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their direct appeals, they would be limited to one secondary appeal in most cases.
• South Dakota counties will be able to choose cremation instead of burial when indigent people die. Counties pay funeral and burial expenses when a destitute person dies and no one else is available to pay the costs. If no next of kin is available to decide if a destitute person is cremated or buried, county commissioners could decide. In cases involving Native Americans, that person's tribe could decide.
• Military veterans will be able to get state drivers' licenses that identify them as veterans. Including that designation on drivers' licenses will help veterans verify their status when dealing with various programs, said Steve Harding, deputy secretary of the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota election officials expect to determine early next week whether enough valid petition signatures have been submitted to refer Gov. Dennis Daugaard's controversial education plan to a public vote.
• Opponents two weeks ago submitted about 30,000 signatures, nearly double the number needed to refer the measure passed by this year's Legislature to a vote in the November election.
• Secretary of State Jason Gant says his office expects to finish checking signatures by Monday or Tuesday. If 15,885 valid signatures were submitted, the law will be suspended pending the outcome of the fall election.
• The measure would give bonuses to top teachers, phase out teacher tenure and recruit new teachers into critical subjects.
• Daugaard says the measure will improve student achievement. Opponents say it would hurt the quality of education.
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• GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) -- Authorities say they've made another arrest related to a bad batch of synthetic drugs linked to two deaths in the northern Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota.
• The Grand Forks Herald reports (http://bit.ly/MG7lPF) that 18-year-old Wesley Sweeney of Manvel has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of felony reckless endangerment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13.

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