• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- An organization representing state governments across the nation has given an award to South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard's plan to fight the mountain pine beetle infestation in the Black Hills.
• The Council of State Government has recognized the program as an outstanding government initiative, one of two winners in the Midwest.
• The program uses state, private and federal resources to fight the mountain pine beetles that are killing trees in the Black Hills. Daugaard has pledged $4 million over three years to help landowners with identifying and marking infested trees. The program provides half the cost of removing trees.
• The program helped 709 landowners in the past year as crews surveyed 115,000 acres and treated more than 215,000 trees on state and private land.
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• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- A public display at an arts center in Rapid City next week will bring awareness to the issue of suicide on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
• As part of the Lakota Voice Project, about 200 disposable cameras were given to youth on the reservation. The students were instructed to document what hope means to them.
• Fueled by high rates of unemployment, violence and alcoholism, the rate of suicide on the Pine Ridge reservation is at least 1.5 times the national average.
• On Dec. 14, the photos the students took will be on display at the Dahl Arts Center from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• The ultimate goal of the campaign is to get a crisis team on the reservation and a suicide hotline.
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