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JOHNSON-NAIS US Attorney Johnson to chair subcommittee SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) The U.S. attorney for South Dakota, Brendan Johnson, will chair an American Indian issues subcommittee that reports to the nation's attorney general.

The Native American Issues Subcommittee is part of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys.

The subcommittee makes policy recommendations on public safety and legal issues in Indian country and implements the Department of Justice's Indian country policies.

REGIONAL HEALTH-Nursing HomeS Regional Health selling 3 nursing homes BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. (AP) Regional Health of Rapid City plans to sell three nursing homes to a Minnesota company.

Regional Health Chief Operating Officer Tim Sughrue says the Fox Family Trust has agreed to purchase the properties and lease them to Mission HealthCare, LLC, of Jordan, Minn.

The nursing homes are David M. Dorsett Regional Senior Care in Spearfish, Belle Fourche Regional Senior Care and Sunpointe Regional Senior Care, an assisted living center within the Belle Fourche facility.

Sughrue says the deal could be completed as early as the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2010. He says patients shouldn't notice any changes.

Sughrue says Regional Health is shifting its focus to clinics and hospitals.

Information from: Black Hills Pioneer, http://www.bhpioneer.com JACKLEY-prescription drugs AG says prescription drug system needed MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) Attorney General Marty Jackley says a system is needed for doctors to see what drugs have been prescribed to the patients they encounter.

Jackley says there are no checks and balances and the problem needs to be dealt with.

The former U.S. attorney for South Dakota says prescription drug abuse has spiked during the past three years.

The office prosecuted 50 cases in 2007. The number doubled in 2008 and it's expected to come in at 156 this year.

Jackley says the state Department of Health ideally would handle the project.

He says the attorney general's office is also willing to address the issue.

Information from: The Daily Republic, http://www.mitchellrepublic.com SENATE RACE Thune so far has no Democratic challenger PIERRE, S.D. (AP) South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Cheryl Chapman says even though the party has no Senate candidate with less than a year until the 2010 election, Democrats plan a strong challenge against heavily funded Republican Sen. John Thune.

But University of South Dakota political science professor Bill Richardson says potential Democratic candidates likely are hesitant to run against Thune because he is popular and has a huge advantage in campaign fundraising. His campaign reported it had $5.5 million cash on hand as of Sept. 30.

Thune is seeking a second term in the Senate seat he won in a narrow race against then-Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004. He says he is surprised no Democrat has entered the Senate race so far, but he expects someone will challenge him.

MURALS RESTORED Restored murals reinstalled at Orpheum Theater SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) After a yearlong restoration project, two murals that are original to the 1913 Orpheum Theater in Sioux Falls have been reinstalled.

In 1927, the theater originally a vaudeville house became a movie house and stayed that way until 1954, when the Sioux Empire Community Playhouse acquired it. The city took over the building in 2002, and now a private company rents and runs the theater.

One account says there originally were six murals. In the 1970s, two were sent to New York to be restored. They never came back.

The newly refurbished murals had been hand delivered to the Minneapolis-based restorers.

No one really knew the murals existed when they city first acquired the building. One was found rolled up in a tube in a closet.

Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-15-09 1554CST | save this article / add to your favorites list