Former Representative Fred Deutsch has a campaign website set up in case you would like to support his candidacy:
Remember, one of the reasons Fred is running is so you have an option to support a candidate who has not signed a pledge to shoot down planes because of chemtrails (If you recall my July 6 post):
I believe Fred referred to it as kooky, wrong and dangerous.
You can click to donate to Fred here.
Attorney General Jackley Announces Five Men Arrested In ICAC Child Exploitation Operation at Sturgis Rally
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces five men were arrested during a child exploitation operation conducted by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
“This operation resulted in the arrest of five adults in our communities for attempting to engage in sexual activity with minors,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Thank you to the local, state and federal agencies that work each day to protect our children.”
The ICAC Task Force, which is part of the Attorney General’s Office, worked in partnership with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Rapid City Police Department, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The operation was conducted Aug. 1 through Aug. 6.
Four men were separately arrested on federal charges while attempting to meet with a person who they believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity. They will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The defendants are:
*** Elmer James Hopper, 36, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
*** Beau James Remington, 23, Black Hawk—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
*** Jayson “Javi” Gomez, 30, Rapid City—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
*** Joshua Michael Allen, 36, Hermosa—charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.
Another defendant was arrested on state charges for solicitation of a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to engage in prohibited sexual acts. He will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office. He is:
*** Jackson Wolfgang Witte, 36, Summerset – charged with Solicitation of a Minor and Attempted Manufacture of Child Pornography.
The defendants are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.
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That’s interesting. Former Senator Erin Tobin is noting that she’s going to Dakotafest. With a new logo that’s suggestive of a statewide focus.
This comes after work she’s been doing for US Term Limits, and a recent appointment to the South Dakota Upland Outfitters Association Board of Directors. And an LTE praising Congressman Dusty Johnson on protecting farmland and national security.
And talking quite a bit on how South Dakota should be leading on business and agreeing with the Trump administration on AI infrastructure..
.. in branded posts to social media.
So what’s driving this flurry of activity? I am hearing talk that Erin might be thinking about preparing to jump onto a larger stage.. which might include that open congressional seat where Attorney General Marty Jackley and former Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree have been busy staking out territory.
It wouldn’t be out of character for Erin to be a maverick and push back against conventional wisdom. And let’s face it, the top of the ticket races on the GOP side are tending to be a bit of a sausage fest, if you’ll pardon the term.
Right now the only race with a female running is Secretary of State, which historically has often been held by a woman.
Considering South Dakota refused to remove the exclusive use of male pronouns when referencing certain officeholders or individuals in the last election (Constitutional Amendment E), with Bethany Soye referring to the change as “frivolous,” and (Hillary Clinton Donor) Liz May opposing recognizing women because it would cost too much to reprint a document that’s changed on-line, you have to wonder if things are not moving in a positive direction for the equality of women?
Even more interesting, Erin Tobin was the one who authored the “pro” argument in favor of the Constitutional Amendment, noting in part:
South Dakota has a long history of strong female representation in all three branches of government, and the Constitution should accurately reflect these esteemed members of our government.
As a mother of a little girl in South Dakota, I want all young women to realize that they can grow up to do anything they set their mind to, and they too have potential to lead our State in their profession and/or politics.
Erin was willing to put her name to the ballot, and tell the world that she wanted “all young women to realize that they can grow up to do anything they set their mind to, and they too have potential to lead our State in their profession and/or politics.”
Do her recent actions now mean she’s getting ready to walk the walk?
Governor Rhoden Leads Trade Mission to UK and Ireland
Mission will Boost Beef and Ethanol Exports and Strengthen Academic Ties
PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Larry Rhoden is leading a business-driven trade mission to the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Ireland this week, joined by South Dakota Trade President & CEO Jesse L. S. Fonkert, Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) Commissioner Bill Even, and Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) Hunter Roberts.
“This trade mission will showcase the value of South Dakota’s key industries, including our world-class beef and ethanol industries,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “By strengthening our economic and academic ties with the U.K. and Ireland, we’re keeping South Dakota Open for Opportunity.”
The mission aims to capitalize on recently announced trade agreement frameworks between the United States, U.K., and European Union, promoting South Dakota’s beef and ethanol industries, which were key elements of the U.K. agreement. Representatives from South Dakota’s beef and ethanol sectors will join the delegation to promote expanded trade. You can find a picture of Governor Rhoden and the trade delegates at the Embassy of the United States of America in London here.
“This mission is about building trust and opening doors for South Dakota businesses,” said Jesse L. S. Fonkert, President and CEO of South Dakota Trade. “Our beef and ethanol industries are poised for growth, and we’re excited to facilitate connections between willing buyers and sellers in the U.K. and Ireland.”
