Friday,  July 13, 2012 • Vol. 12--No. 365 • 16 of 32 •  Other Editions

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this week that a "significant" number of hours passed before police were notified about the girl's death.
• Sara Rabern, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office, declined Thursday to provide any details about the girl's death, but said it was reported on July 4. She said an autopsy is pending.
• Rabern said she did not know if the couple had an attorney.
• The 11-year-old boy's mother was the guardian of the 2-year-old girl. The woman and her husband, who isn't the father of either child, were already being held on minor, unrelated charges, Hein has said.
• The couple was charged with the new charges on Thursday, Rabern said.
• Under a state law passed earlier this year, a parent or guardian who knowingly fails to report a child's death within six hours could face a felony charge punishable

by up to five years in prison.
• South Dakota's new law is modeled after Florida's "Caylee's Law." The law was passed in Florida in response to the death 2-year-old Caylee Anthony, who wasn't reported missing until 31 days after she vanished in 2008 in Orlando.
• South Dakota's law, which also makes failure to report a missing child within 48 hours a misdemeanor, had not been previously used.

Most of SD in moderate to severe drought

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A report shows most of South Dakota is in moderate to severe drought, with conditions worsening.
• The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that 77 percent of South Dakota is now considered to be in moderate to severe drought. Nearly 20 percent of the state is in severe drought.
• State Climatologist Dennis Todey (TAH'-dee) says this is the most widespread drought in the Corn Belt since 1988. He says precipitation across the state last week was less than one inch, except for the northwest and some other local areas.
• Todey says nearly all parts of South Dakota have set records for average temperatures since March 1, and precipitation has been well below average in the past 60 days.
• Officials say hay production is suffering and row crops are showing signs of stress.

USDA loan to help SE Electric improve line

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