You're watching KDLT News with Sherry Kurtz,
meteorologist Keith Monahan, and Mark Ovenden with sports.
Next on KDLT News at 6, Sioux Falls Mayor Gary Hansen decides if firefighters and police officers will continue working overtime to fill in at 911 dispatch.
A busy highway mixed with kids walking and riding their bikes. Some think it's a disaster waiting to happen. Michael Rosenfield has the details on what you could call a wild ride.
Is all day, every day kindergarten working in the Sioux Falls school district? Anna Peters has a live report. This is KDLT News. Good evening, I'm Sherry Kurtz. Thanks for joining us tonight.
Governor Bill Janklow is out of the hospital and back home tonight. The governor was released from a Vera McKinnon hospital yesterday afternoon.
The governor told his staff he's doing well and is getting some work done. He's back on solid foods.
Janklow admitted himself to a Vera McKinnon a week ago, one day after returning home from the Mayo Clinic where doctors removed the inflamed part of his pancreas.
There is no end in sight for Sioux Falls firefighters and police officers working at 911. Mayor Gary Hansen tells KDLT News that firefighters and police officers will have to take shifts as dispatchers at Metro Communications at least until the end of the year.
Metro has been short dispatchers since February. Low pay and stress are the problems.
We have to have highly qualified, highly skilled people. It's difficult to find folks like that and train them and so we've had firefighters and police officers step in to man the phones over certain periods of time.
Firefighters and police officers are paid time and a half in overtime. Hansen is considering raising the wages of dispatchers to entice more people to apply.
It's a popular summer playground for thousands of people every day, but the road to Wildwater West can be anything but summer fun.
Children riding their bikes and walking along Highway 17 is raising some eyebrows. KDLT's Michael Rosenfield reports.
Casey, Cody and Scott ride the short distance from their homes to Wildwater West nearly every day.
And while this quick trip down Highway 17 is just a few hundred yards away, it's anything but a joyride.
When these trucks go by we just kind of stay to the side and let them go about their own business.
And while the fast moving traffic doesn't phase them, it does bother others.
Well they're going, sometimes teenagers are riding too fast and you never know when they're going to like go out of control or anything.
I'm scared to death of them. I mean the kids are one thing. You never know what a child's going to do. You don't know if they're going to come out in front of you or not.
Everyone wants to come have a good time. I hate to have someone get hurt to do that.
The speed limit alongside this road is 65 miles an hour.
That, combined with the growing number of people living in the area, is exactly why Wildwater West decided to start their own shuttle service.
Well it concerns us greatly. We drive the bus as much as we can back and forth to the park.
And it's the kids that want to leave the park early, don't catch the bus in the morning, that come back and forth.
It's a lot of work for us to control.
Well we ride our bikes and not take the bus because the bus leaves too early and we're not really ready to leave yet.
The Highway Patrol says only a couple of accidents have happened here over the last year or so.
And while there haven't been any injuries, many say it's only a matter of time.
We just try to be careful, try not to get hit by cars.
In Sioux Falls, Michael Rosenfield, KDLT News.
Wildwater West offers shuttle trips twice a day to neighborhoods near the park, plus stops in Tee and Crooks.
The company is also trying to expand its service to a pickup spot at Roosevelt High School.
Well last fall, four Sioux Falls elementary schools piloted full-day, everyday kindergarten.
Tonight, the school board is looking at those results.
KDLT's Anna Peters has been looking at those scores.
And Anna, how well did the program do?
Well Sherri, the test scores from the beginning of that school year and the end of the school year
show that students taking full-day, everyday kindergarten are doing better than students who are taking
full-day, every other day kindergarten.
And parents and teachers are also giving the program rave reviews.
Ram.
Lamb, yeah.
Alaina Boyer was one of the first children in Sioux Falls to try full-day kindergarten every day of the week.
Pot.
I was really surprised how much they learned.
I mean with math and with spelling and even, I mean they had music and science and everything.
