From today’s KCCR.com, Congresswomen Kristi Noem was recently cited as helping increase the Number of prosecutions for human trafficking in the state:

Jenise Pischel is the program coordinator at Our Home Inc. in Parkston, a private non-profit that has helped trafficked girls. She says she thinks traffickers see trusting South Dakota as a good place to operate and not get caught.

But, she says “…we seem to be catching an awful lot of them.

Back in July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed South Dakota Representative Kristi Noem’s bipartisan Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act. The legislation works to better prevent and intervene when trafficking or attempted trafficking occurs while also opening up additional resources for survivors who are working to recover.

Human Trafficking in South Dakota is not a new crime, however with a combination of growing prosecutions and Noem’s recently passed legislation, there is a “new recognition” across the state.

Read it here.

We Thank Our Veterans, Now Let’s Improve Their Care
By Senator Mike Rounds

On November 11, South Dakotans across the state once again gathered in auditoriums, gymnasiums, Legion halls and at memorials to recognize the service and sacrifices of our veterans. Since statehood, generations of South Dakotans have answered the call to serve in times of war, peace and uncertainty around the world. With one of the highest rates of military membership per capita in the nation, almost all of us know a loved one who served in the military.

As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, working with veterans, veteran service organizations and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make certain the men and women who fought to defend our country receive the care they’ve been promised has been a top priority.

Just before Veterans Day, I joined Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), to introduce bipartisan legislation to help improve staffing at VA health centers. The Veterans Healthcare Staffing Improvement Act would allow veterans to receive health care closer to home by removing bureaucratic barriers for their providers. At many VA health centers around the country, veterans are forced wait weeks – sometimes even months – just to get an appointment. This is unacceptable.

Our bill aims to make it easier for military doctors and other health care professionals to transfer directly into the VA system after serving in the armed forces. It also allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide a wider range of services to help address health provider shortages at VA facilities across the nation. This is a similar strategy being implemented by our state’s private health-care systems and is important for providing greater access to care at one of the many community-based outpatient clinics in our region. The main goal is to get our veterans the health care they deserve in an efficient and effective manner.

I regularly hear from South Dakota veterans about the VA. While I’m pleased to hear that many are satisfied with the care they receive, improvements are still needed. The Veterans Choice Program is a prime example. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a complex organization challenged by its size, scope of services, unique patient population, congressionally mandated funding and governance.

In 2014, the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act was passed and signed into law in an attempt to get veterans off long waitlists and into their doctor’s office. The law’s intent was to provide better care and greater flexibility, but the VA’s implementation has missed the mark. The primary focus must be to get veterans quality care as soon as possible, avoiding the need to jump through hoops or fill out excessive paperwork. Veterans have enough on their plate and shouldn’t have to worry if they will be able to see a doctor when they are sick. We will continue to work to fix the Choice Act and improve veteran care.

We will continue to work diligently to provide greater access to care closer to home for our veterans, as well as better care throughout the entire VA system. After all, one of the most important things we can do to honor our veterans is to keep the promises which we make to them. They deserve this much from their country.

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Is it the IRS or a Scam?
By Rep. Kristi Noem

In a single day earlier this month, more than 100 South Dakotans received phone calls from scammers pretending to represent the IRS.  Residents were told they were about to face legal action, unless they paid their taxes immediately.  These types of scam calls happen nearly every day across the country.  In fact, approximately 736,000 scam contacts have been made in the last two years alone, according to the IRS.  As a result, nearly 5,000 Americans have fallen victim to one of these scams, costing them more than $23 million collectively.  With the right information, however, you can protect yourself.

In many cases, the scammer will call, email or text you and claim the IRS will sue you, arrest you, or revoke your driver’s license unless supposedly overdue taxes are paid immediately.  This is exactly what recently occurred in South Dakota. The scammer’s goal is to con you into turning over your credit card number or bank information.  This isn’t how the IRS operates, however.

The IRS will never call you before sending a letter.  They will never call you to demand an immediate tax payment, nor will they demand that you pay a tax without an option to question how much you owe.  The IRS will also never demand that you pay your taxes in a certain way, such as on a credit or debit card.  They will also never ask for your credit or debit card number over the phone.

