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Back again! This week on the show, SURF Executive Director Mike Headley and senior research scientist Dr. Marcus Horn take us nearly a mile underground for one of the strangest and most exciting science stories happening anywhere. We get into the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment, the mysterious single event that has dark matter researchers scratching their heads, what comes next as scientists dig into more data, and how the old Homestake Mine became America’s premier underground laboratory. Plus, Headley breaks down SURF’s massive economic footprint, its bipartisan support, and the multibillion-dollar neutrino experiment coming next. Then Jessica Gilbertson of the American Cancer...

Back again! With Murdoc off in Alaska, Ryan Budmayr jumps into the co-host chair alongside Jake for a packed conversation with Senators Tim Reed and Ernie Otten. We get into South Dakota’s EMS system and the warning that the current model is starting to “implode,” as rural communities lose volunteers, ambulance services pull back and lawmakers look toward regionalization. Plus, what that fight could mean for combining county services, who ultimately pays the bill and why lawmakers say this may finally be the year something gets across the finish line. We also hit South Dakota’s child care crunch, the workforce...

Back again! Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Ahlers hits the campaign trail and joins Jake and Murdoc to make his case for shaking up 50 years of one-party control in Pierre. Ahlers talks running mate Steve McCleerey, childcare assistance, affordability, young voters, his pitch for political balance and the attacks already coming his way. Plus, he fires back at the “Biden-endorsed” label, talks crossing political lines to show up at Citizens for Liberty, and reveals the campaign trail’s most important metric: who has the best burger. Then historian Jon Lauck joins the show to talk The Missouri: America’s Longest River and...

Back again! Rep. Nicole Uhre-Balk and Sen. Randy Deibert join Jake and Murdoc for a West River-heavy show, starting with Dan Ahlers’ lieutenant governor pick, Steve McCleerey, and what the Democratic ticket is trying to build heading into November. We get into the fallout from the GOP governor’s race, Deibert’s big question about Toby Doeden’s “Save South Dakota” pitch, the RINO wars inside the Republican Party, and what the next Legislature could look like. Plus, a tribute to longtime Rapid City legislator and community leader Stan Adelstein. We also hit the Sturgis Rally, Mount Rushmore’s $2.8 million fireworks show and...

Back again! This week on the show, we trade the campaign trail for Main Street Sturgis as legendary moto journalist Marilyn Stemp joins us alongside Dakota Scout co-founder Joe Sneve to unpack the 86-year history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. We get into how a small motorcycle race grew into one of America's biggest events, the evolution from racing to concerts and camping, the Buffalo Chip's rise, why Sturgis remains unlike any other rally in the country, and the massive economic impact that stretches far beyond the Black Hills. Plus, we talk about the future of motorcycling, why getting kids...

Back again! Larry Rhoden’s decisive runoff victory is in the books, and we break down what the results say about the future of South Dakota Republican politics. Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen joins the show fresh off election night to talk turnout, the campaign, Toby Doeden’s concession, and why voters delivered such a resounding message. Plus, South Dakota Searchlight editor Seth Tupper weighs in on the reporting, the scrutiny of the race, and what ultimately shifted momentum in the final weeks. We also get into county by county surprises, whether self-funded campaigns are here to stay, what comes next for Toby...

Back again! This week on the show, Sioux Falls Mayor Christine Erickson joins us fresh off one of the closest mayoral races in South Dakota history to talk about winning by just four votes, what election night really felt like, and how she's approaching the first 100 days of her administration. We get into her transition team, the city's budget, public safety, downtown redevelopment after Smithfield, and why she chose to endorse Governor Larry Rhoden in the final stretch of the gubernatorial runoff. Plus, Second Lady Sara Venhuizen takes us behind the scenes of growing up in South Dakota politics,...

Back again! With less than two weeks until Republican voters decide South Dakota's next governor, Toby Doden joins Dakota Town Hall for an extended conversation on the runoff, laying out his case against Larry Rhoden and making the pitch that South Dakota needs a business-minded outsider in the Governor's Office. We get into affordability, property taxes, public safety, education, the Kelo poll, campaign strategy, and why Doden believes the race is much closer than public polling suggests. Plus, Senator Taffy Howard weighs in on why she's backing Doden and where she sees the biggest differences between the two candidates.We also...

Back again! Governor Larry Rhoden and Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen join the show as South Dakota’s never-ending gubernatorial runoff enters the final stretch. We get into the sharper contrast with Toby Doeden, Paul TenHaken’s endorsement, property tax relief, the next legislative session and what Venhuizen’s prison rehabilitation task force is finding. Plus, President Trump’s Mount Rushmore visit, a very South Dakota dinner at the Governor’s Mansion and the campaign issue nobody saw coming: importing Pablo Escobar’s hippos to the Black Hills.We also hit the fallout from the Republican State Convention, Lance Russell’s attorney general win, Heather Baxter’s secretary of state...

Back again! This week on the show, South Dakota's election season somehow finds another gear. We break down the unbelievable two vote Sioux Falls mayoral runoff, what happens if it ends in a tie, and what it all says about turnout, campaigns, and the razor thin margins that decide elections. Plus, Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun joins us to talk America 250, the city's Fourth of July plans, President Trump's visit to Mount Rushmore, and why Rapid City is betting big on becoming the center of the nation's birthday celebration. We also get into the Republican convention controversy after members...