The Minnehaha County Register of Deeds announced her resignation on Friday morning meaning county commissioners are now looking for a replacement Amanda Halsey will resign from the position effective July 4 according to a release from Minnehaha County and the release says she is leaving to pursue a law degree “I’m honored to have worked alongside a wonderful group of Department Heads fellow elected leaders and overall county employees all of whom are dedicated to the well-being of Minnehaha County,” Halsey said in the release “I’ll forever be grateful for this time serving as Register of Deeds.” The Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners will be accepting applications for qualified individuals to fill the remainder of the term the Minnehaha County Commission may raise the wheel tax on vehicles but County Highway Superintendent Jacob Maras told commissioners on Tuesday the highway fund balances could fall short by about $2 million in a few years without the increase Maras said there’s been a large increase in commercial vehicles on the county highways especially on the perimeters of Sioux Falls with expanding businesses and industries as well as new residential growth projects Some of the larger trucks have 8,000 times the effect on roads than passenger vehicles citing engineering studies that verify the statistic is $4 per wheel with a limit of four wheels for a maximum of $16 He said one proposal could be to raise the fee to $5 per wheel and also raise the number of wheels that could be taxed for larger vehicles to 12 That would bring the total for passenger vehicles up to $20 while the larger vehicles could pay up to a maximum of $60 Commission Chairman Dean Karsky hinted that maybe the tax should just go up on the larger vehicles that can cause more of the problems on highways Maras said that would bring in substantially less revenue That’s because there are many more passenger vehicles registered in the county than the trucks and that if they were included in the increase it could bring in about $1 million more a year overall Karsky pointed out that many counties in the area are already charging the $5 wheel tax on passenger vehicles and trucks He also said that no county property taxes go to the highway fund but rather the department relies on the wheel tax along with state and federal assistance Maras said one reason the increase is needed is because of the rising cost of pavement management and for bridge work The county is currently trying to boost work on resurfacing of roads with the cost of about $3.1 million a year expected to rise to $4.4 million in coming years Although bids on almost all road and bridge projects this year were below estimates the county put various types of resurfacing on 39 miles of highways with three new bridges and one bridge rehabilitation they are doing 57 miles of new resurfacing along with four bridges and one bridge rehabilitation Commissioner Jen Bleyenberg asked if some of the smaller trucks that deliver products to rural homes for companies like FedEx that may not have more than four wheels but have heavier loads Maras said that was a possibility by looking at axle weight It was also pointed out that the current wheel tax is divided up with 90 percent to the county 5 percent to townships and 5 percent to cities When asked when a wheel tax would likely be needed to raise more revenue and help with the expected deficit The issue will be discussed further this summer and early fall as the county works on and determines its budget for 2026 The City of Minneapolis has released the results of months of community engagement about the City’s proposal to redevelop the property located at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. the site of the former 3rd Police Precinct into a new democracy center and community space.A demographically representative poll found 63% of respondents support the democracy center proposal The survey found support was even stronger from those living within the 3rd Precinct The full results of the City’s community engagement efforts were shared with community members during an open house at the Minneapolis American Indian Center Wednesday night.“Community has been at the heart of the 3000 Minnehaha redevelopment and they’re tired of waiting,” said Mayor Jacob Frey “Our City has already held seven engagement sessions with residents and conducted a survey to gather input on the future of the site The survey results show clear support for transforming the site into a democracy center and a community space We’ll continue to gather input to ensure our shared vision comes to life but what we won’t do is sit on our hands while the Third Precinct sits vacant It’s time to move forward.”“Thank you to the community members who participated and to the Office of Public Service team who designed a multi-layered engagement process,” said Laura Mellem Deputy City Operations Officer of Communications and Engagement the City has been able to gauge community sentiment around a complex issue and important project.”Proposal Background  The City is proposing to relocate Elections & Voter Services (EVS) which is currently leasing industrial space in northeast Minneapolis The building would become the new home to the City’s Early Vote Center and in an area with historically lower voter turnout and pop-up voting events at the democracy center roughly two thirds of the ground floor of the existing building the City project team conducted multiple forms of engagement with community members to receive input This summer’s community engagement efforts began on June 10 with an open house to present the City’s plan to community members The City’s engagement team polled the open house’s 76 attendees on the possible use of the building and its features.  the City conducted the Engage Survey on the proposal that was open to the public and shared through the City’s website 71% of respondents supported (“strongly support” or “somewhat support”) using the building for a democracy center while 21% opposed (“strongly oppose” or “somewhat oppose”) the use This scientific poll used representative samples to match the distribution of race and gender in Minneapolis and received 913 responses 63% of the respondents supported (“strongly support” or “somewhat support”) using the building for a democracy center while 17% opposed (“strongly oppose” or “somewhat oppose”) the use 50% of citywide respondents believe the proposed development would contribute to racial healing and 64% of Black respondents believe the development would help with racial healing “to a large or some extent.”   The survey also found interest from residents in several uses for the community space the City also hosted 6 curated community conversations in August and September to share more information about the proposal and receive feedback from a diverse sample of community members including residents of nearby neighborhoods and Spanish and Somali-speaking community members A total of 36 attendees participated in these conversations.  Ask 311 about City services or report non-emergency issues A star-studded showdown saw junior Maddyn Greenway steal the spotlight in a second half spectacle as she spearheaded Providence Academy’s comeback victory 99-78 over Minnehaha Academy ***Click the video box above to watch highlights and a postgame chat with Greenway*** finished with 51 points to lead all scorers Although things did not start out in the Lions favor Maryland signee and senior Addi Mack helped lead Minnehaha to an early 11-2 advantage The Redhawks built a 26-13 thanks to Mack’s scoring and distribution Greenway rallied her squad back on a 7-0 run forcing a Minnehaha timeout taking their first lead of the game at 35-34 A back-and-forth final five minutes of the first half saw Minnehaha cling to a 1 point lead into the break Mack scored 25 points to lead Minnehaha and Greenway supplied 20 for Providence Greenway exploded out of the locker room scoring 19 of Providence’s 21 points to open up a 68-63 2nd half lead The Lions continued to build on the lead while holding Minnehaha to 30 points in second half A 22 point advantage in the second frame allowed Providence Academy to coast to their 13th win of the season The Lions remain undefeated and Greenway said postgame that they are in search of yet another state championship Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 The Rangers and the Redhawks want to push the pace and score in transition They both have the skills to punish teams that don’t defend well after a missed basket the Rangers’ offense made 58 percent of their field goals which kept the Redhawks from rebounding and attacking via transition the Redhawks shot 36 percent from the floor and Crosby-Ironton junior star Tori Oehrlein and company took advantage She grabbed 19 rebounds and looked up the court after them to try and find open teammates She often connected with senior Regan Juenemann and I feel like that’s where we get a lot of teams “We don’t have to wait for a post to give me the ball I can get it and go and get to [Juenemann] or [Sammie Hachey] who are already up the floor.” It was a positive feedback loop that led to a 40-24 halftime lead for the Rangers which kept Minnehaha from doing the same to them we just felt that they started off with more energy than us,” Minnehaha Academy head coach Kendall Givens said six minutes of the game we fought back pretty hard It was just too big of a hole for us to come out of.” Crosby-Ironton needed to defend Minnehaha Academy star Addi Mack who entered Friday's game averaging 33 points per game The Rangers limited her to 28 points on 9-of-21 shooting but we had to make sure we knew where [Mack] was at all times,” Crosby-Ironton coach Pete Vukelich said The Rangers continued with the same formula in the second half but Crosby-Ironton was 17-for-25 in the second half Juenemann scored 22 points in the second half “My mindset was just to go out and have fun,” she said The win puts the Rangers in a girls basketball state championship game for the first time in program history "No one has figured out the recipe to beat either of us,” Vukelich said Crosby-Ironton wins the opening tip-off and we're underway Already seven turnovers in the opening four minutes The Redhawks are 1-of-10 from the floor to start the game Crosby-Ironton has pushed the pace in transition to take advantage of thee Redhawks' misses Six minutes remain in the first half and and C-I's lead is now 22-11 and the Redhawks continue to struggle shooting the ball The Rangers lead by 15 with one minute remaining in the first half Crosby-Ironton has controlled every aspect of this game so far The Redhawks have open looks from beyong the 3-point line The Redhawks' shot 8-of-31 from the field in the first half The Rangers' zone defense gave them open looks Crosby-Ironton ran in transition and attacked the basket on offense with 20 points in the paint and 10 points from free throws A 9-1 run gives Crosby-Ironton a 52-31 lead with 13:43 remaining The Rangers' defense continues to flummox Minnehaha Academy Crosby-Ironton continues to run off Minnehaha's missed baskets and Crosby-Ironton passed the ball up quickly for a wide open basket from Regan Juenemann Crosby-Ironton leads 61-43 with eight minutes remaining Minnehaha's poor shooting in the first half has improved in the second half C-I is shooting73 percent from the field in the second half Minnehaha Academy on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 77-65 with 1:38 remaining Briana Foster with four points during this run Minnehaha Academy cuts it to a 10-point deficit with 40 seconds remaining It's the first state title appearance for the Rangers in program history JACK BUTLERJack Butler is the Regional Editor of the Midwest for SBLive/High School on SI Jack has covered high school sports in Oregon © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) The Mitchell City Council will meet at 6 p.m. today to […] Authorities in Mitchell, South Dakota, arrested 21-year-old Travis Bullington after a high-speed police chase involving a stolen red pickup truck reported out of Brookings County. The pursuit led officers through city streets and into rural Hanson County, ending in a cornfield after Bullington rammed two police vehicles SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Board of Water and Natural Resources meeting As warmer weather increases pet and wildlife activity, South Dakota health officials are urging residents to remain vigilant about rabies. Though cases have declined over the past 50 years, the virus remains a public health concern. South Dakota Housing’s Grants for Grads program is nearing its May 30th deadline, offering recent college graduates up to 5% of their loan amount toward a first home purchase. Your GPS did not respond. