SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO AM and KWSN) – The Augustana College baseball team will embark on the trip of a life time on Saturday, Jan. 15, when they take off for Managua, Nicaragua. On the 12-day excursion, the Augustana coaching staff and student-athletes will participate in missionary work and experience a new culture. The team has been enrolled in an on-campus course titled "Cultural and Political History in Nicaragua," taught by Augustana Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Landon Karr. The course will continue in Nicaragua where Dr. Karr will lead field trips to various course-related sites and destinations.

"I can't wait for Saturday to get here, Augustana head baseball coach Tim Huber said." "Our guys seem genuinely excited for this very unique opportunity. A lot of people have said to me, 'have fun' and my response is always, I'm not sure fun is what you would call this but it will be an awesome experience for our players. This isn't a vacation, it is a life lesson at the highest scale."

The team will use local baseball facilities for training, and will participate in exhibition games against Nicaraguan professional, minor league and local clubs.

The Augustana baseball team will also be involved in a service-learning project in cooperation with the South Dakota-based charity Helping Kids Round First. HFKR was founded by Flandreau, S.D. native Craig Severtson, father of former Viking closer Bret Severtson and Beau Severtson (a former Augustana wrestler). The team will host two days of youth baseball camps in Somotillo, Nicaragua with the mission of giving underprivileged kids opportunities through baseball. For more information on HFKR, visit www.helpingkidsroundfirst.org.

During the service-learning project, the team will travel to rural communities and live with Nicaraguan host families. Team members will be living in areas with no running water, electricity, bathrooms or shower facilities.

Throughout the planning of this trip, the Augustana baseball team has been collecting new and used baseball equipment to share with community baseball teams in Nicaragua. It has collected thousands of pounds of equipment and uniforms and plan to bring 50 large bags with them to disperse to those less privileged in the country.

Augustana head coach Tim Huber joined Craig Severtson on a service trip to Nicaragua in 2012 and soon after decided to start planning an eye-opening experience for his student-athletes and on Saturday that vision will become a reality when he brings his team to Central America.

"When we first started planning I could never have imagined how this trip could have come together any better than it has," Huber said. "It has been a lot of work, but to be able to experience everything we will on this trip, will make it worth our time and effort. Baseball, warm weather and being surrounded by a culture of people who truly love the game...awesome!"

Huber and his team will be recording their experience through a blog and video blog throughout their trip. That blog can be viewed at www.GoAugie.com.

Courtesy: Augustana College Sports Information

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls police are investigating two incidents that occured Friday night.  

The first occured about 9:40 p.m., when officers from the Sioux Falls Police Department were dispatched to 3405 E. 11^th St. for a shooting that occurred in the parking lot.  Upon arrival, all of the subjects involved in the incident had fled the scene.  The investigation revealed that an argument took place between 2 different groups of people.  During the argument, one of the subjects pulled out a handgun.  The subject, then, fired a couple shots from the handgun.  The subject fled the scene in a vehicle.  The other subjects involved in the incident also fled the scene.  There was nothing on scene to indicate that anyone was hurt.  Officers were unable to locate any of the subjects involved in the incident.  The investigation is on-going.  

The second incident occured around 11:30 Friday night.  Officers were dispatched to Wal-Mart, 5521 E. Arrowhead Pkwy, for what initially appeared to be a bomb threat.  Wal-Mart management evacuated the business until the building was searched.  A short while after Wal-Mart employees returned to work and the store was re-opened, it was discovered there was a misunderstanding by the employee that answered the initial phone call that led to the scare, and it was determined there was no bomb threat at all.  Wal-Mart was closed to the public for approximately 30 minutes during the investigation.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) A "guest of the state" that decided to leave early is back in custody. 20 year old Skyler Culp walked away from the South Dakota State Penitentiary's minimum security unit at the Jamison Annex on Thursday. He was arrested in Des Moines, Iowa overnight. Culp is being held at the Polk County, Iowa jail. At the time of the walk-away, he had been serving a ten year sentence, with eight years suspended, for grand theft out of Yankton County.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Last night at approximately 11:30pm, the SFPD received a report of two groups fighting and shots being fired in the 3600blk of E 6^th Street.  Upon arrival officers found that no one was injured and the involved parties had fled the scene. 

Preliminary investigation suggested the parties knew each other and this incident was reference an ongoing dispute between them.  The investigation is continuing and anyone with information reference the dispute is encouraged to call Crimestoppers.

On Friday night, officers from the Sioux Falls Police Department were dispatched to 3405 E. 11th St. for a shooting that occurred in the parking lot.  Upon arrival, all of the subjects involved in the incident had fled the scene.  The investigation revealed that an argument took place between 2 different groups of people. 

During the argument, one of the subjects pulled out a handgun.  The subject, then, fired a couple shots from the handgun.  The subject fled the scene in a vehicle.  The other subjects involved in the incident also fled the scene.  There was nothing on scene to indicate that anyone was hurt.  Officers were unable to locate any of the subjects involved in the incident.  The investigation is on-going.  

