Native Prairie Restoration: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation plans to release 50 bison into nearly 40,000 acres in Badlands National Park on Oct. 6, aiming to restore native prairie ecosystems after past cattle grazing and to rebuild habitat for plants like sage and prairie turnip. Food Access & Nutrition: SDSU Extension’s Double Up Food Bucks South Dakota will match SNAP spending on fruits and vegetables at participating Buche Foods and Buche Gus Stop locations, helping families stretch grocery budgets while supporting healthier eating. Farm to School Month: South Dakota Specialty Producers Association is highlighting Farm to School Month in October, promoting local, fresh meals for students and farm-to-classroom learning that can benefit both kids’ nutrition and farmers’ income. Health Care & Research: South Dakota Mines’ Tuğba Özdemir won “Coolest Thing Made in the Black Hills” for a filtration device that separates hyaluronic acid from blood and could improve cancer research and reduce invasive biopsies. Medication Pricing Accountability: South Dakota joined a coalition seeking preliminary federal approval of a $400 million Sandoz/Fougera generic drug settlement, with eligible buyers (2009–2019) potentially receiving funds routed to the Medicaid program. Reproductive Health Policy: An appeals court denied South Dakota’s bid to enforce a law criminalizing abortion-pill advertising while a constitutional challenge continues. Community Health Services: Children’s Home Society of South Dakota is preparing a Rapid City campus grand opening Oct. 20, adding life-skills and family engagement spaces to expand mental health and family support in western South Dakota.