You can click on it for Lora’s link. Especially those you who have signed her petition. There may still be time to change your mind.

—

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

“…not be judged by the color of their skin.” I think a couple of people are still working on that. Someone should remind Rep. DiSanto what happened the last time she offered her pearls of wisdom on Facebook.

Next, Lynne will remind us that women have successfully ran for office and can now vote, and that a few Catholics have decided to run for the legislature this year too.

Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Ryan Maher Endorses Jackley for Governor

ISABEL, SD: District 28 Senator and Assistant Majority Leader Ryan Maher endorsed Attorney General Marty Jackley for governor in a video released this week.

“Marty Jackley really came through for the people of South Dakota this legislative session,” Maher said. “He walked into session with five ideas, and he walked out with five bills headed for the governor’s desk. That’s what true leadership looks like.”

Maher resides in Isabel and represents constituents in Butte, Corson, Dewey, Harding, Perkins and Ziebach Counties. He’s been a steadfast supporter of small business owners and ranchers in his district since his election.

“Ryan exemplifies South Dakota public service,” Jackley said. “He’s an independent thinker, a business owner and a job creator, and those experiences have shaped a conservative worldview that we’re both proud to share.”

Watch Maher’s endorsement video on youtube here or on facebook here.

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Lemmon Hosts Jackley Economic Development Round Table

LEMMON, SD: Attorney General Marty Jackley continued his economic development round table tour Tuesday with a conversation in Lemmon that included business and community leaders from four different South Dakota towns.

“Marty Jackley is the kind of leader who meets you where you stand,” said Lemmon Mayor Neal Pinnow. “He traveled to Lemmon to see South Dakota through our eyes and talk about how the governor can partner with communities like ours to keep our kids here and build a bright future for our families.”

After the round table discussion, a tour of the Perkins County community took Jackley through the fire department, Wheeler Manufacturing and Live, Inc., a community service provider for the developmentally disabled. He also met with Lemmon High School seniors to talk about their future plans.

“The folks from Lemmon, Prairie City, Meadow and Shadehill who joined us today deserve a governor who will listen to them,” Jackley said. “I’m glad I could visit them on National Ag Day to discuss how we can work together to make our rural communities thrive.”

Jackley will continue the economic development round table tour with stops in Spearfish and Belle Fourche on Friday.

Americans United Against Tyranny (AUAT) is a Texas non-profit corporation working to build a nationwide Patriot Union with the express purpose of restoring a Constitutional Republic of Sovereign States.

This group is coming to South Dakota next month, and actively recruiting militia members to act as security for the event. They’ve already recruited South Dakota Legislators who are participating in their rally to restore a Constitutional Republic of Sovereign States:

Beginning tonight through Friday, the NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Elite Eight, Final Four, and Championships are being held at the Pentagon here in Sioux Falls. The best 8 Men’s and Women’s Division teams are coming from around the nation to crown National Champions. One of the competing teams is our own Northern State University Men’s team from Aberdeen. Pretty exciting, huh? Let’s get out there and cheer on the Wolves.

Here is a link to today’s article in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader and the schedule of play in case you want to go out the Pentagon tonight and the rest of the week:

Basketball schedule and article

From today’s mailbox, Republican candidate for Attorney General Lance Russell sent out a 5-page letter asking for campaign donations, dated March 8th.

Lance Russell Fundraiser by Pat Powers on Scribd

Hearing word from multiple sources out of Mitchell over the weekend that Bill Kluck of Mud Butte is possibly considering a run for the legislature.  Kluck is a former State president of South Dakota Stockgrowers.

In looking, Kluck is registered as a Republican in District 29, meaning no matter what seat he chose (Senate or House), he’d likely trigger a primary election. If he runs for the Senate, he would be challenging Gary Cammack for the seat, and if he chooses the House, he’d be challenging Larry Rhoden & Tom Brunner.

Kluck is already registered to run as a precinct committeeman for his area out west.

Why is word of this coming out of Mitchell? From what I’m hearing, there was some gathering that took place in Mitchell where Kluck’s candidacy was brought up and discussed at length.

Only a week to go until petitions are due. Stay tuned!

Noem Announces Agricultural Growth Initiative

WATERTOWN, S.D. – To kickoff National Ag Week, Kristi Noem, a lifelong farmer and rancher, today launched her Agricultural Growth Initiative. The proposal aims to strengthen and diversify South Dakota’s top industry.

“Our farm and ranch has been in the family for more than a century,” said Noem. “We’ve survived bad droughts, bad floods, and bad policies. While you can’t change the weather, you can change policy. As governor, I will leverage my experience as a lifelong producer to advance agriculture. From protecting property rights to expanding markets, my administration would be built to develop the state’s agricultural economy and give more young people the opportunity to thrive as farmers and ranchers in South Dakota for a century more.”

