• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Three men have pleaded not guilty to federal wildlife violations in northeastern South Dakota's Marshall County.
• Forty-six-year-old Mike Bishop, 42-year-old Mike Evangelista and 51-year-old Vernon Renville face charges ranging from shooting more ducks than legally allowed to guiding unlicensed hunters. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says the violations are alleged to have happened in the fall of 2008 and 2009.
• Each of the men faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. They also could be ordered to pay restitution.

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• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota Republicans are gathering in Sioux Falls for their state convention.
• The convention officially gets underway Friday morning when delegates nominate the Republican Party's candidates for two seats on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Incumbents Chris Nelson and Kristie Fiegen are seeking new terms on the commission that regulates grain warehouses and natural gas, electric and telephone utilities.
• Rep. Kristi Noem, South Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House, speaks to the convention Friday afternoon.
• A Friday evening banquet will feature speeches by South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
• The Republican State Convention wraps up Saturday.
• South Dakota Democrats held their convention last week in Aberdeen.
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• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A South Dakota Army National Guard soldier from Milbank has received the South Dakota Medal of Valor for an act of heroism while saying a child's life.
• Maj. Jason Kettwig and his family were relaxing next to the pool at a Marshall, Minn., hotel in October when he heard a scream. Kettwig saw a mother diving into the pool to get her unconscious daughter, and he helped pull the girl out of the water.
• After noticing she had no pulse and had turned blue, he began CPR. The girl started gasping for air after two-to-three minutes of compressions.

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