Tag: Freedom Works Here

economic development, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

‘Governor’s Cup’ rodeo among recipients of millions from public fund controlled by Noem

Gary Dickson

In September, Gov. Kristi Noem carried the American flag on horseback into a Sioux Falls arena full of fans. 

Several months earlier, Noem had decided to use tax dollars from South Dakota employers to help pay for the event. 

In June, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development awarded a three-year contract worth up to $2.5 million to rodeo announcer Rorey Lemmel’s Dean Entertainment Group, to promote and conduct the annual event. The contract said Sioux Falls would contribute additional matching funds.

It was the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, advertised as “the richest rodeo in South Dakota history,” with $1 million in prize money. Noem handed out awards, posed for photos with the winners, and shared the images with thousands of followers on her social media accounts.

Continue reading ‘Governor’s Cup’ rodeo among recipients of millions from public fund controlled by Noem

Commentary, Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

Now it’s the legislature’s turn to try to scale the Noem wall of silence

Gary Dickson

t’s likely that journalists in South Dakota allowed themselves a few self-satisfied chuckles last month. This mirth was inspired by watching the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee fail to get the information it was seeking about the Freedom Works Here campaign from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

The Freedom Works Here campaign advertisements, which have run nationally, feature Gov. Kristi Noem in the role of workers in high-demand jobs, asking those workers to apply in South Dakota. Lawmakers were particularly concerned that GOED officials and state Secretary of Labor Marcia Hultman didn’t have an answer when asked how they would measure the success of the $5 million campaign. Continue reading Now it’s the legislature’s turn to try to scale the Noem wall of silence

Business, economic development, Education, Government, Siouxland, South DakotaLeave a comment

Employment on the rise, wages miss the mark In S.D.

Gary Dickson

Preliminary estimates show South Dakota’s unemployment rate increased from 0.1 percent to 2.0 percent in October 2023. The labor force increased over the month by 800 workers (0.2 percent) to 484,700 workers. The level of unemployment increased by 500 (5.3 percent) to 9,900 workers.

South Dakota’s October 2023 labor force of 484,700 increased compared to the October 2022 level of 475,000. The level of employed increased by 10,400 (2.2 percent); the level of unemployed decreased by 600 persons (5.7 percent). The unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percent to 2.0 percent.

The most recent year we have records for is 2021, for which data was released on Dec. 12, 2022. That census of wages and income shows that the median household income in the U.S. was $69,717, while the median household income in South Dakota was $66,8443 (95.88 percent of the national median).

But when you look at the salaries people are getting paid to be teachers (we still are one of the worst states in terms of teacher pay in the nation), natural resources and mining, construction, trades, transportation and utilities, leisure and hospitality services (shame on you tourism industry), and even local, state, and federal government a person has to wonder why we’re paying our workers such low wages? Continue reading Employment on the rise, wages miss the mark In S.D.

Business, Career, economic development, Government, Personal Qualities, South DakotaLeave a comment

‘Freedom’ not enough to fill South Dakota jobs: Local business leaders say there are hurdles with campaign

Gary Dickson

Bob Douglas, touted as a success story of Gov. Kristi Noem’s “Freedom Works Here” workforce recruitment campaign in South Dakota, confirmed a few things during a recent interview with News Watch.

The 66-year-old recreational vehicle salesman does enjoy freedom, it turns out. And he loves South Dakota. He plans to move to the Sioux Falls area once he sells his house in southern California, maybe as early as next spring. Douglas was referenced in a Sept. 21 press release from the governor’s office as having “recently moved to South Dakota.”

As for being heralded by the governor’s staff as an example of Noem’s $6.5 million ad campaign drawing new residents to the Mount Rushmore State, well, that’s not exactly true either. Continue reading ‘Freedom’ not enough to fill South Dakota jobs: Local business leaders say there are hurdles with campaign