Bluestem Prairie: August 2021

Top South Dakota lawman: Joe Boever's killer Ravnsborg gets 7th speeding ticket since 2014

On Friday, we asked Is anyone pleased with SD AG Jason Ravnsborg plea deal other than Team Ravnsborg?

South Dakota's top law man didn't even have to show up in court last Thursday for his attorney "to present a no contest plea "to a pair of misdemeanor traffic charges over a crash last year that killed a pedestrian, avoiding jail time despite bitter complaints from the victim’s family that he was being too lightly punished for actions they called 'inexcusable,' Stephen Groves reported for the Associated Press.

The latest Ravnsborg news likely will increase South Dakotans' displeasure.

At Dakota News Now, Austin Goss reports "The Sunday prior to his much anticipated trial South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg was pulled over for doing 57 in a 35 mph speed zone."

Lovely. Early Tuesday morning, Goss wrote in SD Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg gets speeding ticket, his 7th since 2014:

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has obtained his seventh speeding ticket in seven years.

The most recent came in Hughes County Sunday, August 22nd at 8:54 PM.

Ravnsborg was charged with one 2nd degree misdemeanor for “Speeding On Other Roadways” while doing 57 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Ravnsborg has yet to pay the $177.50 fine associated with the ticket, due by September 20th.

At this time, it is unclear which law enforcement office pulled Ravnsborg over, or where they pulled him over.

The ticket came just four days prior to Ravnsborg going to trial to face three 2nd misdemeanor charges for an accident he was involved in last September, that resulted in the death of Joe Boever.

Ravnsborg pled no contest to two of the three charges he faced for his involvement in that accident, and paid fines amounting to over $4,000 while avoiding jail time.

A spokesperson with the Attorney General’s office has not responded to a request for comment on this matter.

The Daily Beast, which has been following the Ravnsborg saga for its national audience, picked up the story in South Dakota Attorney General Who Killed Man in Hit-Run Gets Speeding Ticket. Tracy Connor reports:

Just four days before he was set to stand trial for a fatal hit-and-run accident, South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg got a speeding ticket—for going 57 mph in a 35 mph zone.

It was Ravnsborg’s seventh speeding infraction in seven years, according to local media—but hardly his most serious traffic violation.

That came in September 2020 when Ravnsborg rammed his car into Joseph Boever on a highway shoulder while driving home from a Republican Party function.

Ravnsborg, the top law-enforcement officer in the state, left the scene and later told investigators that he thought he had hit an animal. Boever’s body was not found until the next day when he returned to the highway.

During an interrogation, investigators told Ravnsborg that he hit Boever so hard and directly that the dead man’s glasses ended up inside his car.

“That means his face came through your windshield,” a North Dakota Bureau of Investigation agent told Ravnsborg. “His face is in your windshield. Think about it.” . . .

Bluestem wishes Ravnsborg would do more than think about it. We want him to start obeying our state's traffic laws before he kills another person.

South Dakota News Watch: is predator bounty program successful wildlife management or needless killing of 134,000 animals?

If Governor Kristi Noem wants children to get off their devices and go outdoors, Bluestem wishes she'd back a program of bluebird house building. Or lessons on camping, fishing, canoeing or kayaking.

Instead, South Dakota has offered a "nest predator" bounty for trapped animals during their own nesting seasons.

From South Dakota News Watch:

South Dakota predator bounty program: Successful wildlife management or needless killing of 134,000 animals?

By: Bart Pfankuch August 26, 2021

A state-sanctioned pheasant protection program that pays South Dakota youths and adults $10 for every raccoon, skunk and other predator they trap has led to the killing of more than 134,000 animals in the past three years with no scientific evidence the program is working.

Known as the Nest Predator Bounty Program, the effort to boost pheasant and duck populations by paying trappers to kill animals that eat the eggs and hatchlings of pheasants and ducks began in 2019 and recently completed its third year of operation. The program that takes place for a few months during the spring pheasant nesting season has been approved for another year in 2022.

Little common ground can be found in assessing the merits or methods of the program, which has been described as both a wildlife-management success and an inhumane, senseless killing of wild animals

Some state officials, including Gov. Kristi Noem, who first implemented the program, and new Game, Fish & Parks Secretary Kevin Robling, see the bounty program as an effective method to reduce predation on pheasants and also encourage young people to move away from playing computer games and take up trapping as a hobby instead. South Dakota is home to a lucrative but steadily declining pheasant hunting industry that generated nearly $300 million in direct spending in the state in 2016, a majority of that from non-resident hunters.

Noem, Robling and a majority of members of the state Game, Fish & Parks Commission, the policymaking arm of state wildlife management, want the program to continue.

The bounty program has seen a recent spike in youth participation, Robling said.

“It’s really a success story when you look at enhancing our trapping traditions and outdoor heritage,” he said.

Robling acknowledges there is no data or concrete evidence to show that the bounty program has improved pheasant or duck numbers or enhanced successful nesting rates, but he remains convinced it is working.

“As far as quantifying pheasant abundance, we don’t have any research design set up for that,” Robling said. “But we are confident that this bounty program is enhancing nest success.”

Opponents of the program, including some influential members of the South Dakota wildlife management community, are less confident that paying youths and adults to kill five species of animals is a proper way to boost pheasant and duck populations.

Gary Jensen, a Rapid City lawyer, just completed his time as a member of the GFP Commission. He most recently served as chair of the commission and voted against the resolution to extend the bounty program.

“There’s no science that supports it,” Jensen said. “The department can’t show any evidence on the bounty program and it doesn’t have any program in place to determine if it’s increasing pheasant numbers.”

The bounty program was first implemented in 2019 by Noem as part of her Second Century Initiative, aimed at protecting and expanding pheasant habitat and populations in the state.

So far, the state has spent about $2.4 million on the program, which is funded through hunting, fishing and trapping license fees.

Half of the costs, about $1.2 million, have been paid in bounties to program participants (payments were $10 per animal in 2019 and 2021; they were $5 per animal in 2020.) Another $960,000 was spent in the first year on a program to give away 16,500 traps for free to about 5,000 people who requested them. Personnel costs totaled about $217,000 over the first two years.

On a basic level, the program works like this. Adults licensed to trap or youths who want to participate bait traps from April through July to capture animals, which are then typically killed with a rifle. The tails of the animals are cut off, collected and submitted to the state at designated locations. Participants are then paid $10 for each qualifying tail.

Target animals include raccoons, the most frequently bountied animals, as well as skunks, opossums, red foxes and badgers. The carcasses of the animals, which are not good to eat, are discarded, though some may have pelts removed first. The state encourages participants to bury the carcasses but there are no requirements to do so, Robling said.

In 2019, the first year of the bounty program, 54,471 animals were killed; in 2020, the number was 26,390; and in 2021, 53,728 animals were killed. Raccoons make up almost 80% of the roughly 134,600 animals killed under the program so far.

About 91% of the bounties paid were in the East River region of South Dakota, where pheasants are most prevalent. Program participants in Minnehaha County have consistently been the top bounty recipients.

Public opposition to the program has grown over time. The state sanctioned a survey early on during the program that showed 78% of about 400 random respondents strongly or moderately approved of the program after questioners explained to them the rationale behind it. However, 62% of those respondents said they knew nothing about the program before being called.

In March 2020, before the GFP Commission was about to vote to extend the program, which it ultimately did, about 400 public comments were received regarding the bounty program, more than 90% of those in opposition.

Some public commenters called the program “brutal,” “cruel,” “senseless” and “inhumane.” Others argued that it was simply a waste of money, had no proven results in regard to propagation of pheasants or ducks, and had led to the killing of helpless animals by trappers, including children, seeking a payment.

ANIMALS KILLED IN SOUTH DAKOTA BOUNTY PROGRAM

The state of South Dakota has paid a per-animal bounty of $10 to adults and children who trap and kill animals known to prey on pheasant and duck eggs and hatchlings. Here is a look at how many animals of each type have been killed under the program in its first three years.

Animal 2019 2020 2021 Total

Raccoon 43,800 21,400 40,900 106,100

Skunk 6,000 2,600 7,100 15,700

Opossum 3,700 2,000 4,900 10,600

Red fox 494 189 438 1,121

Badger 488 188 417 1,093

Total 54,471 26,390 53,728 134,589

Notes: Some individual annual totals are rounded, so yearly totals may not add up exactly; bottom row totals are accurate overall counts.

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department

Jensen said he thought the roughly $1 million allocated to the trap giveaway could have been better used on habitat creation or protection or to get young people engaged in some other aspect of the outdoors.

“If instead of a million dollars in traps, what if they had given shotguns away so people could go hunting pheasants, or to provide kids with fishing rods and reels?” Jensen said.

The program has also come under criticism for how it was implemented. Critics say Noem initiated the program largely outside the typical process of review by the public and the GFP Commission, which sets policy. Noem’s office did not respond to inquiries from News Watch and referred all questions to the GFP.

Robling said the two main goals of the predator bounty program are to strengthen pheasant and duck populations in the wild by reducing the number of prey animals, and to get more South Dakota youths engaged in outdoor activities, specifically trapping.

Robling said he looks at successful propagation of the state’s pheasant population as a “three-legged stool” that relies on weather, habitat and predator management.

Stable weather patterns that aren’t too wet or too dry, especially in the spring hatching season, are positive for pheasants, Robling said.

But with the weather an unpredictable and uncontrollable force, Robling said the state is focused on the other two components of pheasant population management, and that habitat management and the predator bounty program are key parts of those efforts. The state lost one of is only measures to estimate the pheasant population when the GFP Commission voted to end its annual roadside brood count of young pheasants after 2018.

The state spends about $22 million a year in license fees on wildlife habitat expansion, protection and access, Robling said.

Robling said the bounty program has a proven track record of preserving the state’s hunting and trapping heritage by encouraging more young people to become active in the outdoors. In the first year, 11% of bounty program participants were under age 18. That percentage rose 13% the second year, and in 2021, 29% of the 2,800 participants in the bounty program were under 18, Robling said.

“We are absolutely seeing more engagement with your youth, so that’s a metric where we’re clearly seeing success,” he said.

Research mixed on success of predator removal

Predator control methods, and paid bounty programs in particular, are a controversial way of protecting desirable species of animals, and the science regarding success of the programs is murky at best. South Dakota’s program is unique in the number of species of animals targeted, but bounty programs on coyotes are common throughout the American West and Florida has an ongoing bounty program that pays trappers to remove invasive pythons from the Everglades.

One study published in 2016 in the scientific journal “Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment” reviewed 12 other studies of predator-control programs to protect livestock in North America and Europe. The review found that six predator-removal efforts (two lethal, four non-lethal) ultimately led to successful protection of livestock; two led to a greater predation on livestock, and four had no effect.

It is notable that the predator-control efforts reviewed in the study were performed under highly controlled conditions and did not include bounty programs involving members of the public.

In the end, the study authors recommended that only predator-control programs that are closely monitored and show scientifically proven results be continued.

“We recommend that policymakers suspend predator control efforts that lack evidence for functional effectiveness and that scientists focus on stringent standards of evidence in tests of predator control,” the study reported.

A more specific study reported in the journal “Wildlife Biology” that examined predator-control efforts to boost grouse populations also concluded that wide-scale, long-term, lightly regulated predator-control programs often do not have the intended effect of protecting a desired species.

“In consequence, predator control is often conducted as a grouse conservation measure, but remains a contentious issue, also because evidence of its effectiveness is lacking,” the 2019 study said. “Our results suggest that predator control is likely to achieve short-term conservation benefits for grouse if well-designed and rigorously conducted. We suspect, however, that the majority of control programs conducted for conservation do not meet this standard.”

South Dakota GFP Secretary Robling provided News Watch with links to two research articles indicating that predator control can be a successful component of protecting pheasants and boosting nesting success.

A 2001 article in the “Wildlife Society Bulletin” notes that pheasant breeding success has fallen as grasslands have been increasingly converted to row cropping, a historical land-use pattern common to South Dakota. That article also points out that while predator control can boost pheasant populations, the researchers raise questions about the cost and how long such efforts must continue in order to be effective.

“Predator reduction programs have the potential to increase survival and recruitment, but these parameters decrease once predator control ceases,” the article states.

The article also notes that “extensive application of predator reductions may be ethically questionable” and concludes that although predator-removal programs can be part of a larger effort to protect pheasants, the science around predator control is ultimately inconclusive and can have unanticipated consequences.

