February 2025

City Council Bingo is back!

l3wis February 28, 2025 4Comments

In an attempt to offer a “low-key way to meet your neighbors, stay informed and turn city government into something we enjoy engaging with,” Gist Wine Shop is starting City Council Bingo. The first event starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the downtown business. Enjoy a glass — or share a bottle — of wine while watching the televised council meeting. Bingo cards will be filled with squares like “someone calls for transparency” or “we don’t want to be like Sioux City.” Players will mark their cards as they hear those items. The first person to get bingo “gets bragging rights and wines (yes, wines) a prize!”

Developers Development Mayor TenHaken religion SF City Council Sioux Falls

City of Sioux Falls left holding the bag on another project

l3wis February 28, 2025 0Comments

Once again either the developer wasn’t being honest with the council and administration or the administration hasn’t been honest with the council, either way, this stinks;

The development concept still is being finalized. When it was presented to City Hall a year ago, it included a mixed-use concept with residential above and Tre Ministries among the lower-level occupants, along with opportunity for other commercial tenants.

A final determination for the overall site design hasn’t been made and will depend in part on financing.

The site demolition was funded with support from the city of Sioux Falls. The city has a $500,000 deferred loan at zero interest available to Tre Ministries that allowed the site to be prepped for construction.

The remaining development will depend largely on donations.

As I understand it Tre got a gift or loan from some ‘corn’ folks to buy the property, then the city gifted $500K to tear down the property (0% interest deferred loan) in order to move forward with the project, now they are saying they don’t have enough money to proceed? WTF?

So did the council and administration KNOW in advance that they didn’t have a plan BEFORE they gifted this money? If they don’t even have money to build the place how the heck do you suppose they will pay us the $500K back!?

I TOLD SEVERAL COUNCILORS TO VOTE AGAINST THIS LOAN. I felt the organization was a little shady in what they planned to do, and I was right.

Suckered again by prosperity gospel folks, but no surprise when Pastor Poops is their main advocate, and I bet he knew they didn’t have a plan and hid it from the council. If I was the city council I would declare breech of contract and make them pay the $500K back immediately. Then they can sit on the empty lot as long as they want. We have to stop subsidizing religious organizations like The Dud House who is connected to a church worth BILLIONS and a SD Diocese that spent $16 million to restore the Cathedral. They have the money, and even if they didn’t, taxpayers shouldn’t be funding religious organizations they should be funding a mission. If we need more affordable housing for young folks, build it! If we need more job training opportunities in Sioux Falls, let’s fund it, but we have to realize anyone can accomplish anything with determination and hard work, the Bible is just a nice book to read once in awhile.

South Dakotans State Funding State Legislature

Legislative Update

l3wis February 28, 2025 0Comments

Advocates,

The legislature is almost over, but a lot is still unsettled. This is a 3-day weekend. Please write some probing questions for your crackerbarrels and hang around afterward to speak with them personally.

And please send emails and/or make calls. During the session, you can call messages to 605-773-3821(senators) and 605-773-3851(rep’s).

Committee members are listed at the bottom of this email.

— Medicaid, HJR5001 Medicaid on the Senate floor, Monday 2pm(1pm Mt). Oppose. Are they really willing to leave some SD’ans with no health coverage? Our lowest-income workers? Caretakers? People between jobs? Those whose health issues keep them from working? People with disabilities who are in the process of applying for disability?

— Childcare, HB1132 offers childcare workers assistance with paying for their own childcare. It could help address childcare worker shortage. in Senate Health & Human Services (maybe Tue) Support.

— Bathroom bill, HB1259 It would prohibit transgender people from using the communal facilities that match their gender identity, like restrooms and changing facilities, at South Dakota public schools. in Senate State Affairs, Monday 3pm(2pmMt). Oppose.

— SB172 rebuttable presumption of joint physical custody. It passed the Senate(22-13). Rather, we should stick with best interest of the child. in House Judiciary maybe Wednesday. Oppose.

— Guns on campus SB100, passed the senate. Next to House State Affairs (maybe Wednesday) Oppose.

— SB83, the penalty for ingestion. Rather than a felony, first offense would be misdemeanor with addiction treatment. 2nd offense: jail + treatment. 3rd offense: felony. It came out of committee without recommendation. Next on the House floor, maybe Tuesday. Support.

