Author: Pat Powers

Gov. Daugaard Appoints Jon Sogn As Second Circuit Judge

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Jon Sogn (SONG) of Sioux Falls as a circuit court judge in South Dakota’s Second Judicial Circuit.

“I thank Jon Sogn for accepting this appointment,” said the Governor. “Jon has earned the respect of his peers over a long legal career, and he will be an excellent judge.”

Sogn will fill a new judgeship in the Second Circuit that was created by the 2015 State Legislature. The Second Circuit includes Lincoln and Minnehaha counties.

Sogn has practiced with the firm of Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun since 1986. He is a Canton native and a 1983 graduate of Augustana College. Sogn earned his law degree with honors from The University of South Dakota School of Law in 1986.

“I am grateful for the trust Gov. Daugaard has placed in me with this appointment,” said Sogn. “I will do my best each and every day to serve the people of South Dakota.”

Sogn has served as an adjunct lecturer in trial techniques at the USD School of Law, and has regularly been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Great Plains Super Lawyers and Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is an active volunteer in many church, school and charitable organizations, and was the Second Circuit Bar Association’s Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2010.

Sogn and his wife, Kristy, have three children.

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I’m sure it’s a kick in the teeth to South Dakota Democrats, but what are you going to do? Kevin Woster isn’t saying anything that isn’t true:

Let’s be honest. The Democrats can’t win that seat in 2016 — not unless Thune gets caught crossing the Jones County Line to poach Lyman County pheasants (or he falls to the unlikely, for a man of his West River sensibilities, whimsy of a presidential run), he’s pretty much a lock for reelection next year.

So, what to do, if you’re the Democrats?

Read it all here.

Today’s Rapid City Journal headline seems to illustrate a divide among state democrats. 

You have those who embrace it..

  
And those like Rick Weiland who are working to conceal their party identification.

I guess I just don’t understand the divide. You have those Democrats who are proud to be so, and you have those like Rick Weiland who seems ashamed of it, and wants to hide it from everyone in every election through his proposed ballot measure to conceal party information on the ballot.

It will be interesting to see what side of the dividethe state Democrat Party falls out on the proposal to hide party identification. 

Will they be proud like Paula Hawks? Or will they endorse the requirement and consider “D” a scarlet letter?

Our friends at the Brown County Republicans had a booth at the Brown County fair this past week, and did a little straw polling to determine fair attendees’ favorite candidate for president.

And I think we’ve determined that a lot of people watch TV.

  
Donald Trump came in first, which I’ve heard is possibly a sign of the impending apocalypse.

Thankfully, it was all in fun. And we have at least several months to go before anybody should consider any polling seriously.

I caught this LTE this morning in the paper, and thought I’d point it out regarding the hard work our Congresswoman is doing in Washington. From the Argus Leader:

Letter: Noem hard at work to save hatchery
David J. Nickel, Spearfish

and…

This Argus Leader reader wants to thank Noem for her efforts to save the Booth Hatchery and its archives. D.C. Booth is a major part of our state’s tourist economy and a major part of sport fishing in South Dakota. I’m glad that Congresswoman Noem is working hard in Washington to save the hatchery for South Dakota families of today and in the future.

Read it here.

Thats not a Republican Party regular. Just a real person appreciating what our Congresswoman does in DC.

Thune to Host Town Hall Meetings in Lemmon, Buffalo

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Monday, August 17, U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) will host town hall meetings in Lemmon and Buffalo before traveling to Deadwood to address the South Dakota Telecommunications Association annual meeting.

Monday, August 17:

WHAT:
Lemmon Town Hall Meeting
WHEN:
1:00 p.m. MDT
WHERE:
Lemmon Senior Citizen Center
711 Main Avenue
Lemmon, SD

WHAT:
Buffalo Town Hall Meeting
WHEN:
3:30 p.m. MDT
WHERE:
Harding County Rec Center
204 Hodge Street
Buffalo, SD

WHAT:
South Dakota Telecommunications Association Annual Meeting
WHEN:
5:45 p.m. MDT
WHERE:
The Lodge at Deadwood
100 Pine Crest Lane
Deadwood, SD

Apparently Elizabeth May does not understand that schools have already signed contracts for this year with teachers, and compensation is locked in for the next year. She’s back calling for a special session again.

