Category: Uncategorized

Johnson Pledges to Ban Cell Phones in the Classroom

Sioux Falls, S.D. – Today, gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Dusty Johnson committed to banning cell phones during K-12 instructional time. South Dakota is one of 17 states that has failed to take statewide action to address cell phone use in schools.
“We must be laser focused on student achievement. Getting cell phones out of classrooms will move us in the right direction,” said Johnson. “We are falling behind other countries, including China. Removing the constant temptation, distraction, and hidden dangers of cell phones will better prepare our students to compete and win.”

As governor, Johnson will work with public school districts to implement policies that prohibit cell phone access by students during instructional time. Decisions regarding exemptions and enforcement will be made at the local level.

“The next 20 years could be the best years South Dakota has ever had, and making sure our kids are ready for the challenges ahead is a key part of ensuring our state’s success,” Johnson continued. “Numerous school districts in South Dakota have led by example, and it’s time for us to implement their best practices statewide.”

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of U.S. high school teachers say cell phone distraction is a major problem in the classroom. A more recent survey states 74% of U.S. adults support banning middle and high school students from using cell phones during class. Numerous studies have shown more than a 5% increase in student test scores when cell phone bans are implemented.

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It appears that State Representative Jon Hansen is having a bad weekend as the measure he led this last session, House Bill 1184, was ruled unconstitutional by the US District Court in a decision that was handed down this last Friday:

50829.Order.granting.permanent.injunction by Pat Powers

This action is a permanent injunction blocking its enforcement, unless the state appeals further. 

There’s a particular passage in the decision from Judge Camela Theeler (a Republican, before you start throwing stones) that got my attention:

The Court is not persuaded that the State has tied HB 1184’s nine month deadline to the State’s regulatory interest in protecting the integrity and reliability of the initiative process. While the Legislature ultimately agreed to change the filing deadline to nine months, the impetus of HB 1184 was Speaker Hansen’s inability to have a trial on the challenge to Amendment G prior to the election. But Speaker Hansen was acting as an interested person on behalf of Life Defense Fund in that litigation, not as a government actor.

Read that on Page 14.

I know somewhere I’ve read about those concerns questioning exactly who Hansen is representing in Pierre …

Stay tuned.

Guest Column: Rhoden Needs to Clean Up D.O.C. Before Prison Vote
September 1, 2025

On September 23, 2025, at a special legislative session, we will be asked to entrust $650 Million to the Secretary of the Department of Corrections within the Rhoden Administration. We do not have trust in the leadership of Rhoden’s Department of Corrections. We are renewing the call for Governor Rhoden to clean up his Department of Corrections before the special session vote on the new prison in Sioux Falls.

To be clear, we have been among the loudest and most consistent voices affirming the need for a new prison. Public safety demands it and common sense recommends it.  The current facility has outlived its useful life and is not appropriate for the correctional officers, staff or inmates who live and work behind its walls. There are concerns ranging from the safety of the staff to the rehabilitation of the inmates, all of which deserve to be addressed. We worked with Governor Noem to fund and construct the new women’s prison in Rapid City and have listened to law enforcement and prosecutors across the state. We know we need a new men’s prison facility.

However, many of those same members of law enforcement and same prosecutors have been raising alarms about the operations Department of Corrections under the Rhoden Administration. Representative Tim Reisch, former Adjutant General of the National Guard, Secretary of Corrections, and Sheriff, raised these operational concerns in chapter-and-verse months ago. The Rhoden Administration responded with general denials and no apparent improvements. That is the wrong approach. This is a time when we need accountability and a restoration of trust from the Rhoden Administration, not blinders and not blame-shifting.

Setting the operational issues aside, the Rhoden Administration stood before the legislature six months ago and told us that a 1,500 bed men’s prison would cost $825 Million. Today, the same people are telling us a 1,500 bed men’s prison costs $650 Million. Based on politics emerging from the proposed Lincoln County site, the legislature did not authorize construction. Still, many of us supported building the new prison and trusted the Rhoden Department of Corrections with their cost estimates. That trust is gone. As with the operational problems, there has been no accountability and no concrete explanation of how the Administration overestimated the cost by $175 Million.

It is time for the Rhoden Administration to clean up its mess at the Department of Corrections. We want to be full supporters of the construction of the prison on September 23. Our main hesitation is entrusting the current leadership with such a substantial task and amount of taxpayer money. These issues have been clearly presented to Governor Rhoden for months. It is time to take accountability and attempt to restore trust.

Faithfully Submitted,

Rep. Tim Reisch (R-Howard)
Rep. Will Mortenson (R-Fort Pierre)
Rep. Taylor Rehfeldt (R-Sioux Falls)
Rep. Mike Stevens (R-Yankton)
Rep. Amber Arlint (R-Sioux Falls)
Rep. Tim Walburg (R-Madison)
Rep. Kevin Van Diepen (R-Huron)
Rep. Kent Roe (R-Hazel)
Rep. Drew Peterson (R-Salem)
Rep. Matt Roby (R-Watertown)
Rep. Rebecca Reimer (R-Chamberlain)
Rep. Roger DeGroot (R-Brookings)
Rep. Tim Goodwin (R-Rapid City)
Rep. Bill Shorma (R-Dakota Dunes)
Rep. Jeff Bathke (R-Mitchell)
Rep. Trish Ladner (R-Hot Springs)
Rep. Steve Duffy (R-Rapid City)
Rep. Tim Czmowski (R-Sioux Falls)
Rep. Keri Weems (R-Sioux Falls)
Rep. Jim Halverson (R-Winner)

I finally have links for you to buy the Dusty Johnson for Governor and Christine Erickson for Mayor Pins I created.

