SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A bit of a bombshell this morning from long-time KSFY newswoman Nancy Naeve.
She told a stunned audience this morning that her career with the Sioux Falls television station is coming to an end. Naeve said she's found the "love of her life" and will return to her hometown of Spencer, Iowa.
Naeve started at KSFY in 1992. Her last day will be May 15th.
No word yet on her replacement.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The fees for license plates issue is settled but Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson questions if the state will have new motor vehicle fee charts ready by April 1.
Nelson says it doesn’t give the state a lot of time.
Nelson says hopefully it won't be too big of a problem. However, she says, if her clerks have to hand calculate the total, what used to take 15 minutes could take an hour
But, Nelson adds, it’s possible the charts will be ready on time.
SIOUX FALLLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A chair on the Governor’s education panel, State Senator Deb Soholt of Sioux Falls, says information sources aren’t matching up.
Soholt says there’s varying data on pay for teachers and administrators, what the state has in reserves, the amount of money allocated for students and the teacher pipeline.
Soholt says job one will be to make sure everyone on the panel agrees to where the state of education truly is in South Dakota
Soholt says the task force will reevaluate the school funding formula that’s been in place for twenty years.
Meanwhile...Soholt says some House members last session felt the issue of child sexual abuse should go to the summer study hopper.
Soholt says that doesn’t guarantee continuing work by Jolene’s Law Task Force.
Governor Daugaard says the panel could be funded by a grant from the Department of Health.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Governor Daugaard today signed a $4.3 billion dollar budget bill.
Daugaard says revenues are forecast to increase but at a decreasing rate.
The General Appropriations Act sets the budget for fiscal year 2016 which begins July 1 in South Dakota.
Daugaard says the measure provides a 2% increase for education, up to 2.5% for medical providers and 2% inflation ande 2% market value increases for state employees.
Daugaard says education accounts for the largest portion of general fund spending at 45 percent.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Avast Ye! – “Treasure Island” plays this weekend at the Anne Zabel Studio in downtown Sioux Falls.
Patrick Pope with Sioux Empire Community Theater says the audience is up close, next to the swashbuckling. Pope says the Zabel Studio is smaller and more intimate but it also means there are fewer tickets available.
$10 tickets available online, at the Orpheum Theater box office or by phone.
“Treasure Island” runs this weekend and Wednesday through Sunday next week.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Volunteers collected two tons of garbage from the Big Sioux River last year and the City plans to double the area to clean this year.
Coordinator Matt Gedney says more partnering agencies and volunteers will be needed.
Interested organizations can contact the Public Works Environmental Division at 367-8276.
Gedney says specific pickup points are still being determined and will be announced soon.
The Greenway Cleanup is Saturday, May 6th from 8 to 11 a-m.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Director of Parks and Rec Don Kearney says crews start moving dirt late next month to begin construction of the indoor aquatic center at Spellerberg Park.
Kearney says there’s a neighborhood meeting next Monday to share plans with residents.
Kearney says project designs and the work schedule will be available for the public to inspect. He says Parks and Rec is still interested in any ideas residents may have to incorporate into the final design.
The meeting is Monday, 5:30 p.m. at the Oyate Community Center.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Police arrested two teenage boys in connection with the mob attack of man in southwest Sioux Falls Wednesday evening.
Officer Sam Clemens says 18-year-old Tyler Scott Schwebach and a 17-year-old boy are charged with riot. The 17-year-old is also charged with simple assault.
Clemens says it's pretty rare to have a group of 20 to 30 people return to a scene to specifically attack one person. He says usually mob fights break out when groups have been together for awhile, usually drinking and a thrown punch erupts into chaos.
Clemens says more arrests are expected.
SUIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Much needed rain is in the forecast for the tri-state area around Sioux Falls over the next 24 to 36 hours..
Weather Service forecaster Todd Heitkamp says we can expect rain by mid-morning tomorrow. Heitkamp says some slushy snow may come with the rain. He expects almost 6/10's of an inch of precipitation.
Northwest winds up to 35 will dominate Wednesday’s weather.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The first severe weather awareness training session of the year is set a week from today in Menno
Sioux Falls meteorologist Todd Heitkamp says he’s been presenting the information for 21 years.
Heitkamp says some of the most difficult information to get across to the public is the difference between watches and warnings. Watches mean a severe weather event is imminent and warnings mean the severe weather is happening.
