• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Fourteen South Dakota National Guard soldiers who served nine months overseas are back on U.S. soil.
• The soldiers with the Sioux Falls-based 927th Engineer Detachment arrived at Fort Bliss in Texas on Monday night. They will return to South Dakota after going through the demobilization process, which takes about a week.
• The soldiers helped with engineering projects in Kuwait and Afghanistan.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The members of South Dakota's congressional delegation are urging the U.S. Forest Service to consider using a soon-to-be retired Air Force aircraft to fight wildland fires in the Black Hills and other states in the Rocky Mountain region.
• The congressional delegation says the Air Force plans to divest itself of up to 21 C-27J aircraft, and the Forest Service has the right of first refusal to acquire the aircraft without additional cost to taxpayers.
• Republican Sen. John Thune, Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson and Republican Rep. Kristi Noem say the aircraft would be placed at Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City to help protect the Black Hills area from fires.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Gov. Dennis Daugaard has announced that South Dakota is accepting proposals through the end of May for development and restoration of buildings on the old campus of the Human Services Center in Yankton.
• Daugaard says the majority of buildings on the campus have been vacant for decades, but the state is seeking interested parties to restore a show barn, dairy barn and other buildings.
• The state government is working with the Yankton Office of Economic Development to solicit proposals for the buildings that would complement economic development priorities for Yankton and South Dakota.
• Proposals can be submitted to Mike Dellinger at the Yankton Office of Economic Development, 803 East Fourth Street in Yankton, or by calling 605-665-9011.

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