Hector is a local cartoonist and artist who has worked on children’s books, taught in schools through residency art programs and his political cartoons are featured in publications across the US and featured in Hispanic American publications.
City Council Informational, 4 PM • Wed/2
Updates on Audit Reports.
There is also a draft of changes to the functions in ordinance to the Audit Committee. I encourage you to read the red notes. There are some significant changes that I’m not sure are GOOD or BAD.
City Council Regular Meeting, 7 PM • Wed/2
Item #7, Approval of Contracts
While it is common practice to hire outside counsel for bonds, I find it a little strange that the city attorney’s office could NOT handle this. Why? The city is taking a loan from the state. Unlike other bonds, this doesn’t involve private investors on the open market. To put it in perspective, it’s like borrowing a five spot from your uncle. A government agency in the state borrowing money from the state. Why would we even want PRIVATE outside counsel involved? Weird.
Item #43, 1st Reading, License agreement for 5G network. Come and talk NOW because we will only get two SMALL opportunities to do so while the Feds and Big Communications run rough shot over us and the city rolls over like a dog for John Thune in all his majesty.
I feel like I’m downloading that cat video so much faster already.
One of the locations of the new cell technology will be by the Events Center. How much ‘business’ is being conducted while people are watching a concert? Funny how we always hear the argument for ‘Economic Development’ yet we both know this is about loading up selfies faster to Instagram. And we know what our mayor thinks about selfies.
Planning Commission Meeting, 6 PM • Thur/3
Consent Agenda, Item ‘C’ has the wrong designation on documents, which is further confusing because item ‘D’ for Sanford is missing documents on a site plan. I see the NEW version of SIRE is not working very well.
Regular Agenda Item ‘B’. Moving forward with the St. Francis House expansion in an established neighborhood.
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• Cameraman Bruce inducts Cleve Abbott into the SD Hall of fame.
• Council Chair Erickson cooks up legislative priorities all by herself then doesn’t have a working session before asking council to vote on it.
• A nasty rumor circulates that Sanford Health’s CEO, Krabbenhoff is fired, than re-hired, then fired and than re-hired. Turns out he was just playing golf.
• Paramedics Plus parent company has to pay out a $21 Million settlement.
• Kelo-TV’s Angela Kennecke’s daughter dies of drug overdose. Angela goes on a personal crusade to stop opioid addiction.
• Mayor TenHaken creates the Department of Innovation & Technology eliminating the Central Services IT department. He hires a person with only a HS diploma to run the joint.
• Local media knows in advance where/when president Trump will be visiting Sioux Falls but plays dumb.
• Sanford hosts massive Golf Tournament at Minnehaha Country Club. Crowds amazed when Sanford Ambulance Copters are used to dry golf course.
• SF City Councilor Neitzert claims people (media, blogs, some councilors) have had ‘moronic’ arguments against the parking ramp. I feel like such an ass. Not.
• After 14 years, the city’s audit committee finally admits Phillips to the Falls was a massive boondoggle.
• The city of Sioux Falls tries to get the courts to dismiss them from the myriad of Copper Lounge lawsuits, even though their building services department had received several complaints about the dangerous work being done in the remodel before the collapse.
• Woodgrain Brewery, still the best brewery in the Sioux Falls region.
• Sioux Falls breaks an all time record of over 39 inches of moisture in a year. Let’s build more indoor pools and flat retail parking lots!
• The Argus Leader eliminates the daily opinion page and has it only on Sundays. I guess they figured since everyone disagrees with their ED board’s weekly opinion, why do the reader’s opinions matter.
• TenHaken’s COS, Beck, tries to butter up the city council and public for the TIFilicious Revolution. I will fight it tooth and nail. I think TIFs will become the city’s biggest controversial debate of 2019.
• The Jesus Snowplows are BACK!
• With Air BNB’s popularity in Sioux Falls (and across the state) is it time to restructure how they pay taxes?
• Sioux Falls city council sets a nasty precedent by NOT allowing a fellow councilor (Brekke) to pull her OWN ordinance legislation after she learns of concerns from the City Attorney’s office.
• Someone steals a soda from the mayor’s office frig. They appropriately over react and now have an armed guard at City Hall (protecting the precious booty).
• We are told ‘user fees’ must pay for sewer plant upgrades. But ‘users’ haven’t paid a single penny towards the mortgage of the Events Center.
• Arc of Dreams is a million over budget and behind schedule, but will hopefully be put up this Spring before someone’s ego bursts.
• SFSD turns down Sanford’s land gift. I think it had something to do with Kelby’s golf game.
• John Thune – 2018. Still a loser.
• SMG fires the GM of the Denty. Something about not having a brown enough nose.
• Some SF City Councilors attend the National League of Cities. They bring back some great photos of exotic sports cars.
• Former SF Fire Chief ‘Sandy likes to Play’ gets a plea deal, after he tries to blame my blog being mean to him.
• KSFY shows they lack journalistic integrity after they edit councilor’s Stehly’s comments after pressure from the Mayor’s Office. Must have gotten the GM box seats to a Packer’s game.
• On a personal note I found out at Thanksgiving that T. Denny and his brother are now a part of my extended family. FREE tickets to Fleetwood Mac? Please and Thank You.
This article is fascinating, written in 1983. While he wasn’t ‘dead on’ he was pretty damn close, here is a highlight;
First: Population will be continuing to increase for some years after the present and this will make the pangs of transition even more painful. Governments will be unable to hide from themselves the fact that no problem can possibly be solved as long as those problems continue to be intensified by the addition of greater numbers more rapidly than they can be dealt with.
Efforts to prevent this from happening by encouraging a lower birthrate will become steadily more strenuous and it is to be hoped that by 2019, the world as a whole will be striving toward a population plateau.
Second: The consequences of human irresponsibility in terms of waste and pollution will become more apparent and unbearable with time and again, attempts to deal with this will become more strenuous. It is to be hoped that by 2019, advances in technology will place tools in our hands that will help accelerate the process whereby the deterioration of the environment will be reversed.
Third: The world effort that must be invested in this and in generally easing the pains of the transition may, assuming the presence of a minimum level of sanity among the peoples of the world, again not a safe assumption, weaken in comparison the causes that have fed the time-honoured quarrels between and within nations over petty hatred and suspicions.
In short, there will be increasing co-operation among nations and among groups within nations, not out of any sudden growth of idealism or decency but out of a cold-blooded realization that anything less than that will mean destruction for all.
I find his thoughts on overpopulation and global warming ring true.
What?! Noem did something good? At least she didn’t appoint that bigot Mike Clark;
Noem announced Friday that she will appoint Rhonda Milstead, of Sioux Falls, to represent District 9 during the 2019 and 2020 legislative sessions.
I have met Rhonda on several occasions and she comes across as a NO NONSENSE person. I remember when she took over the contract for the Overlook Cafe, she reassured the council that her husband (Sheriff Mike Milstead) had ZERO to do with her business and her decisions. She has a very independent spirit that will serve us well. She will be a great asset to the legislature.
I was actually surprised that she (may) be a Republican. In my conversations with her and Mike, they always came across as independent thinkers when it came to politics. Maybe she is an Indy? I haven’t checked her registration. But it will be refreshing if she applies those same principles in Pierre to build consensus for the greater good.
It’s also kind of ironic she is a close neighbor to Mike Saba who was elected in November to state legislature in D9. Mike told me tonight that he was pleased with Noem’s choice and is looking forward to working with Rhonda in D9.
It should be NO surprise Noem appointed a woman to do the job. I would have actually been shocked if she appointed a man.
l3wis