I love tiny desk, probably one of the few corners in my life that always makes me smile, laugh and cry all at the same time. While some of the performer’s music isn’t my cup of tea, I do like the performances. When Ms. Roan texts on her flip phone, I lost it.
Another one for the record books PBS
Do you know what the Hebrew word ‘Tzadik’ means?
Tzadik (Hebrew: ??????? ?add?q[tsa?dik], “righteous [one]”; also zadik or sadiq; pl. tzadikim[tsadi?kim] ??????? ?ad?q?m) is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters.
Interesting that a slumlord would name his properties righteous.
As you can see from the pictures below of just a couple of their properties, they have serious code violations.
Instead of the city coddling this person and trying to protect his investment, the city’s job, and it’s city manager, the mayor, need to have code enforcement rain hail on these properties. Most should be condemned and the conditions his PAYING renters are forced to live in are criminal.
This isn’t FREE housing, they are paying for it, and residents of this city have the right to safe, clean and affordable housing. I actually think criminal charges could be filed against this person.
Would you pay $700 a month to live in these places? Heck, if you BUY a condo at the Steel District, the monthly HOA fee is around $800 a month (which I would assume is for security and building maintenance?)
My point is that most of the people who live in these places are paying rent and working and they needed to be treated better by the city’s code enforcement office.
I heard they are changing the name of this particular complex to ‘Plywood and Needles Estates’ 🙁
The audio may not work on the video below, but basically this is an apartment that was supposedly move in ready.
I decided to challenge myself and write ONE sentence PRO’s and CON’s of the candidates running in the April Election, here we go;
SIOUX FALLS SCHOOL BOARD (2 seats available)
Bobbie Tibbetts
CON: Sued the District over Title 9 and won. As an active plaintiff in that case it would be a gigantic conflict of interest to serve on the board, and I’m not even sure she can legally serve because of it. And there’s those dang forms!
PRO: Young mother active in the school district and activities.
Stuart Willett
CON: Besides being a MAGAt, Stuart decided the best way to tear down government was to NOT vote ever in Sioux Falls. That’s why he registered to vote a few days before he announced.
PRO: Has some good ideas about reading comprehension and listening to teachers.
Gail Swenson
CON: A bureaucrat for 41 years in education.
PRO: A bureaucrat for 41 years in education. (YES I DID THAT ON PURPOSE)
Marc Murren
CON: Voted for the Gymnastics funding to be yanked, which resulted in a lawsuit (see Bobbie Tibbetts above)
PRO: Wants to work towards more transparency in the district.
Pat Starr
CON: Has sent his adopted and foster children to both private and public schools (he mostly sent children to private school due to some special needs).
PRO: Pat has NEVER voted for a tax increase the 8 years he was on council, he is PRO-OPEN GOVERNMENT and he is active in school athletics as a basketball referee and has built great relationships with parents, coaches and students. Also, Pat is a very honest and modest person and probably one of the most mild-tempered councilors I have ever known. He is also highly ethical. I often tell people, if you vote for the candidate with the highest ethical standards, you can guarantee they will govern that way also.
AT-LARGE CITY COUNCIL
Jordan Deffenbaugh
CON: Doesn’t have the campaign finances to mount an effective marketing and mailing campaign (but he still has time).
PRO: Is involved with numerous non-profit organizations that help lower income folks, knows his stuff when it comes to Urban Planning (Founding member of Sioux Falls Strongtowns) and has the vigor and knowledge to be an very effective councilor.
Richard Thomason
CON: Lost his last (corrected) primary election and doesn’t really have a strong message.
PRO: He’s a moderate Republican who lost to a couple of right wing weirdos in the legislature.
Allison Renville
CON: Talks a good game when it comes to school district policy and state law but doesn’t really understand city government.
PRO: Works with her fellow tribal members in the community to help the disadvantaged and abused. Would be the first Native woman to be elected to council.
NORTHEAST DISTRICT
Neil Jeske
CON: Hasn’t lived in Sioux Falls long enough to understand the finer details of city government, but is teachable 🙂
PRO: He has a low tax, low regulation view of local government.
