NewsMarch 18 2020
People asked to ‘social distance’ themselves
Posted by Lucy
Sorry to announce that Presho's St. Patrick's Day Celebration has been cancelled for 2020 due to the Coronavirus
People asked to ‘social distance’ themselves
“With the COVID-19 situation continuing to be very fluid in South Dakota, it is important that we all remain diligent and wise in the coming days,” said South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in a press release issued Saturday.
“With the COVID-19 situation continuing to be very fluid in South Dakota, it is important that we all remain diligent and wise in the coming days,” said South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in a press release issued Saturday.
As of Tuesday, March 17 there has been 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, and one death. A man in his 60s from Pennington County died last Tuesday. According to official reports he had underlying health issues and COVID-19 contributed to his death. All the people testing positive had traveled outside of the state prior to the onset of the illness.
The State Department of Health website states, “There has been no community transmissions at this time.”
Since last Friday the number of people tested for COVID-19 increased from 73 on Friday to 551 on Tuesday, with 35 still pending results. COVID_19 has been confirmed in Beadle, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Davison, McCook, Pennington, and 5 in Minnehaha counties.
The Governor informed the residents of South Dakota that “common sense steps – that we all can take – should help us manage the virus’ spread. Epidemiologists refer to this as “flattening the curve.” What that means is with social distancing (avoiding large gatherings) we should be able to slow the spread of the virus and avoid a spike in the number of people getting sick. If that happens, we should be able to avoid overwhelming the hospital systems, which is a top priority.”
While many businesses remain open some have adjusted hours of operation or closed temporarily. Temporary shortages of toilet tissue, hand sanitizer and cleaning products have occurred since last week.
The South Dakota Retailers issued a statement Monday saying that there are ample supplies, but the process of delivering inventory from warehouses to retail stores takes time, and businesses are taking extra precautions to clean and sanitize prior to restocking shelves.
The Governor issued an executive order to allow non-essential state employees to work remotely for a week, and encouraged all employers across the state to be flexible with their employees also.
All K-12 schools, public and private, along with state universities, were asked to close for the week of March 16-20 to allow facilities to be disinfected and cleaned. All extracurricular activities and events from the high school state basketball tournaments to band and music competitions have been canceled or postponed. It is unknown at this time when classes and activities will resume.
Superintendent Rob Davis stated he was meeting with his staff and administrators Tuesday, and they would determine a plan to provide sack lunches and options for online learning. Watch the school’s website and/or Facebook page for updates.
Hospitals, clinics and long-term care centers and assisted living homes are
Local clinics including Sanford, Avera and Rural Health Care Centers are asking that people call ahead before going to the clinic so that patients can be screened, and a determination made as to if they need to be tested for COVID-19. Only those meeting certain criteria will be tested for the virus.
Avera Health has set up a Medical Call Center line at 877-282-8372 that is available 24/7 for those with questions. Also, the South Dakota Department of Health can be reached 800-997-2880.
In a joint press release issued from Sanford and Avera, both health systems are working with the South Dakota Department of Health and are taking steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to protect employees, other patients and visitors.
It’s important for the public to understand that COVID-19 cases range from very mild to severe, and not everyone will need to be hospitalized. About 80 percent of patients who have COVID-19 can be treated at home. Typical symptoms are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Anyone who is experiencing difficulty breathing or an extremely high temperature should seek medical help.
Governor Noem added, “It is easy to overreact to situations like this – a new virus that spreads rapidly across the globe is alarming and represents a great unknown. We should not downplay the risks to vulnerable populations, and we can all be smart about practicing sound hygiene. We are confident, however, in the measures we are taking at the state and national level to manage the spread of the virus, and we are encouraged by the overall low rate of serious infection thus far. Together, we can flatten the curve and avoid a serious public health crisis.”
All South Dakotans are encouraged to visit the website at COVID.SD.GOV. to learn more about ways you can protect yourself and the people around you.
NewsMarch 11 2020
Posted by Lucy
Senate approves riot boosting bill, companion bill offers amendments
By Dana Hess Community News Service
PIERRE — A bill that offers penalties for riot and inciting or boosting a riot was approved Thursday afternoon by the S.D. Senate. HB1117 seeks to place into law penalties for inciting a riot or rioting while at the same time protecting the First Amendment right to protest. A similar bill was endorsed by the Legislature last year and struck down in federal court. Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, R-Watertown, said the legislation now has a companion bill, HB1199, which amends four sections of the bill, removing the term “riot boosting” and defining the scope of damage claims. These amendments reflect concerns about HB1117’s language that were raised Tuesday night during the bill’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB1199, which originally dealt with electric services, was hoghoused Thursday morning in the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee. A hoghouse takes place when one bill completely replaces another, a tactic used to get around legislative deadlines for the introduction of new legislation. The hoghoused bill was approved by the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee on a 5-1 vote. Schoenbeck said HB1117 would be held by the governor until the companion bill came to her desk as well. Speaking in favor of HB1117, Schoenbeck said it was needed in order for the state to get ready for the expected protests surrounding the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. “We’ve all seen what happened in North Dakota where they were unprepared,” Schoenbeck said, noting that the state suffered $37 million in damages. According to Schoenbeck, the current legislation was written in response to the judge’s decision in federal court. “This new bill comes to you that addresses those concerns,” Schoenbeck said. “We are affirming the First Amendment rights our citizens have.” Sen. Craig Kennedy, D-Yankton, said the current bill “suffers from many of the same flaws” as the legislation that was struck down in federal court. He called the language in the bill “First Amendment problematic.” Sen. Troy Heinert, R-Mission, said it was unclear how the new riot law would be enforced. “We’ve all been in situations where passion get the best of us,” Heinert said, noting that the law is supposed to protect both sides in a protest. “I don’t think it will be implemented both ways.” South Dakota has to be ready for the worst, Schoenbeck said. “Peaceful protests are protected,” Schoenbeck said. “But that wasn’t the history of what happened in North Dakota. If you want to peacefully protest, you should like this bill.” The Senate approved the bill on a vote of 27-8. It now goes to the governor for her signature.
