Industrial Park Funding: Gov. Larry Rhoden earmarked $1 million from the Future Fund to help Mitchell’s business and industrial park get utilities and roads in place, building on USDA and local dollars to make sites “shovel-ready.” Energy Reliability: The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order for 17 states, including South Dakota, to reduce blackout risk during extreme heat by letting the Southwest Power Pool dispatch needed generation. Local Construction & Infrastructure: Sioux Falls is moving into a new phase of Veterans Parkway work with lane closures for pavement markings, while Mitchell is preparing access roads for the South Dakota State Amateur Baseball Tournament at Cadwell Park. Agriculture Policy: Cattle groups are lining up for Senate Farm Bill markup over mandatory country-of-origin labeling, with MCOOL backers and opponents again taking sides. Livestock Oversight: The South Dakota Brand Board set an Aug. 5 public hearing to raise the per-head ownership inspection fee to $1.45 to cover higher inspector costs. Workforce/Innovation in Engineering: South Dakota Mines professor Cristian Vargas-Ordóñez earned a KEEN Rising Star award for teaching an entrepreneurial mindset in mechanical engineering. Business & Media: Riverfront Broadcasting acquired Fox Sports Rapid City and plans to launch the Riverfront Sports Network with expanded local sports coverage. Community Recovery: A Sioux Falls family continues storm recovery after a tree left their home uninhabitable. Agricultural Land Values: USDA’s land values report shows U.S. cropland topping $6,000 an acre in 2026, with South Dakota cropland rising to $4,770 per acre.