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The Brookings Bandits swept a pair of doubleheaders last week, beating Aberdeen on June 30 and Huron on July 1.

Volga’s Chad Hallin pitches during a 16-14 win over Brookings in a junior legion baseball game on Thursday.

Brookings Summer Arts Festival set for this weekend.

Local control returns to airwaves over Brookings.

The Brookings Arts Festival starts this weekend. I always try to spend some time with the antique dealers.

A dozen Republicans who are seeking or hold elected statewide office and the mayor of South Dakota’s most populous city have endorsed the incumbent governor in South Dakota’s Republican gubernatorial runoff.

Brookings Health System honored Inpatient Care Nurse Kyla Hauger, R.N., with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

The Brookings Summer Arts Festival and the Brookings Ministerial Association invite all members of the community to a special outdoor worship service on Sunday, July 12, at 8:30 a.m. at the Pioneer Park Bandshell.

Tips for a successful trip to the Brookings Summer Arts Festival

Throughout scripture, God’s people gathered for festivals that were about much more than religious observance.

Parking for County Museum; Downtown at Sundown returns; Walk for Women planned for Aug. 1; Rotary welcomes new president

A community-led campaign is underway to preserve mature ash trees in Pioneer Park, home to the annual Brookings Summer Arts Festival and one of Brookings’ most cherished public spaces.

Various pollsters have been busy trying to capture our views about the present and our future during this historical year.

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to have just five minutes with the president to explain how his policy positions are making life tougher for South Dakotans.

Winds in excess of 130 mph hit north-central South Dakota early Monday, breaking records and causing significant damage.

The Brookings Cubs topped Harrisburg and Tea this past week and improved to 10-1 in the process.

The Brookings Bandits senior legion baseball team went 2-2 at the Fargo/Moorhead Invitational over the weekend.

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Last week, the NCAA announced that they are adopting a new age-based eligibility model that allows for athletes to have up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in college no later than their 19th birthday.

Local artist won last year’s Arts Festival Media Award.

Stanwick brings 28 years’ experience as sheriff to race.

Strong storms ripped through portions of central and eastern South Dakota early Monday morning, leaving roofs torn off homes, vehicles tipped over, grain bins caved in and wind turbine towers folded in half.

During the June 23 Brookings City Council meeting, the council heard first reading on a proposal to spend $450 thousand on purchasing some land in downtown Brookings.

Post 74 to read Declaration on 8th; Fireworks illegal inside city limits; Fourth of July events planned; Rotary hears about Zimbabwe Trip; One business fails alcohol check; City begins battling mosquitoes

There is a distinct magic to sitting at a baseball diamond on a summer day, watching your children take the field.

My mom, Janie D. Wheeler, passed away May 29th in Sturgis, SD less than a month before her 91st birthday.

A large crowd turned out to Brookings High School’s Bell Auditorium last Saturday to celebrate the life of longtime BHS teacher and queen of all things drama Bette Gerberding, who died last month at the age of 93

Brookings is looking for a new head of the Parks and Rec department after former director Kristin Zimmerman resigned abruptly last month.

Nature wasn’t mentioned, but the citizens of the new country did have one important demand – in the USA there would be no king or kingly ownership of wildlife.

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We pause to celebrate the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence by 56 colonists who pledged “their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor so that future generations might live free from tyranny”.

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With the recent fallout of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, South Dakota State football coach Dan Jackson has to continue to remind his players about the risks of placing bets on sports as a student-athlete.

South Dakota State University Athletics officials have scheduled the groundbreaking ceremony for the future home of the South Dakota State women’s soccer program to take place on Tuesday, July 28, on the site of the future facility on the SDSU campus in Brookings. 

The Brookings baseball teams are in full swing in their summer season. Some teams have had their struggles so far this season, but let’s take a look at where every team is at with a little over a week left in June.

JD’s at Trails Head now open on south end of Brookings.

Suspect had sentence commuted by Kristi Noem.

After a two-year hiatus, the varsity state hockey tournament is coming back to Brookings in 2027.

Brookings County has a darn good museum in Volga.

Brookings Kite Festival returns

If Obi-Wan Kenobi were here, he’d say he’s feeling a great disturbance in the force.

Rotary hears from BATA’s Bortnem; Baszler promoted; Extension hosts writing workshop; United Way hosted mobile dentist; Bigelow honored at SDSU

Brookings residents are invited to participate in the annual celebration of LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit Pride.

The Trump White House’s assault on Green Energy initiatives and his stated determination to maintain fossil fuels including coal as our nation’s primary sources of energy have caused me to reflect on conflicts surrounding our nation’s energy policy over the last half century.

Arrest made in 2021 robbery case; Attempted break-in reported; Crews respond to motorcycle wreck; Interstate grass fire extinguished; Crews put out fire in Estelline; Crews respond to motorcycle wreck

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Drummer from Brookings tries to keep good times.

A lifelong teacher who always played her part.

Long delivery times and unreliable service have led to growing distrust and dissatisfaction with the United States Postal Service’s operations in rural South Dakota.

I think catfish — meaning channel catfish, are a quality catch in more ways than one.

For the first time in the state’s history, South Dakotans will vote in a runoff election July 28 to choose a candidate for governor.

The South Dakota Supreme Court has overturned a drunken driving conviction that was predicated on a driver’s failure to use his turn signal 100 feet before reaching a stop sign.

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” – John 8:7

Michael Douglas Filholm, known to family, friends, and community as someone you could count on to help a group, a family, a child or person in need, passed away unexpectedly on May 30, 2026, at the age of 64.

