The South Dakota map Melissa Hamersma Sievers taped to her deskside upon her employ is generously studded with yellow, orange, and green dabs. They mark towns to which she’s traveled in her 18 years as an SDPB content producer and videographer. “I haven’t been to Edgemont yet, so the extreme southwest corner is a little bare,” says Hamersma Sievers. “And the northwest corner, I’m trying to track down a story there.”
It’s clear the highlights mean more to Hamersma Sievers than mere dots on a map. “Next time I’m in my office, I need to remember to highlight Clear Lake!” exclaims Hamersma Sievers. “I hadn’t shot in Clear Lake before, so that was really exciting to get to a new community.”
This September is Hamersma Sievers’ third season as producer of Dakota Life, SDPB’s flagship video-magazine program. The new season, the 23rd, looks a little different. “Dakota Life has always showcased our diverse population,” says Hamersma Sievers. “But we’re a very rural state, and we’ll still have stories from Rapid City and Sioux Falls, but we really want to highlight our rural communities.”
Starting this season, Dakota Life ventures even deeper into the state’s some 77,000 square miles. Each episode will be anchored by a host community. Larry Rohrer, SDPB’s Director of Content and long-standing face of the program, steps outside the studio to shoot segment transitions from key locations in the host community.
In September, De Smet inaugurates the refreshed format. “De Smet is a wonderful town,” says Hamersma Sievers. “They’ve got a progressive industrial park, a number of folks in the surrounding area commute to De Smet to work. They raised a lot of money to put up a community and wellness center. That is pretty remarkable for a small town.”
Hot Springs hosts in October. November is under consideration. But content producers, mindful of the impact COVID-19 has on interviews and shooting schedules, have been out in-the-field banking stories. “I am always on the lookout for stories about interesting people, places and things around the state,” says Hamersma Sievers. “The reason I like Dakota Life so much is that the people we visit with are passionate about whatever it is that we’re visiting with them about. I feel like every episode of Dakota Life pays tribute to those who came before, but then there’s a variety of people that are exploring and trying to do things differently, too. So many of the stories are about tenacity and connection to the land. South Dakota has some really interesting people within its population and it’s a treat when they agree to visit with us.”
Have a story about a person or place in your Dakota Life? Email [email protected]
Dakota Life in September
A Second Chance at Life
In 1990, doctors told Lisa Casper that the heart she’d received from a 22-year-old woman who had died in a motorcycle accident might not survive past 10 years. Today, we meet Casper on the cusp of turning 52. She runs a business and enjoys gardening and other hobbies at the Arlington home she shares with her husband, Troy. “At age 30, I had a doctor who said I would never make it to age 40,” says Casper. “I’d kind of like to talk to him right now.”
Cabins in the Hills
Private cabins, public land: In decades past, both the Forest Service and Custer State Park allowed people to move private cabins onto public land in the Black Hills. Both programs stopped issuing new permits long ago, but hundreds of the old cabins are allowed to remain. Many are passed down through generations of families who lovingly care for these uniquely historic and rustic structures. We’ll visit several of the cabins, talk to the owners, and also talk to officials who administer permits for the cabins.
Discovering His Roots
Strong rodeo families abound in South Dakota, but a little more rarely in the southeast corner of the state. The Andersen ranch and arena three miles north of Viborg has existed since 1996. Since then, the family has represented at the high school state rodeo finals 26 years.
Now meet 18-year old Shane, the latest Andersen legacy. Although Shane was later to find his love for rodeo, the recent Viborg-Hurley high school graduate plans to continue his career as a college rodeo-athlete at Mitchell Tech this fall.
Going Dutch
Dine with the Dutch Oven Gathering (DOG) in Clear Lake, where outdoor chefs cook in cast iron over open fires and the meal is always potluck.
Saving the De Smet Newspaper
When financial losses forced the closure of DeSmet News and Lake Preston Times this spring, the loss of a local newspaper hit hard for Kingsbury County residents. Feeling the void, area residents stepped forward to take on the writing, production and business of publishing a local paper through a community-based model. Learn how the volunteer-run news outlet is keeping local journalism alive.
The season premiere of Dakota Life airs Monday, September 7, at 9pm (8 MT) on SDPB1.
Miss an episode of Dakota Life? visit SDPB.org/DakotaLife for articles, episodes, and more.