Last week, the Brandon Development Foundation and Brandon Valley Journal announced that Annie's Coffee Bar would be moving to Brandon later this spring. The news was a surprise to Garretson residents, as Annie's new location had only been open for two and a half years in Depot Square.
The initial Annie's had opened in Rowena, SD in 2004 and moved to Garretson in 2009. She closed in 2016, seemingly for good. However, when Depot Square was redeveloped into a multi-use facility, Annie's Coffee re-opened its doors in the new space. There, she held multiple events, such as painting parties and the annual Harvest Fest, and sold items from local arts vendors. The business enjoyed heavy support from local residents and out of town visitors.
In 2024, Anne Pederson, the proprietor of Annie's, began roasting her own coffee beans out of 725 N Splitrock Blvd in Brandon and updated the name of the business to Annie's Coffee & Roastery.
In November, Pederson placed a request to re-zone the space from heavy industrial to commercial, and did not apply for a renewal of her liquor license with the Garretson City Council. Despite inquiries from Mayor Bruce Brown and the Garretson Economic Development board on the lapse, Pederson was not forthcoming with any information that she intended to close her Garretson store.
According to the BV Journal, Annie's will operate in its current space in Garretson until the Brandon location is ready later this spring, at which time she will close her doors here.
SIOUX FALLS — Hundreds of people, many of them opponents of a carbon dioxide pipeline, filled the Southeast Technical College auditorium Wednesday evening, January 15, for a state Public Utilities Commission hearing regarding a second attempt by Summit Carbon Solutions to gain a permit for the project.
“We know this is an incredibly important issue to you,” said Commissioner Gary Hanson at the start of the three-hour meeting. “We are here today to learn and listen, and we appreciate each of you being with us today to give us your input.”
Hundreds of people fill the Southeast Technical College auditorium in Sioux Falls for a Public Utilities Commission hearing about a carbon dioxide pipeline proposal on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight.)
The Iowa-based company plans a 2,500-mile, $9 billion pipeline to capture carbon dioxide from 57 ethanol plants across five states, including eastern South Dakota, and transport it to North Dakota for underground storage. The project would capitalize on federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping carbon emissions.
The commission rejected Summit’s first permit application in 2023, in part due to the pipeline route’s conflicts with local ordinances mandating minimum distances between pipelines and existing features.
The project has a storage permit in North Dakota and route permits in North Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota, while Nebraska has no state permitting process for carbon pipelines. The project also faces litigation from opponents in multiple states.
The Sioux Falls meeting focused on residents in Minnehaha, Lincoln, Turner and Union counties. The commission held another meeting in Mitchell earlier in the day.
From left, Public Utilities Commissioners Kristie Fiegen, Gary Hanson and Chris Nelson wait for a public hearing to begin in Sioux Falls on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Most of Wednesday’s attendees opposed the pipeline — evident by applause often filling the room after opponents spoke. The opponents who spoke primarily reiterated concerns about safety and impacts to farmland affected by the pipeline’s planned route, which were raised during the company’s initial attempt at a permit.
Opponents also spoke against efforts to designate the pipeline as a common carrier, which would allow the use of eminent domain to push the project through. The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled last year that the pipeline has not yet proven it should be allowed to take private land for public use. The high court sent the case back to a lower court, where the company is trying to prove its case.
Betty Strom, whose property would be crossed by the pipeline, said it would be a “forever hazard across my land.”
“Summit is in it for the tax credits. They don’t care about property rights, safety, the damage to property, its value or the long-term consequences,” Strom said. “Please deny this permit again.”
Representatives from Summit explained why the route was selected and reviewed safety regulations and standards for the pipeline.
In a handout, Summit said the project would include $1.9 billion in capital expenditures in South Dakota, add 3,000 construction jobs while the pipeline is being built and support 260 jobs annually.
Project supporters said it would provide economic opportunities to South Dakota if implemented.
Al Giese, an Iowa farmer, board member for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and owner of a feed and trucking company doing business in South Dakota, told the commission that the “carbon sequestration train, locally and nationally, has left the station.”