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - As part of the Martin Luther King Junior Day observance, the Multi-Cultural Center in Sioux Falls will deliver survival kits Tuesday to agencies that will give them to the homeless.

Center Executive Director Christy Nicolaison says kids from the Center’s after-school program put together the kits.

Nicolaison says the children then talked about the importance of the kits and how you can help someone that you don't know.     

The agencies that will get the kits include Minnehaha County Human Services, the downtown Library, First Congregational and First Lutheran Churches in downtown Sioux Falls.           

The 250 kits include socks, t-shirts, sewing kits, shampoo, combs, razors and non-perishable food.      

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The U-S Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the same-sex marriage case in April and may issue a decision in June.

South Dakota Attorney General Mary Jackley says with so many cases on the same issue, the Supreme Court needs to take up the case.

Jackley last week announced the state would appeal a federal judge’s decision that South Dakota’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

Governor Daugaard says the state is ready to move forward with the appeal even though the U-S Supreme Court will hear the issue.

Last year South Dakota joined 19 other states in asking the Supreme Court to determine whether the U-S Constitution requires states to recognize same-sex marriages.

(Thanks Tony Mangan, KCCR Pierre)

The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls continues its series of events celebrating 125 years as a diocese with a first ever all Catholic schools Mass. Bishop Paul J. Swain will celebrate the Catholic Schools Mass, Wednesday, January 21, at the Sioux Falls Arena. Nearly 4000 students are expected and will be joined by many adults.

Praise and worship music will begin at 10.30 a.m. and the Mass will be at 11:30 a.m.

The special gathering also coincides with the annual Catholic Schools Week. All students inattendance will be wearing a common shirt with logos on the front and back commemorating the125th and Catholic schools week.

The national Catholic School week theme this year is “Communities of faith, knowledge and service”and locally that theme has shifted to “Legacy of Faith” which is also the theme for all the 125thevents.

“The impact of bringing all the kids together is that they are not alone,” said Katie Mellor, Director ofCatholic Schools for the Diocese. Especially for students from the smaller Catholic schools, “Somedon’t realize that they are part of a bigger thing … to have everybody together to realize that God isbig and the Church in our area is big, is important and this can be a once in a life time experience for them.”

While everyone is welcome to attend, the Mass will also be streamed at the diocesan YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/user/SiouxFallsDiocese.

The 125th Anniversary events began last September with a gathering in Yankton, the birthplace of the diocese, followed by a November Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph recalling the actual decree from Pope Leo XIII creating the diocese, and a gathering in Aberdeen honoring consecrated life. Future events include a farm Mass near Woonsocket in June and a gathering in Marty in Julyhonoring the legacy of the Native American community. The culminating events will take placeAugust 13-15 with a diocesan wide gathering at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and the Arena

SIOUX FALLS, S.DL. (KELO AM) - There are over a hundred township bridges spread across Minnehaha County and many have low traffic counts. 

County Highway Superintendent D.J. Buthe says roads and bridges must be maintained.  But Buthe says some gravel roads away from Sioux Falls see only 5 to 10 cars a day.  He says there's more activity during harvest.

Buthe says improving or replacing bridges usually increases traffic counts

Commissioner Gerald Beninga questioned where funding for future projects will come from.  The commission says that depend on the state legislature.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  Sioux Falls police can’t say if two shooting incidents last weekend in east Sioux Falls are related.

Officer Sam Clemens says investigators haven’t found an eyewitness.  Clemens says once the guns fired all the witnesses fled both scenes.

Clemens says police also can’t say if the shootings are gang-related.

No one was injured but one round went through an apartment on East 6^th Street Sunday night.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The State Department of Education says a pilot project to put instructional coaches in reading classes, where students are struggling, is showing results.

Dr. Melody Schopp says the goal is to make sure students read well by the end of the third grade.

Dr. Schopp says the department could fund only so many school districts but she may ask the legislature next year for more money to expand the program.

Dr. Schopp's comment came during her testimony before the joint appropriations committee.

Schopp says even veteran teachers, some hesitant to having the specialist in their classroom, say they’ve learned new strategies.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) The first renderings for the $15 million Badlands Pawn Project in Sioux Falls have been released. Think Mad Max Post Apocalyptic!

Developer Chuck Brennan, owner of Dollar Loan Centers, says the California-based Brass Junkie Company created a design that includes an Alcatraz-like prison tower and a heli-pad with a Badlands' Sheriff helicopter on top of the 55,000 square foot building. He says it's going to have an aged, distressed look, as if it had been there a long time. 

The unique complex across Russell Street from the Denny Sanford Premier Center will be much more than the Midwest's largest pawn shop. There will be a shooting range, a gold and silver foundry, and a live radio station.

The grand opening is planned for November 26th this year.

Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) The Sioux Empire United Way has rasied more than $10 million for the first time in its 85 year history. 

