News briefs - August 12, 2026

Brookings woman killed in wreck
ROBERTS COUNTY — According to a preliminary report from the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the driver of a 2024 GMC Sierra, a 52-year-old man from North Dakota, was traveling northbound on I-29 on August 10 while pulling a 48-foot header trailer.

At the same time, the driver of a 2022 Honda Ridgeline, a 34-year-old woman from Brookings, was also traveling northbound. The Sierra switched into the passing lane and the Honda collided with the GMC’s trailer. The driver of the Honda sustained fatal injuries.

A 13-year-old passenger in the Honda truck sustained no injuries.
The resulting emergency response and investigation closed I-29 for approximately four and a half hours.

The investigation is ongoing. All information released is preliminary.

Pair hurt in interstate rollover
BROOKINGS — A single vehicle accident caused minor injuries on I29 near mile marker 140 in Brookings County on Sunday late afternoon.

Just before 5 p.m., the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office, Brookings Fire Department, Brookings Ambulance and South Dakota Highway Patrol responded to a rollover accident. Responding units arrived on scene and rendered aid to two individuals inside of the vehicle, a 2023 H&H Dump Trailer.

An investigation at the scene discovered a trailer jack on the trailer malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to roll and enter the ditch.

The driver, Myrna Cruz Martinez 58, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and a passenger were evaluated at the scene for unknown injuries and later released from the scene. The incident remains under investigation by the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

9/11 remembrance event planned
BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University will host a remembrance event marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The event will take place on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM in the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center (Larson Memorial Concert Hall) on the SDSU campus in Brookings.

Dr. David Earnest, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at SDSU, announced the event during a presentation to the Brookings Rotary Club on August 4, 2026. He described the remembrance as a passion project born from a desire to honor the pledge Americans made in the aftermath of the attacks — to never forget.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years,” Dr. Earnest told Rotarians. “All of us made a commitment to never forget. I thought we need to have a remembrance.”

The program will feature three individuals who were present in Washington, D.C. and New York City on September 11, 2001:

Brigadier General Jeff Johnson — At the time of the attacks, General Johnson served as the Deputy Commander of the Air National Guard Unit at Andrews Air Force Base. He was responsible for standing up and coordinating the air defense of the nation’s capital.

John Richards — A young FBI agent early in his career, Richards was assigned to the Manhattan field office on that day and was among the first FBI responders to Lower Manhattan.

J.J. Sutherland — A producer for National Public Radio at the time, Sutherland was in NPR’s Washington, D.C. studios and headquarters, where he produced NPR’s coverage of the events as they unfolded. Sutherland later became one of NPR’s prominent war correspondents, providing coverage from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bolivia, and the Libyan Civil War.

Dr. Earnest emphasized that the event will not focus on politics or policy changes resulting from 9/11. Instead, the program will center on personal histories and eyewitness accounts: what it felt like to be present on that day.

“Our goal with our event is not to talk politics,” Dr. Earnest said. “Rather, the focus will be to remember what happened on that day, what it felt like. We’re inviting our guests to share personal histories as eyewitnesses to what happened.”

As an educator, Dr. Earnest noted that most current SDSU undergraduates were not alive on September 11, 2001. While today’s students are well-informed about the historical facts, they cannot fully appreciate the emotional weight of that day.

“Most of our students, at least our undergraduates, were not alive on 9-11. They don’t know what that day felt like,” he said. “This is an important opportunity to honor that pledge we made all those years ago — to never forget — and to educate the younger generation about the significance and meaning of that day.”

The program will open with a short video (approximately 90 seconds to two minutes) featuring clips of South Dakotans remembering their experiences on September 11, 2001. These recordings are drawn from a library of personal histories collected by SDSU history students under the direction of Professor Chuck Baldwin.

Dr. Christi Garst-Santos, Director of the School of American and Global Studies, will serve as moderator for the event.

Dr. Earnest also shared a striking fact: as many people have died from exposure to carcinogens and toxins at the World Trade Center site as died on 9/11 itself — approximately 3,000 people.

Event Details
Date: Friday, September 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center, Larson Memorial Concert Hall, SDSU Campus, Brookings, SD
Capacity: 1,020 seats
Cost: Free and open to the public
Tickets: Reserve online at sdstate.evenue.net (search for “September 11th Remembrance”)

The public is encouraged to attend and to bring family and friends.