“Yes, it is a South Dakota issue. It is a Midwestern issue. But we must move forward with sequestering carbon not only for the vitality of the ag sector but for all the economies in the Midwestern states,” Giese said. “There’s no other way to go about it.”
The next public hearings were in De Smet and Watertown on Thursday, January 16 and in Aberdeen and Redfield on Friday, January 17.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.
Are you passionate about driving growth and innovation in our community? Garretson Economic Development is seeking a new member to our Board of Directors to help guide Garretson’s economic and community development program, and achieve the goals set forth by the Board of Directors.
What We’re Looking For:
- Visionary leaders with experience in business, finance, government, law, utilities, marketing, or community development.
- A commitment to advancing the vision and purpose set forth by GED.
- Ability to collaborate and contribute to strategic initiatives.
- Ability to attend all GED Board of Directors meetings and other GED events regularly.
- Someone who can be a champion of growth and has the ability to actively promote GED and The City of Garretson.
Why Join Us?
As a board member, you'll play a vital role in:
- Guiding development projects that create jobs and improve quality of life.
- Partnering with local businesses, government, and community organizations.
- Making a responsible impact to preserve and improve our community through investing in opportunities for families and businesses.
How to Apply:
Submit a brief letter of interest which includes your name, residential and business addresses, as well as why sitting on the GED Board of Directors is important to you to or by mail to Garretson Economic Development, 705 N Main Ave., PO Box 370, Garretson, SD 57030.
For more information, contact the Director of Economic Development, Chris Fields at the email provided above or by calling (605) 910-3640.
The Garretson High School One Act Play season has been in full swing throughout January, with a full cast of characters rehearsing for the show, "Among Friends and Clutter". They will be performing for the public on Sunday, January 26 at 3:00 p.m. before they bring the production to Regions on Tuesday.
"It's a blend of comedy and serious," said Director Erika Brown.
"Among Friends and Clutter" by Lindsay Price is a show about the lives of seven characters, who "experience the most important relationships in life: friends, family, and love", according to the show's synopsis. As they imagine what it will be like to go through their lives, some will succeed, others will fail, and all will grow.
For her part, Brown is grateful the schools no longer have to produce only comedy or only dramatic works every other year. She was excited about the large number of students who had tried out for the production, and did her best to cast all who were interested. There are nineteen actors and one lights and sound tech.
The show will premiere on Sunday, January 28 at 3:00 p.m. in the Garretson School Old Gym. Regions will be held in Canton on Tuesday, and if they make it to the State One-Act Play Festival in Brookings, it will be performed again between February 6-8.
The Garretson Girls Basketball team faced Howard last Saturday at the Dakota State University Basketball Classic, when eight teams from three states were pitted against each other.
Ava Ockenga works to pass the ball to teammate Ashley Harris. //Garrick A Moritz, Gazette
The Dragons and the Tigers were first on the docket, hitting the court at 10:00 a.m. in Madison.
While Howard was first on the board and held the lead for much of the first quarter, Garretson fought to make a comeback play, keeping the ball moving between players. In the final seconds of the quarter, the team pushed the ball across the court, allowing Emma Wolf to score via a layup and ending the quarter 10-8.
Harper Andera (center) and Ashley Harris (right) fight for the rebound.
The Dragons maintained possession of the ball throughout much of the second quarter, extending their lead as they dropped ball after ball through the hoop. The team went into the half with 24 more points while keeping Howard to 8 points, 34-16.
The Tigers worked on their own comeback play during the third quarter, keeping the Dragons on defense. Garretson stayed on their toes and didn't allow the gap to close; however, several good looks at the basket weren't completed as Howard gained 15 points to Garretson's 11. A solid 3-point shot from Harper Andera in the final second of the quarter earned the team a 45-31 lead.
Heading into the fourth, the Dragons maintained their dominance as the teams traded the ball back-and-forth. Garretson gathered 12 more points to Howard's 3, ending the game 56-34.