2015 Campaign Chairman Paul Bruflat says it was a milestone campaign. He wants to thank the community for giving and the hundreds of volunteers for making it happen.

Over 27,000 individuals and 700 businesses contributed to reach the record. The money will be used by 88 partner programs across the entire Sioux Falls area, including 'Ready to Start', a five week program for kids who can't afford pre-kindergarten services.

The official total is $10,214,083.  

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  Sioux Falls Police made an arrest in connection with shots fired between two groups Sunday night on East 6^th Street.

Police say 19-year-old Guyo Dido Jateny was arrested late Wednesday night on three counts of aggravated assault and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm.

Officers were sent to East Sixth Street near Kenny Anderson Park Sunday night on a report of two groups fighting and shots fired.

When police arrived, the parties had fled the scene.  There were no injuries.

The report was similar to an incident Friday night when shots were fired between groups on East 11^th Street.  Again, those involved were gone when police arrived and there were no injuries.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force seized a one-pot meth lab on South Lincoln Avenue and arrested 38-year-old Jon Eric Leonard.

Police say Leonard’s lab was a half block north of Garfield Elementary.

They waited until yesterday to serve the warrant because the wind was from the south keeping the school out of the lab’s contamination zone.

Leonard is charged with making methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and violation of a drug free zone.  

The Garfield School Resource Officer was at the school to assist.

 SIOUX FALLS (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls’ very own Denny Sanford PREMIER Center was featured on  “American Idol.”

Zach Johnson, a student from Fargo, North Dakota, auditioned for the judges and mentioned to Keith Urban that he would like to see his concert in Sioux Falls. Keith promised to get Zach into the concert and perform with him during the concert. Keith kept his word, and Zach is seen later in the show performing with Keith Urban on stage at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center. Keith Urban’s concerts took place on October 24 and 25, 2014.

“What an honor for our city and the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center to be featured in prime time on such a popular show!” says Mayor Mike Huether. “I had relatives from all over the country contact me after seeing it on TV last night.”

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Police say a Sioux Falls woman suffered chemical burns to her head when her boyfriend poured bleach on her.

Officer Sam Clemens says a neighbor heard screams when 27-year-old Safarinu Okuwe forced the woman to the floor.

When officers arrived, at the apartment on West Madison Street, they found a woman in the shower. She said her boyfriend poured bleach on her and fled.  Okuwe was found outside wearing only shorts and lying in a snow bank.              

Police say Okuwe drank bleach and was hospitalized while the victim was treated and released.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  The committee tasked with reviewing the hours-long delay in general election results from Minnehaha County is still working as a fact-finder.

Chairman Bruce Danielson says part of the problem was 600 ballots kicked out by the machines and each had to face resolution.

Danielson, who was working that night at the Auditor's office, says it takes about five minutes to resolve each ballot.  He says the brand new ballot machines were kicking out ballots that appeared to be spoiled.             

The committee, meeting for the second time today, will have a final report before the Sioux Falls School Board election.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  Legislative Democrats call South Dakota’s teacher shortage critical.

House Minority Leader Spencer Hawley says Democrats don’t plan on bringing a funding plan out this session. 

Democrat leaders say that fellow Democrats will work with Republicans to explore potential funding sources.

Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton says "there are people in Pierre who are still wondering whether there's a problem in out schools."

Hawley says school officials are giving lawmakers hard data on problems with hiring and retaining faculty.

PIERRE, SD (KELO AM) – An unvaccinated Sioux Falls child under the age of 10 has been reported with measles, the Department of Health said today. The investigation is still underway but the case has no travel history and is not known to be connected with the measles outbreak in Mitchell that totals 13 cases.

Individuals who were at Holy Spirit Elementary School in Sioux Falls on Jan.  22 may have been exposed and are urged to check their immunization records. For those in need of vaccination, the state Department of Health and the Sioux Falls City Health Department have scheduled a free vaccine clinic from noon to 4 p.m. at the City Health Department, 521 N. Main Ave. No appointment is needed.

“I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is for people to check their records and make sure their vaccinations are up to date,” said Lon Kightlinger, state epidemiologist for the department. “If you are not vaccinated you are at risk for measles as these South Dakota cases and the current Disneyland outbreak so clearly demonstrate.”

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted from one person to another by direct contact or airborne by droplet spread. It is a serious illness that causes permanent brain damage in one in every 1,000 patients and is fatal in three out of every 1,000 patients.

The best protection against the disease is the measles vaccine (MMR). For full protection, two doses of the vaccine are recommended, the first at age 12 months and a second by age four. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are required for students entering schools, child care and colleges in South Dakota. Individuals born before 1957 are considered to have natural immunity because the disease was so widespread then and do not need vaccination.

More information about measles is available on the department’s website athttp://doh.sd.gov/diseases/infectious/diseasefacts/Measles.aspx.

SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) Rabies

The City of Sioux Falls encourages pet owners to have their pets vaccinated. The number of animal rabies in South Dakota rose from 32 cases in 2010 to 40 cases in 2011.