South Dakota

Places to Plug In: S. Dak Plans to Install More EV Fast Chargers

Published

1 year ago

June 9, 2023

Places to Plug In: S. Dak Plans to Install More EV Fast Chargers

Electric vehicles are gaining popularity in the country, you see more and more of them with every passing day.

And if you’ve spent any quality time with your television lately, you’ve no doubt seen the barrage of EV commercials that vehicle manufacturers are now running to help market their new electric cars and trucks to the public.

Furthermore, if you’ve had a chance to drive an electric vehicle, you’ve no doubt seen just how nice some of them are, and how responsive these EV vehicles can be on the road.

There’s just one hitch to the giddy-up when it comes to EVs, especially in a rural state like South Dakota, not enough places throughout the state to plug in.

Dakota News Now is reporting the charging problem could be changing on the horizon.

Currently, there are only eighty-three public charging stations for EV vehicles in South Dakota at this time. To be honest, I didn’t think there were that many.

Bob Kazmierczak, the director of auto repair for AAA, told Dakota News Now, “Those eighty-three charging stations equate to 204 separate charging ports.”

The majority of EV owners right now in the state typically drive shorter distances each day going back and forth to work, so the drain on an EVs battery isn’t that drastic. If you have purchased an EV, there’s a good chance that you also have purchased a fast charging station that’s been installed at home to go along with the electric vehicle.

Chris Studer, East River Electric Power Co-Op chief member told Dakota News Now, “Most people on a daily basis are only driving ten, twenty, or thirty miles to work and back and so for an electric vehicle that you mostly charge at home fast chargers are important but they’re not crucial for someone’s decision to buy an electric vehicle.”

Studer told Dakota News Now, “Range anxiety is a real thing for consumers and so you want to make sure you can get to the next place and charge your vehicle and then get to the next place if you’re going to a destination, and so it is a challenge in South Dakota because there isn’t a lot of fast charging.”

The state of South Dakota is now working on a plan to install fast charging stations along the interstates, and then eventually start installing a series of charging stations in more rural areas down the road in a few years.

As of right now, EV owners planning on traveling longer distances need to do a good job of game-planning their journeys. You’ll need to do your homework before traveling and map out where the various charging stations are located throughout the state.

To help, the South Dakota Department of Transportation has put together a handy little EV fast-charging plan website that you can see here.

Source: Dakota News Now/South Dakota Department of Transportation

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives in Sioux Falls

In case you’ve never been lured into an hours-long binge of the show on Food Network, Guy Fieri visits places off the beaten path and tries out their signature dishes and visits with locals.

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South Dakota

Sioux City and McCook Lake clean-up underway

Published

4 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Sioux City and McCook Lake clean-up underway

NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KELO) — We have an update in North Sioux City.

In a news release from the city, power has been restored to Suncoast Drive and temporary roads have been completed. No access order remains in effect on Northshore Drive and Penrose Drive.

Power is also being worked on so people can light their homes in the McCook Lake area, while the lake itself is to remain closed as per GFP regulation.

Temporary gas services are expected to light residents by the end of June 30.

Penrose Drive is working on temporary sewage replacements.

To read the full press release, click here.

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South Dakota

Eight students receive Hagen-Harvey Scholarships

Published

11 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Eight students receive Hagen-Harvey Scholarships

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The South Dakota Department of Education announced that Eight students have received Richard Hagen-Minerva Harvey Memorial Scholarships.

The scholarships provide up to $6,000 over four years to members of American Indian Tribes to pursue a college education at an accredited institution in South Dakota.

The scholarship program is funded by the estate of Minerva Harvey, in memory of Richard Hagen, who was a state legislator from Pine Ridge.

Scholarship recipients for the 2024-25 school year include:

Linkin Ballard, Caputa
Kira Dermatis, Edgemont
Alejandra Juarez, Fort Pierre
Makana Little Sky, Porcupine
Nevaeh Morgan , Armour
Alexander Poitra, Sioux Falls
Hannah Tronvold, Lake Andes
Caleb Zephier, Pickstown.

You can learn more about the scholarship here.

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South Dakota

Sharks take final bite out off Storm’s playoff hopes

Published

18 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Sharks take final bite out off Storm’s playoff hopes

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A year that is on it’s way toward becoming the worst season in the 24-year history of the Sioux Falls Storm officially saw it’s faint playoff hopes extinguished by the team that entered the game with, ironically, the worst record in the Indoor Football League.

The Jacksonville Sharks scored nine points in the fourth quarter to upend the Storm 36-28 and officially eliminated them from IFL playoff contention on Saturday night at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

It might be the lowest point of the season for a Sioux Falls (3-10) who, having won May 18th 52-42 at Jacksonville (3-10), knew they needed a victory tonight against the Sharks at home to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and instead join them with what now is the second-worst record in IFL (only Tucson and Duke City are worse in the Western Conference with 2-11 marks).

Things got off to a wild start even before kickoff when EVERY player on each team was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty due to a pregame altercation.

The start of the game would see the teams trading touchdowns with Sioux Falls starting a new quarterback for the first time in seven games. Louisiana-Monroe alum Jiya Wright replaced Lorenzo Brown and led the Storm to touchdowns on their first three drives to help them open up a 21-13 lead.

The Sharks proved just as efficient with touchdowns on their first three drives too and, when the Storm failed to convert a fourth and six, Jacksonville made it 4-4 on opening drives when Kaleb Barker hit DJ Stubbs with for an eight yard touchdown with 11 seconds to go in the second quarter to give the Sharks a 27-21 halftime lead.

Surprisingly the game would turn into a defensive battle in the second half thanks to several long, clock-eating drives. Sioux Falls started things by blocking a Jacksonville field goal following a 5:06 minute opening drive. Sioux Falls took advantage with a ten play, 45-yard drive that chewed up 5:30 of game time and was capped off with a Wright to Kentrez Bell four-yard touchdown pass that put the Storm in front 28-27.

Jacksonville’s next possession stretched between the end of the third quarter and into the fourth and would end when Kaleb Barker was sacked on fourth down at the Storm 15 by Dajon Emery and fumbled into the waiting arms of Logan Swanson.

The Storm failed to get any points, though, when Sarris missed a 31-yard field goal. The Sharks marched down field 45 yards in 5:50 and went back in front when, on 4th and 3, Barker connected with Jaedon Stoshak for an 18-yard touchdown. To make matters worse for the Storm on the ensuing kickoff Kevin DiDio-Weber was able to boot it through the uprights for a “deuce” (additional two points) which upped the Sharks lead to 34-28.

Starting at their own five Sioux Falls drove down to the Jacksonville four only to see Wright stuffed on a 4th down and 1 run. The Sharks took over and ran out the clock.

In his debut Wright went 12-18 passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing 9 times for 22 yards and a score. Lorenzo Thompson hauled in five passes for 51 yards while Bell and Draysean Hudson each caught touchdowns.

The Storm visit Quad City next Saturday at 7:05 PM.

Click on the video viewer for tonight’s highlights.

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