The Brookings Human Rights Commission will host the seventh annual Brookings Juneteenth Celebration on Friday, June 19, at Pioneer Park in Brookings from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Brookings High School and Community Blood Bank will host a community blood drive on Thursday, June 25 from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Republican majority in the U.S. House and Senate recently approved another $70 billion for ICE and Border Patrol operations through use of a reconciliation budget measure that allows the majority to avoid the 60-vote threshold ordinarily required in the U.S. Senate for passage of legislation.

New show at BAC; West Nile Virus found in Brown County; Man arrested for unwanted contact; Man arrested after leading police on chase

After a strong start to the season, the Brookings Bandits senior legion team hit a speed bump this weekend, losing three of four games at the Dakota Classic in Sioux Falls.

The Brookings Cubs dropped their first game of the season on Saturday but were able to bounce back with a win on Monday.

It’s time to go through the Jackrabbits 2026 schedule and highlight what should be the most interesting games.

The Summit League announced expansions of its media rights agreements with CBS Sports and Midco Sports Tuesday that will keep both partners at the center of distributing the conference’s national linear and digital network content.

Of the 58,281 names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, at least three are those of former South Dakota State student-athletes.

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Bette Gerberding, beloved educator, champion of the arts, and loyal SDSU Jackrabbit fan dies at age 93.

Kendis Sackreiter just capped off her junior year with two top-five finishes in throwing events at the State Track & Field Meet. She did that on the heels of a top-two finish in wrestling and is hoping that her senior year comes with some state titles.

The Sioux Valley softball team came away with the consolation championship at the Class A State Tournament over the weekend.

The Brookings Cubs were named co-champions of a tournament in Arlington, Minn., over the weekend after the title game was rained out on Sunday.

A week has passed since the SD primary was held with most of the attention focused on the Republican primary to determine the Republican nominee for the Office of Governor of South Dakota. The fact that no candidate reached the 35% threshold to win the nomination outright was not a surprise but the order in which the four candidates finished surprised voters across the state.

South Dakota Department of Health officials have flagged the state’s ninth case of measles this year.

I introduced readers of The Brookings Beacon in March to Citizen Science by telling one family’s story of participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. That “one family” is my wife Mary Lou and me. We’re repeating another citsci project called the Great Sunflower Project. We’ve planted Lemon Queen variety sunflowers so that we can count pollinators that visit the sunflowers in August. Yes, neighbors will gawk as we sit watching our Lemon Queens later this summer.

Former President Joe Biden told South Dakota Democrats on June 5 that the country has endured dark moments before, and they must do the same ahead of this fall’s elections.

Despite calls for presidents such as Reagan, Obama, Trump or others to be added as a fifth face onto Mount Rushmore, it’s not possible.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. was controversial when it was unveiled — and like our nation’s experience with that war, has cycled through the public consciousness

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on the Beacon Substack on Nov. 12, 2025, when this paper was still a dream. We reproduce it here in print faithfully, direct language included. It is now dedicated to the memory of a man so many of us loved so much. May that memory be a blessing, may we all accept some of the wisdom he tried to share — and may we care for each other as fiercely as he always did.

The Brookings track & field teams finished the season with 13 top-10 finishes at the State Track & Field Meet at Howard Wood Field over the weekend.

The Brookings Bandits opened their senior legion season with a doubleheader sweep over Pierre on May 29.

The Brookings girls’ golf team finished in ninth place at the Class AA State Tournament at Cattail Crossing Golf Course on Monday and Tuesday.

The Sioux Valley softball team will be playing in the Class A State Tournament for the second-straight season this weekend in Aberdeen as the Cossacks clinched a spot in the tournament with a walk-off win over Sioux Falls Christian in the SoDak 16 on May 26.

Sheriff candidate moves on to another race in November.

App shows locations around town

When a group of young hockey players heard one of their favorite Rangers, Cooper Deatherage, had died at just 19, they immediately wanted to help. And so they did.

The Brookings Rotary Club welcomed representatives from Prairie Repertory Theater at a recent meeting.

Political newcomer Toby Doeden finished first Tuesday in South Dakota’s Republican governor primary but failed to reach 35%, setting up a runoff with Gov. Larry Rhoden while U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson — who led in several early polls — fell to third and out of the running.

The Great Commission. The words from Jesus to head out and do the work. Spread the good news and bring followers to Christ. A powerful set of verses. A cry to the faithful. But how badly have we missed the point?

Cooper Henry Deatherage, age 19, passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at his home in Brookings, South Dakota, surrounded by his family.

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Daisy P. Bergjord, age 93, of Toronto, SD, passed away on Friday, May 29, 2026, at the Estelline Nursing and Care Center in Estelline, SD.

Numerous political columnists are asserting that President Trump has finally gone too far with his brazen form of governance.

The city’s golf course will finally get its own source of water after the Brookings City Council approved a bid at their meeting on May 26.

In honor of Juneteenth, the Brookings Public Library and the Brookings Human Rights Commission are co-hosting two educational events to bring awareness and prompt community conversation.

Busy night for first responders; Semi burns on 29; Arrest made in jewelry heist; Brookings Healthy sponsors students; Mural unveiling; Hy-Vee honors Schleicher

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South Dakota State has had a lot of success since going Division I in athletics back in 2004. With the baseball team making the NCAA Tournament over the weekend, it got me thinking about the amount of success that the athletic department has had as a whole over the past decade.

The Brookings Cubs won their first two games of the season with victories over Madison and Volga. The Cubs beat Madison 10-8 on May 12 and then topped Volga 12-2 on May 20. Both games were played at Bob Shelden Field.

