South Dakota

South Dakota’s first astronaut makes pit stop in Madison

Published

4 days ago

March 7, 2026

South Dakota’s first astronaut makes pit stop in Madison

MADISON, S.D. — When a space shuttle blasts off, 6.5 million pounds of thrust propel it to the heavens, where it reaches 17,500 miles per hour in just over eight and a half minutes, traveling roughly 5 miles every beat of the heart.

This was one of the many fascinating and somewhat terrifying facts presented by NASA astronaut Charles Gemar during his Feb. 24 presentation for the Lake County National History Club, a dedicated group of high schoolers working with the Lake County Museum. The event was part of the club’s Time Traveler’s Symposium, with its president Grace Blessinger saying Gemar was an ideal guest as he’s the first astronaut to hail from South Dakota.

Raised in Scotland, South Dakota, Gemar has flown on three different space shuttle missions, logging over 580 hours in space during an 11-year career with NASA from 1985-1996. Gemar said that even at 70 years old with decades to reflect, he’s still working to fully appreciate just how special of an opportunity he received.

“I always knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an astronaut. I just never shared that because who’s going to believe that? You’re from South Dakota,” Gemar said.

Gemar explained that his journey began with his enlistment in the U.S. Army in 1973, which led to him attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and eventually earning the titles of Army officer and pilot. In 1985, he was selected as one of 13 NASA astronaut candidates, though he noted that being named a candidate is simply the first step in a long and intense training period.

Charles Gemar poses for an official NASA portrait in October 1985.

Contributed / NASA, S85-41894

This entailed two years of general astronaut training, including mountain and water survival exercises, learning thousands of spacecraft systems and switches along with spending 45 hours per quarter flying the supersonic T-38 jet and more. Gemar noted this demanding routine did its best to simulate the harsh, unforgiving nature of space, yet nothing can truly prepare you for the real thing.

Gemar’s first flight came in November 1990, where he served on the five-man crew of STS-38, which conducted a classified operation for the U.S. Department of Defense. The shuttle made 80 orbits around the Earth in 117 hours, safely landing back at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center five days after launch.

He noted the day before launch is one of the hardest, as the astronauts are forced to quarantine to limit the possibility of in-flight illness, though they are permitted a final meal with limited family prior to takeoff. This day is often emotionally tense, he added, with the astronauts attempting to mentally prepare for space flight, while the families reckon with the inherent risk of seeing their loved ones shot into space.

“When I flew my first flight, one in 15 astronauts had lost their life in the performance of their duties. Those are pretty tough odds,” Gemar remarked.

Despite the danger, Gemar and the rest of his team strapped themselves in for the trip of a lifetime, pushing away any apprehension that might affect them from achieving their mission.

“Flying in space requires a level of confidence that almost borders on narcissism,” Gemar explained. “You have to believe you can strap 600 million pounds of thrust to your back, go to space, come home safely and get the girl at the end.”

The first time he saw his home planet from the vantage point of space was deeply humbling, Gemar said, adding how the one emotion he wasn’t prepared for was “this overwhelming feeling of insignificance.”

Gemar s38-s-040~orig.jpg — STS-38 crewmembers pose in front of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle 104 at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility in November 1990. Left to right are Commander Richard O. Covey, Mission Specialist Robert C. Springer, Charles D. Gemar, Frank L. Culbertson and Carl J. Meade.

“All of humanity is back there. There’s just the five of you in space,” Gemar stated.

While it may be isolated, life in space is anything but slow, as there were countless maintenance tasks, health precautions and scientific experiments to keep the astronauts occupied. He added that the work and view may be daunting, but it’s also breathtaking. Gemar described the beauty of seeing auroras from space, the awe of recognizing landmarks like the Black Hills, Mississippi River Delta and even the clouds of smoke from active volcanoes.

Gemar flew in two more space shuttle missions in 1991 and 1994, the second of which was the second longest space mission to date. This was STS-62, where on this mission alone, 60 experiments or investigations were conducted across a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines, including materials science, human physiology, biotechnology, protein crystal growth, robotics, structural dynamics, atmospheric ozone monitoring and more.

Gemar and his crew spent 13 days, 23 hours and 16 minutes in space throughout the mission, orbiting the Earth 224 times and traveling a collective distance of 5.8 million miles.

Following his presentation, Gemar answered some general questions about space travel before offering some advice to students on the importance of following your goals and working with others to make them a reality.

“Nobody does this on their own. If there’s something you want to do, let somebody know,” Gemar said, adding that people often talk themselves out of opportunities and are too prepared to take no for an answer.

Gemar’s message on the importance of community is shared in the mission of the Lake County History Club, which attempts to inspire students to rally together in their love of history.

Charles Gemar 9802877~orig.jpg — Onboard Space Shuttle Columbia, Mission commander John H. Casper (right) and Mission specialist Charles Gemar prepare to take pictures of their home planet in March 1994.

“We just grew this group of great kids who were really interested in history,” club president Grace Blessinger, who founded the group three years ago, remarked.

