South Dakota
Vigils held across the country to remember South Dakota actor Cole Brings Plenty
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – On March 31st, actor Cole Brings Plenty, best known for his appearances in the “Yellowstone” spinoff “1923”, went missing. Less than a week later, the 27-year-old’s body was found in a wooded area outside of Kansas City on April 5th. It was not far from his unattended car.
The heartbreaking loss is being felt by Native American communities around the country, especially in South Dakota where Brings Plenty was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
“It really hurt my heart because I have children with the same last name and I couldn’t even imagine to see their names in the news the way Cole’s name was in the news,” said Shaina Yellowback, an organizer of the event.
Vigils were held nationwide on Sunday, including one at Van Eps Park in downtown Sioux Falls. They were just one of many ways that Native Americans have come together to grieve and honor the memory of a young, up-and-coming actor and tribal member gone too soon.
“That’s the best thing we can do as indigenous people is to really bring more awareness for one another because these things shouldn’t be happening,” Yellowback explained.
As of Sunday, no cause of death has been identified, but a recent release from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office indicated that there was no foul play involved in Brings Plenty’s death. It still leaves friends and family with more questions and they hope for answers and closure soon.
“Justice for sure,” Yellowback said when asked how they hoped to find closure. “I know a lot of our relatives are missing and they don’t get that thorough investigation like any other relative would, honestly. I’m just wanting more awareness, thorough investigations and to be able to take of one another.”
Brings Plenty’s funeral is set to be on Tuesday in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.
Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
Republican businessman Toby Doeden advances to primary runoff in South Dakota governor’s race
Republican businessman Toby Doeden has advanced to a runoff in South Dakota governor’s race, NBC News projects.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, who replaced Kristi Noem last year when President Donald Trump nominated her to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was battling with Rep. Dusty Johnson and former state House Speaker Jon Hansen for a second spot in the July 28 runoff. The primary will go to a runoff because no candidate eclipsed 35% of the vote.
Trump did not issue an endorsement in the race. Doeden branded himself on his campaign website as “a total political outsider who’s tired of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises” and one of Trump’s “fiercest supporters.”
Rhoden, a former lieutenant governor, agriculture secretary and lawmaker, campaigned on property tax cuts and lowering crime in his bid for a four-year term.
Johnson is the state’s lone representative in the House, where he previously was chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. Hansen, who was elected to the South Dakota House in 2010, held several leadership positions before he became speaker.
The Republican nominee will be the favorite to win the general election in the solidly red state this fall. A Democrat has not served as governor in South Dakota since the 1970s, and Trump carried the state by 29 points in 2024.
News
Agronomist: eastern South Dakota crops hit and miss
An agronomist in eastern South Dakota says corn and soybeans are hit and miss as the growing season begins.
Steven Zemlicka with AgTegra Cooperative tells Brownfield, “We’ve got corn anywhere from V1 all the way up to V4. Biggest stuff’s maybe touching V5. Corn’s coming right along, looks pretty good. A little bit of hail here too, but I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue. Stands for the most part are pretty good, pretty solid.”
Zemlicka says soybean emergence has been slow due to the wet, cool conditions, and there are a few fields that still need planted.
“People were still working on planting soybeans when we got the recent rain.”
He says recent rain totals ranged from a half inch to as much as four inches in the northeast part of South Dakota; the southern part of the state has been drier.
South Dakota’s corn is rated 61 percent good to excellent, with soybean conditions rated 57 percent good to excellent, according to USDA’s first condition ratings of the season.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The South Dakota Community Foundation is encouraging nonprofits to apply for funding this June.
Beth Massa and Ginger Niemann joined us live with what you need to know before applying.
Watch the full interview above.
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