“The role of mammalian predators in midwestern pheasant population declines is complex and unclear,” the article says in its conclusion. “Previous research suggests that mammalian predators can cause a significant decrease in pheasant survival during periods of severe winter weather and during the nesting season. Reducing densities of one predator species, however, may only be compensated by other predator populations.”

Another research article suggested by Robling, a 2011 master’s thesis paper written by a student at South Dakota State University, compared pheasant and duck brood success on “control” plots of land where predator removal did not occur to brood success on “treatment” plots where predators, primarily coyotes, were removed by trapping. The results of the study of so-called Block Predator Management in eastern South Dakota appeared to be inconclusive in regard to the effectiveness of wide-scale predator-removal efforts.

Statistical analysis of nest success “for both ducks and pheasants indicated that there was no difference … between control sites and treatment sites,” the paper concluded.

However, the student noted his belief that predator management “had positive effects in some blocks during some years.” But ultimately he found that “[i]n areas where adequate habitat is present on the landscape and birds are capable of high production, a program like BPM is not necessary and funds would be better spent elsewhere.”

Pheasants Forever, the national group that supports pheasant hunting and protection of habitat, appears to take a lukewarm approach to wide-scale predator-removal programs.

In a position paper on its website that does not directly mention bounty programs, Pheasants Forever refers to predator-trapping programs as a “small scale remedy” that can show success in a limited geographic area. Instead, the organization supports habitat management, rather than trapping and killing, as a way to reduce or successfully manage predator populations.

The paper concludes: “While predator removal and exclusion methods can increase nesting success on small areas, these methods are too expensive for use on a landscape basis and do not significantly increase the number of nesting birds over the long term.”

Extensive research and reviews of previous predator-bounty programs have revealed a consistent pattern of failure, said Gilbert Proulx, director of science at Alpha Wildlife Research & Management, a consulting firm in Alberta, Canada, which does work in Canada and western U.S. states.

Proulx, who has authored more than 450 research articles and studies over the past 45 years, said very few bounty programs have shown success, and only when the effort is concentrated in a small geographic area and a limited amount of time.

For example, he said, it may help a small population of desirable animals or waterfowl to kill or remove the predators that hunt them in a single isolated marsh or wetland.

“Bounties are not well understood and are not truly successful,” Proulx said. “If you look at the history of animal bounties across North America, they did not create the result we expected, and often, there are unexpected consequences.”

Bounty programs that target small to medium-size ground-dwelling predators, such as the South Dakota program, can lead to unwanted outbreaks of squirrels, rats, mice and insects, Proulx said.

Another potential outcome shown in numerous studies is that when a predator population is reduced through a bounty program, subsequent broods of those predators are larger than in the past and the resulting animals are hardier and more resistant to illness than before, Proulx said.

The most successful method of propagating a desired species is to expand habitat or enhance existing habitat, he said.

In most cases, bounty programs in Canada and the United States have been done to make political gains or to give the appearance that governments are actively trying to manage a population of animals and satisfy demands of sportsmen’s groups and the hunting industry.

“Bounties are a joke; a solution often brought on by government agencies trying to satisfy an industry and by politicians trying to get votes,” Proulx said.

Hunting and trapping in a carefully managed way, and then using related license fees to create habitat, is a much more sensible way to support healthy populations of wildlife, Proulx said.

“In order to live with wildlife, we need to hunt and trap and manage habitat,” he said. “Populations of wildlife take care of themselves better when they are not being shot to death on a wide scale.”

Proulx further noted that bounty efforts do not work well when citizens are encouraged to remove or kill animals on a large scale; rather, he said, wildlife management is best done by professionals or government employees who can closely monitor the targeted predator population and the population being protected.

“I never saw a bounty system work in the long term because there are just too many factors and situations where the bounties are not properly applied,” Proulx said.

Pheasant and waterfowl populations in the Great Plains have been hurt far more by loss of habitat and the too-wet or too-dry weather conditions caused by climate change than by predation by other animals, he said.

“It’s mostly a question of maintaining the habitats,” Proulx said. “If you provide species with good habitats, such as cover and food, that is the most effective way to protect the populations.”

PHEASANT HUNTING INDUSTRY DECLINING IN SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota wildlife and tourism officials continue to heavily promote the state’s pheasant hunting industry, especially to non-residents who make up the majority of licensed hunters and overall industry revenue. But the pheasant population, harvest and interest among hunters has declined in recent years.

LICENSED PHEASANT HUNTERS IN SD

Year Non-resident Resident Total

2007 103,048 77,788 180,836

2011 95,077 69,120 164,197

2019 63,801 47,403 111,204

2020 62,289 59,042 121,331

PHEASANT POPULATION AND HARVEST IN SD

Year Estimated pheasants Pheasants harvested

2007 11.9 million 2.1 million

2011 6.6 million 1.6 million

2019 —— 829,000

2020 —— 1.1 million

Notes: 2007 was recent peak year for license sales and bird counts; state ended population estimates in 2018; and 2020 was COVID-19 pandemic year with 28 extra hunting days

Source: South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department

Former GFP secretary opposes bounty program

Former GFP secretary John Cooper wrote a detailed letter to Noem and the GFP commission in March 2019 expressing opposition to the predator bounty program and noting in particular that the program and related expenditures were not put through the typical process of vetting and consideration by either the commission or the public.

“It is frankly disturbing that the details of the program, which comes with a large price tag, were not disclosed to the very people (GFP Commission) who have the responsibility for budget transparency and accountability in our state government,” he wrote in the letter that was endorsed by 11 wildlife groups and outdoor associations.

The letter also stated that license revenues could be better spent on habitat creation or protection, and that there was no scientific evidence presented to support the rationale for the bounty program.

“The sportsmen of this state have strongly supported our wildlife management system and we expect and support wise, science-based, common sense decisions impacting our valuable resources,” the letter said.

In a recent interview, Cooper said he never received a response from Noem to that letter or a subsequent letter he wrote her with concerns about the bounty program.

Cooper said he was upset to learn that the bounty program was put in place without undergoing the typical public-hearing and discussion process conducted by the GFP Commission. Noem enacted the program before the commission or public had a chance to review, comment or alter it, Cooper said.

“This particular set of circumstances was really disheartening for me, that the commission was cut out of an extremely important decision-making process, and the clients, the sportsmen of South Dakota and the public, were also left out of the discussion,” Cooper said. “It was a bad mistake, and we called her [Noem] out on it, and she didn’t like it.”

Cooper is somewhat of a legend in South Dakota wildlife circles. Cooper, now retired, spent 23 years as a federal wildlife agent, served for 12 years as South Dakota GFP secretary under two Republican governors and after that was on the GFP Commission for six years. He recently had a wildlife-protection area named in honor of Cooper and his wife, Vera.

Cooper is also concerned that such a large and expensive program to catch and kill numerous species of animals over several months of the year will upset the balance of nature. He said the program is mostly based on political concerns and not on science, and he noted that other predator-removal programs in the U.S. had previously led to exactly the opposite outcome than wildlife managers sought.

“All animals have value, all plant life has value, and if you just all of a sudden place a group of critters into this place of having no value, that they are evil and they’re taking away my ability to shoot something, you villainize them,” Cooper said. “You’re not being very astute or thoughtful about wildlife and nature as a whole.”

During previous extensive, high-level policy discussions on boosting pheasant populations in South Dakota, a predator-removal or predatory bounty program never received much if any support, Cooper said, because it was almost universally seen as an unproven wildlife control method that was unlikely to work.

“That just didn’t get any traction because people know that’s a never-ending hole that you can dump a lot of money into and never see a significant increase in pheasants,” Cooper said. “There’s a lot of sound science on pheasants, and South Dakota has been a leader in pheasant research, habitat and biology. The bottom line is that we would a hell of a lot more rather have time, money and research put into habitat than running around paying people to trap and kill raccoons.”

GFP Commissioner sees anecdotal evidence of success

Robert Whitmyre is a lifelong South Dakotan who farms near Webster; he was appointed to the GFP Commission in 2019, after the bounty program began. He has since voted to extend the program through at least 2022.

Raccoons are not native to South Dakota and are prevalent in rural areas where pheasants and waterfowl commonly nest and breed, Whitmyre said.

Climate change and agriculture, Whitmyre said, have changed the landscape of South Dakota and provided a perfect environment for raccoons and other nest predators to thrive. Corn farming has provided a consistent food source and suitable habitat for predators, he said.

“With agriculture, we have certainly changed the cropping and changed the diet for different animals, and corn is the No. 1 reason raccoons can persist so readily in the U.S. right now,” he said.

Though he acknowledges that his evidence is entirely anecdotal, Whitmyre said he had seen more pheasants and waterfowl on his farm since the bounty program began. Whitmyre said that for the first time in nearly a decade, he had seen several successful pheasant broods on his property or nearby.

“In all honesty, I can’t definitely, absolutely say the program has contributed to an improved pheasant population,” Whitmyre said. “But I believe we do have an absolute linear relationship with predator-control numbers and pheasant-population numbers in this area.”

Raccoons, skunks and other nest predators are highly prevalent on East River South Dakota farms and cause myriad problems for other species, but also can bite and spread rabies to humans, Whitmyre said.

Whitmyre, 63, recalls that his mother encouraged him as a boy to kill ground squirrels on their farm, and paid him a bounty of a penny per tail. He also was encouraged by his grandfather to trap and kill gophers that dig holes and cause problems for farmers.

“This program gives the view that we’re enabling young people to contribute to the improvement of habitat, and those seeds will continue to grow for many years,” he said.

Whitmyre said he had also seen improvement of other species since the bounty program began, including avocets and other birds that rely on marshes and fields for breeding or for stopovers while migrating.

Beyond controlling the predator population, Whitmyre said the bounty program has had measurable success in attracting young people to trapping and other outdoor activities, which he argues is critical to continue South Dakota’s outdoor heritage and develop the next generation of sportsmen and women who sustain habitat through the purchase of licenses and support of industries surrounding outdoor recreation.

“It gives them a chance to make a few dollars but also contribute to the pheasant population and of other nesting birds and get involved in habitat improvement,” Whitmyre said. “That’s been fun to see, because when it comes to all the competition for the time that young people have, with electronic games, the outdoors just kind of falls by the wayside.”

Whitmyre said the reduction of raccoons and other nest predators over time will enable more pheasants and other nesting birds to thrive because there is statistically a lower chance that predators will stumble upon active nests during their hunt for food. Female pheasants take about a month to lay and hatch all their eggs, which provides ample opportunity for predators to find and eat the eggs or hatchlings during the critical breeding period.

“If you reduce the population of those predators, you can reduce the number of miles they’re putting on each night and reduce the incidental contact and destruction of those nests,” he said.

Animal advocate calls program ‘inhumane’

Sara Parker, a communications professional from Sioux Falls, is co-founder of South Dakotans Fighting Animal Cruelty Together, which strongly opposes the bounty program. Parker’s group was formed about a decade ago and successfully lobbied lawmakers to make animal cruelty a felony offense. The group now has more than 5,000 Facebook followers.

On several fronts, Parker and her group oppose the bounty program, which she has called “inhumane, wasteful and not based on science” in letters published in several South Dakota newspapers.

Parker said she was disappointed that it was implemented without input from the public or the scientific community. She also said the millions spent on the program could be better used to expand habitat or other wildlife-enhancement efforts.

Parker’s biggest concerns about the program, however, center on the widespread trapping and killing of thousands of animals.

She said animal trapping is cruel and inhumane, especially in South Dakota where regulations are few. She said traps are indiscriminate and can mistakenly ensnare animals not targeted under the bounty program; that trapped animals can suffer for days before being killed; and that the offspring of trapped adult animals are left to perish alone or starve without parental help. She notes that animals killed under the bounty program are generally not used as food or for pelts, but are left to rot after the tails are removed and collected for payment.

“This is killing for the sake of killing, because there [are] no scientific studies to support it,” she said.

Parker, who said she does not oppose hunting for food, also expressed concern that killing tens of thousands of certain species of animals will upset the balance of nature and may lead to unintended consequences that will be difficult to reverse.

“Every animal serves a purpose in that they eat a lot of mice and rats and ticks,” Parker said. “Ten years from now, we could be looking at some very negative environmental impacts from killing all those animals without any tracking.”

Parker also questions whether using money to entice children to trap and kill animals is an appropriate goal for a state-funded program.

“It’s disturbing and a little heartbreaking,” Parker said. “Of all the things to do outside, I’m not sure why this is the thing you would encourage kids to do in the outdoors. With that amount of money, there is a lot you could do to get kids outdoors.”