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again. telling commissioners a formal request would come sometime this year although Superintendent Jacob Maras conceded that a mid-year increase would mean that some residents who already registered their vehicles wouldn’t pay the increase while others would State law allows counties to charge a wheel tax Minnehaha County currently charges each vehicle registered in the county at $4 a wheel although Superintendent Jacob Maras conceded that a mid-year increase would mean that some residents who already registered their vehicles wouldn\u2019t pay the increase while others would A bridge replacement project just north of Sioux Falls on County Highway 133 will begin Monday shutting down the road until an expected completion date in early May one of five county bridge projects this year involves replacing an existing concrete bridge built in 1955 with a box culvert structure Bridge work is now able to be started earlier in the year with advancements in construction technology The bridge is on the county road that runs parallel to Interstate 29 about a mile northeast of the Renner-Crooks exit off the interstate Interim Highway Engineer Jacob Maras said the work has also involved obtaining right of way and will also include removing a few trees and raising the road bed as about two feet of fill will go over the new box culvert The bridge has been posted for load limits and once the projects are completed this year there will be 14 posted bridges remaining on county roads is part of the statewide bridge grant program with the South Dakota Department of Transportation The state grant will pay 80 percent of the cost leaving the county to pay the remaining $165,000 The program has helped the state reduce the number of posted and aging bridges on county and township roads The other three posted bridge replacement projects slated for this year are on 256th Street about five miles north of Hartford on County Highway 104 in the far northern part of the county about six miles west of Dell Rapids and on 483rd Avenue about three miles northeast of Corson The Corson project is a federal aid project while the other two are state-county partnerships There will also be a bridge preservation project with a new concrete surface placed on a bridge on County Highway 122 about four miles south of Baltic and near Midway Corner — Emergency crews responded to a residential fire on Saturday evening near the intersection of 265th Street and 459th Avenue Firefighters were able to quickly contain the blaze The cause of the fire remains under investigation With bids coming in way lower than expected over the winter and early spring the Minnehaha County Highway Department has been able to move up some major road work this year With some of the bridge bids coming in at about half of the engineer’s estimate and a lower than expected bid for completion of a three-year road project near Colton Highway Superintendent Jacob Maras said they were able to add three new road re-surfacing projects to this year’s construction and design budget of $15.5 million are a three-mile mill and overlay on north-south County Highway 145 west of Sioux Falls by the Wild Water West Waterpark; a similar four-mile project on north-south County HIghway 139 west of Sioux Falls from 12th Street to State Highway 38; and two one-mile stretches of county highways just north of Dell Raids near the county line That overall resurfacing project was also under estimates with a winning bid of $2.3 million about a million less than the anticipated cost Maras said the estimate for that County Highway 149 was kind of a guess as the county has never used a new type of construction on the 5.5 mile stretch of road called “cold-in-place recycling,” which involves grinding off three inches of the current surface plus adding a new three-inch overlay over the highway Unlike the last two years when the road was closed for most of the summer while work was underway there will be flaggers this year so the roadway will remain open The first two years of the project were replacing culverts and bridges while last year the ditches were re-sloped with shoulders added Also as far as road work on the county’s highway system of 347 paved miles the department is planning to do 32 miles of microsurfacing to extend the life of the highways across the county The longest stretches will be on 11 miles from Midway Corner near Baltic to north of Hartford on County Highway 115 as well as several stretches of paved roads in the Wall Lake area in which the county works with townships and the state highway department The county is responsible for bridges on township roads that are longer than 20 feet while the townships must pay for those under that length where axle weights aren’t as dangerous with 18 currently posted for weight limits there will be 15 posted bridges left although more can be added when surveys are completed including one that is a rehabilitation effort and one that is being done on a heavily used road that hasn’t yet been posted Maras said design work is going ahead on a major highway reconstruction of County Road 151 which runs south from Hartford to State Highway 42 which is sorely in need of repairs and will be done next year as well working with the state on a project on Highway 11 that connects Brandon and Garretson where two bridges are being replaced and will likely be done next year Also on the upcoming list are a reconstruction project on County Highway 105 that runs from Garretson south to Interstate 90 as well as working with the cities of Brandon and Sioux Falls on Maple and Park streets in the booming area east of Sioux Falls where the busy highway is in need of reconstruction and the agencies involved are hoping for federal assistance One of Minnesota’s best-ever girls basketball matchups is in store when No 2 Crosby-Ironton for the Class AA championship on Saturday “Multiply that with star power and it is stratospheric.” anchored by junior standout guard Tori Oehrlein completed the championship pairing with Providence Academy by defeating No in the second Class AA semifinal of the Minnesota State High School League’s Girls Basketball State Tournament on Friday Providence Academy raced past Minnewaska Area behind 26 points from junior guard Maddyn Greenway who has committed to play at the University of Kentucky.  Crosby-Ironton defeated Minnehaha Academy for the second time this season behind 31 points from senior guard Regan Juenemann and 27 points and 19 rebounds from Oehrlein The Rangers (32-0) led by as many as 22 points with 5:14 remaining in regulation before the Redhawks (21-10) finished with a late surge who has signed to play at the University of Maryland paced Minnehaha Academy with 28 points.  Mack is Minnesota’s second all-time leading scorer in girls basketball with 4,655 points Greenway is third with 4,414 and Oehrlein is fourth Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman set Minnesota’s all-time scoring mark with 5,060 in 2013 Oehrlein scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in helping to power the Rangers to a 40-24 lead at the break She scored all of her points in the final eight minutes of the half.  she had been doing other things to stake the Rangers to a lead they would dictate throughout the half She had two assists and six rebounds and handled the ball in most full-court press situations She spotted a window to contribute scoring with 8:38 left in the first half she had 10 points as the Rangers built a 25-11 lead.  Providence Academy and Crosby-Ironton last met a year ago in the Class AA semifinals when the top-seeded Lions raced past the Rangers 92-54 Minnehaha Academy defeated Crosby-Ironton 104-86 in the third-place game.  The Lake Superior School District held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Minnehaha Elementary School in Two Harbors on Thursday to mark the completion of a variety of upgrades This project was part of a $44.1 million plan approved by district residents on November 2 The plan aims to enhance educational spaces and modernize infrastructure across district facilities we aren’t just thinking about today,” said Lake Superior School District Superintendent Gina Kleive “It’s not just the financial investment it is facilities that support 21st century learning for our students a place where people feel comfortable to learn but the collaborative spaces that have been created as well as the flex spaces that have been created Improvements included security enhancements There were also aesthetic upgrades such as new flooring there is a new “cafetorium” that is meant to allow students to explore their fullest potential “We wanted to design opportunities for kids but if we’re going to renovate the building what can we do with the space to create more things for kids to experience and do?,” said Minnehaha Elementary School Principal Brett Archer “A big part of that to me was building a cafetorium with a stage for kids to perform on Another goal of the remodel was to bring more light into the building with new windows and a redesign of the hallways There are also architectural features designed to give people the sense of looking into an agate Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Vicki Kaping at vkaping@wdio.com or (218) 727-6864 With dry conditions still prevailing along with windy conditions the Minnehaha County Commission again put an open burn ban in place on Tuesday but Director of Emergency Management Jason Gearman said he had talked with the National Weather Service and there were chances for more rain in the coming days including over the Easter weekend “It looks like a wet pattern ahead,” he said but the conditions would all depend on how much rainfall the county receives The rain on Monday was very little with only three-hundredths of an inch reported at the airport The county has put a system in place where the ban can quickly be ended so a vote of the entire board wouldn’t be needed as Commission Chairman Dean Karsky and Commissioner Joe Kippley can discuss the situation with Gearman and the Rural Fire Chiefs Association to allow controlled burning again in ditches and fields which started on March 25th and ended on April 