BAR BEATING
SD man given 8 years in prison for beating ND man
MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — A 34-year-old Mitchell man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for beating a man outside a bar in September.
KORN radio reports that Judge Sean O'Brien sentenced William Watkins on Tuesday. Watkins earlier had pleaded guilty to felony assault in the beating of Clint Dreyer of Fargo, N.D., outside Thirsty's Bar in Mitchell after an altercation inside the business with another person.
Dreyer suffered severe head trauma and is recovering at a Sioux Falls hospital.
O'Brien also ordered Watkins to pay more than $650,000 in restitution to cover medical expenses.
A tearful Watkins told the court, "I'm sorry Clint," and added that he's not asking the court for forgiveness and wants to take responsibility for his actions.
Bar manager Thomas Somerville faces a charge of simple assault.
XGR RURAL HEALTH
Panel OKs tuition bonus bill for medical workers
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A bill that would help rural areas recruit medical professionals has passed a South Dakota House panel.
The measure says doctors or dentists who agree to work at a rural facility for three years would get reimbursed for double the cost of attending the University of South Dakota School of Medicine for four years.
It passed the Health Committee unanimously.
The measure changes a reimbursement program already in place, and expands eligibility to physicians in pediatrics, internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology. Physician assistants, nurse practitioners and midwives could also apply. They would get twice the resident tuition for three years of study.
Rural communities with populations of up to 10,000 can participate, and would help the state pay the bonuses.
The bill next goes to the full House.
XGR UNIVERSITY CONSTRUCTION
Senate panel Oks SD universities' building plans
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A legislative panel has approved the South Dakota university system's plan to spend more than $200 million in the next decade to construct new buildings, renovate some existing buildings and upgrade utilities.
The projects at the six universities would be financed by up to $107 million in bonds that would mostly be repaid from money paid by students. Private donations are expected to cover the rest of the costs. No state tax dollars would be used for the projects.
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the 10-year building plan for the university system. The bill now goes to the full Senate.
Board of Regents Executive Director Jack Warner says the last two 10-year plans were completed early.
XGR SCHOOL FEES
SD Senate passes bill on fees for school programs
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A bill that says South Dakota public schools can charge for childcare or driver's education has passed the full Senate.
Last year, Attorney General Marty Jackley's office specified schools districts can't legally charge for these programs without the Legislature's approval.
Sen. Corey Brown, one of the bill's sponsors, says the fees help offset costs for services that don't include extracurricular activities like band or football practice.
Sen. Tim Begalka says without the money, schools will drop childcare and driver's education altogether, hurting small communities.
But opponent Sen. Jeffrey Haverly says he fears schools will compete unfairly by charging less than the private sector does.
The full Senate floor passed the measure 25-6. It next goes to Gov. Dennis Daugaard for his approval.
XGR WINE LAWS
SD lawmakers ease wine restrictions in restaurants
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota Legislature has given final approval to a measure easing restrictions on wine in restaurants.
The bill would allow people to take their own bottles of wine to restaurants.
People also could take an unfinished bottle of wine home with them, as long as the restaurant had placed the bottle in a special sealed bag.
The House voted unanimously Tuesday to pass the bill, which had been approved earlier by the Senate. The measure will become law if signed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
XGR FOOD FOR NEEDY
SD Senate panel discusses bill to feed poor people
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota Senate committee is looking at a bill that would end a faltering tax refund program for poor people so the money can instead be given to a nonprofit organization that provides food to low-income families across the state.
The bill would repeal a program started in 2004 that has given low-income families a refund of the sales tax they pay on food. Because of rule changes, few families now qualify for the tax refund.
The measure would take the $838,000 remaining in the fund and give it to Feeding South Dakota, a nonprofit that provides food to 450 organizations that distribute food to families throughout the state.
The bill has already passed the House. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing on it later this week.
HUNDSTAD-HEALTH
SD state Sen. Hundstad to have triple-bypass
ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota State Sen. Jim Hundstad is to undergo triple-bypass heart surgery in Sioux Falls on Wednesday and will miss the rest of this year's legislative session.
The Bath Democrat said last week that a recent heart screening for legislators indicated he had a high level of calcium in his arteries. He was in Sioux Falls Monday and Tuesday for tests that revealed blockage in three arteries.
The 70-year-old Hundstad tells the American News that his recovery period is estimated at five weeks. The main run of this year's session is less than two weeks away.
VEHICULAR HOMICIDE
Box Elder man sentenced in vehicular homicide case
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A Box Elder man who pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide will serve 180 days in jail and probation.
Thirty-one-year-old Jason Soldwisch admitted he was intoxicated and driving at speeds estimated at 100 miles per hour when his vehicle crashed last August in Rapid City. A passenger, 31-year-old Jason Burke of Rockerville, was killed.
Seventh Circuit Court Judge Wally Eklund sentenced Soldwisch to 180 days in jail and seven years on probation under the terms of a 10-year suspended prison sentence.
Burke's father Douglas Burke was one of several people who asked the judge not to send Soldwisch to prison.
PEDESTRIAN KILLED-PLEA
Minn. Man pleads guilty in SD teen's death
DE SMET, S.D. (AP) — A Minnesota man has changed his plea and acknowledged driving drunk and killing a South Dakota teenager.
28-year-old James Harris of Anoka, Minn., entered guilty pleas Tuesday to charges of second-degree manslaughter and drunken driving.
Prosecutors say Harris was driving drunk when he ran a stop sign in De Smet on Sept. 23, hitting two pedestrians. The Highway Patrol says 16-year-old Zachary Eichstadt of De Smet was killed. The second pedestrian was treated for minor injuries.
Harris faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 dollar fine when he is sentenced on April 3.
Copyright Associated Press 2012
