While a little rough around the edges, Sierra has proved to be a staunch advocate for her Neighborhood Association (Pettigrew) and other crime stricken neighborhoods in the core. If she gets picked, I believe she will be the 1st Transgender Female to receive the award.
At the council meeting tonight, Soehl recused himself on Item #45, which is a rezone of an historic building in Pettigrew Heights to be converted into a coffee shop. I’m am not sure why he recused himself because he never told the council and the public, but my guess is he may be investing in the project but I do not know for sure. Let’s just say he has a conflict and admitted to it, whatever it is.
After coming back he co-sponsored item #53, a resolution to pull $120K from streets to re-establish the core facade program. He claims he has NO idea who would want to use it but has heard several people are interested.
So imagine my surprise when the main developer of Item #45 was interested in applying for the program after his rezone was approved.
Coincidence? I think not.
So how is it that Soehl walked out on the coffee shop project because of an assumed conflict, then turns around and sponsors a program that MAY benefit the project he has a conflict with?
Hey Curt, we can connect the dots . . . unfortunately you cannot. This will be brought up time and time again when your re-election campaign heats up.
UPDATE: Apparently the Developer of the Coffee Shop is Curt’s re-election campaign treasurer
I’m kinda jealous, I always thought my neighborhood liquor store in McKennan Flats was the best place to get cheap beer, until now;
Prices for alcohol are a lot cheaper in Pettigrew Heights. For instance, a 30-pack of beer costs $2 less than other liquor stores in Sioux Falls.  The results also show parents’ and grandparents’ drinking habits as a big influence on the neighborhood trend.
No shit! People drink in Pettigrew Heights? When I drive thru in the summer, I always thought they were drinking Arizona tea not Camo. Wow! I’m shocked!
While I think trying to curb teen drinking is a good thing, I almost kinda of chuckle at ignoring the bigger picture. Rich or poor, trailer park or association, kids drink in Sioux Falls. They act like drinking in Pettigrew Heights happens more frequently. Poppycock.
When I went to HS in a suburb of Seattle some 20 years ago, everyone partied together, rich, poor, black and white. Kids don’t give a shit about semantics. As a past long time resident of Pettigrew Heights I almost feel bad for all the crappy press they get. It actually is not that bad, NOISY, but not bad.
You wanna know why people live in that hood? The same reason I did, cheap rent. I lived a block from the best coffee house in town, and the best C-Store in town (cheap beer).
Enough of demonizing Pettigrew Heights. Put out an olive branch not a night stick for once and you don’t need a study to determine that.
Some people wonder why the local news is so pathetic, and I say, just read the stories sometimes. I had a friend who worked as a producer for a major news TV station in SF for awhile. He hated the mediocrisy so much he quit. Not only was the news coverage awful, the on air personalities had little ‘attitudes’ like they were famous or something.
Just look at this line in the CITI story;
Citibank continues its generosity, donating $140,000 to help a crime-riddled neighborhood.Â
Christ! The heck with Citi giving our money back to us – we need Batman to clean up this neighborhood!
Some might question why Citibank is donating money when it’s dealing with its own financial struggles. Citibank is a part of the government’s multi-billion dollar bailout plan.
Because they are not donating THEIR MONEY! Why not donate (our) this money to The Food Bank or the Banquet, it would get better use. Besides, Citi will get the money back in interest when SF has to pay back the loan they gave us, so it’s all a wash.
The ultimate re-gift (your money)
That’s really nice of them. Now if we can just auction those houses off for more then $1,000 bucks a piece Pettigrew Heights will be swimming in the dough. Is Sanford looking for some more land?
The Citi Foundation will be giving $140 thousand to the city to help support revitalization efforts under way in the Pettigrew Heights neighborhood.
Start the presses, I think we need to mailout a Pettigrew Heights Calendar too. I betcha this money will be spent by Wednesday.
l3wis