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• The driest parts of South Dakota include most of the southern counties along the Nebraska border and a big part of the state west of the Missouri River.
• Phil Hofer, who farms near Bridgewater in southeastern South Dakota, said crop yields were poor last year, but that the recent rain, sleet and snow dropped up to 4 inches of moisture in his area and recharged the top two or three feet of soil.
• That will support the corn crop until it's chest-high in July, he said, though more rain will be needed this summer to provide a good yield.
• "But we're headed in the right direction, I'll say that," Hofer said. "It's improving, but we're not out of the woods yet."
• Todey said warmer and drier weather is expected in the next two weeks, which will limit the state's drought recovery.
• Because of the drought, fire danger is elevated in many areas due to dead and dry grass, said Daren Clabo, a fire meteorologist at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Grass should green up in the next two weeks and reduce the danger, he said. And Jay Esperance, director of the State Wildland Fire Division, said an expert in his agency expects no large forest fires in the Black Hills before the Fourth of July.
• Kent Juhnke, who farms and ranches near Vivian in central South Dakota, an area rated as one of the state's driest, said much of the winter wheat he planted last fall never came up. He said he will have to decide soon whether to plant milo, corn or sunflowers in those bare areas in hopes that enough rain will fall.
• Juhnke, a former state lawmaker, said recent snow and rain totaled 2 ½ inches in his area, which he said is "an attitude-changer, but not a farm-saver."
• "It's not greening up real fast, but I'm an optimist. With the moisture have we broken the cycle? I'm not convinced," Juhnke said.
• Officials also said warm temperatures have thawed the soil in most of the state, allowing the recent precipitation to soak into the soil and leaving little chance of significant flooding along rivers.
• Larry Gabriel, a rancher near Cottonwood in western South Dakota, said he received nearly 3 inches of precipitation in the past three weeks, mostly from snow. The former state agriculture secretary and state lawmaker said his family sold some cows to get through the drought, but the recent snow recharged the top layer of soil.
• "Hopes are up, and that's what it takes to be a farmer or rancher," Gabriel said.
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• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Two men have been charged with soliciting a minor after officers conducted an online sting.

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