USD SANFORD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE MOVING THE M.D. PROGRAM TO SIOUX FALLS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The USD Sanford School of Medicine will move its Doctor of Medicine Program from Vermillion to Sioux Falls starting in the summer of 2027.
This announcement was made during a joint press conference with the State of South Dakota, the City of Sioux Falls and the South Dakota Board of Regents on Thursday morning.
“With this change, we are better positioned to support our students, faculty and staff through pre-clinical instruction, collaborative research opportunities and high-quality educational experiences,” said Tim Ridgway, M.D., dean of the Sanford School of Medicine and vice president of health affairs at USD.
USD’s medical educations are currently split between locations.
Currently, the first 18 months of the medical program take place on USD’s main campus in Vermillion.
The remaining 30 months of the program are spent at other locations, though the majority of students are located in Sioux Falls.
Additionally, USD will also move its Division of Biomedical and Translational Sciences to Sioux Falls.
Sanford Health will be making temporary space available for an anatomy lab, research labs, classroom space, and medical student support services, in addition to the space already available in Sioux Falls.
A new building is expected to be built to house the programs permanently in the next seven to ten years.
According to the university, this move will give students better opportunities to work with and learn from clinical faculty.
“The people that are going to benefit the most from this are our students. No longer are they going to have to commute, particularly in the dead of winter. But they’re going to have access from day one to our high-quality clinicians throughout this city,” Ridgway said.
“This announcement will attract young medical professionals to the strong and growing Sioux Falls community,” said South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden. “It will benefit all of South Dakota, not just Sioux Falls. The students standing here with us will have more opportunities for clinical experiences, and they’ll develop closer ties to our South Dakota health systems.”
The move, though, means fewer students, faculty, and staff who will be based in Vermillion. In a statement, Vermillion Mayor Jon Cole said while the city understands the reasoning behind USD’s move, it will take away people from the community.
“The University of South Dakota is a cornerstone of Vermillion’s identity, and the Sanford School of Medicine has been a valued part of that tradition. While medical students already spend the majority of their educational program, about three-quarters of their time, in Sioux Falls, this move reflects the reality that the larger city offers the medical resources and facilities necessary for that stage of their vital, lifesaving, education.
The most difficult part of this decision is its impact on the faculty and staff who have built their careers and lives here in Vermillion. We recognize the University’s challenging position and understand the factors that led to this choice, but we also know that change is never easy.
It’s also important to remember that the Sioux Falls location is still part of USD, an integral part of the overall footprint of our ever-expanding flagship university. The success of that campus contributes to the success of USD as a whole, and Vermillion remains the heart and foundation of that system.
Importantly, USD has plans to expand other academic programs into the space on the Vermillion campus. This will allow more students in these growing programs to spend a longer portion of their studies here, enriching campus life and supporting our local economy. Like any challenge our community has faced, we will meet this one together, finding solutions, supporting those affected, and seizing opportunities to grow.”
- Vermillion Mayor Jon Cole
SPECIAL PHOTO DISPLAY PROMOTING AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION FUNDING COMING TO DAKOTAFEST
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Giant portraits celebrating American farmers and ranchers will be on display during Dakotafest and the Corn Palace Festival here in Mitchell next week.
Invest in Our Land Executive Director and Aberdeen, SD, area native Rebecca Bartels says the images will become part of what’s being called “the largest participatory art project in the world. “And so while the portraits are beautiful and giant, and will be pasted all over the Corn Palace and throughout our space at Dakotafest…it’s a call to action to protect conservation funding,” said Bartels.
Invest in Our Land is an organization that elevates the voices of farmers across the country to educate their fellow Americans about the importance of safeguarding the future of U.S. farms.
Bartels says producers can have their photo added to the collection by stopping by Invest in Our Land’s space at Dakotafest.
The portraits will hang at the Corn Palace from Aug. 19-22, then moved to Washington, D.C..
