The special legislation session scheduled for June 22nd has been canceled due to Veterans Affairs Administration giving an extension to a federal grant the VA Black Hills Health Care System in Hot Springs is using for funding. Read more »
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation - Health & Wellness
Box Elder - Health & Wellness
Rapid City Students Plant Garden to Donate Produce
Rapid City students and volunteers planted a garden at General Beadle Elementary school in North Rapid. Plans are to taste the veggies then donate the produce to needy families.
Read more about the student's garden and find locations of public flower gardens. Read more »
Improved Weather Brings Increased Park Usage
With spring snowstorms in the past, Memorial Day Weekend came with almost all state park campsites filled. According to the Rapid City Journal, 270,000 camping units were filled in 2012, and parks director Doug Hofer believed they would hit that level or higher in 2013.
The Black Hills region is home to four state parks and recreation areas. Read more »
Locally Grown, Farmers' Markets Set to Open in Several West River Locations
With more Americans seeking locally grown food sources, farmers' markets and community-supported agriculture (CSA) are increasing in popularity. A farmers' market features food sold directly by farmers to consumers. CSA is a 'farm share' program where, for a fee, people share the risks and rewards of farming. One such CSA is at Black Hills Health & Education Center. Read theRead more »
Lead to Improve Park at Mickelson Trail Head
A grant from the South Dakota Game Fish & Parks Department and fundraising by local schoolchildren will help the city of Lead upgrade Walt Green Park, reports the Black Hills Pioneer.
A new drinking fountain, hand rails and accessible bathrooms will be among the improvements. Read more »
Box Elder - Health & Fitness
Statistics on the health and wellness of a certain population are most often reported by county, and Box Elder is located in the eastern part of Pennington County.
In the 2013 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report, Pennington County is ranked 37th out of 57 South Dakota counties reporting. The annual rankings are made possible through a partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Read more »
Rapid City Short on Senior Services
Rapid City's senior citizens report trouble getting medical care, finding transportation and housing and recreation opportunities in a recent survey conducted by the University of South Dakota.
This Rapid City Journal article quotes Sandy Diegel of the John T. Vucurevich Foundation saying there is a need for centralized information that seniors can access. Read more »
Increase in Suicide Rates in South Dakota and Wyoming Among Highest in Nation
Suicide rates rose 48 percent in South Dakota between 1999 and 2010, according to a new report issued by the U.S. Center for Disease Control. Wyoming, with 31.1 suicides per 100,000 population, had the highest rate in the country, up 78.8 percent between 1999 and 2010. Nationally, suicides exceeded deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents in 2009. Read more »
