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South Dakota looks to space for high-speed internet access initiative

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South Dakota looks to space for high-speed internet access initiative


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It’s expensive to extend fiber-optic cable to the remaining locations in South Dakota that don’t have high-speed internet, so the state is leaning into providers offering service from satellites in space.

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The state’s ConnectSD initiative, which began in 2019, had helped bring broadband access to 91% of South Dakota by 2024. A state report noted the remaining 9% would be costly, given the price of bringing miles of fiber to remote areas with few customers. 

The broadband initiative has cost $300 million so far, with funding from federal, state and private sources. Gov. Larry Rhoden announced recently that the state will soon receive another $72 million in federal funding for the effort.

A little more than a third of the new funding will go toward  “Low Earth Orbit Satellite” technologies, like SpaceX’s Starlink, to reach 2,705 of the 7,060 locations in the state targeted for the funds. Most of the other targeted connections will come by way of fiber-optic cable, and 177 will come via signals beamed from cellular towers.

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The satellite funding will not be used to pay for individual subscriptions, said a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. 

“Instead, the award reserves network capacity with the provider so service is available in those locations,” said Bri Vande Pol. “The provider is reimbursed on a per-location basis only when a customer subscribes to the service.”

Vande Pol said the federal funding requires providers to make high-speed internet available to each eligible location for at least 10 years. She said the provider receives 25% of the award upon confirming service is available, and the remaining payments for the reserved network capacity are made quarterly over the 10-year period.

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The new federal money comes from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act, passed during the Biden administration.  

“Under the Trump administration’s changes to that program, states are encouraged to use a technology-neutral approach and connect locations in the most efficient way possible,” Vande Pol said. 

“In some of South Dakota’s most remote areas, Low Earth Orbit satellite service is a strong, reliable solution that meets performance standards while allowing us to maximize the reach of available BEAD funding,” she added. 

As of June 2025, South Dakota’s ConnectSD program had used $84.4 million in state general funds, $88.5 million in federal funds and $129.6 million in private investment from broadband providers to connect about 31,000 locations. The state and federal money has mostly been spent on grants to service providers, to help them expand their networks.

Rhoden’s latest proposed budget asks lawmakers to authorize $87 million in federal funding to be spent on broadband in the coming fiscal year. 

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Rhoden spokesperson Josie Harms said the $72 million figure announced in a press release represents “the amount that will actually be awarded to the subrecipients.”

“The $87 million amount is the total spending authority, which includes the project costs as well as administrative costs and marketing costs,” she wrote in an email to South Dakota Searchlight.

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



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South Dakota

Nebraska man identified in fatal crash near Burke

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Nebraska man identified in fatal crash near Burke


BURKE, S.D. – A Nebraska man who died in a single vehicle crash Tuesday evening, 10 miles east of Burke has been identified.

Preliminary crash information from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety indicates Roy Robert Cadwallader, 71, of Stuart, Nebraska, the driver of a 1939 Chevrolet JB Coupe, was traveling eastbound on Highway 18 when the vehicle left the roadway and entered the ditch. The vehicle struck an approach, went airborne, then rolled.

Cadwallander died at the scene.

The crash occurred at approximately 7:24 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 near mile marker 296, about 10 miles east of Burke in Gregory County. Seat belt use remains under investigation, according to the SDDPS.

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The South Dakota Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. All information released so far is only preliminary. The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “Mitchell Republic.” Often, the “Mitchell Republic” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.





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SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for June 13, 2026

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

Here’s a look at June 13, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 13 drawing

03-13-44-50-53, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from June 13 drawing

06-13-31-35-48, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from June 13 drawing

04-10-18-28-30

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 13 drawing

03-05-11-13-49, Bonus: 01

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Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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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Opinion: South Dakota’s tech future depends on powering next wave of innovation

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Opinion: South Dakota’s tech future depends on powering next wave of innovation


America is in a race, one that will define global economic leadership for the next decade. China is aggressively

positioning

itself as a center for artificial intelligence development and deployment. The winner will capture enormous competitive advantages in innovation, job creation and geopolitical influence. But there’s a detail often overlooked in this high-stakes competition. None of it happens without reliable critical infrastructure, such as power and data centers.

Winning the AI race is fundamentally about establishing the critical infrastructure that powers innovation. AI systems rely on data centers, and data centers require electricity. If the United States intends to remain competitive, we must be able to build and power that infrastructure efficiently and affordably. That requires thoughtful policy, modernized permitting and a clear commitment to growth.

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Data centers are not secondary to the tech economy. They are the foundation. The nation that builds and controls the most advanced, reliable and affordable data center infrastructure will lead in AI development and deployment.

Here in South Dakota, we have the essential components to build this critical infrastructure. Our affordable energy, vast land and strong workforce create the necessary conditions for establishing data center facilities that can compete globally. Tech employment in our state has grown

17 percent

in recent years, outpacing many parts of the country. This is a signal that South Dakota can support and sustain the specialized environment required for advanced infrastructure development.

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But having these advantages is not enough. The window of opportunity is finite, and other states are mobilizing their own competitive advantages. If we want South Dakota to be where America builds the critical infrastructure that powers the AI future, we must act decisively. Supporting and enabling this infrastructure development is not a favor to industry. It is imperative for our state and our nation.

Establishing critical data center infrastructure in South Dakota delivers immediate and long-term benefits for our communities. Big Watt alone currently contributes roughly $900,000 a year in kilowatt-hour taxes directly to local schools and could eventually provide more than $160 million annually as future phases come online. Its payroll already totals several million dollars a year, with nearly all staff drawn from within the region. This kind of investment can strengthen schools, support local businesses and create lasting economic opportunity.

Additionally, construction and development of this infrastructure alone can support hundreds of electricians, contractors, engineers and skilled trades workers. These are good-paying jobs that circulate dollars through local businesses. For rural parts of our state, that kind of investment can be transformative.

At Oahe Electric Cooperative, we see how thoughtful planning and load growth can support grid upgrades while protecting affordability for the families and small businesses we serve. We also know South Dakota is already a leader in renewable energy, with 29 wind projects totaling 3,476 megawatts, along with growing solar capacity and grid storage resources. As demand for electricity grows, we are taking on new generation responsibly through an all-of-the-above energy strategy that rests on a reliable foundation of natural gas and coal, accompanied by wind and solar resources. Just as importantly, data centers should be required to pay the upfront costs associated with their onboarding so existing consumers are not left subsidizing the infrastructure needed to support large-scale new load. When planned responsibly, this approach can support grid upgrades and new generation in ways that maintain reliability and protect affordability for South Dakota’s households and small businesses.

The broader significance is strategic. By establishing critical infrastructure for the technology economy, South Dakota positions itself as essential to American competitiveness. We attract complementary investment, develop specialized workforce expertise and build advantages that strengthen our state’s position in the global economy for decades. If our policies create uncertainty or make infrastructure development

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financially unworkable

, capital will flow to other states where the path is clearer and the commitment is stronger. We must transform from a state watching the technology race to a state where the race is won.

Our state must act now to establish the critical infrastructure that will power American innovation for the next decade. This is our moment to position South Dakota as essential to winning the technology race. With practical regulations and a clear commitment to supporting data center infrastructure development, we can ensure that South Dakota is where America builds the advanced infrastructure that leads the world in artificial intelligence. The technology shaping the global economy will be powered by the infrastructure we build today. South Dakota can be that foundation.





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