I was trying to create a single page where you could select the number of pins, creating a store page for SDWC, attaching to my merchant account.. and I nearly blew up my site in the process, since I still need to update the back-end.

As a result, I’m doing it this way with individual links to my paypal.  USPS Shipping is included, as is sales tax.

Buy your Dusty Johnson for Governor Pins by Clicking here.

Buy your Christine Erickson for Mayor Pins by clicking here.

This is while these very limited supplies last.

If you recall, former reporter Austin Goss had been rumored to be looking to run for State Auditor in the 2026 SDGOP State Convention contest back this last February.

However, according to a story this weekend at the Aberdeen insider, that’s looking to not be the case anymore, as he’s  announcing that he’s moving in a column titled “Austin Goss: The final page in the South Dakota chapter“

Now, it’s time for my family and me to head back east. While I was serving on active duty military orders for most of this year, we faced a series of emergencies that made one thing clear: in the event of another extended activation or deployment, my immediate family needs to be closer to extended family.

Read that story here (subscription required).

With Goss moving, that means the sole candidate in the contest for State Auditor remains Sioux Falls City Councilman David Barranco.

Gov. Rhoden Mobilizes SDNG to DC at the Request of President Trump

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden announced the mobilization of 12 South Dakota National Guardsmen to support ongoing operations in Washington D.C. at the request of President Donald J. Trump.

“South Dakota stands in solidarity with President Trump and his efforts to Make America Safe Again,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “With the National Guard’s help, President Trump has restored law and order to our nation’s capital – and our guardsmen will help keep it that way. We will not sit on the sidelines while crime threatens the safety of our families.”

The 12 public affairs guardsmen are from the 129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment based out of Rapid City. They will serve in a public affairs capacity in the joint information command center.

This mobilization is under the command of the D.C. National Guard and is completely federally funded. The guardsmen will activate on a Title 32 status. The initial deployment is expected to last for 30 days.

For the safety of the guardsmen and their families, the announcement of this mobilization was held until the guardsmen were safely on site.

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This was kind of interesting to see the Jim Eschenbaum’s SDGOP promoting.  At least interesting as in who isn’t there:

No Governor Rhoden? No Senator Rounds? No Congressman Dusty Johnson?

Well, that should not come as a surprise to anyone given how they treat them. When the version of the Republican Party ran by a former 32-year Democrat has managed to burn bridges with most of its actual office holders, that’s what happens. An event headlined by the 2% and 4% gubernatorial wannabes that isn’t exactly going to draw out the donors.

And deservedly so.

From KELOland:

4% Gubernatorial wannabe Toby Doeden  apparently had a plan to meet a lot of people at the SDSU opener game today in Brookings, sending out a text blast a couple of days ago:

Jackrabbits Fans. America First Patriots. All in one place.

Patrick, you’re invited to Toby Doeden’s South Dakota Gameday Tailgate tomorrow outside Dykhouse Stadium.

There will be music, games, free food, and free drinks. The tailgate starts at 1:00 PM and runs until game time.

Hang out with Toby, meet up with fellow conservatives, or just grab a snack or a drink. Feel free to stop in for a minute or stay for a while!

Couple of problems with this whole thing..

# 1 – they are opting to tailgate in Brookings on what might be the busiest day of the state fair in Huron? Really?

# 2 – their whole advertising scheme for this campaign event is using the fairly well guarded NCAA jackrabbit logo, which as I understand is a no-no. As is lifting from SDSU’s football promo videos for campaign advertising, which it appears they may have also done.

# 3 – I happen to be driving on the north side as they were pulling up to set up tailgating. Where they found themselves stuck out on the very very far corner, away from where people congregate.

Add those things together, and you can see the turnout they’re having this afternoon;

Yeah.. that looks like a dumpster fire campaign event from team Doeden.

Here’s a 3pm update…

Not looking any better.

Gov. Rhoden Launches FAQ Page for New Prison Plan

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden launched a page to address Frequently Asked Questions regarding the plan for a new prison as put forward by the prison task force. You can find the page here.

“South Dakota’s state penitentiary is more than 140 years old, and it needs to be replaced,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “We have a good site, a good plan, and the money to pay for it. It is time to get this project across the finish line and keep the people of South Dakota safe.”

The prison task force was announced by Governor Larry Rhoden in February. Over the past several months, the prison task force considered the facts, listened to experts, and invited hours of public testimony. This process ultimately led to a plan that received unanimous support from the task force members.

Governor Rhoden has called for a special session on September 23, where this plan will be voted on by the legislature.

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