Two New COVID-19 Deaths Reported
State health officials report 73 new cases of COVID 19 in the state and two new deaths. That brings the statewide total to 1,057 active cases, 48 deaths and 3,145 people who’ve fully recovered.
One of the recent deaths is a Minnehaha County resident. The other is a Pennington County resident. Pennington County also saw the day’s largest increase with 15 new cases. A dozen other counties had smaller increases.
The Department of Health confirms there is minimal to moderate community spread of COVID 19 in Aurora and Oglala Lakota Counties. That means there’s at least one case that can’t be traced to a specific exposure.
South Dakota Unemployment Rate Reaches 10%
South Dakota’s unemployment rate hit 10 percent in April. It was 3 percent before the pandemic. New economic data shows about3,800 South Dakotans filed initial unemployment claims last week. That’s down from the previous week. But it pushes the total number of claims to more than 47,000 since mid-March.
Governor Kristi Noem says South Dakota's unemployment situation is better than many other states. But she says it’s still disheartening.
“It’s historic in the very worst way. I think it could be record unemployment numbers for the state of South Dakota that we’ve seen since the Great Depression. And back then we didn’t even record unemployment numbers the way that it’s done in modern day.”
About 23,000 people are currently getting benefits. The balance in the state’s unemployment trust fund has dropped from 132 million dollars to 99 million during the past two months.
Forest Official Voices Frustration About Rushmore Fireworks
The head of the Black Hills National Forest said Wednesday he was frustrated with a lack of communication about a summer fireworks event planned for Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Seth Tupper has more.
Memorial Day Ceremonies Adjusted for CDC Guidelines
Groups around the state are adjusting Memorial Day celebrations to adhere to CDC guidelines. Governor Noem shares some ways communities are adapting.
"Some are social distancing in their vehicles, at parks, or at veterans' memorials. Some are limiting the number of people that can come in, and some are livestreaming as well."
Noem says she's not aware of any memorial events dedicated to veterans who've died from COVID-19. Some cemeteries are setting out extra flags and temporary flower vases so that visitors can limit their contact with staff.
New Mural At Oyate Health Center Thanks Healthcare Workers
In Rapid City, the Oyate Health Center takes precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But the center has reported 31 positive cases since early May. Now a new mural thanks frontline employees for their work. Chynna Lockett has more.
New USDA Farm Assistance Program
The coronavirus affects every sector of the economy including agriculture. The USDA’s new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program may provide support for farmers with financial struggles. Kevin McNew is Chief Economist for the Farmers Business Network.
McNew says the economic downturn has affected the corn market which is vital to South Dakota’s ethanol industry. He says the support program is aimed at farmers with unsold inventory prior to the pandemic.
“For grains, its really starting – the USDA program – starts looking at your inventories that were not sold, or priced yet, as of January 15th. So, kind of predating the coronavirus pandemic.”
McNew says the payments are intended to balance the needs of each farm. He says producers can submit applications as early as May 26th.
Department of Health Officials Update COVID-19 Cases Tied to Meat Plants
State health officials say the majority of COVID-19 cases connected to the Smithfield meatpacking plant in Sioux Falls have recovered. Meanwhile, other meatpacking plants in the state are seeing cases among employees. SDPB’s Jackie Hendry has more.
State and Federal Campgrounds Open for Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day weekend is here, and national and state lands in South Dakota are open to the public. Park officials expect many visitors will head outside to go camping this weekend.
It’s hard to predict what this year’s summer tourism season will look like, but holiday weekends are usually busy. Scott Simpson is the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Game, Fish and Parks department. He says while state parks have remained open, there are some pandemic-related changes.
“[It’s] probably not going to be the same experiences we had in previous years. We're reducing staff a little bit just to reduce that interaction and make sure that we're spending the time making sure that the facilities are clean and those kinds of things. So, it's just a work in progress for us. But in the next couple of weeks we should be back to a hundred percent.”
Simpson says some visitor centers are still closed. Despite that, he says there were more than 500-thousand visitors in April. That’s a record number for the month. The Black Hills National Forest put restrictions into place in April. The national forest is now open to the public.
Ty Gerbracht is the Operations Manager for the company that manages most of the national forest. She expects a high number of visitors.
“I think we're going to have a lot of activity. Our campsites are spaced well and our site occupancy of eight lends itself perfectly to the COVID-19 rules of social distancing and that kind of thing. So, we're thinking that we're going to have a lot of people out this Memorial Day trying to get out because everybody's been in and nothing's open.”
Gerbracht says reservations for the weekend are already full but first-come, first-serve camp sites may be available.