Bridging the Digital Divide
By Sen. John Thune

“Bridging the digital divide” is something that’s often discussed in the halls of Congress. While there are plenty of divisions in Washington, a digital divide isn’t one of them. You have to leave the Beltway and travel to places across America where you actually have to think twice about whether or not you’re going to have an internet connection – places like rural South Dakota where certain connectivity challenges can remain frustratingly unresolved. It’s 2021, and private companies have developed technology to send customers into outer space, yet we’re still talking about the importance of connecting rural America with reliable, high-speed internet. That needs to change.

As a member and former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the internet and everything from planes, trains, and automobiles to the depths of the ocean to the heights of outer space, expanding mobile and fixed broadband access in rural America and to tribal communities has long been a priority of mine. And as a senator from a rural state, I’ve always looked for opportunities for South Dakota to help lead the nation in its deployment.

The good news is that things have come a long way over the last few years because of the sustained investments made by telecommunication providers across South Dakota and the rest of the country. In 2019, Sioux Falls became one of the first communities in America to become 5G-enabled. As we continue to lay the groundwork and pave the way for future development and deployment, South Dakota has frequently attracted the attention of, and visits from, leaders at the Federal Communications Commission, the federal agency where the majority of the government’s broadband expertise resides. We’re doing the right things, and we’re heading in the right direction.

The bad news is that there are still corners of our state that don’t have the benefits of reliable broadband services. A strong internet connection is critical for small businesses to connect with customers, for farmers who rely on precision agriculture technology to maximize crop yields, and for patients who depend on telemedicine to get the care they need when a hospital or medical professional is physically out of reach. For many, it can mean the difference between success and failure or potentially life and death.

I’m glad broadband is now being recognized as vital infrastructure. We need to continue investing in its success, but we have to do it wisely. We must prioritize our needs and identify the appropriate partners, both in and out of government, to help reach our goal of fully connecting every South Dakotan who wants it. But simply dumping more federal funds into a pot and spinning the acronym wheel to see which federal government agency it lands on is not the way to do it.

I fully support using targeted government funds to help meet these needs, but the federal government cannot solve this problem on its own. It certainly can’t just spend its way out of it. We must be effective with our planning and efficient with our investment as we look for a holistic approach that continues to move broadband from luxury to necessity – that leverages available government resources and incentivizes private sector innovation to push the boundaries of this effort toward success.

For too long we’ve talked about bridging the digital divide. It’s time to actually do it. Access to reliable broadband has the potential to connect South Dakotans to a larger marketplace, to increase the quality of education for students, and to continue enhancing parts of our everyday lives. I’ll continue to support smart investments that use taxpayer dollars responsibly – because government waste won’t help anyone.

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Rounds Speaks at Dedication Ceremony for the M. Michael Rounds Operations Center Building at the Sanford Underground Research Facility 

LEAD—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today attended and spoke at the dedication ceremony for Sanford Underground Research Facility’s newest building, the M. Michael Rounds Operation Center (ROC) building.

“This is truly an honor,” said Rounds. “I am grateful to have worked with so many people who made the dream of transforming the Homestake Mine into an underground laboratory a reality. This project—which is such an important part of the community of Lead, the Black Hills and the entire state of South Dakota—would not be possible without the strong support of the South Dakota state legislature, the people of South Dakota, Denny Sanford, the Barrick Gold Corporation and the international community of scientific researchers. I’m humbled to be recognized in this fashion.”

Background courtesy of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF):

As governor, Rounds’ efforts to develop an underground research laboratory in the former Homestake Mine resulted in the creation of a world-class research facility that hosts international experiments in several disciplines. SURF was created with funding from the State of South Dakota and T. Denny Sanford. Current SURF operations funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The work at SURF has brought international recognition for the community of Lead and the State of South Dakota.

The Rounds Operations Center (ROC) is a new 26,000-square-foot structure, a hub for all SURF operations and engineering activities in support of SURF’s world-leading science. The ROC includes a large maintenance shop, main warehouse, and offices and meeting spaces for facility maintenance and engineering staff.