2nd Gearman said he has had only a handful of complaints The county has been under a red flag warning by the National Weather Service for several days recently because of the conditions Dean Karsky and Cole Heisey have been elected to serve on the Minnehaha County Commission and Betty Otten has been elected to the Lincoln County Commission Minnehaha County's results came online at about 5 p.m and Lincoln County's results were released about 4 a.m The two commissions manage county finances More: These are the big Lincoln, Minnehaha county-level races Here's what the candidates had to say about the race the incumbent in the race whose current term ends Dec placed second in the June primary and earned 38% of the votes (44,247) in Tuesday's election He couldn't be reached immediately for comment More: Commission candidates talk pipelines, elections at forum Heisey (R) won the June primary and took 37% of the votes (43,457) in Tuesday's election He said the victory is a testament to the "hard work dedication and shared vision of so many amazing supporters." He added his priorities are fiscal responsibility "and ensuring prudent growth as our county continues to expand." Libengood couldn't be reached immediately for comment Otten (R) won 55% of the vote to represent the Lincoln County Commission's second district She said Jibben is an "incredible human being" who's well-respected in the community because I love Lincoln County." Otten said she's gone to commission meetings for more than four years now and felt she didn't have a say in what they did unless she was on the commission Otten said she plans to hold department heads and others responsible for their budgets More: Putnam, Otten chosen as Republican candidates for Lincoln County Commission Jibben said he will finish his term on the commission "fine" and deal with issues that need to be deal with and foresees the commission working well together for the remainder of the year and said he appreciated serving and representing them for the last four years He added that he's waiting to see election results in more detail before he decides if he wants to run for any elected office again the only candidate for District 4 after beating incumbent Michael Poppens in the June primary said he’s glad it all worked out and thanked the voters who elected him Putnam said he looks forward to cutting taxes as a commissioner after Poppens’ term ends Dec It’s been three straight 3rd-place game appearances in the 2A state tournament for the Minnehaha Academy girls basketball team the Redhawks are looking to break through and win their first championship since 2019 KSTP Sports caught up with Mack and head coach Kendall Givens on Monday ***Click the video box on this page to see interviews with senior Addi Mack and head coach Kendall Givens*** The 3-seed Redhawks open the 2A state tournament against 6-seed Caledonia at 8 p.m Plans to place a new barrier at the Minnehaha Dog Park are already dividing some community members before it’s even been installed the National Park Service and the Minnesota Historical Society hosted an information meeting about the project The fence is intended to keep unleashed dogs from leaving the dog park’s boundaries and heading into sacred Indigenous land managed by the National Park Service the land was designated as traditional cultural property in the National Register of Historic Places Indigenous Parks Liaison Carrie Day Aspinwall says it’s important to be good neighbors and be respectful of the land “Dakota people have been living along the banks of this river for millenniums,” Aspinwall said we’re trying to be respectful of the people and work with our neighbors and relatives on this and come to an understanding of what it means to be a good relative and how important and sacred our lands and relatives are to us.” The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board decided in October that they would add the fence to protect the land from unleashed dog damage the National Park Service gave the board a $55,000 grant to complete the barrier some dog owners say they wish they had a say in what the money was being used for some arguing it should’ve been used to improve amenities in the dog park Others like Scott Solowiej argued a barrier would reduce the amount of freedom their dogs had “The off-leash barrier is pretty confining,” Solowiej argued “It’s a lot different than the space that the dog owners have been able to enjoy up until now or until that actually does get defined.” The National Park Service says the fence could be up by fall of 2025 has been a top concern in Minnehaha County government departments It was as high as 18 percent in 2021 and 2022 but fell to 16 percent in 2023 and to 14 percent last year The reason for the concern is that longtime Human Resources Director Carey Deaver estimates losing and then rehiring an employee can cost the county on average as much as $40,000 per position For one of the county’s attorneys it can be a higher figure she said a correctional officer in the jail undergoes a two to three month training and thus isn’t considered “a value” to the county during that time as the position isn’t really filled Deaver said retaining employees also reduces costs She would like to return to the turnover rate of about 10 percent that was seen in 2010 and a few times after that period in the 2010s she told county commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday She said a comprehensive study by McGrath Human Resources Group of job evaluations and compensation completed recently will be important to consider County staff are looking at the numbers and decisions will be part of budget talks this summer and fall She said the main reason many leave is the pay With the higher turnover in the past few years the result has been that 43 percent of the 631-employee workforce is fairly new to the county having been in their jobs less than four years 25 percent of the staff are in their first year she said 14 percent of the staff is nearing or at retirement eligibility being age 55 and over. “Staff retention is critical for retaining organizational knowledge and providing quality service to our residents,” she said She added that she thought the county was a “great place to work.” stability and work-life balance in most cases,” she said Deaver also praised the county for being “fiscally conservative” in holding the line on expanding the workforce over the past five years as the staff has only increased by 5 percent despite the booming growth in the county population is that they are getting more applicants for open positions in the past two years as well as more job searches on the website “People and events don’t exist in a vacuum and this project holds space for the complexity of individual identity and the history of the neighborhood,” says Barroso A look into the intersection’s past reveals ongoing struggles over who “belongs” in public space and to whom public space belongs The 2020 uprising following the police murder of George Floyd brought national attention to the intersection of Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue But the history of this place runs much deeper “The Long Fire at Lake and Minnehaha” is a public history project that explores the intersection’s connections to police violence was drawn to the project because of its deep roots in the communities of south Minneapolis “This project challenges the notion of singularity that occurs when we talk about the 2020 uprising,” Barroso said and this project holds space for the complexity of individual identity and the history of the neighborhood.” The intersection has a long history of activism an anti-porn campaign shaped local discussions on sex work A 1998 encampment protesting highway expansion through sacred Dakota land was met with a massive police presence a brutal attack on a Black trans woman sparked a national solidarity campaign the research team plunged into the archives at the Hennepin County Central Library and neighborhood histories to piece together a broader context One significant focus of the project is settler colonialism “Settler colonialism fundamentally involves which bodies get to occupy what land,” Prof “We’re examining contemporary conflicts over encampments and encampment policing as part of this longer history Why are so many Native people homeless in Minneapolis They’re homeless by design—that’s a product of settler colonialism.” The project also includes a community oral history component supported by the Tretter Trans Oral History Project community members will participate in a paid eight-week oral history training and then conduct oral histories with friends adding personal narratives to the archival research The goal is to create a digital mapping exhibit that layers these voices and histories allowing viewers to explore the intersection’s past and present in an interactive way As Minneapolis debates the future of the Third Precinct site “The Long Fire at Lake and Minnehaha” seeks to provide a more comprehensive history that informs current conversations about the true meaning of “public safety.”  Barroso offered advice: “It’s always worth connecting with a professor because they might have an opportunity for you.” The project is funded by Macalester’s Collaborative Summer Research Program and Wallace Scholarly Activities grant and by a Hub Residency through the Institute for Advanced Study at the University of Minnesota From champagne showers to draft day drills a Macalester grad's relentless data-driven vision fuels the Celtics' championship dynasty there's a front office mastermind already plotting the next victory From suburban sitcoms to civil rights showdowns to reality TV's brand-building this course reveals how television isn't just a screen but a cultural mirror reflecting—and shaping—who we are reveals how a nation can be neither spy nor target yet still intimately shaped by the unseen eyes of global surveillance A sociology course deepens classroom knowledge through voter outreach and community engagement Macalester is one of the colleges and universities with the highest number of students selected for the Fulbright U.S Macalester's Live It Fund projects span a variety of issues Minnesotans who use a popular dog park in Minneapolis will see changes this fall After the Minneapolis Park Board voted yes in a Tuesday meeting the plan is to add fencing to Minnehaha Regional Dog Park because they explained it does not meet city dog park standards A woman, Michelle Garens, who’s been going to the dog park for decades had concerns about the proposal so she started a petition that garnered nearly thousand signatures Pet owners explained they found out about the proposal a week ago and said they feel blindsided about the plan Park officials also want to expand off-leash areas by 10 acres.“It seems like they’re spinning it as if we’re getting a gift of extra additional park what they’re doing is cutting us off access to a large like even a larger majority of the park,” Garens said “This is such a naturally beautiful place as it is and it has a lot of natural barriers to keep the dogs inside this particular place.” On behalf of their loyal companions who can’t say much owners explained the restrictions would change the landscape of this park which they said was perfect from the start “She [dog] just would not appreciate the sort of closed off ”It would severely affect my quality of life We hike four or five miles a day just to keep her and myself in shape There’s such a wonderful community of people here.” The cost of this project is at least $65,000 The park board said it will be funded through the National Park Service Grant.