Argus breathlessly reports on SDSU’s fraternity row. Where have they been for 30 years?

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IMG_1401-0.JPGI was reading the Argus this morning with the top of the fold headline blaring “ARBORETUM COULD BECOME SDSU FRATS,” in large capitalized letters as if it represented a major disaster that has befallen the nation.

And all I could think was “… where in the heck have they been?” SDSU has been pushing this for years, going back to when I was an undergraduate at South Dakota State, and a member of a fraternity.

The story goes on with regards to how areas of the arboretum connected with the now fenced off McCrory Gardens is somehow supposed to be considered some sort of enviro-museum.  And that “The green space was designated as the South Dakota State Arboretum in 1988.”

I have no reason to dispute those things, but not too long before that, South Dakota State was pushing  the fraternities and sororities hard to create a fraternity row on either side of the street, nearly the entire time I was an undergrad from 1984-1989 (Yes, I took 5 years, but I took 1988 off for an legislative internship & to work an election for the SDGOP).

The University was aggressively pursuing the fraternity row concept, and if I’m recalling correctly, was offering the fraternities and sororities extended leases on land running south from Alpha Gamma Rho and Farmhouse Fraternities. They wanted to create this Fraternity area to consolidate them all in one place. The kicker was that at the time, no one was really biting.

In my fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, we were quite happy with our house 1 block off of campus.  And the Alpha Xi Delta and Chi Omega soroities who were even closer to campus were even less interested.  And for organizations residing off campus, many were less than keen on the idea, wondering what would happen if we were then residing on University property, and the University decided to try to exert authority.

Leasing the land as opposed to owning, as well as not wanting to be subject to the authority of “the man,” we heard less and less of this as time went by, until we stopped hearing about it at all. I suspect that’s about the time the area on the east side of the road was designated as a state arboretum.

But fast-forward thirty years later. My old fraternity house burned down from a bad electrical outlet, and the long-standing sorority houses having been knocked down and subjected to the University exercising eminent domain. And we also have a big uptick in the number of fraternal organizations, many of whom have been renting and are now seeking to lay down stronger roots for the SDSU community. And so, the long-ignored fraternity row idea has new life, significant construction, and may actually come to fruition about thirty years after the fact, in the exact place that has been planned for it all along.

Of course, that means it’s time for the Argus to generate a non-story panic over the fraternity row that might finally come to be over thirty years after it was originally proposed.

Whatever sells papers, I suppose.

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Please welcome our newest sponsoring advertiser, the Sam Kooiker for Mayor Campaign, who has an ad at the SDWC through June for the Rapid City Municipal Election. Please take a moment, click on his ad, and find out what his campaign is all about.

Sam Kooiker for Rapid City Mayor

 

And while you’re at it, make a point to visit all of our advertisers; Senator John Thune, Americans for Prosperity, Congresswoman Kristi Noem, and Rushmore PAC.

John Thune

 

 

Kristi Noem: Enough is Enough

 

Rushmore PAC

 

And, if you’re looking to reach an audience that is among the most public affairs minded and politically engaged in the state, the SDWC has a couple of rare top level openings in it’s advertising line-up, including the top position. Once these top level spots are filled, that’s it, and they may be locked up through the election.

Advertising on the Dakotwarcollege.com website is based on a first come, first serve basis for the available positions.  Advertising slots are 300×200 pixel ads, which may scale slightly depending on WordPress theme, and may be either static image, animated .gif, or flash file, as long as the file size is within acceptable file parameters, does not impede the loading of the website, or interfere with existing code.

Our non-campaign season traffic averages 1000-1500 unique individual visits daily.  At times of flurried activity, the SDWC has reached as high as 6900 unique visits in a day (And that’s visits, not hits).

Information on ad prices, ad positions, and required ad commitments may be directed to the webmaster by clicking here.

And while I’m on the subject, whether your business is politics or retail, organizational or service, if you find yourself in need of high quality print materials such as business cards, postcards, or brochures, collateral items such as signs, banners, pens, or pins, or anything that helps you promote your business – give me a call for a quote today.

cropped-patpowersprintingand-designI’ve done some business printing over the past couple of years, and I’m working on expanding that base, since printing a postcard for a business is no different than printing one for a candidate. And gosh darn it, my prices sometimes come up in the neighborhood of 1/3 to 1/2 of many commercial printers.

So, if you find yourself needing high quality full-color business cards, post cards, brochures, car magnets, banners, full color yard signs, etc. drop me a note today.

US Senator John Thune’s weekly column – Back to the Basics: Working and Listening

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Back to the Basics: Working and Listening
By Senator John Thune

John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressOne of the things I enjoy about traveling when I am back in the state is picking up on some of the key messages South Dakotans have for me to take back to Washington. One of the messages ringing loud and clear is the desire of South Dakotans and the American people to return to the principles of our Founding Fathers – liberty, self-determination, and limited government through the consent of the people. These are principles that I hold dearly. America cannot turn its back on the framework that has made this country great. Our Founding Fathers worked tirelessly to form a government system that would serve the people, not itself.