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Speaker of the House Spencer Gosch has announced his support of a special session for COVID legislation, and is proposing his own measure to place before the legislature, one which would apparently hide COVID vaccination status from employers.

Rep. Gosch’s bill seeks to make one’s vaccine status “confidential” under any and all circumstances, except for in rare circumstances as determined by the South Dakota Department of Health.

State legislators seeking to force a special session on the issue of vaccine mandate bans face an uphill battle. To get a special session, 2/3rds of state legislators in each chamber would have to agree to it, or Governor Kristi Noem could call one herself. The State Senate likely would not have the votes to bring legislators back for a special session, and Governor Noem has already signaled her opposition to a more extensive COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban.

Read the entire story here.

So, as I’m reading this, I have to think that we’re hearing a lot of political posturing that has little basis in the real world.

Nevermind the fact that a special session won’t be happening, as they’ll probably find it challenging to get 2/3 of the House to agree, much less the Senate.

Governor Noem to Appeal District Court Decision in Planned Parenthood v. Noem

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, following the District Court ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Noem, Governor Kristi Noem announced that the State of South Dakota will appeal the ruling to the United States 8^th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“All life is precious. Mothers should have the opportunity to hear all relevant information before they are faced with the ‘choice’ of whether to end their unborn child’s life,” saidGovernor Kristi Noem. “I look forward to the day when all life – born and unborn – is protected by law. Given that the US Supreme Court will soon decide on the constitutionality of prohibiting abortion before ‘viability,’ we are asking the 8^th Circuit to recognize that the people’s legislators should have the ability to pass pro-life laws.”

The District Court had previously enjoined the provision in South Dakota state law requiring that a pregnant woman consult with a pregnancy help center, ensuring that she had all facts available, before deciding whether to abort her unborn child.

Today’s decision by the District Court refused to dissolve the injunction, so the law passed by the people’s representatives is suspended until a final court decision is rendered. In doing so, the Court rejected the will of the people when it comes to protecting unborn life.

The State of South Dakota will appeal to ensure that women considering an abortion have all of the facts regarding their unborn child and the potential risks of an abortion procedure.

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South Dakota Requests ARPA Funding

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem announced that South Dakota has requested the state’s allocation from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF).  As part of the American Recovery Plan Act, the SLFRF provides an allocation of $974.5 million to the state. An additional $65.2 million dollars will flow through state government to non-metropolitan cities within South Dakota.

“The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds allow broad flexibility in deciding how best to use this funding to meet the needs of our communities.” said Governor Noem. “I look forward to working with the legislature to find ways we might use much of these funds to invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.”

Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and each county in the state will receive their share of the SLFRF directly from the federal government.  Other South Dakota cities will need to request their share of the funding through the state, following the same process the state used to request funding from the US Treasury.

Under the law, Treasury has the authority to split the funding into two equal payments for state governments except where the unemployment rate is 2.0 or more percentage points above the pre-pandemic level. This means South Dakota will get half the funding in 2021 and the other half in 2022.  The non-metropolitan city funding will also be provided in two tranches.

To assist cities, the state has compiled information on the Bureau of Finance and Management’s website at https://bfm.sd.gov.  A list of each city’s allocation can be found there, as well.

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This might be a Flashback Friday for the Governor.

The other day I was planning on hunting for some buttons around Fargo. I was bringing an entertainment cabinet up to my oldest for her apartment last weekend, since we’re putting in an electric fireplace. So I pulled up Facebook rummage sale for the area, thinking I might be able to snag some political pins.

And.. wait a minute… Grouped with a pile of non-political pins. One seller in the middle of nowhere clearing out his mom’s stuff had a pin that I had suspected might exist for years, but had never been able to find an example.

There it was. I FOUND IT!  The very first button on which – now Governor – Kristi Noem made an appearance. Except she wasn’t Governor, or even Congresswoman then. She wasn’t even Noem then. But Kristi was on a pin because she had won the Snow Queen crown at the previous years’ Snow Queen festival in 1990.

Now, the pin isn’t perfect, as it has some “foxing” – the rust colored spots that sometimes occur from the materials used to make the pinback.  But it’s still the only example I’ve been able to find since Kristi rose to prominence in the political scene, and it makes a great starting point to chronicle her public service career in political buttons.