“Maybe we’re in too much of a rush to find a find some sort of solution that satisfies these demarcations that we’re losing sight of the fact that this might be one of the best dog parks in the country,” Steitz said The construction is set to be completed this fall and the opening of Sea Salt Eatery are sure signs that spring — the feeling rather than the technical date — is finally coming for Minnesota The Minnehaha Falls restaurant has announced it will reopen for the season at 11 a.m A warm-weather staple, the Cajun-style seafood eatery regularly sports long lines when the weather is nice, offering diners a chance to eat in a Minneapolis park Sea Salt/Facebook adding The Sandwich Room at Sea Salt as a more grab-and-go option with less of an emphasis on water-loving ingredients.  Representatives tell Bring Me The News that The Sandwich Room will open simultaneously with the main eatery marking the first full summer for the new addition Sea Salt Eatery is typically open from early April to early October at 4801 Minnehaha Ave saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad in the venerable Farmers and and Mechanics Savings Bank building Final results for the South Dakota election were delayed deep into Tuesday after an issue involving a sealed ballot box in the state's most populous county The final precincts in Minnehaha County did not report until Wednesday afternoon According to a report from The Dakota Scout a box of ballots was prematurely sealed at the auditor’s office overnight during vote counting It’s against the law to reopen a sealed ballot box so the auditor’s office needed to get permission from a circuit court judge to open the box That request was granted late Wednesday morning SIOUX FALLS – A more than a yearlong debate over elections in Minnehaha County boiled over again on the last day of the year County Auditor Leah Anderson presented a report on the elections to county commissioners on Tuesday triggering a testy debate over results that weren't final until the day after voting ended Anderson said she thought the election was run in good fashion There were no major errors and the votes were counted properly,” she said one of the commissioners who has consistently questioned her performance as they dealt with the election issues disagreed Commissioner Joe Kippley said he had “lost faith” in her leadership but what they need is better leadership,” Kippley said The county auditor position is elected and Kippley suggested that it would be up to voters to judge Anderson’s performance when she's again on the ballot in 2026 “I question pretty much your judgment on every decision you have made,” he said Kippley said what he would like to see is a more efficient professional and faster reporting of results He noted that while all of the other counties in the state had reported their results much earlier on the day after the election before final results were provided to the state and the voting public Kippley said people were “wondering what’s going on during that time.” Anderson said her staff was inundated with calls and questions during Election Day and after One of the main reasons for the delay was absentee ballots and a question with the county information technology department about when at least partial results could be released and reported Anderson said they had to wait for those absentee ballots to be run through the tabulators because of delays in getting them from the volunteer absentee ballot board Another area of concern was ballots from overseas She said state law requires that ballots be emailed to those people which increased this year from about 200 in 2020 to 750 this past November have to be transferred from the paper ballot they sent in to an optical scan ballot that can be run through the tabulators She added they can’t be opened and counted until Election Day There were also about 30,000 early voting and absentee ballots to process Commissioner Jean Bender also raised a few other problems in the election process She said that video showed that doors were locked for about two hours when election workers were counting absentee ballots in a room on the third floor where most of the processing was taking place Anderson argued that it was only about 10 minutes who praised Anderson for her presentation on all of the work and time it takes to run an election that started in August also wondered why absentee ballots couldn’t have been counted earlier or first Kippley also brought up the issue as he and Anderson debated what time those ballots started to be counted on Election Day Kippley said he had a source who said it was as late as 4:30 p.m on Tuesday when the team of 56 volunteers and staff tabulated the absentee ballots after they had started their day at 8 a.m Anderson originally said she thought it was about 2 p.m She added they could use more space to operate the various election processes Although about 360 volunteers overall worked at precincts and on the counting process it was suggested that perhaps more residents could be used to help out especially in possibly having a second shift Anderson had said some of her staff worked about 36 hours without breaks while the counting was going on Commissioner Dean Karsky also suggested that perhaps another voting tabulator machine could have helped count ballots faster Anderson agreed that more absentee board workers and a new second shift and supervisors was one of her suggestions for improvements Her other ideas were to shorten the early voting period that started on Sept 20 and also to eliminate voting on the Monday before Election Day to provide more time to prepare in the final minutes before voting started some residents praised her efforts to make sure ballots were counted correctly and for all of her work Those speaking and in the audience were mostly members of the group called S.D which has as its goals to eliminate machine counting of ballots and instead hand count on all paper ballots which has continually sparred with the county board for more than a year about election issues would also like to eliminate mail-in ballots one of the leaders in the group from Sioux Falls told commissioners it takes double or triple the amount of time to count some of the absentee ballots She said they would like to see more in person voting on Election Day and limited absentee ballots as she said “there is solid evidence that fraudulent ballots” were injected into the election in 2020 said he would be introducing 31 bills to the Legislature to try to help with some of the problems the leaders of the local League of Women Voters and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) said they favored keeping early voting and access to absentee ballots to allow more people to have their voices counted “I don’t think we need any unnecessary barriers to voting,” said Jill Franken of AARP She said they didn't think they should shorten the time frame or end mail-in ballots as about 50 percent of county residents over 50 years old took advantage of those options in the recent election “We would resist efforts to restrict access to voting.” She also offered that her organization could assist in recruiting more volunteers to help in the election process Commissioner Gerald Benninga said he would like to see the bills that could help with some of the issues that the county faced in November Most changes would have to come from the South Dakota Legislature He called the legislators the “problem solvers” not the county commissioners Beninga and Karsky urged Anderson to work through the statewide county association of commissioners and county officials to get behind any proposed changes so they could speak with a unified voice The City of Sioux Falls is updating its outdoor siren activation to include “destructive severe thunderstorm" warnings That includes a Wireless Emergency Alert being sent to cell phones in the affected areas The National Weather Service defines thunderstorms as “destructive” if they have 80 mile per hour winds or greater or baseball-sized hail Regan Smith is the Emergency Manager for the City of Sioux Falls He said the real “change” is on the city’s side “There will be no real change for what the public should do If you’re outdoors when this warning siren activates stay there until the threat has passed," Smith said "These storms are rare but pose a significant danger and we want people to respond accordingly." Some changes are happening on the county side as well Jason Gearman is with Minnehaha County Emergency Management He said in addition to adding sirens for destructive thunderstorm warnings Minnehaha County is changing monthly siren checks to Mondays a lot of the rural fire departments who monitor those sirens they’re out of town on the weekends," Gearman said we’re going to be switching that date to Mondays which allows the fire department to keep closer track of if the sirens are working to make sure the sirens are working We have had some instances in the past few years where sirens weren’t working for a month or so before we found out to get them fixed." both Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County will sound the sirens April 9 at 10:15 am for its annual community tornado drill They encourage businesses and schools to participate and practice their sever weather plans Nearly 24 hours after polls closed Tuesday in the Sioux Falls area state legislative candidates can finally claim their victories Liz Larsen and Arch Beal maintained their seats in the Senate for districts 2 all incumbents in their respective districts maintained their seats New representatives and senators will begin legislative session in January in Pierre Who ran in SD House and Senate? A full list of legislative candidates in the Sioux Falls area The South Dakota Senate consists of 35 members while the South Dakota House of Representatives has 70 Members of both chambers cannot serve more than four consecutive You’ll see term limits listed below as applicable Here are the results for South Dakota’s legislative races in Tuesday’s presidential election Note: Candidates who ran unopposed automatically earned a seat in the legislature More: View 2024 election results from the South Dakota Secretary of State's office. Chris Karr advances his legislative career completed his term after assuming office in 2017 with 56% of the vote in 2020 and 54% in 2022 Democratic incumbent Reynold Nesiba completed his term after assuming office in 2017 He's been hopeful for a more balanced representation among the State House and State Senate in Pierre While in office, Nesiba was outspoken about helping to resolve the childcare crisis and also advocated for removing the sales tax from groceries. As of late Tuesday night, South Dakota voters once again turned down IM 28 a measure that would have prohibited the grocery tax More on IM 28: South Dakota's 'grocery tax' will remain after voters decline to repeal it Nesiba will now re-dedicate his time to continued full-time work as an economics professor at Augustana University and looks forward to an improved research focus after eight years in Pierre “Eight years in the Senate has had a permanent impact on me,” he said “I always wanted this experience to make me a better college professor Not only did Lawrence narrowly lose to Nesiba in the last election this race was a big return for Smith after