Pierre News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!

Nebraska Humane Society swooped in to rescue dozens of neglected animals—including a zebra—from a backyard zoo in West Omaha, revealing chaotic scenes, dangerous wild animals, and serious legal trouble ahead for the owner. With unpredictable wildlife, specialized care needs, and overgrown hooves, the rescue was no small feat, requiring multiple trips and emergency vet attention. Officials are prep...

Student loan chaos erupts as the Department of Education scrambles to redefine “professional” degrees—narrowing eligibility to just 11 fields before a judge’s June halt forced a temporary expansion to 29, including nursing and law. Schools and students face uncertainty as loan caps shift mid-program, with the department insisting its rules are lawful and urging schools to cap loans at graduate lev...

Lallycooler Moves to The Birdcage | Pierre News

Former Olympian David Hearn, a three-time canoeing medalist, is facing felony charges for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool—estimated at over $1,000—though he pleaded not guilty and was released without conditions. His defense argues the charges are baseless, calling it an attempt to scapegoat him and claiming touching public water shouldn’t be a crime. The prosecution insist...

Four Maryland and Virginia senators are sounding the alarm over plans to turn East Potomac Golf Links into a luxury championship course, demanding transparency from the Trump administration after it abruptly canceled the lease for the nonprofit managing the course. They warn the project could price out everyday golfers and erase the course’s historic, community value — while also highlighting that...

The White House has slammed the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History for promoting a “radical, activist ideology,” sparking fierce backlash from academics who say it’s an attempt to rewrite history through a partisan lens. The museum, celebrating over 180 years of nonpartisan service, denies the claims, calling the report a distortion of its mission. Critics argue the administration i...

A South Dakota woman, Sharon Monson, 49, pleaded guilty to grand theft for allegedly stealing over $588,000 from the state’s Medicaid program through her nursing business over six years. The Attorney General’s fraud unit uncovered the scheme, and she now faces up to 15 years in prison—highlighting the critical need for oversight in public healthcare funding. Sentencing is set for August 25. Listen...

Milbank, South Dakota, just snagged a future water permit that lets them reserve 1,120 acre-feet annually from the Antelope Valley Aquifer—but they can’t tap it yet. The city, growing fast with new industry and a booming milk storage hub, needs this buffer to handle strain on current systems, but critics warn it could hurt nearby water users. Engineers debate how much water’s really available, and...

Missouri River runoff hit just 52% of normal in June, sparking concern downstream—though reservoirs still have room. The Corps says storage’s fine for now, but the National Drought Mitigation Center’s forecast doesn’t hint at relief this summer. The final June meeting is done; fall in-person sessions and a special Sept 10 check-in are next. Low flow, no quick fix—watch the fall updates. Listen in...

The League of Women Voters in South Dakota tried to push for fairer voter ID rules, but got shut down by a technicality in state law — the law only allows political entities, not nonprofits, to petition for changes. Despite their good intentions, the group’s proposal to accept photocopies and tribal IDs was rejected, sparking debate over whether the law’s wording is an oversight that lawmakers sho...

Senator Mike Rounds celebrated a major rail upgrade in Huron, cutting the ribbon on a new locomotive maintenance facility for the Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad—calling it a game-changing investment in South Dakota’s future. The modernization includes heavier rail lines enabling faster statewide travel, and a specially painted locomotive may soon roll into Pierre, adding patriotic flair t...

South Dakota’s Greatest Gardens contest is here to celebrate homegrown talent—no fee, no limits, just pure garden glory. Enter by August 23, 2026, with photos of your space (and you holding a contest sign!) in one of four categories: edible, pollinator, container, or patriotic. Winners get yard signs and a VIP garden membership from McCrory Gardens, plus a spotlight at the State Fair in September,...

Fort Pierre’s getting a road upgrade this Friday—slurry seal treatment on West Main, Creager Court, and 7th Street to protect pavement, seal cracks, and extend road life. Expect no parking on those streets during work. It’s budget-smart maintenance to avoid costly repairs later. Call 605-223-7690 for details. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. A...

