There has been a lot of discussions about the 1st Amendment these days, mostly negative due to a president who uses the constitution as a tampon. Most of these conversations (yelling matches) encompass protests and dissenting government, as if that is all the 1st Amendment encompasses. Other democratic nations across the world have free speech rights, but no nation even holds a candle to ours. There are really only two restrictions; Language that incites violence (January 6th for example) and child p*rn*graphy.
While the 1st Amendment is invaluable for political dissent, it has built the greatest economic engine in the world.
While we won this nation (twice) by the barrel of a gun, it is the 1st Amendment that really built this nation.
Besides being home to some of the greatest visual artists, musicians and actors in the world, we are also the home of the greatest scientists, doctors, inventors. Why? Because of FREE expression and the opportunity to create without being hampered by silly civil right regs. It has also brought us some of the greatest immigrants the world has ever seen. Leaving their countries for America because they were tired of being held back due to free speech restrictions.
While a musket may have founded this country, peaceful protest and speech is what started it and has made this country great.
Let’s have a real discussion about the 1st & 2nd Amendment and their importance instead of shooting at each other. If we lose the 1st Amendment, we lose America.
UPDATE: During the informational today there was NO apology from the Parks Department over the detour debacle. But, Councilor Sigette questioned who planned the detours. They replied ‘They did.’ Which seems like a Don Kearney Swanson kind of fib. When I attended the last PTAB meeting the same question was asked of a different parks rep and they replied sheepishly that the contractors actually planned it. So who is telling the truth? It is still disgusting to me that A CITY EMPLOYEE went on TurdBook trying to blame riders for the poorly planned detours. When people say city employees have our best interest I just point to something like this or the runaround and transfers you get when you ask a simple question from a city customer support person on the phone, and they NEVER get back to you.
At the Fiscal meeting, only one committee member was opposed to increasing reserves, Merkouris, and his short and sweet rationale made perfect sense. Why have this money that we haven’t spent in the past (because of State and Federal assistance) and now we want to increase it? He didn’t see the emergency, and neither do I.
IS THIS JUST ANOTHER TAX SCAM TO BUILD THE CONVENTION CENTER?
During the discussion of the reserve increases it was mentioned that if we do this our bond rating will go up. Well wouldn’t that be convenient when you need to fund a Convention Center Bond without a new tax revenue source. This appears to be just another f’ing scam from Poops to get his Convention Center in a railroad swamp built . . . and the council will clap like seals.
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There have been so many ‘tidbits’ over the last week that I will just give a brief review.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUIT GOING TO TRIAL
I was told yesterday that the affordable housing development suit AGAINST the city is moving to trial. Ironically, the judge that signed off on the trial just retired. So a trial date has not been set, and they still have to determine if it will be a jury trial. The city and it’s legal counsel tried to get the case dismissed (it was dismissed out of Federal Court but referred to state court). If it is a jury trial it will be a slam dunk for the plaintiff. Basically the city is allegedly holding a development hostage over a affordable housing dispute and NOT allowing them to sell the properties (giving occupancy permits). The city has been up to some real shady/vengeful crap and it will be exposed in the trial. Hopefully they will park a food truck in the court room so some of the media shows up.
CANNEIGHBORS SUE THE CITY OVER REZONES FOR VIOLATING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?
So someone in the community who knows a lot about planning and development (not a public employee or politician) informed me of something interesting. They said, “Yah know, neighbors can sue the city over violating the comprehensive plan when approving rezones that are not compatible with that plan.”
So what does this mean? Basically if you are a homeowner and an adjacent homeowner wants to rezone their property to something else, like commercial, they have to go thru a compatibility study (see ex below)
If this study shows that ANY of the compatibility numbers are under 5, it puts the rezone into question. So if the PC and City Council approve a rezone when the compatibility numbers are NOT ALL 5’s and the adjacent neighbors are opposed, this gives them the legal authority to sue over the rezone since it didn’t meet the requirements of the comprehensive plan.
FISCAL COMMITTEE MEETING FOR WHAT?
As we know, this administration and council have NOT been transparent often playing games with agendas in order to mislead or confuse. Committee meetings are usually random with this council, and they decided to have another random Fiscal meeting with a random agenda that says ‘Overview of Proposed Ordinance’ with no attached documents. My assumption is they are going to talk about the reserves and other fiscal items, but why not list what you are going to discuss? Why the secrecy? Makes you wonder if they are concocting some kind of tax scheme to get us to pay for the new Convention Center?
WILL THE SIOUX FALLS PARKS DEPARTMENT FINALLY APOLOGIZE FOR REC TRAIL DETOURS?