These are about our initiatives and referenda. OPPOSE them all. Could they please stop messing with our citizen rights to initiate measures for the ballot? These have passed their first house so they are awfully close to passing!

— HJR 5003 requires 60% for amendment to pass (takes away majority vote). in Senate State Affairs

— HB 1169 signatures from every district! in Senate State Affairs

— HJR 5006 requires a two-year gap before citizens can try again on a defeated ballot measure. in Senate State Affairs

— HB 1184(moves a deadline taking away 3 months of prime signature time). in Senate State Affairs

— SB 91 requires 14-pt font for petitions, in House State Affairs, Mon 7:45

— SB 92 subjects petition to prior review, in House State Affairs, Mon 7:45

These three are for Appropriations committee:

— Save Libraries!

— Save SDPB!

— TANF: The state’s poorest children need a payment increase. To meet their very basic needs, payments at a third of poverty level are not enough. These children have a TANF reserve fund legislators could use for an increase. It’s the children’s money.

Now here are the committee members:

Here are the committees mentioned above for contacts:

House State Affairs has these rep’s: Jessica.Bahmuller@sdlegislature.gov, Eric.Emery@sdlegislature.gov, Spencer.Gosch@sdlegislature.gov, Jon.Hansen@sdlegislature.gov, Erin.Healy@sdlegislature.gov, Les.Heinemann@sdlegislature.gov, Greg.Jamison@sdlegislature.gov, Karla.Lems@sdlegislature.gov, Scott.Odenbach@sdlegislature.gov, Marty.Overweg@sdlegislature.gov, Tim.Reisch@sdlegislature.gov, Brandei.Schaefbauer@sdlegislature.gov, Bethany.Soye@sdlegislature.gov,

Senate State Affairs has these senators: Arch.Beal@sdlegislature.gov, Randy.Deibert@sdlegislature.gov, Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov, Chris.Karr@sdlegislature.gov, Liz.Larson@sdlegislature.gov, Jim.Mehlhaff@sdlegislature.gov, Carl.Perry@sdlegislature.gov, Sue.Peterson@sdlegislature.gov, Tom.Pischke@sdlegislature.gov,

Senate Health & Human Services has these senators: Sydney.Davis@sdlegislature.gov, Tamara.Grove,@sdlegislature.gov, Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov, Carl.Perry@sdlegislature.gov, Tim.Reed@sdlegislature.gov, Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov, Curt.Voight@sdlegislature.gov,

House Judiciary has these rep’s: Mary.Fitzgerald@sdlegislature.gov, John.Hughes@sdlegislature.gov, Jana.Hunt@sdlegislature.gov, David.Kull@sdlegislature.gov, Curt.Massie@sdlegislature.gov, Will.Mortenson@sdlegislature.gov, Peri.Pourier@sdlegislature.gov, Rebecca.Reimer@sdlegislature.gov, Tim.Reisch@sdlegislature.gov, Matt.Roby@sdlegislature.gov, Bethany.Soye@sdlegislature.gov, Mike.Stevens@sdlegislature.gov, Tim.Walburg@sdlegislature.gov,

Appropriations has these reps: Mike.Derby@sdlegislature.gov, Terri.Jorgenson@sdlegislature.gov, Chris.Kassin@sdlegislature.gov, Liz.May@sdlegislature.gov, Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov, Erik.Muckey@sdlegislature.gov, Al.Novstrup@sdlegislature.gov, John.Sjaarda@sdlegislature.gov, Jack.Kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov,

and these senators: John.Carley@sdlegislature.gov, RedDawn.Foster@sdlegislature.gov, Taffy.Howard@sdlegislature.gov, Mark.Lapka@sdlegislature.gov, Paul.Miskimins@sdlegislature.gov, Ernie Otten <Ernie.Otten@sdlegislature.gov>, Glen Vilhauer <Glen.Vilhauer@sdlegislature.gov>, Mykala.Voita@sdlegislature.gov, Larry Zikmund <Larry.Zikmund@sdlegislature.gov>,

Thanks for all your help. We sure don’t always win, but we need to be voices for what’s right and good.