As has been the norm this season, the team's steal game was on point, with 21 steals to Howard's 9. The Dragons had fewer turnovers at 16 vs 29, and had a 73.7% free-throw ratio.
Emma Wolf
The team had faced Colman-Egan last week Friday, where they lost 37-45, and took on Alcester-Hudson on Tuesday (results not available at press time). Tonight (Thursday), they'll be in the Dragon's Lair hosting Dell Rapids with varsity starting at 7:15 p.m.
Last week Friday, the Garretson Varsity Boys' Basketball team headed to Colman to take on the Hawks, and took the win from their opponents' talons.
Brecken Weir fights to get to the hoop. //Garrick A Moritz, Gazette
Ian Buettner
Colman-Egan got off to an early lead, forcing the Dragons to play catch-up. Garretson was up to the task as they kept the gap from widening too far, ending the first quarter only five points behind, 6-11.
The Dragons kept the Hawks to that 11 in the second quarter until they tied the game. The team then had trouble landing their shots, while Colman-Egan pulled back into the lead. The Dragons didn't give up, though, and stayed on their opponents' heels. A nice 3-pointer from Ian Buettner put the Dragons ahead at the end of the quarter, 25-24.
In the third, the Dragons were loathe to give up their lead, and kept the pressure on their opponents. Garretson stayed well ahead, widening the gap by as much as six points. However, Colman-Egan wasn't going to let the Dragons run roughshod over them on their own court, and clawed their way back to a 2-point gap to end the quarter 37-35.
Carter Siemonsma
In the decisive fourth quarter, the teams battled for possession of the ball, but Garretson stayed ahead. With 28 seconds left in the game and the score at 48-44, Garretson's Carter Siemonsma took to the free throw line and bought two more points for the Dragons. A frenzied last-second play from the Hawks put Garretson's Treyton Decker on the free throw line, and he, too, bought two more points, putting the score at a comfortable 52-44 with 14 seconds left. While the Hawks had a successful 3-pointer, Garretson now had possession of the ball and only had to ride out the time.
In the end, the Dragons had the win 52-47, with a free throw percentage of 53%, 33 rebounds, and 7 steals to Colman-Egan's 3.
The team hosted Alcester-Hudson on Tuesday (results not available at press time), and will be in the DSU Basketball Classic on Saturday against Lakota Tech. Their next home game will be Tuesday, January 28 with varsity starting at 7:15 p.m.
On January 6th, 2025, the Blue Dragons JV/C teams traveled across state lines to take on the Patriots from Hills-Beaver Creek.
In the opening C Game, the home team took it right to the young Blue Dragons as they went into the locker room at the half with a commanding 26-10 lead. The Patriots didn’t let up as they kept pouring it on defeating the Blue Dragons 48-26 when the final buzzer sounded.
“We didn’t match their physicality all night, which led to a lot of easy transition buckets for H-BC,” explained head coach Tad Heitkamp. “We talked to the kids at practice that this group is going to push tempo and will be aggressive, so we need to step up our intensity which unfortunately didn’t happen.”
On the bright side, the Blue Dragons Cade Risty was the game high scorer with 14 points.
“Cade came out and played his tail off the entire game tonight,” stated Heitkamp. “He never gave up and just kept battling!”
Ethan McGregor and Shea Smidt contributed with 5 and 3 points, as Casen Smith and Jackson Collins finished the night with 2 points each.
Unfortunately, things didn’t get much better the 2nd game as H-BC dismantled the visiting JV Blue Dragons 42-23.
The Blue Dragons did a pretty nice job the opening half keeping pace with the Patriots in the scoring column, as the teams walked off the court at the half with H-BC leading 21-15.
“The kids did a nice job the opening half taking advantages of their miscues, which kept us in the game the first 14 minutes. The downfall…we came out of the locker flat the second half, which is something you can’t do against a team like H-BC,” Heitkamp stated. “We were slow on our offensive cuts, we got out muscled on both ends of the court, and played a timid on the defensive side of the ball. I’m not going to say H-BC was a great basketball team, but we just didn’t match their intensity this evening.”
