Higher Ed Tech Funding: South Dakota’s Board of Regents is asking lawmakers for nearly $25 million to modernize public university technology, including $4.5 million for ongoing maintenance and a one-time $20 million Future Ready Technology Initiative aimed at replacing aging equipment, strengthening cybersecurity, and expanding AI use across classes, research, and student services. STEM in Action: South Dakota Mines’ concrete canoe team turned in its best national finish in more than 20 years, placing third nationally in canoe design and finishing top 10 in every paddling event at the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championships. Climate & Safety: Organizers are adjusting marathon schedules as warming temperatures make races harder and riskier, with Sioux Falls shifting its event to cooler months after heat forced a cancellation in 2024. Public Health Watch: A national map ranks South Dakota among the states with the highest rates of childhood tooth decay, while separate reporting flags rising bedbug infestations and concerns about potential links to hard-to-treat infections. Local Healthcare Quality: Twenty-four South Dakota hospitals earned American Heart Association recognition for improving heart disease and stroke care through quality improvement programs. Cybersecurity & Water: Reporting on regional water-system hacks says North Dakota officials report no compromised systems so far, even as neighboring states faced Iranian-linked cyberattacks. Workforce Training: Southeast Technical College broke ground on the $18 million James Abdnor Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Sioux Falls, targeting welders and machinists and expected to open in fall 2028.