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Voters in at least five states restore reproductive rights • South Dakota Searchlight

Published

1 year ago

November 6, 2024

Voters in at least five states restore reproductive rights • South Dakota Searchlight

In the first presidential election since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed state governments to determine if, when and why a woman can end a pregnancy, former President Donald Trump, who touted during the campaign he “was able to kill Roe v. Wade” appeared poised to be reelected early Wednesday. Simultaneously, at least five out of 10 states voted to restore or expand abortion rights, according to early election results.

National anti-abortion groups celebrated Trump’s impending victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who campaigned heavily on restoring reproductive rights. They also celebrated the defeat of Florida’s and South Dakota’s abortion-rights amendments, and foreshadowed a full assault on reproductive freedom throughout the country.

Abortion-rights measure loses in South Dakota

“Now the work begins to dismantle the pro-abortion policies of the Biden-Harris administration,” said Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement. “President Trump’s first-term pro-life accomplishments are the baseline for his second term. In the long term, GOP pro-life resolve must be strengthened and centered on the unalienable right to life for unborn children that exists under the 14th Amendment.”

Despite their losses, abortion-rights advocates said the ballot question victories signal widespread American support for abortion protections even in red states.

Most significantly, Missourians voted to overturn a total abortion ban. Voters also approved an abortion-rights amendment in Arizona, which will override the current 15-week ban. Voters agreed to expand reproductive-rights protections in Colorado, Maryland and New York. Ballot measure races in Montana and Nevada were too close to call as of early morning Wednesday.

“This is an especially historic win for Missouri,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the national legal advocacy group Center for Reproductive Rights. “In fact, the amendment goes even further, calling for ‘a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, defined to include abortion and all matters relating to reproductive health care.’ By saying yes to this powerful language, voters have demanded the return of the essential human rights and freedoms they lost after Roe was overturned.”

But abortion-rights advocates suffered a major loss in Florida, which barely failed to clear a 60% supermajority threshold, more than any of the other state abortion initiatives. With 58% voting in favor to overturn a strict abortion ban and enshrine protections, Florida is the first state to fail to secure abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned two years ago.

Abortion-rights organizers who spearheaded and funded Florida’s Yes on 4 campaign said the result still shows majority approval for abortion rights among Floridians, and they vow to continue trying to restore abortion rights in the state that six months ago was an abortion-access haven for the Southeast region.

“We’re incredibly proud to have stood with doctors, patients, and advocates impacted by this ban,” said Yes on 4 Florida campaign manager Lauren Brenzel in a statement. “Their stories, along with the countless women who will continue to suffer under Florida’s cruel and extreme abortion ban, remind us that our fight is far from over.”

Attorney and anti-abortion activist Catherine Glenn Foster told States Newsroom she is celebrating the fact that Floridians blocked attempts to enshrine abortion in their state constitution. However, she acknowledged that state abortion bans have created real problems, including women dying of preventable pregnancy-related causes and being denied routine miscarriage care. She said states that ban abortion should increase social supports, something that largely hasn’t happened since states started banning abortion, and should implement a robust training system around treating health emergencies.

“We need to have a real reckoning,” said Foster, who has previously worked for major anti-abortion groups like Americans United for Life and Alliance Defending Freedom. “We’ve created an environment where doctors are scared. They don’t know how to respond and how to treat, and that’s a big problem. We have to address that before we pass anything else.”

Abortion ballot initiative results

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, seven states — California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont — have approved reproductive-rights state constitutional amendments or rejected anti-abortion constitutional amendments. This year reproductive-rights coalitions put abortion on the ballot in 10 states. Arkansas had collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but this summer the state Supreme Court ruled that Arkansans for Limited Government, the committee behind the initiative, did not submit the correct paperwork. The group opposing abortion, marijuana and education measures in the state was led by a top adviser to Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Advocate reported.

Arizona — Proposition 139, to enshrine abortion rights until fetal viability — APPROVED

YES: 63%

NO: 37%

In this swing state, abortion is currently legal until 15 weeks’ gestation. Earlier this year, a few Republicans crossed party lines to repeal a Civil War-era near-total abortion ban the legislature had revived. This citizen-initiated amendment would also prevent any penalties for someone who helps a person get an abortion. And it would allow for exceptions later in pregnancy for the patient’s life or physical or mental health.