Personally, we object to a program that operates under the notion that we don't need no stinking badgers.

Photo: Raccoons are the animal targeted most under the South Dakota Nest Predator Bounty Program, which uses payments to encourage adults and children to trap and kill animals that prey on eggs and hatchlings of pheasants and ducks. Photo: South Dakota News Watch stock image.

About the author: Bart Pfankuch, Rapid City, S.D., is the content director for South Dakota News Watch. A Wisconsin native, he is a former editor of the Rapid City Journal and also worked at newspapers in Florida. Bart has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, editor and writing coach.

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If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 30, 2021 at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minnesotans, your yard can BEE the change: BWSR taking Lawns to Legumes requests

We're recovering from another day of slaving under the tyranny of red-ripe tomatoes and Italian pole beans, so more political posting will wait until Monday.

Instead, a post that's the upshot of a conversation with a friend in Big Stone County interested in transitioning his property from a lawn to pollinator habitat. We suggested that he try securing a Lawns to Legumes grant; we were surprised this very well informed Minnesota citizen didn't know about the program.

A new round of grants has begun, the Worthington Globe reported in BWSR offering lawns to legumes grants:

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is now accepting applications for the Lawns to Legumes program, which aims to increase residential habitat for at-risk pollinators across the state. All Minnesota residents are eligible to apply for individual support grants, which reimburse gardeners for up to $300 in costs associated with establishing pollinator habitat in their yards.

Lawns to Legumes offers a combination of workshops, coaching, planting guides and cost-share funding for installing pollinator-friendly native plantings in residential lawns. The program launched in 2019 with a $900,000 appropriation from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF). BWSR received more than 7,500 applications for individual support grants during the program’s first year, demonstrating a significant demand for funding. This year, the program received two additional ENRTF appropriations totaling nearly $2 million to extend program opportunities to more Minnesota residents.

To apply, visit [this link]. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2022. Recipients will be emailed in March 2022 and have until Dec. 15, 2022, to install their projects.

Want to read about a specific project? Earlier this month, Edie Schmierbach reported for the Mankato Free Press in Ravine transformed into pollinator pathway:

Mary Kosberg referred to an adage as she showed off the garden space she established three years ago to help feed bees and butterflies: "The first year, plants sleep; the second year, they creep; and the third year, they leap!"

Her pollinator garden is now well-established and in peak bloom this summer. And there's lots of buzzing and fluttering going on amid the Russian sage, coneflowers and butterfly bushes growing in her front yard and in an area along their property line.

The now lush spot is on land city crews had to dig up in 2019 to complete a project near Woodhaven Lane. . . .

Friends and neighbors provided for free most of the pollinator-friendly plants used in the green space. Mary also tapped $350 in assistance designed to help an endangered bumblebee species through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources' Lawns to Legumes program. . . .

Read the rest of the story at the Mankato Free Press.

Photo: "Mary and the Rev. Steve Kosberg were chosen by lottery in 2019 as participants in a Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources pilot program, Lawns to Legumes." Photo by Pat Christman, Mankato Free Press.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 29, 2021 at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minnesota Republican unity clearly visible at state capitol medical freedom rally

The Star Tribune's ever-excellent Briana Bierschbach reports today:

A maskless crowd of roughly 2,000 people gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol to protest COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine requirements. https://t.co/KZGFiS9e0X
— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) August 28, 2021

In her coverage, Bierschbach included remarks by state senator Jim Abeler's speech on the capital lawn:

Republican legislators said they've authored bills to include a religious exemption for vaccine requirements, and they want to add vaccination status to the state's list of groups protected against discrimination. They've also introduced bills to prohibit vaccine passports.

"You are the best ones to make decisions for your families, not government," Rep. Eric Lucero, R-Dayton, told the crowd. "We will continue to fight for you."

Sen. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, said he thinks state Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm should be removed from the job because he said the state hadn't done enough to tell citizens about the potential risks of the vaccine.

Senate Republicans, who hold the power to confirm Walz's appointees, rejected two of his commissioners during special sessions last year. In July, Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Laura Bishop resigned ahead of an expected rejection in the Senate.

"It seems the only language the governor understands is the removal of another commissioner," said Abeler, who noted that he had previously defended Malcolm.

Apparently, this isn't good enough for some of the maskless, unvaccinated patriots visiting St. Paul. Blooming Prairie's Chad "Redbeard" Radfal published the photo at the top of this post on his Facebook page.

We shared the image with this tweet:

Abeler spoke at the rally, but not everyone attending appreciated this Republican #mnsenate lawmaker. From Chad "We The People" Rafdal's Facebook page. #mnleg #mngop #antivaxxers https://t.co/70hhUHQVg9 pic.twitter.com/KBRVJay4ad
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) August 28, 2021

If that's not party and patriot unity, we're not sure what that might be.

Radfal is one of the organizers of another event Sunday at a private wedding/ event barn in rural Waldorf:

We'll be processing tomatoes and cucumbers and catching up with coverage of the last LCCMR meeting, so we'll have to miss the program.

Images: Via Radfal's Facebook page.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 28, 2021 at 05:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Is anyone pleased with SD AG Jason Ravnsborg plea deal other than Team Ravnsborg?

Right now in South Dakota, there's no justice for Joseph Boever, who was killed last year by state attorney general Jason Ravnsborg.

And that injustice comes without the state's top lawman from ever having to set foot in a courtroom on any of the minor charges for the "accident."

On Thursday, Stephen Groves reported in South Dakota AG Jason Ravnsborg avoids jail time for fatal crash, drawing ire of victim's family:

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg pleaded no contest Thursday to a pair of misdemeanor traffic charges over a crash last year that killed a pedestrian, avoiding jail time despite bitter complaints from the victim’s family that he was being too lightly punished for actions they called “inexcusable.”

Circuit Judge John Brown had little leeway to order jail time. Instead, he fined the state’s top law enforcement official $500 for each count plus court costs of $3,742. Brown also ordered the Republican to “do a significant public service event” in each of the next five years near the date of Joseph Boever’s death – granting a request from the Boever family. But he put that on hold pending a final ruling after Ravnsborg’s attorney objected that it was not allowed by statute.

Ravnsborg said in a statement after the hearing that he plans to remain in office. The plea capped the criminal portion of a case that led Gov. Kristi Noem – a fellow Republican – and law enforcement groups around the state to call for his resignation. But he still faces a likely lawsuit from Boever’s widow and a potential impeachment attempt.

Ravnsborg’s statement accused “partisan opportunists” of exploiting the situation and said they had “manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence all sides agreed upon.” . . .

Jeepers, those partisan opportunists. Keloland reported Thursday in Gov. Kristi Noem says ‘Ravnsborg has not accepted responsibility’ for Boever’s death:

Gov. Kristi Noem said she was “disappointed” in the entire process regarding South Dakota’s Attorney General.

In a strongly worded news release, the Republican Governor said Jason Ravnsborg has “not accepted responsibility for the death of Joseph Boever and did not even appear in court today to face the charges or the Boever family.”

Noem said she’s disappointed with the prosecutors and outraged about the plea deal Ravnsborg took.

Along with herself, she noted the South Dakota Sheriff’s Association, the South Dakota Police Chiefs Association, and the South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police previously called on him to resign.

“If Ravnsborg does not resign, as I believe he should, the Legislature can and should consider the articles of impeachment already brought in the House,” Noem said in a news release. “I have therefore instructed the state Department of Public Safety to provide Speaker Gosch a complete copy of the investigation file in the coming days to assist the House in its important work.”

On Thursday, Judge John Brown ordered Ravnsborg to pay $1,000 for two misdemeanor counts, more than $3,000 to Hyde County for costs associated with the investigation and ordered Ravnsborg to perform public service on distracted driving education.

Ravnsborg’s charges were announced in February after a months-long investigation into the death of Joe Boever, who was killed after being struck by Ravnsborg’s car while walking on the shoulder of Highway 14 just west of Highmore on the night of Sept. 12, 2020.

After the crash, Noem repeatedly called for Ravnsborg to resign. At one point, Judge Brown ordered the governor to remove two videos of Ravnsborg’s interviews with investigators from the state Department of Public Safety website.

And that's just the hyper-Republican governor. We don't often agree with Noem, but we see her point here.

Keloland reported later Thursday evening in Impeachment a possible next step for Ravnsborg:

Jason Ravnsborg’s future as South Dakota attorney general may be decided by members of the South Dakota legislature.

The South Dakota House passed a bi-partisan resolution during this year’s session to evaluate whether articles of impeachment should be drawn up against Ravnsborg once his case is settled. The political will remains with some lawmakers to proceed with impeachment.

The reading of a resolution for impeachment on the House floor earlier this year marked a historic moment at the South Dakota capitol: the first time such a resolution was ever read before state lawmakers. Lawmakers would later change House Resolution 7001 to delay impeachment considerations against Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg until his case was settled in court. Now that Ravnsborg has entered his plea, one of the original co-sponsors of the resolution wants to revisit the impeachment issue.

“I think definitely, we will look at that as an option so, right now, we can’t do anything because we are not in session,” Rep. Jamie Smith of Sioux Falls said.

But even though lawmakers are not in session, they can meet informally to discuss possible impeachment options.

“You just have to have conversations with people and we’re constantly having meetings as well at different topics across the state so those relationships are still tight, so that’s a conversation that will be had,” Smith said.

But to bring up impeachment this year would require a special session and the legislature already has a crowded schedule with an upcoming special session on redistricting in November. Smith says another option could be to wait until next year’s regular session, which starts in January. Not a long time away, Smith says, for such an important decision by lawmakers. . . .

In the Daily Beast, Justin Rohrlich and Tom Lawrence report in South Dakota Lawman Who Ran Over Man Cuts No-Jail Deal:

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, the state’s top law enforcement officer, pleaded no contest on Thursday to misdemeanor traffic charges stemming from a fatal hit-and-run in September 2020 that killed a 55-year-old man walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 14.

Ravnsborg, who was able to avoid both trial and jail time in light of the plea deal, was fined $500 for each of two misdemeanor charges, and a judge ordered that he pay court costs. But a third misdemeanor charge of careless driving was dropped.

In an interview with the Associated Press earlier this week, Beadle County State’s Attorney Michael Moore said, “[T]here won’t be a trial and there will be a plea entered,” citing a court order he said prevented him from sharing further details. The deal will be formalized on Thursday, the day Ravnsborg’s trial was set to start, according to Moore.

An accident report released by investigators last November stated that a distracted Ravnsborg veered onto the strip of asphalt where Joseph Boever was walking on the night of Sept. 12 and hit him. Ravnsborg, who was driving home from a GOP fundraiser, was allegedly going 67 mph at the time, or 2 mph over the speed limit. He was later charged with use of an electronic device while driving, illegal lane change, and careless driving: Misdemeanors which, if convicted, could have landed him in jail for up to 30 days on each count, along with a maximum fine of $500. . . .

The Daily Beast was unable to contact Jenny Boever, Joseph Boever’s widow, on Wednesday. But Nemec said she was told of the incipient plea deal on Tuesday and was not happy about it.

“She thinks it’s a coward’s way out,” Nemec said. “It’s cowardly on the part of Ravnsborg and the prosecutor. She’s disappointed the state’s attorney did not go ahead with [the trial].”

Nemec said Jenny Boever also is disappointed that Ravnsborg never reached out to the family to express any regret or sorrow. She would still accept an apology from Ravnsborg, Nemec said.

“At least it would show he manned up and took responsibility,” he said. “I don’t expect it. I don’t think he has it in him.”

Ravnsborg’s claim he was unaware he had struck a person was met with a great deal of doubt, which only grew when recorded interviews with a pair of North Dakota investigators were released. Boever’s face came through the windshield, one investigator said, and his glasses were found in Ravnsborg’s car.

“That means his face came through your windshield,” a North Dakota Bureau of Investigation agent told Ravnsborg in one interview. “His face is in your windshield. Think about it.”

Ravnsborg—who the interviews revealed may have been reading a far-right conspiracy theory about Joe Biden seconds before the crash—objected when Gov. Kristi Noem ordered the videos released, and they were taken down from a state website days later. Copies remain online.

Ravnsborg has refused to step down despite calls for his resignation by everyone from the victim’s family to his fellow Republicans and incumbent governor. Undeterred, Ravnsborg continues to campaign for a second term.

Ravnsborg’s attorney, Timothy Rensch, did not respond to a request for comment. Ravnsborg himself has declined most interview requests, stating he is innocent of wrongdoing. His spokesman, Mike Deaver, a Salt Lake City public relations specialist, has not responded to calls, emails, or texts seeking comment.

