From Facebook, State Representative Drew Peterson discusses the Governor’s Budget Proposal, and what it means for education, and South Dakota:

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When the ag economy slows—like grain farms in eastern and central South Dakota—the state economy feels it too, and this year is no exception.

The Governor’s proposed budget includes no increases for healthcare, state workers, or K-12 education after a small 1.25% increase last year. I’ll be talking with schools about how to manage this shortfall, but I’m hopeful we can find a way to support both schools and state employees before the budget is finalized in March.

On a positive note, tech schools saw good news with proposed funding for a new manufacturing facility at Southeast Tech.
Rural ambulance and EMS funding remains in crisis, with reimbursements far below costs—and no new proposals in the Governor’s budget. I’ll keep working on solutions that don’t raise property taxes.

You can review the full proposal here: bfm.sd.gov/budget/Budgets.html

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader has an article today where the Superintendent of the Sioux Falls School District is disappointed in Governor Rhoden’s proposal of 0% for education this year:

Sioux Falls School District Superintendent Jamie Nold told the Argus Leader shortly after Rhoden’s address that the way to be strong, to be safe and to be free, as Rhoden referenced throughout his address, is through education.

and..

Nold said there are many one-time expenditures in Rhoden’s budget that could go toward teacher salaries and education funding. He added he hoped people would favor investing in youth rather than investing in one-time projects.

He also criticized Rhoden’s proposal to increase the amount saved for reserves, or the rainy day fund, from 10% of the overall budget to 12.5%, and said those dollars could be used for education funding.

and..

Nold reiterated that he and other public education supporters would like to be part of legislative conversations, to help people see the work they’re doing and to invite elected officials to visit the schools.

Read the entire story here.

This is not likely to be a positive year for education aside from the tough funding year; especially considering those who want to strip public schools of funding to send them to private entities such as religious schools via a voucher program.

Stay tuned.

I noticed that the local shopper paper has a big full-page full-color election ad on the pack page.  (…because everyone looks for voter information in the shopper?)   The ad is part of a campaign to dissolve Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District, with the proponents claiming that it’s a reorganization plan in the text of the ad.

Yet, in the header of the ad, it does offer the caveat that it’s a plan to dissolve the ORR School District.

When taken against the fact sheet provided by the District, the advertising is a bit contradictory.

The pro-side notes that the consequences of not passing it is that they’ll lose sports programs and staff.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if they pass that and dissolve the school district, aren’t they going to lose that anyway?  According to the fact sheet on the election put out by the district:

What does a vote FOR the reorganization plan mean? A vote FOR the plan is a vote to CLOSE and DISSOLVE the ORR School District. If passed, this decision is FINAL, and the District will be formally closed under SD Law.

What does a vote AGAINST the reorganization plan mean? A vote AGAINST the plan is a vote to keep the ORR District OPEN.

• • The number of ORR staff who will be terminated upon dissolution = 42 employees.
  • The number of ORR students who will need to enroll in other districts upon dissolution = 193 students.

I think that kind of lays it out there.

With 2 weeks left in the election, there’s not a lot of time left for the opposing sides to make their case on whether to keep the schools open, or to shut them down, fire all the teachers, and bus their kids elsewhere.

Thune: Republicans Delivered Tax Relief for Working Families

“[H]ardworking Americans can be assured that Republicans will continue to work to enhance affordability, expand opportunity, and increase prosperity.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

Attorney General Jackley Creates Commission to Standardize Giglio Requirements Among SD Law Enforcement

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has created a commission to help South Dakota law enforcement agencies make uniform the requirements from a United States Supreme Court case regarding what evidence must be disclosed in a criminal case.

The Supreme Court ruling in the case of Giglio v. United States opined that prosecutors must disclose to the defense evidence that could undermine the credibility of government witnesses, including law enforcement officers. This disclosure is a Constitutional requirement necessary to ensure a fair trial for the defendant, as a new trial can be granted if the evidence was withheld. 

Attorney General Jackley said the Commission will review the Giglio decisions and make recommendations on how South Dakota law enforcement agencies can comply with the intent and spirit of the decisions. He said the Commission’s recommendations will be made available to all state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors so that they may be adopted at the discretion of each agency. 

“Giglio compliance isn’t just a legal requirement, it’s the foundation of the State’s credibility in the courtroom,” said Attorney General Jackley. “South Dakota law enforcement officers have earned the public’s trust, and transparency through this Commission’s efforts only builds upon this trust. I want this Commission to review what South Dakota agencies are doing now and recommend a consistent standard in order to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system.”