losing the Gubernatorial Election in 2022 to Gov Smith announced last year his return to the Senate and said he was ready to “be back in the game.” This win for incumbent Pischke is a boost after he was banned last spring from the House floor during the 2024 legislative session for a “violation of decorum.” There was no plan to discipline Pischke in the Senate See results from the June primaries Incumbent Republican legislators suffer losses as pipelines and property rights surge to the fore District 12 incumbent Amber Arlint said she was looking forward to another year in the House “We’re wanting to try a few different things next year,” she said Tuesday night at Rep “We’re lucky to be in a state where we always balance our budget and are happy to see the results of IM 28.” Reps. Rehfeldt and Kayser bested Rep. Tyler Tordsen, R-Sioux Falls and a Native American member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, in the primaries this past June Republican Joni Tschetter would replace Democrat Erik Muckley in this district SIOUX FALLS – Perhaps residents have seen the lawn signs spread across Minnehaha County for the upcoming County Commission race two will be elected to serve a four-year term starting in January The lawn signs have been fairly easy to recognize for Republican incumbent Dean Karsky who won the right to advance in a field of four candidates in the June primary Both of those men having their complete names on their lawn signs and other campaign materials is hoping to knock off one of the two Republicans Libengood said she likes to call herself a “reprocrat” because she didn’t know “where I fit.” She said a colleague registered her as a Democrat 20 years ago and she never changed it because it “never really mattered to me.” have both been longtime Republicans and active in party affairs who answered a questionnaire from Sioux Falls Live they talked about their view on issues and also about their personal lives said she started her career shortly out of college with the Minnehaha County Human Services Department where she worked almost 18 years she said she helped create the county’s homeless family case management program and the housing navigator program She also helped create the housing retention program at East River Legal Services and Welcome Home baskets at the Furniture Mission Through her work on the Thrive Housing Action Team she added that she helped influence funding to build housing for the most vulnerable populations she helped bring the street outreach program (The Wo'okiye Project) to fruition through her input and participation on the Homeless Task Force Libengood currently serves on the City of Sioux Falls Human Relations Commission and the mother of two children is the treasurer of the Laura Wilder Elementary PTA She is now employed as an operations specialist for a financial technology company Heisey is a longtime resident of Sioux Falls and a graduate of O’Gorman High School and the University of South Dakota He was raised in a military household during his formative years and currently lives and works in Sioux Falls as an insurance professional He is actively involved in the community and his church serving in leadership positions on various boards and volunteering for civic organizations whenever he said it’s possible he enjoys spending time with friends and family reading and listening to music — always staying active Karsky has owned an insurance and financial services agency for over 36 years Prior to starting his business he was on active duty in the United States Air Force for six years during which time he completed his bachelor's degree from Troy State University and an associate's degree in logistics management Karsky said his last 36 years have been focused on community service where he is active in his church the business community and local government He has served as a board member and president of his church Sioux Falls Insurance and Financial Advisors was a Sioux Falls city councilor and has been or is a member of other civic groups He is also a 24-year classroom volunteer for Junior Achievement The three candidates were asked specific questions about issues facing the county and here are their responses: What would be your priorities as a county commissioner And what do you think are the top issues facing the county heading into 2025 Karsky: I am an advocate for ongoing support for law enforcement and first responders via funding for personnel and equipment public safety is paramount to the role of a commissioner The citizens of the county are concerned about property taxes and as a commissioner we have the “power of the purse” to affect what the people receive for those tax dollars Over 97 percent of our county budget is state mandated so we have to be diligent in how that money is spent Personnel account for 74 percent of our budget and every year we are asked to increase full-time employees My challenge to department heads is how can we do it better by using the employees that we have and leveraging technology to provide services Economic growth throughout the county by proper zoning and infrastructure growth that will provide the greatest benefit to the taxpayers is vital to our future The increasing cost of public safety and criminal justice since 2017 those two items have seen an increase from 48 percent of our budget to almost 70 percent in 2025 Our jail numbers continue to increase and the cost of the legal process is immense Most people are not aware that Minnehaha County has over 80 attorneys on staff full-time another 176 employees that work in the County Jail and another 50 that work in the Juvenile Detention Center We continue to collaborate with other counties and government offices to jointly fund these services as we also actively pursue funding grants from the state and federal government Funding for these services and all the other functions of the county put a strain on property tax dollars and I will continue to strive to maintain a long-term outlook on financing as I did when I put together the two separate Financial Action Network of citizens to take an in depth look at county financing Heisey: Maintaining a transparent and responsive government that respects and works with all citizens is crucial to upholding public trust and accountability A primary focus will be balancing economic growth with community needs and desires while preserving our character and values I will prioritize both present needs and long-term vision in decision-making I am committed to fostering a thriving county where citizens’ rights are protected Upholding local control is a key part of this Keeping decision-making as local as possible — closest to our residents I will prioritize addressing their concerns and providing effective constituent services Managing and overseeing countywide economic and population growth will likely be among the most demanding aspects of my day-to-day responsibilities Ensuring responsible growth without overburdening public resources will require constant balance Specific issues that stand out to me include the completion of the new Juvenile Detention Center and the construction of five new radio towers to enhance communication for law enforcement there is ongoing discussion about whether Lincoln County will join Minnehaha County’s Public Defender’s Office or establish their own Lyon Fairgrounds has been an ongoing topic and I have spoken to almost every Minnehaha County Department head Each of them has called out the state in one way or another State law mandates the county to pay for many yet provides the county with one flawed mechanism for funding Commissioners choose opt outs (raising property taxes) instead of putting in the time and effort to create meaningful change Minnehaha County commissioners have tools at their disposal including a lobbyist attorneys and membership in the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners (SDACC) Our own commission chair was the president of the SDACC beginning in 2021 the commission chair stated they (the commissioners) were all taxpayers so they do approach the budget process with prudence The commission also boasted that the levy is the lowest it has been in a dozen years Every single dollar matters to our taxpayers especially to those of very low- to middle-income earners Those taxpayers are the people I cared for while working for Human Services and those are the people who need a voice (followed by action) on the Minnehaha County Commission Current commissioners will bring this concept of government reform back When the Home Rule Charter was haphazardly proposed in July no commissioner involved had a conversation with the three elected officials nor the staff it would affect and employees were humiliated and devalued The real problem as I see it is the county has grown so much that a part-time commission no longer makes sense I know I want the commission I elect to do the job intended I don’t want the commission hiring someone else to do their job and experts in government long range planning to create and implement a solid strategic plan The plan should promote smaller government too much is being done in executive sessions and behind the scenes I witnessed inefficiencies and waste as a result of uninformed commission decision making I will do my research and gather information from multiple avenues and sources to make informed decisions taxpayers outside of Sioux Falls will not be forgotten and lines of communication between the county When my husband and I worked for Equalization and Human Services we understood the value of our county’s public servants as well as the integral services they provide Human Resources presented early this year that 41 percent of employees were new working for the county less than four years If our county employees don’t have the tools or culture in place in order to be successful I will work closely with Human Resources and department heads to bolster hiring onboarding and retention programming and processes Do you think any changes should be made to the county election system?  