Boever’s widow reportedly plans to file a wrongful death suit against Ravnsborg.

At the Mitchell Republic, Christopher Vondracek reports in South Dakota's AG to pay thousands in fines but avoids jail time for deadly crash:

Jason Ravnsborg, South Dakota's top law enforcement official, will pay thousands in fines but serve no jail time for striking and killing a pedestrian in 2020.

Ravnsborg, the state attorney general, pleaded no contest Thursday morning, Aug. 26, to two, low-level misdemeanors.

In accepting Ravnsborg's plea on crossing a lane and use of a phone last September on the night he struck and killed pedestrian Joe Boever on a highway west of Highmore, South Dakota, 6th Judicial Circuit Judge John Brown said he found the attorney general guilty, putting to rest an 11-month criminal investigation that will almost certainly be followed by a civil lawsuit.

Ravnsborg did not appear in the Stanley County Courthouse Thursday. Instead he was represented by attorney Tim Rensch, who railed against what he called a "homicide case"-like atmosphere in the courtroom. He also called absurd accusations that Ravnsborg knowingly left Boever to die in a ditch on Sept. 12, 2020, or benefited from his position as the attorney general to avoid culpability.

"What happened out there that night could've happened to anybody," said Rensch, with Boever's family looking on. "Anybody who has gone across rumble strips knows that it happens." . . .

The Thursday event opened with dramatic testimony from both Boever's sister, Jane Boever, and his widow, Jenny Boever, who spoke publicly for the first time about their reactions to Joe's death and their difficulties over the last year. Those difficulties were exacerbated by Ravnsborg's refusal to publicly acknowledge the killing, his prolonged legal fight, and his refusal to appear in court, they said.

"His cowardly behavior leaves us frustrated and makes moving on [difficult]," Jane Boever said. "Why after having to wait nearly a year do we not have the chance to face him?"

Jenny Boever, who has hired a Sioux Falls attorney to potentially bring a civil lawsuit against Ravnsborg, was even more condemning of the Republican AG in her rhetoric, documenting her own anxiousness, rage, and overwhelming sadness. In the year since her husband's death, "My life has become incomprehensible," she said.

"This was not an unfortunate accident," Jenny Boever said in an emotional address captured on the live audio feed of Thursday's proceedings. "This was a reckless action on his [Ravnsborg's] part."

Before Brown's sentence, Sovell also acknowledged that she'd spoken with Boever's family and that the "recompense they seek cannot be given in this court today."

So it goes. Finally, in Vanity Fair's article, “I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A MAN”: THE SURREAL STORY OF HOW A DEADLY CRASH UPENDED SOUTH DAKOTA POLITICS (we're keeping the original all caps), Tom Kludt reports:

. . .On a steamy morning last month, [Victor] Nemec and his older brother Nick, a former Democratic state legislator, did what they have done dozens of times since their cousin was killed. Standing at the scene of the crash, the two area farmers assumed the role of forensic analysts, trying to make sense of what happened. Since September, they have acted as dual family spokesmen, determined to hold Ravnsborg accountable in a state where one party dominates and high-ranking officials seem to operate with impunity. South Dakota routinely ranks among the most corrupt state governments in the country, a distinction earned by a pervasive culture of secrecy. “The main reason Nick and I stepped forward is the state of South Dakota has a huge tendency to let people in positions of authority and power get away with a lot of things,” Victor said.

The THINK sign for Boever is positioned next to a cornfield at the bottom of the ditch, parallel to where his body landed after the collision. Three days after the crash, Nick found a swarm of flies hovering over dried blood where the shoulder of the road meets the grass. “I think that’s where the body eventually ended up,” Nick said. Chewing on a piece of straw, he pointed to green and white paint markings from the investigation, denoting the point of impact and location of skid marks.

In his 911 call, which prosecutors said was made less than a minute after the crash, Ravnsborg identified himself as the attorney general before explaining that he “hit something.”

“You hit something?” the dispatcher asked.

“By Highmore. Highmore. And it was in the middle of the road,” Ravnsborg said, clearly rattled.

More than a minute into the call, the dispatcher offered up a potential culprit.

“Okay, do you think it was a deer or something?” she asked.

“I have no idea,” Ravnsborg replied. “Yeah, it could be.”

For South Dakotans, hitting a deer or other wildlife is an experience as common as it is unmistakable, replete with telltale signs—namely animal fur—that were noticeably absent on Ravnsborg’s car. “Hitting animals in South Dakota, whether it’s a raccoon, a deer, a pheasant, we’ve all seen it,” said Nikki Gronli, the vice chair of the state Democratic Party. “It’s pretty rare that you would not know what you hit, and if you didn’t know what you hit and it came through your windshield like that, you weren’t paying attention.” . . .

There's more in the article, including a scrutiny of ugly claims that Boever was suicidal.

We hit a deer in Minnesota once, at night, which shattered our windshield. Not hard to tell it was a deer.

We'll post again if there are more developments, like a Ravnsborg resignation.

Related posts:

Photo: Ravnsborg's Taurus, via Rapid City Journal. From the New York Times' transcription:"“We know that his face came through your windshield,” one investigator said. The vehicle also had an imprint from at least part of the man’s body on the hood, an investigator said, adding that “at some point he rolls off and slides into the ditch.”

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 27, 2021 at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Newberger's bid for MN Republican Party state chair revives one of our 2018 greatest hits

Reporting for the Star Tribune in Former legislator Jim Newberger enters race for state Republican Party chair, Briana Bierschbach wrote:

Former legislator Jim Newberger has jumped into the race for Minnesota Republican Party Chair, the first candidate to seek the job since Jennifer Carnahan's sudden resignation last week.

Newberger, a 2018 U.S. Senate candidate who served three terms representing a central Minnesota House district, announced his run Tuesday evening to a group of activists in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. He enters the race less than a week after Carnahan's resignation and a weeklong scandal that has engulfed Republican Party politics. . . .

This news rippled through Twitter, prompting Naomi Kritzer to post a tongue-in-cheek quote retweet of this 2018 "important news story":

In the ultimate dumpster fire, Jim Newberger campaign torches own yard sign to own the libs https://t.co/T0tKcFQMNf
— Bluestem Prairie (@bspinmn) November 4, 2018

The Newberger twitter account from which the image was shared no longer exists. Oddly, we can't find a copy of it online.

Almost as good? 2014's Captured on the Minnesota House floor: Pat Garofalo reacts to Jim Newberger (watch the embedded video). An entertaining climate change denier piece.

Or 2012's Scary MN: Representative-elect Jim Newberger totally freaks about EQB & Citizens Forums .That's the Environmental Quality Board.

Not to forget 2016's Will Jim Newberger's best intentions flood Greater Minnesota with sex offenders?

Somehow, we suspect a more skilled fundraiser and communicator will emerge to fill the void left by Jennifer Carnahan's resignation.

In the final event, this post may sum up Newberger's ill-fit for the job Failed US senate candidate Jim Newberger registers a political action committee.

Newberger raised $3,505.00 for the MN Conservative PAC in 2020, according to fundraising reports online at the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.

Photo: Jim Newberger. US Senate campaign picture.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 26, 2021 at 07:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Letter: MN lawmakers ask state ag commissioner Petersen to suspend chlorpyrifos registration

Last week we posted EPA to block use of chlorpyrifos on food crops; pesticide tied to neurological harm in children.

Included in the post? A call by Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resource Finance and Policy Committee Chair Rick Hansen, DFL-S. St. Paul, for action on the part of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to immediately suspend the registration of the chlorpyrifos products affected by the ban.

On Thursday, Deephaven Democratic state representative Kelly Morrison, who is a pediatrician, tweeted a copy of the letter Hansen, she and over two dozen other state lawmakers sent to state agriculture commissioner Thom Peterson:

Given recent @EPA ban on #chlorpyrifos, @reprickhansen and I and 25+ legislators sent a letter to the Commissioner of @MNagriculture urging an immediate suspension of the registration and use of this dangerous insecticide in order to protect human health in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/fFGP3TRKYg
— Kelly Morrison (@Morrison4MN) August 26, 2021

Let's hope Petersen acts quickly to protect Minnesotans in complying with the legislators' wishes.

Related posts:

Image: Graphic from The Most Widely Used Pesticide, One Year Later, in Harvard University's SITN's Science Policy blog.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 26, 2021 at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rochester Post Bulletin: Congressman Hagedorn says he's feeling and doing well

We give the Rochester Post Bulletin's Matt Stolle credit for not burying the lede in Hagedorn says he's 'feeling and doing well':

A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn said the congressman is "feeling and doing well" and "handling his official duties and continuing to fight for America," a week after a phone call recording appeared on social media in which his wife and former Minnesota Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan was heard offering a dire prognosis of his condition.

"As he undergoes new cancer treatment, he is working to reset his immune system and gain strength and defeat this disease," said Lia Palazzo, Hagedorn's communications director.

Read the rest at the Post Bulletin. We recommend prayers for the congressman's health, whatever our readers' opinions of his politics.

As for the fate of Hagedorn's friend and donor Anton Lazzaro, Andy Mannix reports Minnesota GOP activist Anton Lazzaro to stay in jail while facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls.

Good.

Related posts:

Photo: Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hagedorn and the alleged child sex trafficker at a Vikings game in November 2017. Via Hagedorn's Facebook page.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 25, 2021 at 07:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MN DNR press release: Return to mandatory testing in chronic wasting disease zones this season

As part of our coverage of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), we're printing this press release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The "money graph" is related to the spread of CWD to a Beltrami County deer and the detection of CWD prions in carcasses dumped on county land:

All DPAs that were in a CWD zone last year remain in a CWD zone this year, with several DPAs added. As a result of the detection of CWD in a Beltrami County deer facility, along with test results confirming the presence of infectious prions in deer carcasses that were dumped on county land near the farm, DPAs 184, 110 and 197, and the portion of 169 west of highway 6, are part of the CWD surveillance zone. DPAs 233 and 342, located between the south metro area and the southeastern corner of the state, also have been added to the CWD surveillance zone because additional CWD-positive deer were detected within the management zone.

We posted about this development in our posts 5 more MN deer farm herds exposed to CWD; Beltrami carcass dump site inquiry continues and News release: U of M testing finds presence of CWD prions at Beltrami Co. carcass dump site. And other related posts at the bottom of this article.

Regulatory capture has its consequences. From the DNR:

Return to mandatory testing in chronic wasting disease zones this season

Also new in 2021: name changes for CWD zones, and expanded zones due to CWD detections

Chronic wasting disease testing for deer harvested in certain deer permit areas will once again be mandatory for specified weekends of the 2021 deer hunting season. This year hunters will also find additional deer permit areas have been added to disease zones due to detections of CWD in both wild and farmed deer in the past year.

During the opening weekends of both firearms A and B seasons (Nov. 6-7 and Nov. 20-21, respectively), any deer 1 year or older that is harvested from a DPA in one of the CWD zones must be submitted for testing. The exceptions are DPAs 213 and 273, which are part of a risk-based surveillance program and will accept voluntary sample submissions until goal is reached.

Outside of opening weekend, voluntary submissions for deer harvested in any CWD management or control zone will be accepted at self-service stations throughout the hunting season, starting with the opening of archery season on Saturday, Sept. 18; deer harvested in the surveillance zone can be sampled voluntarily by making appointments at area wildlife offices.

“Test results show how prevalent chronic wasting disease is in a certain areas, which helps us tailor our management actions to focus on areas where the disease is concentrated,” said Erik Hildebrand, wildlife health specialist. “The DNR’s aggressive, risk-based response is based on the best-available science, and hunter-provided samples are a crucial component in helping us monitor the health of our wild deer herd.”

The DNR will staff sampling stations during mandatory weekends, as it did prior to the 2020 hunting season. This year, DNR staff will be following any Minnesota COVID-19 social distancing or mask requirements that are in place during these weekends.

Self-service sampling station options also will be available for hunters who would prefer to drop off their deer heads rather than having staff take the samples at stations. Sampling stations are listed online. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 response, hunters should check the DNR’s CWD webpage, subscribe to the Deer Notes newsletter, or monitor the Wildlife Facebook or Twitter pages for any modifications closer to the season.

Disease regulations apply within CWD zones
This year, the DNR has simplified CWD zone names into three tiers: management zone, control zone and surveillance zone. Hunters should refer to the regulations book to see whether their deer permit area is within one of these zones, where special disease regulations apply.

