Entries Tagged 'Sioux Falls' ↓
September 2nd, 2010 — Code Enforcement, Sioux Falls
“No worries, just here to check your sump pump.”
Make no mistake, this survey isn’t just about checking people’s sump pumps;
Sioux Falls city employees will go door-to-door during the next two months to inspect sump pumps and survey residents.
The effort, which starts today, comes a month after improper sump pump setups were blamed for adding to flooding woes when record rain swamped some neighborhoods.
This is an attempt by city to see what other code violations you may have. And even though they may not fine you for using a sump pump incorrectly, they may find something else and return on a different day. If Big Brother shows up, politely tell them, “Thanks, but no thanks.” What you do on your own property is your business, not theirs. It’s one thing to be neighborly, it’s an entire different thing have city employees snoop through your house and property.
September 1st, 2010 — Food, Sioux Falls
David’s favorite sandwich? Cordon Bleu.
After reading Bryann Becker’s column in the Sunday Gargoyle Leader about E-Rae’s I was curious, because her food review reminded me of a Doug Chapman column (Chapman used to write the reviews years ago, but I think was fired because of his sarcasm in the reviews). So I got a group of friends together and we thought we would try the food last night. Trust me, we didn’t have high expectations, Club David is a bar, we were expecting bar food, which it was not, the service on the other hand . . . well let’s just say the bartenders at the Top Hat are more attentive. But we will get into that later.
We sat on the patio (apparently the only part of the club that is open during the week) which is fine. I used to frequent the patio a few summers ago when they first built it and had two-fers. It was a beautiful night, and I’m not even being sarcastic, so it was a perfect dining place.
We asked if food was available and the server said yes and handed us menus. We decided to start with an appetizer and ordered the nachos. We got the quesadilla instead. Being a server myself, I was concerned that maybe the food was supposed to go to another table, and when I asked our server insisted that it was ours, and we told him we ordered the nachos. He was going to fix it, but we thought, fuck it, we will eat it anyway, because it looked good. It was fantastic. The tortilla was more like a flatbread and really crispy and toasted. It was served with garden fresh jalapenos, sour cream, romaine and salsa (that I’m guessing was homemade).
For our dinner we all ordered something different, I ordered the Cordon Bleu sandwich (because like a dumb schmuck I order this sandwich everywhere I go thinking somebody will get it right – and nobody ever does). E-Rae got it right. It was on panni bread and the secret condiment seemed to me was cream cheese, but I could be wrong. I don’t usually finish pub fare, but this sandwich rocked. I ate it all.
One of my other companions tried the spinach wrap, and she liked it. But the funny part of was when my third friend tried to order, three of his first choices “were not available” which we all laughed about. He got the bacon cheeseburger and said it was great.
Trust me, E-Rae needs to work out some kinks, like availability and order accuracy. But for pub fare, it is pretty damn good.
September 1st, 2010 — Sioux Falls
Rumors have been swirling around for awhile. When will the Oaks be torn down?
It’s now been more than two months since city leaders celebrated the developer’s plans for the site. Those plans have yet to be put into action.
It is no longer a celebration for city leaders. In fact, their patience is starting to run thin as they wait for progress with the old Oaks Hotel. But one way or another, the building will likely see work and soon.
Oh but it gets better;
“We really do need to see some work out there very soon,” Smith said.
If that doesn’t happen, the city could step in, have the work done and then charge Graham for the work. Smith says that could soon be an option for the city,
A really stupid decision by the city, because not only would we be stuck with the bill for demolition, there would be tons of legal expenses for the city trying to get Graham to pay. Leave the Oaks alone. He will tear it down when he is damn good and ready. And if there is people in Sioux Falls that don’t like it, I suggest you cut a check to Mr. Graham to help him with the cost.
August 31st, 2010 — Event Center, Mayor Hubris, Mayor Subprime Mike Huether, Mike Huether, Sioux Falls
According to my sources today, Mike has been holding private meetings with councilors this week about his EC plan. He has been doing it in small groups, I am assuming to trump SD open meeting laws. There is a public meeting tonight (budget working session) and as I understand it, some councilors are going to question him about the plan, and want answers before a (expected) Friday press conference on the plan. Mainly they want to know how are we gonna pay for it.