Dakotafest is Aug. 19-21, 2025, and the Corn Palace Festival is Aug. 20-24, 2025, again, both in Mitchell, SD.
ILLEGAL ALIENS PAROLED TO ICE CUSTODY UNDER OPERATION: PRAIRIE THUNDER
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles approved parole transfer to federal custody for deportation for 10 illegal alien criminals as part of Operation: Prairie Thunder.
“South Dakota taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for illegal alien criminals,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “This cooperation between DOC and ICE is uncharted and takes a bit of extra coordination, so I appreciate the Parole Board’s swift action to get illegal alien criminals out of our custody and out of our country. I trust President Trump, Secretary Noem, and the hard-working law enforcement agents of Border Patrol and ICE to keep these individuals from returning to our communities.”
The inmates were identified by the Department of Corrections based on their immigration status, low-risk classification, and proximity to sentence completion. Each case was reviewed by the Parole Board in accordance with SDCL 24-15A-41.1. The inmates will be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for deportation proceedings, ensuring they are not released back into South Dakota communities.
The inmates that were paroled for deportation include:
Jose Sanchez #78283, Mexico, multiple counts of Possession Controlled Substance (Schedule I & II);
Yahia Hassan #77076, Sudan, multiple counts of Possession Controlled Substance (Schedule I & II), 3rd Degree Burglary, and Receiving/Transferring Stolen Vehicle;
Patrick Morris #78412, Liberia, Grand Theft < $2,500 and 1st Degree Burglary;
Dustin Buffalo #73336, Canada, Reckless Burning and Aggravated Assault;
Mohammed Kromah #69826, Liberia, Aggravated Assault;
Victor Pacheco #72401, Mexico, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Weapon in Jail;
Deng Ayom #69779, Sudan, Discharge of Firearm at Occupied Structure;
Mustafe Hamud #57019, Somalia, Distribution of Controlled Substance (Schedule I & II);
Miguel Caveda Perez #77916, Cuba, 4th Degree Rape; and
Bereket Mekonnen #77412, Ethiopia, 2nd Degree Burglary, Possession Controlled Substance (Schedule I & II), and Receiving/Transferring Stolen Vehicle.
Governor Rhoden previously signed a letter of intent to establish a 287(g) agreement between DOC and ICE under the Jail Enforcement Model. That letter set the stage for this collaborative effort.
Operation: Prairie Thunder is a comprehensive, targeted public safety initiative to protect South Dakotans. Operation: Prairie Thunder includes two main initiatives:
A targeted anti-crime initiative in the Sioux Falls metro to interdict drugs, investigate gang activity, hold parole absconders accountable, and deter lawlessness; and
A comprehensive effort to support the work of ICE secure our borders and deport illegal alien criminals.
12-YEAR-OLD TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER CAR CHASE IN STORM LAKE
STORM LAKE, IA (KTIV) – A minor was taken into custody on Wednesday after leading Storm Lake officers in a chase.
On August 13, at 2:40 p.m., the Storm Lake Police Department received reports that a reckless driver in a silver Nissan was passing vehicles at a high rate of speed in the 200 block of Cayuga Street.
Officers attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle at East Lakeshore Drive and Chautauqua Park Drive.
This driver, now identified as a 12-year-old boy, failed to stop for officers and accelerated into an active construction area at high speeds.
According to the Storm Lake Police Department’s Facebook page, the city’s public works department had been patching potholes.
“The street had become a cone-lined, oil-slicked obstacle course straight out of Mario Kart’s Toad’s Turnpike,” said the Storm Lake Police. “He zigged, he zagged, and he failed the serpentine. He tore through yards, bounced over sidewalks, and even went the wrong way on Seneca.”
Officers say the 12-year-old then drove up into the front yard of a residence. He attempted to elude the police for approximately 10 blocks at speeds over 50 mph.
Officers were eventually able to stop the speeding vehicle in the 200 block of Russell Street.
Storm Lake Police say no one was hurt and no vehicles were damaged. The 12-year-old was taken into custody without incident and transported to the police department.
