SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Following the release of five years of South Dakota state plane travel logs, we’re getting a better idea of when and where Governor Kristi Noem has flown during her time in office. In one instance, records appear to indicate that the state plane may have been used for a personal family function.
On May 30, 2019, the state’s King Air 200 plane set off from Pierre and landed in Custer State Park before heading to Vermillion, Aberdeen and back to Custer State Park before returning to Pierre. Governor Noem and six other passengers are listed on the manifest as persons who were on the plane during at least portions of this trip.
A set of take offs and landings weren’t the only thing happening at Custer State Park within that time frame. It was also the location of a wedding between Kyle Peters and Noem’s daughter, Kassidy.
Pictures from the wedding were posted by Noem on her official Facebook page.
The plane’s trip began on May 30 and a return date is not specified in the documents received by KELOLAND News from the SD DOT. The wedding occurred on June 1, 2019.
Along with Noem on the flight were Booker Noem, her son, who was also a groomsman in the wedding; Beth Hollatz, Noem’s Deputy Chief of Staff; Ryan Tennyson, who is listed as a Highway Patrol Sergeant on OpenSD; Nash Grantham and Hunter Arnold, who appear to be family members according to Facebook posts; and Jack Ferguson, who appears to be a friend of the family.
KELOLAND News asked the governor’s office on Sept. 9 if the state plane was used to fly to the family wedding, but have not received a response as of 1:15 p.m. CT on September 12, 2022.
