South Dakota

Monday, Feb. 1
Sioux Falls — The USDA's Jan. 1 report showed 3.85 million head of cattle on South Dakota ranches, 150,000 more than a year earlier. The number of farms and ranches raising cattle last year totaled 21,000, up 1,000 from the previous year. Burton Pflueger, an extension livestock marketing specialist, said good winter weather, record crop production and a good hay supply last year contributed to the increase in cattle.

Friday, Jan. 29
Rapid City - The Common Council is considering ending a program of shooting deer that wander into the city, saying the program's funding is used up. Sharpshooters killed 207 deer roaming the city in 1998 and a total of 561 deer since the program began in 1996.

Thursday, Jan. 28
Pierre - Records for about 74,000 births that took place between 1806 and 1899 are available free on the Internet at www.state.sd.us/doh/vitalrec/birthrecords/index.cfm. The site lists the date, county of birth, baby's name and parents' names, Health Dept. officials said.

Wednesday, Jan. 27
Pierre - A House panel sent the full House a bill that allows school districts to levy a special property tax for busing students. Supporters noted that some sparsely populated districts spend up to $600 a student per year for transportation alone.

Tuesday, Jan. 26
Pierre - The state Senate Judicial Committee sent the full Senate a bill that requires that the public be notified within 48 hours of the day and hour an inmate is to be executed. Current law says the warden must carry out the sentence within a specified week between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m.

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