AGP Executive Report

Rapid City Tennis: The 9th annual Midland Scientific Open starts Friday at the Sioux Park Tennis Complex, bringing nearly 90 collegiate and pro players from 15 states plus Canada and $30,000 in prize money. Vermillion Youth Theatre: Vermillion Community Theatre’s “Space Pirates!” lands June 26 at Vermillion High School, with a weeklong residency for 50+ young performers and tickets at the door. Yankton Outdoors: The Jake Jaunt returns July 18 on the Missouri River, with paddlers gathering at Riverside Park and cruising about 25 miles to Clay County Park. Community Arts & Pride: Rapid City muralist Amber Hansen just finished a downtown America 250 mural, adding to the city’s patriotic wall art. Music & Community: The Noteables wrapped up their reunion run with a final concert at Primebank’s Ice Cream Social. Sports Prep: Sioux Falls Roosevelt show choir students are training all summer with strength-and-conditioning workouts to be ready for the next season. Blood Drive: Rapid City Police and Fire team up with Vitalant again for “Red, Blue and You,” aiming to refill supplies during summer “trauma season.”

Medicaid Shockwave: RAND says the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could cut state Medicaid funding by $679B (2025-2034), with 26 states facing 5%+ drops—South Dakota is named among the hardest-hit. Health Coverage Jolt: Medicare Advantage members face major 2026 plan exits; in some states (including SD), at least 40% of enrollees could be forced out, with a brief window to switch coverage. Local Arts & Community: Pierre’s Oahe Days Music & Arts Festival keeps it family-friendly and free, while Deadwood gaming numbers show a slight May dip but strong year-to-date momentum. South Dakota Reads: A new statewide poetry anthology, “Our South Dakota: an anthology of verse,” spotlights 90 poets and ranch-life inspiration. Outdoor Fun: Western SD officials warn of a surge in rattlesnake encounters as summer travel ramps up. Sports Front: Augustana hires Colleen Powers to lead Viking softball, and Northern State announces its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class.

Real Estate & Investing: American IRA is hosting a Sioux Falls-area webinar with Paul David Thompson on creative, seller-financed ways to buy cash-flowing commercial property without traditional bank loans. Book Buzz: Stu Whitney’s new biography, The Great Burns, spotlights legendary coach and war hero Bob Burns—mixing football lore with a bigger-than-life life story. Local Arts for Kids: Dahl Arts Center’s summer art camps are underway in Rapid City, offering hands-on creative sessions for K-5 students. Music in South Dakota: Classic rock band Kansas is set for a Washington Pavilion stop on Oct. 21 in Sioux Falls, with ticket sales starting June 24 for donors. Community & Safety: Mitchell plans city-wide mosquito fogging/spraying; Pennington County also reminds residents about fireworks rules and curfews during the July 5 window. Sports & Coaching: Augustana hires Colleen Powers to lead its softball program, and SDCCTFCA names 2026 track & field coaches of the year across South Dakota. Business Development: Yankton Thrive is pitching a proposed incubator project to support an EDA grant, with possible ties to the old Avera Yankton Care Center.

Fourth of July Fun in Rapid City: Real America Birthday Bash kicks off July 1–5, with two free concerts and a fireworks finale July 4—Chancey Williams at Main Street Square and the Rapid City Municipal Band at Memorial Park, then fireworks around 9:30 p.m. Music Fundraiser Spotlight: The Golden Guitars Gala in Rapid City hit a record $781,250 for Children’s Miracle Network, with Bret Michaels helping boost the guitar auction. Local Sports & Pride: South Dakota Special Olympics USA Games are underway in Minneapolis/St. Paul, with Mitchell athletes and others representing the state. Travel & Video Awards: Travel South Dakota won two Telly Awards for “Into the Roundup” and “Unexpected South Dakota.” Community Cause at the Movies: Dell Rapids’ PINZ bowling alley recovery gets a free movie fundraiser July 11 at Dells Theatre, with donations and 50% of concessions supporting the rebuild. Politics Meets Parade Rules: Sioux Falls July 4 parade organizers reportedly rejected an activist group’s entry to avoid “overt political protest” in the America 250 parade. Summer Events Calendar: A full slate of local listings runs June 26–July 5.

