• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota ranchers who lost livestock in an early autumn blizzard will soon find out how the money collected will be distributed.
• Organizers of the Ranchers Relief Fund plan to hold a news conference Friday at the fairgrounds in Rapid City.
• It will include an update on the fund, the distribution process for donated money to ranch families and other information.
• The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, Cattlemen's Association, Sheep Growers Association, Black Hills Area Community Foundation and representatives from the Volunteers Active in Disasters will take part.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- The South Dakota Department of Agriculture says landowners who had their pine trees sprayed this year to protect them from mountain pine beetles have noted that trees are still getting lost.
• State forester Ray Sowers says some landowners that had dozens to hundreds of trees sprayed by commercial services have reported tree losses from mountain pine beetle attack at anywhere from 20 to 60 percent or more.
• That's much higher than what the department has seen in the past.
• A normal loss from spraying is anywhere from 0 percent to 3 percent.
• Pine trees are sprayed in the spring and early summer to protect the tree from attack by the mountain pine beetle. They're preventative measures, as once beetles infest a tree there are no treatments that can save it.
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• AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Hallie Christofferson hit her second double-double of the season, scoring 25 points and nabbing 12 rebounds to lead Iowa State to an 88-72 victory over South Dakota on Wednesday night.
• Christofferson sank 7 of 21 from the floor and was perfect from the foul line, hitting 10 of 10. She also had two assists for the Cyclones (2-0). Guard Nicky Moody scored 20 points with four rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Brynn Williamson hit 6 of 9 from the floor and 3 of 9 from the 3-point line for a total of 18 points.

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