South Dakota State’s Nate Wachter celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against Oral Roberts on Saturdaty in Minneapolis.

A retirement party for Bob Melmer is planned for Friday.

Heaton’s two-year sentence suspended by judge.

Editor’s note: Here’s how the Brookings Register reported on the construction of a new downtown building in April of 1926.

The evolution of public education in the US after the adoption of compulsory free education by the states involves a history of political struggle that is best seen as an ebb and flow rather than one of straight-line change.

The Department of Game Fish and Parks pushes public fishing piers into area lakes soon after the ice goes off, and they make sure to pull the piers out before freeze-up.

The quiet that settles over a cemetery two days after Memorial Day is unlike any other silence.

Jeremy James Deutsch, 46, of Brookings, SD passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at the Brookings Health System, Brookings, SD.

Beverly A. Ross passed away peacefully on Monday, January 5, 2026 at the age of 89, in Brookings, SD. A service will be held at a future time.

Michael E. McCann was born on October 26, 1943, in Brookings, South Dakota, to Elizabeth Joyce and William Robert McCann Sr. Aside from his years in school and military service, Brookings was his lifelong home — a community he loved deeply and served faithfully. He passed away at the Brookings Hospital on December 9, 2025 as a result of aggressive cancer.

A Brookings man who pleaded guilty to stabbing his ex-girlfriend was sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary late last week.

Truck fire in Arlington; BHS reunion planned; Zimmerman speaks to Rotary; Statue tuition going up again

A couple who spend winters in Arizona and the rest of the year in South Dakota said they were given a federal-only ballot and denied a state-local ballot when they tried to vote in person last week at the Minnehaha County administration building.

The former chief of police at SDSU will spend 60 days in the Brookings County Detention Center after pleading guilty and being sentenced to one count of felony cruelty to animals

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The Brookings Bobcats track & field teams competed at the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet on Saturday.

The Brookings varsity baseball team’s season came to an end over the weekend as the Bobcats were swept in a best-of-three Regional Playoff Series against Rapid City Stevens.

Two running for 1 open spot on Brookings School Board.

Biteler, Hostler take questions at town hall meeting.

About 500 rainbow trout, most weighing about a pound, were caught Saturday and Sunday under special regulations that limit the age of the participant (age 14 and under) and limit the harvest (2 trout).

Springtime is always a season of change. The plants and bugs are coming back out of their winter slumber. Farmers are turning dirt and sowing seeds. But one of the biggest changes we see every spring is that of graduation.

Here’s how the Brookings Register reported on the construction of a new downtown building in May of 1926.

It was apparent in this year’s legislative session that Attorney General Marty Jackley was trying to bunt his way on rather than swing for the fences with the bills he proposed to tighten the state’s open meetings laws.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently appeared before Congress to defend a $1.5 trillion defense budget request for the coming fiscal year. The request is more than $500 billion more than the current defense budget.

A local man was sentenced to 30 years in the state penitentiary for abusing an infant child on Tuesday morning at the Brookings County Courthouse.

Yorkshire Eye Clinic & Optical now partners with Optum Serve to provide eye exams for the United States Military Entrance Processing Command program.

Students teach at water festival; Optimist Club gives law award; Rotary hears about Alzheimer’s; Rotary member awarded

The Brookings softball team lost to No. 1 Sioux Falls Jefferson on Monday afternoon, but the Bobcats gained some confidence during the loss.

The Brookings varsity baseball team wrapped up the regular season over the weekend with a pair of doubleheaders. The Bobcats swept Aberdeen on Saturday afternoon at Bob Shelden Field in Brookings and then were swept on the road by Yankton on Sunday.

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Trio make case to be first new sheriff in almost 30 years.

Families have been coming to the Indian Hills pond for one weekend in May for 30 years to catch fish.

The annual Kaffee Klatch art show held at BHS will be on May 14 and feature the work from students who won awards at the state art show in April.

1926 was a record year for commercial construction with the erection of Sellers and Bartling Furniture, the Raak Harness Shop and the Red Owl Grocery, the Martinson Building, Tidball Drug, and Columbia Clothing.

St. Thomas More Catholic Church partners with Community Blood Bank to host a community blood drive on Wednesday, May 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Brookings/Area Community Band, one of the region’s most time-honored summer traditions, has announced its 42nd season.

From the pulpit, we often speak of justice as a divine mandate. It is not an abstract political concept or a mere set of procedural rules written by human hands. True justice is the structural expression of God’s love in a flawed world.

Marcie Dierks is an excellent choice for our Brookings School Board.

Citizens who believe in political equality and oppose racial discrimination in voting must become more engaged and support candidates for local, state and national office that believe as they do.

GriefShare group set to meet; Nelson speaks to Rotary Club; Hemish joins Brookings Health; Zink wins Dolly library raffle

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The Brookings Cubs will begin their amateur baseball season next week as they host the Madison Broncos at Bob Shelden Field on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

The Brookings Bobcats varsity baseball team has now won four straight games after sweeping Mitchell last week.

The South Dakota State women’s golf team will be playing in the NCAA Regionals for the first time in program history next week after the Jackrabbits won the Summit League Tournament on April 28.

Volunteers come together to build beds in Brookings.

School is almost finished for the year for most kids — but for those who need some extra help, it can be the trickiest time of the year.

Four large projects will total billions of dollars

The annual spring cleaning effort collected almost 345 tons of trash, Brookings City Council members heard at their regular meeting on April 28.

Three ceremonies planned on May 9.

Organizer plans to make Share & Care an annual event near end of April.

