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In a bizarre move in Rapid City this past week, the Citizens for Liberty group was trolling for a reporter to show up at an event they were holding, reaching out and calling for them to cover an event with former President Trump lawyer Sidney Powell.

…that is, they wanted a reporter to cover their event until they demanded to know who. And then refused to let the reporter cover the event.  But it might be ok if they had approval over what they wrote.

Frye reached out to the Journal on Monday to request that a reporter cover the event. Journal editor Kent Bush agreed to send a reporter and photographer. On Wednesday, Frye asked Bush for the names of the reporter and photographer attending, which Bush obliged although that is not usual protocol.

“The only response I got to that was OK, thanks, and so we thought everything was fine, that we were set to cover it, and then when we showed up to cover the event, the organizers of the event told us we weren’t welcome there as media,” Bush said. “I don’t know how else to categorize it, but we were forbidden, banned from covering the event.”

and…

Powell’s public relations manager told a Journal reporter and photographer they would not be allowed to cover the event unless they submitted the article for approval before publication.

Read the entire bizarre story here.

Neil Fulton, Dean of the state’s Law School at the University of South Dakota is noting today in the Rapid City Journal that the court’s decision on the legality.. or illegality of Amendment A to legalize recreational pot might be many months in coming:

State Selects CGL Group to Review Department of Corrections
Governor Noem Takes Additional Personnel Action

PIERRE, S.D. – The State of South Dakota has selected CGL Companies of Sacramento, CA to conduct a comprehensive review of Department of Corrections (DOC) operations.

The review will focus on safety and security, organizational climate, and policy content and compliance, including the agency organizational structure, staffing, equipment protocols, ancillary operations in education and prison industry, and training procedures.

“The Bureau of Human Resources’ internal review is making steady progress. We’re hearing the concerns of DOC staff and are taking action. Safety of staff and inmates at our correctional facilities remains my top priority,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “CGL has the necessary experience and expertise in correctional system management and operations to provide the review that we need.”

Governor Noem had previously instructed Interim DOC Secretary Reisch, BHR Commissioner Darin Seeley, and Department of Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill to commission an independent third party to review the prison system and offer additional recommendations.

CGL has conducted system-wide assessments of a dozen state prison systems. They have worked with more than 900 counties and municipalities, all 50 states, and 20 countries to provide system planning, operational reviews, program evaluations, facility design, and maintenance solutions.

The estimated cost of the review is $166,410. CGL staff will commence initial project activity and data gathering as early as late August, with on-site reviews beginning in September. The review is expected to require four months from commencement to completion.

Additionally, Director of Pheasantland Industries Stefany Bawek has been terminated, and two other DOC employees have been relieved of their duties.  Three other DOC employees have been reassigned to other roles following additional review by the Bureau of Human Resources (BHR).

Further updates will come from the Department of Corrections.

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South Dakota Democrats are apparently going to have to cough up some cash after their 2019 financial debacle, as first reported by Dave Levinthal, Deputy Washington Bureau chief of Business Insider:

Following a settlement with the @FEC, the @SoDakDems are coughing up some cash. pic.twitter.com/0CObu5IviB

— Dave Levinthal (@davelevinthal) August 6, 2021

If you recall their deep financial problems which resulted in the departure of their long-time treasurer, along with Chair Paula Hawks and her Executive Director abandoning ship, it appears that Democrats are going to be allowed to write off their fiscal mismanagement with a relative slap on the wrist, a $7200 fine.

 

(I notice we haven’t heard anything about this from South Dakota media as of yet.)

Weathering the South Dakota Weather
By Sen. John Thune

Our farmers and ranchers carry a huge burden on their shoulders. They work day in and day out, in heat and frost, to help feed billions of people across the world. It is only because of farmers and ranchers that our grocery store shelves stay stocked. Even through an unprecedented global pandemic, while other industries shifted or slowed, our producers pushed forward to keep Americans fed.