Ethan McGregor had a solid night for the Blue Dragons connecting for 9 points, while Michael Hanisch and Shea Smidt added 5 points each. Jackson Arend and Colton Buchholz rounded out the scoring with 2 points apiece.
Cardinals slip past the Blue Dragons in OT
On January 7th, 2025, the JV Blue Dragons were back at home playing host to Dell Rapids St. Mary’s. The two teams battled back and forth the entire opening half as St. Mary’s had a 12-11 lead after the 1st quarter, but the Blue Dragons went into the locker room with an 18-17 advantage.
“What an opening 12 minutes tonight,” stated coach Heitkamp. “Nobody ever got more than a 3-point advantage…just two evenly matched teams battling back and forth.”
The Cardinals stepped on the court the 2nd half with a little chip on their shoulder and took a 31-26 lead into the final stanza.
“We did not come out of the locker room with the fire needed to start the second half,” Heitkamp explained. “We talked about taking control of the game with hustle, toughness, and desire, which just didn’t happen.”
The Blue Dragons didn’t throw in the towel the final 6 minutes as they battled back to tie the game 40-40 at the end of regulation.
“We dropped down a 3-pointer right away in the 4th, which seemed to give us the spark we needed to get back into the game,” exclaimed Heitkamp. “You could just see the confidence come back as we connected on 3 more deep shoots behind the arc to get us back into the game.”
Unfortunately, the home town Blue Dragons couldn’t complete the comeback as they fell to the Cardinals 46-42 in overtime. The Blue Dragons had a couple of opportunities to win the game in regulation, but the shot just came up a little short.
Isaiah Coburn was red hot has he scorched the nets for a game high 15 points (5-3’s). Colton Buchholz and Ethan McGregor also had a solid night as they finished with 12 and 10 points, while Jackson Arend rounded out things with 5 points.
Blue Dragons drop two in Mt. Vernon
On January 11th, 2025, the Blue Dragons jumped on the bus bright and early and headed west to take on the Titan’s from Mt. Vernon/Plankinton.
In the opening game the C Team was getting ran off the court the first 3 quarters before finally settling in and playing Blue Dragons.
“We were not ready to play basketball this morning at all,” stated Heitkamp. “I’m not sure if we just had the mind set this will be an easy game for us, which the Titan’s had a different game plan.”
The Blue Dragons did make a valent comeback the final quarter, but fell a little short to Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 42-37.
“We had a great 4th quarter with regards to our defensive pressure and execution of our offense, which got us back into the game,” Heitkamp stated. “If we would have come out with the energy and aggressiveness…we would have gotten into the win column today.”
Cade Risty and Isaiah Coburn had the hot hand for the Blue Dragons netting 8 points each, while Ethan McGregor dropped in 6 points. Shea Smidt and Michael Hanisch collected 5 and 4 points, as Cooper Smith, Jackson Collins, and Myles Hanson dropped in 2 points apiece to round out the scoring.
The second game of the morning didn’t start off much better as Mt. Vernon/Plankinton took it to the JV Blue Dragons right from the tip taking a halftime led into the locker room 16-22.
“The home town Titan’s never pulled away from us, but it felt like we were down 20 points that entire first half,” Heitkamp explained. “We talked during the break that we needed to pick up the intensity and take control of the game.”
The Blue Dragons battled back the second half, but could never get over the hump to bring home a victory as Mt. Vernon/Plankinton came out on top 43-39.
“The kids came out and played well enough to secure a victory the second half, but woes at the free-throw line ultimately costed us that opportunity,” mentioned Coach Heitkamp. “We were 12 of 25 from the charity stripe, which is not very good. Anytime you get to the line 25 plus times you should come out on top at the end. The Titan’s didn’t beat us today…we fell short of our own expectations.”
