Republican activist and former State party Vice Chair Sue Peterson was selected to replace Steve Westra on the ballot tonight in a three way race between her, State Rep. Alex Jensen, and City Councilor Rex Rolfing, who had not been terribly active in Party politics.

Peterson was vice chair during Karl Adam’s tenure as chair back in the mid-2000’s, and will probably be a bit harder right than her predecessor, State Representative Steve Westra.

Sue is married to former State Legislator Bill Peterson, who was House Majority Leader from 2000-2004.

Thank you to all who ran, and congratulations to Sue, the SDGOP’s newest candidate for State House.

I’m hearing that the nominations are taking place right now for Steve Westra to be replaced on the ballot, due to his withdrawal. And the nominees are…

Alex Jensen
Sue Peterson
and Rex Rolfing.

That’s kind of interesting, as I never knew Rolfing to be a Republican.  But as I look him up, apparently he is.

Stay tuned…

Shameless plug time, and just a note to my Republican friends who might be in parades coming up this fall.

In case you need Stickers, banners or magnets, you should give me a call.

Tradition is….you kiss the first fish you catch learning to fly fish. I didn't mind so much, since I LOVED learning the skill. Fun day fishing with my boy Booker…and yes, he caught two more fish than mom. #flyfishing #yellowstoneriver

A photo posted by Kristi Noem (@repkristinoem) on Aug 7, 2016 at 10:08pm PDT

This Tuesday we’ll be at 90 days until the fall general election.

Scary thought, huh?

As I went out this AM to pick up the Sunday paper, I noticed once again that the original content in the paper is getting smaller while the ads continue to grow.  So, in the interest of illustration….

I even included the comics and classifieds in the “original news” pile, comprising 5 rather slim sections of the paper, a couple “USA today” drop ins to make it look thicker, with the vast bulk of the paper being taken up by Kohls, Staples, Target, etcetera and so on.

Of course, that doesn’t count the advertising within the pages of the newspaper itself.

Being an ad supported website, I do realize advertising is a necessary evil. But this is bordering on ridiculous.

That’s was quite the “unbiased” headline, before they changed it at the Argus Leader.  They’ve changed it now, but in fact, it’s still there, if you look.

I guess I’m a little disappointed, as I was commenting as recently as this week on how I thought Jon Ellis was probably the fairest of the political reporters at the Gannett corporation’s state ad wrapper. But this piece seems unusually out of character, and reads more like a hit piece, because Ellis doesn’t like what crimes the Attorney General chooses to prosecute.

Last week, the state’s attorney general, Marty Jackley, walked up to the TV cameras, and with a steely gaze and tough-on-crime countenance, he delivered a shocking plot twist.

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe had been victimized. By a couple of white guys. And Jackley, the state’s top-dog prosecutor, had the goods on them.

Jackley delivered yet another chapter in the Flandreau tribe’s marijuana story. It’s been a story marked by blundering and buffoonery. Of threats and authoritarian overreach. Of all-around jackassery.

And now Jackley was delivering the bad guys. Flanked by representatives of two of the state’s more incompetent local law enforcement agencies – I should add here they actually appeared sober – Jackley pinned the blame on a couple of marijuana executives from Colorado, where voters have ushered in a far more sensitive policy on marijuana.

and…

Prosecutors are essential to enforcing the laws of a free society. But overzealous prosecutors can be a menace to a free society. Going into the 2018 governor’s contest, Jackley does not want to be known as Marty “Jackboots” Jackley.

Read that here.

Did I actually read a characterization regarding law enforcement officials in a county with one of South Dakota’s indian reservations with a heavy native american population, that “they actually appeared sober?”   Wow. It might not have been intended that way, but that’s not how it comes off when you read it.

This article seems almost schizophrenic as it tries to portray Jackley as being “overzealous” on crimes that Ellis doesn’t like, but not tough enough on the ones he does. The piece scolds the attorney general for prosecuting broad crimes against the state, and scolds him for not addressing the violent street crime that seems to be happening on a more frequent basis in areas like Sioux Falls area.  You know, damned if you do, but damned if you don’t.

I can’t help but wonder how the AG is supposed to prosecute or address those crimes – because the attorney general somehow has the ability to hire more police in the Sioux Falls area, or to tell the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney how to prosecute?  Maybe it’s just me, but it seems to me that would be under the purview of the administration of the city of Sioux Falls to increase community policing. And would fall under the State’s Attorney how to handle his caseload. Not the AG.

In instances of local crime, to my knowledge, the local police and prosecutors have the resources of DCI, the state crime lab, and the AG at their disposal when it’s requested. It’s not their practice to see a crime, jump in and take over unbidden.  Which makes that premise of the article even more of a misfire.

I’ve heard Marty comment more than once that it’s his job to be the best prosecutor, and best lawyer for the state he can be. And the politics will work itself out. In other words, politics are not a consideration when they make a decision what to and what not to prosecute. They’re just trying to do the best job they can.

Whether the Argus Leader likes it or not.

Celebrating National Health Center Week
By Sen. John Thune 

August 7-13 is National Health Center Week in America, and it’s a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate the health care professionals who make small community health centers across the country a reality. These physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, doctors, dentists, and others play a pivotal role in creating rural access points for South Dakotans who live in areas where the nearest hospital could be an hour or more away. The centers themselves are an important part of the community, and they help create a seamless transition to quality health care for rural patients. 

It’s not uncommon for Main Street in rural communities throughout South Dakota to have a post office, a gas station, a small grocery store or market, and possibly a traffic light or two – not much more than that. Just because some South Dakotans choose to call small town America home doesn’t mean they’re less deserving of the health care that’s often available in more populated areas. The health care professionals who choose to practice in these smaller communities should be applauded because without them, the community members who rely on these facilities would be forced to travel long distances and likely incur higher costs along the way.