On top of this burden, farmers face unimaginable stress just keeping their operations going through unpredictable weather, trade uncertainties, challenging market conditions, burdensome government regulations, and much more.

Currently, almost every corner of South Dakota is facing a drought. In fact, more than half of our state is officially classified as experiencing severe or extreme drought.

Drought can have devastating impacts on farmers and ranchers. Right now, cattle producers are quickly running out of hay to feed their livestock. Without adequate forage, some cattle producers are being forced to sell off their herds. This is devastating for many of our producers who’ve spent years building their herds.

Thankfully the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tools in its arsenal to help producers through damaging weather conditions like the ones we’re facing today. Allowing emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, of which there are more than 1 million in South Dakota, can help alleviate forage shortages for cattle ranchers during drought years when it’s allowed in a timely manner.

I am a longtime advocate of CRP, which supports both production agriculture and outdoor recreational activities like hunting in South Dakota. These acres provide critical habitat for pheasants and other wildlife, contributing significantly to our state’s economy. But haying and grazing CRP acres can also provide a lifeline for South Dakota agriculture producers during droughts like this one.

I’ve been urging USDA to make as many additional CRP acres available as possible for emergency haying and grazing to help South Dakota producers, many of whom are in desperate need of assistance. And I continue pressing the department to provide ranchers with more flexibility on when they can use these acres for these emergency purposes.

I recently led many of my ag-state colleagues in introducing legislation that would improve USDA’s ability to allow for timely emergency haying. Right now, emergency haying on CRP acres is not allowed until after the primary nesting season, which ended on August 1 in South Dakota. My CRP Flexibility Act would address this by allowing emergency haying on CRP acres earlier than August 1 if certain conditions are met and in a manner that ensures CRP vegetative cover is maintained.

Agriculture is a tough business, and our producers have had to endure a tremendous amount over the past few years, from bad weather conditions to the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter the hardship, I’m always in their corner. I will keep doing everything I can to ensure their needs are met so they can continue to help feed our state, nation, and world.

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Governor Kristi Noem sent out a text message fundraising appeal today with a strong message against those who would see South Dakota shut down and mandates imposed during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Kristi Noem: I don’t care how much pressure we get from the Left, our corrupt media, or public health ‘experts’ who call Republicans ‘super-spreaders’ but support ‘peaceful protesters’ who tear down statues and burn down our cities.”

It’s not a gentle message, but it plays to the Governor’s conservative base on issues that ever increasingly strike home for Republicans in the face of pandemic restrictions possibly coming back as the Sturgis Rally kicks off, and kids prepare to go back to school with some school districts requiring masks.

Back-to-School for students, teachers, and parents
By Gov. Kristi Noem
August 6, 2021

It’s back-to-school season; a busy time filled with excitement for students and teachers, as well as parents eager to snap those “first day of school” photos. The outpouring of positivity for students at every grade level has always been a great way to kickstart the school year.

With that positivity also comes a heightened sense of responsibility. Now, more than ever, parents have a greater understanding of how and what their children are learning. From school safety to the important benchmarks for curriculum, every aspect of how we educate the next generation is under new scrutiny.

As a mother, I know the importance of engaging children and their teachers throughout the school year. Educators train students on the tools to excel in the future, including the skills required for math, reading, writing, sciences, and the arts.

These tools are bolstered when parents or guardians lay a strong foundation of core values taught within a family unit. Where these values play a crucial role is in the learning, comprehension, and study of civics and history. Until recently, civics and history classes across the United States focused on the study of major events, including the leaders who shaped our country. That remains the focus in South Dakota. I am fighting to ensure the study of historical facts and figures remains free of ideological influence. We also are improving standards that add context to enhance a student’s understanding of historical events.