Organizers note that the subject matter may be emotionally intense and suggest careful consideration before bringing very young children.

Urgent need: Blood drive at Hy-Vee
BROOKINGS– As local blood supplies fall into a critical shortage, Brookings Fire Department, Police Department, and Brookings Hy-Vee are teaming up with Community Blood Bank to host the annual Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive.

The community blood drive will be held Wednesday, August 19 on 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Brookings Hy-Vee.

Every blood type is urgently needed, and donors are the only path to rebuilding the summer supply. To schedule an appointment, visit cbblifeblood.org, then select “Donate Blood” and “Blood Drives.” Then select Wednesday, August 19, or call 605-331-3222. As a thank-you, every donor will receive a $20 Hy-Vee gift card, and an All American blood donor t-shirt as a way to thank donors for their commitment this summer.

The Heroes Behind the Badges event is a friendly competition between the Brookings Fire Department, and Brookings Police Department, encouraging residents to come out to give blood and show support to the community’s heroes. Donors will be able to cast their donation vote towards the department of their choice and the winning department receives bragging rights for the year, as well as a traveling trophy. Blood donations will benefit the local blood supply and patients’ of Brookings Health System.

“Right now, patients in our community are depending on the generosity of their neighbors,” said Ken Versteeg, Executive Director of Community Blood Bank. “Blood demand doesn’t take a vacation, and local hospital patients need it now.

Cancer patients, accident victims, new mothers, and children in surgery all rely on blood to survive. Without a stable blood supply, we can’t provide the care they desperately need. Blood can’t be manufactured, it only comes from caring people in the Brookings community.”

The need is urgent and constant: someone in America requires blood every two seconds, and local hospitals are currently running on critically low reserves, putting vulnerable patients at risk.

Can you donate? Here’s what’s required:

At least 17 years old (16 with signed parental consent)
Weigh 110 lbs. or more
Be in good general health
Bring a valid ID
Eat well and stay hydrated beforehand

This is your community. These are your neighbors. The need is immediate — please act today. Community Blood Bank is the exclusive blood provider for Brookings Health System, and 42 other area hospitals, meaning every donation stays local, directly supporting patients’ right here at home.

Hazardous waste disposal event
Improperly discarded toxic, flammable or otherwise hazardous materials can be a threat to people, animals and the environment. Residents should not dispose of hazardous items in the trash, nor should they dispose of materials into sinks, the ground, or storm drains. Doing so may pollute the environment and drinking water.

The Brookings Solid Waste Division provides the annual Household Hazardous Waste Event as an opportunity for residents in the region to conveniently and responsibly dispose of their household hazardous waste.

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026 (Rain or shine!)

Time: 8 AM – 12 NOON

Location: Dacotah Bank Center at 824 32nd Avenue in Brookings. Enter from 32nd Avenue.

Open To: Residents in Brookings, Deuel, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake & Moody counties (City of Brookings Regional Landfill service area)
Cost: Free

Donation Recommended: Please bring non-perishable items to be donated to the Brookings Food Pantry.

Instructions: Follow traffic cones and barriers to be directed to the drop-off location. Please remain in your vehicle; a staff member will assist in unloading the items from your vehicle.

Amount Limit: 15 gallons, or 125 pounds, of household hazardous waste per vehicle. Note: We reserve the right to reject/not accept certain additional items or quantities.
Accepted Items:
Home:
Aerosol cans
Ammonia-based cleaners
Ballasts
Batteries: Lithium & NiCad
Deodorizers
Drain/oven cleaners
Fluorescent bulbs and tubes
Hand sanitizer - Expired (in residential amounts)
Polish
Spot Removers
Garden:
Insect sprays
Weed killers
Pesticides
Garage:
Antifreeze
BBQ tanks
Brake fluid
Lighter fluid
Pool chemicals
Rust preventative
Used motor oil & filters
Workshop:
Paint (wet)
Paint thinner
Paint removers
Photographic chemicals
Stain
Wood preservatives

Not Accepted:
Business, commercial or industrial waste
(Event is for residential household hazardous waste only.)
E-waste (electronics)
Medical waste/sharps
Radioactive waste
Ammunition
Appliances
Asbestos
Explosives
Fire-damaged debris
Fire extinguishers
Garbage
Gunpowder
Large appliances
Tires
Treated wood waste

Questions?
Call the City of Brookings Regional Landfill at 605-693-3667.