Governor Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Launching a Week of Work

Launching a Week of Work
By Governor Kristi Noem

In 1879, a 16-year-old boy told his parents he wanted to learn how to build machinery. He moved nine miles away from his parents’ farm to take an apprenticeship as a machinist at a shipbuilding firm in Detroit. From there, he went on to become an engineer for the Detroit Edison Company where he developed plans for a horseless carriage. Twenty-four years after accepting that apprenticeship, Henry Ford established the Ford Motor Company.

We see it through Henry Ford’s story, and we see it time and time again: work-based learning works.

In mid-September, my team and I announced the official kick-off of our South Dakota Week of Work initiative – a partnership with businesses and schools that will give 10th grade students the opportunity to get out of the classroom, experience the world of work, and see careers that are available right here in South Dakota. It will help teach them soft skills like showing up on time, dressing professionally, and interacting with customers. Our first Week of Work will be April 20-24, 2020.

This initiative will also help address our skills gap. As I talk with employers throughout the state, I hear the same thing over and over. They tell me that business is good and they’d like to expand, but they can’t find skilled workers to fill the open jobs.

As of July, we have 17,300 job openings in South Dakota and 12,800 people who are unemployed. The problem is two-fold: we don’t have the people needed to fill openings and often those who are looking for work don’t have the skills needed for the open positions.

This program will help bridge that gap.

By connecting businesses with students interested in their field of work, businesses can help develop the needed skills for future leaders in their industry. Students get exposure to careers where they could excel and that they’re passionate about. Everyone wins.

This fall, I’m inviting businesses to sign up for this special event at sdweekofwork.com. In the spring, schools will be able to register students for the opportunities businesses are offering.

I strongly believe that within our South Dakota schools today are the next Henry Fords – innovators with ideas that will change the world. They are the next generation’s chefs, teachers, mechanics, dentists, pastors, police officers, lawyers, nurses, and engineers. Within our students sits our state’s greatest potential. Now is the time to get our kids into the workplace and show them the opportunities and careers available right here in South Dakota.

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SD Dem Party outstanding debt includes 6k debt to Sioux Falls Convention Center since at least January 2019

As we found out when they reported their overspending ways and indebtedness under cover of darkness late last night, South Dakota Democrats are in serious trouble financially with spending money they don’t have.

Unfortunately, you also have to go back to the businesses they’ve stiffed. Qualified Presort of Sioux Falls is hanging on for hundreds of dollars Dems owe them. Which may mean no more mailing for them. But there’s a bigger bill that’s been out there:

Listed under their debts and obligations staring in the period of January 1 – to January 31, 2019 is a bill for $5845.68 to the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

In fact, if you look at the report I posted last night, they still have this nearly $6,000 bill hanging out there 9 months later.   Granted, the convention center is run by a management company. but ultimately, those dollars go to Sioux Falls taxpayers.

South Dakota Republicans encouraged Democrats back in May to pay the bills they owe locally before they pay their DC vendors. That was before Paula Hawks hired a new executive director at what was rumored to be half again as much as they were paying the old one.

Considering they owe money to the very people they’re asking to vote for them, very possibly they might want to consider once again getting on the stick to get their bills paid. Especially to local taxpayers.

Breaking… South Dakota Democrat finances completely upside down – Sept 2019 FEC shows NEGATIVE 10K in Cash on Hand, and 47K in Debt on heels of FEC Audit

Hot off of the press – South Dakota Democrats are in big trouble financially, according to their latest FEC Report:

Sddp Sept 2019 Fec by Pat Powers on Scribd

Just a month or so into Chairman Paula Hawks stint as chairwoman, State Democrats are posting what may literally be their worst FEC Report EVER.

Starting with a dismal $3180 in cash, State Democrats raised $17,539 in receipts in their federal account, including the cash that the national party sends them monthly…. Democrat welfare if you will.

But at the same time, Dems unbelievably went on a spending spree and had $30,580.49 in expenditures. Leaving them $9860.26 of deficit spending.  Added to that is the $46,863.73 in debts and obligations already owed by the committee to a number of vendors. Bills that they’ve been carrying for some time.

Meaning, that it appears that Dems are in the hole by roughly $56,723.99.

I might remind you that this isn’t it, either. Coming in the near future is the serious question of how much the Federal Election Commission is going to fine them for their recent audit problems which will add further to their indebtedness.

Forget about supporting their candidates. The question now is how long can Paula Hawks keep South Dakota Democrats’ creditors at bay?

P.S. Bill Nibbelink, who has been the Democrat’s treasurer in charge of their finances all throughout the entire time of all these financial problems?  Well of course he’s still in charge of their finances.

And he’s the one who signed this latest report as well.

Dusty Johnson staffer featured at Roll Call.com for her new tattoo

Dusty Johnson staffer Hannah Kagey finds herself being featured in a magazine after getting a tattoo recently.

No, not one of those sketchy magazines in the convenience stores.

Hannah’s adventure in being inked is featured in the Washington DC on-line magazine and Congressional Quarterly subsidiary Roll Call for her recent visit to the tattoo parlor with Congressman Dusty Johnson:

After a slew of events and fielded questions, Johnson and Kagey were gearing up for their next stop: Vishnu Bunny Tattoo & Piercing — a Sioux Falls establishment owned by a Democrat whose engagement on the congressman’s Facebook page led to “meaningful dialogue” outside of his public feed and a pit-stop that would leave an indelible mark.

They were barely in the car when Kagey threw another question at the congressman — one he had likely not heard before.

“Hey, don’t you think it’d be funny if I got a tattoo?” she said.

