South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2010

SF City Council Sioux Falls

The city of Sioux Falls has secret meetings? Get out of here!

l3wis 2Comments

Maybe Mayor Huether needs to talk to City Planner Mike Cooper about that ‘transparency thingy’ he promised in his campaign, or better yet, fire him after he pulled this pow-wow (KSFY-TV);

That meeting between Cooper and homeowners happened tonight in this home near 85th and Minnesota.

Initially, homeowners invited us to attend this meeting. But then we were told we could not attend.
When the meeting ended, we asked city planner Mike Cooper what he discussed with homeowners; he declined to comment.
As did every homeowner who attended the meeting.

What!? Not one single person would comment? Not even, “We came to a compromise.” Mike Cooper needs to go, and take that weasel Shawn Tornow with him, and if Huether does nothing about this, he is part of the conspiracy.

Media Sioux Falls

And the Argus Leader wonders why the public is misinformed about elections

l3wis 29Comments

This internet poll may be part of the problem;

And this letter writer sums up the rest of it;

Then there was your bumbling coverage and early endorsements around the mayoral election. I read intently when you wrote an editorial bemoaning the fact that voter turnout and local political interest is low. I noticed you chose to give a public forum to what you called a “shameful” rumor about Mayor Mike Huether having a “gay agenda.” (I didn’t hear the whispers; did anybody else?)

Well, if you read Pasture DooHickey’s blog everyday you would have heard the whispers.

Perhaps people are discouraged because they read the Argus Leader. If you ever go back to reporting the news instead of trying to anticipate which politically stilted spin you think the public wants to hear, perhaps I will subscribe again.

Just like I said on Sunday, BLOGS are impartial, newspapers should not be.

Music Touch of Europe

Roger Neumann @ Touch of Europe • SAT JUN 12

l3wis 3Comments

Roger Neumann, tenor saxophonist who has performed with the likes of Count Basie and Woody Herman bands, as well as Ray Charles, will join Chicago guitarist Scott Hesse for a one-night show on June 12. They will be performing with the C.J. Kocher Quartet, including C.J. on saxophone, Mike Andersen (bass) and Mike Benton on drums. Don’t miss this special night and Roger’s first appearance at Touch of Europe. Scott Hesse is one of our favorites and he will be performing two nights this month. On June 12 and again with Bobby Gripp and “Jazzed” on  Friday, June 18. Make your reservations now for some smokin’ summer jazz at Touch of Europe, South Dakota’s only jazz club. toejazz.com or 336.3066.

Sioux Falls

There is only one reason we need to raise water rates in SF; GREED

l3wis 1Comments

The Gargoyle Leader editorial board touched on the rate increase proposals in Sioux Falls today, but they didn’t go far enough;

The item residents had most advance warning on is water rates. In order to pay for the city’s portion of the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, officials began with annual increases in 2007 that have amounted to a total of 54 percent.

First off, the AL ED board fails to mention that 1) We shouldn’t have paid in advance for something we have not gotten yet (Lewis & Clark) and secondly most of the increases in water fees will go to reserves and new development. While I still think this town is growing to fast, I am not opposed to expanding our water and sewer for new development (though I think developers should pay most of the cost), what bothers me the most is raising rates during an awful recession simply to add to reserve funds. While the rest of us are struggling to pay bills let alone SAVE or INVEST money, the city is raising rates so they can have a savings account? WTF?! If the new council had any balls whatsoever (which I don’t think they do) they would vote down the rate increases, for at least 12 months.

Election 2010 Elections

Congrats to Angie Buhl!

l3wis 22Comments

A blogger finally made it to the state house;

There is no Republican on the ballot, which made Tuesday’s primary an all-or-nothing battle. Buhl will be the state’s youngest senator.

“Hard work really pays off,” Buhl said after taking 59 percent of the vote.

And it probably didn’t hurt that she spent $56 per vote.

Buhl was a strong fundraiser, too. She accepted $20,666 through May, mostly from political action committees, while Miles had about half as much money to work with.

In other election news, I was disappointed to see Litz get the Republican nomination for County Auditor;

As it stood Tuesday night, Litz received 4,500 votes, or 43 percent, compared to LaFollette’s 4,322, or 42 percent, and Mark Stevak’s 1,584.

Hopefully the Dems get behind Sue Nipe so we can keep Litz out of the auditor’s office. I think it is disingenuine of him to be running for another office while serving as a councilor. He should step down from the City Council while running for auditor, a county, not city position.

I was also surprised by Doogard kicking ass and taking names, and Munsterman coming in 2nd place. Howie’s second to last finish didn’t surprise me one bit. The Noem victory was no surprise at all, I actually predicted she would take 40% of the vote, and I was close. Steffy better be worried, Noem just isn’t a pretty face, she is smart businesswomen.

See all the state’s results here.

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