All DPAs that were in a CWD zone last year remain in a CWD zone this year, with several DPAs added. As a result of the detection of CWD in a Beltrami County deer facility, along with test results confirming the presence of infectious prions in deer carcasses that were dumped on county land near the farm, DPAs 184, 110 and 197, and the portion of 169 west of highway 6, are part of the CWD surveillance zone. DPAs 233 and 342, located between the south metro area and the southeastern corner of the state, also have been added to the CWD surveillance zone because additional CWD-positive deer were detected within the management zone.

This is the third year of testing since finding disease in a wild deer within DPA 604, in north-central Minnesota. If CWD is not detected, and an adequate number of samples are collected, testing will conclude and this DPA will dissolve back to historic DPAs.

Bag limit changes
This year, the unlimited antlerless bag limit, which applied to DPAs in the CWD management zone, has changed to a five-deer bag limit. Both bucks and does harvested count toward the bag limit. The five-deer bag limit does not apply during the late CWD hunts, scheduled in designated deer permit areas for Dec. 17-19 and Dec. 31-Jan. 2. Full details of the hunts will be available online later this year.

Mandatory carcass movement restrictions
Mandatory carcass movement restrictions are in effect for the CWD management and control zones. Whole carcasses cannot leave these zones until a “not detected” test result is received. Hunters can debone or quarter their deer, in order to transport their harvest; the DNR will have dumpsters and quartering stations available in the management and control zones to help with disposal of parts that cannot be transported. No carcass movement restrictions are in place in the CWD surveillance zone, where the disease has not been discovered in wild deer.

More information
The DNR is committed to maintaining a healthy deer herd and is taking three primary management actions to control the disease in areas where CWD was detected in wild deer: reducing deer densities; using feeding and attractant bans to reduce contact between deer; and restricting carcass movement. Keeping our deer population healthy supports hunting opportunities for current and future deer hunters.

For more information on CWD, the DNR’s continued efforts to manage the disease and how to help, visit the DNR’s chronic wasting disease management page. Hunters can also find hunting regulations and information about chronic wasting disease regulations and sampling in the 2021 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations book.

Related posts:

Photo: A wild white-tailed buck.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 24, 2021 at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

North Mankato lawn wars: resident maps buckthorn in Bluff Park, citizens badger council

Back in July, we posted in North Mankato lawn wars: local man cuts lawn buckthorn suckers, sees buckthorn in city park:

Our post from Friday, Mankato Free Press: Borchardts' North Mankato lawn war case heard in Minnesota appeals court, attracted two emails. One reader sent us the recording of the hearing in the Court of Appeals.

We also drew a response from North Mankato preservationist and conservationist Tom Hagen.

He emailed us:

Two weeks out from a hip replacement Ed Borchardt gets a letter from the city claiming there is buckthorn in his yard and that he has 5 days to remove it or the city will do it for him and bill him for the work. I went to his yard to look and found some suckers that had sprouted from a few stumps that Ed had cut down the previous year. There was no buckthorn infestation and the pieces I cut, seen pictured here, laying in the gutter, would maybe fill a paper shopping bag.

The email included the letter, dated July 15, 2021; we're not posting the PDF of the letter, as it includes the Borchardts' exact address.

A couple of days later, we filed Another dispatch from North Mankato lawn wars: City removes buckthorn in Spring Lake Park.

The appeals court has yet to deliver its opinion, though citizens continue to badger the city about its treatment of the Borchardts and its own more serious buckthorn problem. Thomas Hagen, our source for the city's threatening letter last month, sent this email on Friday, along with the photo at the top of this post:

Buckthorn spreads by seed. The birds eat the berries, fly off (to your yard?) and deposit the seeds in their droppings, blocks or even miles away! Two city parks in North Mankato are literally full of buckthorn and this appears to be a bumper crop year for the berries (see the following photos from Bluff Park. Spring Lake Park has a similar problem.) The city made a half-hearted attempt to remove buckthorn over two days in Spring Lake Park but never touched the berry producing trees! In spite of the city’s infestation of buckthorn, they ordered Ed Borchardt, in a walker due to a recent surgery, to remove his buckthorn in 5 days or the city would do it at a cost of $125.00 an hour. (His yard had about two dozen 12” shoots with no berries and those trimmings only filled half a paper grocery bag!) At the North Mankato City Council Meeting of August 16, two council members, Billy Steiner and Sandra Oachs publicly apologized to Mr. Borchardt for the city order that they claimed came from city staff and that they as council members knew nothing about. The Mayor, Administrator and the two other council members remained silent. Really, City of North Mankato???

I tweeted that the video of the city council meeting. Hagen speaks about the letter to the Borchardts at the 11:25 mark; beginning at the 13:24 mark, Barbara Church confirms his account from July. The city council members respond beginning at the 19:00 (Sandra Oachs) and 21:12 (Billy Steiner) marks.

Click on the link in the tweet to watch the video of the meeting:

North Mankato citizens object to picking on senior couple with natural lawn, first speaker at 11:25.https://t.co/PgwVN6tEGf
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) August 23, 2021

Hagen provided a half dozen more close-up photos of North Mankato's buckthorn branches laden with berries (birds love them but they're bad for people).

There's also this map of the location of lots of Buckthorn at Bluff Park:

Bluestem recommends that North Mankato take Voltaire's advice tend it own garden. An invasive, non-native plant, buckthorn not only crowds out native flora, but serves as a winter haven for soybean aphid eggs and an alternate host for oat crown rust. Bad for nature, bad for agriculture.

Perhaps the City of North Mankato can set up a goat ranch at Bluff Park.

Related posts:

Images: Buckthorn berries in a North Mankato Park, top, courtesy Tom Hagen; Map of Bluff park and buckthorn locations curtesy of Bess Tsaose, via Tom Hagen.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 23, 2021 at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Visiting Detroit Lakes, DFL state chair Ken Martin weighs in on Carnahan, Rep. Thompson scandals

There's an interesting read in the Detroit Lakes Tribune article Minnesota DFL chair discusses infrastructure, recent scandals, redistricting and the future of legal cannabis.

Michael Achterling reports that during a visit to the city to talk up the federal infrastructure bill, Martin hasn't forgot his own party's kerfuffle this summer:

. . . When describing the situation unfolding in the Minnesota GOP concerning former state party chair Jennifer Carnahan, who resigned her post as party chair Thursday evening, and her close-ties to GOP donor Anton Lazzaro, who is facing multiple federal charges for sex trafficking, Martin said there needs to be a full, independent investigation of this because there are "disturbing questions that need to be answered."

"There is no place in our society for people who are going to commit those types of crimes, sex trafficking of underage minors," he said. "The real travesty of this whole thing is, what is lost in this story right now is, people are focused in on who knew what, and when, and there are at least, at least and probably more that we don't know of, six underage minors who were essentially exploited."

Martin added this issue should not be partisan. It should be condemned and there should be no equivocation, he said.

"I do think there are probably people on all sides of this who are using this for political opportunism, to try to take a hit against someone they might not like, or score some political points, or advance their career and that's just also, equally, unseemly to me," said Martin. "This isn't about politics right now, but there does need to be an accounting on this, if there's a political leader, of any office, elected or appointed or otherwise, who is involved in trying to cover this up, then they need to be held to account."

State Rep. John Thompson

Within his own party, Rep. John Thompson, DFL-St. Paul, has refused calls to resign from state DFL leaders following the release of police reports and court records detailing multiple instances of domestic assault. Thompson's wife, through an attorney, said didn't recall making the allegations, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Martin said he was one of the first party leaders to call on Thompson to resign.

"I believe as MLK (Martin Luther King) used to say that, 'it's always the right time to do the right thing,'" said Martin. "These are not about partisan issues, or even race, or gender, or how ever people want to excuse their behavior, the reality is, for me, this is about right and wrong. This is about what are we trying to teach our kids."

He also said he believes in redemption, forgiveness and second chances, but those pathways begin with being remorseful.

"The challenge, as it relates to Rep. Thompson, is the pattern just continues of very disturbing stories of behavior towards individuals, behavior towards women, behavior towards institutions, that does not really justify the second chance that was given to him," said Martin. "At some point, you have to be better than that."

A society, he said, has a responsibility to "call out" bad behavior when it's discovered, even if it involves their own political party. . . .

We'll keep an eye out for more greater Minnesota stories about the Carnahan departure.

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Photo: Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hagedorn and the alleged child sex trafficker at a Vikings game in November 2017. Via Hagedorn's Facebook page.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 22, 2021 at 06:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

1st congressional district reportage: on the congressman's wife in southern Minnesota media

The resignation of Jennifer Carnahan as state chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota is well-covered in articles from statewide media. Witness GOP Chair Jennifer Carnahan is forced out amid scandal and MNGOP seeks new chair, investigations to repair party image at the Star Tribune.

In the St. Paul Pioneer Press, readers learn MN GOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan resigns under cloud.

MPR' staff reports: Under fire, Minnesota GOP chair Carnahan steps down.

There's Carnahan resigns as chair of Minnesota Republican Party and The latest Carnahan news at the Minnesota Reformer.

How's this playing in Minnesota's First Congressional District, where her husband Jim Hagedorn serves as the United States Representative?

Even before Carnahan tendered her resignation, the editorial board wrote on Wednesday in Our View: GOP | Another shadow over Hagedorn:

It is unclear what will result from the public ugliness that erupted late last week at the upper levels of the Minnesota Republican Party, but it is at the very least another black eye for Rep. Jim Hagedorn, the second-term congressman for the 1st District.

Hagedorn at best appears to be a magnet for an assortment of grifters and worse — from last year’s revelations that his congressional office’s budget was being milked by a staffer’s sideline business, to an apparent commingling of congressional and campaign resources, to the indictment last week on sex trafficking charges of a major donor and family friend.

And it is clear that a significant number of party officials suspect that Hagedorn’s wife, party chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan, is part of the problem. On Sunday the party’s executive committee voted to have an audit both to trace the funds from the indicted donor and to examine all party expenditures and reimbursements to staff, involving Carnahan herself. It also canceled the nondisclosure agreements Carnahan imposed on party employees, said to have been used to muzzle criticism of Carnahan. While Carnahan has acquiesced to the audit, she now seeks to have the NDAs reestablished.

The personal ties of Hagedorn and Carnahan to the indicted Anton “Tony” Lazzaro are clear. Lazzaro was one of just 50 guests at their wedding, he has been a major supporter of Carnahan in some bitter fights within the GOP, he and Carnahan did podcasts together and there are social media photos of the three together at Vikings games and other social events.

Lazzaro went from behind the scenes to the spotlight Thursday with the release of the indictment. On Saturday it was revealed that the chairwoman of the St. Thomas University chapter of the College Republicans, Gisela Castro Medina, was also charged with sex trafficking.

While Lazzaro’s attorney calls the charges an abuse of federal prosecutorial power, Minnesota Republicans on all levels, including Carnahan and Hagedorn, are scrambling to distance themselves from him. Hagedorn — the largest single recipient of Lazzaro’s largess — has declared that his various campaign funds will donate some $21,000 of Lazzaro donations to nonprofits combating sex trafficking. Several other GOP officeholders have announced similar plans.

Carnahan complains that the firestorm surrounding her is just “guilt by association” and that her critics are using the Lazzaro scandal to undo her April reelection as party chair. That may be. But there is an adage about what happens when you lie down with pigs. You get muddy.

Many of us got a special-edition email from Congressman Jim Hagedorn recently, fearmongering about critical race theory and how anyone who strives to tell a fair story of the American experience to our schoolchildren is essentially a Marxist and hates our country.

I suppose the special-delivery nature of it was only coincidentally related to the bad news about how a major funder for the Minnesota GOP and the Hagedorn campaign, and a close friend of Hagedorn and his wife (the Minnesota GOP Party chair), was just arrested on multiple counts of child-trafficking.

Hagedorn says he will donate the friend’s contributions to charity, which I expect he thinks will be the end of it. But I think we should ask ourselves what subset of beasts today’s Republican Party is coddling: If it’s not the Anthony Lazzaro/Matt Gaetz flag-waving accused child-sex-trafficking patriots, it’s the Blue Lives Matter flag pole-and-bear-spray-in-your-face-on-the-Capitol-steps patriots, or it’s the QAnon your-COVID-vaccine-will-turn-me-into-a-5G-antenna patriots, and on and on.

The sane Republicans have largely gone silent so as not to upset the Autocrat-in-Chief, who, by the way — according to the My Pillow Guy — was scheduled to resume the presidency

Robbins is on to something.