A “giddy” Johnson was on board. As a member of Congress, he knew the feeling of being “under the gun,” but that day it took on a different meaning. This wasn’t Hannah’s first rodeo, though. As the saying goes, “third time’s the charm.”

Read the entire story here.

Emergency Management Plan Receives FEMA Approval

Emergency Management Plan Receives FEMA Approval

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem today announced that South Dakota’s Hazard Mitigation Plan received FEMA approval, allowing the State to receive additional funds in the event of future presidential disaster declarations. South Dakota is one of 13 states that have received this designation.

“It’s been a difficult year for South Dakota. As a State, we need to make sure we’re doing everything possible to help communities recover, but we also need to better prepare for extreme weather in the future,” said Noem. “Achieving this FEMA approval is not an easy task, and I’m grateful for the work of our Emergency Management team that made it possible. This will be a valuable tool for our State during future storms.”

“In order to receive FEMA approval, we had to demonstrate that we’d developed a comprehensive mitigation plan and could manage the increased funding that accompanies the approval,” said Tina Titze, director of the state’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM). “This is a major achievement for our program, and it will be extremely beneficial as we respond to future disasters.”

Mitigation programs focus on reducing or eliminating damage and injuries if the same disaster occurs again in the same area. Mitigation plans identify an area’s most likely hazards and document projects that can better protect life and property against those hazards. Mitigation grant funds awarded to a state following a presidential disaster declaration can then fund those mitigation projects that can include removing homes from areas susceptible to flooding, constructing tornado saferooms, or burying overhead powerlines.

Craig Price, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, said the new plan is part of the continuing efforts to always be ready to address future disaster situations.

“We can’t control tornadoes, floods or other disasters from happening, but we can influence the severity of a disaster’s impact through pre-disaster mitigation planning, principles, and projects,” said Price. “This new plan adds to what we have done in our past efforts to protect people and property.”

The Office of Emergency Management is part of the Department of Public Safety.

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Watch for Dem’s September FEC Filing today.. should be interesting.

South Dakota Democrats should be filing a FEC Report today covering the month of August. Which (if they file accurate numbers) may give some insight into how bad things are.

If you recall last month’s numbers, which covered the month of July…

… we saw that they ended the month of July with only $3180 in the bank.  HOWEVER, this was the amount before Democrats started admitting that they weren’t reporting accurately, an action that was caught in a Federal Elections Commission audit.

In fact, while Democrats refiled their June FEC Report showing over $46,000 in unpaid debt, they have yet to refile their July report, as well as refile the above August 20 Report.  Which means that we could see a report that looks a whole lot worse for them than only having $3200 on hand.

If that’s possible.

So there was a fundraiser in Sioux Falls last night…

So there was a fundraiser in Sioux Falls last evening.  What do I know about what took place?

It was well attended, and the mood was very upbeat. It was a wide mix of community members, including current and former legislators, long time activists and people getting involved in their first campaign. There was everyone from college students to the retired, and a gamut of people from the height of Sioux Falls’ business community to small business people who shovel their own walks.  You might have even caught a glimpse of a city councilor or two.

There’s definitely an appetite for a change in the culture of the Sioux Falls City Council. More than one person noted anecdotally about the incumbent city councilor … well, lashing out at them, for lack of a better term. You did hear business people note they were weary of being considered an enemy as opposed to a valued parter in the future of the city.

But those were just momentary anecdotes among attendees, because it was a very convivial group who were all there to support Alex Jensen.  It was a friendly crowd of over 100 who were all glad to get together, and committed to helping Jensen make this a strong campaign effort.

Jensen, a former State Representative, did most of his talking one-on-one, speaking with everyone individually before giving some brief remarks about his vision for Sioux Falls and how he wants to work with people if elected.

For an opening event very early in the campaign, this was a strong show of support that will help Jensen further his goal of winning the Sioux Falls At-Large City Council seat in April of next year.

Neal Tapio encourages people to wake up to the immigrant crisis. But is it a recipe for Congress?

From Facebook, Neal Tapio is encouraging South Dakotans to “wake up.” But does it translate into him running for Congress:?

Todd Epp at KELO Radio pointed out the post, noting:

In a Facebook post, he says the drive into downtown Sioux Falls from the east on 8th or 10th Street is a complete disaster and that there are drunken bodies everywhere.

He blames Lutheran Social Services for bringing in Somalis and other immigrants into Sioux Falls and Minneapolis.

Read it here.

But I have to ask if the talk of “legs dangling onto the streets” is enough of an overriding issue for Republicans to make them want to send him to Washington over our current Congressman Dusty Johnson?

It seems like more of a local law enforcement concern than a congressional imperative.

What are your thoughts?

Belfrage on KELO Radio – TenHaken acted correctly during Storm, Stehly’s self promotion causes her to be abandoned in her moment of self-promotion

Greg Belfrage at KELO Radio continued his coverage of the Sioux Falls City Hall’s response to the storm of last week, and pointed out that while Sioux Falls mayor Paul TenHaken did the job he’s supposed to do, grandstanding Theresa Stehly’s attempt to grab more attention for herself fell apart as no one was willing to stand with her:

“I have two that I haven’t ever even spoken with since these tornadoes hit, despite my efforts to reach out to them. I’m going to let you decide who those are.”

and..

“Grand-standing like this, from Councilors Starr and Stehly tonight…it’s theater. It’s very unfortunate that they’re taking an event like this in the city and trying to politicize it. Especially when I feel we’ve had a homerun response,” TenHaken said.

and…

The meeting was over.

Can someone check on Councilor Starr and see if he’s lost his voice? He left Stehly twisting in the wind without a word.

Read Greg’s entire story here.

There’s sure to be a reckoning from voters in the future over trying to politicize a natural disaster. Just put this one in your memory bank for a later date.