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College and worked in the Indian education program for Rapid City Area Schools. And he's a former president of the National Indian Education Association board.
• Chairman of the State-Tribal Relations Committee Sen. Jim Bradford said it was tough to have the spot open for a few years. The Pine Ridge Democrat said he's glad to see it filled by Amiotte, who already has credibility with Native Americans in the state.
• Amiotte said he will have to re-familiarize himself with the issues affecting Native American students. He said he doesn't know much about Teach for America, for example, a federal program that sends young volunteers to teach on reservations and draws mixed support from state legislators. He said he's heard good things about the program.
• Amiotte and Bettelyoun agree that not much has changed in Indian Education in the past few decades. Funding for education and economic hardship on reservations remain issues that hurt native students. Amiotte said it's not enough to talk about curriculum, but administrators must consider a bigger picture, such as making sure students are well fed.
• "We're still having a lot of things that we need to do," he said. "I'd like to increase the test scores of Indian students. But that's going to be quite a job."
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• INTERIOR, S.D. (AP) -- A dozen trade professionals from the United Kingdom recently stayed overnight at Badlands National Park as part of an effort to draw more tourists from the U.K.
• National Park Service concessioner Forever Resorts says it partnered with the South Dakota Department of Tourism and Brand USA to host the group at Cedar Pass Lodge.
• Forever Resorts says travel is increasing from emerging markets such as China and Brazil, but most international tourists to the U.S. still come from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Gov. Dennis Daugaard is headed to Colorado to attend a regional meeting of governors.
• The Western Governors' Association 2014 annual meeting runs Sunday through Wednesday in Colorado Springs.
• On Monday, Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will give a keynote

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