The Sioux Falls training session is Monday, April 20th, at the Washington Pavilion. It's free and open to the public and Heitkamp says after his two hour presentation, you'll never look at clouds the same again.
Severe weather awareness week in South Dakota is April 20th.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The list of finalists for superintendent of the Sioux Falls School District is down to two candidates.
School Board President Kent Alberty says there’s one more round of interviews. Alberty says the Board believes it is on track to name the new superintendent sometime in the first two weeks in April.
Current Superintendent Pam Homan is retiring at the end of the school year.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Sioux Falls School District recognizes the Teacher of the Year at a reception tonight.
School Board President Kent Alberty says deciding on one teacher is difficult. He says it's one of the most difficult decisions to make because the list of candidate could all be Teacher of the Year.
Alberty says you read over the letters from the people who have sponsored the candidate and every one of them is outstanding and it's so hard to pick one.
Teacher of the Year reception is tonight at C.J. Callaways.
Vern Eide has sponsored the teacher of year award for over 25 years.
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) About 93 percent of Sioux Falls residents in a new survey like living in South Dakota's biggest city, but only about 37 percent believe the city does a good job keeping up the roads.
The 2015 National Citizen Survey questionnaire was sent to 3,000 randomly selected Sioux Falls residents in January. Only about 30 percent were returned.
City Council Chairman Dean Karsky says the survey shows that citizens are very positive about the quality of life in Sioux Falls, and that's regardless of income.
Karsky thinks the low number on roads had something to do with when the survey was conducted since the city's roads always are at their worst in winter.
Employment opportunities received 72 percent positive response making Sioux Falls No. 2 among the 270 cities surveyed.
The 2015 National Citizen Survey documents are available at www.siouxfalls.org/council.
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Gretchen Johnson, K-5th Grade Physical Education teacher at Cleveland Elementary School, was announced earlier this evening as the 2015 Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year. Gretchen has been a teacher in the Sioux Falls School District at Cleveland Elementary for 8 years.
The Sioux Falls School District and Vern Eide Motorcars co-sponsor the annual Teacher of the Year award and made the announcement Monday night. Vern Eide Motorcars has been providing a financial award for the winner annually since 1989. This year, Bruce Eide generously presented Ms. Johnson with a check for $4,000.
Criteria for selection of the Teacher of the Year include:
· commitment to lifelong learning
· Effectiveness in meeting students' needs
· Impact on student achievement
· Effectiveness of home-school cooperation
· Community involvement to promote school-community relations
Coworkers describe Gretchen as thinking about the whole child: “At Cleveland, some of our students come to us without the proper social skills for following directions, relating to peers, or staying on task,” one coworker says. “Gretchen provides for our students who struggle emotionally with a stretch break in her gym and supports the classroom teacher with the student reward of extra physical education time serving as her helper.” A parent says, “Our four children thoroughly enjoy Ms. Johnson and look forward to her class each week. She has also attended our children’s extra-curricular activities as proof of her interest and involvement in children’s lives. The families at Cleveland are tremendously grateful for her leadership and teaching.” Another teacher says, “Gretchen is a go-getter, problem solver, and dynamic member of the Cleveland community. Her love of students and her passion for motivating them to do their best can be matched by few others.”
There were 36 nominees for Teacher of the Year in 2015, the 27th year of the program.
Other 2015 finalists were: Dar Steenholdt, Career and Technical Education Academy – Intro to Human Services, Personal Services, Guiding Youth and Families; Lynn Marie Thomason, Lincoln High School – Latin I, Latin II, Latin III, Online Course Instructor: Alison TerHorst, Washington High School – 9-12 Psychology and Advanced Placement Psychology; Stephanie Ayers-Haines, George McGovern Middle School – ELL Language Arts; Lennie Davis, Garfield Elementary/Challenge Center – K-5th Grade Music.
Sioux Falls, SD - (KELO AM) Street Closures Announced
Street Closure – South Mall Avenue
Beginning on Wednesday morning, March 25, 2015, South Mall Avenue will be closed between East Tenth Street and East 11th Street. Vehicles exiting the city parking ramp onto South Mall Avenue will be required to turn south upon exiting and proceed to East 11th Street.
Xcel Energy will be performing utility work on South Mall Avenue which is anticipated to be completed by the evening of March 25, 2015.
Drivers are urged to use caution and reduce their speed while travelling near the construction area and may want to consider alternate routes.