GOED Commissioner Bill Even will lead efforts to attract foreign direct investment into South Dakota, hosting “Doing Business in South Dakota” seminars to highlight the state’s business-friendly environment.
“South Dakota is the ideal place for investment, and this mission will demonstrate why global businesses should choose our state,” said Commissioner Bill Even.
“This trade mission is an opportunity to showcase South Dakota’s producers and businesses on a global stage,” said Secretary Hunter Roberts. “Building relationships in the U.K. and Ireland opens possibilities for new partnerships, expanded markets, and helps ensure South Dakota has every chance to grow and succeed in international trade.”
Five students from the University of South Dakota (USD) will join the delegation as part of their participation in the USD President’s Senior Leadership Institute (PSLI).
“For six years, the President’s Senior Leadership Institute has provided students with transformative professional development and leadership training,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “Thanks to our partnership with South Dakota Trade, that experience will be further elevated through exposure to international affairs and global economic policy.”
South Dakota State University (SDSU) President Barry Dunn will also join the delegation to sign an agreement with University College Dublin to foster academic collaboration and research opportunities.
“This partnership with University College Dublin will open new avenues for research and innovation, benefiting our students and faculty while strengthening South Dakota’s global presence,” said SDSU President Barry Dunn.
A group of South Dakota legislators will also be attending the American Irish Legislators Caucus Summit in Dublin, strengthening ties with Irish counterparts.
Trade missions to Canada and other markets are planned for later in 2025. Interested businesses should contact Rachael Weiland at South Dakota Trade at rachael.weiland@southdakotatrade.com.
South Dakota Trade is a 501(c)(6) association that navigates international trade for South Dakota, with offices in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. For additional information, please visit www.southdakotatrade.com.
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Competing in a Global Market
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
August 15, 2025
BIG Update
I joined Rep. Adrian Smith of Nebraska on a panel at the Midwest Ag Export Summit in Sioux Falls to discuss how Midwest agricultural producers compete in a global market. I’m encouraged by the work the administration has done on securing trade deals with the European Union, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Japan and others to give a fair shake to South Dakota producers. I’m hopeful President Trump will continue to make strong deals with other trading partners that will support our ag industries.
The One Big Beautiful Bill also promotes United States agricultural products around the world. The Supplemental Agricultural Trade Promotion (SATP) program will aid in developing foreign markets for American products.
Johnson and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) at the Midwest Agricultural Export Summit in Sioux Falls. Click here to read more about the event from Dakota News Now.
BIG Idea
Silencer Central is the leading manufacturer of firearm suppressors in the United States. I stopped by to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill eliminates the tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns.
I was honored to receive their Legislator of the Year award for my support of the Second Amendment in Congress.
Johnson accepts Legislator of the Year award from Silencer Central Founder and CEO, Brandon Maddox
BIG News
South Dakota reported their largest meth bust in history this week. South Dakota Highway Patrol seized 207 pounds of meth, worth $12 million, that was being transported by an illegal immigrant across our state.
While border crossings are at an all-time low, South Dakota is not exempt from the lasting effects of Biden’s border crisis. This arrest and drug seizure underscore the important work the Trump Administration is doing to keep the southern border secure and remove dangerous, illegal immigrants from our country. I’m grateful for the local law enforcement officers and federal agents who protect South Dakota and keep America safe.
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South Dakota’s Greatest Generation
By Sen. John Thune
Eighty years ago this month, Americans switched on their radios and heard the long-hoped-for news that Japan had surrendered. In towns across South Dakota, people celebrated, and families breathed a sigh of relief that their loved ones would be coming home.
Like all Americans, South Dakotans had made sacrifices during the war years. Food and fuel were rationed, and farms and ranches struggled through supply and labor shortages. More than 68,000 South Dakotans served in the armed forces, and 2,200 of them never returned.
I grew up with stories from my dad and uncles who had fought in the war. My dad was an accomplished pilot, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, but he didn’t talk much about his own exploits. He talked about the men he served with, what they had done, and what they gave. He told us about the legendary Cecil Harris, the Navy ace from Cresbard, who led my dad’s squadron on the U.S.S. Intrepid, and the tip Harris gave him that saved his life. My dad shared the qualities of so many in his generation: humility, patriotism, and quiet service.
They might not describe themselves as such, but World War II created a number of heroes from our state. There were Cecil Harris and Joe Foss, both flying aces in the Pacific. Arlo Olson, who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor, after he gave his life leading his men in Italy. John Waldron who lost his life leading his torpedo squadron in the first engagement in the Battle of Midway. And Marcella LeBeau, a member of the Two Kettle Band of the Cheyenne River Sioux who served in the Army Nurse Corps, including time on the front lines treating the wounded at the Battle of the Bulge.