Secrecy and government don’t work together well. Spill the beans already Mike, at least to our elected officials.
August 31st, 2010 — Sioux Falls, shit found
Chris is from the show ‘Life Goes on’
I always had a crush on Kelli Martin but it seems she has disappeared off the face of the map. Maybe she will show up?
August 30th, 2010 — FEMA, Floodplain, Floods, Sioux Falls
As I said all along, this is the REAL reason the levees had to be raised;
Once the flood-control measures are in place, probably by the end of next year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will redo its flood-plain maps and. In turn, fewer properties will be in the flood plain – saving money for property owners.
“Walmart, Sam’s Club, The Empire Mall, Target are some of the businesses” that will be taken out of the flood plain, said project manager Tom Berkland.
Instead of worrying about the 1% chance that Walfart might get flooded we should have been more concerned about all the poopy in people’s basements. And isn’t that the crux of it all? While we received record rains, besides a little street flooding, no where along the river (within Sioux Falls) there was flooding. Imagine that!?
It’s not only a state policy but a city policy;
“Big Business first, citizens second.”
August 29th, 2010 — Event Center, Mayor Hubris, Mayor Subprime Mike Huether, Mike Huether, Sioux Falls
“Yeah, because, I want to take your attention away from turds in our streets and budget cuts to essential services.” – Mayor Hubris (Republican sidenote; this is meant to be satire. Mike Huether is not a staffer of a US Senator. He did not ‘really’ say this, but it would be ‘funny’ if he did).
Huether is going to present us with another (failing) Events Center plan this week. Chalk it up;
Sioux Falls city councilors will get the specifics of Mayor Mike Huether’s plan for a new events center this week, including what it will look like, where it will go, its size and how the city will pay for it.
Speaking Saturday at his weekly listening and learning session at the Whisk & Chop Cafe, Huether called his plan “a prudent proposal that will make us proud for generations to come.”
So, in other words, you found a donor and you are going to build it downtown without raising taxes? Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!
August 28th, 2010 — Potholes, Public Works, Sioux Falls
From my email box;
So I guess Sioux Falls doesn’t have any potholes to fill, so they are selling the machine that fixes them.
Seriously – this is a machine that was new in 2006… are we really only getting four years of use out of our equipment these days? That doesn’t exactly seem efficient. I have underwear older than that.
It also appears to be in good working order since the auctioneer has an assurance on it. The city plays these games all the time, they can’t have anything that is too old – who cares, not their money, spend, spend, spend. Pat Costello joked once during a council meeting that whenever he would drive by a work site with private contractors and public works vehicles at it, he noticed the private contractor work trucks were like 15 years old and the public works drove brand new vehicles. It amazes me that we would cut tree removal budgets, yet not even blink twice about selling a vehicle at a third of what is was probably worth brand new.
August 27th, 2010 — Food, Sioux Falls
August 26th, 2010 — SF City Council, Sioux Falls
“I can’t tell you there’s a flower hanging in front of every business or there’s an event in front of every business,” Downtown Sioux Falls President Dan Statema said. “What I can tell you is that all these things together have an effect on the value of downtown.”
As I reported, DTSF is awash in money from special assessments. And the Gargoyle Leader finally woke up from their two-week sleep and reported on the story today;
A Sioux Falls real estate firm is suing the city over a special assessment collected each year to pay for the operations of Downtown Sioux Falls.
Ronning Cos. calls its $6,500 bill an unconstitutional tax because it receives nothing tangible for paying the organization behind Hot Summer Nights, First Fridays and the Parade of Lights.
While I don’t have a problem with a special assessment for businesses that might gain something from DT entertainment or niceties, I do think it is a little ridiculous to charge a glass shop and apartment building for this stuff and councilor Anderson agrees.
Councilor Kenny Anderson Jr. wasn’t entirely convinced. Businesses such as Glass Pros deserve to have the option of opting out, he said. Anderson was the only councilor to vote against the yearlong contract.
“I wanted to know what services they get for their dollars, and I didn’t get an answer,” he said.
Anderson said he supports downtown improvement but needs to know things are done fairly.
“If we’re going to have a partnership between Downtown Sioux Falls and the city, I would like to make sure things are operating above board,” he said.
There should be an opt-out. Chalk-up another unconstitutional practice by the city and their Home-Rule government.
