You can’t blame South Dakota for wanting a little bit of Minnesota.
I mean, who wouldn’t?
We’ve got the Minnesota Twins, way more lakes, the biggest ball of twine – and a governor who doesn’t brag about killing the family dog.
So our neighbor to the west has reached over, real slow and careful like, and slung its arm around Rock County. Our Rock County, the southwest corner of our state, home of Blue Mounds State Park and Luverne.
As reported by Sioux Falls Business, Rock County is now considered part of the Sioux Falls, S.D., Metropolitan Statistical Area.
What it means is the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has determined that based on 2020 census data, Sioux Falls, population 202,000, and Rock County, population 10,000 (or just about), are married.
Well, the government doesn’t actually say “married.” The U.S. Census Bureau says the two have a “high degree of economic and social integration.” At the minimum, that sounds like a serious relationship.
Feeling somewhat attached to all parts of our state, including those in the furthest corners, I felt I had to reach out to Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian. Was Rock County’s relationship with South Dakota stronger than its connection to Minnesota? Does Rock County feel Minnesotan? I felt way more anxious about this than I should have.