South Dakota

Vandals Break Into South Dakota BLM Area, Drive Heavy Equipment Into Ditch

Published

8 months ago

May 6, 2025

Vandals Break Into South Dakota BLM Area, Drive Heavy Equipment Into Ditch

Law enforcement officers are investigating a strange incident of vandalism at Fort Meade Recreation Area in South Dakota just east of the Wyoming border. Multiple construction vehicles on-site for an infrastructure project were driven into the same ditch.

Two Komatsu excavators and a skid-steer loader were driven into a narrow ditch dug to install a water pipeline. All three vehicles belong to the contractor for the project, Flatland Enterprises LLC.

“An unknown individual or individuals gained unauthorized access to the construction equipment on the evening of May 3,” Brittany E. Jones, Chief of Communications for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Montana/Dakotas Office, told Cowboy State Daily. “The contractor was able to recover and remove the equipment from the trench on May 5, and construction resumed the next day.”

Wyoming and South Dakota are experiencing a surge of similar incidents of vandalism on public lands. An incident on this scale in South Dakota is not inspiring confidence in Wyoming’s contractors.

“We worry about all of our machinery whenever it leaves the yard,” said Paul Leroux, owner of Boone’s Machine and Rental in Cody. “We’ve never experienced something like this, but anything can happen.

Ditch Diggers Down

Jones said Flatland Enterprises was in the process of installing a potable water pipeline to improve water access for Fort Meade Recreation Area’s campgrounds and grazing livestock. Their vehicles ended up in the ditch they had dug for the new infrastructure.

“The contractor’s equipment sustained minor damage but remains functional,” she said. “There was no reported environmental damage related to the incident, and (it caused) an estimated 1.5-day delay.”

The Meade County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating the incident. They had strong words for the “genius” whose “childish antics” damaged the equipment and delayed the project.

“This weekend, somebody decided it would be hilarious to take valuable equipment for a joyride,” the department posted on Facebook. “So, whoever you are, do us all a favor and leave. Go find a sandbox somewhere else and play your stupid games that ruin other people’s property! Your little stunt has cost taxpayers money because this is a public project. This is exactly why we can’t have nice things!”

Vandals broke into a South Dakota public recreation area near the Wyoming border over the weekend and drove several construction vehicles into a ditch. It’s another instance of vandalism on public lands that has Wyoming contractors watching. (Bureau of Land Management)

Risk Of Exposure

Leroux looked over the photos of the ditched diggers. Based on what he could see, he believed the damage wasn’t too significant.

“It’s hard to see the details, but it looks like there were some bent panels. The repairs probably aren’t super-extensive, and most of those machines could be re-corrected and put back to work relatively quickly,” he said.

Leroux said earth movers are designed to be durable, but that doesn’t make them invulnerable. Improper handling can damage any machine.

“There’s always exposure when you have equipment in the field, whether qualified or unqualified people are using it,” he said. “It’s a constant worry.”

Flatland’s machinery was installing a water pipeline, but the job site and the ditch appeared to be dry. According to Leroux, that’s very fortunate.

“Repairs can be extensive if a machine ends up in a pond or something,” he said. “If the surfaces are mostly dry, the machines will probably be okay.”

Vagaries Of Vandalism

Jones said vandalism is “an unfortunate and ongoing challenge on public lands” in South Dakota. This is just the latest incident of a disconcerting trend.

“Public lands are a shared national resource, and the BLM encourages all visitors to respect these spaces and follow Leave No Trace principles,” she said. “These acts undermine the shared values of stewardship and access that public lands are built upon.”

Recent incidents of vandalism at Fort Meade have resulted in damaged or destroyed signs, vault toilets, kiosks, gates, fences, and other public facilities. Repairing that damage comes at the taxpayer’s expense.

“Acts of vandalism not only waste taxpayer resources but also delay improvements and diminish recreational experiences for the broader community,” Jones said. “The public’s support in protecting these areas helps ensure they remain safe, accessible, and welcoming for generations to come.

Vandals broke into a South Dakota public recreation area near the Wyoming border over the weekend and drove several construction vehicles into a ditch. It’s another instance of vandalism on public lands that has Wyoming contractors watching. (Bureau of Land Management)

Grow Up

Similar incidents of vandalism are a constant and costly irritant throughout Wyoming.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is increasingly concerned about people shooting signs they’ve posted at public access points. Meanwhile, the Wyoming Department of Transportation estimated it would cost $1,000 to replace two road signs stolen from the tunnels along U.S. 14/16/20 west of Cody (although one of the signs was recovered).

“Sadly, people think they can do it, because they can,” Campbell County resident Frank Groth, a firearms instructor and retired law enforcement officer, told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s just irresponsible and childish. And that’s me being charitable. I can think of other words for it.”

Boone rents construction machines to several governmental agencies, including the BLM, the State of Wyoming, and municipalities throughout northwest Wyoming. He’s never experienced anything like the incident at Fort Meade, but the incident doesn’t do anything to assuage his worries about vandalism and damaged property on a job site.

“The contract any entity signs will tell them they have full responsibility for the equipment while it’s on-site,” he said. “We haven’t had to deal with anything like this, but there’s always exposure on the job.”