Do you favor hand counting of all ballots Heisey: I believe it’s fair to say that everyone desires timely elections should be as transparent and well-run as possible Elections are a cornerstone of our society past elections have shown that our system works the state enacted a law to audit 5% of ballots through hand counting Many developed countries successfully hand count ballots so I see little reason to oppose the process itself Election machines provide fast results on election night and while I support verifying outcomes through post-election audits I don’t believe hand-counting all ballots is necessary Karsky: Secure elections and making every vote count must be a priority at all levels of government The role of the county auditor is to be the elections officer and I am on record of supporting all requests made by the auditors office to provide the resources of people and equipment that are necessary to ensure that our goals are met I do not favor dumping our automated ballot counting machines in favor of hand counting and I do support the statutory mandated 5% minimum hand-count audit Libengood: The county election system is heavily regulated by state law including residency documentation and registration requirements I haven’t seen enough evidence to support changes I don’t favor hand counting of all ballots of every race Were you satisfied with the county budget recently approved for 2025 Anything specifically you would have liked to fund that didn’t make it into the budget Or anything that should have been eliminated Karsky: While no process is perfect we have a lengthy process to review all budget requests We begin in April and meet regularly outside of regular commission meetings to review the budget with department heads and staff The $130 million budget for 2025 was approved in late September and did not include any additional opt-outs Requests from “outside agencies” make up less than 2% of our budget and are critical to operations of those organizations We do our best to help fund the rural ambulances and fire departments as well as groups that provide ongoing services in mental health and human services Libengood: I’m disappointed in a few things regarding budget the County Commission chairman assembled a Financial Action Network (FAN) for the second time and presented seven recommendations to the commission last year Four out of the seven recommendations mention opt outs with one wanting an entire opt out strategy complete with a public education plan to "educate" taxpayers why the county needs more of their money Two recommendations are about maintaining current reserve levels and developing a five year capital expense plan The last recommendation was to continue to actively pursue solutions to reduce public safety expenses public safety staff or equalization staff on this committee I am disappointed in the donation section of the budget Their impact in the community is priceless as someone who understands other ways the county is helping and lifting up our nonprofits and understands the financial stress the county and taxpayers are under this is money the county desperately needs to keep The county supports nonprofits through property tax exemption in-kind case management services through the Human Services Department and financial assistance (poor relief) to mutual clients the methodology for choosing which nonprofits receive a donation is flawed and potentially biased I am disappointed the County Commission did not actively pursue to partner with the state regarding the county’s Veteran Services Officer (VSO) obligation The state changed the law this past year to allow a partnership which would have saved the county money this position would have had the support of the VA including informed supervision the County Commission approved a new and second VSO position The County Commission did not understand this dynamic and now two (instead of one) employees will be siloed lacking adequate supervision and resources Heisey: I was present through much of the budget process and spent time speaking with various county department heads My key takeaway is that significant effort was made by both county departments and the commission to align expenditures with the community’s needs I’m determined to tackle the ongoing rise in property taxes head-on There is very little discretionary spending in the county budget with the vast majority allocated to public safety and infrastructure One area I’m particularly interested in exploring is the use and effectiveness of outside agencies specifically whether funds spent in one area could more significantly reduce costs in another I’d like to explore ways to better equip our rural firefighters and first responders Improving government efficiency and ensuring the county fulfills its mandate to provide top quality public safety are top priorities on my agenda Would you favor going to a county administrator form of government with the leader having responsibility for overall operations would you favor combining the offices of auditor treasurer and register of deeds into one finance office Heisey: I’m open to a serious discussion on this matter and believe that open dialogue with the public should occur before any changes take effect While this new structure could potentially streamline some processes and decisions based on the policies set by the commission my major concern is whether government would remain as transparent and responsive to the public as it should be I am inclined to maintain the current structure of county government as I believe decisions and power should remain closest to those directly answerable to the electorate I am more open to the idea of an administrator than to eliminating and consolidating three elected offices which I believe would lead to more centralized power This matters because maintaining the separation of powers ensures greater accountability and transparency the treasurer’s office would be absorbed by the same office responsible for auditing it meaning the office receiving and allocating public tax dollars would audit itself Karsky: I am in favor of a “Home Rule Charter” for the best administration of the county We recently introduced the concept at a meeting and it was met with resistance when it came to eliminating some elected offices The change would not need to eliminate those positions and we could move forward with a proposition that the voters of the county would need to pass in a public election How such a charter will be introduced is the next hurdle This would involve eliminating three elected positions and keep two elections for sheriff and state’s attorney That is an option that would need to be approved by the citizens in a public vote Editor's Note: Anny Libengood's name was misspelled in earlier versions of this story Residents in the Hiawatha neighborhood in Minneapolis say they got a frightening wakeup call Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire in a Minnehaha Avenue apartment building. and just heard a really loud pop,” said Angie Theis who’s lived in the area for 22 years Theis and her husband Jeff — who were walking their dogs along Minnehaha Avenue sealed off by crime scene tape — recalled those loud noises went unabated for about an hour “I originally thought it was somebody setting off some type of explosives then we came down and they said somebody had been shooting in the apartment.” Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators could be seen collecting evidence around 4052 Minnehaha Avenue where those gunfire noises were coming from “This was an incredibly unpredictable and rapidly evolving situation,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters He praised his officers’ bravery in responding from “all over the city.” The chief says police initially became involved around 10:30 Friday night when officers responded to multiple 911 calls about a man carrying a shotgun along Minnehaha Avenue there were numerous 911 calls from inside the building “The residents inside the apartment building indicated there were shots being fired inside their building and they could hear people banging on their doors and they could also hear glass shattering,” the chief noted Arriving officers spotted bullet holes in a front door O’Hara says more shots were heard from the north end of the building and officers began evacuating residents while closing in on the shooter “This is the kind of terrifying call that Minneapolis police officers never want to get But they responded bravely,” declared Mayor Jacob Frey “To go into a kind of situation where you do not know what to expect where you’re either encountering a shotgun or to say it’s scary would be a massive understatement.”Police say officers were able to contain the shooter in a north stairwell as they continued evacuation efforts An MPD statement says the gunman “periodically fired rounds from an AK-47 style rifle.” “The officers located a suspect in the north stairwell and one officer discharged his weapon one time,” O’Hara said “The suspect was then able to be disarmed.” described only as a 40-year-old man who lived in the building and a backpack with extra ammunition and loaded magazines O’Hara says the suspect was wearing a military-style flak vest as well these are the kind of situations that you see nationwide where an active shooter is doing the worst and people are dying in large numbers,” Frey said The fact that more people weren’t hurt is a miracle.” Police say they hadn’t had any previous encounters with the suspect Investigators are now looking for a motive in this case Jeff Theis says he’s glad the gunman was captured “We didn’t know if (the suspect) was going room to room shooting people we had no idea what was going on,” he explained “Especially with that type of hardware it really could have been way worse.” Saturday’s gunfire follows a violent week in the city “We were hoping that our city would get a break from some of this violence,” O’Hara said “It’s been an exhausting week for everyone glad everyone’s going to survive here.” Minnehaha Regional Park is one of the oldest and most popular parks in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Close to one million people visit the park each year to see the incredible 53' waterfall bike and cool off during the summer in the wading pools The park is gorgeous in the summer and even more stunning during the winter months Check out all of the images below to see how beautiful it is when it's frozen The park has over 2 miles of walking/hiking/biking trails so don't forget good boots when you visit (Be careful - Most of the pathways weren't cleared when I was there.) The pictures below show the incredible frozen waterfall but you can't fully grasp the beauty until you see it with your own eyes For safety reasons, the public is prohibited from walking down to the waterfall These images are from professional photographers who received permission you can still enjoy some incredible views and take awesome pics for Instagram from safe Minnehaha Regional Park is located at 4801 S Minnehaha Drive in Minneapolis and it's definitely worth the drive There are metered parking lots on site and it only costs a few bucks to park for a couple of hours The city of Minneapolis purchased Minnehaha Falls Park in 1889 making it one of the first state parks in the country The name Minnehaha comes from the Dakota language and means waterfall I'm not a huge fan of our extremely cold winters the frigid temps do create some amazing sights Below you'll see a couple more images of the frozen waterfall and another icy attraction that you should check out this winter If you are planning a visit to Minnehaha Falls please respect the rules and do not enter prohibited areas Doing so could lead to a ticket for trespassing or could result in serious injury Keep scrolling to learn about another amazing frozen attraction right here in Minnesota Gallery Credit: Troy Dunken Minnehaha Regional Park is one of the oldest and most popular parks in Minneapolis. Close to one million people visit it each year to see the incredible 53' waterfall, hike, bike, and cool off during the summer in the wading pools. In the winter, the park turns into a winter wonderland.