On November 4, 2014, the American people voted for a change in the Senate. They were tired of the do-nothing attitude of the upper chamber under Democrat leadership and were ready for us to get the Senate working again for the American people. That is precisely what Republicans pledged to do, and in a little more than 100 days, we’ve made significant progress. The Senate has conducted more than 100 amendment roll call votes in just the first three and a half months. That’s roughly seven times as many amendment roll call votes as were conducted all of last year.

The Senate has passed more than a dozen bipartisan bills, including the Clay Hunt SAV Act to ensure we prioritize the mental health needs of our veterans. We’ve passed legislation reauthorizing Terrorism Risk Insurance, a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, a bill to strengthen Medicare for seniors and their doctors, and a critical bill that combats human trafficking. The Senate also passed a responsible budget that balances in 10 years, something the president’s budget never does.

Significant progress is being made in the Senate, but there is still much more work to be done. Committees are preparing bipartisan legislation for the full Senate to consider. For example, I am optimistic that the full Senate will soon consider a bipartisan bill to reduce federal control of K-12 education, giving more power back to state and local governments.

I look forward to more bipartisan accomplishments, and I will continue striving to ensure we prioritize the South Dakota values of hard work, determination, and common sense in my work in Washington.

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US Senator Mike Rounds’ weekly column: Trade Opportunities Benefit South Dakota Famers, Producers, Manufacturers

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Trade Opportunities Benefit South Dakota Famers, Producers, Manufacturers
By Senator Mike Rounds
April 26, 2015

MikeRounds official SenateFree and fair trade plays an important role in American commerce. From higher wages for U.S. workers to supporting small businesses and agriculture, trade has a proven record of keeping our economy healthy and vibrant. In South Dakota alone, trade supports 124,000 jobs. In 2013, we exported $3.7 billion worth of products. Trade levels the playing field in the global marketplace so we have the best opportunity to promote American-made goods throughout the world. We should continually be looking for ways to increase trade opportunities.

The U.S. is currently negotiating a trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 12 other nations along the Pacific Rim. Finding an agreement with these nations, which includes important trading partners such as Australia, Canada and Japan, could boost our GDP by $77 billion annually and create 500,000 new jobs. Another agreement with European nations, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), would create as many as 750,000 new jobs. That is in addition to the 40 million jobs trade already supports in the United States.

One tool that recently passed out of the Senate Finance Committee would help us negotiate international trade agreements. Trade Promotion Authority, commonly referred to as TPA, is a tool that has been used since the days of FDR help the U.S. negotiate stronger, more enforceable international standards on trade agreements.

The TPA bill making its way through the Senate creates a stronger, more enforceable framework for Congress to exercise oversight over the Administration, giving us a stronger voice in the negotiations process. It also establishes new trade-negotiating objectives that reflect today’s economic challenges, including measures to combat currency manipulation and eliminate barriers to innovation and digital trade.

TPA strengthens our hand by giving the Senate an opportunity to guide the negotiations before a final deal is reached, rather than afterward. If the President has negotiated a good deal for our country, he then has the opportunity to take it to the Senate for an up-or-down vote. Members are not permitted to amend trade agreements, which gives other countries more confidence and certainty in the deal and the process.

Companion legislation recently passed the House Ways and Means Committee, and President Obama continues to signal his support. I expect the full Senate to consider TPA legislation in the coming weeks. This is a real step forward on policy that has had long-standing bipartisan support in Congress and from the administration, but had been held up under previous Senate leadership.

Free and fair trade agreements across the world open up new markets to South Dakota products. Our farmers and ranchers would particularly benefit from agreements such as TPP and TTIP. But in order to negotiate the best deal for our country, we must allow the administration to pursue trade agreements through parameters set by the Congress, and within the Trade Promotion Authority, to enable our current and future presidents to negotiate the best deal possible. That is exactly what the Senate TPA bill would do. This method has a proven record of boosting economic activity and bringing higher-paying American jobs. I look forward to debating TPA legislation when it comes to the full Senate in the coming weeks.

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Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Do More with Less

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Do More with Less
By Rep. Kristi Noem
April 24, 2015

kristi noem headshot May 21 2014This March, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen admitted that the IRS planned to ignore more than 60 percent of taxpayers’ phone calls during tax season.  The statistic in and of itself is infuriating, but the decisions that led to this “abysmal” level of customer service, as Commissioner Koskinen called it, are inexcusable.

On April 22, the House Ways and Means Committee, of which I am a member, released a report showing the IRS deliberately diverted funding away from customer service – a decision that left millions of taxpayer questions unanswered.

More specifically, the IRS collects nearly $500 million in user fees each year.  The agency has the flexibility to use this money as it sees fit.  In FY2014, the IRS spent 44 percent of the user-fee account – or about $183 million – on customer service. These numbers are similar to previous years.  But in FY2015, the agency expects to spend just 10 percent of the account on customer service – or $49 million.  That’s a 73 percent reduction in one year.