“God does not need my body to be ‘standard’ to use it. God needs my heart to be open, and often, it is through the vulnerability of my disability that I am most open to the Divine.”
Amy Kenny — ‘My Body is not a Prayer Request’

Thanks for community effort; City needs to step up for new pool; Vote Diercks for school board

South Dakota’s Historic Preservation Month has been observed since it was established at the national level in May, 1973. In 2005, the state added archaeology to the celebration to recognize it as a partner in preserving history.

Indivisible to host candidate forums; Kids coloring contest; Scholarship awarded

The transformation from city dump to city treasure is a wonderful story.

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Replanting to replace ash in Derdall area cranks up.

Different shades part of what makes here great.

Johnson praises Mississippi but rules out state-funded Pre-K.

Blaze ruins house north of town; Name released in fatal crash; Tractor fire put out; Checkpoints planned; Suicide prevention training

New — and local — ownership is coming to the only national chain spot in Volga.

Vietnam War veterans from South Dakota who returned home from service but later died as a result of their time in the war are eligible to be honored at a traveling exhibit coming to Brookings in June.

The Brookings Rotary Club heard a compelling program on April 21, 2026, when member John Folkerts shared highlights from his February journey to Antarctica.

Clean air, water acts worked for SD

In the traditional liturgies of many faiths, we are often taught to look upward to find the Divine. Yet this psalmist invites us to look outward and downward into the deep soil, the wide oceans, and the shifting winds to encounter the Living God.

Democratic governments worldwide differ somewhat in how they are structured but one common feature is a separation or division of governmental powers to protect against too much power being centralized in one person or a single institution.

The “growing” concern for trees this spring is the drought that is intensifying across much of South Dakota.

It would cost up to $4 million to cut down Milbank’s ash trees, after state and city officials detected a beetle last summer that threatens to decimate the northeastern South Dakota city’s tree canopy.

Paul Henry Sanders died on April 22, 2026, at the age of 101 at the Neighborhoods at Brookview in Brookings, SD.

Marian L. Rude, 96, of Brookings, SD passed away Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at the Neighborhoods at Brookview, Brookings, SD.

SDSU men turn around roster after players enter portal

Players to have new roles next year

As of Tuesday afternoon, eight former South Dakota State football players will be at NFL training camps this summer.

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SDSU’s Chase Mason feels confident after spring practices

Spring practices answer depth questions

Pending board approval, Brookings High School will have three new head coaches in the 2026-27 school year.

South Dakota State rounds out competition at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a pair of Jackrabbit top 10 all-time performances Saturday evening.

‘May each of your days have a little magic in them’

Believe it or not!

Legislature declined to fix problem during their session.

Things that make us smile

With seven weeks until the June 2 primary, U.S. House Rep. Dusty Johnson is close to avoiding a runoff in the race to secure the GOP nomination for governor.

City crews work diligently to remove bulky items from boulevards along 17th Avenue in Brookings

The Brookings Rotary Club recently welcomed Brookings County Register of Deeds Bev Chapman, who shared insights about the operations of her office and explained the relatively new Transfer on Death Deed option available to South Dakota property owners.

What makes your soul breathe?
The right song up loud with the windows down? A walk with the dog? Drawing chalk pictures in the driveway? A cup of coffee on the porch?

In 1936, Professor Ed Binnewies attended the first organizational meeting of a group of Brookings sportsmen interested in conservation. He wrote “At this, the first meeting of sportsmen interested in conservation problems within Brookings County and for the purpose of forming an organization given to that work…” Binnewies became a charter member of the newly incorporated Brookings County Conservation League.

Flood of Jazz tickets on sale; Shop to support Dolly; Adventure passes on sale; Essay contest winner; Library offers QPR training; Vision Brookings funds

The Beatitudes. The long list that Jesus gives us of who is a blessed individual. Did you find yourself in this list?

With growing community interest, Brookings is preparing for its first-ever FREE Share & Care Day on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to Noon. A rain date is scheduled for Saturday, May 2.

Bob Burns comments on the recent SD Republican Gubernatorial Candidates Primary Election Debate

Brookings Friends of Baseball raises money at annual banquet

The South Dakota State softball team went 3-1 in four games against Iowa and Georgia Tech over the weekend at Pearl Field.

With the temperature in the high 70s on Sunday, I enjoyed my afternoon outside, going for a walk. There were plenty of people outdoors and after the up-and-down end of winter and start of spring that we’ve had, it was a good reminder of how much nice weather can change the attitude of people.

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team announced an addition for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday in Colorado State transfer Jon Mekonnen.

The South Dakota State men’s golf team finished in a tie for 11th place at the Robert Kepler Invitational hosted by Ohio State Sunday.

City programs starting to make a noticeable difference.

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During the April 13 meeting, the Brookings School Board voted unanimously to approve a reduction in force for the 2026-27 school year.

Kleinjan will also sing at two Canaries games later this summer.

Twice yearly sale sends proceeds directly to Public Library.

The ancient city of Corinth was a bustling hub of ambition, status and competitive excellence.

John Myers, age 83, passed away on Monday, April 6, 2026, at the Brookings Hospital due to health complications.

Clayton Thompson, 51, charged with manufacturing child porn, exploitation of a minor.

A two-car accident left one person seriously injured and snarled traffic on U.S. HWY 14 last Thursday morning.

Registration is now open for the Childbirth Support Specialists Birth and Postpartum Doula workshop scheduled for May 16 and 17 at Brookings Health System.

Senator Tim Reed, representing South Dakota’s District 7, spoke to the Brookings Rotary Club about the highlights and challenges of the most recent legislative session, describing it as one of the most active since the early 1990s.