Colton Buchholz was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points, while Jackson Arend and Ethan McGregor dropped down 8 and 7 points each. Cade Risty and Shea Smidt chipped in with 4 and 3 points.
The Garretson Blue Dragon Middle School kicked off their busy January schedule with some close and competitive road games.
“We finally were able to get back into the competitive part of our season with our holiday break feeling extra long this year. Even though we were only practicing over the break, it gave us a chance to work on the fundamentals of the game,” stated coach Cory Buchholz.
On January 7th, the boys took the short trip to Baltic to take on the Bulldogs. In the first contest back from Christmas/New Year’s break, unfortunately the 6th and 7th graders were thinking they were still on break, falling to the Bulldogs by a score of 10-50.
“Baltic did a great job of putting pressure on our guards and knowing their philosophies and the game of basketball. We just weren’t ready as a team and it showed by us just not being ready to play,” said coach Buchholz.
There weren’t a whole lot of bright spots to speak of but those who managed to put the ball in the basket were Reilly McKinney with 4 points and Leo Sievers, Greyson Petrick, and Mason Snyders each with a 2-point bucket apiece.
While the 7th grade game left a bitter taste in all our mouths, it was the 8th graders’ turn to take the court to see what we could do with a scrappy Baltic team. The Bulldogs were able to come away with a buzzer beater layup as time expired.
“Unfortunately, we beat them last year by a pretty good margin both times we played them, and I think we thought that we were going to just come onto the floor and do the same thing. They were scrappy enough and we didn’t execute anything on either side of the ball or play to the final buzzer to come away with a very obtainable win,” stated coach Buchholz.
Leading the Blue Dragons was Gavin Coburn with 8 points while Reilly McKinney chipped in 4 of his own. Rounding out the scoring was Miles Sievers, Cameron Roberts, Marcus Yellow, and Mason Snyders each had 2 points and Gabe Coburn dumped in a lonely free throw.
Two days later, on Jan. 9th, the young Blue Dragons traveled to Elkton to take on the Elks.
“Overall, I felt that our energy was better than our previous game. Before the game I had given every player a number on 3 specific goals (points, steals, rebounds) that I wanted to see if they would be able to achieve during the game. I think it really helped them focus more on the little aspects of the game,” stated coach Buchholz. “While I still think we can do better on both sides of the court, I think this will be a focus point every game going forward."
Even though the 7th grade took the court with a renewed energy and enthusiasm for the game, we fell just short of winning the ball game by a score of 25-29. Gabe Coburn found the bottom of the net for 12 points on the night while Caylix Buchholz, having a great look to tie the game very late in the game, came away with 5 points of his own. Both Mason Snyders and Reilly McKinney rounded out the scoring with 4 points each.
In the 8th grade contest, we were very bitter about what had transpired two nights prior, and we came out and finally made a statement this season by winning our first game by a score of 40-22. Gavin Coburn came out with a hot hand right away scoring 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter. Cameron Roberts also had a great game by chipping in 12 points before the final buzzer sounded. The “rebounding machine”, Marcus Yellow, had 4 points with Gabe Coburn matching Marcus with 4 points of his own. Rounding out the scoring was Miles Sievers with a big second quarter bucket for 2 points.
We have been working hard this season and the rewards are starting to show. Please come out and support your Blue Dragons!!!
Bigger schools too much for the young Blue Dragons
The young middle school Blue Dragon ballers traveled to Dell Rapids on January 13th to take on the Quarriers.
“This was a tough night for us as we were just overmatched in the 3 games (7thA, 7thB, and 8th grade) that we played,” stated coach Buchholz. “It’s tough to play against bigger schools when they have 15+ kids more per grade out for basketball and they can substitute in a whole new group of kids and not lose a beat. I am proud of us for not throwing in the towel after we had gotten down by a lot of points early.”
