South Dakota

South Dakota rancher named to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trailblazers Cohort

Published

8 months ago

April 22, 2025

South Dakota rancher named to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trailblazers Cohort

MITCHELL, S.D. — For Calli Williams, being named to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trailblazers program is the culmination of years of hard work, advocacy and building a ranch from the ground up with her husband, Tate, and their two sons.

“We are first-generation ranchers located near Mitchell, South Dakota,” Williams said. “In the 10 years Tate and I have been together, we’ve doubled our cow size. We’re at a point where we’ve kind of maxed out the property that we own, so we’re always looking to continue to grow.”

Williams, who co-manages their annual online bull sale and direct-to-consumer retail beef business, has long had a passion for promoting the beef industry. That passion started early, when she was named the South Dakota Beef Ambassador in 2009. But it wasn’t until recently that she decided to take the next big step and apply for National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Trailblazers, a program that trains beef advocates across the country to effectively communicate and represent the industry.

Calli Williams ranches near Mitchell, South Dakota, with her husband, Tate, and their two sons.

Courtesy / Clay Guardipee

“I had seen a couple of girls on the team last year and the year prior, women that I absolutely admire,” Williams said. “And I thought, that is a heck of an honor to be on a team like that. I thought, you know what, now or never.”

The application process included short essays, a video submission, and certifications in Beef Quality Assurance and Masters of Beef Advocacy.

“And then we had to submit a five- to six-minute video of why we thought we should be a member,” she said.

Her first in-person orientation with the Trailblazers team is set for the end of June at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association headquarters in Denver.

“It’s only a two-day orientation, but it is going to be packed full,” she said, highlighting mock interviews, panel sessions, keynote deliveries, a culinary challenge, and a visit to a feedlot.

Balancing the ranch, her children, and a leadership role on the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association board, Williams acknowledges the challenge of taking on more, but also the necessity.

“It felt like it’s time that I step back on that platform of promoting and advocacy outside of just social media,” she said. “As hard as it is to leave the ranch, I think it’s important that we make those connections.”

Williams currently serves as the vice president of membership for the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, where she’s focused on member engagement and partnership development.

“I set a personal goal of where I’d like to see our membership when my position is up,” she said. “We’re in that brainstorming process, what brands or businesses can we partner with, how do we get additional cattlemen involved?”

Her selection to the Trailblazers program is celebrated by industry leaders back home.

CalliWilliams — Calli Williams ranches near Mitchell, South Dakota, and was recently selected to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trailblazers program.

“The beef industry needs strong, effective advocates — and Calli is exactly that,” said Warren Symens, president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association. “Her passion, dedication, and understanding of the industry make her an ideal representative for South Dakota. We’re excited to see the difference she’ll make on a national level.”

Williams also wants to be a voice of encouragement for those just getting their start.

“I think about Tate — he grew up on Lake Mitchell, zero ag background. He started buying cows in high school because of a friend’s operation,” she said. “There are families out there who would love a kid to come show something of theirs. It’s about making those relationships, letting people know you’re interested.”

Williams sees this opportunity as more than just personal growth for herself, she hopes to build community, raise awareness of the beef industry, and help shape the future of agriculture.

“There’s a lot to learn,” she said, “but we’re here, and we’re doing it.”

Kennedy is a reporter for Sioux Falls Live based out of Brookings with a focus on the people and issues in Northeast South Dakota. She grew up on an organic crop farm where her family also raises cattle near Estelline and also contributes to AgWeek. She graduated from South Dakota State University in 2023 with a major in agricultural communication and minor in agricultural business.

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South Dakota

Fact brief: Does South Dakota require front license plates?

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Fact brief: Does South Dakota require front license plates?

(South Dakota News Watch) – Yes. South Dakota is one of almost 30 states that require front and back license plates on vehicles, though there are a couple of exceptions.

Vehicles that are used for “occasional transportation, public displays, parades and related pleasure hobby activities” can use a rear-only plate. The plates cost $25 in addition to the normal registration cost. To qualify, drivers must provide their odometer reading at the time of registration and not exceed 7,500 miles in a year.

Motorcycles are also only required to have one plate.

Why use rear-only plates? Many owners don’t like how front plates take away from the aesthetic of their vehicles. But dual plates are touted as a way to assist law enforcement with crime.

South Dakota offers more than a dozen different types of plates: construction, emblem, habitat conservation, Dignity sculpture, historical, amateur radio license, disabled person, firefighter, EMS, tribal, tribal veteran, veteran and several military plates.

Source

South Dakota Department of Revenue, Personalized and Specialty Plates

South Dakota Department of Revenue, License plate application

Lakota Times, South Dakota specialty plates available July 1

South Dakota laws, 32-5-98

Thompson Law Injury lawyers, Which states require front license plates?

South Dakota News Watch partners with Gigafact to publish fact briefs that refute or confirm a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.

Read previous fact briefs.
Read our verification standards and other best practices policies.
Submit a question for us to answer on the South Dakota News Watch Tipline.
Send questions or feedback to factbrief@sdnewswatch.org.

This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get stories when they’re published. Contact Michael Klinski at michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 22, 2025

Published

13 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

09-16-23-34-46, Lucky Ball: 07

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

01-09-18-19-44, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America 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.

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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South Dakota

ICE in SD — from small towns to Operation: Prairie Thunder

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

ICE in SD — from small towns to Operation: Prairie Thunder

Molly Wetsch

Reporter / Report for America corps member
605-531-7382
molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org

Five months after Operation: Prairie Thunder officially began, the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s collaborative anti-crime and immigration enforcement effort will continue into the new year, the governor’s office has confirmed.

