South Dakota
US Postal Service to downgrade South Dakota mail operations
The U.S. Postal Service has finalized its plan to downgrade the downtown Sioux Falls post office to a local processing center, shifting non-local mail operations to a facility in Omaha, Nebraska.
The reorganization, first introduced in January, has sparked concerns about slower mail delivery to rural communities because letters and packages formerly processed and sent from Sioux Falls will be routed through Omaha, 160 miles away.
USPS expects the change to impact 35 non-managerial jobs and three management positions in Sioux Falls. Those jobs are protected by union contracts, but the employees will likely have to shift to other facilities, said Todd West, president of the South Dakota chapter of the American Postal Workers Union.
In February, the USPS finalized a decision to downgrade its Huron facility to a local processing center, moving all non-local processing to Fargo, North Dakota.
“These moves are going to affect service,” West, who is based in Watertown, told News Watch. “If you want to mail something and you know it’s going to take three or four days to get there if you go through the post office, what are you going to do? You’re going to FedEx or UPS or another carrier.”
The Sioux Falls downtown facility is currently a processing and distribution center.
In a statement dated April 30, the USPS said that the Sioux Falls facility would remain open as a local processing center and will receive “up to $12.75 million in upgrades,” including upgraded sorting equipment, new lighting and renovated bathrooms and break rooms.
As for the reorganization, “the business case supports transferring mail processing outgoing operations to the (Omaha facility),” the statement read.
No timetable set for change
Mark Inglett, a USPS spokesman based in Kansas City, told News Watch that there is no current timetable for when the changes will take place.
Service times for first-class mail are already trending downward in South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska, according to USPS data. The on-time rate for first-class mail for fiscal year 2024 is 81.4%, compared to 86.8% at the same time last year.
South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson told News Watch in a statement that the restructuring in Sioux Falls and Huron could affect delivery service and uproot employees.
“While the purpose of restructuring the Postal Service nationwide is to increase efficiency, in a state with significant rural populations like South Dakota, the change may decrease speed and efficiency,” Johnson said. “South Dakotans rely on timely service to get their news and pay their bills. Not to mention the dozens of positions that will be transferred out of state, forcing families to relocate or find another job.”
The reorganization is part of a $40 billion “Delivering for America” investment strategy spearheaded by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump in June 2020.
It continues a trend from 2012, when the USPS closed processing centers in Aberdeen, Mobridge and Pierre, leaving South Dakota with facilities in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Huron.
Postmaster general takes heat
The intent of the plan is to “upgrade and improve the USPS’s processing, transportation and delivery networks” in the face of changing mail habits and increased competition from package shipping companies.
In November 2023, the USPS announced it has lost $6.5 billion in the most recent fiscal year, despite its own projections that it would break even.
DeJoy cited inflation as a main cause of the poor performance and pointed to the ongoing restructuring as a positive step in turning things around.
“We are just in the early stages of one of the nation’s largest organizational transformations,” he said at the time.
The USPS on April 9 proposed an overall increase of nearly 8 percent on the price of postage, pending approval from a regulatory commission. Forever stamps would cost 73 cents instead of 68 cents under the proposal.
DeJoy was harshly criticized by U.S. senators at an April 14 oversight hearing that spotlighted mail delivery delays stemming from centralized USPS operations in the Atlanta area.
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia cited statistics that showed on-time delivery rates of 36% and told DeJoy: “You’ve got weeks, not months, to fix this. And if you don’t fix it, I don’t think you’re fit for this job.”
‘Not changing service standards’
The postmaster general can only be removed from office by the USPS Board of Governors, whose chairman has shown support in the past for the “Delivering for America” strategy.
Under the proposed Sioux Falls plan, mail and packages destined for outside the immediate Sioux Falls area would be routed to Omaha and “aggregated with mail and packages from other areas going to the same places.”
