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derstorms Tuesday afternoon spawned the tornado.
• The twister was on the ground for 2.5 miles and was 300 yards wide. It uprooted and snapped many large Ponderosa Pine trees and caused minor roof damage to a house. No injuries were reported.
• The weather service says an employee in the Black Hills National Forest spotted the funnel cloud touch ground about 1:15 p.m. MDT.
• The storm system also produced hail up to the size of golf balls near Keystone, Hill City, Pactola Reservoir and Sheridan Lake.
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• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of farms in South Dakota remained stable in 2013.
• The department tallied 32,000 farms and ranches in the state, the same number as in 2012.
• Land in farms and ranches totaled 43.3 million acres last year and the average size of operation was 1,353 acres.
• The department says the number of farms and ranches with less than $100,000 in agricultural sales declined by 200 compared to 2012, while operations with more than $100,000 increased by 200.
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• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- The annual report of the office of the U.S. Attorney in South Dakota is underscoring a number of convictions in sex trafficking cases.
• U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson on Wednesday announced the release of the 2013 report.
• Johnson says human trafficking continued to be a priority. The document highlights the conviction of a defendant in a sex trafficking case who received three life sentences.
• The report states that three defendants received sentences of 33½ years, 30 years, and 10 years. Eleven more people were indicted on sex trafficking and related charges, while others were convicted and scheduled for sentencing.
• Johnson says the accomplishments of his office were significant despite staff reductions and other changes due to automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration.
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