Family & Community

Smithfield’s move out of downtown Sioux Falls opens more than industrial land. It creates a rare opportunity to rethink the city’s riverfront, convention center plans, and long-term growth strategy. Here’s what this decision could mean for Falls Park, downtown momentum, and the interstate corridor.

Preliminary results from the South Dakota Affordability Project show more than half of respondents have taken on additional work due to rising costs, while a strong majority feel local leaders do not fully understand housing pressures.

Over the past several decades, parenting in America has shifted from a private family responsibility to a public debate shaped by schools, medical systems, and government institutions. Research shows how and why that change occurred.

Data from the Dakotas and the Midwest shows persistent economic, health, and education challenges facing many Lakota communities, alongside ongoing efforts to preserve culture and rebuild long-term stability.

Two North Carolina teenagers were killed in a head-on DUI crash after authorities say an undocumented driver crossed the center line. The case has raised renewed questions about enforcement, licensing, and public safety.

Official crime statistics don’t always reflect what families experience on the ground. This article examines why reported crime data alone fails to measure public safety—and how victimization, trust, and community order tell a fuller story.

Over the last decade, Americans have been told a simple story: children are struggling, mental health is deteriorating, and schools must step in to fill the gap. The argument is often framed as compassionate and unavoidable — if families cannot meet the moment, institutions must.

American family life is often discussed as if it rises or falls based on private choices alone. But a growing body of research points to something bigger and less comfortable: families don’t operate in a vacuum. When social connection breaks down at the community level, the impact shows up in mental health, youth outcomes, trust, and long-run stability. Three major research streams help clarify what’s happening: public health research on loneliness and isolation, national yo