Despite living in a state where producing things to eat is the biggest industry and ancestors had strenuous lives, South Dakotans are at or below the national averages when it comes to eating produce and exercising.

If the Northern Plains had a fat belt, South Dakota would be the buckle, according to a new study by Gallup. While not in the bottom 10 states nationally for obesity, South Dakota — in the middle of the Northern Plains — has an obesity rate of 28.3 percent of the population, with Iowa a slim 0.2 points behind South Dakota in fatness.

According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, some 70,000 fewer low-income families used housing vouchers to rent private housing in December than a year earlier. CBPP’s projections, based on new Department of Housing and Urban Development data, show that low-income seniors, people with disabilities and families with children continue to feel the effects of the across-the-board sequestration cuts, which started last March.

For the fourth year, dairy farmers invite the public to a concert at the annual Central Plains Dairy Expo. For a $10 donation to Feeding South Dakota, people will receive a pass to the Roots and Boots tour concert, featuring country music performers Joe Diffie, Aaron Tippin and Sammy Kershaw March 25.

Currently, Native American Telecom provides fixed broadband and telephone service in the Fort Thompson community on the Crow Creek reservation to more than 150 customers. Tribal members will be able to access fixed wireless and mobile broadband services, along with mobile roaming, distance learning, telemedicine and other communications services throughout the entire Crow Creek reservation..

In the Midwest, the University of South Dakota is one of the top "best value" public colleges in the region, according to a new report.

That's according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. "Access to technology has changed how many consumers handle their personal finances. A growing number of consumers want to manage their personal business via email and text or on a website that is accessible 24/7," said Kelly Campbell, PCI vice president.

When it comes to college degrees, South Dakotans rank 34th among in the nation with 26 percent of residents older than 25 having earned a bachelor's degree. Since 2000, the rate of bachelor's degree completion has slowly but steadily inc. Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet?

South Dakota and most Northern Plains states spend less on welfare than the national average but are above, below and at national averages for education spending, according to a recent government study by the U.S. Census Bureau. South Dakota and nearly all Northern Plains states spend a lower percentage of their state budgets on welfare than the national average.

South Dakota and most Northern Plains states spend less on welfare than the national average but are above, below and at national averages for education spending, according to a recent government study

A progressive advocacy group has targeted Gov. Dennis Daugaard for failing to support expanded Medicaid coverage in South Dakota. Anna Galland from MoveOn.org sent a 670-word email to South Dakota MoveOn subscribers and supporters Wednesday. The email begins, “25,480 South Dakota residents are being denied health care coverage because South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard is refusing to expand Medicaid.”.

South Dakota is among the states with the fewest number of homeless citizens per 1,000 population — 1.31. But South Dakota is among the worst at sheltering homeless people, with 31 percent of homeless people without a place to stay. These numbers come from a recent study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At least as far as Google Search’s autocomplete is concerned. The online tech site Mashable recently conducted an experiment, typing in a state name and seeing what Google would suggest to complete the phrase. For the Northern Plains, the results are sometimes silly, sometimes enlightening. Type in “Nebraska.”.

Report ranks states on increases in insurance after car wrecks.