The legislature will be over soon.

Thanks.

Bike Trail South Dakotans State Legislature

E-Bikes banned on the Mickelson Trail?

l3wis February 27, 2025 4Comments

So why the question mark? Because, the legislature really did not ban them because they don’t understand the technology. We will get to that shortly.

First off, I was planning a trip with four other E-bikers to the Mickelson in May. We were going to rent a monster VRBO, eat out and entertain ourselves, spend lots of tourist money and ride the trail. Trip cancelled. We instead are probably going to Duluth and ride the trails around Lake Superior while spending our tourist dollars in another state. It will be epic.

The AARP was against this because seniors are the biggest users of Class II E-bikes, tons of studies have shown this. It has also improved the health of many seniors.

This bill was written by a whack-a-doodle who is anti-green energy and of course anything electric, go figure.

The irony is that they will still allow 200 HP, LOUD, 40 MPH, GASOLINE powered snowmobiles. Hmm? The other irony is that electric powered snowmobiles and ATV’s are becoming extremely popular with hunters and naturalists because the animals are not alerted by the exhaust smell and noise. E-powered vehicles are virtually silent not interrupting the quaint sounds of nature.

But what puzzled me the most is the lack of knowledge the legislature has on micro-mobility (E-Bikes, etc.) This isn’t rocket science and you can literally watch a 10 minute YT video explaining the different technologies that change everyday. They are allowing Class I which is no different then Class II or III except for speed and a throttle. But the best part is they haven’t banned E-Bikes entirely, they actually opened the trail up for E-Motorcycles which can go anywhere between 40-80 MPH;

Electric bicycle defined–Classes.

For purposes of this chapter, the term, electric bicycle, means a bicycle or a tricycle that is equipped with a seat or saddle, with operable pedals for propulsion, and with an electric motor of seven hundred fifty watts or less.

An electric bicycle is a Class I electric bicycle if the motor provides assistance only when the person is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when a speed of twenty miles per hour is achieved.

An electric bicycle is a Class II electric bicycle if the motor is capable of propelling the bicycle without the person pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when a speed of twenty miles per hour is achieved.

An electric bicycle is a Class III electric bicycle if the motor provides assistance only when the person is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when a speed of twenty-eight miles per hour is achieved.

In other words if your E-bike can achieve over 29 MPH it is considered an ‘out of class’ e-bike and is NOT defined in state law. Once again the dopes in Pierre passed a law that has zero teeth, but I won’t bother testing it, because I will be in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Drugs South Dakotans State Legislature

Drug ingestion law changes misguided

l3wis February 27, 2025 1Comments

So the local media has been flapping their traps about how incredible it is that the legislature is changing the ingestion laws making the ‘supposed’ crime a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Shouldn’t we celebrate?! Ah, NO. Ingestion laws should be taken off the books entirely. They are just a way for prosecutors to ‘pile on’ charges which only costs taxpayers in further proceedings that are of no consequence.

Why should ingestion NOT be a crime? Because if you are charged with it, you likely committed some other crime, like DUI (most likely). Once you are arrested after a field test and breathalyzer you are hauled back to the station for a blood test which will tell law enforcement every substance you are on. If they find Alcohol and let’s say Meth in your system they could charge you with DUI and INGESTION but the ingestion charge would likely be dropped for the more serious charge of DUI. In other words, ingestion doesn’t matter. It is obvious you took too much of some kind of drug and were driving, so you will be charged with felony DUI, why charge you with something else?

This would have been a great victory if they just erased the law from the books all together, but that would have been to easy.

I suggested once the legislature needs to drug test every member the first day of session and those who fail would not be allowed to vote on legislation. I told someone once that I can guarantee almost 30% of the legislature would fail the test, and I can almost guarantee over 60% would have a trace or more of alcohol in their system.

Kettle meet black.

City Council Bingo is back!

City of Sioux Falls left holding the bag on another project

Legislative Update

E-Bikes banned on the Mickelson Trail?

Drug ingestion law changes misguided

You Missed

Is Mayor TenHaken becoming a lame duck on purpose?

Did Tre Ministries LIE to the City Council?

Are SFPD watching us on the DTSF camera system?

Now is the time to speak up