South Dakota

SD Abortion Rights: Fight over Amendment G continues

Published

2 years ago

August 9, 2024

SD Abortion Rights: Fight over Amendment G continues

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The battle between Life Defense Fund and Dakotans for health continues to play out in the South Dakota court system. Life defense fund alleged that state laws were violated as petition circulators collected signatures for Amendment G

Now, another group of lawyers is entering the conversation.

Lawyers for Freedom Amendment G is a new group being chaired by Renae Christensen and Stephanie Pochop, hoping to advocate for abortion rights in their communities.

“It’s a freedom amendment. Make no mistake about it. This is a slippery slope. If the government is intending on legislating what we can do with our own personal bodies, that is going to give them access to our personal lives in an unbelieve way,” Renee Christensen said, with Christensen Law Office.

“I hope that lawyers still carry enough water and trust among members of the public that we can go and say this is what Amendment G does. Amendment G restores the Roe V. Wade rights that have existed for the last 50 years. It’s not new. It’s not extreme. It’s not wild,” Pochop said, an attorney with Johnson Pochop & Bartling.

Caroline Woods, a spokesperson for the Life Defense Fund, says the case against Dakotans for Health and Amendment G, points to bait and switch tactics, a lack of circulator handouts for those signing the petition, and people signing the same petition multiple times.

The added that they have evidence to back these claims.

“We believe this amendment should not be on the ballot because they cheated their way and they lied their way to get there. The public has no business voting on something like that when they had no business lying and cheating to get there in the first place,” Woods said.

“South Dakota Voters have had this particular issue on the ballot and have expressed a pretty strong opinion about wanting to make sure that women and girls can exercise the right to abortion. I feel like a lot of times our legislators just don’t want to listen to what our voters have to say,” Pochop said.

If the court’s decision isn’t made by November 5 and the measure is voted on and passed, the Life Defense Fund believes Amendment G can still be prevented.

“If we don’t get a decision until after that time the Secretary of State can actually instruct auditors to disregard the votes altogether and not include it in the South Dakota constitution,” Woods said.

“The suggestion that a legal relief would be for the secretary of state to issue a proclamation that votes don’t count is novel at best. I don’t think you’ll find any place in the law where that’s justified,” Nancy Turbak said, the chair of the Freedom Coalition.

All ballot questions must be certified by the Secretary of State by August 15, making it likely that Amendment G will appear on the November Ballot, but its overall future remains unknown.

You can read the Amendment in its entirety HERE.

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South Dakota

South Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children

Published

7 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

South Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) -A South Dakota mom is turning her love of children’s books into hope for kids in foster care.

Elizabeth Heggem started selling children’s books through Paper Pie to build a library for her two sons. She soon thought about how she could make an impact in her community.

“There’s roughly 1,600 kids in foster care in South Dakota right now, and maybe only around 700 homes available. So a lot of these kids have to travel when they’re placed in foster care,” Heggem said. “That’s kind of the goal with this book drive: once they’re placed in care and traveling, they have something to do, they have something to hold on to. And they know that they matter.”

Heggem is partnering with South Dakota Kids Belong for a statewide book drive during National Foster Care Month in May. She launched the campaign online with a goal to get books into the hands of kids the moment they enter care.

What’s in each pack

Each EmpowerME pack includes $50 worth of new, high-quality books, a non-disposable bag the child can keep, and age-appropriate selections designed to provide comfort, encouragement, and entertainment during transitions.

The packs are available in five age categories: 0-2, 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14 and older.

“It’s 35 dollars to sponsor a child. Like I mentioned, with Paper Pie’s match, I’m able to provide 50 dollars worth of high-quality, engaging books, and they also get a bag to keep that’s theirs,” Heggem said.

How to donate

Donors can give online or directly to Heggem via Venmo.

$35 sponsers one child
$105 sponsers three children
$350 sponsers 10 children

The books will be waiting in foster care offices across South Dakota for kids of all ages to grab as they head to a new home.

“Sometimes hope looks like a safe place to land and sometimes it looks like a book in a child’s hand,” Heggem said.

Heggem’s goal is to place 500 book packs in offices statewide.

Those interested in sponsoring a book pack can donate online or via Venmo: @Elizabeth-Heggem.

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South Dakota

Woman dies after bison attack in South Dakota’s Custer State Park

Published

19 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Press Room

Woman dies after bison attack in South Dakota’s Custer State Park

Joshua Haiar
| South Dakota Searchlight

A 70-year-old Canadian woman died after being struck by a bison May 18 while hiking with her husband in South Dakota’s Custer State Park, after another park visitor was injured by a bison earlier this month.

The couple were on the Grace Coolidge Trail and found themselves behind a group of about five bull bison, according to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. The couple paused about 500 yards from the animals and waited for them to continue up the trail and out of sight. The couple then continued hiking, came around a corner and encountered the bulls at a distance of 50 yards.

The couple stopped again, and then continued trailing the bison as the animals moved away. A bull eventually broke from the group, charged the woman, hooked her and tossed her into the air.

The woman died from her injuries.

Custer State Park is managed by the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. Spokesperson Nick Harrington said staff moved the bison from the area and are monitoring the animal’s behavior “to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents.” He said dry conditions have caused bison to spread throughout the park in search of grass, increasing the chance that visitors may encounter them on trails.

Harrington said park visitors should keep their distance from wildlife, make noise while hiking, use caution around corners and ridges, and keep pets on leashes.

“It’s important to remember that bison are wild animals and need to be treated as such,” Harrington said in a written statement. “Visitors are reminded to keep their distance from all wild animals and safely enjoy both the trails and wildlife within the park.”

On May 1, a 22-year-old hiker encountered a bison while hiking the Lost Trails by Center Lake, Harrington said in response to South Dakota Searchlight questions about prior incidents. The hiker was with a friend and their dog when they rounded a corner.

“The hiker was struck by the buffalo on the back of her legs and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” Harrington said.

Harrington said the department is not aware of any other incidents involving bison within Custer State Park this year, and there had not been a fatal incident involving a bison in the park since 2001.

The 110-square-mile park in the Black Hills is home to a herd of about 1,400 bison, also known as buffalo. Bull bison can stand up to 7 feet tall at the shoulders, weigh 2,000 pounds and run up to 35 mph, according to the department.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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