Black Hills National Forest campgrounds are scheduled to open Friday, May 14, and seasonal gates will open Saturday, May 15.

The Black Hills National Forest has 30 campgrounds with more than 680 individual sites. Many of the campgrounds on the Black Hills National Forest are operated by a Forest Service recreation service partner, Forest Recreation Management, (FRM) Inc. based in Hill City, SD, under a concession permit.

The fees in the Forest Service campgrounds range from $14 to $26 per night. Group camping is also available with advanced reservations near Pactola Reservoir and Sheridan Lake.

Many campgrounds have on-site hosts who can help provide information about nearby trails and outdoor activities in the area. While electric, sewer, water hook-ups and showers are not available, most campgrounds have potable water and either flush or vault toilets.

Note: Cook Lake Campground and Cliff Swallow Trail (near Cook Lake), on the Bearlodge Ranger District, will also open Friday, May 14, 2021. Cook Lake has been open for day-use only due to landslide concerns and a spillway reconstruction project. Landslide monitoring, including an audible siren, will continue on the west side of the lake, and this area will remain closed to the public. FRM will have a campground host on site. The State of Wyoming stocked the lake with over 8,000 fish in Spring 2020.  A new kayak/canoe launch area is also available for use on the south side of the lake.

To reserve most Black Hills National Forest campsites, visit http://www.recreation.gov/ or call Toll Free 1-877-444-6777. Due to high demand, reservations are recommended.

Seasonal closed roads and trails are identified on the current Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) and will open Saturday, May 15.

Please remember that even if a road or trail is open, driving on soft surfaces or where rutting has been observed should be avoided until drier conditions prevail. Roads and trails in the hills may be unsuitable for driving until they dry out from recent moisture.

Damaging forest roads and lands is against the law. The legal and financial consequences can be steep, and damages done to the land can take years to repair.

For questions, please contact a local Forest Service office.

For more information on Black Hills National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills.

Governor Kristi Noem has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sundown on today in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day. Additionally, flags are to be flown at half-staff statewide from sunrise until sundown on Saturday, May 15 in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day.

The State of South Dakota will honor fallen law enforcement officers with ceremonies on today. The state traditionally recognizes Peace Officers Memorial Day on the Wednesday of Police Week. President Joseph R. Biden has proclaimed Saturday, May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. President Biden’s proclamation can be found here.

There will be a special meeting for the Board of City Commissioners of the City of Chamberlain today at 12:00 p.m.  via teleconference to consider the following matter: Executive session – personnel.  Normal Chamberlain City meeting typically take place the first and third Monday of each month.

The Gregory City Council will hold a special meeting on
Monday, May 10th at 6:00 p.m. at Gregory City Hall located at120 West  6th St. The purpose of the meeting is in regards to  filling the position of City Administrator/Finance Officer for the City of Gregory.  The council will meet in executive session.

Due to COVID-19 and other safety concerns, several changes will be happening to Rangeland and Soils Days this summer.

The event will focus solely on the Go-Getter (14-to-18-year-old) division. The Go-Getters will judge habitat suitability for cattle and grouse, in addition to plant identification and morphology. New Wrangler (8-to-10-year-old) and Wrangler (11-to-13-year-old) divisions will not be held in 2021. There will be no student talks or displays this year. These aspects of Rangeland and Soils Days will return in 2022.

Due to these changes, the event will be one day, June 2, and will be held in two locations — Murdo and Redfield. Registration will be $5 per individual.

“Go-Getters can come as an individual or as a team of three-to-four members from the county 4-H program or FFA chapter,” says Krista Ehlert, Assistant Professor and South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Range Specialist. “The top Go-Getter range team and the top Go-Getter soils team in 4-H from each event location will represent South Dakota at the National Land and Range Judging Contest held in May of the following year (2022) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.”

Since South Dakota hasn’t sent any Go-Getters to nationals in the past two years due to COVID-19, Ehlert says the state will send two 4-H range teams and two 4-H soils teams for the National 2022 competition.

The event in Murdo will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. CST at the Murdo Rodeo Arena, with participants departing for the site at 9 a.m. To register for Murdo, please pay by check to: Jones County Conservation District and mail to P.O. Box 298, Murdo, South Dakota 57559. For questions about location details at the Murdo event, contact Valerie Feddersen at 605-530-2020, and for contest details, contact Emily Helms at 605-570-2180.

The event in Redfield will start with registration at noon CST in the basement of the Spink County Court House, with departure for the site at 12:30 p.m. If you are participating in Redfield, please pay by check to Spink County Conservation District and mail to 628 Second St. SW., Redfield, South Dakota 57469. For questions about the Redfield event, contact Lance Howe at 605-460-0846.

No meals will be provided at either location, however there will be a short awards presentation at the end of the judging contests.

The Chaduza Cook Off is coming back to Valentine, Nebraska on Saturday June 12^th for a time to sharpen one’s outdoor grilling culinary skills. There will be categories for burgers, ribs and chicken and one lucky winner will walk off with a Green Mountain Grill from the raffle. For more information contact Dean Jacobs at the Valentine Chamber at 402-376-5138.

South Dakota is home to nearly 14,000 beef farms and ranches caring for 4 million head of cattle, outnumbering state residents 4.5 to 1. May is Beef Month and the South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) believes this is the perfect time to highlight all our hardworking beef farmers and ranchers and all they do to bring a high-quality protein to the table.

Governor Kristi Noem signed the proclamation officially declaring May as Beef Month in South Dakota on April 26, 2021. The SDBIC worked alongside the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources to organize the proclamation as summer continues to be the peak season for beef sales with an average of approximately 30 percent of yearly beef dollars captured between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

SDBIC President, Laurie Johnson believes May is the perfect time to thank our beef farmers and ranchers “South Dakota beef farmers and ranchers work tirelessly year-round to bring a high-quality protein to our tables, we want to thank them for all of their hard work and to encourage everyone to choose BEEF this summer.”

The SDBIC will be implementing their newest “Reclaim the Summer” campaign encouraging you to get out and celebrate summer as you choose beef this grilling season! Beef will also be highlighted at several events across the state throughout the month including the Prairie Fire Steak Contest, Deadwood Xtreme Bulls, and the Sioux Falls Storm’s opening Hall of Fame Game taking place on May 15, 2021. South Dakota’s Junior Beef Ambassadors will be working within their local communities promoting our favorite protein!

Learn more about May Beef Month and the efforts of the SDBIC by following our Facebook Page (@SDBeef).

The South Dakota Beef Industry Council works on behalf of South Dakota beef producers through the $1 Beef Checkoff program.

For more information on Beef Checkoff and statewide efforts visit www.sdbeef.org and www.MyBeefCheckoff.com or contact Suzy Geppert at sgeppert@sdbeef.org.