Colorado — Initiative 79, to allow public insurance to cover abortions — APPROVED

YES: 62%

NO: 39%

The citizen-initiated amendment proposes to expand abortion access in a state that currently has no gestational limits but does have a 40-year-old public funding ban. The amendment also proposes to prevent government interference in pregnancy and allow public insurance to cover abortions.

Florida — Amendment 4, to enshrine abortion rights until viability — FAILED

YES: 57%

NO: 43%

This citizen-initiated amendment would have overturned a 6-week abortion ban that has impacted the Southeast. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration mounted fierce opposition against the abortion-rights campaign that involved a state-sponsored misinformation campaign. Florida was the only state in this election to require a 60% supermajority for ballot measures.

Maryland — Question 1, to protect reproductive autonomy — APPROVED

YES: 74%

NO: 26%

This legislatively-referred amendment would enshrine an individual’s right to make “decisions to prevent, continue, or end” a pregnancy. Maryland has become a major abortion-access haven for the country; it is legal here until fetal viability and after for reasons related to the health of the fetus or pregnant person.

Missouri — Amendment 3, to enshrine abortion rights until fetal viability — APPROVED

YES: 52%

NO: 48%

This citizen-initiated amendment would overturn a near-total abortion ban that only has exceptions to prevent the death of the pregnant person. The ban’s ambiguous language led at least one Missouri hospital system to stop providing emergency contraception to patients, a move that forced the state attorney general to announce that Plan B and contraception remain legal.

Montana — Constitutional Initiative 128, to enshrine abortion rights until fetal viability — RESULTS NOT FINAL

YES: 58%

NO: 42%

This citizen-initiated amendment would guarantee protections in a state where abortion is currently legal but where Republican lawmakers have attempted to pass restrictions since Roe fell in 2022. Preliminary results show supporters of the measure were leading opponents as of 11 p.m. local time.

Nebraska — Initiative 434, to ban abortion after the first trimester vs. Initiative 439, to enshrine the right to abortion until viability

Initiative 434 — APPROVED

FOR: 55%

AGAINST: 45%

Initiative 439

FOR: 49%

AGAINST: 51%

Nebraska was the only state to have two competing abortion-related initiatives on the ballot.

Nevada — Question 6, to enshrine abortion rights until fetal viability — RESULTS NOT FINAL

YES: 63%

NO: 37%

In this swing state abortion is currently legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, but this citizen-initiated measure would enshrine abortion rights into law. The measure will need to be approved by voters again in 2026 to become law.

New York — Proposal 1, to bar discrimination based on pregnancy status — APPROVED

YES: 62%

NO: 39%

This legislatively-referred measure would guarantee abortion rights in a state where abortion is legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy — later if a provider determines the procedure is necessary to save a patient’s life or health, or if the fetus is nonviable.

South Dakota — Amendment G, to allow abortion through the end of the first trimester — FAILED

YES: 39%

NO: 61%

This citizen-initiated measure would have allowed regulation in the second trimester for maternal health reasons and allow lawmakers in the third trimester unless the procedure is necessary to save the life or health of a pregnant patient.

Races where abortion took center stage

Minnesota Congressional District 3

Democrat Dr. Kelly Morrison: 59%

Republican Tad Jude: 41%

Minnesota State Sen. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven, won the Minnesota 3rd Congressional District race to replace Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips in a seat that before 2018 had for decades gone to Republicans, AP reported. Morrison is a practicing OB-GYN who supports abortion rights. Currently, the only OB-GYNs in Congress oppose abortion. Her Republican opponent, Tad Jude, has called every abortion a “tragedy” and supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

A special election in Minnesota will determine who takes over Morrison’s state Senate seat, whose term ends in 2026.