David Zokaites
CON: David is a Fashion Disaster.
PRO: David is a Fashionista.
Miranda Basye (also known as Barney the 5th)
CON: The rumor is she was fired from her last job at the Sioux Metro whatever alliance. Would be nice to know why.
PRO: Has a good background in small business ownership and knows how to turn a wrench.
SW DISTRICT (Uncontested)
Ryan Spellerberg
CON: ZERO TRANSPARENCY. We know absolutely nothing about this person and he didn’t even bother to show up to a candidate forum. Marshall Selberg 2.0.
PRO: ?
NW DISTRICT (Uncontested)
Jennifer Sigette
CON: Another one that has lived and worked in this community for decades and decided to register to vote right before announcing. So not only has she never voted in a city election or for herself, but no one else has either, funny stuff 🙁
PRO: Since she has NO experience in government and she was uncontested, I got the feeling from some of her quotes in the media that she will keep an open mind about planning, etc. So I guess she hasn’t had her ‘specials’ meeting yet where the gifting of the Rubber Stamp occurs and marching orders. Poor girl.
If I had to guess, this election was over before it started. But there are some interesting scenarios. I think if David and Neil or Allison and Jordan can force a runoff (need to get a combined 50% + 1) the race will be more competitive. I am for sure predicting a runoff in the At-Large race (start writing Jordan checks TODAY!) and if Jordan can mount a 1 on 1 against Richard, he CAN beat him. The irony of the Rex Rolfing/Theresa Stehly rule is it may blow up in their faces. Richard could get 49% of the vote in the general and lose in the runoff.
The school board race is incredibly competitive, and with 5 peeps running for 2 seats and it being a plurality, the races could be decided by a handful of votes, and I predict a recount on that election. The 3 strongest candidates are Starr, Murren and Swenson.
You know, when you work with someone and it is a very bad experience, you always wonder years later if and when they run for office if you can say something.
I’m talking.
Kristi (Stewart) Golden is the daughter of Gordon Stewart, one of the founders of the Stewart Hairstyling school and salons, the brother of Randy Stewart and she is married to Bill Golden, an assistant city attorney with the city of Sioux Falls, a job he quietly(?) received after leaving Lincoln County as an assistant state’s attorney.
Kristi probably conveniently left that out of her press releases, because like most privileged Republicans they don’t like the working stiffs of this state knowing they want to ‘serve’ in the legislature to enrich their lives further. Her husband is probably already locked and loaded on several state pension programs and as a former staffer of a senator, I would guess Kristi has a little pension coming from the taxpayers.
Her husband, Bill, was private counsel to the Stewart family before moving into private practice and eventually bilking the taxpayers.
I went to work for Randy Stewart around 20 years ago or so. He’s the guy who has been screwing up childcare in Sioux Falls after trying to close his late parents daycares. Not sure if Kristi is also rolling a paycheck from those sales?
Kristi and Randy’s relationship is the normal sibling rivalry, and after parents passed, those relationships can get complicated.
I think I worked for Randy for less than a year before he fired me (he actually got his accountant* to do it with Bill) after I told Randy he was a very ‘unchristian’ business owner and I was shocked he was an ordained pastor.
But the clincher was when his sister who couldn’t handle her part-time job at a private Christian college her father has given millions to came to be the salesperson for our little sign shop.
I think my co-worker said to me when she was hired, ‘What does she know about the sign business?’ and I said, ‘Does it matter? She is Gordon’s daughter.’
If I could use one word to describe Larry Pressler’s former staffer, it would be this; ENTITLED!
If I were a voting Republican in District 9, I would send Kristi packing. Just another entitled trust baby in South Dakota that wants to funnel your tax dollars to their goofy causes and coffers.
Even if she was elected to the legislature, she would have NO CLUE what the normal South Dakotan goes thru each day, but her and her husband are sure reaping the benefits of our hard work.
We need a working person’s legislature, that get their teeth fixed locally (or not at all 🙁
*This accountant actually took over one of the daycares Randy sold.
l3wis 