The Argus Leader is suing the city of Sioux Falls over a dispute about the city’s official newspaper.
Earlier this summer, the city council named The Dakota Scout as the city’s new official paper. The Argus Leader had been the city’s paper of record for several decades.
The decision went into effect July 1 when a new bill became law. It allows free distribution newspapers, like the Dakota Scout, to publish public notices.
The Argus Leader and Gannett, its parent company, are arguing The Dakota Scout did not submit the proper paperwork to the Secretary of State on time. They claim this legally makes The Dakota Scout ineligible to be the city’s legal newspaper until 2025.
The Dakota Scout co-founder Joe Sneve told SDPB the publication has done everything necessary to comply with the new requirements.
Co-founder Johnathon Ellis agreed.
"In an era in which conglomerate media companies continue to lay off employees, downsize operations and transfer basic functions out of state, the Legislature chose to expand the types of publications that qualify as legal newspapers of record for the communities they serve," Ellis said in a statement. "The Dakota Scout complies with these new requirements, and on July 1 became the newspaper of record for Sioux Falls. We look forward to doing the same for other local governments as we continue to serve our readers with local and state news. Gannett would be better off spending its money on hiring local reporters than filing frivolous lawsuits."