I was thinking that she wouldn't do any of that until first grade.
I was able to introduce the kids to so much more curriculum and yet we had that opportunity for the social time,
the play time, just give them much more experiences than I've been able to do before just because of the time frame.
Alaina goes to Jane Addams Elementary.
Laura B. Anderson, Robert Frost and Hawthorne Elementary also changed to all-day, everyday kindergarten last year.
Next year, eight more Sioux Falls schools will make the switch and by fall of 2000, all Sioux Falls public kindergartners will go to school all day, five days a week.
Tonight, the school board will review the program but teachers like Robin say they already have their proof.
I know what the results will be.
I mean there's just, you know, when they come in here and they leave like this, they're up here and they're just bound to just go, go, go.
We'll take a closer look at the full day, everyday test scores tonight on KDLT News at 10.
Anna, what else is on tonight's school board agenda?
Well, new member David Terrell will be, he will take the oath of office and also there will be a new president and vice president elected at tonight's meeting
and of course we'll have all the details tonight at 10.
Alright, thanks Anna.
They may not be able to afford the price tag but they have an action plan in place if they do raise the money.
Today, the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum unveiled its plan for Arnold's Park in Okoboji.
The plan calls for development of a public beachfront located alongside the 21-acre park.
Construction of a youth athletic center, a performing arts center and an outdoor amphitheater are also being planned.
Funding for the project will come from community donations.
Volunteers need to raise $5.5 million by August 1st to match Sioux Falls developer Don Dunham's offer to sell the historic park.
To date, the group has raised $2.3 million.
The Hartford man, police say raped a 14-year-old girl, says he is not guilty.
37-year-old Melvin Welch pleaded not guilty to six counts of rape at his arraignment today.
Welch also says he needs the help of a court-appointed attorney to fight the charges.
He's being held on $10,000 cash bond.
Welch was arrested last Friday. He's accused of molesting the girl on several occasions.
The tension in White Clay, Nebraska is not easing up.
Store owners who sell beer are feeling the effects of weeks of protests and marches by Pine Ridge residents.
White Clay is nearly shut down. Store owners say they've taken a $30,000 hit.
Activists are proud of that.
The greatest accomplishment I could ever have is to see the alcohol establishment shut down
and to not feel any more death of my people up here.
I don't tell him what he can do and he don't tell me what I can do.
And that's where it stands. He's got the freedom to choose.
And if he wants to buy beer, he can buy beer.
Until both sides come to a truce, state troopers are stationed on the South Dakota-Nebraska border indefinitely.
Keith, no matter where I went all weekend, people kept saying, wow, wouldn't it be great if summer was like this all summer?
Okay, let's do it. I'll just go home for the rest of the summer.
We'll make it just like this for the rest of the season.
I think we'd agree.
Unfortunately, we can't do that because if you thought it was warm today, it's going to get even hotter as we head through the next couple of days.
In fact, folks around the pure area, central South Dakota, may be looking at 100 degrees as we move through the next couple of days.
And that warmer area is moving off to the east.
We'll get to those details in just a few minutes.
But first, in Sioux Falls today, 83 is all we were able to manage so far.
58 are low this morning. 87 and 62 are our normals.
Record high, 107. Set just a couple of years ago, I guess four years ago.
1995, the record low 48 and 75.
And it looks like we'll be getting even hotter than the mid-80s over the next couple of days.
We'll have those details coming up next.
We'll be right back.
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When shaving becomes too close for comfort, Kramer finds a new use for butter.
Why are you buttering your face?
I'm shaving with it.
Oh, Moses, smell the roses.
Sign fell tonight at 6 30 on KDLT.
You're watching KDLT News, the station that's working for you.
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Must be our new sofa. Happy anniversary.
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Well, good evening, everybody, and welcome back.
Another day with temperatures into the 80s.
We struggled to make the upper 70s over the weekend, but no complaints.
A gorgeous weekend.
Temperatures at the top of the hour into the 80s.