From Today’s KCCR:

Representative May Calling For A Special Session, Again

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.

That’s the motto of Rep. Elizabeth May of Kyle today as she has a new proposal that seeks to address the teacher shortage facing South Dakota school districts.

May is proposing that the Legislature dedicate the $21 Million state surplus to an incentive program intended to draw experienced teachers out of retirement.

Read it all here.

Here’s an idea: why don’t we stop calling special sessions, and let’s see how much taxpayers save on postage?

Hang on readers. I’m rocketing down the interstate, and I’ve got something good coming.

I just have to be at a designated location by 530, and I’ll have something that I get to share with you, the loyal SDWC reader.

South Dakota Joins in Filing Preliminary Injunction in Waters of the U.S. Case (WOTUS)

PIERRE, S.D – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that the State of South Dakota and all of the twelve states challenging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Western Region have filed a motion for preliminary injunction in the Water of the United States (WOTUS) case.

“The EPA and Corps of Engineer’s failure to timely respond to the States’ request to delay the implementation of the Rule has unfortunately necessitated the need to seek further court intervention,” said Jackley. “Our concerns continue to be that these agencies are overstepping their Congressional authority and that our State will be losing considerable decision making control over our waters and land use. The new Rule is creating uncertainty for our agriculture and business community that needs to have fairness and a degree of common sense in federal regulation.”

The States are actively seeking postponement of the impending implementation of the WOTUS Rule while the courts have the opportunity to fully address the states’ concerns. On June 29, 2015, twelve states filed in federal district court in North Dakota asking the court to vacate the new rule and bar the EPA and the USACE from enforcing the new definition. Several other states have filed in their respective regions. The states contended the new definition of WOTUS violated provisions of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the United States Constitution. Then on July 30, 2015, 31 states requested that the EPA and USACE delay the effective date of the new Rule defining “Waters of the United States” under the CWA. The Rule is currently set to go into effect on August 28, 2015. The States requested the Rule not be implemented for a period of at least nine months in order to give the courts time to review the legal challenges to the Rule.

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As evidence of the reason why Paula Hawks is a favorite of pro-abortion group NARAL, she continues to go all-in on the issue, basing her latest fundraising appeal on supporting the group which has been in the news for selling the body parts obtained from abortions:

 
Kristi Noem is running a political sideshow.

South Dakotans know the important work that Planned Parenthood is delivering for thousands of families across South Dakota, providing health screenings, STD testing, detecting cancer, and family planning. But Kristi Noem is busy sponsoring legislation to eliminate funding for vitally important services millions of people rely on.

Join me today to say enough with the war on women’s health!

Instead of tackling the issues that affect every day South Dakotans, she is pandering to Republican extremists in Washington for her own personal ambitions. 

This is why I am running for the U.S. House, to fight for the issues that South Dakotans care about and to make government work again. It is time for obstructionists like Kristi Noem to leave Washington.

Chip in today so we can put an end to Kristi Noem and Republican extremist’s political sideshows.

I will fight to protect funding for women’s health. I will fight every day for the issues that affect South Dakotans: lowering the cost of prescription drugs, fixing students loan debt, saying enough to the war on women, and protecting family farms and ranches.

Enough with the sideshow, let’s get to work.

Paula Hawks

There’s that “extreme” word again. she must be in the first chapter of the dem attack manual along with the new Dem ED.

The fact of the matter is that Congresswoman Noem represent South Dakota well, and Paula Hawks brings nothing to the table.

But it’s not really effective to campaign on the basis that you’re not nearly as qualified as the current officeholder, but still want to be elected. Is it?