\nRead More Minnehaha Regional Park is one of the oldest and most popular parks in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Close to one million people visit the park each year to see the incredible 53' waterfall For safety reasons, the public is prohibited from walking down to the waterfall Minnehaha Regional Park is located at 4801 S Minnehaha Drive in Minneapolis and it's definitely worth the drive Painting at Minnehaha Falls in 20 degree temperatures That's how you take advantage of winter in Minnesota The city of Minneapolis purchased Minnehaha Falls Park in 1889 making it one of the first state parks in the country Minnehaha County Register of Deeds Amanda Hulse has submitted a letter of resignation effective July 4 Hulse is planning to pursue a law degree at the University of Oklahoma starting in August The register of deeds is one of five elected departments in county government along with the sheriff the county commissioners will be appointing a replacement to fill her position until the next general election in November of next year with the application period being open until April 18 Halsey has been responsible for maintaining and safeguarding county public records Some of the records date back to the 1870s and before “I’m honored to have worked alongside a wonderful group of department heads all of whom are dedicated to the well-being of Minnehaha County,” Halsey said in a statement “I’ll forever be grateful for this time serving as register of deeds.” she was elected after moving here with her husband from Huron She told Sioux Falls Live she had been thinking about pursuing a law degree for some time but things “finally just fell into place.” Hulse has been earning a salary this year of $101,212 the County Commission is accepting applications to fill the unexpired term The person appointed will serve through Jan after which the position will be filled by the candidate elected next fall The person selected to fill her job until then must be a Minnehaha County resident and possess a bachelor's degree in business administration The commissioners said the qualifications also include five years of related experience; a strong knowledge and experience in accounting a familiarity with government resources and knowledge of legislative processes as well as strong verbal and written communication skills Municipal elections were held in a dozen cities and towns across Minnehaha and Lincoln counties on Tuesday Kayla Bullis unseated incumbent Arthur Schott for a two-year term representing Ward 1 on Beresford’s city council Bullis received 66 votes compared to Schott’s 27 Voters in Brandon overwhelmingly opted for a second entrance to Aspen Park they also authorized the sale of 0.16 acres of land designated for the park after a neighbor wanted to purchase it to pave a private driveway to their home The land will be sold to the highest bidder Sarah Carlson won the race of at-large commissioner by a single vote after her name was picked by 204 voters Todd Baldwin came in second with 203 votes Carlson will replace the seat currently held by Tyler Larson where Larry Vande Voort earned 24 votes to serve as a councilman representing the city’s third ward beating challenger Ryan Pilker by just two ballots The seat is currently held by Joe Hulscher Butch Oseby comfortably secured another term in Crooks with 81% of the city’s 165 ballots cast Challenger Carl Fredericksen earned 31 votes Frank Ruesink won a two-year term on the city council representing Ward 2 with 61% of the 119 votes cast Wendy Nelson was reelected to her seat for a three-year term for Ward 2 defeating Megan Penning by a vote count of 64-60 incumbent Chuck Jones won his race for a three-year term over Marcy Stykel with 60% of the 119 ballots cast challenger Amanda Hein unseated incumbent Robert Mier with 77% of the vote for a three-year term in Ward 4 Garretson had two newcomers running for Ward 2’s seat on the city council with Matthew Jacobson securing 28 votes to Tony Plahn’s six votes Harrisburg held the city’s first-ever referendum challenging the city council’s decision to rezone and develop a 114-acre plot of land to the south of Adventure Elementary The rezone was overturned with 58% of the 791 ballots cast incumbent Kevin Maxwell earned reelection as an alderman for Ward 1 with 52% of the vote over Mark Fiechtner while Kevin Larson won a four-way vote to represent Ward 2 Gabby Stewart received 15% while Nate Blom earned 8% Laura Thiese won her election over Nicholas Cable to represent Lennox’s third ward with 37 votes compared to Cable’s 32 Incumbents secured their seats across three uncontested races Chad Swier continuing his service to Ward 2 and Lauren VanDriel winning a seat in Ward 3 voters overwhelmingly elected Josh Chapman to a three-year term on the city council with 60% of the 132 ballots cast Michael LeVan tallied 28 votes while Joe Weis received 24 votes Luke Comeau garnered 72 votes toward a five-year term on the Valley Springs City Commission The newcomer topped challenger Sara Helgeson Albert Oliver won reelection to a two-year term on the Worthing City Commission Elections were not held in the following cities a lack of petitions filed or no terms expiring: A petition with over 1,600 signatures voices disapproval of fencing that limits access to a long stretch of beach Editor’s note: Yes we know that this park is outside our coverage area but we discovered this issue mattered to people in our area The Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park will soon be fenced in per a plan approved by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board last night The Parks system will put up fencing to maintain land boundaries to mitigate dogs from straying away from Park & Rec Board property "MPRB needs to be a good neighbor to adjacent property owners," reads a note on a map of the existing and future fencing at the dog park Users of the dog park are not happy with the Park & Rec Board’s decision. A petition with over 1,600 signatures voices disapproval of the fencing plan going up for a vote without a public hearing “Despite our concerted efforts to urge the board to reject the proposal and advocate for an open public meeting our voices were disregarded,” the petition reads “This decision not only undermines our community's wishes but also raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.” A fence will be erected along the beach that will limit access to areas that dogs and their owners are currently allowed to venture down and Billy Menz voting against the new fencing plan The fence construction starting this fall will be partially funded by Minneapolis tax money that goes into the Park & Recreation Board's budget Minnehaha County has issued an open burning ban in the rural parts of the county effective immediately because of the dry conditions The County Commission approved the ban on Tuesday as the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning that started on March 20 because of the dry and windy conditions and low humidity in the area Lack of snow cover and few spring rain showers have led to the dangerous conditions County Emergency Management Director Jason Gearman said it’s the first ban put in place since 2021 although burning is still allowed in containers where sparks The ban also doesn’t affect Sioux Falls or smaller towns in the county Rural Fire Chiefs Association President Mike Harstad of Crooks said rural departments have had 32 grass fires reported in March so far He said 17 of the fires were attempts at controlled burns but they got out of hand “It’s really put a burden on the fire departments on a couple of days,” he said Once the fields are plowed or planted he said the fire danger goes down “We need to give the firefighters a break," said Commissioner Joe Kippley Harstad said a ticket by the sheriff’s department can be issued for $200 but that he doesn’t ever recall a ticket being issued “Most will get a stern talking to,” he said The fire chief said most rural residents are pretty good about abiding by the ban and even when burning is allowed many even call in when they do a controlled burn Other people will call in when they see smoke when driving by on the interstates and rural roads but it’s oftentimes found to be a controlled burn Another concern was when the ban would be lifted as many farmers use this time of year to do some grass or torn down tree burning It was decided that Commission Chairman Dean Karsky Gearman and Harstad could consult and end the ban if conditions improve or the entire commission could end the ban with a vote at their upcoming meetings 5 at the local for Lincoln and Minnehaha counties was determined in this year's June primary races be it which county commission or district challengers would make it to the general election but there's still a bit to be determined on Election Day This is what to pay attention to at the local level: Only one major county-level race exists for Lincoln residents but what's at stake for the one race will shape much on a state level down the line Here's a closer look at what you need to know: Two Republicans and one Democrat are running for county commission seats ousted incumbent and Tea Republican Michael Poppens for his seat in the primary to represent the fourth district of Lincoln County on the commission with 53% of the vote (213 votes) No Democrat candidates came forward in this race in the primary for a shot at representing the second district of Lincoln County on the commission in the general election to determine who will take the second seat on the Lincoln County commission a Republican and the current state's attorney The newly appointed commissioners or incumbents are already staring down several state-level obstacles as part of this election cycle and the state's largest city continues to straddle the two county lines as it booms commissioners are faced with carbon pipeline land disputes the ongoing use of nearly $55 million for the new Lincoln County Justice Center expected to be running by fall 2026 and how to navigate the state's project of building a new men's penitentiary among angered residents What races to pay attention to for Minnehaha County:Similar to Lincoln County there is only one major county-level race to pay attention to here in Minnehaha the bigger question may be that of how ballots are counted this Election Day and where election integrity issues Two Republicans and one Independent are running for county commissioner at-large Heisey handily came away with the most votes in the June primary for the Minnehaha County Commission and commission chair Karsky narrowly took second place Heisey, a two-time candidate for state house seats, has pitched himself as a more conservative option to Karsky. Heisey's campaign page features regular criticism of Karsky's fundraising and advertising Heisey took a commanding lead with 34% of the vote Karsky eked out a second-place win by only 86 more votes than Roger Russell More: Recount could determine who joins Cole Heisey on Minnehaha commission ballot in November "Commissioners are empowered to 'super-intend the fiscal concerns of the County' and 'to make orders respecting the care and preservation of all property belonging to the County,'" the commission's mission statement reads and further administer the various appointed County departments." More: Recount board opts to count 132 absentee ballots originally rejected in June 4 primary Perhaps the most glaring conflict will be how Minnehaha actually handles the election itself The past year has been filled with commissioners outraged at actions taken in the name of election integrity by county auditor Leah Anderson At least one commissioner has gone as far as calling for Anderson's resignation Free livestream Tuesday: Watch Minnesota high school boys basketball rivals meet at 7:15 p.m in the nightcap of a doubleheader that begins with a must-see girls matchup Tuesday night brings high school basketball fans a doubleheader on startribune.com. The main event is the showdown between the Providence Academy girls and Minnehaha Academy at 5:30 p.m. followed by a matchup featuring the boys teams from the two schools that we’re steaming live The Star Tribune is partnering with Neighborhood Sports Network