Author: @SoDakCampaigns

“Be The Cure” In South Dakota
A column by Lt. Gov. Matt Michels:

I currently serve as South Dakota’s Lt. Governor, but I have had the opportunity to wear a lot of different “hats” throughout the years. Few have been as formative as my nurse “hat.” Nursing exposed me to people from many different walks of life and taught me about compassion, as well as countless other life lessons. But, it also taught me about the far-reaching impact of medical ailments and the importance of doing what we can, as a society, to confront those ailments.

Public health should be everyone’s concern. Over the years, the development of new medicines has been vital in helping people live longer and healthier lives. Clinical trials are the primary route by which patients can voluntarily participate in the drug development process, receive access to unapproved investigational medicines and contribute to the collection of data necessary for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Successful clinical trials require diverse and robust volunteer participation. It is important that people of all races understand the benefits of clinical trials. Different racial groups can be affected by different diseases and may respond differently to certain kinds of medications. Unfortunately, minority groups are typically underrepresented in clinical trials, resulting in limited evidence for how effective such treatments may be for those individuals.

As Lt. Governor, I have the opportunity to participate in a bipartisan group called the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). This year the NLGA is starting a new program called “Be the Cure.” The goal of the program is to increase education and awareness among legislators, policymakers, patients and providers about the clinical trial process, specifically the need for participation of diverse patient populations.

South Dakota is home to people of many different backgrounds, and we need to work to continue advancing medicines that could help all of our state’s residents. It is important that we all spread the word about the need for diversity enrollment in clinical trials and the value and benefits of increased participation by underrepresented communities.

I encourage you visit the National Lt. Governors Association “Be the Cure” web site at www.nlga.us  to learn more about the importance of clinical trials and increased participation by all.

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Sometimes you have to consider your comments in light of the goals of the group you’re addressing.

From the May 15, 2015 minutes of the Humane Society of the Black Hills Board of Directors Meeting (via Ron Sasso’s Blog):

Greetings from excessively humid Bella Vista, Arkansas!

No, I’m not vacationing. My pickup is loaded up, the estate sale people are coming today, and I’m hoping I’m on my last trip to clear out my in-laws’ home in preparation for sale.

We’re breaking for lunch at the moment, as you can tell from a couple of my dining/working companions:

They’ve been ‘toting that barge,’ and ‘lifting that bale’ since 7am, so they’re entitled to be fed at least once today.

Packing boxes, unloading cabinets, moving furniture, loading trucks – It’s just like the 20-plus years I spent in the auction business again. And a reminder why none of my daughters had any interest in it. Not even clerking! My boys still have a smile… for now.

So, light posting for a bit. It’s time to get back to the grind.

AFP Calls For Overturn of EPA Water Rule

Thanks South Dakota Delegation for Doing Their Part To Repeal This Onerous New Regulation

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Americans for Prosperity South Dakota issued the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newly finalized “Waters of the United States rule” which will drastically expand the power granted to the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

“The amount of regulatory overreach coming from the EPA is astonishing,” explained Ben Lee, State Director of Americans for Prosperity South Dakota. “The Waters of the U.S rule threatens property rights and drowns land owners in red tape. This new rule will have a serious impact on the South Dakota’s economy– particularly in agriculture. It’s important that our lawmakers support efforts to overturn the rule. We thank Senators Thune and Rounds as well as Congresswom Noem for their efforts to stop this regulation and for standing up for the rights of South Dakotans all across our state.”

The new rules proposed by the EPA will drastically expand the reach of the EPA to regulate water on private property. By redefining the “waters of the U.S.” from its current definition in the Clean Water Act to “navigable waters” the EPA now has the ability to regulate conceivably any area water flows through. This would include dry creek beds, irrigation ditches, and even simply standing water. This new rule would come with significant compliance costs for South Dakota landowners and family farmers and infringe upon their rights.

Here we go again! From AP/Brookings Radio News:

An attorney for a former South Dakota U.S. Senate candidate who has been convicted of felony election law violations says they plan to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Bob Van Norman, an attorney for Sioux Falls physician Annette Bosworth, said Thursday they plan to appeal after her planned July sentencing.

and…

Van Norman says Bosworth is “devastated.”

Read it here.

Ugh. Can we get off this carnival ride already?

The jury has spoken, and found Annette Bosworth guilty on all counts.

What are your thoughts; on the trial, the coverage of it, and what we might expect from a sentence?

Does she need to go to jail for a spell? Or are the felony convictions, which could cost her a license to practice Medicine in South Dakota, enough?

Hughes County Jury Convicts Bosworth of Election Law Violations

PIERRE – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that a Hughes County jury has found Annette Bosworth, 43, Sioux Falls, guilty of 6 counts of offering false or forged instrument for filing and 6 counts of perjury.

All counts are class 6 felonies punishable by a maximum sentence of 2 years imprisonment and/or $4,000 fine.

“I want to thank our citizen jurors for their service, the prosecutors and the witnesses for preserving the integrity of our election process in South Dakota,” said Jackley.

Bosworth was indicted in June 19, 2014, on multiple counts of perjury and filing false election documents for attesting to voter signatures for her nomination petitions for United States Senate while she was out of the country.

The case is being investigated by the Division of Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

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I was trying to listen while at and end of year soirée with my better half, but it sounds as if Bosworth was found guilty on all, it not most of the counts leveled against her.

A plus for her, it sounds as if she doesn’t have to get the perp walk, and is free until her sentencing in July. Bad for Boz, sounds like they might be requesting that she turning over her passport.