Thursday,  Feb. 13, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 212 • 28 of 38

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SD health care sign-ups reach more than 5,000

• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- More than 5,000 South Dakota residents signed up for private health insurance during the first four months of the nation's federally run online marketplace.
• A report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released Wednesday said 5,077 South Dakotans selected plans through the new marketplace from Oct. 1 through Feb. 1. Of those enrollees, nearly 4,500 chose a plan with financial assistance.
• South Dakota is one of 36 states relying on the federal HealthCare.gov website to sign people up for insurance under the national health overhaul. Technical problems with the HealthCare.gov website during the first three months kept many people from signing up.
• The Obama administration had set a goal of signing up 7 million people nationwide by March 31.

SD woman convicted of child abuse sent to prison

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A southern South Dakota woman who pleaded guilty to child abuse charge has been sentenced to one year in prison.
• The U.S. District Attorney in South Dakota on Wednesday announced that a 35-year-old Bonesteel woman will also be subject to three years of probation and will have to pay more than $17,000 in fines.
• The woman pleaded guilty in November.
• Federal authorities say the woman left her children under her husband's supervision even though she knew he was sexually abusing some of them. Authorities say the abuse happened in 2011.
• The Associated Press did not identify the woman and her husband to protect the identities of the children.
• The woman's husband pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and sexual contact with a minor last year.

Man sentenced to 3 years in prison in abuse case

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- A southern South Dakota man who pleaded guilty to an abusive sexual contact charge has been sentenced to three years in prison.
• The U.S. District Attorney in South Dakota on Wednesday announced that 26-year-old Joseph Blue Bird was also sentenced to five years of probation and or

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