Wisconsin Congressional District 8

Republican Tony Wied: 60%

Democrat Dr. Kristin Lyerly: 40%

Of the close races in the swing state of Wisconsin, the 8th Congressional District was the least likely to flip from Republican control. But Dr. Kristin Lyerly launched a fierce campaign emphasizing a commitment to restoring reproductive health access to Americans, something she is uniquely positioned to advocate for as a longtime OB-GYN and abortion provider. Lyerly is also one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that successfully blocked an 1849 Wisconsin feticide law that was temporarily enforced as a state abortion ban. Her campaign attracted national campaign cash and support. Her opponent, Republican Tony Wied, a former gas station owner, largely ran on his Trump endorsement.

Tennessee State House District 75

Republican Jeff Burkhart: 55 %

Democrat Allie Phillips: 45 %

Incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Burkhart defeated former day care operator and political newcomer Allie Phillips, who largely campaigned on reproductive rights. The 29-year-old drew national attention after speaking out about being denied a necessary abortion in Tennessee, where abortion is banned, when her desired pregnancy became nonviable and dangerous at 19 weeks. She ultimately traveled out of state to obtain the abortion. Phillips joined a legal challenge to the state’s strict abortion law. She pledged if elected to immediately push for a policy that would carve out exceptions for fetal anomalies to Tennessee’s abortion ban, which she’s named “Miley’s Law” after the baby she and her husband lost.

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TBD vs. South Dakota Coyotes – Live Score – March 31, 2026

Published

7 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

TBD vs. South Dakota Coyotes – Live Score – March 31, 2026 | FOX Sports

LEADING SCORERS

PREVIOUS GAMES

TBD

– No Data Available –

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SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 28, 2026

Published

19 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 28, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 28 drawing

11-42-43-59-61, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from March 28 drawing

15-29-30-32-35, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 28 drawing

04-08-13-31-35

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 28 drawing

12-14-17-22-55, 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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7 Most Rattlesnake Infested Areas in South Dakota

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

7 Most Rattlesnake Infested Areas in South Dakota

There is only one rattlesnake native to South Dakota: the prairie rattlesnake. Also known as the Great Plains rattlesnake, it has the largest range of any rattlesnake in North America, stretching from Canada to Mexico.

In South Dakota, the prairie rattlesnake’s range crosses through the western parts of the state and lands around the Missouri River. The prairies, badlands, rocky outcrops, and river watersheds make ideal places for it to thrive, and these snakes are most often found in areas where that terrain provides them with room to hide and hunt.

These snakes are not aggressive toward humans, but they will defend themselves if threatened. That is why the areas below stand out, as they combine the kinds of habitat where prairie rattlesnakes are most likely to live with places where people also hike, camp, and explore.

Custer State Park

Herd of buffalo in Custer State Park.

Spanning 71,000 acres, Custer State Park is home to granite mountain peaks, lakes, and grasslands. Set in the Black Hills, its most noteworthy trails are up mountains such as Black Elk Peak, but its Wildlife Loop Road runs for 18 miles through open grasslands home to prairie dogs, bison, and other animals. These grasslands are a prairie rattlesnake’s preferred habitat, as they can slither through undetected and feed on prairie dogs, taking over their colonies.

Prairie rattlesnakes can be found in other places in Custer State Park as well, including in lower-elevation campgrounds. There have been multiple reports of rattlesnakes wandering onto campgrounds. This can be especially dangerous for guests who wander outside without proper footwear. That’s why it’s critical to always wear good shoes or boots while in these parks to avoid a nasty bite if you accidentally step on one of these reptiles.

Badlands National Park

These badlands contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. The area was once covered by a sea, leaving behind many ancient marine creatures, such as the massive Mosasaurus. Mammal fossils are also common here, such as the Nimravid cat and the Brontothere, which likely grew to 8 to 16 feet tall and closely resembled modern rhinos. The badlands still provide rich habitat for wildlife, including prairie rattlesnakes, which are most often found in the prairies below the Badlands National Park’s iconic sedimentary rock formations.

The prairie rattlesnake feasts on a wide variety of prey in the park, from prairie dogs to burrowing owls and ferrets. It uses its heat-seeking pits to track its prey, while its tongue picks up particles in the air to “smell.” However, these snakes are not the only predators here. Red-tailed hawks and Golden Eagles are known to attack and eat these rattlesnakes, along with badgers.