Cliff Avenue Reconstruction Project
Starting on Monday, March 30, 2015, construction crews will begin work on the Cliff Avenue reconstruction project between 61st Street and 85th Street. Work on this project will include underground utility upgrades and widening Cliff Avenue to five lanes from 61st Street to 69th Street, and widening Cliff Avenue to four lanes with a center median from 69th Street to 85th Street.
Starting on Monday, March 30, 2015, 69th Street between Tomar Road and Charger Circle will be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction. Grading work will also occur in the ditches along Cliff Avenue, south of 69th Street, but traffic will not be impacted by this work.
Starting on Monday, April 6, 2015, Cliff Avenue will be closed from 69th Street to 85th Street for the duration of the project. Traffic on Cliff Avenue will be detoured to Minnesota Avenue via 69th Street and Lincoln County Highway 106. Access to the businesses along Cliff Avenue, south of 69th Street, will be maintained at all times.
During construction, traffic will be maintained along 69th Street and along Cliff Avenue, north of 69th Street, but traffic delays should be expected.
The completion date of this project is anticipated to be November 6, 2015.
Drivers are urged to use caution and reduce their speed while traveling near the construction area and may want to consider alternate routes.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The City of Sioux Falls’ healthcare plan has not had an increase in premiums in the last decade.
Human Resources Director Bill O’Toole says employees and their families have about $14 million in claims annually.
The city pays 75 percent of employee’s premiums.
Compensation and Benefits Manager Angie Uthe says it doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t had cost increases. But, because the plan is self-insured it has a reserve which allow administrators to lessen the impact of spikes in claims.
Uthe also credits city workers for understanding that their choices and behaviors are significant factors in keeping costs down.
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) Some citizens who oppose the new South Side Walmart in Sioux Falls are threatening new legal action against the city.
Their attorney, Joel Arends, says the city is refusing to hold a conditional use permit hearing before construction begins, as Arends claims is required by the ordinance the voters approved allowing the project. Arends says they want to work things out with city officials, but if they can't they may have to go to court. Obviously the city reads the language differently than does Arends.
Arends says what it comes down to is whether the city is going to respect the rule of law or the rule of Mayor Huether. Huether is one of the biggest boosters of the new Supercenter project at 85th and Minnesota. It would be the city's fourth Walmart. The company has indicated it could break ground this summer.
Citizens opposed to the new Walmart says it's too big to be so near residential neighborhoods, and have been using every legal means available to slow or stop it.
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) Some citizens who oppose the new South Side Walmart in Sioux Falls are threatening new legal action against the city.
Their attorney, Joel Arends, says the city is refusing to hold a conditional use permit hearing before construction begins, as Arends claims is required by the ordinance the voters approved allowing the project. Arends says they want to work things out with city officials, but if they can't they may have to go to court. Obviously the city reads the language differently than does Arends.
Arends says what it comes down to is whether the city is going to respect the rule of law or the rule of Mayor Huether. Huether is one of the biggest boosters of the new Supercenter project at 85th and Minnesota. It would be the city's fourth Walmart. The company has indicated it could break ground this summer.
Citizens opposed to the new Walmart says it's too big to be so near residential neighborhoods, and have been using every legal means available to slow or stop it.
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO AM) – Officials with the South Dakota Department of Transportation say Interstate 29 in Sioux Falls will be closed Wednesday evening at 10 p.m. between Exit 79 (12th St.) and Exit 80 (Madison St.) for approximately 10 minutes.
The quarry adjacent to the Interstate will be blasting and the closure is a precautionary measure due to the potential for flying debris.
Please be alert for local law enforcement directing traffic during the closure.
For more information, please contact the South Dakota Department of Transportation at 605-367-5680.
Sioux Falls, SD (KELO AM) - Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Robbery. Rickey Daniel Starks, age 45, was indicted on March 17, 2015. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 18, 2015, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
On March 5, 2015, the Sioux Falls Police Department responded to a call that there had been an armed robbery at Dacotah Bank on East 10th Street in Sioux Falls. Information relayed to the officers was that a man walked in the front door of the bank wearing distinctive clothing, a ski mask, and carrying a backpack. He demanded money and waved what appeared to be a gun in the air. Video from the bank’s surveillance cameras confirmed the information the police had received. Portions of the video were released to the local news media and several sources contacted law enforcement to help identify the person.
The charge is merely an accusation and Starks is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis R. Holmes is prosecuting the case. Starks was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
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