Most locations you can see right over my shoulder.
Piers in the mid 90s though.
84 right now.
Watertown 82 at Marshall, Minnesota.
Piers, you're the hot spot.
96 degrees.
I think the triple digit mark wouldn't be out of the question for you during the afternoon tomorrow.
88 right now at Mitchell, 89 at Huron, and 83 right now down at Sioux City, Iowa.
In Sioux Falls at the top of the hour, 83 degrees with sunny skies.
One of the cooler spots in the Sioux Empire.
Dew point is 60.
Humidity is at 46%.
The barometer, 29.98 and falling.
And right now winds are south at 14, gusting to 24 miles per hour.
And that's helping bring in the much more warmer air, much more warmer, much warmer air that we're seeing across the area
and that we will see over the next couple of days.
Our visible satellite loop from early this morning shows hardly a cloud to be found across the Sioux Empire.
A few clouds early on along the eastern border of South Dakota with Minnesota.
A few cumulus clouds popping up over central Nebraska.
We do, though, have a couple of showers that have popped up over South Central North Dakota
during the course of the late afternoon hours.
I think a few of those might clip northeastern South Dakota during the first part to the middle part of tonight.
So don't rule out an isolated shower, thunderstorm in northeastern and north central South Dakota.
And that's in association with this push of much more, not much more humid, but much warmer air across the area.
And again, that'll be few and far between should it occur a little bit later on this evening.
The bigger view, infrared satellite loop for the last 24 hours shows showers and thunderstorms along much of the southeastern United States
down to the Gulf of Mexico.
That's with an old frontal system that brought our relief over the weekend after warm temperatures last week.
And we do have another system that's just off to our northwest that will be remaining off to our northwest over the next 24 hours.
What we have right now is a generally a flat ridge of high pressure over much of the northwestern United States.
But as a big storm system drops southward from the Gulf of Alaska, that ridge will become much more amplified.
And that's where we're going to see temperatures warming up over the next couple of days.
Eventually, that trough is going to kick eastward.
And that'll bring cooler weather by the end of the week along with the chance of a few more showers and thunderstorms.
Right now, high pressure that gave us the great weekend slipping off to the southeast.
On the backside of that high, winds are out of the south and southwest.
And that's bringing that warmer air into the region.
Don't look for any big changes.
A system off to our north along the U.S.-Canadian border should remain off to our north.
But the associated cold front over the next couple of days will begin slowly dropping southeastward as that trough of low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska begins dropping southward as well.
And I think as we move through a little bit later on this coming week, we'll see an increasing chance of a few showers and thunderstorms.
But until then, look for those strong southerly winds to continue with those temperatures well up into the 90s.
Temperatures tonight falling off generally to the lowest readings we're going to see for the next couple of days, below to mid-60s.
For tomorrow, look for that warm up to continue once again.
Low to mid-90s eastern South Dakota with temperatures right around the 100-degree mark, central and west.
Your forecast then for the region for tonight.
Look for generally mostly clear skies. You may see that isolated shower or thunderstorm northeastern South Dakota during the first part of tonight.
For tomorrow, partly cloudy skies, a slight risk of a thunderstorm southeast very late in the afternoon.
But look at those temperatures, upper 80s to near 100, warmest of course, out in central South Dakota.
For Sioux Falls tonight, expect to see mainly clear skies.
We'll see an overnight low near 65.
For tomorrow, we'll call it partly cloudy.
It'll be breezy at times again, that slight risk of a thunderstorm late in the day or during the evening.
Look for high of 91.
Then for the next five days, we're going to see temperatures topping out in the low 90s for Wednesday.
And then it looks like the next best chance of thunderstorms with that cold front dropping southeast will be late Thursday.
And into the day on Friday, a lingering shower possible Saturday with temperatures dropping by the weekend to the upper 70s to around 80.
Well, it is Monday. It's time for KDLT's Pet of the Week.
This week's pet is Blackie.
