PIERRE, S.D. (AP) _ A BILL RAISING SOUTH DAKOTA’S ANNUAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES HAS MADE IT THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE.      THE SENATE VOTED 31-3 ON MONDAY TO PASS THE BILL, EVEN THOUGH GOV. DENNIS DAUGAARD HAS THREATENED TO VETO THE MEASURE. THE HOUSE PASSED THE BILL EARLIER BY A WIDE MARGIN.      THE [...]

     DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) _ FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH IS THE LATEST POTENTIAL REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO SIGN UP FOR A FORUM SPONSORED BY SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES.      GINGRICH WILL SPEAK AT THE MONDAY FORUM SPONSORED BY THE IOWA FAITH AND FREEDOM COALITION.      HE WILL BE JOINED BY FORMER GODFATHERS PIZZA CHIEF EXECUTIVE [...]

ST. PAUL, MINN. (AP) _ GOV. MARK DAYTON IS WITHDRAWING HIS CALL FOR A 3 PERCENT SURTAX ON TOP INCOMES AND REDUCING PROPOSED CUTS TO NURSING HOMES IN LIGHT OF A SMALLER MINNESOTA DEFICIT. THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE CHANGES MONDAY AFTER STATE MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET OFFICIALS PROJECTED A $5 BILLION DEFICIT FOR THE COMING [...]

     DE SMET, S.D. (AP) _ THE KINGSBURY COUNTY SHERIFF SAID A UNIVERSITY STUDENT FOUND DEAD BESIDE RAILROAD TRACKS NEAR DE SMET APPARENTLY FROZE TO DEATH.      SHERIFF KEVIN SCOTTING IDENTIFIED HIM TO THE DAILY REPUBLIC AS 22-YEAR-OLD THOMAS BJERKE OF BRADLEY, A STUDENT AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY.      SCOTTING TOLD KSFY TELEVISION THAT [...]

  PIERRE (AP NEWS) –   A SOUTH DAKOTA BILL TO REQUIRE ALL PREGNANT WOMEN SEEKING AN ABORTION TO UNDERGO COUNSELING AND WAIT 72 HOURS HAS MOVED CLOSER TO BECOMING LAW.      AFTER A CONTENTIOUS HEARING MONDAY, THE SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE VOTED 6-1 TO PASS THE BILL. SUPPORTERS SAY IT WILL PREVENT WOMEN FROM [...]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) _ A GOVERNMENT SURVEY FINDS THAT SOUTH DAKOTA FARMS AND RANCHES USING RENEWABLE ENERGY SAVE ABOUT $555 A YEAR ON THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS. THE REPORT FROM THE AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE SAID 55 OPERATIONS IN SOUTH DAKOTA USED SUN-POWERED SYSTEMS AND 11 HAD WIND TURBINES IN 2009. NATIONALLY, THE SERVICE SAID NEARLY [...]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) _ THE GREAT BEAR RECREATIONAL PARK SKI LODGE IN SIOUX FALLS IS HAVING A RECORD YEAR. SKI VALLEY GENERAL MANAGER DAN GRIDER TELLS THE ARGUS LEADER THAT THE SKI LODGE HAS HAD MORE THAN 43,000 VISITORS THIS YEAR. IT OPENED FOR THE SEASON DEC. 1, AND THE SEASON’S LAST DAY DEPENDING [...]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) _ THE SOUTH DAKOTA SUPREME COURT HAS APPROVED RULES ALLOWING CAMERAS AND ELECTRONIC RECORDING EQUIPMENT IN TRIAL-LEVEL COURTROOMS IN SOME CASES. CHIEF JUSTICE DAVID GILBERTSON SAYS TELEVISION CAMERAS, STILL CAMERAS AND AUDIO RECORDING EQUIPMENT WILL BE ALLOWED WHEN A JUDGE AND ALL PARTIES TO A CASE AGREE. IF ALL PARTIES DO NOT [...]

 NASHVILLE, TN. (AP) – House Speaker John Boehner (BAY’-nur) says it’s “immoral” to burden future generations of Americans with “the shackles of debt and unrestrained government.” In a speech Sunday to religious broadcasters, Boehner said history teaches that “freedom is a God-given right, and we, the people, must ensure government does not take it away.” [...]

 ENFIELD, N.C. (AP) – A couple of North Carolina pastors have learned they’re a perfect match in more ways than one after 39 years of marriage. The Daily Herald of Roanoke Rapids reports that 56-year-old minister Bettie Whitaker donated a kidney last month to her ailing husband. Rev. James Whitaker Jr.is 57 and ministers with [...]