“All they will be processing in Sioux Falls is mail for the 570 and 571 ZIP codes,” said West. “So if you drop a letter in the mailbox, whether it’s going to Sioux Falls, Brandon or Texas, it’s going to go down to Omaha. If it’s worked out down there that it’s going to Sioux Falls or Brandon, it’s going to come back to Sioux Falls and that’s when they’re going to process it.”
Some of the concerns about slower delivery have come from groups such as newspaper publishers who rely increasingly on mail delivery and pharmacies that send out prescriptions to customers.
USPS officials held a public input hearing March 13 in Sioux Falls, where they assured attendees that the Sioux Falls facility would not be closing and that no career employees would be laid off.
But Inglett’s statement that “we’re not changing our service standards” did not put minds at ease, including those of South Dakota’s congressional delegation.
Rep. Johnson joined Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds in sending a letter to DeJoy on April 12 urging the USPS to “avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in states like South Dakota without considering the particular effects on rural areas.”
Less than three weeks later, USPS finalized the plan.
This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they’re published. Contact Stu Whitney at at stu.whitney@sdnewswatch.org.
LARCHWOOD, Iowa (KIWA) – A Tea, South Dakota man has been arrested on a felony domestic abuse charge after an incident near Larchwood.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Lyon County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Iowa State Patrol, 45-year-old Beau Christensen of Tea is accused of assaulting his girlfriend in their hotel room at Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort near Larchwood. He was arrested on Wednesday, July 8.
In his statement, the state trooper who filed the report says Christensen put his hands around the victim’s neck. The victim stated she could not breathe while this was happening.
Christensen was charged with domestic abuse assault – impeding air or blood flow, a class D felony. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.
He faces a preliminary hearing on Friday, July 10.
At last report, Christensen remained in the Lyon County Jail in Rock Rapids in lieu of a $6000 bond.
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BROOKINGS, S.D. – Instead of boarding airplanes or planning weeklong vacations, many South Dakota families are spending summer weekends closer to home, filling festivals, community events and family attractions that offer affordable ways to make memories together.
That trend is showing up across the state, according to South Dakota tourism officials. And organizers of many local events say they’ve watched it evolve over decades.
“We did re-coin that term ‘staycation’ again this year,” said Shari Budahl Avery, publicity chair for the 55-year-old Brookings Summer Arts Festival. “If things are a little tight but you want to get away for a day, we can provide that experience.”
Families are redefining summer travel
Travel South Dakota has reported that many travelers are choosing more affordable destinations, taking shorter trips and staying closer to home because of continued economic uncertainty. The department said South Dakota is well positioned because many visitors already travel by car from nearby states.
According to the department, 58% of visitors travel within 150 miles of home, and affordability, scenic beauty and family experiences remain among the state’s strongest attractions.
Travel South Dakota reports that visitors rate the state highly for affordability and family experiences, with 87% saying they would recommend South Dakota to others and 90% planning to return.
Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for AAA South Dakota, said travelers look for ways to make summer vacations fit their finances rather than canceling them altogether.
“People still want to travel,” Steward said in an interview with South Dakota News Watch. “They’re just making different choices.”
Steward said many families are adjusting by taking shorter trips, traveling by car instead of flying or choosing destinations closer to home, trends that align with what tourism officials and local event organizers are seeing across South Dakota.
Local events become summer destinations
Budahl Avery said those statewide trends match what festival organizers have observed for years.
“We’re kind of dead center in a pretty good population center,” she said. “People can come on what one friend from Texas called a ‘tank trip’ – somewhere you can drive on one tank of gas and get home.”
The two-day festival features about 178 juried artists, live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors and historical demonstrations. Budahl Avery said the goal is to create an experience where multiple generations can spend time together without needing an expensive vacation.
Affordable, convenient entertainment
During a recent stop in Brookings, the Cardin International Circus drew families from across the region. Ringmaster and comedian Rulito Videla said attendance varies from city to city, but he believes many families are looking for affordable experiences closer to home.
