Author: Pat Powers

A correspondent noted to me that both the 18% payday loan petition and the legal pot petition were being circulated last night on Hobo Day at Ray’s Corner in Brookings.  

Aside from that, the other day at the post office, I was accosted to sign a petition to “stop the bundling of political donations” by a slightly seedy looking guy who didn’t sound like he knew anything about the petition he was carrying. 

It seems like the petition activity is finally showing signs of life around here as people are getting down to the wire.

I notice today that Larry Kurtz (long banned from this and other websites for his profanity, hate speech, etc) who had been promoting his website “South Dakota Progressive” as the voice of the South Dakota Democrat party, complete with links to the party, it’s candidates, etc, has announced that it is shutting down.

It comes on the heels of several bizarre and easily disproven posts such as claiming that I have been diagnosed with cancer, Mike Rounds is resigning, and claims that Kurtz had been given scurrilous information on Kristi Noem by Shantel Krebs. (Shantel told me, btw, that she’s “absolutely never talked to the guy.”)

Yeah, this is the same idiot who claims all cops are wife abusers, and exposure to plastic is a cause of homosexuality.

Fast forward to today, and most of the bizarre claims have been taken down, along with any of the branding that connected him with the South Dakota Democrat party. And a post from August has been revised to make it look like he announced going off the internet back three months ago.

Served with legal papers? Or were the Democrats demanding that he remove any and all association with them?

  
Man, lots of Republicans, and nary a Democrat in sight!

Ag Secretary Lucas Lentsch is walking the parade and talking about ag to the crowd.

Practicing for a future campaign perhaps?

 

Man, there’s a pile of Republicans here.

   
Rep’s John Wiik & Mathew Wollmann were walking on my side of the street, and so was Jason Ravnsborg.

   

  

Senator Thune is in town today for the Hobo Day activities, and walked today’s parade route.

   
   

   
 
Congresswoman Kristi Noem is early on in the parade, walking the entire route with members of her family.

  
Was that Noem State Director Beth Hollatz in the car? 

The 103rd annual Hobo day parade at SDSU will be starting here in a little bit, and my crew is ready for the festivities!

  
Stay tuned!

South Dakota Attorney General Jackley to Challenge EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the rule establishing performance standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing fossil fuel fired power plants.

“We all recognize the importance of protecting our environment and developing energy efficiency, but I am concerned the EPA has once again exceeded its authority granted by Congress and reduced the decision-making authority of our State. The EPA’s actions will directly affect energy costs and potential energy availability to South Dakota consumers. I intend to work with other State Attorneys General to protect our State decision-making authority and our consumers who heavily depend on energy in their everyday lives,” said Jackley.

In 2014, several states submitted extensive comments on the Proposed Rule, explaining the Proposed Rule was unlawful. In addition, they also noted the EPA’s failure to comply with notice and comment requirements. Now over a year later, these comments and related concerns have not been addressed as the EPA moves forward with the implementation of the rule.

Participating states include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

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