And who knows? If Governor Noem rises to national office, it might also be worth a few shekels as it will become highly desirable for those in the political collector community.

For political item collectors, sometimes it’s all about the hunt, and confirming that something exists that you only suspected might be out there.

Now my only challenge is finding one in better condition. But until then, it will be added to my collection of pins for South Dakota political figures.

South Dakota is a Rising Star as a Recovery Leader
By: Governor Kristi Noem
August 20, 2021

It may not surprise many here at home, but South Dakota is leading the nation in recovery! Moody’s Analytics and CNN track how far along the nation’s economy is at getting “Back to Normal,” and they say that the US is only 92 percent recovered. But South Dakota is the top-ranked state in this metric at 113 percent, meaning we’ve more than recovered and are growing substantially! Second-place Idaho is far behind us at just 103 percent. Obviously, CNN is no friend to me or my policies, but even they can admit that South Dakota’s economy is thriving.

For four of the last five years, a separate ranking firm named Sioux Falls the top city in the nation for young professionals based on affordability, demographics, and entertainment options. And thanks to our scenic parks in West River, the undeniable draw of Mount Rushmore, and our respect for freedom, the state is leading the nation in tourism, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

Well before these rankings were published, I was working with lawmakers to build on the popularity of our state as businesses and Americans, in general, started looking for a place to land amid pandemic shutdowns. From January to March this year, the legislature succeeded in delivering key solutions to priority issues. Those include access to high-speed internet, investing in health care recruitment, and providing new programs to strengthen our public school system.

We delivered $100 million this past session for rural broadband access, which will continue to open doors of opportunity for small businesses looking to expand via e-commerce. The legislature appropriated nearly $1 million for recruiting healthcare professionals to the state, with a strong focus on rural health care providers. Additionally, the state expanded the ability of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to work with dentists and other non-physician practitioners. We even streamlined a process to allow licensed out-of-state healthcare professionals to work in South Dakota.

We also addressed the need for more access to mental health services with a combined $7.6 million appropriated for crisis stabilization facilities in Rapid City and Sioux Falls. As we look to expand access to high-speed internet statewide, we also authorized more telehealth services to allow South Dakotans to access the care they need.

No plan for our state’s future would be complete without an investment in schools and educators. That’s why I fought to deliver a salary increase for teachers, and expanded the ability of school districts to raise local tax dollar investments. For high school seniors looking at colleges and universities, we established the South Dakota Freedom Scholarship with an initial state investment of $50 million. When partnered with donations from PREMIER Bank, T. Denny Sanford, Sanford Health, and Avera Health, the scholarship endowment will start at $175 million!

To ensure we continue to be a recovery leader and a friendly environment for people to start and grow their businesses, I fought to pass House Bill 1259. The bill creates incentives that encourage more businesses to construct facilities in cities and counties throughout the state. I also cut red tape that prevented South Dakotans from being able to start small businesses in their homes.

Speaking of homes, we secured $3 million for the Housing Opportunity Fund to develop more workforce housing as the state continues to grow its population and businesses relocate their employees here.

For our veterans returning home, we invested $400,000 for the veterans’ bonus program and modified tuition requirements for veterans, armed forces personnel, and their families. We want to continue our record of being the number one state in the nation for veterans to live and work. And for our aging veteran population, I helped secure more than $300,000 for improvements to our State Veterans Home.

The data is still pouring in on how our policies are creating one of the best business environments for entrepreneurs and existing business owners. A WalletHub survey in July found that South Dakota was in the Top 10 for health care. And just this week, the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies in the country included 10 South Dakota-based businesses. These are good indications that our future is bright.

As we look ahead to the 2022 legislative session, I am committed to working hard for you so that employers and employees can continue to grow and thrive in South Dakota.

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The South Dakota Democrat Party must be running a telethon or something, as we have the second 10k donation out of the entertainment industry showing up on their latest FEC Report. And they’re still backsliding, which won’t be helped by their recently announced $7200 fine:

Sddp August 2020 Fec by Pat Powers on Scribd

State Democrats are reporting that they started this month with $52,738.97, and added $45,751.43 to the total. And then they spent $51,470.39, about 6k more than they brought in, leaving them $47,020.01 cash on hand.

