South DaCola – Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

1st Amendment Developers Development Downtown Sioux Falls religion Riverline District SF City Council Sioux Falls

UPDATE: Why is the city lending a religious organization $500K?

l3wis December 22, 2024 1Comments

UPDATE: I guess the original developer has already sold the development to tRE ministries so they are no longer involved. But if you connect the dots you will see that one of the leaders in the institution is married to a certain person connected to a very large company in town. So instead of this being funded by Big MJ, VL and Liquor it’s being funded by ‘Big Corn’ (Which these days seems more scandalous with all their money scam pipelines they want to build.)

This money will come out of the Community Development funds. (Item #6, Sub-Item 28):

Agreement for a redevelopment project located within the All Saints Neighborhood and the Sherman Historical District, tRE ministries, $500K (interest free loan).

I received a Community Development loan about 20 years ago for needed upgrades to my house, my loan was about $4,500 with a 2% interest rate. I guess I am wondering why we would take this much for ONE project when we could rehabilitate 40-50 houses with this money instead? And I mean ‘Rehab’ not demolition, which is what this money will be spent on. There is also the questionable relationship with the developer who is worth millions from video lottery, liquor and Med MJ (unless he has already handed over ownership). Why isn’t he just loaning them the money? I also don’t think tax dollars should go to non-profits (religious organizations) since they pay very little taxes and the fact they have a Daddy Warbucks taking care of them (who ironically makes money from sin taxation). I actually support this project to clean up that part of town but like any development with private parties, they need to pony up the money, but NOT in Sioux Falls, GRIFT, GRIFT, GRIFT. I thought at least ONE councilor would vote against this, but who am I kidding. The mayor wants to turn the entire town into a mega-church. Ick.

MAYOR FIRST AMENDMENT DENIER, INTERRUPTS A CITIZEN, AGAIN

Poops was at it again tonight, ignoring his Constitutional duties and denying a commenter his input. (FF: 1:44:00) Jordan Deffenbaugh came up tonight to talk about how housing would be affected by the Riverline District and the mayor cut him off saying this was already discussed. Oh, Paul, we have been over this, you can’t control the narrative at the podium that is a violation of their 1st Amendment rights but you seem to be above that. I wonder what it is like to take an oath on the Bible, surrounded by friends, family and colleagues and once installed ignore all those constitutional ‘thingies’. Paul, it may not be me, but the city and specifically you as the chair will be sued and it isn’t going to be pretty. Maybe they will let you on one of those East Coast TV morning shows where you can talk about your lack of knowledge when it comes to the Constitution and the lawsuit should be dismissed because of your stupidity. Stranger things have happened.

Music USD Vermillion

F’ing USD

l3wis December 22, 2024 1Comments

So a friend of mine made this rap a few years back, and I have to tell you I have friends over the years who went there and tell the same boring stories, LOL.

Bike Trail Public Utilities Public Works Sioux Falls Uncategorized

Sioux Falls is hostile towards bicyclists and peds

l3wis December 21, 2024 6Comments

After riding E-Bike for 4 years I decided this year I would try to ride almost everyday this winter, not quite but I am averaging 6 days a week so far. Studded tires are where it’s at 🙂 I have to admit it is kind of an addiction but once you have the layers on it is actually very peaceful and comfortable. And I am not crazy, on my way to work today I counted 20 individual joggers in a 4 mile stretch. Some people get it. The other day while riding to work I saw this beautiful younger Bald Eagle gracefully flying thru the trees on the bike trail. I should have taken a picture but I was in such awe I didn’t even think about it. I also work late afternoons so the beginning sunsets on my commute are beautiful.

But there is one thing I detest; the way our city’s public works doesn’t properly maintain our streets in Sioux Falls;

While this graphic is from another city, it is pretty much like this in Sioux Falls. It amazes me when we have a mayor who is supposedly into fitness makes it very difficult for people walking or riding bike to navigate this town. I said if most people in Sioux Falls started bike commuting to work at least 3 days a week we would be less fat, and more happy. I lost 100 pounds riding bike and that was my only exercise routine on my 3 year journey. I do other routines now, because I can physically now, but biking is a great low cardio workout, especially an e-bike where it monitors your cadence and keeps you at a consistent pedal speed. Not only good for leg muscles it can also make your arms stronger and helps with balance, coordination and concentration.

Former city councilor Neitzert said to me recently that he pushed hard to get more bike safety measures on our streets and was ignored, he even told me that the city has a fund for this stuff and the Mayor won’t touch it with a 10 foot pole.

I’m not anti-car. Many peeps have asked me if I even own one, I do. I love my 2009 Honda Civic. It’s simple and functional and I have been looking for a used Hybrid. My bro owns a Chevy Volt and he has told me it is the best car he has ever owned (C’mon, the VW diesel pickup was pretty cool, you should have never sold it!)

