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Dakotas officials warn of fire danger in high wind
• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Officials in South Dakota and North Dakota are warning people to guard against starting grass fires and forest fires as winds gusting up to 65 mph hit the two states Wednesday and Thursday.
• The South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division reports that the fire danger is expected to be extreme, with the strongest winds predicted for parts of western South Dakota. Chief Fire Management Officer Jim Strain says a fire would spread quickly under such windy conditions.
• The North Department of Emergency Services says any burning will be extremely dangerous, and farmers should delay field work until conditions improve. The fire danger is predicted to be high in western North Dakota.
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Rapid City mayor defends stationery costs
• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker (KWAY-kur) is defending his spending on stationery, saying the personal note cards are a good way to send official responses to constituents.
• The Rapid City Journal reports (http://bit.ly/WtQVO9 ) that the mayor's spending on stationery led to a tense discussion during Monday's city council meeting. The council later voted to acknowledge the discussion, but took no action.
• Some city council members have questioned the amount of money Kooiker spends on the note cards, asking whether it amounts to using taxpayer money to campaign for re-election. Since he took office last year, Kooiker has spent $3,729 on stationery. Former Mayor Alan Hanks spent just under $300 on stationery in his last year in office.
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Jackley releases letter from killer Robert
• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is releasing a letter he received last week from an inmate executed Monday night.
• The letter dated Oct. 8 from convicted killer Eric Robert reiterates Robert's earlier statements about the death penalty statute. Robert was executed Monday night for the killing of prison guard Ronald Johnson.
• In the letter, Robert calls on Jackley to push for a change in the death penalty law to allow for quicker executions in cases where the person is not contesting the (Continued on page 22)
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