I just read this article at the SiouxFalls.Business website which provides an interesting spin on the ballot measure coming up in Sioux Falls. A measure that’s been pressed forward to attack the proposed Wholestone ag-processing facility. And if you take what Jodi Schwan found out about a Wholestone plant’s neighbors in a different community, it paints the entire project in a far different light than it’s critics would have you believe:

“My overall impression of Wholestone is they come to a community looking to say and see how they can assist, how they can partner,” Fiala said. “I have just been so impressed. They use their expertise to serve the community. They serve on a number of boards for nonprofits, which is incredibly helpful. They organize volunteers. Those are two examples of many. I wouldn’t say that about every organization in this community, but I am adamant to say it about Wholestone  because that’s exactly what they’ve done.”

and…

“No. 1, as far as a steward in the community, you can’t get a better company,” she said. “When they came in, everybody was nervous when they bought Hormel. I think everybody thought it was going to be cut and kill and not ham and hot dog processing, and to be honest that’s not been an issue at all. They thought the higher-level positions would go away, and not so. And it’s a very, very clean operation, state-of-the-art. They’ve done so many improvements it’s amazing.”

I didn’t know what to expect making these calls, but it was eye-opening to hear such effusive praise.

Read the entire story here.

An ag processing operation that partners with the community, believes in charity, and according to the story, doesn’t do anything to negatively affect the community it resides in.

Not exactly what the opponents would have you believe.

For more than a century, South Dakotans have eagerly anticipated the annual pheasant season. As the date approaches, we dust off our blaze orange, ready our shotguns, and induct a new generation of South Dakotans into our great state tradition.

I’ve looked forward to the start of pheasant season for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Murdo, in the heart of pheasant country, my dad instilled this heritage in us from a young age, teaching us the skills we needed to bag a rooster and more than a few life lessons along the way. From crisp mornings spent in our great outdoors to nights gathered ‘round with friends and family for a communal meal that hopefully includes pheasant, the hunting season encompasses much of what I love about life in South Dakota.

It’s no wonder that pheasant season draws hunters from around the country who have made our state’s tradition part of their own family traditions. An estimated 100,000 non-resident hunters are expected to join 76,000 South Dakotans hunting ringnecks this season. As hunters of all stripes descend on South Dakota, they visit our small businesses and contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to our local economies. More than that, they prove that South Dakota is, in fact, the unrivaled Pheasant Capital of the World.

It goes without saying that hunters come to South Dakota because this is where the pheasants are. But in order for the populations to be strong in the fall, the conditions need to be right during the spring nesting season when quality habitat is essential for pheasants to hide their nests and protect their young chicks. For almost 40 years, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has played an important role in maintaining and improving these wildlife habitats in South Dakota.

CRP was created to take environmentally sensitive land out of production and provide an economical alternative to using expensive seed, fertilizer, and chemicals that would otherwise be used on high-risk marginal lands. Today, more than 22 million acres of land nationwide and 1.7 million acres in South Dakota are enrolled in this program, protecting against soil erosion, improving water quality, and increasing wildlife habitat.

As a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have been a strong supporter of CRP. As we look forward to another farm bill next year, I am also working to improve the program by making grazing more accessible, providing more enrollment options to producers, and addressing implementation issues from the 2018 farm bill. These changes will help ensure CRP remains an effective option for producers and landowners and continues to protect South Dakota land, water, and wildlife for years to come.

As we begin pheasant season, I am grateful for the landowners whose conservation practices are critical to keeping our pheasant hunting tradition strong for future generations. Whether it’s your first hunt or your fiftieth, I wish all hunters across South Dakota a safe and successful hunting season.

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Guest Column: Interning in a Congressional Office? An Experience of a Lifetime

By Mary-Katherine Schlicte, Jonah Dross, and Nathanael Monroe

October 7, 2022

A congressional internship is a great opportunity to witness the inner workings of our nation’s government and establish connections that help lead into professional life. Working for Congressman Dusty Johnson allows you to learn while being mentored by an advanced and established office of professionals.

