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The voice of central South Dakota since 1881
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 www.capjournal.com Volume 132, Issue No. 124 75¢CTHE LANDYucca blooms
across Pierre A2
Area News A2-A3 Region A4 Health A5 Sports B1-B2 Comics B4 Entertainment B5 Classi� eds B5-B6
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Drug o� enses, sex crimes up in SD in 2012PIERRE, S.D. (AP) —
Arrests for drug offenses, sex crimes and assaults all increased in South Dakota last year, according to a report released Monday.
Attorney General Marty Jackley said the annual crime report for 2012 shows a 2.5 per-cent increase in assaults over the year, a 9 percent rise in sex offenses and a 17 percent jump
in drug arrests. Total criminal offenses rose 11 percent from 2011, to more than 62,000.
There were 17 arrests for homicide or negligent man-slaughter last year, and thefts
totaled more than $20 million worth of property loss.
“Our criminal statistics reflect that over all South Dakota remains a relatively safe place to live as a result
of law enforcement efforts, strong community involve-ment, and a supportive leg-islature,” Jackley said in a statement. “However, experi-encing an increase in crimi-nal activity justifies the need to examine further strength-ening crime prevention and enforcement efforts especially in the sex offense and violent crime areas.”
Arrests for drug o� enses, sex crimes and assaults all increased in South Dakota last year, according to a report released Monday. Total criminal o� enses rose 11 percent from 2011, to more than 62,000.
Avera St. Mary’s to start renovation next monthBY DAVID [email protected]
Avera St. Mary’s Hospital will undergo renovations this sum-mer to take advantage of avail-able space and offer a better patient experience.
The scheduled changes include building a new six-unit intensive care unit and nurses’ station at the east end of the fourth floor; moving the medical and surgical unit to the fourth floor also; and creating 18 large, private rooms; and moving the outpatient treatment center to the second floor. Also, the eight post-partum rooms in the family center will be remodeled into four larger suites to better fit family members.
The hospital has contracted with BWBR Architects Inc, from St. Paul, Minn., to help with the work that is scheduled to begin in July and go until September.
According to a media release by the hospi-tal, the work is also the first step in a larger plan for how the hospital and s u r r o u n d -ing campus will develop through the end of the decade.
A m a n d a Bacon, a spokeswoman for the hospi-tal, said the major change people will notice is when they come to visit friends or family. They will now travel to the fourth floor instead of the second. That space has been vacant since the transition-al care unit moved to Maryhouse about a month and a half ago.
“That area has been sitting and waiting,” Bacon said.
The changes will maintain the current bed count and are about making the best use out of the space and maintaining a high level of care for the patients, she said.
Bacon emphasized the idea of the hospital continuing to have large, private rooms. The new family center rooms continue on that theme, changing what are currently eight cramped spaces, she said.
“Once you get Mom, bassi-nette and Dad in there, it gets pretty crowded,” she said.
The hospital has always tried to provide those type of rooms, even though when it was origi-nally built the trend was more toward double occupancy rooms with just a curtain between patients, Bacon said.
Scheduled changes • Building a new six-unit intensive care unit and nurses’ station at the east end of the fourth � oor• Moving the medical and surgical unit to the fourth � oor• Creating 18 large, private rooms• Moving the outpatient treatment center to the second � oor• Remodeling the eight post-partum rooms in the family center into four larger suites to better � t family membersF
OR STEPHANIE Arne, in the cir-cle of life – and animal care – all things come back
to where they started.Arne, a former Pierre
resident competing to become the host of a nature program web series, was back in town talk-ing to a group of roughly 60 children who gathered at the South Dakota Discovery Center Monday.
Arne and fellow presenter Tim Davison showed off a variety of animals such as Madagascar hissing cock-roaches, golden-knee taran-tulas, a red-tailed boa con-strictor, an African tortoise and a green iguana while teaching about conservation and respecting wildlife.
The animals came from Wildlife Encounters, a non-profit animal rescue in Gretna, Neb., where Davison works. Davison said he has
toured the 48 contiguous states with animals from the rescue, speaking in front of an estimate 1 million stu-dents.
Davison and Arne met while both were semifinal-ists for a contest sponsored
by insurance firm Mutual of Omaha to host a new web series based on its Wild Kingdom nature program. Arne, a wildlife educator at the Honolulu Zoo, was selected
as a finalist at the end of last month.
Despite Davison being edged out by Arne for a finalist position, the two decided to pair up for the tour, with Davison citing the “If you can’t beat them, join them” philosophy.
After Pierre, the two will head to Brookings and then to Sioux Falls, where they will talk to more groups and do television and radio interviews about Arne’s quest for the hosting job.
Arne was emotional about bringing the tour to Pierre, especially after the support the community has shown her in the competition.
“I left here to go search for my dream and it’s really come full circle,” she said.
Arne said it’s a dream to come back and give this experience to the children in Pierre, especially since
she doesn’t remember hav-ing this sort of opportunity when she was younger. She said she wishes someone had told her at that age how she could work with ani-mals.
“I would have started being a hard-core wildlife warrior at 6 years old,” she
BY ALLISON [email protected]
More than 200,000 chil-dren call South Dakota home, but how does their home state rank compared to others?
An annual Kids Count report revealed that South Dakota ranks 18th in the country for children’s well-
being based on health, education, economic well-being and family and com-munity indicators.
The report – a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation – released last weekend takes a look at the welfare of children in each state and on average nationwide.
South Dakota’s ranking
is a slight drop from its number 17 spot last year. The state also saw a minor drop in its education rank, 21st to 22nd, and family and community rank, 21st to 24th.
The good news? South Dakota’s economic well-being rank went up from fourth to third in the nation, and the state’s
health rank rose from 43rd last year to 38th.
Carole Cochran, Kids Count project director, said one of the factors driving South Dakota’s strong eco-nomic well-being ranking is the increase in teens ages 16 to 19 who are attending school or working.
SD earns mixed bag in child well-being ranking
Sarah Thompson, left, reads to Jylia Fallis, center, and Ben Mur-phy at Children’s Castle in Pierre. (Justin Joiner/Capital Journal)
Wildlife host contestant brings animal kingdom to PierreBY DAVID ROOKHUYZEN | [email protected]
Stephanie Arne feeds grapes to Wiki, a green iguana, during a demonstra-tion at the South Dakota Discovery Center Monday. (David Rookhuyzen/Capital Journal)
Tim Davison, left, and Stephanie Arne hold a green iguana and a red-tail boa constrictor that were part of their animal demonstration at the South Dakota Discovery Center Monday. (David Rookhuyzen/Capital Journal)
“I left here to go search for my dream and it’s really come full circle,” Stephanie Arne, wildlife host contestant
See KIDS, A6
See WILDLIFE, A6
To support Stephanie Arne to be the next Wild Kingdom host, like her Facebook page or visit her website at stephaniearne.com
Yucca blooms
FOR SALEFort Pierre group
hearing offers after Microtel plan fails A3
DROUGHTOfficial: Eastern
SD recovered from drought A3