Over in the Rochester Bulletin, Matt Stoll reported on Friday in Schools, teachers find themselves in the crosshairs of critical race theory debate:

Last week, U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn issued an all-points-bulletin "Special Report" email, warning that school districts were taking steps to teach critical race theory.

The Republican congressman did not cite a single district that was doing so. And he declined to be interviewed or respond to questions seeking specific examples where CRT is taught.

Still, it was good politics. . . .

On Friday, Stolle also reported on Will there be fallout from the Carnahan resignation? No mention of her husband in the article, although earlier in the saga, Stolle reported in SE Minnesota GOP elected officials, party leaders divided over Carnahan:

Bill Kuisle, a former state legislator and leader in the Republican Party of Olmsted County, said Carnahan should step aside for the good of the party.

While there is no evidence that Carnahan had any advance knowledge of the alleged criminal activities made against GOP strategist and donor Anton "Tony" Lazzaro, 30, who faces federal charges of recruiting and sex trafficking charges, it is clear that their relationship was not a casual one. He was not only a GOP donor to organizations and congressional candidates, such as Rep. Jim Hagedorn, Carnahan's husband and holder of the U.S. House seat for Minnesota's 1st District, he was among the few invited to their wedding.

"Everybody is due their day in court, but they were together at the wedding, and those pictures will be spread far and wide during the next campaign, including against Hagedorn," Kuisle said. "It's going to be tough to overcome those brochures and TV commercials. It's going to be brutal."

Photos of Carnahan and Hagedorn with Lazzaro are circulating on social media. . . .

Oh that. The opinion section of the PB seems silent about the scandal, at least online.

At the Worthington Globe, a Forum Communications chain newspaper like the Post Bulletin, Stolle's August 13 piece, Hagedorn distances from top donor and GOP operative indicted on child sex trafficking charges:

Congressman Jim Hagedorn said Friday, Aug. 13, that he intends to donate to charities in southern Minnesota money that he received from a Minnesota political operative indicted on child sex trafficking charges.

The Republican congressman's statement came a day after Anton J. Lazzaro was indicted by a federal grand jury in Minnesota. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office say Lazzaro, 30, conspired with others to recruit and solicit people younger than 18 to engage in commercial sex between May and December of 2020.

It also comes a day after Minnesota DFL Chairman Ken Martin called on Republican elected officials and organizations, from Hagedorn, Rep. Tom Emmer and Rep. Michelle Fischbach to the Minnesota Republican Party and the Log Cabin Republicans, to "denounce and disavow" Lazarro and donate funds received from him to anti-trafficking organizations.

"It is extremely disturbing that a man arrested for sexually trafficking six minors has such deep ties to so many Minnesota Republican officials, candidates and organizations, particularly Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan and her husband, Congressman Hagedorn," Martin said in a statement Thursday.

Hagedorn received $31,000 in financial contributions from Lazzaro, the largest amount given to any other GOP elected official or political organization, Martin said. Hagedorn and Carnahan also appear with Lazzaro in pictures taken at Minnesota Vikings games. The pictures had been posted to Hagedorn's Facebook page.

. . . Multiple people who have worked for or closely with the Republican Party told MPR News that Lazzaro and Carnahan have been close friends for years, traveling often and working the party circuit. He is also a top donor to Carnahan’s husband, Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn. Lazzaro was part of a select group of invitees to the couple’s California wedding, according to sources and photos.

“If the allegations against Mr. Anton Lazzaro are true, this is an abhorrent act that we condemn in the highest possible terms,” Carnahan said in a statement, pledging to turn over donations he made to the organization to charity. "Sex trafficking is a heinous act that preys on victims of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and warrants severe punishment by our judicial system. A full investigation is necessary to ensure due process is provided to all parties involved."

People who discussed Lazzaro’s party ties on the condition they not be identified by name said he was a go-to donor for Carnahan. He helped her win her job as party chair in 2017, both as a volunteer and a financial contributor. . . .

The article notes that MPR reporters' work was included in the article.

The Winona Daily News op-ed page is also silent like the Forum papers; it carried the news of the scandal by printing the Associated Press pieces about Carnahan, including Embattled Minnesota Republican Party leader resigns. No mention of her husband in the short article.

We'll take a look at additional papers in the district over the weekend.

Perhaps the most provocative report on the scandal in the First? The KAAL-TV interview, Reps. Drazkowski, Munson weigh in on the state of the Minn. GOP. Go watch the video there.

Photo: The happy couple and the alleged child sex trafficker at a Vikings game in November 2017. Via Hagedorn's Facebook page.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 20, 2021 at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks: CWD detected in mule deer in new area, Perkins County

Perkins County, South Dakota is in the northwest part of the state, just on the North Dakota border.

According to a press release sent out by the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks agency, it's now part of the state's Chronic Wasting Disease endemic area:

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) was recently confirmed in a new area in western South Dakota. Confirmation of the disease was obtained from sick surveillance efforts coming from an adult male mule deer in Perkins County.

Perkins County is now considered in the CWD endemic area. South Dakota has now confirmed CWD in 17 counties of western and central South Dakota.

The GFP Commission recently modified carcass transportation and disposal regulations for the entire state that are effective beginning with the 2021 hunting seasons. The goal of the new CWD regulations is to help reduce the spread of CWD into new areas of South Dakota.

CWD is a fatal brain disease of deer, elk, and moose caused by an abnormal protein called a prion. Most harvested individuals with CWD will appear healthy and display no clinical signs. Animals in the later stages of infection with CWD may show progressive loss of weight and body condition, behavioral changes, excessive salivation, loss of muscle control and eventual death. CWD is always fatal for the afflicted animal. CWD poses serious problems for wildlife managers, and the implications of long-term management for free-ranging deer and elk is unknown.

For more information on CWD, visit gfp.sd.gov/chronic-wasting-disease or contact your local GFP office.

Chronic Wasting Disease has yet to reach Roberts County, here in the northeastern corner of the state (marked 55A on the map at the top of this post). If and when it does arrive, this will be a blow to our neighbors and visiting hunters as well. Our next-door neighbor is a Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate citizen, one heckova of hunter whose venison feeds his extended family.

Should CWD arrive on the Lake Traverse Reservation, this may end. The SDFGP page on CWD states:

Research in Wyoming and Colorado has shown that if prevalence of CWD gets to high levels, population may not be able to sustain themselves and hunting of these populations may have to cease in order to maintain desired population levels.

We sure hope not.

Map: CWD in South Dakota, screengrab via SDGFP ARCGIS app.

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If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 19, 2021 at 07:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

EPA to block use of chlorpyrifos on food crops; pesticide tied to neurological harm in children

One of the more frustrating policy stumbles in the last session was the blocking of House bills that would have banned the use of chlorpyrifos in Minnesota.

Now federal action will help achieve that end. At the New York Times, Coral Davenport reports in E.P.A. to Block Pesticide Tied to Neurological Harm in Children:

The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it is banning a common pesticide, widely used since 1965 on fruits and vegetables, from use on food crops because it has been linked to neurological damage in children.

The Environmental Protection Agency said this week it would publish a regulation to block the use of chlorpyrifos on food. One of the most widely used pesticides, chlorpyrifos is commonly applied to corn, soybeans, apples, broccoli, asparagus and other produce.

The new rule, which will take effect in six months, follows an order in April by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that directed the E.P.A. to halt the agricultural use of the chemical unless it could demonstrate its safety.

Labor and environmental advocacy groups estimate that the decision will eliminate more than 90 percent of chlorpyrifos use in the country.

In an unusual move, the new chlorpyrifos policy will not be put in place via the standard regulatory process, under which the E.P.A. first publishes a draft rule, then takes public comment before publishing a final rule. Rather, in compliance with the court order, which noted that the science linking chlorpyrifos to brain damage is over a decade old, the rule will be published in final form, without a draft or public comment period. . . .

Read the rest at the New York Times.

Two of the Minnesota House members whose bills were stalled by industrial ag chemical interests responded on twitter:

This is great news and an overdue step to protect public health. Ending the use of #chlorpyrifos on food will protect children, pregnant women and agricultural workers from this dangerous pesticide. Thank you @POTUS and @EPA !#ForAHealthyThrivingMinnesota https://t.co/IZeHuD4Rps
— Kelly Morrison (@Morrison4MN) August 18, 2021

Back in March, Session Daily's Mike Cook reported in Pesticide scrutinized for affecting child brain development could be banned:

A widely used pesticide could be banned in Minnesota, out of concern that exposure can stunt child brain development.

HF670, sponsored by Rep. Kelly Morrison (DFL-Deephaven), would ban all sales and application of chlorpyrifos, six years after a nationwide ban was proposed under former President Barack Obama. Former President Donald Trump’s administration decided not to pursue the ban, concluding that further study of the pesticide's effects on brain development was needed.

On Monday, the bill was laid over for possible omnibus inclusion by the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. Its companion, SF2017, is sponsored by Sen. D. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls) and awaits action by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Finance and Policy Committee.

"It's unconscionable that we as a country are ignoring clear science and putting the health and safety of our children at risk," said Rep. Todd Lippert (DFL-Northfield).

Chlorpyrifos is used on crops such as soybeans, on golf courses and in greenhouses.

It has been illegal to sell chlorpyrifos for most residential uses in the U.S. since 2001. Since then, studies have shown a clearer link between exposure and cognitive delays.

In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency moved to ban the pesticide, but the agency reversed course under Trump. The agency is currently reviewing the pesticide and plans to release its findings by Oct. 1, 2022.

In written testimony, Megan Horton, an associate professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said even low-level chlorpyrifos exposure can negatively affect children.

"We have more than enough scientific evidence to ban chlorpyrifos, and have known enough for over 20 years," wrote Emily Marquez, a scientist with the Pesticide Action Network.

But farmers and industry groups say there are few pesticides that work as well as chlorpyrifos and that farmers are careful when applying it.

They also say any decision by lawmakers should wait until the federal review is finished. . . .

In a statement sent to Bluestem Prairie, Morrison wrote:

The federal ban on the use of chlorpyrifos is long overdue. I introduced a bill to ban its use in Minnesota, but a federal ban is appropriate public health policy. Ending the use of chlorpyrifos on food will protect children, pregnant women and agricultural workers from this dangerous pesticide.

We've reached out to Jordan for a statement as well and will post it here when it arrives.

Update, 8/18/2020, 9:20 p.m. : Chair of the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, just tweeted in response to a DM request for a statement from Bluestem Prairie:

✅The Minnesota Department of Agriculture should immediately suspend the registration of the chlorpyrifos 🧪products affected, rather than continue to let this poison affect people, #wildlife 🐝and our 🌎#environment https://t.co/IGyKQw2orB. Also 18B.01, Subd 31
— Rep. Rick Hansen (@reprickhansen) August 19, 2021

UMN MNPRO’s latest research detects CWD prions in cervid muscles using RT-QuIC

This morning, we read this tweet by University of Minnesota scientist Peter Larsen:

Excited to share @UMN_MNPRO’s latest #CWD 🦌 #research. We can detect CWD prions in 🦌 muscles using RT-QuIC. We hope this leads to future food-safety tests that can help prevent prions from entering food-chains. https://t.co/he0TSujGfj @mnenrtf @UMN_MAES @UMNresearch #mnleg pic.twitter.com/UaWdgGjJH6
— Peter Larsen (@peter_a_larsen) August 18, 2021

Clicking through on the link, we learned in the academic paper from Nature Scientific Reports, RT‑QuIC detection of CWD prion seeding activity in white‑tailed deer muscle tissues:

...Cervid skeletal muscles are consumed by a growing population of hunters and restaurant clientele and have become a common ingredient in pet food (e.g., commercial cat and dog food). At the time of this publication, there are no guidelines regarding venison-based detection of CWD and associated food-product surveillance. This observation, combined with the limitations of existing CWD diagnostic tools (e.g., ELISA and IHC), has resulted in a situation whereby venison processing can occur without the knowledge of an animal’s CWD status, and it is estimated that at least 15,000 CWD positive cervids are consumed in the USA annually. Underscoring this statistic was a well-documented 2005 exposure event in which over 200 participants at a Sportsmen’s feast consumed CWD-positive venison33. Current estimates indicate a 20–50% CWD prevalence rate in harvested WTD from focal areas of southern Wisconsin, however, only 1 out of 3 are tested for the disease. Collectively, these observations highlight the need for post-harvest production-level monitoring of cervid products used for human and animal consumption.