If you are concerned that you are being contacted by a scammer, ask the caller for their name, badge number, and a call-back number.  Then, hang up and call the IRS directly at 1-800-366-4484.  Once you provide them with the information, they will be able to tell you if the call was legitimate.  If the caller demands an over-the-phone payment, hang up immediately.  Do not provide any information.

Scammers have also been known to target people through email.  Know that the IRS will not ask you for personal information via email.  If you receive such an email – even if it’s on “official” IRS letterhead – do not reply, open any attachments, or click any links.  You can forward the email to phishing@irs.gov and they will investigate it, but then delete the email from your inbox.

Unfortunately, criminals are quick to adapt to new technologies, meaning they are now using text messages to dig for personal information as well.  Once again, the IRS will not contact you in this way.  As with email, do not reply, open any attachments, or click on any links.  You can forward the text to 202-552-1226 to report it, but then delete the text from your phone.

Initially, scammers primarily targeted older Americans and new immigrants, but the IRS now reports that “the crooks try to swindle just about anyone.”  Please stay alert.  These scams can happen to anyone – any time of the year.

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The Value of the National Career Readiness Certificate
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

When a business needs to hire a new employee, there’s a lot to consider. An applicant’s previous jobs, education and the recommendations of others are all part of the equation. These things are important; but when it comes down to it, managers are really just looking for someone who will succeed on the job.

This is where the National Career Readiness Certificate comes in.

This certificate, known as the NCRC, has been used by employers across the nation for nearly 20 years. It consists of three assessments developed by ACT, the college entrance exam company. The assessments measure an individual’s ability in applied mathematics, reading for information and locating information.

The applied mathematics section measures math reasoning, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques for work-related problems. Reading for information tests how well an applicant can read and comprehend different types of work-related materials, from memos and bulletins to policy manuals and government regulations. A third test measures how well an applicant can locate information when drawing from materials such as diagrams, floor plans, tables, forms and graphs.

Regardless of occupation, the assessments can provide reliable, relevant information about an individual’s abilities.

ACT has profiled more than 20,000 individual jobs across the country to determine the level needed for success at any particular job. An NCRC can be earned at four levels.  The Platinum level indicates an individual has the skill level needed for 99 percent of the jobs in the database. If one earns the Gold level, it means one has the skills for 90 percent; Silver, skills for 65 percent; and Bronze, skills for 35 percent.

The Department of Labor and Regulation offers NCRC assessments to any job seeker. Since testing began six years ago, nearly 12,000 South Dakotans have earned an NCRC and, compared to the national average, our job seekers consistently have attained higher levels.

I’m happy to say that I’ve taken the three tests myself. I completed the core assessments a few weeks ago to become more familiar with the certificate, and I’ve challenged my cabinet and staff to do the same.

After taking the test myself, I’d encourage businesses to become more familiar with the NCRC. Even if applicants are lacking in academic certificates or diplomas, they may still have the right work skills. The NCRC can indicate when that is the case. The NCRC benefits job seekers and employers, and it’s a valuable tool for a state that is experiencing workforce shortages.

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I’m hearing rumors this morning that District 5 will have 2 new House candidates this coming election year. A source tells me that Byron Callies (former State Rep Melissa Magstadt’s father) and Hugh Bartles will both be throwing their hats in the ring.

With Roger Solum ineligible for another term, that leaves current State Rep Lee Schoenbeck facing a primary, unless Reid Holien plans to step down early (which I’ve heard nothing about), opening up that seat.

Keep those candidate rumors coming! You can e-mail me here.

Did radical Islamic terrorists shock the world to action last night?

Eight ISIS terrorists wielding AK-47s and wearing suicide belts carried out coordinated attacks at six sites around Paris Friday night, killing at least 127 people and wounding at least 180 others, France’s president said Saturday.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and a Syrian passport was found on the body of suicide bomber at the Paris stadium. French authorities are investigating the attacks and urging any witnesses to come forward. 

