Category: Uncategorized

After announcing that the Gannett system of newspapers (parent company to the state’s largest daily, the Argus Leader) has gobbled up two more of the state’s daily newspapers – the Watertown Public Opinion and the Aberdeen American News – the Argus recently put out a plea for the public to feed them information.

No other news organization in South Dakota has our level of reach, or the ability to let government officials know we’re paying attention, and we’re not afraid to raise the difficult questions taxpayers are asking.

That’s why we’re launching a new reader-driven initiative: 100 Eyes on South Dakota, based in our namesake and the philosophy of the 100-eyed Greek giant, the Argus – keeping watch from all directions.

Humble enough to own any mistake, we can’t look into every problem. But we can be direct about our efforts to hold public officials accountable and speak truth to power, with your help.

Read that here.

(You know a news organization is humble when they have a reporter put it in writing.)

So, the Argus Leader has gotten bigger and parent company Gannett owns over 25% of the daily newspapers in the state.  Of the 11 daily newspapers in South Dakota, they control 3, including the one with the largest circulation by far.

This comes after one of reporter purges in the last few years where yet again a few more reporters were sent away via downsizing, buyouts, and early retirement, and now this news organization – boasting about the new and increased level of reach and the amount of influence they have to drive public policy – is begging to be fed news stories? (Which they aren’t paying anyone for.)

If the Argus is that concerned about the extent of their reach, and letting government officials know they’re paying attention, I might offer a suggestion.

Instead of putting out editorials begging for news stories for free, they could always go out and hire some reporters.

Just a thought.

A Season of Celebration and Hope for the Future
By Sen. John Thune

Spring in South Dakota may be one of my favorite seasons. While South Dakotans understand the unpredictability of our spring weather, the month of May always brings back great memories. It makes me think back to watching my daughters Brittany and Larissa compete at the Howard Wood Relays and state track meets – events that continue to be on my “can’t miss list” each year – celebrating my wife, Kimberley, and daughters every Mother’s Day, and attending high school and college graduations, a symbol of change and growth.

There’s no doubt this past year has been tough, especially for students, teachers, and administrators who faced unique challenges. My parents were both educators. My mother was our school librarian, and my father was a teacher, coach, athletic director, and drove the school bus. Growing up, I saw firsthand the long hours and dedication they gave to their students. Because of this, I have an immense appreciation for our educators. I am extra appreciative in a year where, despite the adversities faced, South Dakota’s teachers and educators rose to the occasion and did everything they could to ensure students continued to get the quality education they deserve. It certainly wasn’t easy, but our schools not only managed these challenges, they exceeded expectations. I couldn’t be more proud.

I know our students have also felt the challenges of the past year and a half. It could not have been easy to see traditions slip by uncelebrated while schools took necessary health precautions. I’m glad to see that the most cherished tradition of all – graduation – is happening this year across our state.

Whenever I speak to young South Dakotans, whether at graduations, sporting events, or in the U.S. Capitol, I often encourage them to live a life of purpose and be difference-makers. Growing up in the small town of Murdo, I could have never expected that I would one day represent South Dakota in the U.S. Senate. But I was blessed to have doors open in my life and am grateful to have had parents and mentors who encouraged me to push them open to see what was on the other side. I’ll give the same advice to the class of 2021: If an opportunity comes along, don’t be afraid to go for it. You never know where it might lead you.

The second thing I always tell young South Dakotans is to pursue excellence. I don’t mean to tell them that they have be the best player on their basketball team, get straight As in their classes, or get into their dream college. Of course, it’s wonderful to achieve excellence, but what I encourage is that they pursue excellence – pursue excellence by trying that sport or talent that is difficult, pursue excellence by taking that course that might challenge them, pursue excellence by being kind to all the people in their lives – in person and online. Do your best every day. Don’t do a job half way. Don’t just go through the motions. Commit to whatever you are doing.

When thinking back to this time last year, graduations in many towns looked different. Virtual learning had temporarily replaced in-classroom learning, and adjustments were made to the typical graduation formats. What a difference a year can make. With the rollout of the vaccine and increased knowledge of COVID-19, ceremonies throughout the state will look much closer to normal. Graduates have proven their ability to overcome the adversity of the last year and will be able to celebrate their accomplishments with family and friends safely. I’m hopeful for the future of the graduates of 2021. I know they will do great things.

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Strengthening South Dakota’s Workforce
By: Governor Kristi Noem
May 7, 2021

South Dakota’s jobs market is booming. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in America. Businesses are moving to our state in large numbers. But we’re always looking for ways to continue to the state’s workforce. We want businesses to be able to hire the right talent to fill the openings that they have available. Both through targeted recruitment campaigns and investments in higher education, South Dakota is working to capitalize on our strong economic position and set our state up for even more success far into the future.