Here, we examine the utility of RT-QuIC for the detection of CWD prions within a broad set of WTD skeletal muscle tissues, including those frequently used for both human and animal consumption. We report the RT-QuIC results for muscles sampled from the neck (brachiocephalicus/sternocephalicus) of wild WTD with known CWD status. Further, we investigated whether CWD prion deposition is limited to certain groups of muscles or if it is more generalized by using multiple WTD skeletal muscle groups across the body, including muscles from the tongue, forelimb (suprascapularis), backstrap (longissimus dorsi), tenderloin (psoas major), and hindlimb (semimembranosus/semitendinosus) from both wild and farmed CWD positive animals independently determined by ELISA and/or IHC.

Yes, we thought that might get readers' attention. Here's a PDF of the article itself, since we removed the citations from the text we quoted above.

Nature/Scientific Reports: RT‑QuIC detection of CWD prion seeding activity in white‑tailed deer muscle ti... uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd

Good news if this helps keep CWD prions out of the human and pet food supply.

Related posts:

Photo: A wild white-tailed buck.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 18, 2021 at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

News digest: Kandiyohi County not rebel ground; tiny anti-mask protest; Dolly books, and more

We've picked a bushel of Marvel of Venice and Trionfo Violetto pole beans today--and more garden chores are calling. Feast yourselves, dear readers, on this collection of stories.

From the West Central Tribune, there's Mark Wasson's reporting in Kandiyohi County sheriff denounces display of Confederate flag at County Fair, says it was not sheriff's vehicle:

Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Holien posted on Facebook that a vehicle flying a Confederate flag at the Kandiyohi County Fair was not owned or operated by the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office.

According to the statement, the vehicle has a six-point star and the Sheriff's Office uses a five-point star. A review by the West Central Tribune of the badges worn by sheriff's deputies and the badge on the vehicle in question confirms they appear different.

"The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office values and continues to make concerted efforts to build those relationships we have built over the years with all members of our community," Holien wrote in the statement.

The Sheriff's Office received multiple emails and calls regarding the the flag.

"We wanted to take the time to ensure everyone (knew) we took no part in and denounce this type of display at the Kandiyohi County Fair," Holien wrote in the statement.

More than 2,500 Minnesotans died in battle or from disease during the Civil War, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. They fought against the Confederacy.

Good point.

Here's Monday's post on the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Department Facebook page. Click through to read the comments.

At the Albert Lea Tribune, Sarah Stultz reports in Residents protest mask requirement for city-owned properties:

A small group of residents stood outside City Hall on Clark Street to protest the city’s requirement that people in city-owned properties wear masks starting today.

That's the article, along with three photographs. One cutline notes: "Interchange Wine & Coffee Bistro owner Lisa Hanson speaks into a megaphone Monday afternoon during a small protest outside City Hall Monday afternoon about the city's mask mandate."

We last reported on scofflaw Hanson in COVID vaccine stealing guy gets booted from Lisa Hanson's Dodge County Courthouse hearing and Freeborn County judge has a point about Interchange owner's counterclaims against state.

Check out the pictures at the Albert Lea Tribune.

At the Crookston Times, we read Crookston now an affiliate of Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Jess Bengston reports:

The Crookston Kiwanis Pioneer 100s and their member Katie (Ryan) Proulx will be introducing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to the community after recently being approved as an affiliate. . . .

Sweet!

A cartoonist's view:

#Agriculture #Minnesota #Drought #Farmers #Hypocrisy pic.twitter.com/yT3yDMLPzY
— Christopher E. Smith (@FieldEcology) August 15, 2021

We're off to serve our vegetable masters.

Photo: A Confederate flag flown during the 2021 Kandiyohi County Fair has been denounced by the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office. Photo courtesy of the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office, via the West Central Tribune.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 16, 2021 at 07:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

South Dakota's cancel culture triumphs in state DOE social studies standards revision

In May, my romantic partner--a citizen of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate--and I visited Sica Hollow State Park. As I was walking down a path from the springs that inspire the park's name, a group of young indigenous kids noticed me and asked if I were a spider.

"Yes," I replied, "I'm a trickster."

One little boy raised his fists and said if I were a trickster, he'd have to fight me.

"No, you don't," I said, and with that, the children asked me my name and introduced themselves.

I was delighted that the little kids knew the nature of Iktomi, and complimented the mother of one child who waited in a nearby picnic ground with my friend.

Thus, I was disappointed to read in the Keloland story, Reaction from Tribal leaders and educators after removal of Native American references from South Dakota curriculum:

A draft of Social Studies content standards has been released by the Department of Education. The draft of standards released differ in some ways from the initial proposal, which was submitted by the Social Studies Standards Revision Workgroup, made up primarily of educators from across the state.

The main way that the standards appear to be altered in the removal of references to Native American culture and history.

Some examples of this are the removal of Kindergarten history standard K.H.6.1: ‘Read or listen to Oceti Sakowin Oyate stories, such as Iktomi stories and historical lore stories,’ and of Grade 4 history standard 4.H.6.1: ‘Explain how the Oceti Sakowin and Oyate culture and other groups were affected by westward expansion, the creation of the reservation system, and the US assimilation policies and programs.’ . . .

All South Dakota kids should learn those stories--and the material about the Oceti Sakowin and Oyate culture--long with the other material removed from the standards. The removal will impoverish their education.

Christopher Vondracek reported at the Mitchell Republic in In 11th-hour change, SD officials cut Indigenous references from social studies standards:

South Dakota's Department of Education released proposed social studies standards on Friday, Aug. 6, that veered significantly from those submitted by a working group earlier this summer, including multiple cuts to tribal and Indigenous learning objectives, Forum New Service has learned.

The much-anticipated proposed standards, which were overhauled just prior to their release last week by state officials in Pierre, also contains an entirely new preface than the one in the report submitted by nearly 50 teachers, museum experts, and professors on July 25.

It was that draft report, which has been obtained by FNS, that many group members had expected to be released to the public at the end of last week.

Instead, SDDOE overrode the input of educators charged with the routine update to state’s K-12 social studies curriculum standards, making significant, last-minute changes that stripped out most requirements intended to boost South Dakota students' understanding of Native Americans, according to a review of internal documents and interviews by FNS.

While the original report also emphasized assisting students to become "active, engaged citizens," the new preface refers little to students and instead spends three paragraphs extolling the "framers of our nation's constitution" as "great students of history, geography, civics, and economics."

The new preface mirrors language of a political pledge signed by Gov. Kristi Noem, who also championed the overhaul of civic education in her State of the State speech in January.

Some members say they had suspected state officials would make significant changes.

New Standards

The most glaring omission in the new, roughly 60-page draft compared to the working group's report is the emphasis on Native American history, particularly a point of pride for some group members in build-up to the release of the standards Aug. 6.

"In our textbooks, when you go and look at U.S. history, and even our local regional history, back when Columbus discovered that there were Indigenous people here, they mention [indigenous people] for about a page and a half and after that there's very little mentioned," said Sherry Johnson, a working group participant and head of the Education Department with the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, last week.

The new standards were aimed to give a "better portrait of Indigenous history," she told FNS.

But a comparison of the two sets of standards by Forum News Service reveal a diluted focus on Indigenous history, from the removal of references in kindergarten to the Oceti Sakowin — the Sioux Nation tribal communities rooted in the Dakotas and Upper Midwest — to the erasure of a standard in a high school economics classroom urging students to learn about banking in local, state, federal, and tribal communities.

The current standard only reads, "Explain the structure and function of the U.S. banking system."

Major changes made

The standards are undertaken once every seven years, and had been prefaced this year by calls from Noem to overhaul civics education in the state. Noem also signed a conservative educational treatise coined the "1776 Pledge."

Noem had made an overhaul to the state's civics education a signature policy goal of her 2021 legislative session, ultimately winning nearly $1 million in funding for grants and the development of a South Dakota history curriculum.

But the state Legislature stopped short of writing new standards for social studies, or learning objectives for history, geography, and economics. That job, historically, has been up to a nonpartisan group of educators chosen by the Department of Education.

The standards the working group creates then go to an obscure Board of Education Standards — all appointed by the governor — to approve the new recommended standards.

Prior to last week, members of the working group had remarked on the independence from political pressure from the governor's office they'd felt during the eight sessions in June in Fort Pierre. In July, retired Yankton High School world history teacher Paul Harens told FNS he thought the process was "excellent."

"When we began this whole thing, they told us, 'Do not worry what is in the press. Worry about what to do for the children of South Dakota. And that's exactly what we did," Harens said at the time.

The edited document, however, reveals substantial edits from the draft submitted by the working group, especially within the tribal historical importance. In the opening section titled "notable changes," rather than an "incorporation of more diverse perspectives, especially those of Indigenous Native Americans," the new document simply calls for "teaching the positive and negative aspects of our nation's history while instilling pride in being an American."

Whereas an eighth-grade U.S. history standard in the working group's report calls for a classroom to "examine major cultural traits and resiliency of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate throughout history," the new standards for eighth-grade U.S. history remove all references to tribal understandings.

For ninth- to 12th-grade U.S. history standards, the working group urged students to study the "impact South Dakotans, including Oceti Sakowin Oyate and other Indigenous Native Americans, had on U.S. and South Dakota History." But the new standards gloss over tribal distinctions, simply making note of the role of "Indigenous Native Americans."

While the original document made 25 references to "Oceti Sakowin," that phrase only appears thrice in the new report. Similarly, the word "Indigenous" appears 20 times in the originally submitted document and only nine times in the new standards. And whereas the working group made 34 references to the word "tribal," the new document only invokes the word 27 times.

The proposed standards will undergo four public hearings, beginning on Sept. 20 at a middle school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and people can submit online comments, as well. Even if the framework is ultimately adopted by the Board of Education Standards, it is merely recommended, not compulsory. . . .

I was stunned to read the article and others covering the changes. For South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Lee Strubinger reported in Draft Social Studies Standards Don’t Match What Group Submitted:

The state Department of Education released a draft of social studies content standards last week.

However, those standards differ from the draft a working group submitted.

The Department of Education removed references to Native American culture, including historical lore, the meaning of symbols like the star quilts, buffalo and medicine wheels.

Those standards were included by the working group, which spent eight days in Pierre revising the state’s social studies standards.

The department also removed several references to “indigenous Native Americans.”

Sherry Johnson is the education director for the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribe. She sat on the content standards panel and says she’s disappointed in the changes.

“That wasn’t what we wrote. That wasn’t what I wrote,” Johnson says. “That wasn’t what I was there for, to have somebody else censor history. Censor history and erase ‘Native American’ out of there.”

It’s not clear why. The Department of Education has not returned requests for comment.

Paul Harens is a retired social studies teacher from Yankton. He has lived in South Dakota for over 40 years. He calls the removal of the standards “a sin.”

“We made a document that was not political. It was apolitical,” Harens says. “They have since—the Department of Education, with the changes they made—have made the document political.” . . .

At Native News Online, Jenna Kunze reported in South Dakota Department of Education contributes to “Native erasure” in new social studies standards:

. . . Indigenous leaders and educators across the state called the department’s decision “Native erasure.”

“Adjustments indicate…..revision. Well, they didn’t revise. They omitted whole sections. They added whole sections,” said Dr. Sherry Johnson, educational director at the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and one of two enrolled tribal members invited Into the working group.

Johnson said that working group members spent eight days workshopping the standards, and were told by the DOE they’d be alerted of any changes made to the drafted document before publication. She said she was surprised to see the substantive changes, especially after having such a positive experience in the working group.

“In ... the work group itself, I felt embraced,” Johnson said. “I really put myself out there to answer questions, to alleviate some of the ignorance some people have because they just don’t know. To have all of that devalued … I’m very disappointed.”

Of the 46 working group members hired by the department to develop the new curriculum, two are enrolled tribal members and a third identifies as a descendant. That means Native educators made up less than seven percent of the working group meant to represent the 14,649 Indigenous youth in the public school population, plus hundreds more in tribally chartered schools.

In South Dakota, which is among the top five states with the highest percentage of American Indians, Native advocates and tribal leaders denounced the DOE’s re-drafting of history.

“The consistent and active erasure of our people is demonstrative of a larger social and systemic issue of white supremacy, racism and clear lack of cultural proficiency that can only be addressed when we begin to be inclusive of the narratives that have been absent and excluded from our education system,” said Sarah White, director of education equity for the nonprofit NDN Collective.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier said that withholding the state's history from young minds will negatively impact Native youth in the state by relegating Indigenous people to ‘the bad guy’ in every fantasy about the American conquest.