Those appointed to the task force are:

• Ernest Thompson, Deputy South Dakota Attorney General
• Matt Glenn, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation
• Lt. Brandon Akron, South Dakota Highway Patrol
• Sheriff Cory Berg, Deuel County
• Crystal Brady, Chief, Vermillion Police Department
• Lara Roetzel, Pennington County State’s Attorney
• Tyler Larsen, Yankton County State’s Attorney

For the Supreme Court ruling on the case, click here:

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We have to go a ways back for this one. Former 2012 South Dakota Congressional candidate Matt Varilek is in the news in Minnesota and is apparently on the press tour with Governor Walz for Minnesota’s new paid Family and Medical Leave Law:

Minnesota’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Law, which allows up to 20 weeks of leave and paid benefits, will take effect starting Jan. 1, 2026.

You can take paid leave to care for yourself during serious health conditions, like surgery, injury, a chronic condition, pregnancy,… pic.twitter.com/w5BPl2ZCVC

— FOX 9 (@FOX9) December 2, 2025

In case you’ve forgotten, Matt Varilek was Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s first challenger in defending the Congressional seat in 2012 that she had captured in 2010 from Democrat Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth.

That race was not without controversy, especially when it came to the advertising.   The South Dakota Republican Party produced a video (back before the party fell into disrepair) which caught a lot of attention nationally attacking Varilek, with Varilek himself promoting the piece as it noted differences between the two.

While the video caught heat from the national press, it obviously caught attention in South Dakota, as Noem was able to successfully defend her seat in a race that ended in her favor on a strong 57% – 43% basis.

In the more than a decade since, obviously all concerned have gone on to bigger and better things.

I don’t think I need to regale anyone with Kristi’s unbroken string of victories for Congress and Governor, as well as taking on the challenge of serving as the nation’s Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Varilek currently serves as the Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Employment Development for Minnesota, and had previously been the Chief Operating Officer for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Attorney General Jackley Announces DCI Investigating Suspected Drug Overdose Death at Jameson Prison

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating a suspected drug overdose death of an inmate that occurred last Thursday, Nov. 27, at the Jameson Prison in Sioux Falls.

Larry Franklin, 37, was pronounced dead at the prison. An autopsy was conducted Monday. DCI is now awaiting test results.

“DCI is actively investigating the death of another inmate at the penitentiary,” said Attorney General Jackley. “We will determine if criminal charges are warranted after the investigation is completed. This legislative session I intend on bringing legislation to address the drugs that are entering our correctional institutions.”

This is the eighth suspected drug overdose death of prison inmates that DCI has investigated since February of this year. Manarion Fuse and Melibu Ross are scheduled to stand trial in January 2026 for distribution of controlled substances that led to the deaths of two different inmates. The deaths of the six other inmates remain under investigation.

Attorney General Jackley said criminal charges are expected in some of the cases.

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(editor’s note – eight suspected drug overdoses? Does it seem that every sentence to the state pen might be a death sentence lately?  -pp)

Mark this one down in this history books, as the recent recall election to remove troubled Deadwood City Commissioner Blake Joseph actually worked, as last night he was completely destroyed in his attempt to remain on the commission:

On a vote of 108 to 187 to 22, Blake received just under 7% of the vote.  He was completely blown out of the water.

I’m thinking that the warrant issued for Joseph’s arrest on November 24 for violating a no-contact order did not help the campaign.

The entire story is just looney, filled with drama and a lot of inexplicable acts by the now former Deadwood City Commissioner.

I find the most interesting part the fact that the recall was successful. History shows in South Dakota that most recall election efforts fail or fizzle out. But this one came in with a head of steam, and Joseph was pummeled by the people who originally elected him to office for his goofball acts.

Awful elected official removed by the people who elected him? Maybe there’s hope for South Dakota yet.

According to the Dakota Scout this afternoon, while Governor Rhoden notes it is going to be a zero-increase year for education, House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach is holding a budget ax and looking towards our kids to further cut costs:

Rhoden also pushed back on conservatives in his own party who have called for budget cuts. The governor challenged them on where they would find cuts: To education, health providers or public safety. Outside of education, social services programs and public safety, the rest of state government receives only 4 percent of what’s left over in revenues.

“So, I ask the legislators who are asking for cuts, where should we cut? Should we cut health care, education, or public safety?” he said.

and..

“When you look at what’s happened with Medicaid, it’s a big number,” said Odenbach, who represents Spearfish.

He also pointed out that K-12 education spending had risen faster than inflation, even though enrollment in the state has dropped. He suggested that could be an area lawmakers examine when they look at proposals to reduce property taxes in the next session starting in January.

Read that story here.

Apparently, as far as some legislators are concerned, 46th in the nation for average teacher salaries leaves room to cut.

I just had a reader send me this LTE from the Lemmon, SD newspaper, where a contributor pointed out that State Representatives Travis Ismay and Jana Hunt are not just dumb.. but they are really, really dumb.

Travis Ismay talks about “it would be best” if they cut off schools completely from state aid to education?  Jana Hunt claims that “a little old lady says that a TIF was taking her house?”

Well, this is what District 28 voted for.

I especially like the newspaper editor pointing out they were not provided any notice of the meeting. I’m guessing because legislators don’t want voters to know that they didn’t vote the best and brightest in the last election.

In fact, they got as far from it as possible.