Tag: Politics

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?’

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

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The dog ate my farm bill and other Republican excuses

Gary Dickson

The new five-year federal farm program, which was due on the president’s desk no later than Sept.  30, 2023, is missing. Republicans, who run the U.S. House of Representatives, don’t have a good answer about why it is missing.

In fact, the explanation for what happened to it is little more than a reworking of the age-old “the dog ate my homework” excuse used to “explain” missing arithmetic homework assignments by school kids for years. Continue reading The dog ate my farm bill and other Republican excuses

Government, IowaLeave a comment

What you need to know to participate in the 2024 Iowa caucuses

Gary Dickson

Iowa Republicans will cast their vote for the GOP presidential nominee on Monday, kicking off the process of deciding who will run in the 2024 presidential election.

Candidates including former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy spent the final days before the first-in-the-nation contest holding events with Iowans and encouraging people to show up to their precinct caucuses to participate.
Caucusgoers planning to weigh in on the GOP presidential nomination must attend their precinct caucuses in person to participate. Iowa Democrats also will hold in-person caucuses on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, alongside Republicans, but no expression of presidential preference will take place at the in-person events. Democrats are holding a mail-in ballot process with results to be announced on Super Tuesday in March.
Here’s what Iowans planning to participate in the caucuses need to know: Continue reading What you need to know to participate in the 2024 Iowa caucuses

Education, South DakotaLeave a comment

School voucher program backed by many South Dakota voters: poll

Gary Dickson

According to a recent poll conducted by News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota, nearly half of registered South Dakota voters support the creation of a school voucher program in the state.South Dakota is not one of the 16 states that offer school vouchers. A legislative measure to enact a voucher system failed by a wide margin in its first committee stop in 2023.

As of Jan. 10, a voucher bill had not yet been filed for the 2024 legislative session, which just began, though some backers do expect some form of legislation will be filed this session.

The poll showed that 48.8 percent of respondents support the development of a voucher system, while 45.6 percent do not, with 5.6 percent undecided. Continue reading School voucher program backed by many South Dakota voters: poll

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

Education, Government, IowaLeave a comment

Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law

Gary Dickson

A U.S. District Court judge heard oral arguments Friday about whether to stop enforcement of measures in an Iowa education law that ban certain books with sexual content from K-12 school libraries.

The lawsuit challenges sections of Senate File 496 that require schools to remove books with depictions of sex acts. It also challenges a provision requiring schools to inform parents if a student requests the use of a different name or pronouns than what they were assigned at birth. The lawsuit claims those and other measures violate Iowa students’ constitutional rights to equal protection, free speech, free association and due process, the lawsuit claims. Continue reading Federal judge hears arguments in lawsuit challenging Iowa book law

Government, South DakotaLeave a comment

Secretary of State releases election integrity brochure, urges voters to trust officials

Gary Dickson

A new brochure from Secretary of State Monae Johnson aims to address common election integrity questions in advance of the 2024 election, according to a Tuesday news release.

The brochure, titled “A Guide to Secure Elections in South Dakota,” is designed to explain “different security measures South Dakota has put in place to protect our elections,” according to the release. Continue reading Secretary of State releases election integrity brochure, urges voters to trust officials