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UNEMPLOYMENT-CITIES Most larger SD cities' jobless rates up in October SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Yankton's 6.9 percent unemployment rate in October was the highest among South Dakota's largest cities, rising from September's 6.6 percent.

The figures, from the state Department of Labor, also show Watertown's October rate at 6.7 percent, up from 6.4 percent the month before.

Rapid City was third, with 5.7 percent unemployment, followed by Sioux Falls, 5.1 percent and Mitchell, 4.2 percent. Mitchell's October rate dropped from 4.8 percent in September.

The statewide unemployment rate for October was 4.5 percent. The U.S. jobless rate hit a 26-year high of 10.2 percent in October.

ROUNDS-BUDGET Rounds: Tough budget year ahead PIERRE, S.D. (AP) As the clock ticks on toward his Dec. 8 address to South Dakota lawmakers, Gov. Mike Rounds says most of the decisions on the next state budget already have been made and that no one will be happy with the budget plan.

The governor says the challenge is to minimize the financial problems while continuing to provide needed services.

Rounds has delivered numerous speeches about the budget to groups in cities across the state. He says he has held informational meetings with groups in the education and social services fields in the past few days.

The governor has said it will be a tough budget year because of low projected revenues and that cuts in programs and services are possible.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING-SD Bargain hunters hit SD stores SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Bargain hunters were out in force around South Dakota on the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season.

At the Best Buy in Sioux Falls, lines started forming at 9 p.m.

Thursday, even though the store did not open until 5 a.m. Friday.

Officials at the Sioux Falls Target said lines there starting forming late Thursday, as well, and when the doors opened Friday an estimated 750 people rushed into the store.

Many stores are taking extra safety precautions this year, after the death of a Walmart worker on Black Friday last year in New York. At the Target store in Rapid City, Assistant Manager Holly Thingelstad says workers have a "zero tolerance" policy when it comes to aggressive shoppers.

A survey of members by the South Dakota Retailers Association found that 44 percent of businesses anticipated a good to excellent final three months of the year. Another 40 percent predicted a fair last quarter, while only 14 percent expected a poor performance.

LOTTERY WINNER ND retailer sells lotto ticket worth $1.6 million Grafton, N.D. (AP) North Dakota Lottery officials say a winning Wild Card 2 jackpot ticket worth more than $1.6 million was sold by a Grafton retailer. It is the largest lottery jackpot in state history.

The ticket sold at the Wally's grocery store had not yet been claimed Friday morning. Wild Card 2 players have 180 days to claim winnings. They also do not have to make their name public.

The winning numbers for the Nov. 25 drawing are 2-6-7-20-29, and the Wild Card is the Jack of Spades. To win the jackpot a player must match all five numbers and the Wild Card.

Wild Card 2 is played in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho.

The biggest lottery jackpot in North Dakota had been a $1 million Powerball prize won by Williston forklift operator Kevin Green in March 2006.

DELEGATION-Afghanistan Thune backs Afghan surge SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) South Dakota Sen. John Thune says he supports sending more U.S. soldiers to Afghanistan.

President Barack Obama next Tuesday is expected to announce a new battle plan for Afghanistan, including an increase in U.S.

forces and a strategy for ending America's military involvement there.

Thune, a Republican, says he thinks what Obama plans to do is the right approach.

Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson says he's eager to learn the president's plan. He says he hopes the plan will have a clear mission that refocuses military efforts in Afghanistan so that victory can be defined and achieved.

Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin says she hopes the president listened to "a wide range of candid advice" before making his decision. She also says the U.S. needs a clearly defined and measurable mission.

Information from: Argus Leader, http://www.argusleader.com BURGLARY SENTENCE Man who stole cigarettes gets 15 years in prison BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) A 15-year prison sentence has been handed down to an Oregon man who stole cigarettes from a Brookings convenience store.

Twenty-six year-old Jared Smith of Vale, Ore., pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree burglary for the Aug. 15 break-in. He used a tire iron to smash out a glass door, and a surveillance camera showed him stealing cigarettes.

Smith also has admitted to being a habitual criminal with three or more prior felonies and could have gotten up to 25 years in prison.

Before the sentencing this week, Brookings County State's Attorney Clyde Calhoon called Smith a career criminal but not a very good one, "because he seems to always get caught." Information from: Brookings Register, http://www.brookingsregister.com/ BANK FRAUD PLEA Huron woman pleads guilty to bank fraud HURON, S.D. (AP) A Huron woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Sioux Falls to bank fraud.

Twenty-eight-year-old Ashley Contreras was accused of defrauding First Premier Bank out of more than $6,000 in August 2008, while she was an employee at the bank.

She faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, as well as restitution.

Information from: Huron Plainsman, http://www.plainsman.com/ (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-27-09 1059CST | save this article / add to your favorites list