Local Sports Spotlight: Post 22 Expos capped the Big Stick Tournament with a 14-4, six-inning win over Post 320 Shooters in Rapid City, finishing the event 5-0. Community & Culture: Sioux Falls’ Juneteenth festivities return Saturday, June 20 with the Freedom Walk, vendors, entertainment and art—plus a new inaugural car show as organizers keep things more laid back amid tighter budgets. Arts & Youth Talent: Thora Larson, 14, of South Dakota earned third place in the National Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest for “Simple Joys.” Music & Film: Lawrence’s Free State Festival runs June 22-28 with “The Revolution is at the Movies,” featuring filmmakers and performances plus headlines from Boots Riley and Robyn Hitchcock. Family Fun: Robbinsdale Entertainment in Rapid City offered Father’s Day free bowling, and keeps summer deals going with $2 games and $2 shoe rentals every Sunday. Fundraising: The Humboldt Sharpshooters’ Chase the Ace wrapped with a $82,780.25 winner and more than $82,000 supporting youth shooting sports. Celebrity in Town: Nebraska volleyball senior Bergen Reilly stopped at Scheels in Sioux Falls, meeting fans ahead of her final season.

Local Arts & Community: The West Boulevard Summer Festival returns to Wilson Park with 88 vendor stalls, live entertainment, and a big push for new and returning local artists and small businesses. Family Fun: Rapid City’s Cardboard Boat Race at Roosevelt Swim Center is back, letting kids build and race cardboard boats across the pool. Sports Development: SDSU’s Jackrabbit Football Development Camp brought about 100 grades 7-12 players to Rapid City for hands-on position drills, with the Jackrabbits set to open Aug. 29. Music & Live Shows: Kid Rock’s Freedom 250 tour packed the Pavilion at Star Lake with a large crowd and plenty of patriotic energy ahead of America’s 250th birthday. Public Media: South Dakota Public Broadcasting says it’s staying committed to covering SDHSAA state athletic and fine arts events, including live streams and major performances. Food Safety: Power Plate Meals recalled frozen meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, shipped to distributors in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Local Arts & Community: The West Boulevard Summer Festival returned to Wilson Park in Rapid City with dozens of artists, live entertainment, and 88 vendor stalls—an event that’s become a steady second income for longtime makers. Sports Development: SDSU’s Jackrabbit Football Development Camp brought about 100 grades 7-12 players to Rapid City for hands-on position drills, with coaches hoping to grow it next year. Family Fun: Rapid City’s Cardboard Boat Race returned at Roosevelt Swim Center, letting kids build cardboard boats and race across a 50-meter pool. Music & Culture: Kid Rock’s Freedom 250 tour pulled a big crowd at the Pavilion at Star Lake, blending concert energy with patriotic chants and U.S.-themed outfits. Public Media: South Dakota Public Broadcasting says it’s staying committed to covering SDHSAA state athletic and fine arts events, citing hundreds of thousands of viewers and millions of views. Food Recall: Power Plate Meals recalled frozen meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen. Sports Business: Sioux Falls YMCA and the Skyforce renewed their youth basketball partnership, with Y-Force registration now open. Lottery: South Dakota Lottery Powerball, Lotto America, Dakota Cash, and Millionaire for Life winning numbers for June 20 were released.

Rodeo Spotlight: Miles Community College’s Josie Menzel (Philip, SD) qualified for the CNFR championship round in goat tying after finishing ninth in the aggregate through three rounds. Sports & Local Talent: Memphis basketball filled its final roster spot with Serbian forward Nemanja Popović, a former league MVP, as the Tigers set up a 2026-27 season that opens Nov. 2 in Sioux Falls. Community Health Watch: Medicaid spending is climbing in multiple South Dakota communities—Gregory’s “Medicine Services and Procedures” rose 5.8% in 2024, Mobridge jumped 53.8%, and Freeman’s Medicaid dental services increased 15%. Arts & Culture: The South Dakota Shakespeare Festival dedicated its 2026 season to Greg and Susan Huckabee ahead of a premiere of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Indigenous Arts: The American Indian College Fund secured a $2.4 million grant to expand Native arts programming for tribal colleges and universities. Entertainment Events: Deadwood artist Scott Jacobs was selected to unveil “The Moment of Freedom,” his America 250 commemorative painting, on July 4.

