I told the city council awhile ago that I like the bike trail extension to Family Park but they needed to fix the mud pit at the end of trail by the restroom.
When you bring up stuff to the city council at public input, they sometimes react
During the Informational meeting yesterday I spoke about the Pavilion’s slow growth in concert revenue and memberships as well as charging to attend regional art shows. (FF: 49:20) Below is a graphic of the current annual report.
During the city council regular meeting I talked about transparency in government (FF: 7:00) and the FREE youth bus rides (FF: 15:10). For clarification, several advocacy groups have been pushing for this for over a decade. Last Fall a couple people from those groups reached out to me to blog about it. I then reached out to former SF School board president Cynthia Mickelson who currently still serves on the board. She thought it was a good idea since the school district has been struggling with their own bus system and she reached out to councilor Curt Soehl and they have been working diligently to get it pushed through the transit board. A big thank you to both of them for their diligence.
Ironically, PTH had nothing to do with this move. This was recommended by the Public Transit board last month and was actually in partnership with a recommendation from former SF School Board President Cynthia Mickelson after I texted her on November 20, 2021. Cynthia reached out to Councilor Soehl about it and I never heard a peep until last week when it appeared on the agenda.
I’m happy they are moving forward. Many former board members have told me they have been working on this for around a decade.
I noticed this winter that the top floor of the ramp was blocked off with vehicle barricades. Didn’t think much of it, figured the city was saving itself snow removal money by not having to clear it. But as Spring arrived, it was still closed off (to vehicles). I have continued to ride my bike to the top to take photos (like the one above) and was there tonight. As I was leaving a private security guard came barreling out of the elevator telling me I couldn’t be up there (on my bike). I said, “Why?” He seemed befuddled and said, “Because the city doesn’t want anyone up here.” I again asked, “Why?” He seemed more befuddled and said nothing, so I told him I would leave since I have more respect for rent-a-cops then I do for the regulars.
But I really want an answer to that question. Why is the top floor closed?
Maybe the city is afraid if people park on the top floor of the ramp they will become complacent and not want to park in the mostly unused other 6 floors
*If you haven’t been up there, it is an excellent place to snap photos of the Sioux Falls skyline.
I could certainly tell you again about how ignorant Noem is. I could also rant about her authoritarianism or how she seems to have a rotating plastic surgery schedule like it is her chiropractor. But what troubles me the most is her lack of understanding reality.
While average South Dakotans can barely afford to put gas in their cars she jet sets all over the country on our dime visiting extremist radical right events. She makes no apologies about nepotism and special treatment for her children. She lies about a 10 year old pregnant rape victim calling it fake news. She also continues to lie to national audiences saying nothing closed down in South Dakota because of Covid. Uses tax dollars to overturn a Rec MJ constitutional amendment. Thinks people can secretly carry concealed weapons while gun violence rages in South Dakota’s largest city. Ignores corrections workers concerns while lying to the media about fixing it. Sends our National Guard troops to the Texas border because apparently South Dakota is overran by illegals. Has barred transgender youth from sports even though there is NOT ONE SINGLE transgender athlete in South Dakota asking to participate. Has banned CRT from public schools even though it has NEVER been taught here and is an advanced law school class about civil rights litigation.
But I think the last straw was this week when she turned down a debate on SDPB saying;
Today (July 15, 2022), in response to an inquiry from South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) regarding why Governor Noem does not plan to participate in their gubernatorial debate, the Kristi for Governor campaign announced that they will not be participating in the debate due to extreme leftist slant from National Public Radio (NPR) and SDPB.
“For years, we have watched as NPR and SDPB both drifted further and further to the left. The final straw was NPR eliminating the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July,” said Ian Fury, Communications Director for Kristi for Governor. “In the past, Governor Noem has made clear that she will not participate in debates hosted by hyper-partisan organizations or outlets. SDPB has repeatedly promoted the radical effort to re-write American history and cancel our Founding Fathers. As Governor Noem said at Mount Rushmore, ‘To attempt to cancel the Founding generation is an attempt to cancel our own freedoms.’ Governor Noem has participated in this debate in the past, but SDPB’s extreme leftward swing precludes the possibility of a fair debate.”
I have been watching the Newshour for years, and what attracted me most is that it is non-partisan unlike cable news. During the last couple of months PBS has strived to bring in both sides of the abortion debate. Unlike the partisan garbage spilled on FOX and MSNBC, PBS has always had a fair approach to the news.
Secondly, this is a live debate, not sure how the moderator would be able to twist or edit Noem’s answers? She is really is the dullest knife in the dull knife drawer.
Here is an interview Mayor TenHaken recently did with SDPB, notice there is no left wing nuttiness, just basic questions about how city government is functioning;
After reading this statement, it is clear that Noem has lost all connection with reality and what is really going on in our country and state. Everything she says or does is opposite of what people really think or are going thru. Bizzarro Noem for Governor.