Opinion

This year’s session is a wrap

Published by admin on Thu, 03/19/2020 - 8:38am
Greetings! The final week of the 95th legislative session is over! I walked out of the capitol at 11 p.m. March 14.  A bunch of us were so wired up we went out to unwind and some of our crew entertained us by singing karaoke. Marcia and I stayed the night in Pierre, and we got home around noon on Friday, just in time to see the first snowflakes begin to fall.  Before it was over we received more than a foot of newly fallen snow.

Breach of promise is surrender of truth

Published by admin on Thu, 03/19/2020 - 8:35am
Gov. Noem’s meth advertising campaign was an embarrassment for South Dakota. The cost to South Dakotans greatly exceeded the $1.7 million of taxpayer money wastefully expended on this campaign.  
The meth campaign was part of the 2019 state budget.  That budget allowed for a $170 million larger budget and 110 new state employees in one year.  When the meth campaign demonstrated the frivolous spending priorities of the governor, I was thankful that I had voted against her significant expansion of government spending.

Essential oils can combat viruses

Published by admin on Thu, 03/19/2020 - 8:35am
The world over, people are preparing in myriad ways and trying to protect themselves against infection from coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. Offensive measures are always preferable to defensive — or even trying to recover once ill — so, to help you boost your immune system and stay healthy, A Step Back in Time has added many essential oils our supplier, Hopewell Essential Oils, has identified as beneficial in fighting coronavirus other respiratory illnesses and even the common cold. 

I severely lack cell game

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 10:52am

So I finally broke down and bought a new to me phone this week.

Regarding the coronavirus

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 9:15am

James Wahlstrom

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 9:13am
James L. Wahlstrom, 78, of Hermosa, S.D., died March 6, 2020, at Seven Sisters Living Center in Hot Springs, S.D.
James proudly served in the U.S. Army.
Condolences may be left at chamberlainmccolleys.com

Confessions of an accidental cartoonist

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 9:12am
I have a confession to make. I just have to get this off my chest. As the official cartoonist for the Chronicle, my conscience is strong-arming me to admit that I kinda sorta got the job under false pretenses. 
Whew! That feels better. I’ve admitted it publicly and I feel unburdened. I’m free! What’s that? You want to know what false pretenses? Well, OK. Here’s the whole sordid tale from the very beginning. 

We must learn from our history

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 9:07am
This past week, the Senate Judiciary Committee considered the governor’s new riot legislation. This year’s version of the riot legislation was supposedly designed to overcome a constitutional challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  As you remember from last year, the governor’s riot legislation was struck down as unconstitutional by a federal Judge. The governor chose to pay the ACLU $173,000 rather than appeal the ruling to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Only one week left in session

Published by admin on Thu, 03/12/2020 - 9:07am
Greetings! One week to go! We just completed legislative days 29-32. We had our last crackerbarrel of the season held at the School of Mines in Rapid City March 7. I was one of four speakers to start off the session. I remarked that I felt like I was supposed to give a book report on a great novel but didn’t get to read the last chapter. Or maybe I was to give a report on a movie but didn’t see the last 15 minutes. What I’m eluding to is the last four days of session where everything comes to fruition.  

What happened to the simple things?

Published by admin on Thu, 03/05/2020 - 10:41am

All throughout life, we seem to be seeking bigger and better things. We want that new phone that does all the things, we want a new car with all the bells and whistles, we want a bigger and nicer house.

Yes, these things are nice and sometimes are needed, but are these material things make our life complete? To me, the answer is a resounding no.

I may not seem like it at times, but I’m a pretty simple person. It doesn’t take a whole lot to make me happy.