Local Sports & Community: Rapid City’s Comets volleyball players got a boost from West Texas A&M head coach Terry Gamble, who ran a two-day fundamentals camp. Youth Baseball: The Scheels Slam youth tournament wrapped up more games in Sioux Falls, including Rapid City Post 320 Comets’ 14-5 win over Yankton Lakers and other division matchups through Sunday. Softball: Yankton’s Father’s Day tournament kicked off at Sertoma Park with pool play running Saturday and brackets Sunday. College/Pro Spotlight: Bergen Reilly returned to Sioux Falls to sign autographs ahead of Nebraska’s season, with a Brookings matchup on Sept. 2. Arts & Culture: Shakespeare in the Ruins opened its run of “The Iliad,” a modern, high-energy take on Homer. America 250: A Deadwood artist, Scott Jacobs, was selected to paint “The Moment of Freedom,” unveiled July 4. Juneteenth: Rapid City held a City Hall gathering marking June 19 and renewed calls for equality. Giving Back: St. Francis House launched a capital campaign for a $10 million “Healing Home” expansion to expand transitional housing.

Local Politics & Business: Toby Doeden’s “save SD” pitch is getting fresh scrutiny as reporting ties his property-tax plan to a sprawling real-estate and development network, including links to a bitcoin-adjacent rezoning near his dealership. Community Music: Sheldon Civic Music Association has announced its 2026–27 lineup and kicked off a membership drive for its 47th season at Bethel Reformed Church. Food Safety: FDA upgraded an Alfredo sauce recall sold in South Dakota to Class I over potential salmonella contamination. Sports & Talent: Sioux Falls Stampede standout Thomas Zocco signed with the London Knights after a big USHL scoring run. Arts & Heritage: South Dakota’s America250 contribution includes a poetry suite “This Far Country” sealed in the national time capsule headed for Philadelphia on July 4. School Spotlight: SDHSAA is keeping live All-State Band auditions for now, while staff studies an online option for future weather-related gaps. Giveaway Win: “Manley for Dad” crowned Rod Krause of Sioux Falls as the 2026 prize winner.

USD Athletics Hall of Fame: The University of South Dakota announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class, including standout women’s track and field athlete Emily Grove, swimmer Greysen Hertting, volleyball’s Audrey Reeg, and football honoree Brooks Little, plus men’s track’s Chris Nilsen and women’s basketball’s Nicole Seekamp, with special contributor Bruce Fischbach. Local Sports & Community: Longtime coach/teacher/principal Gary Evjen died at 76 in Sioux Falls. SDSU Academics: South Dakota State University named 3,941 students to the spring 2026 dean’s list. Arts & Culture: Eidem Studio’s “Portals” show celebrates visual arts and creative breakthroughs. Family Fun: The South Dakota State Fair will host Family Campers and RVers (FCRV) Campvention July 5-11 in Huron. Aviation for Kids: Yankton’s EAA Chapter 1029 flew 48 Young Eagles June 13. Health & Wellness: HealthWatch breaks down bunions vs. big-toe arthritis, and a public health push highlights APOL1 awareness for kidney risk. Juneteenth in Sioux Falls: The Freedom Walk and festival return June 20 with a more low-key, budget-conscious plan. Quick Hits: Cruisin for Dad car show is June 19 in Rapid City; Wild Bill Days returns to Deadwood for Father’s Day weekend.

America250 Time Capsule: The U.S. sealed its 900-pound “America’s Time Capsule” with 200+ artifacts from all 50 states, set to be buried in Philadelphia for a July 4 reveal in 2276. Local Theater: Sheldon High School Summer Theatre brings Andrew Frohwein’s comedic coming-of-age “Room 309” to the commons June 18-20. Community Festival: Jesse James Days returns to Garretson June 19-21 with parades, a bank-robbery reenactment, Rib Fest, live music, and family events. USD Basketball: Eric Peterson is rebuilding the Coyotes after a tough 2025-26 injury run, landing nine transfers and welcoming freshmen for the next chapter. Music on the Road: P.O.D. joins the 2026 Sturgis Buffalo Chip lineup, hitting the stage Aug. 10 ahead of Skillet, with Legends Ride charity events earlier that day. Sports Spotlight: Kelsie Belquist earns All-American honors with a fifth-place finish in the NCAA 400 hurdles. South Dakota Arts & Music: SDSU names Andrew Robinette the Moriarty Endowed Professor of Choral Activities, leading the choral program starting this fall. Summer Fun in Tea: Teapot Days continues through Saturday with carnival rides, live music, car show, and fireworks.

