WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP) _ POLICE SAY A MAN INVOLVED IN A WATERTOWN FIGHT EARLIER THIS MONTH HAS DIED.      WATERTOWN POLICE SAY 26-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN JATON DIED AT A SIOUX FALLS HOSPITAL THURSDAY.      KELO-TV REPORTS THAT JATON WAS INJURED IN A PARKING LOT FIGHT ON MARCH 13.      AUTHORITIES SAY 28-YEAR-OLD JERRIN STULKEN WAS [...]

     WEBSTER CITY, IOWA (AP) _ THE FINAL 500 EMPLOYEES AT THE ELECTROLUX PLANT IN WEBSTER CITY PUNCHED OUT FOR THE LAST TIME THURSDAY.      ELECTROLUX, WHICH MAKES WASHING MACHINES AND DRYERS, ANNOUNCED IN 2009 THAT IT WILL CLOSE THE PLANT AND MOVE PRODUCTION TO JUAREZ, MEXICO.      THE PLANT CLOSING COST 850 PEOPLE THEIR [...]

     PIERRE, S.D. (AP) _ SOUTH DAKOTA DEMOCRATS HAVE STARTED AN EFFORT TO GET A STATEWIDE PUBLIC VOTE ON REPUBLICAN GOV. DENNIS DAUGAARD’S PROGRAM TO GIVE REFUNDS ON CONSTRUCTION TAXES TO LARGE INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.      STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN BEN NESSELHUF FILED PETITIONS THURSDAY SEEKING TO REFER THE LAW PASSED BY THIS YEAR’S LEGISLATURE. DEMOCRATS [...]

     ST. PAUL, MINN. (AP) _ OPPONENTS OF A BILL THAT WOULD CRIMINALIZE HUMAN CLONING SAY IT WOULD HALT POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING RESEARCH ON A WIDE RANGE OF ILLNESSES.      MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE GATHERED IN A CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE STATE OFFICE BUILDING IN ST. PAUL TO SAY WHY THEY OPPOSE THE BILL. THE LEGISLATION [...]

     BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) _ THE BOARD OF REGENTS DECIDED THURSDAY TO INCREASE TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES AN AVERAGE OF 6.9 PERCENT AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITIES IN FALL. THE INCREASE AVERAGES ABOUT $488 PER STUDENT AND WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION STAFF.      THE BOARD VOTED DOWN ALTERNATIVES FROM MEMBERS FOR AN [...]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) _ The Rev. Luis Palau has announced plans to preach this coming month in Vietnam. The U.S.-based evangelist is to take part in April events celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Protestant church in Vietnam, according to a news release from the Luis Palau Association. The release says Palau met with [...]

     MOORHEAD, MINN. (AP) _ STARTING MONDAY, MOORHEAD POLICE ARE STEPPING UP ENFORCEMENT OF GAS DRIVE-OFFS.      UNTIL ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, MOORHEAD POLICE LIKE OTHER MINNESOTA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WOULD RESPOND TO CALLS OF GAS DRIVE-OFFS. BUT LIMITED POLICE RESOURCES WERE BEING USED TO COLLECT PAYMENT, SO THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW ALLOWING [...]

     PIERRE, S.D. (AP) _ A TELECOMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE FROM NEW MEXICO IS THE GOVERNOR’S CHOICE TO BE COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN STATE GOVERNMENT.      D.V. “DOM” BIANCO WILL TAKE THAT JOB IN EARLY MAY. HE MOST RECENTLY WAS PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF A PHONE AND INTERNET SERVICE COMPANY IN [...]

     SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) _ THE OWNERS OF TWO HOMES ALONG A CITY-OWNED GOLF COURSE IN SIOUX FALLS ARE SUING BECAUSE OF WATER DAMAGE FROM A POND ON THE COURSE.      THEY SAY A BOARD THAT WAS USED TO PLUG THE DRAINAGE OUTLET CAUSED THE POND TO OVERFLOW AND SEND WATER INTO THEIR BASEMENTS [...]

 HOUSTON (AP) – A retired police officer who’s now a judge in Houston has suggested convicts read a Christian book and then report back to him. Critics of Judge John Clinton told KHOU-TV that he’s wrongly pushing religion. Dottie Griffith of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas said it’s unconstitutional for a judge to [...]