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Unseasonably warm temperatures greeted athletes and fans alike as the Middle School State Wrestling Championships were held Saturday, February 14, in Pierre. While Valentine’s Day is typically known for hearts and flowers, the day in Pierre was filled with takedowns, pins, and plenty of small-town pride.
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We are officially into the second half of this legislative session. With Monday being President’s Day, we are officially closed, so our week will only be 4 days. They are predicted to be long days with committee meetings in the morning, floor session in the afternoon, and a continuation of the morning committee meetings after that.
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This past week we hit the halfway point in the 101st Legislative Session which means as you’re reading this article we now are in the last week before Cross-over day. Most Committees are sitting pretty well except for Health and Human Services and State Affairs which will be holding morning and afternoon meetings this week. Hey, good news. Revenues are in and we have an additional 30 million dollars of extra one-time money to spend. As we look at the budget this will make a big difference. I try not to get excited about the budget this early in the Session because things change so fast, and until we have all the information, it’s best to let the Appropriators do their work. Let’s talk about what the Floor looked like this past week. We heard some big bills which always means a lot of debate and usually good information even though I realize when you’re watching it seems too much. I should report on HB 1105 and I’m happy to say it passed off the Floor 45 to 20 and is on its way to the Senate. This bill will help protect medical facilities, including nursing homes in small communities, from being sold with a 40 year non-compete clause. We also passed a bill to allow communities to issue a license for a Cigar bar if they so choose along with back filing some appropriation bills, we do every year. It wasn’t really that exciting this past week, but we took care of business that we need to every year just to operate. I want to thank my Intern Tristen Petrik for helping me out last week with this column and I hope you enjoyed it. The Budget will now become one of the highest priorities for the House as we get closer to the end of Session. It’s important that we get this right because it’s a lot of money and we don’t have any extra. I’m hoping to have good news next week that we’ll have some room to move on the big three, CSP’s, teachers, and of course our state employees. The Governor vetoed HB 1077 last week and it’s hard for me to understand since he is a rancher and ag producer. I believe you have the freedom to eat what you want but I also think this bill protects ag and our number one industry. I’ve made my opinion clear to Governor Rhoden and will vote to override the veto if given a chance. I believe there is a chance in the House but not the Senate so it’s up to the bill sponsor on whether to pursue it. The Data Center bills are getting heard and voted on also and many will be this week. I still don’t know if they are good or bad for South Dakota but as I’ve stated, I won’t vote to give them a sales tax break. I believe in the Free Market, and they can start their businesses like everyone else, but we’ll see how it shakes out. Property tax reform seems to be a big conversation this year, and it should be, a lot of Legislators have Ideas along with the Governor, but I haven’t seen one yet that doesn’t shift on to ag. That’s about it for this week, I hope you’ve enjoyed the nice weather and you’re staying healthy. Thanks to everyone who attended the Crackel Barrell’s on Saturday in White Lake, Corsica, and Platte, it’s always fun to sit down and visit with the bosses and answer your questions. If you need to reach me my number is 605-680-0304 or email me at Marty. overweg@sdlegislature.gov.
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From the day we are born there are expectations over our life. The adults who love and care for us often dream about what we might be like and have aspirations of what our accomplishments and skills might be. There are many unpredictable factors that impact our development. For some, we are hyperaware of those expectations and shape ourselves, no matter the cost, to fit into that mold. Others might sit uncomfortably in a mold that does not fit. There are some that might break the mold to create their own with varying degrees of awareness they are doing so. No matter what category a person feels they might fit, when explored, there is often a sense of fear that has accompanied this fitting process- fear of not being perfect and the shame that comes with it. As children, adults in our lives are continually telling us to “do this, don’t do that.” We quickly learn what is expected of us. People have varying degrees of how much those expectations impact their actions and choices. Although the level of awareness will vary, we know that perfection is not reality, albeit we might try! What happens when it is not perfect? Are we able to tell ourselves we did your best and move on, or do self conscious thoughts and doubts linger with fear of disappointing others? I have an artist/designer friend who enjoys incorporating quirky humor into her pieces. One of them reads, “Don’t be embarrassed of who you are; that’s your parents’ job.” As humans, it matters to us what others think, most commonly being our parents, but that web spreads out to those we love, friends, and community. How will the things we say or do change how they see us or what they think? In a world where the volume of the montera “you do you” is quite loud, there is also a part of us that knows we do care what people think and those that love us want good for our lives. As a result, their opinion is weighted. So we ask for advice, we talk things through, but what we choose does not always align with those we love or those with a front row view of our life. How do we leave space for that? It is not uncommon when we are in misalignment for there to be avoidance or defensiveness. We might become angry and lash out when we feel shame or feel we are being shamed. This is self preservation, protecting ourselves from the vulnerability of expressing our shame or communicating the hurt from being shamed. What we might be less aware of, is that it also protects the other person from hearing that they hurt us. Especially if it is new to us or new to that specific relationship, it is difficult to muster up the courage to share our feelings of shame or to identify what felt to us as imposed shame. When we choose to step towards the other person with that vulnerability, it not only lets them know how we feel, but it can increase their understanding of us and awareness of what we need. It is vital for us to develop relationships in which we are both known and cared for in these ways.
Read moreThe Wagner boys junior varsity team delivered late-game drama Tuesday night in Woonsocket, escaping with a thrilling 39-36 victory over the Sanborn Central/ Woonsocket Blackhawks.
Read moreThe Wagner varsity boys showed resilience Tuesday night but came up short in a 54-43 loss to the Sanborn Central/Woonsocket Blackhawks in Woonsocket. Wagner fell behind 11-4 early in the first quarter before responding with a strong run following a timeout. The Raiders battled back to take a 16-15 lead into the second quarter.
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