1st Amendment

Are SFPD watching us on the DTSF camera system?

Probably.

It’s no secret that MMM started a program of setting up DTSF public security cameras, which I support, sometimes. This public camera system sitting on light poles and other infrastructure downtown has helped to solve many crimes downtown, piecing together video evidence and tracking the suspects. BRAVO! A great use of technology. Where it gets creepy is when the PD use it to intimidate, harrass, or squelch free speech. Let’s just say that the SFPD are using the camera system on DTSF cell towers to target and chase violators, several blocks after the violation occurred. There is much more I could say, but I best button up for now. I just want every tourist, transient, local or whatever breed you are, if you are DTSF and participating in ANY kind of illegal activity on our public property, you are likely being recorded and watched.

Now is the time to speak up

Not sure what Lalley was getting at, but if I understand it just a little bit he may be asking advocates to sit down and shut up;

But there are rules, written and implied, that guide us in the public redress of grievances.

Civility, decorum, manners – call it what you wish – but we do ourselves no favors in support of our values by casting it aside.

Passion is human, it is admirable.

For me at least, roiling anger is destructive.

What’s become clear over the past several weeks, as the proposal for the city to lease the parking lot at Eighth Street and Indiana Avenue came to light, is that we need to take a breath.

Doesn’t matter who is president, governor or mayor of our fine city, I have always supported free speech rights, and I don’t care how those words come out. In a time where DC is trying to chill free speech rights, and we have a local governing body of total secrecy this is the most important time to be heard. Sure, I would agree, screaming at these people or dropping dirty words at the podium may not be the best approach to being heard, but difficult things must be brought up in these meetings in order to come up with the best solutions. Problems get solved with differing views and objectives. When 9 people on a body agree on something, it makes me a bit suspicious and a little concerned issues are not being fully vetted (well I know they are not being fully vetted).

As Lalley suggests, try to keep decorum when attending these meetings, but don’t hold back, speaking truth to power is the only way we take back our country and city and if enough of us are loud enough they will have no choice but to listen. Sorry Pat, the Kumbyah approach doesn’t work with these folks.

City of Sioux Falls Tidbits

DELBRIDGE ANIMAL COLLECTION REFERENDUM FAILS

I was told they got between 500-1000 sigs, which surprised me, because I didn’t think they would get that many. I truly believe if Sioux Falls voters were polled about keeping the collection 80%+ would say they don’t care if it gets given away. Which is unfortunate because science and art are important, not to mention we are giving away a priceless collection of mounts. But people care more about the price of eggs and who wins an Oscar then they do about history.

NOEM GETS SERIOUS ABOUT HER CREDIT CARD RECEIPTS

It seems Noem now is calling Dakota Skab ‘Fake News’;

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem‘s legal team hit a South Dakota media outlet with a cease-and-desist letter demanding that it correct and end its knowingly “false and misleading” reporting that Noem allegedly racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars on a government-issued credit card when she served as governor, Fox News Digital has learned. 

“On behalf of former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in her personal capacity, I write out of concern that your website continues to publish false and misleading information about my client that you have known to be false since at least July 2024,” an attorney representing Noem in her personal capacity said in a letter to the co-founders of a South Dakota outlet called The Dakota Scout. The letter was obtained by Fox News Digital on Thursday. 

“Specifically, your website repeatedly, and inaccurately, refers to all charges on credit cards used by the Office of the Governor of South Dakota as charges of my client—allowing a conclusion by multiple commenters on the site and other news outlets that my client violated the laws of South Dakota or stole taxpayer funds for her personal use,” it continued.  “We demand that The Dakota Scout immediately cease spreading these false, misleading, and inaccurate statements and take immediate and significant steps to correct past inaccuracies.

Reading a FOX news story is like reading a 7th grader’s book report, either way, when I have read all the stories about her hair and nail receipts it seemed clear to me she was spending the money on her staff. But that is NOT what is in question, the question is why were you racking up these CC bills so your staff could travel with you? The taxpayers of SD shouldn’t have to foot the bill so your Trump ass-kissing entourage can parade all over the US. I’m sure the DS will fight this, but Noem’s law firm is pretty tough at this stuff. I think it would be ironic if the suit bankrupts the fledgling paper and the county commission, city council and school district have to grovel back to the Argus to print their legals. I’m sure the Argus would be happy to oblige, but I am guessing under a whole new rate.

SIOUX FALLS CITY COUNCIL GETS ROLLED BY THE MAYOR ON DUD FENCE

At the council meeting Tuesday night I spoke during public input (2:20:00) after Jordan Deffenbaugh spoke about the lack of policy leadership and transparency of the current council (47:30). I also told the council they need their own outside counsel (law firm) to write policy and they should put a line in next year’s budget for the expenditure. I knew it was going to be 8 yes votes. First off, because the council is extremely predictable and when I texted councilors to please vote no, I got no response, so I knew how this was going down. They act like they need unity on all votes, you don’t. I told them solving the problems of the city doesn’t take unity between councilors and the mayor it is about solving problems and sometimes you have to vote NO and start over. Many constituents including myself know this was cooked up by the mayor’s office and not dropped in councilor’s laps until the Thursday before the meeting, and let’s just say they weren’t happy about it. If I was them, I would have all voted NO and told the mayor that they will come up with a better solution within 30 days. Grow a sack already council.

WHY IS A NON-PROFIT PROVIDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOANS?

I received a postcard in the mail recently from Habitat for Humanity asking me to apply for this program. Someone asked me how I would have received this. I said, I worked in direct mail for 30 years and you can buy a list for anything. So I am sure they purchased a mailing list that had homeowners in a certain income bracket, and that would certainly be me, LOL. While I appreciate this program, it had me thinking, why isn’t the city mailing out postcards for their similar program thru the Feds of community development loans? The premise is the same, help with needed home repairs. There is a reason we had to but a fence around the Dud, there is NO affordable housing in Sioux Falls and the places that are affordable are falling apart.

1st Amendment 1, Mayor 0.

During the council meeting tonight I was able to speak on the gifting audit (FF: 2:17:00). I first want to clarify, what I was talking about is what the city GIFTS to non-profits and this is NOT what the audit is for, so yeah, I was off topic, but no councilor corrected me. The audit is for gifts given to the city that have value, like the Brockhouse Animals. But I still think it was a pertinent topic to address in the same wheelhouse, the city giving millions away to non-profits with little accountability. Once again, just like clockwork the mayor tried to shut down my testimony because I was off topic. Well this time, the mayor got a tongue lashing from me, and when he tried another bite at the apple, he received another lashing, then sat back in his chair like the weak, ineffective leader he is. Maybe he brushed up on his 1st Amendment rights before the meeting, but I think he knows he was soundly beat, because I can almost taste that 1st Amendment lawsuit. Keep it up Poops, my list of people you interrupted is growing by the day, and they are a great bunch, might even say they are CLASS ACTION, uh I mean, CLASS ACTS.

I also spoke during public input (FF: 2:32:00) about the tax scheme the city tried to pull on citizens in the legislature for that stupid Riversh!t Pisstrict. I think I said it was a ‘snakey’ move. Which now I look back on and wonder why I don’t prepare my testimony like Chad Bishop. Oh, that’s right, it takes hours to research conspiracy theory sites and pull this together, I ain’t got time for that, meeting some friends for pizza in a basement to trade Chomsky and Marx books.