It’s not only the paid medical staff who are to be commended, it’s the volunteers across the state who dedicate their time at South Dakota’s community health centers. Recognizing the enormous benefit provided by these volunteer health professionals, last year I reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would encourage additional volunteer opportunities at these kinds of facilities. My bill, the Family Health Care Accessibility Act, would change federal law to lift malpractice coverage burdens that are a barrier to volunteerism for some providers. Doing so will make it easier for those who wish to donate their time and services to these health professions shortage areas.

We’ve also looked at new and cutting-edge ways to help alleviate some of the problems faced by long distances between health care facilities. For example, if a patient at a community health center required specialized care or examination, what if distance no longer mattered? That’s where telehealth technology can play an important role. Telehealth is the way of the future, so we should do all we can to embrace this innovative technology. I cosponsored legislation earlier this year that would expand telehealth services and make it easier for Medicare patients to connect with their doctors and other providers without having to travel long distances to do so. This legislation, the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) Act, is another bipartisan initiative that would help create higher quality care for patients in rural South Dakota.

While no two states in the country are the same, nearly every state from New York to California faces certain challenges in rural health care. With a little hard work, those challenges can be turned into opportunities, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing here in South Dakota at community health centers that are serving patients and fighting to keep them healthy.    

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An Update on the USS South Dakota
By Senator Mike Rounds 

In August 2018, just two years from now, the new USS South Dakota is expected to make its debut in the Navy’s fleet. Not only will the next generation, Virginia-Class nuclear submarine play an important role in the mission of our sailors, it will also serve as a new symbolic link forged between our state and the Navy. 

I had the honor of representing South Dakota at the keel laying ceremony of the USS South Dakota in Rhode Island earlier this year. Joined by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, his wife Deanie, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation, the ceremony formally marked construction of the submarine. However, the new Virginia-Class attack vessel has been many years in the making. The contract to build the submarine was awarded in December 2008 and construction began in 2013. Once complete, the USS South Dakota will include state-of-the-art technology designed to increase stealth, as well as a revised bow and sonar panels that will allow it to better detect and track other submarines in its area. The 370 foot long submarine, which weighs 7,800 tons, will be manned by 132 crew members and can stay at sea for up to three months at a time. It is armed with four torpedo tubes and can hold six Tomahawk missiles that are capable of hitting targets over 1,000 miles away.

It has been nearly seven decades since the last USS South Dakota, a battleship, was recognized with this honor. I am confident the new USS South Dakota will follow proudly in the tradition of its forebearer, which had such a distinguished history during World War II. The lead ship of her class, the USS South Dakota (BB-57) first served in the Pacific theater, where it fought two battles before returning to the United States for repairs. It later returned to the front lines, first in the North Atlantic and Artic Oceans and then again to the Pacific in the fall of 1943. 

This June, a celebration was held at the USS South Dakota Memorial in Sioux Falls to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the USS South Dakota (BB-57). Seventy-five years ago, in June 1941, then-First Lady Vera Bushfield, wife of South Dakota Governor Harlan Bushfield, christened the battleship and soon after it was sent to war. It retired in 1947 after many noble years of service. South Dakotans can be proud of that history, as well as the history that will be written by the new USS South Dakota when construction is complete.  I look forward to following that history far into our Navy’s future.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Seapower, it is truly a privilege to witness the progress being made on the USS South Dakota. As we celebrate this progress, we must also pause to recognize the brave sailors who served on the USS South Dakota in decades past, as well as those who will serve on her in the years and decades to come. 

In two short years, the USS South Dakota will play a significant role in our national security efforts. It will also serve as a tribute to South Dakotans’ long history of service in our armed forces, to include service which continues today throughout our Navy. I look forward to tracking its successes.

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Passport Needed ASAP
By Rep. Kristi Noem

As though weddings aren’t stressful enough, international weddings can put an entirely new twist in the planning process.  Earlier this year, our office in Sioux Falls received a call from a panicked mother-of-the-bride.  She and her husband were leaving the very next day for their daughter’s destination wedding, but her husband’s passport was expired.  We picked up the phone and immediately got in touch with a U.S. State Department hub in Minneapolis.  About 24 hours later, the father-of-the-bride was on a plane and able to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Believe it or not, this kind of thing happens often.  Last year alone, our office helped more than 600 South Dakotans navigate federal agencies like this.  Sometimes it was because a person just forgot their passport had expired.  In other cases, however, there were problems with Social Security, Medicare, Tricare, or Veterans Administration (VA) benefits.  At other times, a family was looking to grow through an international adoption or a small business wanted to expand with a loan from the Small Business Administration.  While we always hope these interactions with the federal government go smoothly and that you are treated with the respect you deserve, that isn’t always the case.  In the instances where things don’t go as planned, our office is here to help. 

While we can’t guarantee a favorable outcome in every situation, we will do our best to ensure you receive a fair and timely response.  It’s our way of making sure the federal government remembers who it is accountable to.  And if you ask me, that is one of the most important functions of a congressional office. 

Please know our door is always open.  We have office locations in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Watertown, if you ever want to stop by and visit with someone in person.  We also have a regular staff presence in Aberdeen and Pierre.  Additionally, our staff travels to smaller towns throughout the year where they will meet with local businesses and city officials, but also make themselves available if you need help.  Of course, we can always be accessed online at noem.house.gov or by calling toll-free 855-225-2801.

The bottom line is this:  whether you’re looking to walk your daughter down the aisle or into an appointment at the VA, know that our office is here to try to make that happen.

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