(The Center Square) – Here’s a look at some of the latest stories out of South Dakota.
Trial date set for woman accused of stealing $1.8 million in government funds
A former state employee accused of stealing $1.8 million in state and federal funds will stand trial on Dec. 4, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Tuesday.
Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated grand theft. The first count accuses Carroll of stealing more than $500,000 between July 2013 and March 2023. The second count in the indictment said Carroll took more than $100,000 between January 2010 and June 30, 2013.
Carroll’s arrest has led to questions from South Dakota’s Government Operations and Audit Committee about why the alleged thefts were not discovered. The committee meets again on Oct. 8 to discuss the issue.
She is being held in the Hughes County Jail on a $50,000 surety bond, the attorney general said in a news release.
South Dakota to study consolidated 911
The South Dakota 9-1-1 Coordination Board will study the possible consolidation of the state’s 911 centers, according to online documents.
The study, which will cost the state $70,000, will be presented to board members in December.
911 Authority, LLC is conducting the study, which includes input from public safety personnel and data analysis.
The state has 28 centers operated by police and sheriff’s departments and four that are overseen by tribes, according to Department of Public Safety.
Tax revenues from Sturgis Rally down
The 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally brought in nearly $1.4 million in tax revenue, but it was down from the previous year, the South Dakota Department of Revenue said Tuesday.
However, revenues from temporary vendors decreased in the Black Hills and dropped by 16%, according to the department. Seventeen fewer vendors attended the 84th annual event than in 2023.
The majority of money is from sales tax collections–$790,805, down from $818,784 last year, according to DOR. The state also collected $271,322 in tourism taxes and $337,374 in municipal taxes.
Tax collections were down in the local regions. Sturgis and the communities making up the Northern Black Hills took in $922,067, an 8% drop from 2023, the department said in a news release.
Rapid City, Custer, Hill City and Keystone collections dropped 12% from 2023, bringing in $407,434, according to DOR.