On the home front, too, South Dakotans left their mark. The state was transformed. Airfields popped up around the state to train military pilots. The Army Technical Training School opened in Sioux Falls to train 50,000 radio operators and mechanics. Out west, work began on the Black Hills Ordnance Depot and the new community of Igloo that would house the families of those who came to work there. Even Mitchell’s Corn Palace had a role to play, selling war bonds and enlisting new recruits.
South Dakota’s farms and ranches were also critical to the war effort. Farmers ramped up production, and wool and sugar beets were in high demand. Faced with labor shortages, draft deferments were offered for harvest time, and South Dakota State University canceled Hobo Day so students could work the fields. And it was South Dakota farmers who provided the pheasants for the Aberdeen Canteen’s famous pheasant sandwiches, which fed 500,000 troops on their way through the city.
Tom Brokaw, who spent part of his boyhood at the Black Hills Ordnance Depot, popularized the phrase, “the Greatest Generation.” He said of this generation, “they love each other, love life and love their country, and they are not ashamed to say just that.” We are fortunate to have had their example. And while the members of this generation are fewer with every passing day, what they did and how they lived will endure.
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Taking Action to Keep South Dakota Safe
By: Gov. Larry Rhoden
August 15, 2025
I can’t sit still for long. Maybe it’s because I grew up on a ranch, where there was always something that needed doing. I’m at my most relaxed when I’m doing work with my hands, and it’s helped me out in public service. Sometimes, you just need to be willing to take action.
Recently, a couple South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers took action to keep our people safe. They didn’t wait to act – they saw what needed doing, then stepped up and did it.
One trooper took heroic action when she saw that a driver was driving on the wrong side of the Interstate near Sturgis. She sped off down the Interstate (on the right side of the road), got ahead of the vehicle, crossed the median, and pulled out in front of the vehicle. She was rearended, which was all part of the plan. Then, when the vehicle tried to pass her, she performed a tactical maneuver to force it onto the median where the driver was arrested for drunk driving.
Another trooper pulled over a speeding vehicle driving through Sturgis. What started as a routine traffic stop turned into the largest meth bust in the history of the Highway Patrol. The driver was a 42-year-old Mexican national driving cross-country with more than 200 pounds of meth in his vehicle – that’s a street value of over $12 million!
That criminal is already in immigration proceedings, and after due process, ICE will get him out of our country so that he won’t continue to traffic meth to Americans. This instance really underscored the need for Operation: Prairie Thunder, my public safety initiative that includes increased collaboration with ICE to get illegal alien criminals out of our country. A couple days later, I called the trooper who caught the perp, and he was nothing but humble.
We recently took one other action to advance Operation: Prairie Thunder, as well. The Board of Pardons and Paroles decided to parole ten criminal illegal aliens to ICE custody, individuals that my office and the Department of Corrections had helped identify as criminals who it would be appropriate to send back to their home country. South Dakota taxpayers shouldn’t be paying to house these criminals in our prisons – not when they shouldn’t be in our country to begin with.
That’s what you can count on from me and my administration: when necessary, we will take action to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.
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Flags at Half-Staff at State Capitol in Honor of Lyndell Peterson
PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Larry Rhoden ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol from sunrise until sunset on Monday, August 18, 2025, in honor of former state legislator Lyndell Peterson. He served in the South Dakota State Senate from 1977 to 1994.
Lyndell Peterson will be honored at the Central States Fair on Monday, August 18, 2025.
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Not so sure that I trust this message coming from a foreign country about how I might be charged money at a South Dakota tollbooth if I don’t send them money.
Senator Davis Responds to USD Sanford School of Medicine Relocation
BURBANK, S.D. -Today, Senator Sydney Davis of District 17 issued the following statement regarding the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine’s decision to relocate its primary operations from Vermillion to Sioux Falls:
“The USD Sanford School of Medicine has been a proud part of Vermillion for decades. While its move to Sioux Falls will provide students greater access to hospitals and clinical training, we must ensure the school’s commitment to medicine remains strong. I will work with USD leadership to make sure this transition for faculty, staff, and students strengthens our ability to train physicians to serve all of South Dakota and beyond.”
Davis noted that medical students currently spend approximately 12 to 18 months in Vermillion completing foundational coursework before moving to Sioux Falls for the final two to three years of their medical education.
She expressed her appreciation for the faculty and staff who have built their professional and personal lives in Vermillion, calling them “a critical part of the medical school’s success.”
Davis emphasized that the move will also open the door for new academic opportunities in Vermillion, as USD plans to repurpose the space vacated by the medical school to meet other campus and program needs.
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