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Vilhauer Announces Campaign Co‑Chairs as District 5 Primary Shapes Up
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Glen Vilhauer for South Dakota Senate campaign has announced that longtime community leaders LuAnn Strait and Don Roby will serve as Co‑Chairs for his 2026 re‑election effort. The announcement comes as the District 5 Republican primary is set to feature a competitive matchup between incumbent Senator Glen Vilhauer and State Representative Josephine Garcia, according to recent local filings.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 212 min read


Watertown Council Advances Strategic Growth with New Housing and Commercial Zoning
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council held the first readings of two ordinances designed to realign land use with the city’s long-term growth objectives.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 213 min read


Watertown Council Secures Neighborhood Upgrades Under Budget Amid Competitive Bidding
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council moved forward with two neighborhood street projects during its April 20 meeting, taking advantage of a competitive bidding environment to secure contracts for significantly less than initially estimated. The approved projects target both routine pavement maintenance and critical drainage issues in specific residential sectors of the city.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 212 min read


Watertown City Council Strategically Approves $3.18 Million Airport Taxiway Reconstruction
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council moved to secure long-term infrastructure at the Watertown Regional Airport on Monday night, unanimously approving a $3,181,502.70 bid award for the reconstruction of Taxiway Alpha. By accelerating the project now, city officials expect to lock in higher federal funding rates before a scheduled decrease in 2027.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 212 min read


Watertown Financial Report: Record Cash Reserves Meet Strategic Debt Limits
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - During the April 20, 2026, City Council meeting, Finance Officer Kristen Bobzien presented the city’s preliminary 2025 financial statements, revealing a picture of healthy liquidity paired with historically high debt levels. While the city ended the year with more than $110 million in cash, officials warned that major infrastructure investments have pushed the city’s borrowing capacity to its prudent limit.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 212 min read


Northeast Radio SD News Recap for Monday, April 20, 2026 (Podcast/Video)
Watertown, SD - The Northeast Radio SD newscast for Monday, April 20, 2026, hosted by Steve Jurrens, covered several local developments in Watertown and the surrounding counties.
Community & Youth Initiatives
Sixth Annual "Snack Attack": The non-profit For the Kids SD delivered over 10,300 individually wrapped snacks to approximately 4,450 students across 12 schools in the Watertown School District. Volunteers from Lake Area Tech's Business School assisted with di

Steve Jurrens
Apr 202 min read


Watertown's Road Budget: Balancing Maintenance with Community Needs
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council faced a reality check during its April 20 meeting as City Engineer Justin Petersen detailed a gap between the city’s current road budget and its actual infrastructure needs. While the city is currently managing roughly $4 million in annual street projects, Petersen identified more than $38 million in critical, unbudgeted street requirements that currently lack a funding source.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 203 min read


Watertown Flood Control Efforts Gain Momentum with $170,000 State Grant Approval
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council moved one step closer to long-term flood mitigation on Monday night, approving a resolution to accept an additional $170,000 grant from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR). The funding, provided through the State Water Resources Management System (SWRMS) program, is earmarked for the ongoing Big Sioux Flood Control Study.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 203 min read


Masons of Concord Lodge 13 Equip WPD with State-of-the-Art Firefighting Tool
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - At the April 20, 2026, Watertown City Council meeting, the Watertown Masons of Concord Lodge 13 officially presented a state-of-the-art fire suppression unit to the Watertown Police Department (WPD), marking the latest chapter in a community safety initiative that has already proven its life-saving potential.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 202 min read


The Heartland AI Ethics Forum: A “Grassroots” Approach
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Zach Thompson, representing Liberty Forge AI Consulting, took to the podium to invite the community to a forum dedicated to the moral implications of rapidly advancing technology.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 201 min read


Community Rallies Around Uecker Family After Passing of 23‑Year‑Old Renner Uecker
Northeast Radio SD News – Lake Poinsett, SD/Watertown, SD - Communities across northeast South Dakota are coming together to support the family of Renner Dean Uecker, a 23‑year‑old Watertown native who passed away on April 11 after suffering a sudden and severe brain bleed caused by a rare viral complication.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 203 min read


Watertown School District to Honor 2026 Retirees With Public Open House
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown School District will recognize its 2026 retirees next month with a community open house celebrating years of service to local students and families.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 201 min read


Lake Area Tech to Celebrate 2026 Graduates With Community‑Wide Grad Fest
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Lake Area Technical College is preparing to celebrate its 2026 graduating class with a full evening of community festivities, capped by a free outdoor musical performance on campus.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 202 min read


Northeast Radio SD News Preview: Watertown City Council to Tackle Major Infrastructure, Zoning, and Fiscal Items Tonight
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council convenes tonight, Monday, April 20, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall. The agenda includes infrastructure contracts, zoning changes, and fiscal approvals, shaping the city’s next development cycle.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 206 min read


District 4 Legislative Candidate Forum Set for May 2 in Goodwin
Northeast Radio SD News – Goodwin, SD - Voters in District 4 will have an opportunity to hear directly from this year’s legislative candidates during an open public forum scheduled for Saturday, May 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Goodwin Area Hall. The event is free and open to all residents.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 201 min read


Snack Attack 6.0 Delivers More Than 10,000 Snacks to Watertown Students on Friday
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - 4 the Kids SD brought its sixth annual Snack Attack to Watertown schools on Friday afternoon, delivering more than 10,300 individually wrapped snacks to students across the district. Deliveries began at 1:30 p.m. on April 17, with volunteers from Lake Area Technical College’s Business School joining 4 the Kids SD board members to help distribute snacks to K–12 students at 12 schools.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 192 min read


Encore Athletics Brings Home National Titles at Deep South Beach Nationals
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Encore Athletics delivered a powerhouse weekend in Orange Beach, Alabama, bringing home multiple national titles at the Deep South Beach Nationals and marking one of the strongest competitive showings in the program’s four‑year history.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 192 min read


Underground Infrastructure and Agricultural Giants: Codington County Leaders Tackle Pipeline Safety and Dairy Growth
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - From the hidden network of energy pipelines beneath the soil to the industrial dairies transforming the regional landscape, infrastructure and industry dominated the closing reports of the April 14, 2026, Codington County Board of Commissioners meeting.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 192 min read


Federal Grants Support Codington County’s Fight Against Addiction: Commissioners Renew Peer Support and Sober Housing Contracts
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - During the Tuesday, April 14, 2026, meeting, the Codington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the renewal of two critical service contracts—Face It Together and Brothers and Sisters Behind Bars—funded entirely through federal grant money.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 192 min read


Codington County’s ‘HEART’ for Resilience: ACEs Training Reaches 125 Residents
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - In a major step toward building a trauma-informed community, Codington County Community Service Director Sara Foust reported a significant turnout for recent educational sessions focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). During the April 14, 2026, Board of Commissioners meeting, Foust highlighted the success of the multi-day event, which drew a total of 125 attendees across three separate sessions.

Steve Jurrens
Apr 192 min read


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