Governor Rhoden Announces Appointments to South Dakota Defense Institute Board

PIERRE, S.D. –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced the appointment of the remaining six voting members of the inaugural South Dakota Defense Institute (SDDI) Board of Directors. The additional members were appointed by the organization’s initial three-person Board of Directors.

“The South Dakota Defense Institute will help us keep South Dakota – and America – strong, safe, and free,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “This board brings together outstanding leaders who will help build on our strengths, creating new opportunities for South Dakota businesses, and position South Dakota for continued growth in the defense sector.”

Governor Rhoden previously established the South Dakota Defense Institute, which serves as a centralized hub for defense collaboration, connecting industry, government, and education to strengthen South Dakota’s contributions to the United States Defense Industrial Base. The nonprofit organization works to coordinate with federal partners, identify new opportunities, and develop programs that support South Dakota businesses, workforce development, and research.

The SDDI Board of Directors previously had three appointed members of leadership, including:

• Mike Bockorny, Chief Executive Officer, South Dakota Economic Development Professionals Association, Aberdeen (Board President);
• John Jorgensen, Vice President and Chief Cybersecurity Officer, Black Hills Energy, Rapid City (Board Vice President); and
• Kyle Chase, Chief Operating Officer, MMS Products, Sioux Falls (Board Secretary-Treasurer).

The six new appointments to the SDDI Board of Directors are:

• Scott Erickson, President, American Bank & Trust, Sioux Falls;
• Rob Hrabe, Chief Executive Officer, VRC Metal Systems, Rapid City;
• Jim Nelson, President, Aerostar, Sioux Falls;
• Robb Peterson, President, Glacial Lakes Rubber & Plastics, Watertown;
• Dr. Brian Tande, President, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City; and
• Jack Valentine, Chief Executive Officer, Elevate Rapid City, Rapid City.

The board also approved amendments to the organization’s bylaws to include an additional ex-officio, non-voting member. The ex officio, non-voting members are:

• Bill Even, Commissioner, Governor’s Office of Economic Development;
• Gen. Mark Morrell, Adjutant General, South Dakota National Guard; and
• Al Rieman, Chair, Ellsworth Development Authority Board.

You can learn more information about SDDI here.

###

Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Round[s] Up: July 27-August 2, 2026

Welcome back to the Weekly Round[s] Up. Big news from the Senate this past week: we confirmed Jay Clayton to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence. I first met Jay in my role on the Banking committee when he was going through his confirmation to serve as SEC chairman. He is well-qualified for this position, and I look forward to working with him in this new role. We also took a procedural vote on our fifth “en bloc” batch of 74 nominees. With the passage of this batch, the Senate will have confirmed 95% of civilian nominations reported out of committee. More on this and the rest of my week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:

South Dakota Groups I Visited With: This past week I sat down with the DC summer interns from Representative Dusty Johnson’s office and Senator John Thune’s office. I enjoyed hearing about all of their unique experiences this summer working on Capitol Hill. They all have bright futures ahead of them and I thank them for all of their hard work serving the people of South Dakota.

Over the weekend, I visited Sturgis for the Annual Raising of the Flags ceremony. We placed 800 American flags in Freedom Field at the Buffalo Chip to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country. This event was an opportunity to pause and reflect on the lives and sacrifice of the men and women who never made it home. I attended 31 funerals for South Dakota servicemembers while I was serving as governor. I’ll never forget how different the American flag looks when it’s draped over a fallen hero. I appreciate everyone coming together this past weekend to remember freedom isn’t free. A special thanks to Rod Woodruff and his team for putting this together.

 Met with South Dakotans From: Aberdeen, Brookings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Sturgis and Vermillion.

 Other Meetings: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President; Wayne Allan, Chief Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Officer for Advanced Semiconductor Materials Lithography (ASML); David Pemberton, CISA’s Region 8 Director; Bogdan Klich, Head of Mission in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland; Americans for Prosperity Leadership; Dr. Eric Green, Chief Medical Officer at Illumina; Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; and Hal Duncan, Nominee to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

On Wednesday morning, I joined my colleagues for our weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast where Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois shared his testimony. I also stayed for the National Prayer Breakfast Cabinet Council meeting.

Later that day, I had the opportunity to speak to interns from across Capitol Hill as part of our summer lecture series. They asked many thoughtful questions about a wide range of topics from my time working in insurance, to legislation I am currently working on. Appreciate all they do. We can’t do our work without them!

