RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Summer roadwork season is underway across South Dakota, with construction projects, highway maintenance, utility work and safety campaigns affecting travelers in several parts of the state. Here’s a look at the latest updates motorists should know for the week ahead, before heading out on the roads.

Ditch work begins June 8 on SD Highway 20 west of Reva

A road construction project is scheduled to begin Monday, June 8, on South Dakota Highway 20 west of Reva.

According to the South Dakota Department of Transportation, crews will perform miscellaneous ditch work on SD Highway 20 from approximately 1.75 miles west to 1 mile west of the junction with Highway 79.

Construction activities will take place weekdays between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. MDT and are expected to continue through June 26. The project is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m. MDT on Friday, June 26.

Motorists traveling through the area are encouraged to use caution and be alert for construction workers and equipment operating near the roadway.

Drivers with questions about the project can contact their local South Dakota Department of Transportation area office for additional information.

Blotter operations begin June 8 on U.S. Highway 385 near Pactola Dam

Road work continues on U.S. Highway 385 between Pactola Dam and Calumet Road.

Beginning June 8, contractors will start blotter operations, a process that involves packing and hardening the road surface. The work is expected to continue through July.

Motorists should use caution in the work zone and be aware of loose gravel and reduced speeds during the construction period.

Black Hills Energy to remove powerline overnight along Fifth Street in Rapid City

Black Hills Energy will remove an overhead power line in downtown Rapid City later this week, with work scheduled overnight to minimize traffic disruptions.

The decommissioning is set to begin around 9 p.m. Wednesday along Fifth Street, stretching from the alley south of Kansas City Street to the alley north of Main Street.

Officials say the nighttime schedule is intended to reduce impacts in the busy downtown area and provide a safer work environment. One lane of Fifth Street will be closed during the project, and drivers are asked to use caution while traveling through the area.

The work is expected to be completed in a single night. For questions or more information, the public can contact Black Hills Energy at 605-721-2642.

SDDOT outlines summer timeline for mowing highway ditches across the state

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is reminding landowners that highway ditches can’t be mowed until specific dates each summer. In parts of western South Dakota, mowing can begin June 15, while areas east of the Missouri River must wait until July 10. All mowing must be finished by Sept. 1 unless an extension is approved.

Landowners next to state highways get first priority to mow the adjoining ditches. Anyone else must have permission from the property owner, and a permit is required to mow along Interstate highways.

The state may mow some areas earlier to control weeds and improve safety. For more information, contact a local SDDOT office or visit the SDDOT website.

Officials encourage safe towing practices statewide during Trailer Safety Week

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is encouraging drivers to prioritize safe towing practices during Trailer Safety Week, June 7-13.

The annual awareness campaign highlights the importance of trailer safety and aims to educate the public on proper trailer maintenance and use. The initiative also seeks to strengthen partnerships among trailer dealers, manufacturers and consumers to promote safer roadways.

State officials said increased awareness and proper trailer maintenance can help prevent crashes and improve safety for all motorists traveling South Dakota highways.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – One of the most thankless jobs in sports is the one that gives the players the opportunity to compete in every sport.

Referees dedicate their time to help the kids of South Dakota enjoy the sports they love.

Yesterday was the High School Football All Star game in Brookings.

12 officials were there, sharpening up their skills for the regular season.

Tate Schoenfeld, 10 year referee and Alexandria native said, “Football is different than other sports where Basketball you have team camps in the summer, things like that. Football you really don’t have those opportunities so anytime you can get on the field and see live plays before the season starts is definitely a benefit.”

The South Dakota Football Coaches Association and the South Dakota High School Athletics Association partnered with improving the game of football in mind.

Justin Ingalls, state wide coordinator of officials for the SDHSAA says coaches and refs may not see eye to eye on everything.

“But one thing we will always agree on is the opportunity that we want to make this game and give back to this great game of football in every way we can to make it as good as possible for our student athletes,” said Justin Ingalls, SDHSAA State wide coordinator for officials.

Just because it was an all star game didn’t mean the refs were holding back. Ingalls quoted NFL referee Ed Hochuli.

Ingalls said, “Yes, there are penalties in a pro bowl, in here I think we had five or six different penalties, we had some good situations that we’ve talked about, teaching and learning situations.”

This has been a weekend long event.

On Friday Ingalls hosted classroom sessions with film study.

Ingalls said, “What we want called, how we want it called, and the mechanics of the game. What’s important to officials and officiating in the game.”

Ingalls was not the only one giving pointers.

There were many hands on deck making sure every ref could get their questions answered.

Ingalls said, “We had people that literally had experience in the Big 10, at the college level, and tons and tons of experience and expertise at the high school level.”

Even a 10 year veteran like Tate Schoenfelder was able to pick up a thing or two.

Schoenfelder said, “This is my first year attending but I really liked how it was run, the organization of it, and I feel like it was really beneficial to me as an individual and I think that everyone who was here as an official.”

Ingalls wants to continue to grow the game of football.

With many of the 80 athletes competing Saturday finishing their playing career.

Ingalls let them know they don’t have to step away from the field.

Ingalls said, “A number of us talked about our journeys and how we got into officiating, we want to give them some information as they go off to college about how to continue to be involved and get involved and be supported in becoming an official.”

This fun, pressureless environment set up the refs for their best chance at success with the high school football season just two months away.

NEMO, S.D. – South Dakota Mines is planning to build a more than 9,000-square-foot geology field station in Nemo. The new facility will give students a dedicated space to live and collaborate while completing required field camps.

The project is being completed in conjunction with the South Dakota Mines Center for Alumni Relations and Advancement (CARA). Currently, geology students have to commute from the Rapid City campus to remote locations every day to complete their field camps.

The new center is aimed at making the study of Black Hills geology more accessible while providing late-night mentorship and a better space for students to hang out and work together.

“Several years ago we received the generous gift of land in Nemo, and at that moment, you know, that gift of land opened up some opportunities and allowed us to think about what might be possible,” said Marc Vaillancourt, Chief Executive Officer for CARA at South Dakota Mines.

Vaillancourt says the Black Hills are one of the greatest natural geology classrooms in the world, giving students the opportunity to climb rugged terrain, map complex formations, and wrestle with folds, faults, and intrusions. He emphasized that the field camp is a rigorous requirement, where students spend their days in the field conducting research and geological mapping alongside professors.

“The field station and the field camps… that really is the capstone for a student,” Vaillancourt said, “They’ve spent four years studying the work and what it takes to be a geologist or a geological engineer, and now the last thing, the capstone, is that field camp experience, being there in the weeds, so to speak, in the rocks.”

The new 9,415-square-foot facility will feature dormitories and collaboration spaces, functioning as a classroom embedded in the Black Hills. The project is estimated to cost just over $6 million and will be entirely funded by private donors.

The Center for Alumni Relations is hosting a public meeting Monday evening to share their vision and answer questions from Nemo residents. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 8, at the Nemo Community Hall.

Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.