He was issued juvenile referrals for the following charges.
Eluding, a Class D Felony
Operation without a Valid Driver’s License
Two counts of Reckless Driving
Speeding, 21 or over
Failure to obey a Stop Sign
Violation of a One-Way Trafficway
SOME SOUTH DAKOTA COUNTIES ARE GETTING YOUNGER
SOUTH DAKOTA (Melissa Avelino / South Dakota News Watch) -College towns and high birth rates have increased the average number of young people in some South Dakota counties, even as 17.3% of the state’s residents are 65 or older, according to U.S Census data.
In 2010, the age group of 15-19 was the third most common in South Dakota and by 2024 had increased to first place. According to the latest estimates by the U.S. Census, this group now makes up 6.9% of the population.
“You have higher birth rates in (Indian) reservation counties in general, and that’s probably the bigger driver there,” said Jared McEntaffer, CEO of the Dakota Institute.
For example, this trend is evident in Buffalo County, home to the Crow Creek reservation. In 2010, the most common age group in the county was 25-34 years old, making up 13% of the county population. In 2024, the most prevalent age group was 10-14, representing 10.9% of the population.
In Oglala Lakota County, part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, 10.8% of the population are children 10-14 years old.
Another reason for the statewide trend is the presence of colleges and universities, which attract young adults and influence state age trends, McEntaffer said. With 22.3% of its population in the age group of 20-24 years old, Clay County – home to the University of South Dakota in Vermillion – has one of the youngest average ages nationwide.
Rural communities have a predominance of older age groups. For example, Fall River has 10.7% of its population in the age group of 65-69 years old.
The data
The latest U.S. Census data estimates indicated that the median age of South Dakotans was 38.5 in 2024. McEntaffer explains that it is the result of the aging of the overall population.
“We’ve got fewer young people being born, young people moving away,” he said. “When people move back, they tend to be older. So all of those things combine to raise that.”
Rural communities are aging
While some counties are getting younger, rural communities generally have an aging population.
“Kids have moved out of the state or, more likely in some cases, to other population centers in the state,” McEntaffer said.
Campbell and McPherson counties exemplify these trends, he said. In both counties, the most common age group is 65-69 years old, 11% in Campbell and 9% in McPherson.
“These counties along the north, the kids might have moved into North Dakota and gotten into the oil industry,” he said. “So the younger people are leaving the farms, moving to the towns.”
Universities are driving the young growth
People aged 20-24 make up 6.7% of South Dakota’s population, the third largest age group in the state, according to the U.S Census.
“The presence of college students is going to influence the young age groups around the state,” McEntaffer said.
Jackson Dircks moved from Freeburg, Illinois, to South Dakota in 2021 to attend Augustana University. Anna Dircks, from Nampa, Idaho, was his teammate on the Augustana Swim and Dive team.
The couple began to date during Jackson’s freshman year, and they got married in Sioux Falls in early summer 2025 and decided to stay in South Dakota to start their new life.
One of the reasons they have decided to stay in South Dakota is because of the benefits of living in the state, with better taxes and job opportunities.
“There are a lot of job opportunities. Maybe it’s not always the job you want, but there are jobs here,” Anna Dircks said. “Having the colleges here helps, like I said, I mean, it just makes it more age-friendly.”
Other reasons why the couple calls South Dakota home include the parks and recreation activities and that they are well-organized and cared for.
Looking to the future
The Dircks, like many young adults around the state, are not sure if they will stay or leave South Dakota in the future.
“I could see myself living here forever and we retire here,” Jackson Dircks said. “But I could also see us moving in the near future if something popped up.”
The couple has some hopes and goals for the following years, which include moving to a townhome and being happy with their careers. They feel South Dakota is the right place for young people to start their lives.
“South Dakota is one of the best states for business friendliness. So it’s nice,” Anna Dircks said. “There’s a lot more opportunity here than, say, where my hometown is.”