Prairie rattlesnakes are most active from the spring to fall, but they can also come out in slightly cooler weather to bask in sunlight.

Lake Francis Case

Lake Francis Case was formed by the Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River in the 1950s. It covers 102,000 acres with a maximum depth of 140 feet. Unfortunately, its creation flooded a Native American settlement and forced the community out. The lake is surrounded by prairies, from which hikers have seen prairie rattlesnakes. The lake is also home to a population of prairie dogs, which are prime prey for prairie rattlesnakes.

However, some prairie rattlesnakes can get closer to the shoreline, as Snake Creek Recreation Area is one of the better-known hotspots. They have been spotted hiding in the rocks and bushes by the lake. One trail known as a rattlesnake hotspot is the Shannon Trail, which connects the north and south campgrounds and overlooks Lake Francis Case.

George S. Mickelson Trail

The George S. Mickelson Trail is a 109-mile-long trail along an abandoned rail line across western South Dakota in the Black Hills. It connects to multiple forests, state parks, and privately maintained trails, including areas near Custer State Park. Toward the lower-elevation southern end of the trail, rattlesnakes have been regularly sighted by hikers and South Dakota park authorities.

The southern end of the trail passes through several habitats that support the prairie rattlesnake, such as the lower-elevation Sheep Canyon, where the rattlesnakes can hide among rocks, and the grassy prairies near Custer, South Dakota. Hikers in South Dakota sometimes find these snakes in prairie dog holes, as prairie rattlesnakes occasionally stick their heads out of them.

Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave National Park comprises two distinct ecosystems: a vast cave and an above-ground prairie. The cave was of great importance to the Lakota people because it is central to their emergence story. What makes this park a good environment for rattlesnakes is its mixture of prairies and ponderosa forests. Prairie dogs in particular dig holes known as underground colonies or ‘towns,’ which prairie rattlesnakes often use as ambush sites to hunt prey.

The rattlesnakes can also take refuge in rocky outcrops, both to protect themselves from the elements and to ambush prey. During cooler parts of the year, snakes are more likely to bask in the sun, increasing the chance of human encounters. The Wind Cave National Park is also close to several other rattlesnake hotspots on this list, including Custer State Park.

Missouri River

The Missouri River is the longest river in the United States, flowing for 2,341 miles from the Rocky Mountains of Montana down into the Mississippi River in Missouri. It flows through western and central South Dakota as well, providing water for a large semi-arid watershed. In South Dakota, the drier climate and the rocky bluffs, shorelines, and nearby prairie habitat along the river make this corridor one of the main areas where prairie rattlesnakes are found.

Prairie rattlesnakes are most strongly associated with western South Dakota and the lands around the Missouri River. They are more often found in rocky or grassy areas near the river than in the water itself, though they have been observed swimming and may occasionally enter the water. As a result, people fishing or hiking through the Missouri River valley should stay alert for this snake.

Black Hills National Forest

The Black Hills National Forest is a massive area, covering 1.2 million acres of forests and mountains, or 110 miles long by 70 miles wide. It has been called an Island in the Plains, as it rises above the mostly flat landscape of the Great Plains.

The forest contains 1,300 miles of streams, 11 reservoirs, 353 miles of trails, and 30 campgrounds. While exploring this forest, hikers and campers may encounter rattlesnakes, especially in lower-elevation areas or in rocky areas. In hot summer weather, rattlesnakes often retreat from the heat, but during the cooler spring and fall months, they are more likely to bask in the open.

In some cases, hikers may not hear a warning rattle right away, which is one reason caution matters in rocky or brushy areas. These tails don’t provide the support needed for their rattles to make a sound. Wildlife experts believe this is an evolutionary change, since rattlesnakes that make a loud rattle are more likely to be killed by frightened hikers or campers.

Humans are rattlesnakes’ biggest predators

Prairie rattlesnakes face many threats, and encounters with humans are one of them. Rattlesnakes usually try to avoid people when they can, or warn them when someone gets too close. These incidents are often avoidable if you take proper precautions, such as wearing sturdy shoes, staying on trails, and being aware of what lies ahead. These snakes may be intimidating, but they are far more threatened by humans than we are by them.

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