I recently announced a partnership between the Department of Tourism and the Department of Labor and Regulation to match tourism businesses with potential employees. Tourism is our state’s second largest industry, but the seasonal nature of some tourism jobs can make hiring difficult. The success of this industry is a major factor in South Dakota’s economic health going forward. By matching tourism businesses with quality individuals, we can allow them to focus on taking care of visitors to our beautiful state.

Similarly, we’re working to relaunch our law enforcement recruitment campaign.Over the past year, law enforcement has been attacked and demeaned in other communities across the country, so we’re letting them know that we’d love to have them in South Dakota. We respect law enforcement officers for everything that they do to keep our state safe. This campaign had tremendous success when we first launched it last year, so we will continue to build off of that.

Our efforts to strengthen South Dakota’s workforce go far beyond recruitment. Some of the most important workforce training happens in higher education. And this year, I worked with the legislature and industry partners to make targeted investments in the future of higher education in our state. For instance, we paid down debt at our technical colleges, freeing up money that can be reinvested into preparing our students for their career after graduation.

We made a historic investment in the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship, which will help set low-income South Dakota students up for a lifetime of success. With the scholarship’s requirement that students live and work in our state for three years after graduation, it will help bolster the state’s workforce as well. The legislature funded $50 million to help create an endowment for this scholarship. Industry and community partners have stepped up to the tune of $125 million as well, which gets the endowment near its goal of $200 million.

We also reinvested in the Build Dakota Scholarship, which matches students at our tech colleges with high-demand career opportunities. Together with industry partners, we’ll put $40 million into this scholarship over the next five years. This scholarship has the same requirements that students live and work in South Dakota for three years after graduation as well.

South Dakota’s economy may be strong, but there are opportunities to continue to grow our workforce. I hope to see apprenticeship programs continue to grow and develop. And there is still a gap to close to fully fund the Freedom Scholarship endowment. I promise to continue addressing workforce needs across the state.

South Dakota has the strongest economy in America, but now is not the time to settle. We have a tremendous opportunity to propel South Dakota forward into the future. Let’s work together to get it done.

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This item just popped up from State Representative Tim Goodwin. Due to seeing a large number of help wanted signs, in his latest legislative column Goodwin indicates that he intends to bring measures to shutter the job service offices, and to end unemployment benefits during the next legislative session:

For the life of me, I can’t understand why there are unemployment offices when there are Help Wanted signs everywhere. We should close our unemployment offices. Chalk it up as a success of the times; thank the bureaucrats who have worked there. Give them dibs on any other state jobs that open up and actually decrease government!! Now that’s a novel idea. Wait a second. If the workers (I know I shouldn’t call them bureaucrats) who run the unemployment office can’t find a job, and that’s what they’ve been doing, what their entire existence has been (placing job candidates into jobs), well then there is not much hope for them, is there?

Seriously, let’s shut down our unemployment offices, as they are no longer needed, and while we are at it, let’s eliminate state unemployment, government unemployment benefits i.e. checks. Now we are getting someplace. If no one in our great state gets unemployment payments, I guess that would be incentive enough to go to work.

Sounds simple and it is. I repeat let’s shut down all unemployment offices in our state and stop all unemployment payments to those who are milking the system, thus forcing them to work or go hungry. Man! Tim, that’s kind of harsh, isn’t it? Yep. We live in harsh times. When just about every business is pleading for workers and have Help Wanted shingles posted, it is time to pull the trigger. No, this isn’t hyperbole. I’m serious! I’m prepared to introduce two bills this next Legislative Session: bill #1 eliminating the unemployment agency. I believe the official bureaucratic name is Job Service. Bill #2 eliminate all state unemployment checks.

Read the entire column here.

I don’t think “eliminating job service” is as easy as Representative Goodwin thinks.

In addition to the able bodied run of the mill person on the street,  I’m pretty sure Job Service is connected to helping veterans find jobs as they return to civilian life, as well as vocational rehab, and helping people navigate services including connecting people with jobs they might otherwise not be aware of.

Really..How many graphic design firms, or computer data centers post a “help wanted” sign in their window?  Is someone supposed to drive by every dairy farm in the state if they are looking for that kind of work?  Yes, everyone wants efficiencies, and we see help wanted signs posted around town.

So why would anyone want legislation to eliminate one of the state’s primary places where job seekers and employers come together?

Washington DC based Punchbowl News, covering the decision makers at the US Capitol, has done some surveying of who might end up in charge when Mitch McConnell departs.

And currently favored appears to be South Dakota’s senior US Senator, John Thune:

Who will be the next Senate Republican leader? Just a little background here: There’s a lot of chatter about who will be the next Senate GOP leader: Sens. John Thune (S.D.), John Cornyn (Texas) or John Barrasso (Wyo.).

The Canvass shows that Thune is the slight favorite — 41% say he’ll be the next leader. 37% say Cornyn will be the next leader, and just 8% say it will be Barrasso. This was only asked of Republicans.

You can subscribe to the Punchbowl News here.

