Helene Duhamel

South Dakota Mines in Rapid City held its commencement ceremony earlier this month. The guest of honor was Billy Mills. He won the Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000-meter race in 1964.

Zebra mussels are an invasive mollusk. Their name comes from the zig-zagged stripes on their shells.

Hunters take to the South Dakota prairie every year for the fall pheasant season. It can be a lifestyle — or a vacation. But now the hunt on public lands faces a challenge, and some say the state is redefining the tradition.

South Dakota's first impeachment trial of a constitutional officer is scheduled for late June. Earlier this month, House lawmakers narrowly approved the articles of impeachment against Attorney General Jason Ravsnborg. The impeachment focuses on Ravnsborg's conduct after he struck and killed Joe Boever.

Though it can be hard to imagine in our current drought, torrential rains and floods can happen all at once, or over time. In the northeastern corner of the state, shifting weather patterns decades ago turned farm country into lake country. And for one farm family, that heartbreak created a new beginning.

When weather extremes and other factors threaten our livelihood, HOPE can be hard to come by. The stresses of farming and ranching inspired the creation of a hotline dedicated to providing mental health care to ag producers. The man who created the hotline knows the stressors of farming firsthand.

Months before the Rapid City demonstrations, city leaders and others were already organizing a tour of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Though many people make the 80-mile drive from Pine Ridge to Rapid City on a weekly basis, the same often isn't true for citizens of Rapid City. The tour was intended as the first step toward better relations between the two communities.

Legalizing industrial hemp was a key topic in recent legislative sessions. And now, someone who was instrumental in bringing the crop to the state is preparing to plant it for the first time.

Ag is one of the state's top industries. It accounts for more than $10-billion dollars in economic activity, but each season brings a new challenge for even the most experienced farmers and ranchers.This time of year is usually the wettest in South Dakota, but instead, a two-year drought persists.

The special committee on investigation released its report related to Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg's conduct following the car collision that killed Joe Boever. It recommended NOT to impeach Ravnsborg on a 6 to 2 vote.