News

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

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.

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

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

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.

Adrian Amiotte/The Brookings BeaconRain clouds held off and Downtown Brookings saw good crowds for the Brookings Bonanza retail and city event on Saturday.Subscribe Today!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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

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 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.

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

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).

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

‘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