I participated in two other speaking events this past week including one at the American Council for Capital Formation’s Policy Forum and the other at the Milken Institute Business Dialogue Event.

 Hearings: I attended one hearing this past week with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, where I spoke with Scott Cameron, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Water and Science at the Department of the Interior about South Dakota water issues. Click here to watch.

 Briefings: I attended a classified briefing hosted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other military leaders from the Department of War.

 Votes Taken: I voted 8 times this past week. As I mentioned, we confirmed Jay Clayton to be Director of National Intelligence and voted to advance our fifth en bloc batch of 74 nominees.

I also voted in favor of the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act, which passed the Senate 84 to 12. This bipartisan piece of legislation extends a tax break to early childhood educators.

Additionally, I voted against a resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from Iran and against overturning a rule designed to make child care more affordable and accessible for low-income families.

Steps Taken: 53,972 steps or 26.08 miles

My Staff in South Dakota Visited: Aberdeen, Alexandria, Box Elder, Flandreau, Mission, Rosebud and Plankinton.

Video of the Week: Thursday, July 30^th was National Intern Day! Our intern, Olivia from Milbank, South Dakota captured a day in her life while serving South Dakota as an intern on Capitol Hill. Click here to watch.

If you or someone you know is interested in an internship with my office, whether in South Dakota or Washington, D.C., please click here for more information.

I was down in Sioux Falls yesterday driving by 4×8 signs on the east side of town where Toby Doeden is still promising to save us.  (Sorry, I didn’t take a picture of it. Traffic was moving kind of fast.)

While out in Rapid City, you can find this sign added on Larry Rhoden signs:

Where people are being thanked for their vote.

Probably the best message to have rolling from the summer primary into the start of the fall season.

Committee Selected to Search for Next Planning and Development Director

Sioux Falls, South Dakota:  Mayor Christine Erickson has selected a six-member hiring committee to conduct the search for the City of Sioux Falls’ next planning and development services director. The committee will seek national, regional and local candidates to fill the position.

“The Planning and Development Services team is responsible for so many aspects that shape our economic vitality and quality of life in Sioux Falls,” Mayor Erickson said. “We need a strong team and leader who can help our community navigate growth while maintaining the services we provide today. I’m looking for a director who will lead with vision, integrity and innovation.”

Hiring committee members include:

# # #

From KELOland comes a story worth your reading time about how the death of Chris Hesla, long-time wildlife advocate at the legislature is connected to the recent reprimand of a Pierre physician at St. Mary’s Hospital:

The widow of a Pierre man has come forward to say that she is the person who filed the complaint about questionable patient care which resulted in formal disciplinary action against medical doctor Nielsen Howard Burns.

The South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners issued a public reprimand of Burns earlier this year.

The information about Burns’ reprimand — his second by the board — was part of a broader KELOLAND News report in July on actions the state board had taken in recent months against seven licensees.

and..

Colette Hesla reached out to KELOLAND News after the initial story. She said that she had brought the complaint against Burns after the death of her husband, Chris Swen Hesla, of Pierre.

Chris Hesla was a major figure in the outdoors community as the long-time executive director for the South Dakota Wildlife Federation. He had been taken by ambulance from their home to the Avera St. Mary’s Hospital emergency room in Pierre on August 11, 2022.

Read the entire story here.

 

It was a sleepy Tuesday of news until late this afternoon when the Democrat dropped out of the US Senate race:

However, as recently as yesterday, some people including this reporter from the Washington Post were out there claiming that was not going to be the case:

Now, less than a day later, he was having to update his post – but was very specific to note that Beaudion was NOT supporting the remaining independent candidate Brian Bengs, who was running in third place in polls prior to today’s announcement.

We’ll see how this changes the context of the race with Bengs, the independent third place candidate running against Senator Mike Rounds, who has already been endorsed by President Trump.

Attorney General Jackley Announces State Appeals Federal Injunction in Mayday Health Lawsuit

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces he has appealed a U.S. Federal Court’s preliminary injunction that halted the enforcement of a new state law that prohibits the advertisement, dispensing, and distribution of abortion pills in South Dakota.

The U.S. District Court in Rapid City in July ruled in favor of Mayday Health which had requested the injunction. The law was scheduled to take effect July 1.

