by Joe | Jan 19, 2026 | Local History, Political/government
One hundred thirty-seven years ago our state founders placed the capitol in Pierre because it lay near the geographic center of a young frontier state. That decision fit a time when travel was slow and the population thin. The facts that justified it no longer exist....
by Joe | Nov 18, 2025 | Political/government
South Dakota has 150+ school districts, including nine inside the Sioux Falls metro area. That’s not efficient, it’s expensive. South Dakota has over 150 school districts. That is an extraordinary number for a state of fewer than a million people. And nowhere is this...
by Joe | Nov 2, 2025 | Local History, Political/government
Once a model of civic unity, the city now suffers from fragmentation and complacency. It’s time for leadership that brings us back together. Decades ago, Sioux Falls had something rare, a civic spirit that felt both personal and powerful. It wasn’t just about growth...
by Joe | Oct 21, 2025 | Political/government
State lawmakers enjoy gun-free workplaces while denying cities the same right to protect their employees Walk into the South Dakota capitol with a gun and you’ll be arrested. Walk into city hall, no problem. That’s the double standard baked into state law. South...
by Joe | Oct 6, 2025 | Political/government
State leaders propose cuts that starve local governments — the real reform lies in consolidation, technology, and accountability South Dakota’s fiscal debates usually circle the same questions: whether to cut taxes, which ones, and who pays the price. Lately, rapid...
by Joe | Aug 18, 2025 | Local History, Political/government
The South Dakota Board of Regents made news last week with an announcement that many thought would never come: the state’s only medical school is moving from small-town Vermillion to Sioux Falls, the state’s population and health care hub. It is a rare example of...
