South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2012

Daugaard Daycare Lakota SD Attorney General South Dakotans

Justice as Retaliation; The Mette Case

l3wis 5Comments

This is an amazing report by the Lakota People’s Law Project about how the State of South Dakota is Attempting to Punish Lakota Child Welfare Advocates and Protect Child Abusers. You can read the entire story; Final Mette Case Special Report

On May 1st, The Aberdeen News of South Dakota reported that former South Dakota state attorney Brandon Taliaferro and court appointed child advocate Shirley Schwab were being charged by South Dakota State Attorney General Martin Jackley with witness tampering and subornation of perjury. Attorney General Jackley filed these charges in relation to the separate criminal prosecution of Aberdeen-based foster parents Richard and Gwendolyn Mette. Mr. Taliaferro is a well-known South Dakota Indian child advocate and, as a former Assistant State Attorney, he was in charge of prosecuting child abuse cases in Brown County. Mrs. Schwab is the widely respected court-appointed child advocate for Brown County. Richard Mette had been charged in 2011 by Mr. Taliaferro with a total of 23 felony counts of aggravated rape of a child and aggravated incest against two of four young Native American sisters who had been placed in his and his wife Gwendolyn Mette’s custody by the Department of Social Services (D.S.S.) over the protests of the children’s Lakota family. Gwendolyn Mette had been charged with 11 felony charges of aiding and abetting his crimes, and with neglect of the children.

 

Event Center Sioux Falls

Transparency, finally, on the naming rights of the Events Center

l3wis 1Comments

Well, I am glad somebody was finally listening. On Thursday, August 2, I said this about the naming rights process;

So now that the cat is out of the bag, we still have to go into a secret meeting to discuss the contract? This should be an open meeting to the public, not behind closed doors.

Now we hear this;

Earlier this week, the council had proposed an executive session to further review the events center naming rights contract. The work session is being held in place of executive session.

Yup, since we got our way already, we thought it would be okay for the public to see the contract.

South DaCola Fest

NEW comment policy

l3wis 10Comments

Starting immediately, South DaCola will begin a new comment policy;

You will still be able to comment anonymously, BUT, you will not be able to comment without providing ME your real name and email address.

I will now have to moderate ALL comments, this is why your comments will not appear right away.

This will not affect most of you, since I already know 80% of my commenters.

For those of you that I DO NOT know that are currently commenting will have to provide that information or you will be blocked.

Thank You for understanding.

Minnehaha County

UPDATED: Group is feverishly trying to overturn Minnehaha county property tax opt-out

l3wis 5Comments

UPDATED: A group of about 35-40 concerned citizens have been trying to gather enough signatures by Wednesday’s deadline to put the property tax opt-out to a vote of the people. (The auditor’s office told them they had until the end of the day Wednesday to submit the signatures) But they may not have to worry about it. Apparently they are seeking an extension because of a mixup in the publication dates. They will know soon about that.

Rumor has it that the opt-out is misleading because the group says that the county commission is essentially raising property taxes RETROACTIVELY.

Apparently, the new proposed tax increase begins already in January, 2013 when the 2012 taxes will need to be paid. So in essence, by passing this tax increase in July and having it begin already next January, they are retroactively raising the tax rate going all the way back to January 2012. There is also a rumor that this opt-out had more to do with a raise for county workers then increasing costs in prosecutions. While it is true that they DO need the extra money for prosecutions, it will be interesting to see if it comes out about the pay increases.

They also have pointed out that the county commission may not have followed protocol before voting on the opt-out. It is in reference to public announcements before the vote.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

You Missed

Uncategorized

UPDATE: Glad I could be of assistance

Art Sioux Falls

The City of Sioux Falls lacks transparency? Get out!

Mayor TenHaken SF City Council Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

UPDATE: Mayor ‘Kick the Can’ does it again

Uncategorized

Why do some British people not like Donald Trump? By Nate White