South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

June 2016

Media Sioux Falls

Su Fu Stumbles

l3wis 5Comments

Yesterday on the ‘100 Eyes’ show it was revealed that Stu Whitney’s show was being temporarily canceled so it could be ‘revamped’ after losing the producer that put it together. Lalley claimed there was ‘a lot more production’ that went into the show. LOL. Besides the good news, bad news segment, the show was identical to ‘100 Eyes’ except it had guests.

But the bigger question is, what exactly does Stu do? Is he in charge of waiting for the next disaster to happen so he can write about it? Because besides tweeting sexist and rude comments and coming to mayor’s defense any chance he can get, I’m not sure Stu will be able to fill his time since he doesn’t have all that planning to do for his Tuesday show anymore, as riveting as it was.

The irony of all this was when the ‘100 Eyes’ group was talking about different blogs, Lalley said he checked in to mine the most because of the videos. Maybe the Argus would like to hire cameraman Bruce to be their new producer? Of course, it would require giving him an actual press pass, and that of course would make the mayor’s head explode like it was hit by a hundred swinging elbows.

And this is what folks do with the fine day God gave them. What a bunch of crap!

Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Parks and Rec

UPDATE: Terrace Park compromise?

l3wis 4Comments

UPDATE: There will be a meeting addressing the changes at the old council chambers in City Hall downtown this Wednesday at 4 PM.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxskDOCdkmc[/youtube]

Published on Jun 13, 2016

There are several things wrong with the events leading up to the meeting at Sioux Falls’ Terrace Park on Friday June 10, 2016. You will hear many of the complaints in the video but consider the plans and the outcome.

Destroying Spellerberg Park wasn’t enough for this administration, now this.

The Sioux Falls Park Department is planning a major change to a historic city landmark, again. We understand updating to keep something safe but once again in the history is being forgotten or rewritten because it happened before the management took over.

Notice in the discussion how the neighbors found out about this update just hours before the destruction-construction equipment was to show up. An afterthought story in the Friday Argus Leader talking about how the Historic Preservation Board DENIED the changes. So what does the Parks Department do? Put weird pressure on the protesting neighbors until they walk away defeated.

Let’s consider who was informed of the upcoming change, not the people who consider this their neighborhood park but just a small ring of “landowners” touching the park area. Instead of the Cathedral neighborhood, just 4 block landowners?

A Master Plan was drawn up by our friends at Confluence. Look at the straight line concrete path dissecting the park. It no longer is a meandering wander through the park but a let’s get through there fast. Why do we have to go to a park and be in a hurry? What’s the use?

Consider these paths have been treasured for 80 years. Why do we have to destroy them because a designer doesn’t understand the history of the rock and our attachment to it. Why do we have to always destroy what we do not understand?

There are many things this park management could do to keep the integrity and charm of the park but these things will not be considered because Don Kearney and Mike Huether must think use of our natural stone is messy and icky.

Parks are for people and they should be safe but why must we make them sterile?

We find it fitting to be destroying this park just to have the best view of the T. Denny another monstrosity to out of control egos.

The motto of Sioux Falls Parks Department: WE MUST CONCRETE OVER EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS!

RibFest Sioux Falls

Is it time for RibFest to stop charging admission? Don’t hold your breath.

l3wis 4Comments

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Once again I saw a letter to the editor complaining about the charge-fest that goes on each year at RibFest, or as I nicknamed it in its early days ‘RIP-FEST’.

Some would argue that you have to pay admission to pay for the bands, and to some degree, I can understand that argument. But after you pay for parking and clearly overpriced beverages and food, don’t you think a little of those profits could go towards making the event FREE or at least very affordable (like $2 a person)?

JazzFest accomplishes this every year, and ironically the food and beverages are not even close to the prices RibFest charges. It also makes me chuckle each year when people complain about the cost of food at JazzFest or the bands. First off, you paid nothing to hear the music, and if you are concerned about the food costs, eat a boloney sandwich at home before you come.

It is pretty obvious why ‘RIP-FEST’ is so expensive, it is ran by SMG. Just like events they put on at the EC, they will suck every last penny out of the attendee they can, while pocketing the profits (that they send out of town) and leaving the good taxpayers of Sioux Falls footing the mortgage payments to the facilities they run. As far as SMG is concerned, they are ALWAYS in the black, and I believe them, while leaving all of us in the red.

Maybe I am too naïve to ask SMG to actually give something in return to the people that makes their business profitable. It’s hard to give when you continually take, take, take.

 

Developers Development Railroads Sioux Falls

Does BNSF owe us an explanation?

l3wis 5Comments

railyard-winter-15

While there has been a lot of talk about what kind of development that is being done on the old rail yard, there has been very little talk about how rail traffic will proceed once the project is turned over to developers.

We know 3 things for certain;

• Two tracks will remain in the same place DT next to the BNSF building that will also remain. A fence will be built between the line and property that will be developed.

• All the old staging area will not be used anymore (that’s the new development land).

• Two siding tracks are being built out of town.

What we don’t know is how much traffic will remain DT, will it be more or less, or will it get spread around over to Cliff Avenue? I think within a year the city and BNSF need to supply the citizens of Sioux Falls a ‘rail plan’ DT and just what traffic will look like and projected volumes.

A developer recently told me ‘I was wrong’ when it came to the rail traffic DT increasing after the rail yard closes. So prove me wrong, call up your BFF, Mayor Mike, and ask him to present a rail traffic plan to those who live and work DT. If the rail traffic becomes minimal, than it will truly be exciting.

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