State Senator Tim Johns announced today that after a number of years in office as circuit court judge and in the state legislature, he will not be seeking another term in the State Senate.

As he reflected on his many years of service, he had some thoughts about what legislators and others should bring to the table:

“I was proud of it all, frankly,” he said. “The question I’ve always asked is, is there a problem and do we need to address it? I’ve got a Libertarian bent to me and I don’t think we should have any more laws than what we absolutely need to govern us. That’s been kind of a guiding principle for me. Let’s stay out of the things we don’t need to be in.”

Read the entire story here.

Congressman Dusty Johnson sent an update out today on Second Amendment issues currently before Congress, including measures to deem the firearm industry essential during emergencies, and to limit government interference with firearm innovation.

As received in my mailbox:

From Twitter, House Speaker Pro Temp Jon Hansen is announcing this afternoon that the House will be bringing back a measure to ban transgender surgery for minors:

We will bring a bill in the South Dakota Legislature to ban chemical castration and surgical mutilation of minors suffering from gender dysphoria. I hope other members and our governor support the effort and political leaders across the country do the same! Thanks @JonSchweppe! https://t.co/RFM8ATCgiv

— Jon Hansen (@RepJonHansen) December 15, 2021

What are your thoughts? Should the procedure be banned in the state?

The Federal Elections Commission has sent a warning to Congressional Candidate Taffy Howard that she may have accepted too much money from one of the donors throwing cash at her campaign, according to this letter dated December 7th, and filed electronically on the Federal Elections Commission website today:

FEC says Luke Blindert spent too much on Taffy by Pat Powers on Scribd

Luke Blindert, the poker-playing crop insurance salesman from Salem, was one a handful of donors who maxed out to the campaign in the first FEC report filed by Taffy Howard.

From an examination of the report, it’s likely a matter that the error is because both donations were attributed to the primary election, as opposed to one being primary, and the other needing to be attributed to and held for any general election expenses.

(Not that Taffy will have any General Election expenses at this rate.)

Thune Applauds Senate Passage of Annual Defense Bill, Ellsworth Funding

“I am committed to ensuring that Ellsworth has everything it needs for its new mission, so that it can continue to serve as one of our nation’s essential military assets for decades to come.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2022. Thune noted that the bill contains numerous priorities that benefit South Dakota and the future B-21 bomber mission at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

NDAA priorities for South Dakota include:

• $2.87 billion for B-21 development
• $47 million for a B-21 Field Training Detachment Facility
• $36 million for a B-21 Mission Operations Planning Facility
• $65 million for a B-21 Washrack and Maintenance Hangar
• $24 million for a B-21 additions to the flight simulator facility
• $70 million for a B-21 Formal Training Unit/Aircraft Maintenance Unit
• $41 million for a B-21 two-bay Low-Observable Restoration Facility
• $9.8 million for an F-16 Mission Training Center at Joe Foss Field
• $15 million for a South Dakota Guard Readiness Center in Sioux Falls
• Preservation of B-1 maintenance and operational squadrons through at least fiscal year 2023 or until their replacement by B-21 units

In a tweet a short time ago, Governor Kristi Noem is underlining the fact that the proposed 6% increase in state aid to education should go directly to educators:

My budget proposes a historic 6% increase to education funding.

Legislators need to get it passed. And school districts need to give that money directly to teachers and staff. https://t.co/AwNWUE54yV

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) December 15, 2021

Fonkert Announces Candidacy for District 9 House

HARTFORD, SOUTH DAKOTA – I am excited to announce my candidacy to serve District 9 in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

Today’s problems require leaders that are willing to listen, build consensus, and execute policies that serve not only this generation but those to come. As a product of a small town in north central South Dakota, I understand the challenges facing our rural communities. Working in economic development in the Sioux Falls metro has exposed me to the issues facing our growing area. Through these combined experiences, I feel prepared to serve District 9 residents that live in both Sioux Falls, Harford, and in-between.

South Dakota is a great state with unlimited potential. After graduating from Mobridge-Pollock High School, I chose to attend Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Thanks to the support of numerous mentors that represent some of the great characteristics of South Dakotans, I was able to find jobs in the Sioux Falls area in my profession. Spending nearly four years as Hartford’s Chamber and Economic Development Director and now as the President & CEO of the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, taught me the importance of working with community stakeholders to create solutions.

Education, housing, and infrastructure are all topics that need greater attention in our state. As your representative, I plan to focus on these issues to ensure that South Dakota continues to be competitive in attracting new families and businesses but also creating opportunities to attract former residents back to our state. While the state doesn’t always have the solutions, I plan to work closely with the private sector to continuously improve South Dakotans quality of life.

It would be one of my life’s greatest honors to serve the people of Sioux Falls and Hartford in the State legislature. As a conservative, family-oriented individual, I hope to take my values and serve you well in Pierre starting in 2023. More than ever, we need your input to make our state even greater. You can support me or learn more about the campaign by visiting my website at www.jessefonkert.com. Please take a moment to share what you think our state needs by emailing me at elect@jessefonkert.com. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to earning your vote in 2022.

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This might be the most tone-deaf photo I’ve seen in a while:

Congressional candidate Taffy Howard just posted this photo on facebook with Mark Meadows, who the House of Representatives just voted to hold in contempt for refusing to testify about his role in the January 6 riots.

Gosch tabs Rapid City lawyer for impeachment special counsel role https://t.co/9gMX9T7Wxo

— Austin Goss (@AustinGossSD) December 14, 2021

Sara Frankenstein, an attorney with Gunderson Palmer (and law partner to 2022 AG Candidate Marty Jackley) is noted tonight as being hired to serve as special counsel for the special session regarding impeachment.

Go read the entire story here.

It seems as if we can’t keep these numbers down for COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Sanford Health system. After dropping from the week prior, the new COVID numbers are bouncing back up from 12/7.  Hospitalizations are up to 224 from 207. ISU numbers are up 4 from 66 to 70. And a big jump from 37 on ventilators to 50.

Numbers of vaccinated patients are stable …at very few!

Seriously, the people getting sick are the ones who are unvaccinated. It’s a free country, but statistics aren’t lying here. If you want a greater chance of getting sick, these numbers have been pretty consistent.

So, stop reading facebook goofiness, and go get your jab.