New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan released an article on April 7, 2026, titled “How Trump Took the US to War with Iran.”

he officials who manage South Dakota’s public employee retirement system said Wednesday that if current investment trends continue, retirees are likely to see a July 2027 cost-of-living benefit adjustment similar to the 1.56% increase they will get this July.

Rep. Greg Jamison was flat out wrong. Last November, the Sioux Falls Republican said his colleagues in the Legislature would support reforms to improve prison inmate recidivism and rehabilitation.

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Brookings’ Tetzlaff makes memories before heading to SDSU

South Dakota State announced on Thursday that its wrestling team will be moving from the Big 12 Conference to the Pac-12 Conference starting with the 2026-27 school year.

Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium will have a new playing surface this upcoming season as new turf is being installed in the coming weeks.

Finally, a N.Y. style bagel in Brookings – for a cause

The Brookings Beacon hits over 15,000 mailboxes today – far ahead of schedule

The Brookings County Commissioners put in place a temporary burn ban for the county at their meeting Tuesday morning.

Imagine a yard sale stretching across an entire city, where no one haggles and no one pays. That’s the idea behind Brookings’ first annual FREE Share & Care Day

Brookings area residents can share useable items with neighbors via Buy Nothing Brookings on Facebook.

Holy Week is one of my favorite seasons in the church. It is a roller coaster of emotions. On Palm Sunday, we cheer in jubilation as Jesus enters Jerusalem. We wave our palms and shout ‘Hosanna in the highest!’

A community gathering that delves into more than 250 years of American civics and its relationship to news and information will be in Brookings in April.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act has passed the U.S. House, but faces the 60/100 vote challenge in the US Senate unless Senator Thune can succeed in inserting the bill’s provision in a reconciliation measure that will be advanced by Republicans to resolve the ICE and Border Patrol funding issue.

In the 1960s, Americans were seeing environmental photos that sent a mixed message.

Gregg Jongeling receives a Major Donor of the Paul Harris Society Foundation award from Brookings Rotary Club.

Workers waving pompoms greeted South Dakota Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden during a recent celebration for a business expansion that benefited from $15 million in state tax rebates, two days after Republican primary candidates for governor debated the state’s role in economic development.

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Local group to return radio stations to local ownership.

Fire Chief warns against burning in conditions.

Brookings County jury found Big Crow guilty on two counts at trial.

It’s the big kids turn at the Children’s Museum.

Electronics go straight to landfill this year.

The “No Kings” rally held last Saturday in Brookings and across the nation, serves as a modern cultural mirror to a pivotal shift in the Hebrew Bible.

One bill was from Brookings Rep. Heerman

Lorraine Evonne Costello, age 94, passed away at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD, on Friday, March 27, 2026, surrounded by her family.

The Brookings Rotary Club recently featured member Dave Reynolds as the guest speaker at its March 24 meeting, where he presented an engaging program on the upcoming America 250 Sousa Symposium. The event, part of the nationwide celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, will honor the life, music, and enduring legacy of composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa.

Among the essential elements of modern-day liberal democracy is political equality, including the equal right to register to vote, to vote, to have your vote counted along with all others, to seek public office and to hold public office if elected.

Nichole Linehan photos/Brookings Beacon
More than 400 protesters showed up to Hillcrest Park on Saturday, March 28 as part of the nationwide No Kings rallies. The local event was organized by Indivisible Brookings, a non-partisan group dedicated to non-violent political action.

To accommodate the region’s growing needs for cardiac, vascular and obstetrics diagnostic testing, Brookings Health System has added both a cardiovascular and a general ultrasound system to its radiology department.

Hundreds of locals join nationwide No Kings protest

Pub Crawl arrests spike; Free apple trees for kids; Shop to support Dolly; Spring book sale planned; CHS earns accreditation

The Brookings baseball team was supposed to start their season this weekend with five games out West. However, all of those games were canceled due to upcoming inclement weather.

The Brookings softball team opened the 2026 season with a 7-4 win over Yankton on Monday afternoon at the Southbrook Softball Complex.

South Dakota State’s Brooklyn Meyer has accepted an invitation to participate in the Women’s College All-Star Game presented by Lilly, which will be played Saturday,

Brookings senior Bergan Tetzlaff was named as a Class AA All-State Basketball honorable mention last week. He joins eight other Brookings area players that were honored in boys and girls basketball.

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SDSU softball looks to turn things around against conference opponents

The South Dakota State baseball team played its first home series over the weekend and are hoping to gain some momentum after winning two of three games against North Dakota State at Erv Huether Field.

Meyer caps off SDSU career with strong performance in NCAA Tournament

Community mulls fate, future use of Dacotah Bank Center.

No suspect officially named in case yet

The city’s deputy chief of police resigned last week after just six months on the job, Brookings Police Chief Michael Drake confirmed Monday.

For years, communities like Brookings have faced a familiar challenge: how to responsibly fund major public projects without overburdening taxpayers or delaying needed investments.

Another 40 paraprofessionals could be accepted into South Dakota’s teacher apprenticeship program, which is meant to reduce the teaching shortage across the state.

Citizen science means non-scientist volunteers making observations and measurements of natural resources in their yard and garden, or in a nearby field, forest, lake or stream. The data are sent to real scientists to help with their research into the natural world.

This week in the lectionary we see Jesus’s raising of Lazarus.

Travis Craige Moad, 57, of Volga, SD, passed away Monday, March 16, 2026 after a long and courageous battle with early onset dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Construction open house; B&G Club raffle underway; SDHC picks One Book; New health equipment

The third “No Kings” protest is being organized across our nation including here in Brookings from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, March 28 on the Sixth Street side of Hillcrest Park.