Because Dell Rapids has so many 7th graders, it allowed us to play an “A” and a “B” game. Reilly McKinney led the Blue Dragons in the “A” game with 8 points while Gabe Coburn tallied 4 points of his own. Noah Lexen joined Reilly and Gabe in the scoring column adding a 2-point bucket and 6th grader Caylix Buchholz added a free throw to end the Dragons’ scoring at 15 points to Dells’ 56 points in the “A” game. In the “B” contest, Kacen Chester and Markace Yellow each scored 2 points to make the final score 4-11 in favor of the Quarriers.
In the 8th grade contest, the game was a little closer score-wise. Again, the Quarriers just outnumbered the Blue Dragons in both numbers and score, dispatching the Blue Dragons by a score of 23-45.
“We did some really good things, but we just started to get tired throughout the game and with Dells having a whole another team ready to sub in, it makes it tough to get our boys any lengthy rest periods,” added coach Buchholz.
Leading the way for the Blue Dragons was Gavin Coburn with 13 points. Cameron Roberts was close on his heels with 8 points and our “rebounding machine” Marcus Yellow had a put back bucket for his only 2 points of the game.
The following day, the young Blue Dragons hosted the C-Hawks from Canton.
“With tired legs, our 7th grade team came out a little sluggish and Canton really took it to us from the tip. Again, with so many kids on the opposite side, they were able to stay fresh throughout both of the 7th grade “A” and “B” games”, stated coach Buchholz.
Although we fell by the score of 20-54 in the “A” game, Mason Snyders had his best day as a Blue Dragon so far, scoring 9 points. Reilly McKinney chipped in 5 points while Gabe Coburn added 4 first quarter points. Noah Lexen rounded out the scoring in the contest with a 2-point basket. In the “B” contest, the game was back and forth for the whole game with the opposers coming out victorious in the waning seconds of the game, 12-14. Caylix Buchholz came out and took charge while leading the younger group, scoring 6 points, while Canyon White added 4 points of his own. “Big Man” Markace Yellow closed out the scoring column with a 2-point bucket.
In the 8th grade contest, we ended up coming out flat and tired right from the get-go, dropping the contest by a score of 33-40.
“When the score is lopsided in the opening quarter, it can cause us to be defeated right away. I am proud of the way the boys battled back and didn’t give up,” expressed Coach Buchholz.
Leading us in the scoring column was Cameron Roberts with 14 points on the night while Gavin Coburn was one point shy of Cameron with 13 points. 7th grader Reilly McKinney added 4 points and Miles Sievers added a 2-point bucket to stall out the scoring for the Blue Dragons.
SIOUX FALLS – At their Tuesday, Jan. 21, meeting, Minnehaha County Commissioners covered a variety of agenda items, but this time, none were as controversial as had been on display at more recent meetings.
First up was an annual briefing from the Family Visitation Center in Sioux Falls about what they had done over the last year.
Director Joleen Thompson thanked the commission for its support in the past and discussed how the center is supported through different ways by the entire community.
According to Thompson, the Family Visitation Center provides “a safe, supervised” environment for children to meet with one or both parents.
While the center does provide services for children in foster care, one of its main functions is to act as a meeting spot for children and non-custodial parents.
It is the custom of all agencies and departments receiving county funds to give a briefing to commissioners at least once during every budget cycle.
The Family Visitation Center is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
New computers
IT Director Monte Watembach received commission approval to purchase new Dell computers for county offices and employees.
He said that each year, his office replaces one fifth of the total number of county computers with new equipment.
This year, after the commission approved the purchase 5-0, the IT Department will be replacing 60 desktop computers, 16 laptops and 30 tablets at a cost of $143,692.
Comprehensive plan
Planning and Zoning Director Scott Anderson briefed commissioners on the public meetings and other input for the Envision 2045 project, which like previous comprehensive plans, will address future growth in the county.
Over the past few months, there have been several public open houses around the county to discuss the plan, Anderson said.
Also, he added, people can fill out a survey and add comments, as well.
Although the public meetings have been completed, the website will be open Tuesday, Feb. 18, at which time there will be a public hearing on the adoption of the 2045 plan.