We need to find a way in Sioux Falls to make peace between cars, bikes and peds. I didn’t even mention all the insults thrown at me from peeps in vehicles and guess who is the worst? Harley riders. You would think my 2 wheel cousins would have my back, hell no. Small pee-pee syndrome.

Speaking of cars, one of my friends is trying to sell his 1961 Porsche Notchback that he fully restored after pulling it from a barn in Virginia. Cars are cool, bikes are way cooler.

David Barranco Mayor TenHaken Sioux Falls State Funding State Legislature Uncategorized

TenHaken’s comment about Culture Wars shows his ignorance on how laws are made and his greed

l3wis December 20, 2024 2Comments

He also is a poor leader and a closed government militant. How can you run a city when you don’t even know how a law is made?

Soye (R)-Sioux Falls, wrote a column that said the government has a role to “protect the vulnerable.”

“Any law that is passed is someone’s morality, it is, it’s a moral judgment by the people who are in power at the time,” Soye said.

While I do think things like bathroom bills are wrong, the legislature would be the government entity addressing it. Maybe Paul needs to shadow our REAL mayor for a few days and see how she is running the town (COS Beck).

He also asserts that the only thing Pierre needs to do is send Sioux Falls money. His greed is insatiable, but what would you expect from someone who practices Prosperity Gospel.

Last Tuesday at the City Council Informational (FF 1:30:00) Councilor Barranco sort of addressed this with his commentary about his city representation on the Municipal League. Basically talked about how towns outside of Sioux Falls kind of detest us because of the elitism in City Hall (he didn’t say it like that, but you get the jist). He also talked about trying to mend those fences.

As we watch what is going on in DC and the dysfunctional Republican Party I will say it again; Republicans know how to win elections, especially in SD, but they have no idea how to govern once they win.

Art Music Sioux Falls

The Color of Sound

l3wis December 19, 2024 3Comments

I made this movie about 17 years (I was an artist and producer). I included a description below from 2020 when we released this movie. ENJOY!

Artists Jamie Danz, Scott Ehrisman, Eyob Mergia and Hope Happeny

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, it took over 13 years to put this project out there. I get it.

I could go into long rants about why that is, but to tell you the truth, I mostly forgot.

I also want to remind people this was a first attempt at something locally. We all did not know what the Hell we were doing, but we all knew what we were passionate about, visual art and music.

I think the idea was cooked up one day while hanging out with Eyob. I had done a couple ‘Art of Jazz’ shows at the Touch of Europe (painting while music played) and people really dug it. So Eyob says to me, “Why not film it?”

Okay.

So we pitched the idea to a videographer friend Chris who worked at a local TV station at the time, she was cool with it. She recruited some of her colleagues to help with the filming.

And I have to give props to Chris, I think she had to go thru 25 hours of footage to get this down to 1 hour. I believe there was 5 cameras for 5 hours.

It’s certainly not a Warhol film. But it was a nice experiment. All or most of the paintings sold, I think there was 14. The main one I believe with the reclined torso is in the bathroom at Zandbroz. And I remember admiring it one day while dropping the kids off at the pool.

I also want to thank our sound engineer, Dave Scarborough, I often tell people the audio from this is a masterpiece in itself. I have the full 5 hours on CD. At the time, these were the finest Jazz and Blues musicians in the city (if not the state), some of them still are, and I think this is more of film about their extraordinary talents than a bunch of hooligans painting.

Sandra and James were also extremely accommodating in letting us use the basement of the Harvestor building. When I asked them if we could do it there, they pretty much said ‘Cool’. They used to own the Riverwalk Cafe which featured local musicians which is now the Market, you know that place that makes prize winning burgers or something.

There were also tons of great volunteers who helped out with many things, including Little ‘T’ and Charles Luden with photography.

I guess I just decided after 13 years or so it was time to show others, because art doesn’t mean a damn thing if you are painting in your basement by yourself (As an artist friend told me once) oh the irony of this being filmed in a basement.

Jesse is actually the one who encouraged me to put it out there (who was super sick with the flu during the filming) but stole the show with so many hot licks. I would also like to thank Cameraman Bruce for rendering it for me.

A lot of people these days are all about promoting the arts in Sioux Falls, which is great, but they talk a lot, I sometimes get bitter, then laugh a little and say to myself, “Yeah, that’s what I have been saying for 20 years.”

The best part (besides the fact that I’m a lot lighter these days) is that I still know most of the people in this project and talk to them on a regular basis, they are friends in art, and those friends I will always hold dear. As I often tell people, “All of my heros are artists.”

Feel free to share.

*Jamie is co-owner with her husband Jeff of Zandbroz Variety, Hope is an accomplished tattoo artist in Austin, TX and Eyob is a national and international professional artist working out of Las Vegas and Sioux Falls remotely.

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