Blackie is a male domestic shorthaired cat, one year old, very playful.
If you'd like to adopt Blackie or any other really cool pet up at the Humane Society, give them a call.
And their number is 338-441.
Boy, isn't he a cutie.
Maybe I'll go get another cat.
There you go. I have two in the house.
He looked like he liked attention.
Yes, it would be.
I don't know any cat that doesn't.
That's true. Thanks, Keepe.
Coming up after the break, some kids set their sights on the high seas.
Plus, the blimp hits Sioux Falls.
We'll tell you why next.
There's more KDLT news at 6 ahead.
Take the film to Walmart, because we're in there every week anyway.
We just drop our film off, then we go shopping, and it's just very convenient.
Bring the stories of your life to Walmart Film Developing.
It's just important for the family to be able to see the girls grow up.
You're watching KDLT News, the station that's working for you.
We brought together a dozen women with hair loss to show them a new solution to their problem.
We demonstrated it with three makeovers. What were the reactions?
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It's an adventure on the high seas right here in Sioux Falls.
The Washington Pavilion Summer Arts Camp turned into a lesson in oceanography today.
At this week-long camp, children are learning how to draw shapes of deep sea corals and underwater creatures.
I have good colors for undersea and I know lots of stuff undersea.
Because you could use crayons and chalk and pencils.
The Visual Arts Center is offering 16 different summer art classes for all ages.
Classes run through August 19th.
If you saw it, you might have thought it was a bird or a plane, but chances are you knew it wasn't Superman.
What it was, was the Goodyear Blimp, spirit of Akron.
Today it was flying high over Sioux Falls.
The Blimp is traveling from Lincoln, Nebraska to Akron, Ohio.
The stop today is part of a promotion to increase Goodyear tire sales at Graham Tires' three Sioux Falls locations.
Too hot to work outdoors? Take your workout inside.
That's what women all over the country are doing as part of a national study.
Today, Carol Hauser finds the exercise lessons they're learning can be help to any beginner.
Probably the best way to enjoy the dog days of July is from a nice air conditioned gym,
which is exactly where the women in high blood pressure study is taking place.
With our study, we're looking for blood pressure reduction without medication.
So we're doing the three days a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time within a specified target heart rate range
to induce those benefits.
An excellent program for a beginner to try.
In our study, we only allow aerobic exercise, which is just a treadmill bike and stair climber.
Three times a week, and no less, can be hard to do, but that is the point at which our bodies can maintain a change for the better.
The biggest challenge is deciding and choosing to fit it into my day.
And once I get into that routine, then I can go with it, but I think that's the biggest challenge.
We try to set goals, goals that are attainable within a few weeks or a month, and then set new goals after that.
Use the indoor equipment correctly.
Leaning on the handlebars of steppers and treadmills can decrease your workout significantly.
Swinging your arms is better.
Another mistake people make is in the time spent exercising.
Less than 30 minutes, and you're not going to improve much on your current fitness level,
but going longer than 60 minutes increases the risk of injury.
I spend 45 minutes in heart range on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the bicycle.
Starting an indoor routine now is perfect.
It may take a while to get in the groove.
It takes about four weeks to really get back into the groove and not feel like it's tiring you.
But stick with it, and full-time outdoor activities will be much more fun.
Carol Hauser for NBC News.
If you are not exercising now, check with your doctor before beginning any fitness routine.
The first phase of the high blood pressure in women's study is nearly complete.
Doctors say early indications show exercise can drop some people's blood pressure.
Of course, the Sioux Falls driver taking a few laps at Houston is pretty successful.
You know, and once you get that first victory and kind of break through,
things tend to kind of just snowball sometimes, and you get a little confidence.
And like you said, one Sioux Falls driver came through last night big time out at Houston,
got his first victory, we'll tell you who that was in a recap.
We'll see you next time on The Dane Sports.
That's coming up next.
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University Medical Centers are recognized
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These centers lead the way in research and medical services,
delivering consistently higher rates of successful outcomes.