The Brookings Rotary Club welcomed Officer Seth Bonnema of the Brookings Police Department as the featured speaker at its March 17 meeting, where members were treated to an engaging and educational demonstration of the department’s K-9 unit and its dual-purpose police dog, Teddy.

Airport security workers missed work Monday at the highest rate since a partial government shutdown began in mid-February, the Department of Homeland Security said, and the Trump administration sent immigration officials to some airports in an attempt to keep lines moving.

Last week was Sunshine Week — a national observance highlighting the importance of openness and transparency in government at all levels.

Scot P. Miskimins, age 67, of Aurora, SD, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD, after a hard-fought battle with lung cancer. No services will be held per Scot’s wishes.

South Dakota State’s season came to an end on Friday afternoon as the Jackrabbits lost to Washington 72-54 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Jackrabbit women set to take on Washington in first round

Brookings falls to Aberdeen in third-place game

Amid a nationwide and statewide teacher shortage that tops crisis numbers, a recent program designed to expose older students to teaching — and give them valuable memories and life experiences — is booming in Brookings.

New employees help local newspaper startup expand after three months

Scott Miller arrives at Brookings High School long before the first bell rings in the morning.
His reason?
“I’m old, and I get up early,” he says.

The ICE-OFF date at Lake Campbell was March 6, 2026, which meant that the Lake was ice covered for 99 days since ICE-ON on November 27, 2025. This is the 5th shortest ice-cover time in the 37 years that the Lake Campbell Sportsmen’s Club have been collecting ice data

FB&T awards local grants; BankStar donates to group; Local blood drive planned

The main run of the South Dakota Legislature came to a close last week with lawmakers passing a state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1. Here are 10 key storylines to come out of the 2026 session.

Jerald “Jerry” D. Keller, 88, of De Smet, SD, passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society in De Smet, SD.

The Brookings Rotary Club welcomed estate planning attorney Dominic Smith of Marshall, Minn., as the featured speaker at its March 10 meeting. Smith delivered an informative presentation on estate planning concepts and strategies, offering Rotarians practical insights into protecting family assets and ensuring smooth transitions for future generations.

As soon as the NDSU post player shuffled her feet, and the official blew her whistle and announced traveling — to the delight of SDSU fans who promptly commented on the players miscue by yelling in unison, “You can’t do that”.

I have been thinking recently about the decline in church worship attendance which we have seen across denominations. This is of course, a phenomenon that has been advancing over the last few decades. So I started to reflect upon what I view as the three main causes.

A wildfire that’s grown to more than 11 square miles near the city of Custer in South Dakota’s Black Hills had not caused any injuries as of Saturday night but had damaged about 10 properties, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Rangers scored with their net empty, then won it in overtime.

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Corn Exchange Bank — now BankStar — celebrates 100 years next week.

At 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 1938, cashier Robert Petschow stood behind the counter at the first teller window of the Corn Exchange Bank. The bank, located at the corner of Elk Street and East 2nd Street, occupied the south half of the building with an angled entry door at the corner.

The Brookings Rotary Club hosted Mayor Ope Niemeyer and City Manager Paul Briseno as featured speakers at its March 3 meeting. City Councilor and Rotarian Lisa Hager assisted.

This tender encounter is a powerful narrative of grace, dignity and transformation. At its heart, it shows Jesus crossing social, cultural, and moral boundaries to extend compassion to a woman who had long been marginalized and misunderstood.

Voters in South Dakota will soon be able to challenge other voters’ citizenship.

South Dakota Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden will decide if the state helps to pay for some school meals after the state Senate voted 20-14 on Monday to endorse the idea.

Dems plan St. Paddy’s meal; Elkton High plans blood drive; Volunteer of the month named

The final days of the 2026 South Dakota Legislative Session are winding down with mixed reviews.

Two pieces of a property tax reduction package prepared by South Dakota’s legislative leadership and the executive branch are moving forward, but one bill failed during votes on Monday as lawmakers began the final week of the annual legislative session.

The Brookings Ranger Junior Varsity 1 team captured a state championship over the weekend at the new rink in Watertown.

Amy Beth (Johnson) Pedersen, 59, of Brookings, South Dakota, passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She fought a courageous battle with cancer for nearly 14 years.

Edwin Allan Higgins, 75, of Brookings, SD passed away February 23, 2026 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

The Brookings Regional Growth Alliance now has a name and a leader.

Former South Dakota governor moving to new special envoy job

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Local artist makes reality like paintings at Brookings Arts Council show

Heaton will be sentenced for felony in May

A structure fire left a machine shed and its contents a likely total loss on Monday afternoon, according to a release from the Brookings County Sheriff’s Department.

Brookings Health System has been recognized as a six-year champion to Newsweek’s list of World’s Best Hospitals.

Besides 120 acres of prime downtown real estate, Sioux Falls city leaders got something that has sometimes been elusive over the history of the Smithfield pork plant: An assurance that it’s not leaving.

Jackson a masterful public orator; Brookings a great place to live; Indivisible Brookings save the dates

May we as individuals and as a nation, recognize that (despite how the writers of the Old Testament usurp the voice of God) violence and war are not God’s desire for us. And may we give more than lip service to the concept of peace; but truly live it out the way Jesus emulated.

By a 6-3 margin, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Learning Resources v Trump that President Trump acted beyond presidential authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act in ordering wide ranging tariffs on the imports of scores of nations. The majority of the Court rejected the Administration’s contention that the power to “regulate” trade during a time of a declared emergency includes the power to levy tariffs.