Jonah:

My experience with Congressman Dusty Johnson’s office has been nothing short of exceptional. Since joining the Congressman’s team, I’ve worked on several projects assisting the press and legislative teams in policy areas that interest me. Everyone in the office has been great at helping me adapt to life on Capitol Hill; they answer my questions in detail and are always willing to help. The interns have become an integral part of the team in a short period of time.

Nathanael:

I applied for internships in a lot of offices, but the interview process really helped me narrow it down. While interviewing with this office I could immediately sense the interest in the interns and desire to see them succeed. During a typical busy week on the Hill in July they still made time to interview me one-on-one. The passion shown towards my success in a short zoom meeting made a big difference. During my internship, I have had the opportunity to sit in on meetings and briefings, write memos, speak with constituents, and develop valuable skills within politics. A couple of my favorite memories are sitting in the House and Senate galleries as Members cast votes on important legislation and being on the House floor. In just a month, the internship has already exceeded my expectations and I am sure it will do the same for you!

Mary-Katherine: 

Interning in the D.C. office has been an incredible experience. I always knew politics was my passion, and now I get to work on Capitol Hill, directly involved in our nation’s government. Some of my favorite aspects of working here are joining constituent meetings, researching background for bills, and gaining vital career skills for life after college.

An internship in Congressman Johnson’s office is accommodating, adaptable, challenging, and rewarding. His staff is forward thinking, cohesive, and supportive. It is a positive environment which encourages you to take advantage of opportunities to apply and strengthen your skills. Want to be a part of it? You can find more information and apply here.

Watch our video of how much fun we’re having!

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The record-breaking pace continues for South Dakota’s tourism industry – even with high inflation raising gas prices for visitors to our state. We recently rounded up Custer State Park’s famous buffalo herd (although I didn’t get to ride in the Buffalo Roundup this year like I normally do). The event drew another 20,000 attendees from across the country and around the globe. It was a perfect capstone to another record-breaking tourism season.

So far in 2022, South Dakota is on track to break records for visitor spending. Total spending this year-to-date is above last year’s record-breaking pace – and by more than inflation. Given that last year’s visitor spending was $4.4 billion, that is an incredible accomplishment.

But the records don’t stop there. We’ve had more night stays in South Dakota hotels and short-term rentals than ever before. And visitation to Mount Rushmore is up another 4% over last year’s record. The Sioux Falls Regional Airport reported all-time passenger traffic records in both July and August.

Despite the Biden Administration’s crushing inflation, visitors are still finding a way to make the trip to South Dakota. Tourism numbers are largely down across the country this year, which makes South Dakota’s record-breaking pace all the more impressive!

We must remember that tourism is our state’s 2^nd largest industry. When tourism thrives, our state does well. And tourism has been thriving for years now because of South Dakota’s respect for Freedom, our unique approach to the COVID pandemic, and our emphasis on telling our story to the rest of the country.

So, what can we expect in the final months of 2022?  As I traveled throughout the Black Hills this past week in preparation for the Buffalo Roundup, I had the opportunity to stop at many tourism-related shops and businesses. They all were reporting strong visitation and spending through the Fall.

Moreover, pheasant hunting season is literally just days away, and our pheasant numbers are looking like some of our best in recent years. This certainly bodes well for ending our tourism year on a very positive note.

South Dakotans can take pride in the fact that our state offers an endless variety of things to see and do. We have beautiful landscapes, pristine state & national parks, and the nation’s Shrine to Democracy. Visitors can experience our pioneer, Native American, and Old West cultures. These are just a few of the reasons South Dakota is still the perfect place to experience a world-class vacation.

But above all else, visitors are coming to South Dakota because we cherish our freedoms – and we love to share that with our visitors! Our friendly people are still our best ambassadors, and they make a visitor’s time in our state extra special.

Join me in continuing to support our robust tourism industry. Let’s welcome and encourage every visitor to experience the Great Faces and Great Places of South Dakota.

