WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- Keely Mahony, a hot balloon pilot, commercial ride operator and repairman, and owner of Black Hills Balloons, Custer, South Dakota, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation expressing concerns regarding a proposed rule that could affect balloon operations in the National Airspace System. The writer argues that the regulation limiting balloons' right of way over unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) lacks viable solutions and overlooks critic more ST

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 -- The General Accountability Office has dismissed multiple bid protests filed by Oready LLC, a small business located in Las Vegas, Nevada, against the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Education for repeated abuse of the protest process. The protests, which challenged key personnel requirements in three separate solicitations for educational support services, were dismissed after the company repeatedly submitted filings containing non-existent citations and f more ST

RAPID CITY, South Dakota, Oct. 16 -- The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology issued the following news release: * * * New Data Science and Engineering Degree Prepares Mines Grads to Tackle Real-World Challenges The demand for data scientists is skyrocketing, and South Dakota Mines is at the forefront of developing a new, highly-trained workforce equipped to take on the challenges of one of the fastest-growing fields in the world. This fall, the university launched its bachelor's degr more PR

RAPID CITY, South Dakota, Oct. 15 -- The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology issued the following news release: * * * South Dakota Mines Professor Designs First Emotion-Driven Navigation System for AI Agents Artificial Intelligence is everywhere--helping doctors detect diseases, guiding self-driving cars through traffic, powering the apps on our phones, and even supporting technologies that help older adults live more independently. Despite these breakthroughs, AI still struggles wit more PR

RAPID CITY, South Dakota, Oct. 16 -- The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology issued the following news release: * * * South Dakota Mines Receives $2 million to Advance Germanium Technologies South Dakota Mines is leading critical components of a statewide initiative advancing germanium-based technologies for both fundamental physics and medical imaging. The university's $2 million award is part of the larger $7 million National Science Foundation EPSCoR RII E-RISE grant that launched  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune Joins Ali Vitali on MSNBC * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Ali Vitali on MSNBC's Way Too Early. On Democrats' health care crisis: "I don't think you can do... a straight-up extension of the ACA tax credits, premium tax credits, they are enhanced subsidies, so they are over and above the base Obamacare program, which  more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune Joins Harris Faulkner on Fox News * U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Harris Faulkner on Fox News.  On the Gaza peace deal: "It's historic... it is really an epic development, Harris. You think about thousands of years of history and the warring that's been going on in that region and more recently... the terrible attacks from a couple of years ago... "What th more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune on the Gaza Peace Agreement * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, I want to join my colleague, Senator Grassley from Iowa, and before I begin, mention the release of the hostages on Monday. "After more than two year more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Democrats Block Bipartisan Defense Bill to Pay Our Troops * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Well, Mr. President, the Democrat Party is the party that will not take 'yes' for an answer. "We offer Democrats a clean, nonpartisan more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Schumer Celebrates the Government Shutdown While Families Suffer * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Well, good afternoon. "I think the American people are wondering when the Senate Democrats are going to end their te more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 14 * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, 'every day gets better for us.' "So said the Democrat leader in an interview published on Thursday - hours before Democrats once again voted to keep the more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 15 * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, Democrats are dug in. "Fifteen days into a government shutdown, and Democrats show no sign that they're ready for it to end. "Not even the prospect of more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 16 * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, this morning we will offer my Democrat colleagues yet another opportunity to vote to reopen the government. "To vote to reopen the government with a cle more PR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 -- The Transportation Departments of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming have submitted a public comment letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) expressing strong support for proposed changes to streamline reporting requirements associated with the State Highway Safety Grant Programs. The departments highlighted the need for reducing administrative burdens that detract from their focus on enhancing highway safety across their r more ST