The Dakota Scout's 10 most-read stories in 2024
Noem, historic flood, and lawsuits among news reports to top charts this year
The Dakota Scout published over 1,500 stories in 2024, covering topics ranging from Christmas pranks and pop culture, to Gov. Kristi Noem and her administration, as well as contentious elections and debates during the legislative session.
Here’s a look at the 10 most clicked on stories that you read this year.
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10. Famed South Dakotan from musical duo passes away
Terry Ree, half of the legendary comedy-music duo Williams and Ree, died Dec. 21 at the age of 75.
His death was confirmed by the wife of Ree’s bandmate, Bruce Williams, on Facebook.
Earlier this year, the Deadwood Mountain Grand announced Williams and Ree’s Nov. 30 show at the facility had been canceled because the duo had decided to stop touring.
The men’s decades-long act was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
THE STORY: ‘The Indian’ from legendary South Dakota duo Williams and Ree dies
9. The Dakota Scout sues the State Auditor for the release of governor’s credit card records
The Dakota Scout asked a judge to order the release of state credit card records that document how South Dakota governors spent taxpayer dollars.
The lawsuit against state Auditor Rich Sattgast, whose office is the custodian of the records, seeks the release of credit card statements, invoices and receipts related to the state-issued credit cards that both Govs. Kristi Noem and Dennis Daugaard used. The credit cards were issued in the names of Daugaard and Noem, and in Noem’s case, she uses two credit cards.
THE STORY: Gov. Kristi Noem credit card secrecy prompts lawsuit
8. Noem plays nurse in ads paid for in part by South Dakota healthcare systems
South Dakota’s three largest hospital systems ponied up more than $160,000 to highlight the state’s nurse shortage in Gov. Kristi Noem’s national workforce recruitment ad campaign.
The Governor’s Office launched the latest advertisement in the Freedom Works Here marketing blitz in which the second-term governor touts South Dakota’s tax climate while portraying a nurse pushing a gurney. It’s the seventh spot in what started as a $5 million advertising push that’s included a wrapped race car on two nationally televised NASCAR races and a saturation of TV commercials in eight states like Florida, Minnesota and California.
THE STORY: South Dakota health systems pay to have Gov. Noem play nurse in new ad
7. Official social media accounts for the governor’s office deleted
Social media accounts long associated with the office of Gov. Kristi Noem were shut down on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
But the governor’s office didn’t provide information about the sudden inactivity of the second-term Republican governor’s once-popular social media accounts that had combined to give her an audience of millions.
“This account doesn’t exist,” reads a prompt on X — formerly Twitter — when accessing an account that Noem had cultivated into a platform of more than 552,000 followers.
THE STORY: Gov. Kristi Noem's social media accounts go dark
6. Pair of South Dakota cities growing exponentially
Harrisburg’s population grew by almost 1,000 more people between 2022 and 2023, making its 12 percent population growth again the fastest in the state.
That’s not an unusual ranking for Harrisburg, which has grown by 38 percent since 2000, according to an analysis of Census data by The Dakota Scout.
But Harrisburg’s place as the state’s fastest growing city could be challenged in the next year or two. Box Elder, the second-fastest growing city from 2022 to 2023, came in second with 10 percent growth, more than 1,300 new residents in one year.
THE STORY: Two South Dakota cities saw double-digit population growth
5. Sioux Falls educator fired after remarks condoning Trump assassination attempt
An employee with the Sioux Falls School District was been fired after a Facebook post wishing death on presidential candidate Donald Trump came to the district’s attention.
A spokesman with the Sioux Falls School District (SFSD) told The Dakota Scout that after administrators became aware of the post by Cassie Martin expressing disappointment that an attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania in July failed. In terminating Martin from the district employee roster, it cited violation of the district's code of conduct policy.
THE STORY: School employee fired for voicing disappointment in Trump surviving assassination attempt
4. Floods ravage southeastern South Dakota
Communities downstream from the Gavins Point Dam were bracing for flooding, as the Missouri River began cresting this summer.
Swollen from rains north of Sioux City, the Missouri River were expected to crest in Sioux City, said Kevin Low, who is with the National Weather Service in Kansas City. The city sits at the confluence of the Big Sioux and Missouri Rivers, and the Big Sioux saw massive flooding as several inches of rain fell over the course of three days.
John Remus, the chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division, said that the biggest impact from flooding will be in Sioux City, where he described “massive” flooding expected, including for some homeowners there.
THE STORY: Gavins Point Dam can't reduce Missouri River releases as Sioux City braces for flood
3. Neo-Nazi group rallies in Pierre, later travels to western South Dakota
A handful of neo-Nazis rallied in Pierre, much to the surprise of area residents and state officials.
Photos and videos sent to The Dakota Scout showed a group of what appeared to be men wearing matching outfits with their faces covered while marching around the state Capitol and Governor’s Mansion. Other Pierre area residents took pictures and videos of the group marching around the Oahe Dam, and in miscellaneous areas around town. In some videos, the demonstrators can be heard chanting “sieg heil,” a chant used by Nazi’s in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power.
THE STORY: Neo-Nazis rally at State Capitol, march around Pierre
2. John Deere engaged in liability lawsuit stemming from tractor safety
A Lincoln County farm woman who fell from her John Deere Quad Tractor accused the company of faulty design that led to her injuries.
But in court papers, Deere & Co. denies that there is anything wrong with its product and accuses the plaintiffs of contributing to the negligence that led to the accident.
THE STORY: John Deere denies tractor has design flaw in S.D. product liability suit
1. Noem’s misrepresentation of meeting world leaders in memoir garners international attention
An upcoming book by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem that has created an uproar over her account of shooting a dog also contained at least two instances in which she recounts meetings with world leaders that are in dispute.
In No Going Back, Noem says she met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un while serving in Congress on the House Armed Services Committee. Last year as governor, she says she canceled a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
But neither account could be verified by congressional travel documents or outside sources reviewed by The Dakota Scout. And The Scout confirmed with the French president’s office that Macron never had a meeting scheduled with Noem.
THE STORY: Gov. Kristi Noem's account of meeting North Korean dictator in doubt
I would have put money on Summit Carbon Solutions' bullying attempts to take away county commissioners' authority over eminent domain would have made it into the Top 10....if not the Top 5!!!
Happy New Year 2025 to The Dakota Scout.