I love South Dakota. I love our natural beauty – from the rolling plains to the incredible Black Hills, from the Mighty Missouri to the peaceful prairie lakes. I love our people – they’re the …
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By Kristi Noem
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11/20/24
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It has been a busy week. First, I had the De Smet Community Women’s Craft and Gift Fair to get ready for on Saturday at the De Smet Event & Wellness Center, and then we added on to our chicken …
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By Amy Halverson
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11/20/24
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Margaret blushed crimson as she realized that her dress had lifted above her ankles for a moment. What would her mother think of such impropriety? Though the scene is from a historical fiction novel, …
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By DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel
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11/20/24
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Some decades ago, while I was student teaching, I stayed with my grandparents, which was a blessing that afforded many memories. One late afternoon, my grandfather and I were in the basement playing …
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By Stuart Twite
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11/20/24
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For those of you who read my weekly columns, you know that they can take on many forms. They’re often focused on updating you on changing policies or issues on which I am focused. Sometimes, they …
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By Kristi Noem
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11/7/24
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I knelt on the carpet next to her easy chair. She held the round frame in her hands and guided me as I pushed the needle through the white fabric. “You can do it. You just need to keep trying.” …
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By DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel
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11/7/24
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Every summer, when my children were growing up, we would make the excursion from wherever we were living at the time, Arizona, Massachusetts or New York, to De Smet for a joyous few days with family. …
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By Stuart Twite
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11/7/24
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Now that Halloween is over, there are some great deals on pumpkins. It feels like Thanksgiving and Christmas are just right around the corner, so I figure it’s a good time to talk about pumpkin …
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By Amy Halverson
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11/7/24
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Over the past several years, South Dakota’s economy has consistently been the strongest of any state in the country. We recently received two updates that underscore just how strong our economy …
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By Kristi Noem
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10/24/24
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“Children should be seen, not heard.” Both of our parents were raised by the strict rule; when adults were present, youngsters were not allowed to speak unless spoken to. Our parents carried on …
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By DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel
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10/24/24
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Many years ago, in what seems a different life, I worked in politics in Pierre and, briefly, in Washington, D.C. Both places, of course, are full of people who want to do some good but also desire to …
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By Stuart Twite
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10/24/24
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Well, I called in for help with my overwhelming piles of tomatoes, and my mom came to the rescue. I don’t think she knew what she was in for until she walked into the house. I could tell by the …
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By Amy Halverson
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10/24/24
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There’s a call heard across much of South Dakota over the next several months. It doesn’t sound like a bird, though it’s all about one. The shout of “ROOSTER!” will ring out in fields and …
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By Kristi Noem
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10/16/24
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We all have them. Pictures from the past that are so clear in our minds, it is as if we saw them only yesterday. At any given time, with the smallest reminder, an image can flash before us. Our …
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By DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel
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10/16/24
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As a political science undergraduate student in 1984, I attended a seminar course on George Orwell’s cautionary novel “1984,” which, in its description of a state dedicated to mind control and …
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By Stuart Twite
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10/16/24
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With the temperature taking a nosedive, I decided it was time to clear out the garden, and boy, did we have a lot to clear out! With the weathermen forecasting our first frost over the weekend, we …
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By Amy Halverson
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10/16/24
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“Doc, my right hip has been bothering me. Do you think I need a new hip?” “First, tell me more about your hip pain.” Hip pain, which can have a variety of causes, is a common complaint. The …
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By Andrew Ellsworth, MD
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10/16/24
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“There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.” That quote hung on a gate on our family farm and ranch as I was growing up. It wasn’t until years later that I …
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By Kristi Noem
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10/2/24
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Reality shows remain a television mainstay, even though the “reality” portrayed is at best a little dubious. They often portray people just different enough from most of us (we imagine), and in …
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By Stuart Twite
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10/2/24
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It was just big enough - my very own secret hiding place! Two or three bales had been pulled from the straw pile in front of the barn, leaving a small cave. This perfect hangout was dry and warm …
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By DeAnn (Wolkow) Kruempel
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10/2/24
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