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Construction on SD Wildland Fire’s new station on 23rd Street is moving quickly toward a targeted completion by the end of 2025. Photo by Beth Bogart/Fall River County Herald-Star

Construction on SD Wildland Fire’s new station on 23rd Street is moving quickly toward a targeted completion by the end of 2025. Photo by Beth Bogart/Fall River County Herald-Star

SD Wildland Fire gets new space on State Veterans Home campus

Beth Bogart
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS — With an end-of-the-year completion target, construction is progressing rapidly on a new Hot Springs fire station for South Dakota Wildland Fire (SDWF) on the western corner of the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home property.
Three generations of Ace Hardware owners pose in front of the business located in downtown Hot Springs during an anniversary celebration this past Saturday. Pictured from left is Georgia and Tom Blatchford; Gary and Terry Slagel; and Kelly and Brad Bednar. Courtesy photo

Three generations of Ace Hardware owners pose in front of the business located in downtown Hot Springs during an anniversary celebration this past Saturday. Pictured from left is Georgia and Tom Blatchford; Gary and Terry Slagel; and Kelly and Brad Bednar. Courtesy photo

Ace Hardware celebrates 90 years of family service to community

Charity Maness
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – On Saturday August 9, Ace Hardware held a community fun event to celebrate their 90 years of family-owned business serving the community.
While on stage at the Mueller Center last week, Morris Dodge of Minnesota, far right, thanks Evans Plunge lifeguard Lillian Broyles (center) for saving his life in an incident last summer where he nearly drowned. Also pictured, from left, is Red Cross Director Richard Smith, Evans Plunge Director Kari Mulock and Morris Dodge’s wife Ladonna. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

While on stage at the Mueller Center last week, Morris Dodge of Minnesota, far right, thanks Evans Plunge lifeguard Lillian Broyles (center) for saving his life in an incident last summer where he nearly drowned. Also pictured, from left, is Red Cross Director Richard Smith, Evans Plunge Director Kari Mulock and Morris Dodge’s wife Ladonna. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Evans Plunge Aquatics Director receives Red Cross recognition

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – Last Monday night’s Hot Springs City Council meeting on Aug.
Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star A packed house was on hand for a special meeting of the Hot Springs School Board last Thursday, July 31, where it was decided to add five days to the end of school year, rather than have five weeks of five full days of classroom instruction during the 2025-26 calendar.

Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star A packed house was on hand for a special meeting of the Hot Springs School Board last Thursday, July 31, where it was decided to add five days to the end of school year, rather than have five weeks of five full days of classroom instruction during the 2025-26 calendar.

School Board votes 6-1 to extend school year rather than have five 5-day weeks

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Body Publisher HOT SPRINGS – Rather than having five different weeks with five full days of classroom time in the upcoming school year, students in the Hot Springs School District will instead see those additional days added onto end of the year, pushing back the last day of school...
Photo by Beth Bogart/Fall River County Herald-Star Danny Tiger, the new State Veterans Home head, explains the “missing soldier” table in the main building’s entryway, an area he hopes to improve with a volunteer-staffed kiosk, part of his priority to create more connections with the local community.

Photo by Beth Bogart/Fall River County Herald-Star Danny Tiger, the new State Veterans Home head, explains the “missing soldier” table in the main building’s entryway, an area he hopes to improve with a volunteer-staffed kiosk, part of his priority to create more connections with the local community.

New superintendent brings outgoing energy to Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home

Beth Bogart
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS — Danny Tiger may have only started as the new Superintendent of the South Dakota Veterans Home in Hot Springs three months ago, but in showing a visitor around the campus, he greeted patients and staff cheerily by name — and they responded in kind to his warmth.
Jennings Avenue property located across from the elementary school

Jennings Avenue property located across from the elementary school

District will not buy the Jennings Ave. property

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – In addition to discussing and revising the 2025-26 school calendar at last week’s July 31 special meeting (see story on left), the board also voted 7-0 to not purchase some available property located on Jennings Avenue, across the street from the elementary school.
New Ward 1 Councilman Randy Graham, left, gets sworn into office by City Finance Officer Misty Summers-Walton during the Monday, July 21 city council meeting in the Mueller Civic Center. (Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star)

New Ward 1 Councilman Randy Graham, left, gets sworn into office by City Finance Officer Misty Summers-Walton during the Monday, July 21 city council meeting in the Mueller Civic Center. (Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star)

City, County discussion about dispatch center gets contentious

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – New Ward 1 councilman Randy Graham was sworn into office last Monday night, July 21, near the outset of the Hot Springs City Council meeting.
Jonathan Wiley of Hot Springs looks over his shoulder as he rows his 18-foot canoe during the Missouri River 340mile race held earlier this month. Submitted photo

Jonathan Wiley of Hot Springs looks over his shoulder as he rows his 18-foot canoe during the Missouri River 340mile race held earlier this month. Submitted photo

Local man rows his way to a divisional win in non-stop, 340-mile river race

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – Featuring a logo highlighted by a skull with cross-oars and billed as the “World’s Longest Non-Stop River Race,” the MR-340, is certainly not for the faint of heart nor the weak of mind.

NTSB releases preliminary plane crash report

News Staff
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – A broken tow rope and a tow hook release knob is believed to have played a role in the July 12 plane crash at Hot Springs Municipal Airport which killed the pilot of the tow plane.
This property located across the street from the elementary school at 1913 Jennings Avenue was recently offered for sale to the Hot Springs School District for $185,000. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

This property located across the street from the elementary school at 1913 Jennings Avenue was recently offered for sale to the Hot Springs School District for $185,000. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

School Board discusses possibility of purchasing Jennings Avenue property

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Body HOT SPRINGS – Prior to swearing in new board members Shannon McClure and Kelly Bilbrey at its Monday, July 14 meeting, the Hot Springs School Board heard a FY2025-2026 budget presentation from Business Manager Wendy Bilbruck and also engaged in a lengthy conversation about the...
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