Rapid City Legion Baseball: Post 320 battled Pierre in a doubleheader at Pete Lien Field—won the opener 14-7 after a comeback, then dropped the nightcap 13-6; Post 320 is now 21-9 and heads to Mitchell this weekend. Mitchell Legion Baseball: Palace City Post 18 opened at home with a split—7-2 over Renner in game one, then a 10-5 loss in game two at Cadwell Park. Local Sports Spotlight: Laken Baartman was named Independent Softball Player of the Year for the second straight season with Russell-Tyler-Ruthton. USD Honors: USD announced its 2026 Hall of Fame class, including standout athletes and contributors across multiple sports. Arts & Community: Area Community Theatre’s Junior Players are staging “It Happened on Route 66” June 26-27 in Mitchell. Family Fun Event: Rapid City’s Motor Madness returns June 24 at the Liberty Center YMCA with classic cars, motorcycles, robots, food, and hands-on activities. Service & Service Members: A Tabor amateur baseball game tonight will feature a special SDNG MEDEVAC helicopter flyover honoring Sgt. Richard Schild. Fitness Update: New Ulm hired Dylan Maanum as its aquatics and fitness coordinator at the SouthPoint Rec Center.

Sioux Falls Roller Dollz: The volunteer-run flat-track roller derby league announced it’s closing after years of “bruises, victories, laughter, road trips” and lifelong friendships, with the Sioux Falls Junior Roller Derby still active. WNBA Names & Identity: A new report spotlights how players of African descent decide whether to use full names or shortened versions—framed as pride, preservation, and respect. Local Arts Spotlight: Winnebago Nation composer Tyler Free-LaMere, 21, became the first citizen to receive a National Endowment for the Arts composer honor, with her work now set to be used by Indigenous students nationwide. Music & Culture: Cheryl Ladd shared her unexpected pre-acting start—singing to cows in South Dakota—before Charlie’s Angels fame. Community Events: Custer and Hill City posted a packed week of local gatherings, from Bible study and fitness classes to a vinyl record club and live music. Food Fun: Aldi’s free “Blind Box” giveaway is coming to the Sioux Empire starting June 22, with daily themes and first-come signups. Sports (SD): The SDGA Sanford International Series continued in the West Region, with Sioux Falls’ Ari Jacobs and Trevor Rick taking top spots.

Juneteenth History: A new explainer breaks down how Juneteenth traces back to Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger’s June 19, 1865 orders in Galveston, and why the holiday only became a federal recognition in 2021. Golf Spotlight (Rapid City): The SDGA–Sanford International Series rolled into the West Region, with Ari Jacobs winning the girls division and Trevor Rick taking the boys title in Rapid City-area stops. Local Governance & Growth: Yankton County heard public debate over a proposed temporary data center moratorium, while Dell Rapids residents pushed for more studies and details as Avera weighs a new clinic/hospital site. Sports & Community Events: Flandreau Fridays returns with food, music, and cultural performances, and Egan’s Flag Day celebration drew big crowds with patriotic entertainment and America 250 tie-ins. Music Night (Sioux Falls): The Den hosted heavy hitters Exhausted, plus MΩTHER and Dragged Out To Sea, bringing groove-thrash energy to the stage. Health Watch: Brown County reported the first West Nile mosquito pool detection of the 2026 season, with state tips on bite prevention. Summit League TV: The Summit League extended its CBS Sports Network and Midco Sports media rights deal through 2029-30, adding more national games. Outdoor/Family Fun: Aldi’s Blind Box giveaway is set for June 22-25 in South Dakota, with themed mystery food boxes claimed daily online.

Juneteenth Watch: New research shows more than half of U.S. states will treat Juneteenth as a legal holiday in 2026, but it’s still a patchwork—federal offices close June 19 while state paid days off vary. South Dakota Tech & Work: Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell is partnering with an AI platform to give students and faculty access regardless of ability to pay, while the state labor secretary says AI could help close workforce gaps by streamlining routine tasks. America 250 Culture: The America250 time capsule is sealed for burial in Philadelphia, and USA TODAY rounded up 15 unforgettable road-trip stops for the 250th. Food Scene: The James Beard Restaurant Awards named this year’s top winners, with major honors going to restaurants and chefs across the country. Local Arts & Learning: The South Dakota Discovery Center is rolling out summer programming with new science shows and Monday planetarium movies. Community Spotlight: A Dell Rapids bowling alley is rebuilding after a fire, with a GoFundMe rallying the Sioux Empire. Health & Social Media: TikTok creator Jenna Anne Johnson, from Stockholm, South Dakota, died at 23 after a cervical cancer battle.