In recognition of our longstanding relationship
with the University of South Dakota School of Medicine
and its appointed physicians,
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and University Medical Center.
This partnership will bring new levels of research
and specialty medical services to our area,
making a difference in all our lives.
If you have a comment, suggestion or story idea,
email us at news at kdlt.com.
When shaving becomes too close for comfort,
Kramer finds a new use for butter.
I'm shaving with it.
Oh, Moses, smell the roses.
Now he's spreadably smooth.
I think I cooked myself.
While George's boss thinks he's handicapped.
You should see the bathroom they gave me.
He's on the fast track.
Well, it must be comforting to know
you'll be going straight to hell at no more than three miles an hour.
On the next episode of...
Sign failed tonight at 6.30 on KDLT.
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Welcome back, everyone.
We begin with news from last night's races.
Up until last night,
Micah Schliemann from Sioux Falls was having what he would call a pretty good year,
racing at Hartford, Houston, and on the NCR-A circuit,
which runs all the way from Canada to Kansas.
This year is going good.
I'm learning a lot.
I feel I'm learning pretty fast.
And, you know, I hope to pick off a win this year,
maybe with the NCR-A or for sure maybe with the Houston track here.
I really like this track.
Well, he doesn't have to hope anymore.
Last night at Houston Speedway, Micah Schliemann picked up his first ever outlaw victory at that track.
He held off Dennis Moore Jr. and Leonard Lee to get what he called the biggest win of his career.
Obviously, the Sioux Falls drivers beginning to feel very comfortable at Houston.
Houston's had a lot of laps around here in my other car
and really getting the hang of this new car, the VJ Julius Motorsports 9M.
Now, congratulations to all the winners from this past weekend's racing at Houston.
Last night, along with Schliemann, it was Terry Karn from Tee winning in the 360 sprints,
his first victory in over two years, and Wayne Krueger from Laverne in the late model stocks,
his second victory in the last two weeks.
Saturday night's racing from Hartford Speedway saw winners Buck Wilson in 360s.
Hobby stocks went to Larry Keurig, street stocks, Dan Jensen from Humboldt and Modified, Sean Reed was your winner there.
Moving on now to golf, in exactly one week from today at Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls,
several celebrities will join Washington graduate Chris Cheddar for her celebrity golf tournament, benefiting FCA and Make-A-Wish.
This year's celebrities include Larry Stewart, LPGA legend Nancy Lopez,
former NFL quarterback John Brody, and future NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley,
along with Cheddar, who's having a superb year on the ladies' tour.
The day's events include an 18-hole scramble, a live auction, a junior golf clinic, and the highlight,
a celebrity skins game, which should be extremely funny,
because unlike Amy Grant last year, Charles Barkley can't punt and he's not a very good golfer as well.
The date for that tournament, as I said, Monday, July 19th, one week from today, the benefits go to FCA and Make-A-Wish,
and for information, you can call that number right there.
SGA match play tournament out in Rapid City wrapped up today, and it wasn't really close.
Mike Brummer from Rapid City beat Rich Nelson from Martin Nine and Eight, it's Brummer's second match play title.
In other SDGA news, this coming Friday, the state women's stroke play tournament begins at Westward-Ho Country Club in Sioux Falls.
Over 100 women are entered in the event, which includes championship, pre-senior, and senior flights,
and all three defending champions are playing this year, Jordan Lintz from Rapid City,
Karen Rody from Brandon, and Ann Borgman from Sioux Falls.
In Northern League baseball, the Canaries began their final series of the first half tonight at the Birdcage.
They're hosting Madison in a doubleheader that began about 20 minutes ago out there.
The Canaries are playing better of late, and that mainly has to do with improved pitching.
Over the past five games, Berg's pitchers have allowed just 14 runs, that's less than three runs a game.
We definitely have the talent and the pitching staff to do that, and I don't think they've done a bad job so far,
and they're definitely capable of doing everything they're expected to do, and they're going to do it.