Raised on the values of hard work and self-reliance, Noem grew up on a farm and ranch in rural Hamlin County. Just a few years after graduating high school, her dad died in a grain bin accident. She put her pursuit of a college degree on hold, returned to the family farm and ranch full-time, and helped stabilize the operation.

In 1997, Noem received the South Dakota Outstanding Young Farmer award. Noem also served on the South Dakota State Farm Agency State Committee and the Commission for Agriculture in the 21st Century.

As South Dakota’s lone representative in the U.S. House, Noem helped successfully negotiate a strong Farm Bill that included livestock disaster assistance and critical safety nets for producers. When federal agencies considered proposals to regulate dust or limit the work some kids did on farms, she fought back – and won. During tax reform negotiations, she was one of the only farmers at the table, yet secured interest deductibility, immediate expensing, and lower rates for farmers and ranchers as part of the historic tax cut.

Click to view Noem’s Agricultural Growth Initiative.

AGRICULTURAL GROWTH INITIATIVE

Create a Blueprint for Agricultural Economic Development. With an annual economic impact of $25.6 billion, agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry. In recent years, however, deflated prices and lower-than-average yields have delivered a serious blow to the state’s economy. To build and diversify the sector, I will direct the Department of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to construct a Blueprint that broadens opportunities for existing farms and ranches and helps identify and recruit our next ag-related growth industries.

Equip South Dakotans with the skills needed to succeed in agriculture. The average South Dakota farmer is 57 years old, meaning many will be at or near retirement in the next decade. To meet our long-term needs, it’s time we ready the next generation to fulfill global food demands. As governor, I will work to expand education and increase investments in production-boosting research, such as biotechnology and precision ag. More specifically, I am committed to:

• Encouraging strong support of 4-H and FFA programs;

• Dramatically increasing shared-learning opportunities among universities, technical programs, and high schools for ag education and skills training;

• Continuing investments into SDSU’s first-in-the-nation precision agriculture degree program;

• Completing SDSU’s precision ag building, which the state legislature recently approved;

• Promoting cross-training between students at SDSU and technical schools, like Lake Area Tech;

• Ensuring South Dakota continues to host a vibrant State Fair; and

• Enhancing the Governor’s Ag Summit to increase access and educational offerings.

Review permitting structure to ensure it promotes economic development and respects local control. When new businesses are recruited to South Dakota, they must go through a series of permitting approvals at the state, county, and local levels. To increase certainty for those looking to invest and expand in South Dakota, my administration would undergo a thorough review of the current permitting system, working hand-in-hand with counties to improve the process.

Add value to South Dakota-grown commodities and livestock. There is no work ethic like a South Dakota work ethic. With agriculture as the foundation, we can leverage that homegrown ambition and add value to every bushel produced. If elected, I will direct the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to prioritize value-added agriculture, thoroughly vetting new processing, agricultural biotechnology, and manufacturing opportunities and offering upward mobility to more South Dakotans than ever before.

Bolster Livestock Disease Preparedness. With increasing trade, both foreign and domestic, risk of foot-and-mouth, avian influenza, and many other diseases has greatly increased in recent years. But South Dakota – backed by SDSU’s world-class animal disease research program, including the new laboratory that is currently under construction – is uniquely positioned to improve livestock disease management practices. Working with the university, the Animal Industry Board, the State Veterinarian, and our growing biotech industry, we can mitigate economic and environmental impacts while improving overall herd and flock health.

Enhance infrastructure to support farmers and grow the economy. With falling prices and a rising basis, many producers are feeling the pinch. As governor, I will work to improve the state’s infrastructure to lower the basis for grain products, putting more money in the hands of hardworking farmers and growing our economy.

Transition the state vehicle fleet to higher ethanol blends. For years, I’ve strongly defended policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which sets annual goals for the amount of ethanol and biodiesel that must be incorporated into America’s fuel supply. Additionally, I led efforts to extend the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit. With volatility growing in oil-rich areas of the world, we must maximize the use of homegrown fuels. As governor, I will lead by example and work to transition the state fleet to higher ethanol blends, such as E-30.

Expand working lands conservation. As a lifelong producer and avid hunter, I deeply understand the careful balance between production and conservation. In the U.S. House, I fought to expand the sodsaver program, incentivizing the protection of native grasslands while ensuring the choice was ultimately left to producers. As governor, I will expand voluntary conservation programs by improving landowner relationships. Working together, we can boost soil health and increase productivity on every acre, using precision agriculture to help farmers determine which areas may be best for cultivation while conserving the rest.