,” Iryna said.

But now this image of a safe space has been tarnished. Female runners have questioned if their pepper spray, taser, or even a firearm will protect them on their next run.

A local self-defense academy said the best way to defend yourself is with the tools you were born with.

Sydney Meza who founded The Empowerment Center in Sioux Falls to help women protect themselves, said to be aware of your surroundings and that it’s always important to trust your gut when being approached by a stranger.

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“They may be acting like the nicest guy in the world, and your brain may be telling you, ‘If you assert your boundary right now, he’s gonna think you’re crazy,’ but here’s the thing, when it comes to your personal safety, politeness is not the way to go,” Sydney stated.

She acknowledged that for many women who may find themselves in a situation where they’re about to be attacked, they freeze.

Her advice is to practice, so if your brain goes blank your body will know what to do.

In the video above you can see a demonstration of how to protect yourself if a stranger were to approach you.

For more information about classes at The Empowerment Center, click here.

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Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.



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South Dakota

Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more

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8 hours ago

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March 10, 2026

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Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more


RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff joined Political Pulse over the weekend.

Mehlhaff weighed in on property tax proposals, data centers, and effort to repeal the death penalty and speculation that Kristi Noem could run for Senate.

The interviewed was taped on Saturday.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.



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These 15 South Dakota counties will see DUI checkpoints this month

Published

20 hours ago

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March 9, 2026

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These 15 South Dakota counties will see DUI checkpoints this month


The monthly law enforcement effort helps to reduce alcohol-related deaths on the road.

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The South Dakota Department of Public Safety is raising awareness this month on the dangers of drinking and driving.

Sobriety checkpoints take place statewide every month, usually hitting about 15 counties, in hopes of reminding motorists to “make responsible choices and avoid driving after drinking alcohol, whether or not a checkpoint is planned in their area,” says DPS communications director Brad Reiners.

DPS also announces ahead of time which counties will be monitored, most often Codington, Lincoln, Meade, Minnehaha and Pennington counties.

What is a sobriety checkpoint?

A sobriety checkpoint is a law enforcement effort that stops vehicles at pre-determined locations to identify and arrest impaired drivers as necessary.

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These police stops are not based on unrelated violations of the law (ie., speeding, reckless driving, no seatbelt). Rather, officers are stopping any vehicle in a set pattern in a highly visible location that a driver will approach and must comply with.

Beyond arrests for driving under the influence (DUIs), including breathalyzer tests (PBTs) to determine blood alcohol level (BAC) as needed, the systematic effort is designed to “reduce impaired driving and improve roadway safety,” Reiners said.

South Dakota counties where checkpoints will take place in March include:

  • Beadle
  • Brookings
  • Brown
  • Clay
  • Codington
  • Day
  • Hughes
  • Hutchinson
  • Jones
  • Lawrence
  • Lincoln
  • Lyman
  • Meade
  • Minnehaha
  • Pennington

How many sobriety checkpoints took place in Minnehaha County in 2025?

Other than confirming counties ahead of time, Reiners says time, day and exact location of each checkpoint cannot be confirmed.

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Here’s a look at totals from sobriety checkpoints in Minnehaha County in 2025.

Reiners says the number of vehicle stops is merely based on how many happen to drive through a checkpoint that day:

  • January: 30 vehicles stopped, 3 PBTs, no DUI arrests
  • February: 18 vehicles stopped, 1 PBT, no DUI arrests
  • March: 150 vehicles stopped, 9 PBTs, no DUI arrests
  • August: 49 vehicles stopped, 1 PBT, no DUI arrests
  • September: 105 vehicles stopped, 14 PBTs, no DUI arrests
  • November: 63 vehicles stopped, 2 PBTs, 2 DUI arrests

How many fatal, alcohol-related car accidents are there in South Dakota?

According to the South Dakota Department of Health, among 365 alcohol-related deaths in 2024, 19% were because of a transportation/machinery accident, the second-most common cause.

The leading cause of alcohol-related deaths in 2024 was poisoning/toxic effects, at 24%.

Counties that most often experience overall alcohol-related deaths include Buffalo, Mellette, Corson, Oglala Lakota and Dewey counties.

Overall, males make up 65% of alcohol-related deaths in South Dakota from 2015-2024, almost two times higher than the female rate, with ages 30-69 at the highest risk.

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Operation: Prairie Thunder not involved in sobriety checkpoints

DPS officials say the S.D. Office of Highway Patrol, the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP) and local law enforcement agencies support DUI checkpoints, which are funded by the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety (SDHS).

Although Operation: Prairie Thunder (OPT) recently completed its 11th saturation patrol in Watertown on Feb. 26-27 – missions that bring together the SDHP with the city, county and federal law enforcement partners – SDHS officials stated last week that “sobriety checkpoints are not conducted as part of Operation: Prairie Thunder.”

Rather, OPT consists of targeted saturation patrols focused on criminal activity in a variety of communities.

Since its inception in August of last year, here’s a look at where total numbers stand for OPT, provided by the DPS.

Inside the parallel realities of Sioux Falls’ immigration processes.

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Ongoing Operation: Prairie Thunder running totals

  • 443 arrests
  • 281 individuals in custody with a drug charge
  • 162 in custody without a drug charge
  • 473 individuals with a drug charge
  • 192 charged and released

Operation: Prairie Thunder criminal drug apprehension totals

  • 1,109 drug charges
  • 318 felony drug charges
  • 791 misdemeanor drug charges
  • 81 felony warrants
  • 168 misdemeanor warrants

What is Shield of the Americas?: A look at former DHS secretary Kristi Noem’s new role.

Operation: Prairie Thunder ICE contacts

  • 93 contacted
  • 95 interviewed
  • 71 in custody
  • 9 apprehended for cartel / gang
  • 10 identified for cartel / gang
  • No human trafficking arrests
  • No recoveries

Operation: Prairie Thunder traffic enforcement

  • 42 DUIs
  • 5 reckless driving
  • 2,244 citations
  • 2,725 warnings

The South Dakota governor’s office announced last December that operations will continue into 2026.



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SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 8, 2026

Published

1 day ago

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March 9, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 8 drawing

01-31-32-45-52, Bonus: 05

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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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.



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