The entire Envision 2045 plan can be found at https://www. minnehahacounty.gov/dept/pl/envision2045/Envision2045ComprehensivePlan.pdf.
Meeting policies
In the past, every July, commissioners would review existing meeting policies; however, this year, that review was changed to January to align with other re-organization matters.
For this year’s review, no changes were offered to be made, but new commissioner Cole Heisey wanted to look at the current method of getting items on the commission meeting agenda.
As policy states, it takes a consensus of two commissioners to get any item placed on the agenda.
Heisey said that several other counties already allow for any one commissioner to put an item on the agenda, and added that he was surprised to see Minnehaha County required two.
But the other members of the county board were each quick to say that to make meetings run smoother, the two-commissioner policy makes members have to work together to plan meetings.
Several pointed out that it is not hard to convince at least one other member to agree to the consideration of an item for the agenda.
Commissioner Joe Kippley said, “We have a good process in place. (The two-member system) brings collegiality to the body.”
As it now stands, if an item is brought without the support of at least one other commissioner, it would most likely die for lack of a second.
“A regular bill in the state legislature has to get out of a committee before it is ever discussed on the floor,” said Commissioner Jen Bleyenberg, “(the county method now in place) makes one commissioner work with another.”
Commission Chairman Dan Karsky, who previously served as a Sioux Falls city councilman, said that the city also required two members to agree to put any item on the agenda.
While Heisey did cite other counties when he brought up the possible policy change, Minnehaha County is almost twice the size as South Dakota’s second largest county (Pennington) and almost three times the size as the third largest county (Lincoln).
But Heisey said he was appreciative of the discussion on the issue.
“It was a worthwhile conversation to have,” he said.
The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the third-floor meeting room of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
BROOKINGS, S.D. – Nearly 40% of South Dakota's child care programs have fewer kids enrolled than they can handle because of a shortage of workers, the latest South Dakota Child Care Task Force report found.
The Kolovsky kids, Sylvi (4) and Wolfgang (2), read together Dec. 11, 2024, in the playroom of their home in Ethan, S.D. (Photo: Jordyn Henderson / SDPB)
"The No. 1 issue why they were not able to have the desired enrollment was they just didn't have the workforce," said Republican state Sen. Tim Reed of Brookings. "So we need to be able to increase what we're paying at the child care assistance level. And I think it's gonna have to increase at other levels too. But we need to start there just to make sure we can keep these employees."
The task force released its initial report on Jan. 10, days before lawmakers gaveled in for the 100th legislative session. The60-plus-page document includes community success stories, data about the cost of child care, and policy suggestions.
The South Dakota Child Care Task Force includes child care providers, law makers, business leaders and others. It partnered with The Hunt Institute, which specializes in education policy.
The study uses market survey results from the South Dakota Department of Social Services and other data to demonstrate that child care providers are among the lowest wage-earners in the state, yet families are paying between 10-20% of their annual income on child care.
Child care revenue contributes not only to provider wages but often to other costs like rent, utilities for the space, food and other materials. If providers attempt to raise wages by increasing their prices, they risk pricing out the families they're trying to serve. But with such low wages, many providers can't hire or retain enough employees.
"The current model we have to child care is not sustainable," Reed said. "Providers are struggling, and many are closing,"
Reed said his legislative priority is addressing the state's contribution to the Child Care Assistance program.
The federal government provides Child Care and Development Block Grant funds to help low-income families who meet certain qualifications afford care. Those grants are then handled by a lead agency.
In South Dakota's case, that's the Department of Social Services. According to a recentbrief from the Congressional Research Service, states have flexibility in the program outside certain federal requirements.
'We have made it work'
Some child care employees leave because they can't afford child care for their own children.
RiAnna Kolovksy left her job with Lutheran Social Services in Sioux Falls because the level of care she wanted for her kids wasn't financially feasible.
"This year, I would have paid over $27,000 a year to have both of these kids in child care," shesaid in 2023. "Granted, it's a good center, and it had accreditation outside of regular state accreditation. But what job can you work that makes that feasible?"