“South Dakota’s law prohibiting advertising for illegal abortion pills is designed to protect women’s health and innocent life,” said Attorney General Jackley.  “As Attorney General, I stand with the Legislature, Governor, and our citizens in defending and protecting innocent life.”

Attorney General Jackley’s appeal was filed Monday with the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

-30-

Attorney General Jackley Joins Coalition Urging Congress to Help States Fight Medicaid Fraud

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined 16 other Attorneys General in requesting Congress to support the STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act.

The Attorney General Office’s State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and others throughout the nation are limited by current federal regulations to only investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud.

“Cracking down on beneficiary fraud protects limited resources and strengthens public trust” said Attorney General Jackley.  “The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act authorizes the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute individuals who defraud Medicaid for personal gain, ensuring care is preserved for those who truly need it.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found that in 2025, MFCUs recovered $4.64 for every dollar spent by States and the Federal Government. For fiscal year 2025, almost $2 billion was recovered from criminal and civil cases combined.

In 2025, South Dakota’s MFCU collected $208,486.40 in restitution for criminal cases and $17,100.64 in restitution on civil cases.

Other Attorneys General joining the letter to Congress are from: Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia.

You can read the letter here: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/Guthrie-Pallone-Crapo-Wyden-Fraud-8.3.26.pdf

-30-

The Dakota Scout just posted a story this afternoon about Senator John Thune’s political adviser Jon Lauck taking a new position with Augustana University in Sioux Falls:

A longtime political adviser to Sen. John Thune will leave the staff to become the new executive director of the Center for Western Studies at Augustana University.

Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced the appointment of Jon Lauck to the center on Monday. Lauck has been with Thune since Thune won office in 2004. Lauck replaces Harry Thompson, who retired July 31 after 42 years at Augustana.

Read the entire story here.

That’s going to leave big shoes to fill on Senator Thune’s staff, as Jon has been with the Senator since the early years.  Congratulations to a good guy on his new position!

We’re out of session, so it must be time for summer vacation.  Especially for a number of legislators who have signed up for a “South Dakota Legislative White House Fly-In in Washington DC, from August 10-12, 2026.”

I mean, I don’t think it’s going to be a Spencer Gosch Hawaiian cliff-diving level soiree. But it’s a junket nonetheless. I’m informed taxpayers are covering the flights for legislators, the Leadership Institute is handling hotels for some, and there may be yet-to be disclosed corporate sponsors for meals.

But even more interesting, while I’m told the trip had been mentioned in passing since March, the word is that legislators finally got the sign-up in early-July. The first notice since session was fully 1-MONTH AFTER several had lost the primary. So, they are well aware they’re not coming back, as are the people in charge of the chambers who sign off.

And while they are requiring White House clearance for a visit there – TWO of the attendees are currently facing felony charges in court:

 

John “California” Carley?  – He lost. And suddenly his fiscal conservatism evaporates in the face of a free vacation to Washington DC. Same thing with Carl Perry.  Curt Voight got tossed out, yet he’s on the freebie list.  Terri Jorgenson is a nice lady, but why is she going?  Neither Les Heinemann nor Julie Auch are running for the legislature, but they want their ‘bennie.’

And then we have the legislators facing felony charges in South Dakota. Travis Ismay, for what is said to be him deciding to do his own road work and Tom Pischke, who is alleged to have filed false election documents.  Do the conditions of their bond restrict out of state travel? Because they need to check.

What’s the important subject matter where we’re paying for lame ducks to go to Washington? Aside from the White House visit, I’m told the Leadership Institute is going to give a presentation on campaigning and social media.  Yes, we’re paying money to send people who will not be coming back next year to go to Washington to meet with the White House, and to learn how to do social media.

I would wager this isn’t going to come up in Taffy Howard’s next GOAC meeting.  In fact, I notice that FIVE members of GOAC – FULLY HALF OF THEM – including Taffy are on the flight. And they’re not asking the question about lame duck legislators going out to Washington on the taxpayer’s dime?

Isn’t fiscal conservatism great?

Update: So, how does this work?  Just had a note from a House member:

For your article, none of the house even knew about the event, at all, until July despite the Senate knowing since session.

That is, unless they only told their minions, and withheld it from the rest on purpose. Which is entirely possible.