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At their biennial convention this past weekend, the South Dakota Federation of Republican Women elected a new slate of officers to represent the group for the next term:

President- Catherine Barranco
1st Vice President- Beka Zerbst
2nd Vice President- Heidi Engelhart
3rd Vice President- Debbie Schnell
4th Vice President- MaryLee Plut
Secretary- Nancy Ziegeldorf
Treasurer- Connie Wagner
Member at Large- Sandy Rhoden
Member at Large- Jeni Boerger
Member at Large- Laci Sosa
Member at Large- Lauri Davis
Past President- Penny Sattgast

Lora Hubbel has popped up on the radar after a long absence, because there comes a point when you’re so off your rocker your tenor is less amusing than sad. But, that being said, she’s running for office this year. So, Jack Kolbeck and Hubbel, his opponent for the District 13 State Senate, were interviewed in the Dakota Scout.

And, it’s never a good sign when the reporter has to disclaim “Responses are not fact-checked.”

(Editor’s note: Responses are not fact-checked.)

Name a law on the books right now you wish would go away and why?

I could be here all night. It would be Senate Bill 38 from 2011. That is when the Daugaard administration ushered in South Dakota ObamaCare while telling everyone he was against it. This bill destroyed families by increasing their healthcare costs and reducing their access. It destroyed doctors because they lost all their autonomy to the partnership between big business and big government.

and…

In an Argus op-ed several years ago, after reading the 73-page bill that no one else did, I wrote how I had night terrors from what I read. I said someday you would see. And then came 2020 and now we see that doctors must coerce people to take the experimental Covid vaccine even though it is against the Nuremberg Code and several laws.

Read Lora’s sad bag of goofiness here.

Just had the tidbit that David Reiss, who is currently ED of the Central SD Enhancement District, has been named Executive Director of the South Dakota Municipal League.

Reiss will be succeeding Yvonne Taylor who will be retiring, but who I’m told will be continuing Lobbying for the Muni League this next session.

Yvonne is retiring already? It must be good to be in the Municipal League..  Congratulations to Yvonne for what probably isn’t going to actually be retirement, as much as moving on to new challenges.

I’m told Reiss is going to have a salary of about 150k when he assumes his new position.

Stay tuned..

Patriot Ripple Effect co-founder Adam Broin is in the news again today. But not for his proto-conservative group protesting vaccination across from a children’s hospital or excommunicating his group’s heretics, or any of their usual activities.  Today it is his own business who has managed to offend the entire local Hindu religious community, as he put their diety on a pair of cufflinks that he charges nearly $1000 for, according to Dakota News Now:

In the store, Adam Broin has a heartfelt letter talking about how cufflinks and tie bars were a huge part of his grandfather’s legacy and how he continues it forward for future generations.

When it comes to the topic of the Hindu cufflinks, there is no comment.

As of October 4, the cufflinks were no longer posted on the store’s website. However, the local Hindu community continues to ask for an apology.

Read the entire story here.

Go read the entire story for all the context. I wonder how much of the $1000 he gets for each pair that he’s planning on offering to donate to their community center?

$1000 for a pair of cufflinks? Good lord. Obviously I don’t shop there.

According to the story, they exploit other religions in the form of cufflinks as well. Someone will have to tell me if there are there little tiny diamond encrusted stigmata on the Christian ones.

Had an interesting tidbit passed along.

Apparently, representatives of the South Dakota ‘Freedom Caucus’ are reaching out to other state’s House GOP caucuses because they want to introduce more rules and bylaws into South Dakota’s House GOP Caucus.  (This would be the group headed in part by Tina Mulally, which reaching for the easy joke might make it more appropriately, the ‘Free-dumb Caucus’ group.). And it leaves me asking, why are they looking for new and different rules. Aren’t they supposed to be for less government?

If I recall, the last time someone went trying to introduce more rules into the House caucus, women were told they had to wear nylons, skirts below the knees, and barred from sleeveless tops.

So GOP House (and prospective House) members, consider the source when you all get together after the elections.

Ugh. Political correctness run amok.

The U.S. Air Force is instructing cadets to stop using terms like “mom & dad” because they are not gender-inclusive. Academies should focus on education and military readiness—not social activism. https://t.co/QEOEBiQYAT

— Rep. Dusty Johnson (@RepDustyJohnson) October 4, 2022