SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Crime in Sioux Falls is trending down for the first half of the year, with police calling several of the numbers encouraging.

There have been four homicides so far this year, compared to eight at this point last year.

Robberies are also down, while property crimes are largely trending lower.

Stolen vehicles are down at what police call a remarkable rate.

“Where I used to see 13, 14 stolen vehicles a weekend, now I see one, two, or none,” Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum said.

Not every number is moving in the right direction. Police said assaults are slightly up, with youth and young adults committing more crimes with guns.

DUI arrests are at a record level, something Thum calls a warning for the community.

“We are arresting a record number of people for DUIs this year,” Thum said. “And we are seeing more DUIs than we have in years. I think this is a warning for the community and a warning for everyone out there.”

Much of the briefing shifted to one technology police said is helping them fight crime: automated license plate readers, or ALPRs.

Sioux Falls has 34 cameras that capture license plates on public roadways and check them against plates connected to wanted vehicles.

“I will tell you that the guarded use of ALPR technology in Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County and the state of South Dakota is one of the greatest crime-fighting tools holding offenders accountable that I have seen in over my 50 years of service,” Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said.

The cameras have also become a point of controversy, with questions about privacy and how the information can be used.

The city is now moving to formalize these protections. Sioux Falls Mayor Christine Erickson said she plans to issue an executive order establishing additional guardrails for the technology.

“I have full trust in Chief Thum and his team that it is a limited number of people that have access to this and that anyone that does deviate from our policy and procedures will be held accountable,” Erickson said.

Police say they’ll continue tracking these numbers throughout the rest of the year to see how the trends develop.

(July 30, 2026) – I enjoy gazing at fields of blooming yellow sunflowers as I drive by midwestern farmland at this time of year. Many people snap photos from their vehicles, and others seize the opportunity to hop out and use the golden fields as a scenic backdrop.

The North Dakota Tourism Department provides an interactive map so you know where to look for these beautiful flowering fields. Search online for North Dakota Tourism and sunflowers, and you’ll find a map highlighting prime viewing areas.

Most sunflower fields are in full bloom in early August. North Dakota is the leading sunflower producer in the U.S., with South Dakota and Minnesota rounding out the top three. Kansas, however, is known as the “Sunflower State” and has designated the sunflower as its state flower.

Sunflowers, known scientifically as “Helianthus annuus,” are native to the Americas. You may have heard of the “Three Sisters” gardening method of Indigenous or Native American peoples. The three sisters are corn, beans and squash. Sunflowers are often considered the fourth sister in this style of companion planting.

Sunflowers have a fascinating feature. Young sunflower heads track the sun from east to west throughout the day. This movement is called heliotropism. As the plants mature, however, the flower heads typically face east for the remainder of the growing season.

Sunflower seeds can be classed as “oilseed” or “non-oil” (confectionery). Most of the sunflower crop in the U.S. is of the oilseed variety. Confectionery sunflower seeds are typically black with white stripes and are larger than the black oilseed type. Sunflower seeds are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Besides beautifying our environment, sunflowers have many practical uses, including cooking oil, as roasted crunchy snacks and as a nonallergenic peanut butter alternative. Sunflower kernels can add crunch to salads, baked goods and main dishes, especially in households with a family member having a peanut allergy.

Peanuts, by the way, are among the most common food allergens. Federal regulations require packaged foods containing peanuts to be clearly labeled.

Someone with a peanut allergy may experience mild to severe symptoms. Mild symptoms include hives, rash, stomach pain, nasal congestion, sneezing or several other symptoms.

Severe peanut allergies can be life-threatening, because swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath and loss of consciousness can occur. Many schools restrict or prohibit peanut-containing foods.

The development of SunButter was a major benefit for those with peanut allergies. It was developed by Red River Commodities in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture beginning in 2000. Several flavors are produced in Fargo, North Dakota, and sold throughout the country.

Sunflower seeds also serve as livestock feed and birdseed. Oilseed sunflowers can be used in biofuel production. In fact, you may be driving a vehicle fueled with ethanol. After the oil is extracted, the meal can be used as nutritious livestock feed.

I hope I have inspired you to take a little road trip. Bring some crunchy sunflower seeds or this granola as a pick-me-up. Be sure your phone has a full battery to snap some photos to post on social media.

Crunchy Chocolate Granola

1½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes

½ cup pumpkin seeds (unsalted)

½ cup flaxseeds

1 tablespoon SunButter or almond butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Mix together coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add canola oil and SunButter or almond butter. Add the dry coconut flake/seed mixture to the skillet and stir well. Make sure dry ingredients are evenly coated with the nut butter mixture. Toast in the skillet for about

10 to 15 minutes on medium-low heat. Pour mixture onto a tray lined with parchment paper, and after a few minutes of cooling, add chocolate chips and dried cranberries and toss to mix. The chips will continue melting, making the granola creamy and chocolatey. Enjoy with your favorite milk, yogurt or by itself.

Makes 12 servings. Each serving has 160 calories, 12 grams (g) fat, 5 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber and 5 milligrams sodium.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. This article is republished from NDSU Extension under a Creative Commons license. To view the original column, visit https://tinyurl.com/ydddkkkd.

You know, college football can be odd. You can win two games decisively, covering the spread against FBS competition in the Ohio Bobcats (+23.5) and the Bowling Green Falcons (+30.5). The Nebraska Cornhuskers did that to open the 2026 campaign, beating the Former Fighting Frankies 49-21 on September 5 before routing the really bad Bowlers 56-7 this past Saturday.

But with the FCS division’s North Dakota Fighting Hawks knocking on the Memorial Stadium door, the FanDuel Sportsbook is holding an early line as Nebraska at 24.5 point favorites.

(I kid, you played for the Titans, you’ve suffered enough.)

The Hawks are not to be overlooked. North Dakota is 3-0 on the season and can score. They haven’t scored less than 42 points in a game and are averaging 50.3 ppg in 2026.

Yes, Nebraska is 2-0 and they are getting some attention from national eyes, receiving votes in the American Football Coaches Association. But the early schedule has been built to give the team confidence, to give us hope, and to drive ticket sales. But the Hawks are the sixth-ranked team in the FCS. Nebraska is the lone FBS school on NoDak’s schedule before they hit the gauntlet of the Missouri Valley Conference, where they will face teams like South Dakota State (3), Illinois State (4), Youngstown State (9), South Dakota (12), and Southern Illinois University Carbondale (25). The MVC is the toughest overall conference in the FCS (damn Montana and Montana State standing in the way). In the Hawks’ last game against FBS competition, they lost 38-35 at Kansas State.

This is the last tune-up before Big Ten play. For the Huskers, it’s a chance to fix some mental errors and clean up their game before the trek to East Lansing. What does Dana Holgorsen have dialed up in this game? Will Rob Aurich’s defense continue to minimize the damage? Will a number-one running back emerge, or will it continue to be RB by committee? And will the stable of wide receivers break loose for another big day?

It’s a 6:15pm kickoff on Saturday. And you know you will be watching.