Recreation Trail Planning & Maintenance by Josh Johnson, Park Operations Manager; Mike Patten, Park Development Manager
At this point I really don’t care that you f’kd up, and I really don’t care about your f’ing excuses and finger pointing. Admit you screwed up with planning and apologize to the folks that pay your wages. I took a ride this morning on a spur towards family park that got a fresh squeeze of oil this summer over the top of horrible cracks. It is so bumpy if you go over 5 MPH in one of the sections you have to wear a mouthpiece or you teeth will rattle out of your head. I was reading a story this week about how Howard Dean is helping to build bike trails across the US on old rail lines, glad to see that no one from our parks department is involved.
GOLF CART TOURS ON THE BIKE TRAIL?
I told you a few weeks back about a friend who took a golf cart on the bike trail (he is disabled and cannot ride a bike). He told me that his mom drove him in the cart and they got a lot of strange looks but it was permitted due to his disability. When he first started researching this the parks department had to look into Federal statutes to see if it was legal. I guess they decided that they would take a shot at it because I saw three, 4-seater golf carts being driven by parks employees on Friday afternoon on the trail. I looked on the city website to see if I could sign up and found nothing about the rides. I wonder if this is recent? They did have permits taped to the hoods of the carts. I have been trying to get people to take bike trail tours on my Rickshaw and have only had 4 couples so far. It’s a beautiful tour. (my trike is a Class II so it is legal on the trail).
THE BOARD OF REGENTS IS TURNING USD INTO A ‘TACO’ UNIVERSITY
USD said Hook’s deletion of the post and issuing an apology were enough to stay at the school.
The Board of Regents were probably told by legal counsel that you will lose this 1st Amendment case, and after you lose your reputation as an institution will go in the toilet. This was a fiscal decision to keep the professor NOT a constitutional one. I hope this professor goes on a speaking tour in SD about the 1st Amendment. When handed lemons . . . And always remember, when referring to someone as a NAZI always say WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST instead, it is the more WOKE, DEI version of NAZI the radical right has adopted.
WHY DIDN’T WE PUT THE PRISON IN VERMILLION?
Speaking of the institution in the middle of nowhere, with the recent move of the USD medical school to Sux (and the law school probably coming soon after) it makes you wonder if it is time to mothball USD in Vermillion. One suggestion would be to make the Vermillion campus a vocational school and put all the undergraduate studies in Sux. My suggestion would be to convert it into the new prison (like we did in Springfield years ago) and move the entire university to the SE Tech campus.
Cameron Stalheim was awarded the juried 3D category prize at ArtPrize 2025 for his sculpture Persist, which originally was shown on SculptureWalk in 2018.
ArtPrize is probably the best American sponsored yearly art festivals. I have dreamed of going for years! To win this award will be huge for Cameron’s career!
Like I said, many talented artists in our community like the ladies that did the censored mural in SF at the Smithsonian or Eyob Mergia who is known internationally and now resides in Vegas.
We have the cultural figures in SF but can we appreciate them?
I have seen many exhibits of Wright’s furniture and visited his original home in Chicago a few years back and walked the neighborhood and looked at the exterior of the 16 homes he designed in that hood. After reading this article, I really struggled to see the influence of Wright. The main thing that stood out was the lack of woodwork. Wright had a knack of combining different types of wood to create an affect on a wall or floor. He was a master at it. I don’t see any of that in this home. Even the lines are lacking. Wright liked low ceilings unless in a specific room that required studio space. He even built a loft viewing gallery in his living room! The woodwork in his original home is very valuable and original and the staff is adamant about NOT touching any of the wood surfaces and staying on rug paths. My friend got his ass reamed after leaning against the dining room wall. I can see some architectural elements in the home that ‘pluck’ some Wright ideas, but I really don’t see the influence. I tell people my home is a museum of bad taste, and is influenced by Ed Roth, though Rat Fink may disagree.
Dave Scarbrough passed away September 30. I haven’t seen Dave in several years, but back in the Pomp Room days he was a fixture in almost every band in Sioux Falls. Either helping to write songs, providing vocals or even music production. Dave recorded and produced the music for my movie The Color of Sound. I have the entire session on CD and I told Dave once it was one of the best live recordings I have ever heard locally. Dave was inducted in the SD R & R Hall of Fame last year. Dave was an extremely talented singer, songwriter, guitarist and always the one to help out. He will be missed by us old fart artists and Phil’s Pub junkies. The one thing I remember about Dave was how fun it was to BS him and tell him outrageous stories, he would always believe you. Miss you man! Rest in Peace!
l3wis 
