RAPID CITY, S.D. — With the start of November this Saturday — 40-million Americans who rely on snap food benefits will see them reduced, or stop altogether — if the government shutdown continues..

As the deadline approaches — local food banks are preparing for what could be another strain on their resources.

Snap is intended to stretch a grocery budget, not cover all food costs, and provide low income families access to healthy food.

In South Dakota, about 75,000 people receive snap benefits.

“It’s really hard to know what that could look like for us when it comes down to numbers of people. We’re spending some time this week getting very planful about contingency plans and and making sure that we can do all that we possibly can in the communities coming into November with those benefits changing,” said Stacey Andernacht, Vice President of Public Relations, Feeding South Dakota.

Feeding South Dakota distributes food to every county in South Dakota. providing nearly 12 million meals a year.

Snap benefits being withheld is one more stressor on the organization.

In April, Feeding South Dakota was notified they would not receive 11 expected loads of food through a federal program.

In July, cuts to federal food assistance programs resulted in more pressure on food banks.

“It is a challenging time right now as a food bank, you know, we are the food safety net for South Dakota. Our goal, our mission, our focus, is making sure that every South Dakotan has access to the food that they need to thrive, and especially in times of uncertainty and and we’re looking at a couple of different, you know, groups of folks who are feeling some uncertainty right now, and we want to make sure that they don’t feel uncertain about putting food on their table,” Andernacht said.

Feeding South Dakota is navigating the changing landscape.

Donations of cash and food to the organization like the recent South Dakota Farmers Union donation of 35,000 pounds of pork will help Feeding South Dakota meet its mission in South Dakota.

“Really, as we come into November, we’re going to need community support in order to bring us across that finish line, in order to help us, you know, bring an influx of food into the community and across the state. I can’t tell you exactly what that looks like, but it’s going to be food, for sure. It’s going to be dollars to purchase food that’s going to be our greatest need, if the shutdown continues into November,” Andernacht said.

Jerry Steinley has lived in the Black Hills most of his life and calls Rapid City home. He received a degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science from Metropolitan State University in Denver in 1994.

With a reputation for duplicating the same consistent runs time and again, regardless of the horse or arena conditions, Lisa Lockhart is simply a legend in barrel racing. The Oelrichs, S.D., cowgirl has a huge fan club, from those who hope to ride like she does to those who just enjoy watching her compete.

In the past two decades, Lockhart has made 19 trips to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, Nev., aboard a plethora of incredible horses. The one thing all of those very differently bred horses had in common: Lockhart’s trademark style around the barrels. Regardless of different styles and backgrounds, many great horses have come up in the rodeo ranks under Lockhart’s quiet hand.

The winningest cowgirl of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), perhaps the most surprising thing about Lockhart is that she has not yet earned a gold buckle. At $3,874,825 in career earnings (through the 2025 regular season) per WPRA, Lockhart has earned three NFR Average titles (2014, 2016, 2023).

Qualifying for her first NFR in 2007, Lockhart has now tied two other legends of the sport (Sherry Cervi and Charmayne James) for the most NFR qualifications. With 19 consecutive trips to Las Vegas, Lockhart has once again earned a place in the record books.

Throughout her nearly two decades of NFR qualifications, Lockhart has finished the year in the top five in the World Standings 11 times. The three-time Reserve World Champion has earned $1,758,722 at the NFR alone, throughout her illustrious career.

Although she had a slower start to her 2025 season, plagued by downed barrels and what could be considered a tough winter run – Lockhart is never one to give up. The turning point in her year was a massive win at the Cheyenne Frontier Days. Two victories in the dirt of Cheyenne, Wyo., exactly a decade apart, came aboard two of the greatest horses of her career.

In 2015, Lockhart won the rodeo aboard her famous equine partner, An Oakie With Cash (“Louie”). Louie and Lockhart were an unstoppable force, winning $1.9 million together. Returning in 2025 aboard another buckskin, this time the great mare “Rosa” (Rosas Cantina CC), the South Dakota cowgirl earned the championship at the “Daddy of ’em all.”

From July through September, Lockhart skyrocketed up the standings, ultimately finishing the regular season No. 6 in the World at $169,467.

Despite the statistics and the accolades, what has made Lockhart such a fixture of professional rodeo is her demeanor and horsemanship. Always admired for her humility and down-to-earth attitude, Lockhart has a true love for her equine athletes and the sport of rodeo. Fans regard Lisa Lockhart as a true champion, for her peformances inside the arena – and out.

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