Rural EMS Funding: South Dakota lawmakers are lining up around new federal Rural Health Transformation money, aiming to build regional EMS hubs and a “15-minutes-to-life” approach that strengthens the closest trained response without promising an ambulance at every driveway. Medicaid Accountability: A Pierre woman, Sharon Laraye Monson, got a 10-year suspended prison sentence and $500,000 restitution after pleading guilty to grand theft tied to more than $588,000 in Medicaid fraud. Nutrition in Schools: The state Department of Education awarded four more Farm to School grants (totaling $99,487 across 10 districts), including raised garden beds in Leola and hydroponic units in Sioux Falls and Viborg-Hurley. ER Wait Times: National data shows average emergency department wait times near 2.5 hours, with South Dakota among states around 119 minutes. MyChart Scam Warning: Health systems including Avera are warning patients about MyChart-branded phishing messages impersonating Medicare or wellness offers. Workforce & Health Costs: South Dakota ranks high on healthcare cost burden (15.23% of income) and is also highlighted in broader “hardest-working” rankings—both signals to watch for stress and access pressures. Community Health Tech: Minnehaha County has started public discussion on data center regulations, a local move that can affect health and services planning.