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local governments from setting policies targeting specific dog breeds.
• The body voted 41-28 on the measure. It passed the Senate in early February and goes next to the governor for final approval.
• Opponents to the measure say local governments should maintain the authority to set their own policies on dogs and dog breeds.
• Supporters say choice of dog breed is a personal property right. They say it's difficult to determine the breed of a dog by sight and humans should be held responsible for their dogs' behavior, not the breed.
• Communities can continue to set polices that affect all breeds of dogs.
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Aberdeen trying to return federal court to city
DIRK LAMMERS, Associated Press
• ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) -- Workers soon will begin installing a new fire sprinkler system in the old federal courthouse in Aberdeen in hopes that the renovation will help return court proceedings to the Hub City.
• The city of Aberdeen took ownership of the building through eminent domain late last year after the relationship between the U.S. General Services Administration and former building owner Green World Aberdeen deteriorated. The GSA, an independent agency that handles federal property, had been leasing the space since it sold the building to Green World in 2008, but it decided to let the lease expire because the landlord was not keeping up with new building requirements.
• U. S. District Judge Charles Kornmann suggested the city use eminent domain, which allows government entities to take possession of property if doing so is in the public good.
• Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen said losing federal court proceedings would hurt the city and region.
• "For a person here with a civil case that is at the federal level, you have to drive all the way to Pierre or Sioux Falls," Levsen said.
• The city moved forward with the purchase of the downtown building after a Brown County jury set its value at $525,000 in October. The city is using $1 million in bond money to pay for the building and its renovation.
• Officials decided to begin the design and installation of the sprinkler system ahead of any official requirements from the GSA, as the upgrades would be necessary regardless of local codes or any future lease agreement, said city attorney Adam Altman.
• "So we figured we might as well start that process since it is the most time- (Continued on page 27)
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