As governor, I have become increasingly concerned about a growing movement throughout the country to reject patriotic education and downplay the positive revolution in human affairs set in motion by our Founders. This is why I support resisting Critical Race Theory and action civics from our schools. That’s also why I recently signed an executive order to block federal grants for Critical Race Theory and action civics in our state.

Fortunately, it does not appear that this revisionist history is being taught in South Dakota, and I intend to work with lawmakers in the next legislative session to keep it that way. This week, the South Dakota Board of Regents issued guidance consistent with my position, calling for a series of actions to ensure our public universities remain places for learning, study, and exploration, and not platforms to advance ideological or political agendas.

History is an important piece of the educational puzzle — our triumphs and failures have shaped this nation and allowed America to become a beacon of freedom and democracy around the world.

As we prepare for the start of school, I encourage parents to talk with their children daily about what they are learning. Engage with teachers about the progress you are seeing at home and ways to improve your child’s learning capabilities. And approach every engagement with positivity so the focus remains on strengthening our children’s self-worth, in part, through academic achievement.

When parents, teachers, and our children work together, we ensure a brighter future for all of South Dakota.

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Rounds to Introduce USA Beef Act, Restoring Integrity to “Product of USA” Label
Bill outlaws foreign beef from receiving “Product of USA” label, which is allowed under current USDA rules

 WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and a bipartisan group of his colleagues announced the introduction of the USA Beef Act. This Rounds-led bill limits the use of the “Product of USA” label only to beef products that are born, raised and slaughtered in the United States. Current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) rules allow for foreign beef raised in other countries to receive this label. This bill outlaws this current practice and restores integrity to a currently misleading, but ultimately valuable tool for consumers and cattle producers.

“It’s pretty simple – only beef born, raised and slaughtered in the United States should receive the ‘Product of USA’ label,” said Rounds. “As I continue to work with my colleagues on re-establishing mandatory country of origin labeling, we must fix the current labels to protect consumers and producers. For far too long, South Dakota producers have suffered as their high-quality, American-raised beef has lost value as it’s mixed with foreign beef, raised and processed under different standards. This is wrong. Consumers deserve to know where their beef comes from and accurate, transparent labeling supports American farmers and ranchers. It’s long past time we fix this once and for all.”

“South Dakota cattle ranchers work hard to produce some of the highest quality beef in the world, and they deserve to proudly showcase their products with accurate labeling,” said Thune. “I’m proud of this straightforward legislation that will ensure that consumers know they are getting their beef from cattle that were born right here in the U.S.A.”

This legislation is endorsed by US Cattlemen’s Association, R-CALF, South Dakota Farmers Union and the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association.

This bill is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.). Representative Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) is introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Background:

At the urging of Senator Rounds and hundreds of ranchers in South Dakota and around the country, USDA announced in July a full-scale review of the Product of USA label. In conjunction with USDA’s announcement, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a ruletightening the use of the “Made in the USA” label. The rule does not require specific actions be taken regarding beef labeling.

Since he was elected to the Senate, Sen. Rounds has led numerous efforts to provide solutions to the problems faced by independent cattle producers and beef consumers. Most recently, he:

·         Introduced the Meat Packing Special Investigator Act with Sens. Tester and Grassley to give the U.S. Department of Agriculture the tools to investigate anticompetitive practices in the cattle market.

·         Led a group of 26 colleagues with Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in calling on the attorney general to investigate the meatpacking industry to determine if antitrust violations exist.

·         Addressed cattle producers during a virtual town hall focused on meatpacker concentration in the cattle industry.

·         Reintroduced legislation with Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) to allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs to be sold across state lines.

·         Introduced bipartisan legislation to foster more competitive cattle markets by requiring that a minimum of 50 percent of a meatpacker’s weekly volume of cattle purchases take place on the open or spot market.

·         Introduced legislation which would outlaw foreign beef from being labeled as a “Product of the U.S.A.” and make certain that label only goes on beef and beef products exclusively derived from animals born, raised and slaughtered here in the United States.

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