Hardworking taxpayers deserve an answer from the IRS as to why the agency diverted so much funding away from serving taxpayers.  I took it up with Commissioner Koskinen at a recent hearing and he responded by alleging the IRS’s poor customer service was Congress’s fault, as we had cut the IRS’s budget.

It amazes me that in the past the IRS has found millions of dollars to spend on extravagant conferences, training videos, and a Star Trek parody video while also dedicating countless resources to targeting organizations based on their ideology, but when it comes to customer service, the agency can’t find the funds.  Yes, Congress scaled back the IRS budget, but those cuts have been reflective of the IRS’s waste and abuse of your taxpayer dollars.

Ultimately, I’d like to see a tax code that is much simpler – a tax code that wouldn’t require tens of millions of Americans to dial up the IRS for help filing their taxes on time.  But until we can simplify the tax code, the IRS needs to reassess its priorities.

Across the country, families are doing more with less.  Yet the IRS Commissioner brazenly said the IRS has “no choice but to do less with less.”  I see it differently.

Just weeks after his appointment, Commissioner Koskinen reinstated a generous bonus program within the IRS that costs taxpayers $60 million a year.  Additionally, IRS employees spend 500,000 hours – worth around $20.7 million in staff time – on union activities each year and the agency used $2.1 million to hire an outside law firm even though it has a legal division staffed with tax lawyers.  Had the IRS not wasted this money and continued investing user-fee dollars into customer service, the agency could have answered 25.9 million more calls from American taxpayers.   But its leadership chose differently.

The IRS needs to get its priorities straight.  Taxpayers must come first

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Governor Daugaard’s Weekly Column: Celebrating Agriculture’s Leadership In Conservation

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Celebrating Agriculture’s Leadership In Conservation
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

DaugaardIn South Dakota, agriculture is a tradition and a way of life. As our No. 1 industry, agriculture defines who we are as South Dakotans and the practices that we pass on from generation to generation.

One of those practices is conservation. No one understands the importance of being good stewards of the land better than our farmers and ranchers. Their livelihoods depend on it. Because 80 percent of land in our state is privately owned, conservation efforts employed by farmers and ranchers are integral to the quality of our natural resources.

Each year in conjunction with Earth Day, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Grassland Coalition and Sand County Foundation bestow the Leopold Conservation Award on a farming or ranching family that demonstrates outstanding land, water and wildlife conservation.

This year’s Leopold Conservation Award recipient, Jorgensen Land and Cattle, knows what it means to be a good steward of the land. The Jorgensens’ management style on their farm and ranch near Ideal – which consists of 10,000 acres of non-irrigated cropland, 850 head of cattle and a hunting lodge – demonstrates that good conservation practices can benefit the environment and a family’s bottom line. They believe the soil is their greatest asset, which is why they have been no-till since 1991. Their decisions are always based on a personal responsibility to care for and improve the land.

I congratulate the Jorgensens on winning this award. I am grateful for their stewardship and for all landowners across South Dakota who treat the environment with such care. Their passion and dedication help ensure our natural resources will be there for generations to come.

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Family Heritage Alliance sponsoring Rapid City Municipal Candidate’s Forum the coming Tuesday

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From my e-mail box:

Though you may not have seen much evidence, there is a Rapid City Municipal Election just around the corner.  FHA Action is planning to put the candidates for Mayor, City Council, and School Board in front of you to ask the questions important to your faith, family, and freedom.  Join us Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00 PM at the Ramkoda Inn Washington Room.  Come 30 minutes early for some (yet to be announced) entertainment.

When: Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Rapid City Ramkota Inn – Washington Room
Candidates For: Mayor, City Council and School Board

Please Note:

• Arrive Early for Guest Entertainment (6:30 – 7:00 p.m.)
• A Donation to FHA ACTION would be appreciated.
• This Forum will be video taped and up on this site soon after the forum

Also, we are pleased to announce that the Coull Band has agreed to provide the guest entertainment for the evening.

Former Dem Lt Gov candidate Ben Arndt noted in story of sick employee firing.

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In case you missed it, a former Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov was noted in the Argus today in the case of a sick employee being fired from his company for….  well, being sick, and the lack of protections thereof:

Bell, Inc. CEO Ben Arndt would only confirm that Tom McLaughlin had been a night supervisor for the Sioux Falls-based company.

“We respect our employee’s privacy, and our policy is to not discuss employee’s personal matters with anyone other than the employee,” Arndt wrote in an email. “We would encourage anyone who can meet the requirements of an open position to apply or to re-apply.”

Read it here.

Arndt was the 2010 Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota, running on a ticket with Scott Heidepriem.

The ticket ran into problems when they ignored that part of the law which says the running mate has to be of the same party, and they were left scrambling to get the county auditor to change his registration to Democrat prior to nomination.