Speaking after an emergency security meeting to plan his government’s response, Francois Hollande declared three days of national mourning and raised France’s security to its highest level. He described Friday’s attacks, which produced the worst bloodshed in Paris since World War II, as an “act of war.” Hollande said ISIS was “a terrorist army … a jihadist army, against France, against the values that we defend everywhere in the world, against what we are: A free country that means something to the whole planet.”

Read it here.

What are your thoughts? Does this change the game, and has if forced the world to deal with the threat of radical Islamic terrorists more seriously and aggressively?

I was reading the latest article on the GEAR UP grant kerfuffle, and something struck me as odd, and a question that no one seems to be asking as they try to blame state government and gin up controversy.  No one seems to be talking much to Dan Guericke, the Superintendent of the District/COOP.  Wasn’t he the guy in charge?

If people were double dipping and acting as their own subcontractors under the grant, would he have not been the person in charge of making sure that didn’t happen?

If the state went to the Mid Central Educational Cooperative and said “good lord, your records on this grant are such a mess, we have to step in and fix it,” why are we not hearing about what action he and the board of the organization took to remedy the problem once it was identified early on, and what the remedies they tried?   Why did they let it get so bad?

What we ARE hearing about, is how the coop immediately canceled the phone for the employee who committed suicide, and allegedly murdered his family, and how if they find something in their safe deposit box, they’ll pass it on to the AG.

Silly question, but that seems to be the place where many of these questions should start.

There’s a report out there that one of the GOP women in Spearfish posted on facebook that current Deadwood Mayor (Elected in 2013), and former State Representative Chuck Turbiville who was previously termed out of the House, is going to be making a return run for the legislature in 2016:

Yesterday at the Republican Women’s monthly luncheon, Chuck Turbiville spoke and announced he will run for Dist. 31 House of Representative seat that will be open due to Fred Romkema’s term limit.

Turbiville is likely to be a tough competitor with his high name identification.

Also, Mike Clark, a contributor to dakotawarcollege.com unofficially announced under the previous post that he is going to be running for the District 9 House Seat as well.

I am honored to even be considered for the position, and to get as far in the process that I did. To be honest I am a political no body.

However with Paula Hawks running for another position that leaves that seat open in 2016.

I will be running for that seat

Any others out there who are running for the state legislature that we don’t know about yet? E-Mail me here.

Gov. Daugaard Appoints Wayne Steinhauer To District 9 House Seat

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today that he will appoint Wayne H. Steinhauer of Hartford to the vacant seat in the state House representing District 9. Steinhauer will succeed Rep. Steve Hickey, who resigned earlier this year.

“I thank Wayne Steinhauer for taking on this role,” said Gov. Daugaard. “Wayne’s experience in business and in local government will make him a valuable contributor to the legislative process.”

Steinhauer is the outgoing chairman of the Minnehaha County Planning Commission, on which he has served for 14 years. He retired last year as chief operations officer of Amesbury, after a 30 year career in business. He also owns and operates the Best Western Hotel in Murdo.

“I am extremely honored to be appointed to the South Dakota House of Representatives,” said Steinhauer. “I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to represent District 9 and to work in Pierre with other South Dakota leaders for the benefit of all.”

Steinhauer has been active in many community organizations, including Rotary International, Downtown Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire United Way and Sioux Falls Tomorrow. He is also a member of the Murdo Chamber of Commerce.

Steinhauer and his wife of 40 years, Cindy, have two children and nine grandchildren. They are members of St. George Church in Hartford.

The appointment is effective immediately.  Steinhauer will serve the remainder of Rep. Hickey’s term, which expires after the 2016 general election. District 9 includes northwestern Minnehaha County, including the Hartford, Humboldt, Crooks and the Wall Lake area. The district also includes an area in north and northwestern Sioux Falls, encompassing Southeast Technical Institute, Hayward Elementary School and the Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

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If you’ve been watching the link at the left of the page, the Augustana College Republicans just hit $1500 of their $5000 goal to attend CPAC. If you’ve been thinking of it, but haven’t donated yet, Click here to give them some GOP Love, and help send this group to CPAC