Shortly after becoming a single-income family, the Kolovsky's moved to a small town just south of Mitchell, where RiAnna's husband's family had a house and job waiting for him.
RiAnna Kolovsky and her daughter pose in front of the White House during a trip to Washington with the group Mother Forward on Dec. 7, 2024. (Photo Courtesy: RiAnna Kolovsky)
In an interview with "South Dakota Focus" just before the move, she worried about managing through the long winter with limited resources and two small kids at home.
"We have made it work," she said in a follow up interview with SDPB in late 2024. "I have also enrolled my eldest in a part-time preschool, which has alleviated a lot of tension in that she gets a little bit of an outlet, some peer interaction, some other interaction with other adults. And it gives me an opportunity to go to the store with only one child instead of two."
In addition to caring for her children full-time, Kolovsky has build connections with other frustrated parents around the country. Through another parent's post lamenting child care costs on Reddit, she connected with the advocacy groupMother Forward. Kolovsky and 4-year-old joined the group for a trip to Washington in December.
"There's nothing like walking through security at 4:45 on a Friday saying, 'Hello, I'm here to meet my senator!'" Kolovsky laughed. She was able to meeting with some of Sen. John Thune's staffers, but that wasn't the only goal of the trip.
"I also hoped to strengthen bonds with the women that I've been meeting wtih online for the last almost two years," Kolovsky said. "And that was just so life-giving in the way that having an in-person community is."
Not a sustainable model
Back at home, Kolovsky advocates for accessible child care however she can, from Children's Day at the Capitol in Pierre to engaging in conversations over coffee with skeptical neighbors.
"You know, there was a woman who said that in her experience as a child care provider, parents might not always adjust their budgets accordingly and that might be why they feel that child care is too expensive. I met with her for coffee, and we now have a great working relationship in which we can agree on where changes need to be made."
Kolovsky understands the catch-22 in which child care providers find themselves based on her experience working with Lutheran Social Services. She remembers speaking to a local National Exchange Club and being asked how her center justified their prices.
"And I said at the time, 'I'm not sure it matters because that child care center isnow closed,'" Kolovsky remembered. "Child care is not a sustainable business model, and it never has been since its inception. And I hope that more people are recognizing that this isn't just an issue of everyone should just have a parent stay home. That's not possible for all families."
Policy proposals yet to come
In addition to adjustments to the Child Care Assistance program, the Child Care Task Force suggests scholarships for those entering the child care workforce. It also suggests making parents who join the child care workforce eligible for child care assistance themselves.
Reed said the task force focused its policy proposals on improving the child care workforce.
"All this really comes down to money," he said. "And if we don't have the money available, this is going to be very tough to do."
With many lawmakers concerned about a limited budget – particularly with high pricetag projects like the new men's prison already in the works – any state investment in child care is likely to be a hard sell.
Not to mention the 100th legislature features a larger-than-typical number of lawmakers who are newly elected to office. But Reed believes the strain on families and additional information provided by the task force will come a long way in communicating the need for action.
"We went through it when it came to skilled care facilities, right?" he said. "We were starving them and they were closing. And that's going to continue to happen here. So we have to figure this out, like we figured out (how) to increase the funding that was needed for skilled care facilities to make sure that they could stay viable, especially in a rural community. The same thing is going to happen. We're gonna lose child care in the rural communities first, and then it's really hard for those smaller towns to be able to grow."
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How to watch 'South Dakota Focus'
The next episode of "South Dakota Focus" airs on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. Central time / 7 p.m. Mountain time. It can be viewed on SDPB-TV1, Facebook, YouTube and SD.net.
The episode includes:
A mom who left the workforce to care for her kids and found an online community advocating for child care access
New online options working to help parents find child care that meets their needs
The South Dakota Child Care Task Force report and policy suggestions
This story was written by Jackie Hendry, host and producer of South Dakota Public Broadcasting's "South Dakota Focus," to preview the next show. It was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate atsdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get stories when they're published. Contact us at .