Pierre’s streets are getting a fresh protective coat this summer as the city kicks off its annual slurry seal project—covering 63 blocks with preventative maintenance to seal cracks and shield roads from water damage. Work is underway across neighborhoods including Country Drive Loop, Maple, Fifth Street, Ash Avenue, and dozens more, with crews aiming to wrap up by July 12, 2026. Residents are ask...

Republicans in Congress are paralyzed by internal bickering, threatening to stall major legislation before November elections. Key bills—including voter ID, defense, farm policy, and foreign surveillance—are stuck, while Speaker Mike Johnson pushes a sweeping package to unite the party on affordability, waste-cutting, and election security. But senators remain divided, unsure of the package’s cont...

A retired firefighter’s death in his own basement turned into a chilling unsolved murder when his wallet—stolen and found miles away—revealed a brutal crime scene. What started as a suspected fall became a homicide after forensic evidence showed blunt force trauma, and the family’s presence had erased critical clues. The murder weapon? A piggy bank destroyed by the family, and a missing gun added...

South Dakota’s drought map is shifting—new drought-free zones are popping up across the central plains, from Midland to Gann Valley, while moderate drought creeps into parts of Potter and Sully Counties. Hughes and Jones Counties are seeing major improvements, with Jones jumping to 71% drought-free. Still, severe drought lingers in small pockets of southeast Brule and Jackson Counties—some relief,...

South Dakota’s courts are eyeing a major shake-up out west—plans to merge the administrative arms of the Fourth and Seventh Judicial Circuits, covering counties from Dewey and Ziebach to Custer and Oglala Lakota. Not final yet: the Unified Judicial System is hosting three public hearings August 26th in Rapid City, Sturgis, and Lemmon to gather community input before sending the proposal to the Sta...

Five Peruvian milling executives, representing 85% of Peru’s milling power, toured South Dakota’s wheat country to witness firsthand how U.S. wheat is grown, processed, and shipped — from university research plots to grain elevators and seed facilities. Organized by U.S. Wheat Associates, the trip also included iconic U.S. sights like Wall Drug and Mount Rushmore, aiming to build trust through per...

Brandon Free Branch Drop Off This Weekend | Pierre News

South Dakota’s 11th measles case this year involves a young person from Edmunds County — the first case in that area — with unclear exposure and unknown or unvaccinated status. Health officials are alerting providers across multiple counties as symptoms resurface after a May outbreak that hospitalized two. Ten of the 11 cases involve unvaccinated or undetermined individuals, with seven being child...

Baseball just went nuclear—yesterday’s slate delivered shutouts, blowouts, and clutch wins across the league. Toronto blanked SF, Miami crushed Seattle, and the Cubs and Nationals both flexed big numbers. Tampa Bay dropped a 3-0 stunner on the Yankees, while LA Angels obliterated Texas 13-1. In NL action, Atlanta and St. Louis shut doors, and Cincinnati and Philly delivered fireworks. Today’s sche...

WNBA action packed with wins and drama: Golden State, Minnesota, and Los Angeles all came out on top yesterday. Tonight, three high-stakes matchups await — Seattle vs. Atlanta, Indiana vs. Phoenix, and Las Vegas vs. Portland — all at 9 PM. With close scores and electric energy lighting up the courts, the season’s intensity is only heating up. Weather’s mixed, so pack layers if you’re heading out —...

CME Group just launched the Agriculture Index, a game-changing tool set to debut July 9, 2026, offering a unified snapshot of the global farm economy. Tracking five key sectors—grains, oilseeds, livestock, dairy, and lumber—it gives traders, producers, and analysts a monthly benchmark that reflects how these markets move together. Designed to move beyond single-commodity analysis, the index uses w...

Todd Johnson officially took the oath of office this week, becoming Pierre, South Dakota’s new mayor — a historic moment for the state’s capital city. Sworn in by Judge Christina Klinger at the city commission meeting on July 7, Johnson begins his first term after narrowly defeating incumbent Steve Harding in the June 2 election, winning 2,048 votes to Harding’s 1,750. With his mayoral duties now...