This is not moving them in the right direction.

Of that $45,751.43 they brought in, $17,941.17 were transfers in from Affiliated/Other Party Committees. So they really didn’t raise it, as much as were gifted it to keep the lights on.

And from here, we get into those donations. There were a lot of the expected ones from the party faithful, such as Brendan Johnson, Tom Daschle, and various current and former legislators. Renee Christianson, the attorney who has her ads on TV gave them $100. Taneeza Islam of South Dakota Voices for Peace dropped them a $550 check.

We have the Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee of Washington DC donating $4375, but then here’s the weird one:

Buried in the report is a $10,000 donation from Broadway producer Edward Snowdon, Jr. (The Elephant Man, Spring Awakening). Because Broadway producers have a thing for Democrat State organizations in the midwest which can’t keep their door open?

But even weirder, is that this $10,000 donation is marked as having been received November 21, 2019. It’s two years old, and now only being reported?  And it’s marked as being a “memo item”.. but I don’t see a note in that field. Hmm..

I have to question whether this might be part of the practices that the FEC had recommended.

It’s been a while since I’ve visited the crazy known as “Primary John Thune in 2022,” on Facebook so I thought I’d check it out in case I missed anything new and interesting.  Aaaaand.. no. The facebook group is still like finding a dirty diaper on top of your car. You should just know to not look.

First off, evidence that one of our US Senate hopefuls Mark Mowry is actually campaigning. And we get a glimpse at his campaign piece.

One of the grammarians in the audience should chime in. I’m not sure if that’s a run on sentence on the front of his campaign piece, or a plain old incoherent rant. And we find out that he’s going to be at a secret Perkins for a meet & greet (message him for details.) He will be there at 3:00 pm.. And his hat will be there at 6.

We also find out that our other US Senate hopeful, Bruce Whalen, was recently diagnosed with COVID:

Bruce Whalen thinks he was infected with COVID on July 22nd. Hmm.. what was that Bruce was doing on the 22nd?

Oh No! Instead of Freedom, he was either catching COVID or pitching COVID at the Primary Thune group’s Freedom Rally. Now, I only saw 20 or so people in the early pictures, but they claim there were 200, so who knows how many were there to grab ahold of COV..  er, Freedom.

And we also learned in the Primary John Thune group that this last week, we didn’t just have Mike Lindell in Sioux Falls – We had Witches!

“The airport was closed down in their town in S Dakota just to keep Christians from coming into stand with Mike Lindell. ” and “Angie said the witches were blatantly all over & people adamantly against them & anyone who is for Trump or Lindell.”

This was “from a friend” and all I can tell you is that Medical Marijuana has only been legal for a few short weeks, and this friend must have some heavy duty medication!  (I hope they get well soon).

in response to the call by some legislators for a special session to create laws to prevent businesses from determining how they want to handle employees who refuse to vaccinate, COVID Governor Kristi Noem is responding to the issue by giving a big thumbs down to more government regulation:

In response to a comment request from The Federalist, Gov. Noem insisted “Conservatives should always be opposed to big government.” Her spokesman, Ian Fury, added: “Our system does not allow [the governor] to dictate that private businesses require or not require vaccinations of their employees – nor does she have the authority to shut them down.”

“Businesses that choose to require vaccinations should do so with full knowledge that their employees – and future workers – may have other choices elsewhere,” Fury said. “And for their part, workers at all levels should understand that during their careers they may face hard choices about whether the requirements of an employer are consistent with their own beliefs.”

Rep. Scott Odenbach, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, dismissed the argument that the vaccine passport ban amounted to government overreach. “My answer to the people arguing this is big government is, ‘you folks would think the Bill of Rights is big government then’,” he said. “There are thousands and thousands of freedom-loving people watching what’s unfolding with quiet desperation and wondering if anyone’s going to stand up for them, and we need to start doing that.”

Read the entire story here.

And there you have it.