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morning.
• "I strongly believe there is some light at the end of this tunnel. However, we've got to make it through this thing," Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether said Thursday afternoon.
• Sioux Falls received about half a foot of snow overnight after seeing two days of freezing rain that coated power lines and tree branches with ice. City officials declared a snow alert and said snowplows would be out in force.
• The bad weather was forecast to extend into southeastern North Dakota, with up to 10 inches of snow expected by Thursday night. State transportation officials issued a travel alert, urging motorists to use caution because of blowing snow and reduced visibility.
• Those without power have been forced to improvise in order to stay warm and entertained.
• Chastity Reimer and her 6-year-old daughter, Shila Erickson, made the 15-mile journey from their home near Renner to the mall in Sioux Falls on Thursday morning because they have been without power since 6 a.m. Tuesday.
• Reimer, 34, said she bought a generator to keep the refrigerator running, but is frustrated that officials have not given a timetable on when her power will be back up and running.
• "Other people that lost it yesterday, it was back up and running," Reimer said as she ate lunch at the food court. The two have been playing lots of board games over the past two days, Reimer said.
• Nate Kirkpatrick, 9, was also at the mall eating lunch with his grandfather, 59-year-old Dan Kirkpatrick. Nate said he might build a snowman and go sledding, but he doesn't like the cold weather.
• National Weather Service reports showed that snowfall totals in western South Dakota were higher than those in the eastern part of the state -- reaching 30 inches in Deadwood. Rapid City had nearly that much, and set snowfall records on two straight days.
• Rapid City resident Nancy Smith said drifting snow has been a problem on some roads, but that drivers have been patient.
• "I see people trying to help each other if they're stuck or driving very cautiously," she said.
• Smith said her daughter, who is in the second grade, is upset at having to take two snow days because it's going to delay summer break.
• "But I told her that one year I think we had five snow days that were added on between April and May when I was in school, so it's not unusual," Smith said, add

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