SEARCHLIGHT NEWS
Fall River and Oglala Lakota County State’s Attorney Lance Russell addresses the South Dakota Republican Convention on June 27, 2026, at The Monument events center in Rapid City just prior to winning the party’s nomination for attorney general. (Photo by Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)
Q&A: South Dakota’s next attorney general aims to undo criminal justice reforms, just not right away
By John Hult
Lance Russell will be South Dakota’s next attorney general whether you vote for him or not.
At the Republican state convention in June, Russell earned the party’s nomination to seek the job of the state’s top law enforcement official, and its defense attorney when the state is sued. He is running unopposed in the general election.
Learn more about the statewide candidates and ballot questions in the Nov. 3 general election by viewing our new Voter Guide.
FROM STATES NEWSROOM
Inmates assist with the cleanup effort at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds in Huron in early July 2026 after a tornado and windstorm hit the area. (Courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Corrections)
By Alex Brown/Stateline
State leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that the Trump administration’s threats to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency have subsided.
But experts say there’s still confusion about President Donald Trump’s decisions to approve or deny disaster declarations, leaving states with uncertainty about whether they can expect federal recovery funds.
D.C. NEWS
NATIONAL NEWS
McKee calls FEMA’s denial of Rhode Island’s blizzard relief request ‘a new low’ | Rhode Island Current
Wildfire risks are driving up costs for Northwest utilities | Washington State Standard
New Mexico officials reject Trump post proposing state name change | Source New Mexico
New Mexico land commissioner announces uranium mining ban on state trust lands | Source New Mexico
AROUND THE REGION
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SD NEWS FROM OTHER MEDIA
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2026 South Dakota Hall of Fame inductees | South Dakota News Watch
Sioux Falls School District looks to close Renberg Elementary by end of the year | Sioux Falls Simplified
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Dakota Gold prepares to grow | Black Hills Pioneer
Pennington County employees told to stay home after cyberattack will lose vacation time or go without pay | Rapid City Journal
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