“Again, our children will be brainwashed by oppressive versions of our shared history that assimilates them into gratitude for Manifest Destiny, rather than the truths you inflicted, and now wish to erase,” Frazier said in a statement. “Our children were stolen from us in past generations, forcefully assimilated or secretly buried in boarding schools under the ‘kill the Indian and save the Man’ ideologies, and it would seem that the task to erase them has not ended under Governor Kristi Noem’s administration and leadership.”

Rodney Bordeaux, president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, told KELO-TV in Sioux Falls that he disagrees with the removal of these standards.

“All South Dakota citizens need to be taught what’s going on in the state and throughout the country,” he told KELO-TV. “You shouldn’t gloss over it. I think our citizens deserve better. They need to know the true history so they know what they’re dealing with. Particularly in South Dakota … they need to know what our Tribal citizens — the history our tribes have faced — and if you gloss over that, it’s a disservice to the citizens of the state.”

The social studies standards are now open for public comment, and a final public hearing before the state Board of Education Standards is tentatively scheduled for March 2022, according to the DOE.

Johnson said she intends to provide feedback.

“I would really like to see that true history for Natives,” Johnson said. “And not just to have a few mentions here and there, but to really say we were a viable people. We didn't just float away or cease to exist after 1492. We were here prior, and that we continue to exist all these years (later).”

I shake my head at the implication that teaching the true history of the Oceti Sakowin or "the meaning of symbols like the star quilts, buffalo and medicine wheels" would prevent students from becoming "great students of history, geography, civics, and economics."

Rather, they could understand the nuances of spider lore, the consequences of the 1862 Dakota War, the Dawes Act, Wounded Knee, and the persistence of the Oceti Sakowin. That consideration would make for great students, whatever their own families' backgrounds.

Image: A wolf spider. The author of this blog doesn't really look like this, even in the woods. Kindergarteners might not hear Iktomi stories.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 15, 2021 at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MNReformer Radio podcast interviews Jamie Becker-Finn on Chronic Wasting Disease politics

Bluestem Prairie has covered Chronic Wasting Disease in Minnesota since Bambi was a fawn.

Our readers should listen to Minnesota Reformer's podcast about CWD featuring Roseville DFL state representative Jamie Becker-Finn, available via this tweet:

📻 Weekend listening on our podcast 🔊 The wild politics of the zombie deer disease https://t.co/HBUPiz0CRC
— Minnesota Reformer (@MNReformer) August 14, 2021

At the Reformer, the clip is introduced in The wild politics of the zombie deer disease:

Since chronic wasting disease was first found in wild deer in Minnesota in 2010, it’s shown up in more deer and in more places across the state. Preventing the so-called Zombie Deer Disease from spreading is especially difficult because the vector — a folded protein called a prion — can contaminate plants and soil for years.

But stopping the spread is just as much a political problem as it is a scientific one, and the disease has pitted two industries against each other. Hunters point at captive deer and elk farms, which have been linked to numerous CWD outbreaks, as a threat to wild herds across the continent. But the deer farm industry has successfully warded off the tougher regulation from the Department of Natural Resources.

No humans are known to have been infected with CWD. But experts worry it could jump species like “mad cow disease,” which is also spread by a prion, and hunters are advised not to eat contaminated meat. The disease’s spread poses a significant threat to the 12,000 jobs, $93 million in taxes and $417 million in salaries and wages that the state’s half-a-million hunters support.

Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville, is a lifelong hunter who’s taken up CWD as one of her top legislative priorities. She explains what she thinks the state has done to control the spread and what she thinks it still needs to do.

If you appreciate the work of the Minnesota Reformer, please consider making a donation to the online, non-profit publication.

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Photo: A wild white-tailed buck.

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 15, 2021 at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alleged child sex trafficker Anton Lazzaro contributed $29,000 to Freedom Club State PAC

The indictment of Anton Lazzaro by a federal grand jury on child sex trafficking charges lends some fuel to Bluestem Prairie's years-long fascination with the Freedom Club.

At the Star Tribune, Paul Walsh reported on Thursday Feds allege Minneapolis GOP strategist trafficked minors for sex>

But his efforts didn't stop with the Republican Party of Minnesota. Lazzaro also contributed $29,900 to the Freedom Club State PAC between 2018 and 2020 (or $30,000 according a press release from the Minnesota DFL). These gifts place Lazzaro within a special circle of conservative Minnesota.

From the contributor database of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board:

Lazzaro, Anton	90274	Freedom Club State PAC	$15,000.00	8/23/2018	2018	No
Lazzaro, Anton	90274	Freedom Club State PAC	$10,000.00	10/16/2018	2018	No
Lazzaro, Anton	90274	Freedom Club State PAC	$1,000.00	7/18/2019	2019	No
Lazzaro, Anton	90274	Freedom Club State PAC	$3,000.00	9/4/2020	2020	No

Lazzaro also contributed $5,000 to Minnesotans for Bold Reform in 2018:

Lazzaro, Anton	55401	Minnesotans for Bold Reform	$5,000.00	7/7/2018	2018	No

In Minnesota's Anti-Muslim Propaganda Mill, a report created for ISAIAH, Logan Carroll noted the connections between the Freedom Club, Alpha News, and Minnesotans for Bold Reform. In 2015, Michael Brodkorb first reported in a blog at the Star Tribune on the connections between Alpha News and Freedom Club personnel and funders in The mysterious launch of Alpha News and two other posts in April and November 2015.

Lazzaro contributed two oped pieces to Alpha News: Lacy Johnson is the best candidate to take on Ilhan Omar and Counterpoint: Jennifer Carnahan is the best thing to happen to the MN GOP.

In a widely shared tweet, Alpha News writer and videographer Rebecca Brannon tweeted about her efforts to report on some of Lazzaro's activities. The thread begins:

THREAD 🧵
1/12 #MNGOP

Before Anton Lazzaro became involved heavily in MNGOP politics, I met him on a dating website early 2016. We hit it off because we seemed to share the same political views - he saw my photos from the RNC & he had photos with national political figures.
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) August 12, 2021

In the twelve tweet thread, she notes:

Trump won & newcomer Jennifer Carnahan won election for MNGOP Party Chair. Anton was suddenly on scene locally for her campaign completely funding her & has been her BIGGEST supporter since. Her position as chair opened up doors to him that lead to things like...

...him being campaign manager for Lacy Johnson - which activists all know was a big money making grift for the consultants. Several months ago, I was working on an investigative piece on MNGOP Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan to submit to Alpha News....

I learned a lot of disturbing and upsetting details of corruption, alleged money fraud etc. surrounding the MNGOP chairwoman, including those closest around her. This is when I learned Anton Lazzaro was producing porn in his downtown condo, The Ivy.

Small world.

At Alpha News, Anthony Gockowski reports in Minnesota GOP chair faces calls to resign after friend and donor arrested for sex trafficking:

Many Republican candidates and causes announced throughout the day Friday that they planned to donate the money they received from Lazzaro to charity, including Minnesota Sen. Karin Housley, U.S. Reps. Tom Emmer and Jim Hagedorn, Doug Wardlow, Kendall Qualls, House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, Freedom Club, and others.

The Statement Regarding Anton Lazzaro | Freedom Club:

“The Freedom Club Executive Board was disturbed and shocked to learn of the allegations against Anton Lazzaro.

Freedom Club Executive Board unanimously voted to donate to the Salvation Army for their campaign to end human trafficking in the same amount that Anton Lazzaro has contributed to the Freedom Club.

We pray for justice and an end to all human trafficking locally and around the world.”

Treasurer Richard Morgan
[email protected]

Read the Salvation Army's positional statement on human trafficking.

DFL Chair Ken Martin issued the following statement:

“The crimes that Republican strategist and donor Anton Lazzaro was indicted and arrested for are absolutely horrifying. It is also extremely disturbing that a man arrested for sexually trafficking six minors has such deep ties to so many Minnesota Republican officials, candidates, and organizations, particularly Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan and her husband, Congressman Jim Hagedorn.

“Carnahan, who also invited Lazzaro to co-host the Minnesota Republican Party podcast, must denounce Lazzaro immediately. However, it is not enough for Carnahan and other Minnesota Republicans to just denounce and disavow Lazzaro after collectively accepting over $150,000 from him. As such, I am calling on each and every elected official, candidate, and organization that received a cent from this predator to donate those funds to an anti-trafficking organization.”

The Freedom Club and others agreed.

But yet another Minnesota Republican had been arrested in related charges. At the Star Tribune, Rochelle Olson reported in St. Thomas GOP chair arrested in Florida on sex trafficking allegation:

The 19-year-old chair of the University of St. Thomas College Republicans has been arrested in Florida on allegations she aided a prominent state GOP activist in recruiting and trafficking minors for sex, according to a news release and jail records.

On Saturday, the Minnesota College Republicans issued a news release saying Gisela Castro Medina was arrested, along with Anton "Tony" Lazzaro, 30, on suspicion of "obstruction of justice, sex trafficking, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of underage victims."

Lazzaro was arrested Thursday and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, five counts of sex trafficking of minors, one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of obstruction of justice, the U.S. Attorney announced last week.

A second person was listed on Lazzaro's indictment, but that name was redacted. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment. . . .

Goodness gracious. Such company. Continue reading at the Star Tribune.

We'll continue to follow the fortunes of the RPM, Freedom Club State PAC and their fellow travelers.

Screengrab: Via Twitter, a much shared June 25, 2020 image from Lazzaro's publicly accessible Instagram account. Could Minnesota Republican activists only see the cash?

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

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Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 14, 2021 at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Is it drought or is it off-target dicamba damage?

We've been seeing some pretty funky-looking soybeans in northeastern South Dakota and west central Minnesota, and we've assumed they're victims of the drought and hot weather.

Not so fast.

At Agweek, Michelle Rook reports in Off-target dicamba damage in 2021 may be the worst year yet in the Upper Midwest:

The 2021 cropping season may be seeing the high mark for off-target dicamba herbicide damage on non-tolerant soybeans, but it is tough to separate it out from drought, weed experts say.

Joe Ikley, North Dakota State University Extension Service weed specialist, in a July 19, 2021, interview at a field day at Casselton, North Dakota, said there appears to “a lot of off-target movement affecting non-Xtend (non dicamba tolerant) soybeans,” he said.

With soybeans early in their reproductive stages, it was the most important time to catch significant rains. And it was too early to determine the severity and breadth of this year’s dicamba damage, he said.

Dry conditions produce more leaf “cupping” symptoms at lower dose rates than in a normal rainfall season, Ikley said.

Cupped soybean leaves in fields across the Midwest are a problem this summer, and South Dakota State University Extension weed science coordinator Paul Johnson said off-target dicamba drift is the first conclusion many farmers jump to. However, the cupping really is a result of a combination of agronomic factors that have been magnified by this year's drought.

"No. 1, we've got a lot of drought stress across the state, and that is causing the plants to, in a lot of cases, look like they might have dicamba problems," he said about South Dakota's crops. "But we've also got a lot of plants out there that actually do have dicamba problems."

And the heat and lack of moisture has exacerbated any issues from dicamba spray drift injury, Johnson said.

“As the drought persists, it’s going to take longer for that soybean plant to recover, and start growing out of it,” Ikley said. Some areas of North Dakota had been catching some rains, which could allow some crops to recover, but too many have not.

“If there is injury from dicamba in the soybean fields, the injury can persist for longer this year,” he said. . . .

Read the rest at AgWeek.

Photo: In 2017, an Enderlin, N.D., farmer didn’t file a formal complaint when he suspected dicamba herbicide damage to his soybeans. In 2018, he filed a complaint when he alleged a neighbor’s off-target spray curled the leaves and blistered them “like a blowtorch.” File photo taken July 9, 2018, at Enderlin, N.D. Mikkel Pates / Agweek

Related posts:

If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post. Those wishing to make a small ongoing monthly contribution should click on the paypal subscription button.

Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.

NEW: I'm now on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6

Posted by Sally Jo Sorensen on Aug 13, 2021 at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

News from Greater Minnesota and South Dakota

August 2021

Aug 31, 2021

Aug 30, 2021

ANIMALS KILLED IN SOUTH DAKOTA BOUNTY PROGRAM

PHEASANT HUNTING INDUSTRY DECLINING IN SOUTH DAKOTA

Aug 29, 2021

Aug 28, 2021

Aug 27, 2021

Aug 26, 2021

Aug 25, 2021

Aug 24, 2021

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State Rep. John Thompson

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