Author: Gary Dickson

Gary Dickson is the writer, editor, and photographer of this blog. He has been a weekly newspaper editor, photojournalist, corporate trainer, mental health and substance abuse counselor, and university continuing education administrator. He decided to retire in September of 2017 after working at a dysfunctional group mental health private practice. After selling their house in the Morningside neighborhood of Sioux City, Gary and his wife, Nancy moved across the Big Sioux River to Dakota Dunes, SD. Nancy, who is five years Gary’s junior, continues to bring home a full-time paycheck so Gary can maintain his leisurely lifestyle. This includes homeschooling their cat, Willie, writing this blog, selling his photographs, taking more photographs, volunteering, and possibly someday getting a part-time job. Gary is well-versed in the geography, history, government, and people of the North Central Great Plains. He has lived in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska and has spent much of his life traveling the region and writing about and photographing the people and land of the Great Plains. Gary has been married to Nancy Bingner Dickson far longer than he has been married to anyone else and intends to keep it that way. He is originally from Sturgis, SD and Nancy is from Chancellor, SD. Some of the topics this blog will cover include: education, the Great Plains, government, politics, journalism, regional history, behavior, culture, arts, people, and the environment. Gary likes to nudge people out of complacency and point out hypocrisy when he sees it. He may also recount some of the poor decisions he has made in the past as a way to enlighten or entertain readers of this blog. He also reserves the right to include transcriptions of conversations he has with Willie. Gary is nothing else if not an amusement to himself. He uses a Nikon D3100 DSLR and a Samsung S5 smartphone to take his photos.
Crime, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

Union County Sheriff’s Report for March, 2024

Gary Dickson

Below are the charges for the month of March. You may notice that there may be more charges than arrests. This is due to individuals facing multiple charges.

You will notice that the information provided is only a numeric total, unlike that provided from what we get from Clay County which gives call incident detail.

We have asked the Union County Sheriff to provide more call detail, similar to that of Clay County. Continue reading Union County Sheriff’s Report for March, 2024

Commentary, Justice3 Comments

The media should shut up about the Trump jurors

Gary Dickson

I was astounded Tuesday evening when I turned on CNN and saw anchors and analysts revealing details about the seven jurors picked so far in the first criminal trial of Donald Trump.

There weren’t any names or faces revealed, but many other facts were. At the risk of compounding the error, but citing one example to make the point, here’s how CNN described a juror.

“The third seated juror is a corporate lawyer. He’s originally from Oregon. He gets his news from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Google. He’s a younger man who’s never been married and doesn’t have kids.” Continue reading The media should shut up about the Trump jurors

Crime, Government, JusticeLeave a comment

Union County Court: 3/25 – 4/12/2024

Gary Dickson

As the band Emerson, Lake and Palmer sang in their 1973 classic tune, Karn Evil 9:

“Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
We’re so glad you could attend,
Come inside, come inside . . . ”

So too, the words might be said about the regular case dispositions by our county/state judiciary system. Following are three weeks’ worth of cases that have been disposed of in the Union County courts. They include everything from traffic to trucking/transportation to criminal cases to fishing without a license. Continue reading Union County Court: 3/25 – 4/12/2024

CommentaryLeave a comment

To whom it may concern

Gary Dickson

I’m back with another installment of To Whom It May Concern, my multi-topic opinion column about the goings-on in Siouxland, South Dakota, the nation and the world. I’d been meaning to write this earlier – like last month – but things kept getting in the way. Like my health. I had a cold which turned into a bad sinus infection that kept me in bed for most of a week with a fever. Now that I’m almost 71, stuff like that seems to hit me particularly hard. It sucks getting old. But don’t cry for me Argentina, I’ve rebounded, for the most part. Continue reading To whom it may concern

Commentary, Government, Politics8 Comments

Immigrants are not the problem. Don’t believe the propaganda.

Gary Dickson

My folks floated over the pond with the cattle down below in steerage. One was an indentured servant, another a prison guard, others were among an army of Irish who helped drive the Native people off the Mississippi River near Dubuque to claim the lead mines. Still another branch settled the sloughs around Emmetsburg about the time the last Dakota were being driven out.

Immigrants. Good and not so good. The Mulroney brothers were not a welcome sight to the existing indigenous people when Fort Dodge was still a fort.

It cannot be avoided. It’s who we are, a nation of immigrants determined to write a new story for ourselves: That we came by it all fair and square; we did not. That we earned it; we stole it. And now that we are in control, we would rather keep others out. Until we need the cheap labor. Continue reading Immigrants are not the problem. Don’t believe the propaganda.

Environment, South Dakota2 Comments

EPA data: South Dakota industrial chemical releases rise amid national decline

Gary Dickson

Most mountain and plains states have seen reductions in pollutants released to the air, water and soil since 2013 at a rate of decline more than double the national average.

In South Dakota, though, toxic releases increased by 16%.

That’s according to recently published 2022 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory. Continue reading EPA data: South Dakota industrial chemical releases rise amid national decline

Economy, South DakotaLeave a comment

Rapid rise in South Dakota home prices is ‘not sustainable,’ economist says

Gary Dickson

Average first-time homebuyers can expect to spend about two-fifths of their pre-tax income on a monthly payment for a house in South Dakota.

“This situation is unheard of,” said Dakota Institute CEO Jared McEntaffer.

He addressed the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development on Wednesday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

McEntaffer called home prices one of the biggest economic issues the state faces. His analysis highlighted the decoupling of housing costs from incomes, posing a challenge for attracting new workers. Continue reading Rapid rise in South Dakota home prices is ‘not sustainable,’ economist says

Economy, South DakotaLeave a comment

Price goes up for Governor’s House program, but less than recent years

Gary Dickson

The homes built by inmates and sold to income-eligible South Dakotans will cost more come Friday, but the price hike is lower than it has been for the last three years.

The South Dakota Housing Development Authority Board voted Tuesday to increase the prices for Governor’s Houses, which are constructed at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield and shipped across the state to eligible buyers. 

There are two- and three-bedroom homes, as well as “DakotaPlex” options for more than one family in towns with 5,000 people or fewer, and day care models. Continue reading Price goes up for Governor’s House program, but less than recent years

Community, Iowa, JusticeLeave a comment

Sioux Center police officer forced to quit after domestic abuse arrest

Gary Dickson

A Sioux Center police officer who was forced to resign after a domestic abuse arrest — a charge that was later dismissed — and a failed psychological test is entitled to unemployment benefits, a judge has ruled.

According to state records, Steve S. Topete began working for the City of Sioux Center as a full-time police officer in June 2023. When he was hired, he was required to take and pass the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, which is a 600-question survey designed to measure an individual’s integrity, character and suitability as a law enforcement officer, with the answers reviewed by a psychologist. All certified law enforcement officers in Iowa are required to take the test. Continue reading Sioux Center police officer forced to quit after domestic abuse arrest

Health, Iowa, SiouxlandLeave a comment

Board: Acupuncture patient was abandoned, called sheriff’s office for help

Gary Dickson

An Iowa man had to call the sheriff’s office for assistance after his acupuncturist inserted needles into his body, then went home and fell asleep, according to the State Board of Medicine.

Board records and a report from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office indicate that on June 12, 2023, a male patient went to the Rock Rapids office of XiaoDong “Dave” Wang, a state-licensed acupuncturist. According to the board, Wang inserted acupuncture needles into the man’s body, left the Wang Acupuncture Clinic, went home and fell asleep. Continue reading Board: Acupuncture patient was abandoned, called sheriff’s office for help