TV to bring you games from some of the best Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota teams this season Upcoming livestreams: To watch these livestreams, visit startribune.com/nspn on the scheduled game date For results from this game and others played across the state, visit the MN Boys Basketball Hub — the premier online source for Minnesota high school boys basketball scores, schedules, stats, rankings, recruiting news, livestreams, video highlights and more. High Schools Owen Marsolek hurled 17 strikeouts to lead the Hilltoppers to a 3-0 victory at Siebert Field on Monday has a state-high 40 goals in seven games for St The Raiders have lost only once and will have a chance to avenge that one this week — A Union County grand jury has upheld charges of attempted murder against a Sioux Falls man accused of engaging in two different gunfights with law enforcement earlier this month a grand jury in Elk Point handed down an 11-count indictment against 25-year-old Sioux Falls resident Samir Albaidhani The indictment affirmed the charges previously filed against him in the county including four counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer four counts of aggravated assault against law enforcement and one count each of second-degree eluding commission of a felony with a firearm and resisting arrest The previous charges were filed through a criminal complaint which stems from an affidavit written by law enforcement whereas an indictment comes from a grand jury of six to 10 members of the public Court documents say that at approximately 4 p.m Sioux Falls police had attempted to arrest Albaidhani on an active warrant He was also labeled a parole absconder by the Department of Corrections authorities say Albaidhani shot a Sioux Falls police officer stole a vehicle and fled Sioux Falls heading south on Interstate 29 Two police officers with the Beresford Police Department were able to locate Albaidhani near their city forced the vehicle Albaidhani was driving into the ditch causing damage that ultimately disabled the vehicle Court documents say that when Albaidhani exited the vehicle he began shooting at the Beresford officers and state troopers before fleeing on foot A trooper used his patrol vehicle to strike Albaidhani The indictment only focuses on the events that took place in Union County An initial court appearance on the Union County charges has not yet been scheduled Albaidhani is also facing charges in Minnehaha County including three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer as well as one count of commission of a felony with a firearm He has not yet entered a plea to those charges prosecutors in Minnehaha County opened two new criminal cases against Albaidhani criminal entry of a motor vehicle and petty theft No charges have been filed in Lincoln County a jurisdiction that Albaidhani traveled through between Sioux Falls and Beresford It’s currently unclear how prosecutors in Minnehaha and Union counties one jurisdiction will allow another to complete its prosecution before deciding whether to proceed with or outright dismiss a case Such was the case with 2015 Harrisburg school shooter Mason Buhl After he pleaded no contest to domestic violence in Hughes County in 2023 the case was put on hold until prosecutors in Lincoln County could determine whether he violated the terms of his probation from the shooting he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a probation violation leading to Hughes County ultimately suspending all jail time for the domestic violence conviction A spokesman for the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office said that conversations are underway between state’s attorneys in Minnehaha Lincoln and Union counties regarding the most efficient way to prosecute Albaidhani The five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer each carries a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison The six counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement each carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison Albaidhani is scheduled to next appear in court in Minnehaha County on April 17 Free livestreams Tuesday: Watch two of Minnesota’s top high school girls basketball players and their teams square off starting at 5:30 p.m Two of the state’s best Class 2A girls basketball teams will square off Tuesday night when Providence Academy (12-0) travels to Minnehaha Academy (9-3), and you can watch live on startribune.com at 5:30 p.m Come back to this article page an hour before the game begins to see the livestream feed Three-time defending state champion Providence Academy’s toughest tests have come against Class 4A schools Eastview, Hopkins, and Maple Grove. Minnehaha Academy has won eight of its last nine only falling to Class 3A defending state champion Benilde-St with the boys teams from the two schools playing after the girls game The Star Tribune will also livestream that game; see below for more details For results from this game and others played across the state, tap here to visit the MN Girls Basketball Hub — the premier online source for Minnesota high school girls basketball scores, schedules, stats, rankings, recruiting news, livestreams, video highlights and more. — A $44-million renovation of Two Harbors’ Minnehaha Elementary is now complete The project was all about helping modernize the school’s facilities and restructuring the building’s layout The school’s library is now front and center and creative spaces are enhanced like the new “cafetorium” for student performances they need to feel like their needs are met,” said Brett Archer the principal of Minnehaha Elementary School and they need to feel comfortable in their setting So a lot of the changes have made it a much more comfortable place for students And I think that in itself makes a child more ready to learn.” being able to witness the students reaction to the new changes makes it all worth it “This was a two year project that tackled while they were going to school,” said Archer “And so each fall when they came back there was new changes And you literally see them standing outside the door big groups of kids waiting to come in and as they came in their eyes were pretty wide taking in the changes One little guy at the cafeteria told me it was the best day ever.” An open house was available on Thursday night for anybody in the community who wants to check out the updated school Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson said Tuesday night that she expected South Dakota's largest county to be counting ballots for some time there were still no results posted for the county as of 9:30 p.m the county only had partial results posted with none of the 81 precincts full reported.Statewide 376 of 691 precincts had fully reported results the Secretary of State's website read as of midnight Anderson said she had no guess for when counting might be finished "The members of the precinct election board or the counting board shall then immediately proceed to count publicly in the presence of all persons desiring to attend the count and continue without leaving the site of the count until the count is completed A person charged with implementing this section may not delay the counting of ballots other than to authorize short recesses for the health and wellbeing of those employed to implement this section." She expected it to go "into the morning hours," and said her staff was prepared to work until sunrise or later a state representative for District 13 (which lies across both Lincoln and Minnehaha counties) expressed his frustration about the matter Tuesday night on X "It’s embarrassing that the State of Florida has 98% of its vote counted and we have practically nothing from Minnehaha County," he said. "We need to fix this." SIOUX FALLS – Minnehaha County commissioners began the new year by swearing in two members electing leadership and giving themselves a pay raise on Tuesday morning New member Cole Heisey and incumbent Dean Karsky were sworn in by Circuit Court Judge Robin Houwman Heisey said he was looking forward to a positive future on the five-member board and urged residents to reach out to him with any concerns as he wanted to be communicative with the public It’s the 34-year-old’s first elected office after being involved in many community groups and in Republican Party politics He replaced longtime Commissioner Jean Bender Karsky will be serving his third four-year term on the board with him as he was sworn in and held a Bible given to him by his daughter 14 years ago Karsky was also re-elected to serve as chairman of the commission for 2025 for the second consecutive year Commissioner Jen Bleyenberg was elected vice chairman Commissioners also gave themselves a 5.5 percent pay increase similar to what department heads and many employees will receive this year the commissioners will be paid $36,358 for the year with Karsky earning $37,876 for being chairman Commission Administrative Officer Tom Greco showed salaries for the board members over the past six years The pay has been raised every year in that time period starting at $28,100 in 2019 Greco said unlike some other county commissions in the state the commissioners here don’t receive health insurance or participate in retirement programs Greco and other non-elected department heads were also recorded as leading the various offices for the new year Kenneth Snell was appointed as county coroner A formal agreement with Snell for his services Snell told the board that it’s getting “harder and harder” to find coroners in each of South Dakota’s counties Those counties who can’t find a coroner have the county sheriffs serving in that role Although there is possibly only one election this year as the School Board will hold voting for two members in May County Auditor Leah Anderson raised the pay for a few of the positions for this year The absentee and resolution board as well as the counting center worker pay was raised from $16 an hour to $17 the absentee superintendent hourly rate was increased from $18 to $18.50 Anderson said in comparing the pay for election workers in Lincoln and Pennington counties the Minnehaha rates were “about in the middle” for the various election and precinct positions who stands second in state history in scoring passed the milestone with a 30-point game against Stewartville Minnehaha Academy senior guard Addison Mack on Saturday became the second girls basketball player in state history to surpass 4,000 career points Mack passed the milestone in the Redhawks’ 71-39 victory over Stewartville at Hamline’s Hutton Arena in the Capitol City Classic Mack scored the Redhawks’ first four points to reach the milestone in her 155th game She finished with 30 points Saturday as the Redhawks Rebekah Dahlman of Braham is the state’s all-time leading scorer with 5,060 points surpassed 4,000 career points during her junior season in her 158th game Mack, who has committed to play for Maryland, reached 3,000 points on Dec. 29, 2023, in the Redhawks' 70-46 victory over Hill-Murray. Three boys players have surpassed 4,000 points in state history — Anders Broman and Bjorn Broman of Lakeview Christian and Kevin Noreen of Minnesota Transitions Joel Rippel writes about sports for the Star Tribune. who previously had committed to Minnesota State Mankato played the past two seasons with Sioux City of the USHL one of the most decorated goalies in NHL history said Monday that it’s “still a little unbelievable that it’s over.”