South DaCola Podcast 11: Year in Review

We give a go at what has happened in the past year in the city, state and country. Listen HERE.

Here is the official list;

SD Supreme Court rules against the city of Sioux Falls in Events Center siding settlement. City moves forward with an independent siding review.

SD State legislature repeals IM22

EB-5 and Gear Up scandals get buried

A majority of the Lincoln County Commission and Lincoln County voters vote down wind power

Badlands Pawn and Speedway close, blame Rate Cap vote

OSHA levies $200K in fines as the Feds conduct a criminal investigation. City approves a $50 million dollar partnership with the very people involved with investigation

Mayor helps to kill districting the parks board AND recording the meetings

City gifts (some) land to the Glory House

SD Legislator Wollman resigns over sex allegations, Gene Abdallah tells accuser to ‘Go to Hell’ – Pierre becomes the sexual harassment capital of South Dakota

REMSA uses secret ambulance codes – says public and elected officials are too dumb to understand

Sioux Falls School District/Board uses slanted survey as excuse to change school start date

Long time city planner Steve Metli passes – local media treats his legacy like he built the Great Wall of China

Judge Pekas orders a McKennan Park house be torn down, moved or fixed – SD Supreme Court has reviewed ruling, we are awaiting a verdict

Mayor Huether uses taxpayer money to figure out who is behind the fake mayoral twitter account, he is unsuccessful

Cynthia Mickelson spends over $6 a vote to be elected to SF school board setting a record for money raised ($20K). School district limits voting and has NO northern precincts

Mayor and council deny SFPD back pay

Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin becomes president of Augustana University

Uptown II Project (Cascades) gets approved by city council with a TIF, 12 years after first proposed

SF Thrive Report states the obvious – low wages and lack of higher learning are contributing to the need for affordable housing

Annexation Task Force switches gears on annexing islands, islands ironically created by over annexation of land and urban sprawl over the past 7 years

Sales Tax revenue continues to be down in SF

SFFD Chief retires, gets charged with possessing child porn, gets to keep city pension. Court date pending.

Rental registry inspections FAILS, city council votes down proposal

Flopdation Park finally gets first tenant, Ice Cream warehouse

Pavilion appoints a Youth pastor cartoonist as director of Visual Arts and Science Center. Longtime Operations manager resigns.

Patrick Lalley replaces Knobe on KSOO

SF School district approves $50 million opt-out with little public input. Petition drive for repeal fails

KELO TV reporter Perry Groton grows new hair

Hats still banned during public input at Carnegie Town Hall, bandanas are allowed

Annette Bosworth’s perjury charges are dropped – medical board still pursues taking her license away

Snubbed landowner in SF puts up FUSF sign

Garth Brooks takes $7 million out of local economy

ARC of Dreams changes design, cost goes up to $1.6 million and the mayor approved temporary easement without telling the city council or public

Longtime city politician, Bob Jamison passes away

Former School Board President Doug Morrison gets 6-figure job with district, he’s charged with eliminating wasteful spending

Eight Candidates are running for Mayor of SF in 2018

Sioux Falls Little League makes it to the World Series, loses all of their games

SF School district admits open enrollment has caused segregation of classes, still waiting for a solution

South DaCola announces sister website search engine, sfmeetings.org

SF city councilors Rolfing and Erpenbach convince council and mayor to change council races from a plurality to a majority

Right on Red signs are removed – bike community freaks

Sister City Potsdam Mayor visits SF – breaks city ordinance and smokes a cigarette in a park at German Fest

SF Parks Director Don Kearney lies about NO mowing lists – never apologizes to public or media

Midco Aquatic Center celebrates 1^st anniversary, has a $400k operating deficit, attendance down

SF City attorney leaves before the Huether ship sinks

City golf course RFP secrecy causes issues with equipment transfer

LYFT comes to Sioux Falls, deal struck in secrecy

Pavilion contract renewed without a city audit in 12 years