Blessinger and vice president JayLynn Mackert said the club’s guest speakers have been incredible thus far, as prior to Gemar, the group hosted Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser last year in another well-attended event. The duo thanked their sponsors and the Lake County Museum for their continued success, with Mackert noting that it gives community members a chance for experiences they may never have otherwise.

“I think it provides a lot of sort of firsthand understand of things that you don’t get from textbooks because, you know, you can read about wars all you want, but hearing from a Holocaust survivor is really different,” Blessinger noted.

“We definitely wouldn’t be able to do it without the community,” Mackert added. “No one’s forced to be here, so when we walk into a room full of 150 people, we know that everyone around us wants to be there.”

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 10, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing

16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 10 drawing

03-27-43-45-49, Bonus: 04

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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South Dakota

Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package

Published

16 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package

PIERRE — Two pieces of a property tax reduction package prepared by South Dakota’s legislative leadership and the executive branch are moving forward, but one bill failed during votes on Monday as lawmakers began the final week of the annual legislative session.

The House of Representatives voted

42-27

in support of

Senate Bill 245

, which would pull future revenue from a scheduled sales tax increase from 4.2% to 4.5% next year into a relief fund for homeowner property taxes, and use nearly $56 million in one-time money to seed the fund before the sales tax increase.

The Senate supported

House Bill 1323

, which would reduce the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on a local government’s decision to levy property taxes beyond limits set by the state. The Senate passed the bill 19-15.

Both bills have to return to the opposite chamber for consideration of amendments.

The Senate rejected

House Bill 1253

, which would cap annual assessment growth for owner-occupied homes and commercial properties at 5% annually and reset assessments back to market value every five years. The bill failed with a 9-24 vote.

The bills are part of a broader,

five-bill legislative package

targeted at property tax relief.

Another bill

in the package, which would allow counties to implement a half-percent sales tax with proceeds going to homeowner property tax credits, is awaiting the governor’s signature after he proposed it and it received both chambers’ approval.

The legislative budget committee is scheduled to consider a fifth piece of legislation in the package on Tuesday.

The bill

would reduce maximum property tax levies for school districts.

Sales tax bill overcomes concerns about future budget needs

SB 245 would capture revenue from the impending sales tax increase to deposit into a “homeowner property tax reduction fund” meant to reduce property taxes levied by school districts. The Legislature and then-Gov. Kristi Noem reduced the state sales tax rate three years ago but scheduled the reduction to sunset in 2027.

House Speaker Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, told lawmakers on Monday that the bill would be an “investment in the people,” because it’ll give South Dakota homeowners more money to spend as they choose. Hansen, the bill’s sponsor and a candidate for governor, said that would lead to more spending and, therefore, more sales tax revenue. The state relies on sales taxes, while counties and schools rely on property taxes, and cities receive revenue from property taxes and sales taxes.

Some opponents said the legislation would favor wealthier, property-owning South Dakotans rather than lower-income renters.

Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, speaks on the House floor at the Capitol in Pierre on March 9, 2026.

(Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, worried that automatically diverting future state revenue to reduce homeowner property taxes would come at the cost of other priorities, such as annual funding increases for state employees, Medicaid providers and public schools — which are known as the “big three” budget priorities. Lawmakers often

aim

to increase funding for the groups by 3% or inflation, whichever is less. An inflationary increase this legislative session would be 2.5%, according to the state Department of Education.

“We are just clawing to get 1.4% for the big three,” Weisgram said. “I don’t think any of us are proud of that.”

Hansen said the decision “is not an either-or” situation.

“We can help the property taxpayers in the state who desperately, desperately need it,” Hansen said, “and then I trust fully that this state is going to continue to grow and that we are going to be able to meet the needs of our core obligations of this state.”

The bill was introduced as an amendment to placeholder legislation last week, and it will head to the Senate for approval. The Senate narrowly rejected a

similar proposal

earlier this legislative session.

Senate approves lower signature threshold to force election on excess taxes

The version of House Bill 1323 that passed the Senate would set the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on an excess tax levy (often called an “opt-out”) for a local government at 2,500 or 5% of registered voters within its jurisdiction, whichever is less. The current threshold to refer decisions by a local government is 5% of registered voters in the district, without a 2,500 signature cap.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said it will still be difficult to refer decisions by a local government to voters.

“You’re talking dozens and dozens of volunteers, weeks of organized effort,” Howard said. “There’s not a lot of people that have been through that and can even organize that kind of effort. So it’s not a trivial bar.”

Because the bill was amended since it last appeared in the House, it’ll now go to the House for approval.

HB 1253 intended to provide South Dakota homeowners and commercial property owners predictable increases in their property assessments, which factor into property taxes they pay, over five year periods.

But opponents said the change would shift the property tax burden onto farmers and ranchers and surprise homeowners every five years when assessments would be re-based on market value, which could lead to double-digit increases in assessments.

This story was originally published on

SouthDakotaSearchlight.com.

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South Dakota

Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff joined Political Pulse over the weekend.

Mehlhaff weighed in on property tax proposals, data centers, and effort to repeal the death penalty and speculation that Kristi Noem could run for Senate.

The interviewed was taped on Saturday.

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