Category: Great Plains

Siouxland Observed, South DakotaLeave a comment

Siouxland Observed #9: What plot of land does this photo show?

Gary Dickson

Area people should have a pretty good idea of where this photo was taken and what it shows. Some folks have really gotten their knickers in a knot over it. Or how it is going to be paid for. Or how long parts of it will be. Or what size units of dirt will be. Personally, I just thought the sun and clouds looked mighty pretty that afternoon when I was nosing around, so I stopped to take a photo with my cellphone. Continue reading Siouxland Observed #9: What plot of land does this photo show?

Education, Government, IowaLeave a comment

Iowa House Democrats introduce bill to tackle rising tuition rates

Gary Dickson

Avery Dettvarn didn’t realize just how expensive her college dreams were until she began the application process.

She said at a press conference Wednesday that she felt her heart break when her high school counselor said she wouldn’t be able to attend college if she couldn’t afford to fill the gaps left after seeking out public and private loans, financial aid and scholarships in order to pay for her tuition.

Now a University of Iowa second-year student, Dettvarn accepted a loan from a family member to help achieve her dream because no relatives had a credit score high enough to co-sign for a private loan. Not everyone can receive the same support she did, she said. She came to the Capitol to advocate for students who have struggled with tuition and fees, and to show her support for legislation that would keep costs from crawling even higher over the course of their college career. Continue reading Iowa House Democrats introduce bill to tackle rising tuition rates

Government, South Dakota5 Comments

Courthouse Chronicles: ‘Now Where the Hell Is That State’s Attorney?’

Gary Dickson

I dropped my lovely passenger off behind the Baxter Building at the corner of 5th and Jones Streets in downtown Sioux City — a city that’s not as bad as it sometimes smells. My wife waved goodbye as I let our 2021 Hyundai Venue coast down the driveway to the alley where I turned right and half a block later, I dodged a homeless fellow looking for cans then I turned left onto Jones. I drove to 3rd Street and hung a right going by the post office, a parking ramp, the cancer center, Milwaukee Weiners, and the Hard Rock Hotel. I caught Wesley Parkway to the service road which brought me to the I-29 north entrance ramp.

In six minutes I was free of Sioux City, out of Iowa, and back into the Land of Infinite Variety, South Dakota. Tourism folks call South Dakota the Rushmore State now, but I prefer to call it by its old nickname. I think it’s far more accurate.

But I digress.

It was 8:07 a.m. Tuesday, December 12th and I was headed for Elk Point, the County Seat of Union County, South Dakota for the regular meeting of the County Board of Commissioners. Continue reading Courthouse Chronicles: ‘Now Where the Hell Is That State’s Attorney?’

Education, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

South Dakota literacy improvements likely to cost more than $6 million

Gary Dickson

South Dakota educators have pointed to dramatic literacy successes in the state of Mississippi as evidence for lawmakers to support a proposed $6 million investment into expanded phonics-based reading curriculum and teacher training.

But as the appropriation supported by Gov. Kristi Noem moves forward in the Legislature, a top literacy official in Mississippi said that while South Dakota’s plan is a good place to start, a one-time investment is unlikely to reverse falling reading rates in the Rushmore State.

House Bill 1022 would provide the South Dakota Department of Education with $6 million for a four-year statewide teacher training effort in the science of reading (SOR), an intensive approach to reading instruction at the elementary level that relies in part on phonics, or using sounds within words rather than letters to help children read. Continue reading South Dakota literacy improvements likely to cost more than $6 million

Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

State Senate shoots down property tax valuation cap

Gary Dickson

The South Dakota Senate shot down an effort Thursday to cap property tax valuation increases at 3% a year for homeowners and rental properties.

Senate Bill 167 would have capped increases in response to the heavy hikes in property valuations that followed the COVID-19 pandemic’s start in 2020.

Sen. Jack Kolbeck, R-Sioux Falls, said his goal was to offer some relief to long-term homeowners whose new neighbors from other states helped push home values beyond what local incomes can absorb. Continue reading State Senate shoots down property tax valuation cap

Education, Government, Iowa2 Comments

Iowa lawmakers consider requiring students, teachers to sing national anthem at school each day

Gary Dickson

Iowa students would be required to sing part of the national anthem at school each day under a bill advanced Wednesday by a House Education subcommittee.

Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, stood and led the room in singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during her closing comments.

Cahill said she sang because “our Capitol is the perfect place to show patriotism,” but requiring the singing of the national anthem in school classrooms each day is not the best path forward as it would be “mandating patriotism for students.” Continue reading Iowa lawmakers consider requiring students, teachers to sing national anthem at school each day

Business, Health, Iowa, South DakotaLeave a comment

New year brings new restaurant inspections in Siouxland

Gary Dickson

Below are some of their findings over the past month as reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing and the South Dakota Department of Health which handle food-establishment inspections at the state level.

NOTE: There are some differences between the inspections of Iowa and South Dakota. One difference between the inspections is that Iowa’s inspectors put down a date for when violations or concerns are to be resolved. While there is a place for a date on South Dakota’s forms, none of the inspectors put down a date that violations needed to be resolved/fixed. It appears that South Dakota’s motto of “Freedom Lives Here” is being applied to the state health department’s inspection division. Continue reading New year brings new restaurant inspections in Siouxland

Health, IowaLeave a comment

State allegedly rejected previous complaint about nursing home rape suspect

Gary Dickson

An Iowa caregiver alleges state nursing home regulators declined to investigate her complaint last spring against a man now being investigated for the alleged rape of a nursing home resident.

The female caregiver was working at Friendship Home in Audubon last April when she allegedly filed a complaint with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing about the behavior of a male coworker. Continue reading State allegedly rejected previous complaint about nursing home rape suspect