Jackhammer Spiel concludes; School phone ban fails; Police warn of scam emails; Cancer screening event; Crabtree ends U.S. House run

The Brookings Rangers Bantam A team capped off a hugely successful season in style over the weekend, winning a state title at the Bantam A tournament in Yankton. Not to be outdone, the Bantam B Rangers also followed up their league title with a state championship win in Aberdeen.

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7-term Sheriff to retire from law enforcement at end of his term.

Nearly half of South Dakota children under the age of 5 are not on the right track to start school and find early success in the classroom, a rate that puts the state near the bottom in school readiness across the country.

Burglaries at Twin City Fan; Wreck near White injures pair; DUI checkpoints planned for March; Man treated for hypothermia; Museum elects boards

When we read the Bible, there are different ways of interpretation you can look at. Do you read it from the author’s perspective and how the events of the time affected them and others. Or you can read it more from your perspective. How does this affect me now in this moment. How is this speaking to me? You can do the same thing with music.

The Trump Administration’s assault on undocumented immigrants has sparked multiple legal challenges regarding what rights undocumented immigrants have to resist apprehension, detention and deportation.

Rick Volin, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away, surrounded by his wife and children, on January 22, 2026, of complications stemming from cardiac arrest. He was 68.

David M. Gullickson, age 84, passed away at his home in Brookings, SD, on Friday, February 20, 2026, surrounded by family.

The Brookings Rotary Club welcomed Corey Shelsta, Professor of Theatre at South Dakota State University, for a presentation titled “Design on a Smaller Scale – The Art of Cheese and Charcuterie Boards.”

For the eleventh consecutive year, Brookings Health System has been included by The Chartis Center for Rural Health on the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals list.

The South Dakota Senate voted Tuesday to approve legislation that would ban student cellphone use during the school day, unless the use is for a health or educational purpose.

The Brookings Rangers Pee Wee A team skated to a state championship on home ice over the weekend, dominating state competition by a combined 28-0.

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Local curling club has spiel planned as Olympics heat up.

On looking back at where we were via newspaper

Brookings Beacon managing editor Josh Linehan invited me to write a companion piece to accompany his column on a July 24, 1941 issue of The Brookings Trade News, a weekly shopping circular, which arrived in my mailbox on Legeros Drive in late September 2025.

As the seasons shift and the light begins to linger, we find ourselves at the threshold of an annual journey that is centuries old.

The City of Brookings has launched a survey to gather community input on the Dacotah Bank Center’s future use.

Modern political theorists might quibble a bit about the essential elements of a modern liberal democracy, but there is universal agreement that adherence to the rule of law doctrine is fundamental.

George M. Gehant, III, age 80, died on February 11, 2026 at his home in Brookings, South Dakota after a brief illness.

Smithfield Foods plans to move its pork processing facility from downtown Sioux Falls to a new plant on the northern edge of the city that will be built by the end of 2028.

Dance event this weekend; Heiberger named honors college dean; Library hosts events

Bantam A, Bantam B and PeeWee A teams all capture league championships this weekend

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Downtown gets a shakeup as two stores consolidate at old Cole’s building

New papers open, Lakota Times shifts

News Watch broke down the various proposals and spoke with tax policy watchers to get a sense of the challenges and opportunities of the ideas being floated.

A breath of fresh air is what we need right now.

How prevalent is voter fraud?

My wife and I recently watched a documentary program on SDPB that featured the role that Walter F. White played as the leader of NAACP from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Quiz Bowl; Johnson’s DC office seeking interns; Extension offers estate planning classes and more

A bill to require high school coaches to report abuse and neglect earned the full support of a South Dakota House of Representatives panel on Friday.

Ranger Roundup – February 11, 2026

Bill goes to Senate without guidance

There are only seven plots to a story, or so the cynical view goes. And the singular most popular of all, from the time of the ancient Greeks until now, remains the hero’s journey.

Council land gift kick starts process

Over the last few weeks, we have seen and heard a number of very disturbing interactions between the various agencies of our Department of Homeland Security and people who are protesting their actions.

Recently the South Dakota Legislature approved a Joint Resolution calling on one another and all South Dakotans to “seek the Lord Most High for his healing presence and mercy upon South Dakota.”

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has been getting some flak recently from his Republican primary election opponents for using his office to bolster his reelection campaign.

Derek Thomas Jensen, age 41, of Yankton, SD, passed away on January 31, 2026, at his residence in Yankton, SD. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, February 6, 2026, at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings, SD.

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Two arrested for felony animal cruelty

Rangers Roundup – February 4, 2026

Donald D. Derdall 95, of Brookings, SD passed away Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at the United Living Community, Brookings, SD. 

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Despite frigid temperatures, more than 200 people gathered — for the second time in a month — on the steps of the Brookings Post Office.

The proposed new police station in Brookings should be located near the Dacotah Bank Center and not between two city schools.

Sentenced for incident at local hotel in June

Brookings Rotary Club members recently heard a firsthand account of Rotary’s global impact from Scott Parsley, who shared highlights from an international wheelchair distribution mission to Eastern Europe conducted in October.

Those wishing to volunteer for a Brookings board or commission can now do so online.

Art Museum hosts free community art day

Lauren Dietz, education manager at the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, was recognized by Gov. Larry Rhoden and Travel South Dakota with the Ruth Ziolkowski Outstanding Hospitality and Customer Service Award at the annual South Dakota Tourism Conference in Pierre.

January 28, 2026

Stuie Lewis is a first-year seminary student and the former mayor of Bruce.

