Latest South Dakota news, sports, business and entertainment:

PIERRE-FIREARMS Pierre recruiting firearms business PIERRE, S.D. (AP) Pierre officials are working to bring a firearms business to the area.

The executive director of the city's Economic Development Corp., Jim Protexter, says the company currently is in another state and is interested in the Pierre area.

Protexter says the business would create seven or eight new jobs. He hopes to finalize the discussions in a few months.

Information from: KCCR-AM, http://www.todayskccr.com/ NOKOTA NAME Hearing delayed in Nokota dispute Bismarck, N.D. (AP) A federal court hearing has been delayed until Dec. 3 in a dispute over who owns the right to the Nokota horse breed name.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland earlier granted an order temporarily blocking the Minnesota-based Nokota Horse Association from registering or certifying horses as Nokota, and was to hold a hearing this week on a preliminary injunction. He rescheduled the hearing at the request of the association.

The association contends it owns the legal trademark for the Nokota name. The North Dakota-based Nokota Horse Conservancy is suing, saying the conservancy coined the Nokota name and has a longer history of promoting and protecting the breed.

Promoters of the Nokota horse say it is the native horse of the Northern Plains, though they do not agree on all of the details of the breed's origins.

SIOUX FALLS EVENTS CENTER Non-profit groups worry about Sioux Falls tax hike SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Non-profit groups in Sioux Falls are worried about how to pay for a new multimillion dollar events center.

Salvation Army Maj. Betty Bender is a member of a group of non-profits that is asking the events center task force to rule out a sales tax increase. Non-profit groups say even the smallest tax increase could put a big burden on struggling families.

The group is sending a letter to the task force. One of its coordinators says increasing taxes on hotels and alcohol or on event tickets could be a better way to help pay for the center.

Information from: KELO-TV, http://www.keloland.com CAMPUS BUILDING SURGE Building surge on SD campus VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) A wellness center under construction on the University of South Dakota will be the latest addition to a building surge on the Vermillion campus.

The $15 million wellness center will open in January 2011.

The Lee Medical Building, the Muenster University Center and the Beacom School of Business have opened in the last few months.

USD President Jim Abbott says none of the buildings have been built by state taxpayers. He says that despite the tight budget times, university students want better facilities and he says more new buildings are on the horizon for USD.

Information from: WNAX-AM, http://www.wnax.com WESTERN STORM-DAKOTAS Storm ending in Dakotas RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) The storm that dumped snow in western South Dakota and brought rain to North Dakota is moving out of the region.

The National Weather Service in Rapid City canceled a winter weather advisory Friday morning for the south central part of the state, saying snow accumulations were not expected to exceed a couple of inches.

The storm dropped heavy snow in parts of western South Dakota on Thursday, including about 15 inches in the Deadwood area. It led to numerous accidents, forced the closure of some schools and the cancellation of some flights at the Rapid City airport, and prompted officials to shut down the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The storm brought mostly rain to North Dakota, boosting the level of some rivers and streams in the east and leading to a flood watch for minor flooding.

The early blast of wintry weather hit other states much harder.

It dropped 3 feet of snow and left much higher drifts across parts of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.

JUDGE RESIGNING Longtime SD judge resigning RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) Longtime 7th Circuit Judge Merton Tice is resigning.

Tice says he will hang up his robe on Jan. 10 after 36 years on the bench four years before mandatory retirement.

Tice says he is not sure if he will practice law, but he plans to work with children in some fashion. He says he has a strong interest in mediation.

Information from: KOTA-TV, http://www.kotatv.com GREAT WEST POLL USD picked first in preseason men's poll VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) The University of South Dakota men's Basketball team is picked by coaches to win the inaugural Great West Conference championship.

The Coyotes received three of the seven first-place votes and finished with 41 points in the preseason poll, three points ahead of Utah Valley, which got two first-place votes.

The rest of the top five in the poll were Chicago State, North Dakota and Houston Baptist. Chicago State and UND each got one first-place vote.

The Great West formed as a Football-only conference in February 2004 and later expanded to other sports. This season will be the first for basketball.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-30-09 1058CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list