Saturday,  April 26, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 282 • 20 of 31

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• Beyond the personal benefits, being the first South Dakotans to challenge the ban builds momentum, she said.
• South Dakota would be the 29th state with a marriage equality court case, Human Rights Campaign said.
• "There are so many states that are challenging state laws that if this ever goes to the Supreme Court, if every state has some kind of lawsuit happening in it, the Supreme Court can't ignore it," Robrahn said.
• Robrahn said she and Rosenkranz considered hyphenating their names but quickly determined it wouldn't fit on blank checks or a driver's license. So they combined the two and will be introduced Saturday as "Mrs. And Mrs. Rosenbrahn."
• Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, who has already officiated one same-sex wedding since taking her post in January, said she enthusiastically accepted the invitation to marry the couple from a neighboring state. Hodges said she is fully aware the nuptials will be used to make a legal case.
• "I fought very hard for marriage equality in Minnesota. Every state in our country should allow people to marry the person they love. That is equally true for South Dakota. If that makes that real in that state, I'm proud to be part of it," Hodges said.
• After Minnesota passed its gay marriage law last May, then-Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak embarked on a regional tour to tout his city as a destination for gay couples who wanted to wed but couldn't do so legally in their home state.

26 apply to be Rapid City's next police chief

• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Rapid City Mayor San Kooiker (KWAY'-kur) says 26 people have applied to be the city's next police chief.
• Chief Steve Allender is retiring on May 30, after 29 years in law enforcement. The application deadline for his position closed Wednesday.
• Kooiker says a committee will be formed to review the applications. The mayor eventually will appoint a new chief, who will need to be confirmed by the City Council.
• Kooiker says the process could take up to four months. An interim chief likely will be named to oversee the police department during the selection process.

Rapid City courting energy-related businesses

• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Economic development officials believe the southwestern South Dakota city of Rapid City is in a prime spot to lure more energy-related businesses -- even though it's not in the heart of energy territory.

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