South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Dakota Political Junkies, Oil Expansion, Pheasants Baseball and New SDPB Tower

Dakota Midday - 05/16/2012

Jon Hunter, Publisher of the Madison Daily Leader, and Jonathan Ellis, reporter and news analyst for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, talk about former South Dakota Senator Jim Abdnor, who passed away this morning at the age of 89.

South Dakota State Senator Ryan Maher of Isabel joins Dakota Midday to talk about the potential for more development of oil and gas wells in South Dakota. The Legislature's Executive Board created a special committee on Monday and the committee's initial assignment is to review South Dakota's laws regarding ownership configurations, abandoned mineral interests, taxation and tax deeds. Legislators are seeking ways to make conditions more attractive in South Dakota for the energy industry. Maher is one of 15 legislators on the new panel and is also serving on a similar group under Governor Daugaard.

Sioux Falls Pheasants manager Steve Shirley talks about the upcoming season that begins tomorrow night against the Sioux City Explorers. Also, SeVern Ashes, SDPB Director of Engineering, and Fritz Miller, SDPB Director of Marketing, talk about the new tower in the Watertown-Milbank area. SDPB's newest transmitter--KJSD-FM at 90.3--is expected to be up and running by May 17. KJSD is the South Dakota Public Broadcasting's 11th full-power radio transmitter in the state. The new transmitter, located near South Shore, will serve the Watertown and Milbank regions and the Lakes Area.

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