The Meade County Sheriff’s Office has pledged that several deputies who “share your frustration with this idiocy in our community” are determined to hold the vandals accountable. They encouraged anyone with information to come forward and help them “put an end to this nonsense together” – there’s no defending these ditch-driving vandals.

“There are real people with real jobs relying on this equipment,” they said. “You’ve ruined everything with your pathetic behavior. Seriously, grow up.”

Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 5, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

04-18-24-51-56, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

02-07-08-21-45, Lucky Ball: 15

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

12-19-21-30-47, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 03

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

SD Lottery Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 4, 2026

Published

2 days ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

03-08-13-38-47, Lucky Ball: 02

Check Lucky 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.

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

UND depth shines in fending off South Dakota State in OT

Published

2 days ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

UND depth shines in fending off South Dakota State in OT

GRAND FORKS — UND senior guard Garrett Anderson had shot 1-for-7 from the field before he pulled up for a deep 3-pointer in overtime.

It was a make-or-break shot for the Fighting Hawks, who trailed South Dakota State by two points with 20 seconds remaining.

Anderson’s triple fell. On a Saturday afternoon at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center where several Hawks provided clutch shots late, it was his 3-pointer that iced the victory.

UND senior guard Garrett Anderson dribbles up the court against South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Jan. 3, 2026.

Gabe and Reed Uelmen / Grand Forks Herald

“That was a huge three by Garrett,” UND head coach Paul Sather said. “Happy for him, because you feel it with him — when that floodgate opens a little bit of confidence, and not just as a scorer but just as a player, he keeps fighting for it, keeps working for it, keeps keeping the right mindset.”

UND won 90-87, earning its third-straight win over the Jackrabbits and improving to 2-0 (8-10 overall) in Summit League play.

South Dakota State, hot off the heels of a commanding New Year’s Day win over Omaha, fell to 1-1 in conference (8-9 overall).

“These two first league games, you need to protect your home court if you want any chance to be in play at the end of this year,” Sather said. “It’s a great way to start. But you also need to go on the road and win some games. And as I tell the guys, it’s not who, when or where, it’s how you show up to play. And having that mentality, it’s not home and road, it’s ‘Are you ready to go today?’”

The Hawks needed just about everyone to stave off SDSU.

Redshirt sophomore guard Zach Kraft and freshman guard Anthony Smith III led the way with double-digit point totals in a first half that was a high-scoring, fast-paced affair.

UND redshirt sophomore Zach Kraft shoots a 3-pointer against South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Jan. 3, 2026.

UND shot 64.3%, South Dakota State 55.6%. By halftime, the Hawks had a slight 50-45 lead.

The shooting cooled down in the second half and in overtime. In those final two frames, the Hawks turned to a variety of players, from the starting lineup to the bench, to keep up with the Jackrabbits.

“It’s hard to sustain that for 40 minutes, but we were able to kind of get ourselves back,” Sather said. “Our bench was fantastic in that first half. … We sustained it, we got back in, we stayed there within distance of it, and guys made plays. We had opportunities to make plays and close the game, but we had plays that were made to get us into overtime and win in overtime.”

Redshirt freshman Greyson Uelmen finished with a team-high 17 points and nailed the final two free throws in overtime to seal the win.

UND freshman guard Anthony Smith III stands on the court while playing South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Jan. 3, 2026.

Kraft, who ended with 14 points, splashed a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left in regulation to take a 79-77 lead.

Junior forward George Natsvlishvili came off the bench and tied up the game just minutes earlier with a clutch second-chance layup. He also nabbed a key basket with 1 minute, 56 seconds left in overtime.

Before South Dakota State managed to rally back for its first lead of the second half, a free throw and a layup from Smith kept the Hawks’ offense on pace with the visitors. He finished with 16 points.

UND’s bench contributed 39 points.

UND redshirt freshman guard Greyson Uelmen drives to the rim for a layup against South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Jan. 3, 2026.

“I felt like our bench won the game today,” Kraft said. “In the first half, (Smith) came into the game, knocked down that three at the end of the half, and then Wylee (Delorme) in the second half, five rebounds, scoring off the offensive rebounds, it’s huge for us.”

Delorme put together his best game as a Hawk in the win. The sophomore guard from Devils Lake constantly attacked the offensive glass, flexing some creativity with slick drives to the rim.

He earned a season-high 12 points.

UND sophomore guard Wylee Delorme releases a shot against South Dakota State at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Jan. 3, 2026.

“We’ve seen him more of a shooter (in practice), I haven’t really seen the behind-the-back, step-through and float,” Anderson said. “That was kind of new, that was a tough move. But he’s gotten to it in practice for sure.”

Kraft, Uelmen, Smith, Delorme and senior guard Eli King all finished with 12 or more points.

“We just relied on our guys that make those tough shots and are built for those moments,” Delorme said. “Seventh, eighth man off the bench — like Marley (Curtis), Marley can have a double-digit day too. All of us can go for 10 points, but it’s just a matter of making the easy plays and just using each other.”

UND will face its first road test of the conference slate this Thursday, when it travels to Omaha.