Reckless and unhinged are adjectives that I and tens of millions of Americans are using to characterize last week’s bizarre behavior of pretend monarch Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland and the actions of ICE/ Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis as they killed VA ICU Nurse Alex Pretti.

Families of students who qualify for reduced-price school meals would no longer have to pay a portion of the cost if a bill advancing to its next step in the South Dakota Legislature becomes law.

The Brookings Arts Council seeks proposals for individual or group art shows for calendar year 2027.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday urged Senate Democrats to advance the government funding package that must become law before the weekend to avoid a partial shutdown, rejecting their proposal to remove the Homeland Security funding bill.

The Rangers held their fifth annual Puck Cancer fundraiser on Saturday, raising more than $8,000 this year.

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Editor’s note: Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote this open letter to local clergy from a jail cell in Brimingham, Alabama in 1963. He began writing it in the margins of a newspaper — the only paper he had access to at the time. It is presented here slightly abridged from its’ original 7,000 words.

No one was injured in fire on Faculty Drive Saturday

BHS Principal named; Library book club offered; Former SDSU coach indicted and more

Socks help prevent numerous ailments

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings alongside that of the Apostle Paul

Established Constitutional doctrines recognize limitations on the power of the US president even when inherent powers are asserted in the area of foreign affairs

January 21, 2026

Event benefits Habitat for Humanity

Author V.J. Smith Introduces New Book Featuring “The Greatest Generation”

Also shows most diets lacking in fiber, vitamins

Governor pledges transparency in funding decisions that lawmakers might vote to take away
Legislators to debate bill that would remove governor’s sole authority over Future Fund

Ranger Roundup – January 21, 2026

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BPD Chief Drake will do two jobs amid campus shakeup

On being a neighbor and sharing tea

Ranger Roundup – January 14, 2026

With a slate of hot-button policy issues on the table and limited funding to work with, state Sen. Jim Mehlhaff of Pierre said it is difficult to predict how the 2026 legislative session will play out in the Capitol this year.

Briefs from around the Brookings area

Contrary to popular belief, the upcoming South Dakota legislative session will be more than just a slugfest over property tax relief. Some of the bills that have already been filed show that in addition to deciding the fate of property taxes, lawmakers will also be revisiting some old topics.

Concern for our democracy, and Indivisible Rising Again

It is true that the text of our Constitution’s seven original articles and 27 amendments remain unchanged, but the Constitution is not self-executing.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what race you are running. What matters is that you are running your race.

More than 200 people showed up at the downtown post office on Friday night for a vigil for Renee Good, a woman killed in a confrontation with a masked Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis last week.

An ICE officer fatally shot a woman driving an SUV through her car window in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.

Roger DeGroot briefed Brookings Rotary members on the upcoming session in Pierre.

People planning to testify at legislative committee hearings during the 2026 South Dakota legislative session must pre-register

Republican governor candidate Dusty Johnson wants to give first-time homebuyers two years without property taxes

Donna Powers, a longtime resident of Brookings, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026, at the age of 80. Funeral Services have been set for 10:30am Friday January 9, 2026 at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Faulkton, SD.

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Ranger Roundup for January 7, 2026

Three different programs to encourage improvements to downtown buildings and businesses will continue in 2026, the city of Brookings announced this week.

Dave Quam 77, of Brookings, SD passed away January 5, 2026, at the Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, SD, surrounded by his family after a short battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

On resolutions in the new year

Brookings Area United Way’s annual campaign is making its final push through the month of January.

Small fire at Prairie AquaTech put out with no injuries

Timothy Heaton appears in court on animal cruelty charges

Noelle Ira Stangle is the first baby born in Brookings County in 2026.

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Rangers have a strong showing across the board in league games

On being intentional in 2026

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The need for more and better housing persists throughout the state

More than just houses, Branch Creek means to create a neighborhood. A place for people to live in community with each other, a place for people who want to work here but can’t currently find housing and a place for people who simply want to live in Brookings.

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The Rangers girls swept three games in SDAHA play over the weekend.

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1927-2025

Pastor Mark Johnsen wants to focus this clergy article on how our faith should inform our view of this broader subject of immigration.

City Councilors voted unanimously to reject all bids for a proposed water project at Edgebrook Golf Course after they came in over budget.

A fire on Sunday afternoon off South Main in Brookings led to the likely destruction of a mobile home.

County Commission restores library funding

Homegrown chef’s new spot hopping busy to start

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First off, I need everyone to take several deep breaths.

Present company very much included.

BROOKINGS — The questions present themselves here in various orders, but circling back to: Who would write a piano piece that took 7.5 hours to play — and who would then, more than 80 years later, pick up that piece and not only record it, but insist on playing the entire thing live?

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The annual event, which currently is celebrating its tenth anniversary, has gone from a twinkle of an idea to a shining star in the Brookings holiday calendar.

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Howard James Sigaty passed away on Dec. 3, 2025 at the age of 78 after a long battle with leukemia and heart disease.

On being just and fearing not

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Bantam A team wins pair at home

New Beginnings Birth Center at Brookings Health System is enhancing local maternity care by launching the TeamBirth program, becoming the first maternity unit in South Dakota to implement the nationally recognized initiative

Letters to the editor

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Religion column

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The initial proposed site for a new police station in Brookings, on the southwest corner of the intersection of Medary Avenue and Fifth Street.

Brookings service industry volunteers planning free community dinner for Dec. 20

On courage and wisdom in the face of heartache.

Sean Leary, a stand-up comic who was born and raised in Brookings and who organizes the comedy nights at Wooden Legs in town, will appear on a new showcase for comedians on CBS next week.

With SNAP benefits in limbo, local groups step up to feed the hungry.