NewsMarch 11 2020
Posted by Lucy
Senate approves riot boosting bill, companion bill offers amendments
By Dana Hess Community News Service
PIERRE — A bill that offers penalties for riot and inciting or boosting a riot was approved Thursday afternoon by the S.D. Senate. HB1117 seeks to place into law penalties for inciting a riot or rioting while at the same time protecting the First Amendment right to protest. A similar bill was endorsed by the Legislature last year and struck down in federal court. Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, R-Watertown, said the legislation now has a companion bill, HB1199, which amends four sections of the bill, removing the term “riot boosting” and defining the scope of damage claims. These amendments reflect concerns about HB1117’s language that were raised Tuesday night during the bill’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB1199, which originally dealt with electric services, was hoghoused Thursday morning in the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee. A hoghouse takes place when one bill completely replaces another, a tactic used to get around legislative deadlines for the introduction of new legislation. The hoghoused bill was approved by the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee on a 5-1 vote. Schoenbeck said HB1117 would be held by the governor until the companion bill came to her desk as well. Speaking in favor of HB1117, Schoenbeck said it was needed in order for the state to get ready for the expected protests surrounding the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. “We’ve all seen what happened in North Dakota where they were unprepared,” Schoenbeck said, noting that the state suffered $37 million in damages. According to Schoenbeck, the current legislation was written in response to the judge’s decision in federal court. “This new bill comes to you that addresses those concerns,” Schoenbeck said. “We are affirming the First Amendment rights our citizens have.” Sen. Craig Kennedy, D-Yankton, said the current bill “suffers from many of the same flaws” as the legislation that was struck down in federal court. He called the language in the bill “First Amendment problematic.” Sen. Troy Heinert, R-Mission, said it was unclear how the new riot law would be enforced. “We’ve all been in situations where passion get the best of us,” Heinert said, noting that the law is supposed to protect both sides in a protest. “I don’t think it will be implemented both ways.” South Dakota has to be ready for the worst, Schoenbeck said. “Peaceful protests are protected,” Schoenbeck said. “But that wasn’t the history of what happened in North Dakota. If you want to peacefully protest, you should like this bill.” The Senate approved the bill on a vote of 27-8. It now goes to the governor for her signature.
NewsMarch 11 2020
Posted by Lucy
Senate approves riot boosting bill, companion bill offers amendments
By Dana Hess Community News Service
PIERRE — A bill that offers penalties for riot and inciting or boosting a riot was approved Thursday afternoon by the S.D. Senate. HB1117 seeks to place into law penalties for inciting a riot or rioting while at the same time protecting the First Amendment right to protest. A similar bill was endorsed by the Legislature last year and struck down in federal court. Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, R-Watertown, said the legislation now has a companion bill, HB1199, which amends four sections of the bill, removing the term “riot boosting” and defining the scope of damage claims. These amendments reflect concerns about HB1117’s language that were raised Tuesday night during the bill’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB1199, which originally dealt with electric services, was hoghoused Thursday morning in the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee. A hoghouse takes place when one bill completely replaces another, a tactic used to get around legislative deadlines for the introduction of new legislation. The hoghoused bill was approved by the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee on a 5-1 vote. Schoenbeck said HB1117 would be held by the governor until the companion bill came to her desk as well. Speaking in favor of HB1117, Schoenbeck said it was needed in order for the state to get ready for the expected protests surrounding the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. “We’ve all seen what happened in North Dakota where they were unprepared,” Schoenbeck said, noting that the state suffered $37 million in damages. According to Schoenbeck, the current legislation was written in response to the judge’s decision in federal court. “This new bill comes to you that addresses those concerns,” Schoenbeck said. “We are affirming the First Amendment rights our citizens have.” Sen. Craig Kennedy, D-Yankton, said the current bill “suffers from many of the same flaws” as the legislation that was struck down in federal court. He called the language in the bill “First Amendment problematic.” Sen. Troy Heinert, R-Mission, said it was unclear how the new riot law would be enforced. “We’ve all been in situations where passion get the best of us,” Heinert said, noting that the law is supposed to protect both sides in a protest. “I don’t think it will be implemented both ways.” South Dakota has to be ready for the worst, Schoenbeck said. “Peaceful protests are protected,” Schoenbeck said. “But that wasn’t the history of what happened in North Dakota. If you want to peacefully protest, you should like this bill.” The Senate approved the bill on a vote of 27-8. It now goes to the governor for her signature.
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Presho, SD
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Presho, SD
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