The program was originally announced by Gov. Larry Rhoden to take place from July 28 through December.

One portion of Operation: Prairie Thunder involves the state’s entrance into multiple 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allow ICE to delegate some authority to state and local law enforcement agencies.

That happened as immigration enforcement operations ramped up after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who nominated former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as the Department of Homeland Security secretary.

Under Trump and Noem, more than 500,000 people have been deported from the country, according to Homeland Security, which has not released state-by-state deportation numbers.

ICE arrest data indicates focus on Hispanic, male individuals

In South Dakota, ICE and Homeland Security have been visible, especially in small towns in the eastern part of the state.

In July, ICE confirmed an active investigation at the Trail King Industries Inc. manufacturing plant in Mitchell, though no further information has been released about whether that investigation resulted in arrests, detainments or deportations.

In May, Manitou Equipment and Global Polymer Industries in Madison saw eight people arrested on immigration charges.

And in October, Drumgoon Dairy near Lake Norden confirmed that the company had been subjected to an immigration audit by Homeland Security, which is not the same as an immigration raid. But it resulted in the forced termination of 38 employees with citizenship information that was outdated, inaccurate or incomplete.

While nationwide ICE arrests and deportations have targeted a wide variety of individuals from multiple countries – including in neighboring Minnesota, where Somalian people have been the most recent target of ICE operations – South Dakota arrests have involved nearly all Hispanic people.

Most recent ICE arrestees in South Dakota are citizens of Mexico and Central America, with the majority coming from Mexico and Honduras, and 98% are male, according to government data obtained via a FOIA request from the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by South Dakota News Watch.

The project currently retains accurate state-based data from July 1 to Oct. 15. The data cannot accurately reflect any arrests prior to July 1 but can help to understand general arrest trends in South Dakota.

Hispanic people across the state have reported feeling less safe, said Ivan Romero, vice president of the South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Latino Festival and Parade, which is hosted in Sioux Falls by the South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was canceled this year due to safety concerns, Romero told News Watch in October.

“That was unfortunate, but people just don’t feel comfortable coming to Sioux Falls at this point,” he said.

The vast majority of detainer requests from July 1 to Oct. 15 went to the Minnehaha County Jail in Sioux Falls, followed by the Pennington County Jail in Rapid City and the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.

The Deportation Data Project defines detainer requests as “all requests to state, county, and municipal jails and prisons either for a person to be held on a detainer or for a notification of release date and time. A detainer is a request to a local jail to hold someone for 48 hours beyond when they otherwise would be released so that ICE can make an arrest in the jail while the individual remains detained.”

ICE said that detainer requests are most often lodged against an individual in an agency’s custody that poses a “public safety threat.” Other Homeland Security agencies can issue detainers, but most come from ICE, according to the agency’s website.

Operation: Prairie Thunder focuses on drug operations

To date, ICE has signed more than 1,200 287(g) agreements with agencies in 40 states, including five with various South Dakota agencies enabling parts of Operation: Prairie Thunder.

Those agreements take three different forms:

Task Force Agreement: The “force multiplier” program that allows law enforcement officers to adopt limited immigration enforcement duties, with ICE oversight. The South Dakota Highway Patrol signed this agreement on May 22 and the South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigations signed it on June 11.
Warrant Service Officer: Allows law enforcement officers to execute warrants on behalf of ICE on individuals in their agency’s jail. The South Dakota Department of Corrections signed this agreement on Aug. 28, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office signed it on March 17 and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office in Pierre signed it on March 7.
Jail Enforcement Model: Allows law enforcement officers to identify and process individuals who may be in violation of immigration laws while they are serving time in their agency’s jail. The DOC signed this agreement on July 25.

While Operation: Prairie Thunder’s immigration enforcement prong has been well-publicized in the state, the majority of the program’s activity comes from enhanced traffic monitoring and drug enforcement, according to data released from the governor’s office.

According to a press release from Operation: Prairie Thunder, 260 of 406 – 64% – of individuals currently in custody as a result of Operation: Prairie Thunder have a drug charge and 156 have been cited with a drug charge and released. More than 2,000 traffic citations have been issued.

The “ICE Contacts” section of Operation: Prairie Thunder’s most recent dataset said that 89 people had been contacted in ICE-related situations since the program was announced. A representative from the Department of Public Safety told News Watch in a statement: “The intent of (Operation: Prairie Thunder) is to reduce crime in our communities.

“It is important to note that any ICE contacts are incidental contacts – we aren’t seeking out illegal aliens during the saturation patrols. However, the 287(g) agreement allows us to coordinate swiftly with ICE if a stop uncovers undocumented individuals. Those undocumented, non-citizens, are the people counted as ‘Individuals Contacted.’ Not all of those found to be undocumented are taken into custody, per ICE guidance, therefore the ‘Contacts’ and ‘Arrests’ sections differ.”

The program, which initially concentrated most of its efforts in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area, has started other efforts across the state.

Operation: Prairie Thunder most recently carried out operations in Belle Fourche, Huron and Yankton, where 75 individuals were taken into custody, 42 with a drug charge. Twenty-seven people were identified as ICE contacts.

The city of Brookings issued a statement on Dec. 12 that the operation would be coming to town Dec. 17-19 and that the city “would not be participating.”

Josie Harms, Rhoden’s press secretary, said the ongoing arrest and citation statistics indicate successful crime-fighting efforts.

“Our results remain impressive, and it is clear that this operation is keeping South Dakota strong, safe, and free — so we are going to keep it up,” Harms said in a statement.

This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email for statewide stories. Investigative reporter Molly Wetsch is a Report for America corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org.

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