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Reporting

Feature: Breaking News

Argus Leader • 31st March 2003

Convicted murderer dies by suicide

When a high-profile inmate took his life inside the state penitentiary, I thought first about how his death would affect his victims' families. This next-day story provided context on the people he left behind, including his own loved ones.

Selected Articles

Explore work published by South Dakota's two largest daily newspapers: the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and the Rapid City Journal. Many of these pieces track public money through city departments and nonprofit organizations.

My work covering "soft news" at civic and art groups built strong relationships that meant contacts trusted me to fairly report the gnarly details. They also knew I'd be there in the midst of it all to promote their next exhibition, performance, or community event.

I held to those same principles in my approach to the hotly contested 2004 federal-election cycle, during which I was the youngest member of the Argus' political team and its only woman.

Delayed repairs, shaky finances at public zoo

Nonprofit group walks away from a city-owned attraction it's managed for 20 years. Meanwhile, officials sort out a plan to care for animals and grounds. (Part of a series.)

Spring flooding damages city's core, destroys homes

The public works director ultimately resigned in the aftermath when his department mishandled street and drainage-repair projects. (Clips file contains two articles in the series.)

Spending on signature project violates city charter

Sioux Falls' mayor made the "Phillips to the Falls" downtown revitalization project a key priority. Then he secretly moved taxpayer money to pay for it. (Part of a series.)

Growing pains: City, county debate infrastructure

Sioux Falls expands farther south across the Lincoln-County border each year, increasing demand for city utilities. (Clips file contains multiple articles in the series.)

Councilors look to restrict mayor's financial power

Mayor Dave Munson dipped into sales-tax-fund reserves to complete projects that ran far over budget. City Council members want tighter controls in the future.

Water shortage looms for city, farm neighbors

The future of the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System is uncertain, as federal allocations dry up and pipeline construction stalls. (Part of a series.)

Massive highway project depends on land rights, funding

Sioux Falls owes much of its growth to its location at the junction of two interstate systems. DOT officials tread lightly to outline designs for the new I-90/I-29 interchange.

Young siblings buried together

The small town of Wakonda filled the school gymnasium to support a mother who lost all four of her children in a morning house fire. I hated being there to do my job.

A talk with Tom Daschle

In his first interview with SD media after losing his Senate seat to John Thune, Daschle spoke about his accomplishments and was just as candid about where he'd fallen short.

First-year professor dies on campus

The photographer and I had arranged faculty interviews over two days, but NSU security interrupted our conversation in an instructor's office and escorted us off campus.

Young workers concerned about Social Security

President George W. Bush's proposal to privatize the federal safety net worries people who believe the funds will be gone long before they reach retirement age.

State grossly underfunds early-childhood programs

SD claims the nation's highest percentage of young children in paid-care settings, but the state has no public pre-K to jumpstart learning or social development.

'God's not running in the election, and he doesn't have a surrogate'

Congregation members and faith-community leaders wrestle with questions of conscience as the 2004 general election approaches.

Thune, Daschle spar over patriotism

Protesters defend candidates after Rep. John Thune uses a joint "Meet the Press" appearance to accuse Sen. Tom Daschle of emboldening our enemies in the Middle East.

Partisan bloggers blur news, bias

Conservative keyboard warriors (some of them paid by PACs or candidates) sought to sway votes in 2004. They were the first generation of social-media info campaigns.

Come for scenery, stay (briefly) to vote

SD's lenient 30-day residency requirement and the scenic Black Hills make the state a favorite "home" for full-time RVers to register their permanent addresses.

New west-side school will shift students, teachers among elementaries

Parents turn out for the last in a series of open houses before the state's largest school district redraws attendance areas.

SD passes its first test after No Child Left Behind

Educators discuss the pressures of teaching with such a narrow focus on new, unfunded performance benchmarks.

Congressman hits, kills motorcyclist

The tips came in almost as soon as we heard the scanner: Congressman and former Gov. Bill Janklow ran a stop sign and struck a biker. He resigned and would serve 100 days.

Visual Arts Commission settles into its role as public-art advisory

Established after a series of controversial works in community spaces, the VAC makes its own ask: Carve out a portion of the city's annual budget to fund public art.

What went wrong at the Playhouse?

After 70 years of stage seasons, the community playhouse goes dark. Stretched thin by debt and demands on volunteers, leaders request a city bailout. (Part of a series.)

One-time gift of taxpayer money helps Film Society buy a 1920s theater

The city council boosts a local nonprofit that plans to restore the historic downtown building. The State reopened for movies in December 2020. (Part of a series.)

Indigenous artists go up against mass-produced fakes

SD's lands are the ancestral home of the Oceti Sakowin, whose tribes form the Sioux Nation. Native artists describe the cultural and legal fight to preserve authentic works.

City-owned arts, science center raises issues

The Pavilion was Sioux Falls' first major investment in a cultural destination. Annual subsidies and losses later prompted independent reviews. (Part of a series.)

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