“If they are staying home, support your local events,” Videla said. “The circus is family-oriented entertainment. You create memories.”
Visitors interviewed in Brookings described making similar choices.
Erica Quam said her family often prefers several smaller outings over one major vacation.
“We live right near Brookings,” Quam said. “It’s close, there were some coupons that made it more affordable, and it’s just a fun, easy activity.”
Sienna Vanmeveren also chose to stay closer to home this summer to save money.
“It’s easier than traveling somewhere,” she said, adding that she would likely travel more if finances allowed.
Not every family is changing its travel habits.
Sviatlana Senchanka said her family recently completed a road trip from South Dakota to California and continues to spend time outdoors at local lakes. She said work schedules determine when her family travels more than travel costs.
For Budahl Avery, however, the value of community events extends beyond economics.
“What keeps families coming back?” she said. “Tradition. Joy. Making memories.”
Whether families travel across the country or simply across town, organizers and visitors alike say a memorable summer doesn’t always require going far from home.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, subscribe for free and donate at sdnewswatch.org. Amina Aidarkhanova received the 2026 Jeffrey B. Nelson Investigative Journalism Endowed Internship and the Chuck Raasch and Sandy Johnson Scholarship from the SDSU Foundation. Contact: amina.aidarkhanova@sdnewswatch.org.
South Dakota
South Dakota governor’s office reports helping with over 800 deportations as feds deliver funding
South Dakota troopers have assisted in more than 204 immigration-related arrests, and state National Guard soldiers have helped process 807 deportations as the state continues to expand its partnership with federal immigration authorities.
The update came as Gov. Larry Rhoden announced that President Donald Trump’s administration has provided $150,418 to the state to recoup the costs associated with the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the terms of an agreement signed in the spring of 2025, state troopers are authorized to carry out some federal immigration enforcement duties.
The money will go toward payroll, and specialized equipment and technology for the Highway Patrol’s enforcement work. The state expects additional funding as operations continue, according to a news release from Rhoden’s office.
In May, Rhoden issued a press release saying the federal government had committed to reimbursing the state $165,000. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to a question about the total cost of immigration-related enforcement for the state patrol.
Rhoden’s immigration enforcement push, which also loops in the state Department of Corrections and the South Dakota National Guard, is part of a law enforcement undertaking dubbed “Operation Prairie Thunder.” It features periodic saturation patrols by state troopers, 14 of which have taken place in 11 cities across South Dakota since last July. Initial operations focused on Sioux Falls.
“Our partnership with ICE has delivered strong results, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the Trump Administration as we work to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free,” Rhoden said in the press release.
The governor’s office said 40 Highway Patrol troopers are participating in the program. That’s more than double the number trained in mid-May,
when Rhoden announced plans
to fold more troopers into the program.
The 204 trooper-assisted apprehensions of people who reportedly lacked legal status is a jump from May, when
the state said Highway Patrol
reported 150 arrests.
The Corrections Department, meanwhile, has paroled 25 people into ICE custody for deportation. Four more people incarcerated by the state were approved for release into federal custody by the parole board in June, Rhoden’s office said, and the board will consider four more cases in July.
Each person released from state custody saves the state an average of $34,000 per year, Rhoden’s office said.
Seven South Dakota National Guard soldiers have also remained deployed in Sioux Falls and Rapid City since the fall to help ICE process deportations. National Guard-assisted deportation processing starting in May 2025
rose from 664 through mid-May
to 807 as of Tuesday.
The state Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to a request for the total number of people deported from South Dakota since the state began coordinating with ICE.
Some of the people whose ICE deportations were aided by the state National Guard may not have been living in South Dakota, Rhoden spokesperson Josie Harms told Searchlight, as they could’ve been apprehended while traveling through the state.
ICE did not respond to a request for comment on the total number of people deported from South Dakota since Trump took office.
— This story was originally published on southdakotasearchlight.com.
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