Latest South Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:

MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT Mental health summit set for Pierre PIERRE, S.D. (AP) South Dakota's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will hold a mental health summit Tuesday and Wednesday in Pierre.

The summit will involve various officials with the state and federal governments, the private sector and military and veteran network partners.

Topics will include how to combat mental health stigma, how to identify mental health experts in the state and how to set up a dialogue to ensure military members and their families are served as they should be.

The summit is to be held at the amphitheater at the George S.

Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre.

Information from: KGFX-AM, http://www.dakotaradiogroup.com WATER WOES 13-plus inches of rain have left Claremont soaked CLAREMONT, S.D. (AP) Families in the Claremont area are dealing with the effects of huge amounts of rain this fall.

The area has gotten at least 13 inches of rain since Labor Day.

Some locals say water is sitting in places they've never seen before, causing problems with basements and soggy fields. At least one home has been sandbAgged to ward off approaching water, and more than a few families are considering temporarily moving.

Some say a bad winter in Marshall and McPherson counties or in North Dakota could cause problems later because the water comes to the area.

Information from: Aberdeen American News, http://www.aberdeennews.com TRAIL CLOSED High water closes SD snowmobile trail ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) The Dakota Midland snowmobile trail system in the Aberdeen area will be closed this winter because there's too much standing water.

High water that's persisted since the spring snowmelt has flooded many rights of way in the 93-mile trail system.

Officials say there's a concern that snowmobilers or trail groomers could break through the ice into 2 to 6 feet of water.

SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS Virtual conference to explore new 'bioeconomy' LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and North Dakota State University will be among the presenters at a 13-state conference that will explore Agricultural solutions to climate and energy issues.

The conference, "Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability," will be offered through distance-learning technology, with keynote sessions originating at different sites.

Nebraskans can go to Mahoney State Park near Ashland to watch the UNL-hosted session and those broadcast from other sites. North Dakotans can participate from the NDSU campus.

South Dakota State University is a conference co-host.

UNL extension educator John Hay says the conference will offer a one-day primer in what's at stake.

The conference costs $80 in advance, $95 at the door.

LEOPARD CASE SD judge affirms conviction in smuggling case ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) A Feb. 1 sentencing date has been set for an Aberdeen man convicted of smuggling a leopard hide into the United States after killing the animal during a hunting trip to South Africa.

A jury also convicted Wayne D. Breitag of filing false import permits for leopard hides for himself and another man.

U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann on Tuesday denied Breitag's motion to set aside the jury's Oct. 30 verdicts and acquit him.

CHURCH DONOR Anonymous donor helps Sioux Falls church SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) An anonymous donor is helping a century-old Sioux Falls church that is facing a financial crunch.

Augustana Lutheran Church Pastor Jon Halvorson says the person offered to donate $2,500 if the congregation raised the same amount. In nine weeks, the church raised $9,000.

Halvorson says paying the bills has become more difficult for the church because of an expansion project, a smaller congregation and the start of another church ministry.

The pastor says the fundraiser has helped boost the church's energy. He says the money not only supports the building, but also youth programs and a food pantry.

Information from: KELO-TV, http://www.keloland.com FLYING ON EMPTY Full gas tanks could stop many small plane crashes DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Aviation officials say there's a simple way to prevent hundreds of small plane crashes: fill up the gas tank.

The National Transportation Safety Board says running out of fuel has been a cause or factor in 238 small plane crashes in the past five years.

Those crashes have killed 29 people.

The NTSB says there were 8,016 crashes of civilian planes from 2004 through 2008. That category excludes commercial flights and military aviation.

Pilot error is blamed in about 75 percent of those crashes, which killed 2,640 people on board.

Tom Haueter (HOW'-der) is director of the NTSB's Office of Aviation Safety. He says while continuing to fly into bad weather is a common error, running out of gas is also "way at the top." (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-29-09 1624CST | save this article / add to your favorites list