South DaCola

Editorial Cartoonist from South Dakota

2018

Elections Sioux Falls

Let the Games Begin!

l3wis 2Comments

I’m going to start feeling a little bit like Caesar starting next week. Friday, February 23rd is the deadline for Sioux Falls municipal candidates to turn in there petitions. (PLEASE! Someone run against KILEY!)

Starting next week we will have a clearer view of who is running, and that means the resumes of the candidates will start to reveal themselves. Bruce and I have been compiling information on the candidates and I will start posting some ‘interesting’ stories about what some of these candidates have been up to in their past.

Some of it will be downright boring. Some of it will reveal a high level of integrity and some of it will be downright disturbing. We will exploring what makes some of these candidates prepared for the job and some of the scams a few of them are running.

Stay tuned!

Downtown Sioux Falls Mayor Almost Done Mayor Grump Toad Mayor High Crimes Mayor Hubris Mayor Pants on Fire Mayor Subprime Mike Huether Mike Huether Railroads Sioux Falls

UPDATE II: Secret, Secret, Secret, RAMROD!

l3wis 19Comments

UPDATE II: Bravo to Warren Phear for digging up this Argus Leader story from a year ago. Apparently they released the names of the interested parties back than.

So what really was the administration trying to keep from us? But what is even more ironic is that the AL had this information for almost a year and apparently didn’t check the archives 🙂

Asking why Huether is a closed government advocate is like asking why the sky is blue. We know the answer to the question, yet we still struggle with why it has to be that way;

Sioux Falls officials are refusing to provide the identities of developers in the running for the first phase of the rail yard redevelopment project downtown.

I’m getting to the point, that I don’t even want to talk about it anymore. It is what it is. Lies, schemes, scams, boondoggles, etc. etc.

I will bet you though that Legacy Development is on that list, and that is why Heather and the city are pulling excuses from their rear ends.

Isn’t it ironic that while Huether is setting up his ‘legacy’ he keeps promoting ‘Legacy’.

UPDATE: Shocker! Legacy is one of the developers!

Of the six development firms who responded to the city’s request for qualifications for the rail yard redevelopment project, four are local to Sioux Falls: Lloyd Companies, Legacy Developments, Eighth and Railroad Center and Pender Cherapa. The other two submitters were Inland Development Partners of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and Philadelphia-based development firm Smart Visions.

The funny part is that I have known for years Eighth and Railroad Center has been interested in developing this property since they border it. It’s not like Lloyd being interested in the property is some big secret either. Huether keeping the developers ‘secret’ is like saying he also knows Santa Claus isn’t real either, but isn’t going to tell anyone.

SF City Council Sioux Falls

Shouldn’t the City and Council have a public discussion about Sioux Falls ambulance contract transfer?

l3wis 3Comments

So Paramedics Plus sells to an investment company, and the city decides to just transfer an important contract in the consent agenda;

So what does the city’s health department director think that conversation should look like;

Sioux Falls Health Director Jill Franken said the city’s long been aware of the pending transaction and reiterated ambulance service in Sioux Falls nor the city’s contract with Paramedics Plus won’t be effected.

How long has the Bride of Franken been aware? Was she going to fill in the public or council?

“This business transaction has no impact on the city’s agreement with Paramedics Plus, LLC to provide surface ambulance service in Sioux Falls. … I expect and am confident (they) will continue to meet all contract obligations into the future,” she said.

This business transaction has no impact on the City’s agreement with Paramedics Plus, LLC to provide surface ambulance service in Sioux Falls.  Paramedics Plus has consistently met their contract compliance requirements. I expect and am confident that Paramedics Plus, LLC will continue to meet all contract obligations into the future.”

While that is all well and good, should we take the word of one person? Shouldn’t the public have a full explanation from Paramedics Plus why this transfer is going on?

Secret, Secret, Secret, RAMROD.

Elections SF City Council Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls Multi-Housing City Council Candidate Forum

l3wis 2Comments

I guess we were lucky to get this recording. Cameraman Bruce was told this was a ‘private’ meeting/event and should not have been recorded.

I guess listening to candidates debate policy in public is going by the wayside. I do know that other business associations have also been holding ‘private’ or ‘invitation only’ forums for their members. The Realtors held a Mayoral Forum recently at the SF Country Club.

I think ALL forums not only should be open to the public, the public should be invited.

As we have seen more and more in municipal races, big money is donating more money and picking their rubber stampers. It is a slap in the face of Democracy.

Deb Peters Media Stace Nelson State Legislature

Senator Deb Peters objects to commemoration of Kennecke

l3wis 6Comments

It seems Peters is still in denial that Gear Up was one of the biggest scandals to hit our state in decades (oh, I forgot about EB-5);

As feuds in the Legislature go, there might be none deeper these days than between Sen. Deb Peters and Sen. Stace Nelson over the GEAR UP scandal.

Their dispute reached a strange low last Monday.

Peters invoked a legislative joint rule to stop, specifically, SC 28: Nelson’s commemoration recognizing investigative work of KELO television reporter Angela Kennecke.

I guess if I was Angela, I would be like ‘Oh Well’ just doing my job. I guess I have never been big on handing out awards to journalists who were simply doing what they should be doing, investigating. But it was pretty crappy of Peters to do what she did. She has become quite a piece of work over the years.

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