 

Remember this blaring headline a couple weeks back from the liberals declaring that a legislative joint resolution was subject to referendum:

Instead of pretend experts, people who went to law school and know a thing or two weighed in today on the topic. And they unanimously disagreed:

The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Dakotans for Health cannot refer House Joint Resolution 5003 for a vote of the people because it is not a law. South Dakotans have the ability to refer laws passed by the Legislature to a vote, but the resolution doesn’t qualify, the court ruled.

“HJR 5003 is not a law enacted by the Legislature,” wrote Chief Justice Steven Jensen. “It does not contain an enacting clause and was not submitted to the governor for signature or veto.”

and..

HJR 5003 is a proposed constitutional amendment that will go to voters during the primary election in June. If voters approve the measure, it would require that any future initiated measure or constitutional amendment that obligates the state to spend $10 million or more within five years require approval by three-fifths of all voters.

Read that all here.

Looks like we’re going to be voting on a constitutional amendment in the next primary, as affirmed by the State Supreme Court.

House Veterans Affairs Committee Passes Reps. Gallego, Johnson, O’Halleran, Cole Bill to Support Native Veterans Attending Tribal Colleges and Universities

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the House Veterans Affairs Committee passed H.R. 2878, the Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act. The bipartisan bill was reintroduced last week by Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), and Tom Cole (R-OK) to connect Native veterans and their families to VA services and vocational support by expanding the VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) program to Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

The VSOC program places VA counselors on campus to help Veterans, Servicemembers, and their qualified dependents complete their education and prepare them for future employment and success. VSOC currently provides services to thousands of veterans at 104 institutions of higher education across the country. The Native VetSuccess at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program Act will establish this innovative and successful model at Tribal Colleges and Universities in order to provide Native veterans:

• Adjustment counseling to help veterans complete education programs and ultimately secure employment
• Vocational testing services
• Educational and career counseling
• Expedited veteran readiness and employment (VR&E) services
• Referrals through VA Medical Centers, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, or Vet Centers

“Educational and career counseling programs are critical to the long-term success of our native veterans. There’s no reason the VetSuccess on Campus program shouldn’t include tribal colleges as well,” said Johnson. “Yesterday the Veterans Affairs Committee signed off on our bill, getting us one step closer to ensuring our Native veterans are able to take full advantage of the services they’ve earned.”

“Native veterans fought for our country in every war since the American Revolution and serve in our armed forces at higher rates than any other group.  However, they have the lowest utilization rate of VA services among veterans,” said Rep. Gallego, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.  “Today the Veterans Affairs Committee took an important step towards changing that by passing this bill to keep our promises to Native veterans no matter where they choose to receive higher education. I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to sign this bill into law.”

“Tribal Colleges and Universities serve students from more than 230 federally recognized tribes across 16 states, including Arizona, and provide essential education, job, and skills training programs grounded in unique cultural traditions and values,” said O’Halleran. “As the representative for Arizona’s First Congressional District, a vast and diverse area that includes 12 Indian Nations and Tribes, I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure that Native American veterans have access to the highest quality education available; I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this important bill that will aid veterans and servicemembers finishing their degrees and give them the tools they need to succeed afterwards.”

“Native Americans lead all racial and ethnic groups in terms of enlisting for military service and we must continue to provide them with access to the quality education they truly deserve,” said Rep. Cole, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. “By establishing a pilot program at Tribal Colleges and Universities, we can connect Native veterans to programs such as educational and career counseling, vocational testing and expedited veteran readiness and employment services. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this important legislation that will provide them with the tools critical to their success after their service.”

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) endorsed the bill.

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President Trump is back on the Internet on his own terms as the “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump” website has been launched.

As you can read, President Trump is back with the former president hitting the Internet supporting his allies, attacking those he views as his enemies, and generally doing the same things he did via twitter, except this time on his own platform.

You can read the website at www.donaldjtrump.com.

SD Woki-Leaks strikes again in their latest article as they call for an investigation to determine if the Board of Regent’s policy on plagiarism was violated when a memorandum on “implicit bias” was written:

In this article, we will highlight another serious problem with the memorandum: It appears to violate South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR) policy on academic misconduct and plagiarism. The memorandum, which presents itself as being evidence-based, borrows a significant amount of content from a previously-published research brief written by “gender equity” activists. The Provost’s memorandum acknowledges this only with a fine-print disclaimer buried at the end, while misleadingly portraying the borrowed content as the author’s own research/writing in the rest of the document. This violates the spirit, and, possibly, the letter, of BOR policy on academic misconduct and plagiarism.

and..

Given that students are not allowed to plagiarize or engage in academic misconduct, and may be sanctioned for doing so, it seems quite fair and appropriate that USD – preferably in conjunction with the BOR – initiate an investigation into Provost Hackemer’s “Implicit Bias” memorandum, to assess whether it indeed violates BOR policy.

Read the entire article here.