Now, one of the guys who's been doing it better than anyone this season, it's Rich Hyde.
Hyde was tonight's game one starter, hopefully that's a good thing.
He's 3-0 this season with an ERA in the 2s.
And one more baseball note, starting lineups are in for tomorrow night's Major League Baseball All-Star game in the AL.
Kenny Lofton from the Indians will lead it off, followed by Nomar Garcia-Para,
Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, Jim Tomei, and 6-9 Cal Ripken, playing in who knows how many All-Star games he's played in.
Palmero, Ivan Rodriguez, Roberto Alomar, and the starting pitcher will be Pedro Martinez from Boston.
On the National League side, Barry Larkin will lead off, followed by Larry Walker,
and then look at those three guys right there, Sosa Maguire and Williams batting 3-4 and 5.
Jeff Bagwell will be the D.H., J. Bell will hit 9th, and Kurt Schilling from the Phillies will be the starting pitcher.
And don't forget tonight, the Home Run Contest coming up at Fenway Park,
and some of those guys should have a lot of fun banging it over the Green Monster at Fenway.
We'll let you know who won that tonight at 10. We'll be right back.
In the Northland, there's a story behind every Fort Oval.
Can anyone tell me why that's true?
How do students see me?
Because it's negative on both sides.
As one big square root.
Until they see my new Ford CX-2.
Somehow, a remote keyless entry, a moonroof, and a CD player changes things.
No way.
Maybe it's the 1500 cash back.
They just see me and math in a whole new light.
1500 cash back.
Todd?
Todd.
Now there's a health report backed by the knowledge of an entire regional medical center.
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Keep your finger on the pulse of what's happening in the medical field.
Watch Focus on Health, Tuesdays and Thursdays on KDLT News, brought to you by Avera-McKinnon.
You're watching KDLT News, the station that's working for you.
There's a secret in South Dakota, a place that holds endless possibilities for fun and relaxation.
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What's up, John? Kathy? What's up, Bridget?
The market's up, the end's down, Congress is gridlocked, the White House isn't talking, unemployment's steady, but inflation is a factor.
Get the day's most important news at work with KDLT and MSNBC.com.
Kramer's found a new use for butter. I'm shaving with it. Oh, Moses, smell the roses.
Seinfeld, tonight at 6.30 on KDLT.
Recapping our top stories, Sioux Falls firefighters and police officers will remain working as 911 dispatchers.
Mayor Gary Hanson says at the minimum they will stay on until the end of the year.
911 has been short staffed since February. Firefighters and police officers are paid time and a half for their double duty.
A Hartford man pleads in court that he is not guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl.
37-year-old Melvin Welch pleaded not guilty to six counts of rape at his arraignment today.
He is being held on $10,000 cash bond. Welch was arrested last Friday.
He's accused of molesting the girl on several occasions.
Coming up tonight on KDLT's In Focus, the effects of sexual abuse.
Paul Aker talks to a rape survivor, now 41. The woman was attacked by several men when she was only 14.
How has the rape affected her entire life and how common is sexual abuse among kids in the Sioux Empire?
We find out on In Focus on KDLT News at 10.
Finally tonight, a nine-year-old South Carolina girl and her classmates prove persistence pays off.
Jasmine Dean and her third grade class at Woodland Heights Elementary School
sent mail and emails to South Carolina lawmakers to get the spotted salamander named as the state amphibian.
The official designation came in May, two years after Dean and her classmates started to lobby state lawmakers.
For her grassroots efforts, Jasmine will represent her class on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
She'll be on the show Wednesday night right here on KDLT.
Maybe she'll have a salamander with her. You never know.
Well, you kind of have a surprise for us tonight at 10.
Big surprise coming up at 10 o'clock. Stay tuned, you're going to like it.
You're not going to tell us any more than that?
No, I'll pull the sheet off at 10.
All right. We'll be right back tonight at 10. Hope you'll join us then.