Remove Ranvsborg; why does Brown County need a new jail?; revitalized NATO: letters to the editor

Jason Ravnsborg must be removed from office

On April 12, our state legislators will have the opportunity to correct what has become a controversy and stain on the office of attorney general. They will vote whether to impeach the attorney general or not. I sincerely hope that they will look at the whole character of the man who represents us in the office of attorney general.

First, they should question what kind of lawyer would appear at an criminal investigation and not have his own personal attorney in attendance. Second, his driving record indicates dozens of traffic violations before and after the accident. The man is a scofflaw who has been using his title to avoid getting tickets.

All the evidence put forward by the Depart of Public Safety, South Dakota Highway Patrol and other investigative agencies has shown that Jason Ravnsborg was negligent in the operation of his vehicle, resulting in the death of Mr. Joe Boever.

The attorney general holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Speaking as an retired military member, the first thing that our military services expect of members is to be men of honor and integrity. In this matter, the attorney general has displayed neither.

Any man with the slightest bit of honor and integrity and possessing sincere contrition would have stepped aside and recused himself and let this matter be resolved. Ravnsborg must be removed from office.

Robert J. Young, Aberdeen

In seeking new jail, Brown County Commission ignores study results

Good news, it's working! The numbers from the Brown County Jail planning study show the 2013 Criminal Justice Initiative is working as predicted.

South Dakota's total daily jail population peaked in 2016 at 1,345 beds per day and fell to 1,255 in 2019. Brown County's annual admissions peaked at 3,553 in 2016 and fell to 3,069 in 2019. Total arrests in Brown County fell from a peak of 2,059 in 2016 to 1,837 in 2019. All three categories fell substantially in 2020, some attributed to COVID-19.

The bad news is the Brown County Commission is ignoring its own study. The commission recently voted to purchase a 50-year-old building with the intent to renovate it into a 256-bed jail.

Page two of the study reads, "in September 2021, Brown County selected HMN Architects, Inc. to evaluate the jail needs and prepare information to allow the county to evaluate five options." As of Feb. 1, the citizens of Brown County were aware of four options (American News articles on Sept. 2, 2021 and Feb. 10, 2022). The study showing the fifth option was released on Feb. 22. The fifth option is to renovate the building to a 256-bed facility. This option would lease 150 beds to the U.S. Marshals Service for federal prisoners. They will be called federal detainees to hide the real risk. On Feb. 1, the Brown County requested $30 million for a regional jail from the state Legislature in House Bill 1288. The request was reduced to $2.5 million on Feb. 17. That day, Commissioner Mike Wiese testified before the House Appropriations Committee that the intent was to start with more than 200 beds and possibly grow to 800.

The 2013 Public Safety Improvement Act is working. The problem is transparency within the Brown County Commission.

Robert Schatz, Aberdeen

South Dakota election participation meaningless

Has anyone noticed that participation in South Dakota state elections has become meaningless?

The state has a long history of private citizens signing petitions, getting referendums on ballots and passing them. In 2017, South Dakota citizens voted for a state government anti-corruption bill. The state Legislature's reaction? It quickly declared an emergency to squash any legislation that would have held them accountable for their own corruption, citing voter ignorance. In 2020, voters overwhelming approved legalizing medical and recreation marijuana. Instead of working together to implement the legalization, Gov. Kristi Noem filed lawsuits and legislators are studying the issue to death.

As a result of these and other annoying referendums, the Legislature wants to make it harder for people to initiate them. Once elected, our representatives ignore voter concerns and problems. They would rather fight cultural wars and find solutions to problems that don't exist. Why not work to improve education and teacher pay, or make child care and health care accessible and affordable, or fix roads and bridges?

With referendums soon gone, single-issue voters will disappear. With gerrymandered districts, Republican candidates are shoe-ins. Incumbent Republican congressmen never have to face serious electoral challenges. Legislative accountability to the voters is gone. The real mystery is why do South Dakotans continue to elect corrupt legislators who ignore their wishes?

Allen Walter, Groton

Biden helps revitalize NATO weakened by Trump

With absurdity, some Donald Trump supporters are suggesting that if Trump was still president, Putin would not have invaded Ukraine. Actually, Putin's aggression would've been much worse than simply attacking Ukraine. Putin spent the whole of Trump's presidency buttering him up and stroking his ego. He took advantage of Trump's naivety and played him like a fiddle. The Russians have a term for people like Trump (and Tucker from Fox News): "useful idiots" who can be manipulated to promote Russian interests.

For many years, Putin sought to weaken his biggest adversary, NATO. Trump played Putin's' game by denigrating the alliance and threatening to pull us out of NATO. Fortunately, in the past year, President Joe Biden has revitalized NATO and strengthened our resolve to stand up to cruel dictators. However, if Trump had won in 2020, Putin would have continued bro-mancing him. Then, with a weakened NATO, Putin would not only have invaded Ukraine, but he'd probably be pushing his way into eastern NATO countries by now. This would be the beginning of the end to a democratic Europe. In response, Trump would likely have sat back and watched in passive support of his Russian buddy.

Early in Trump's presidency, Putin called him "brilliant." Five years later, Trump called Putin's invasion of Ukraine a "genius" move. Classic examples of two men trading ludicrous ego strokes. Many now fear Putin using nuclear weapons to save face in his stagnating war. What is Trump's attitude toward nuclear weapons? In 2016, when told that nukes are a last resort, Trump asked, "If we have nuclear weapons, why can't we use them?"

Unhinged and angry after his 2020 defeat, will Trump run again? It's a frightening thought that these two unhinged, angry men could again control, between them, most of the world's nuclear arsenal.

Rick Benting, Redfield

Appreciate the sacrifices made by health care workers

Though we live in some challenging and often divisive times, we should all be able to agree that we can be thankful for a lot of things we do have. For example, I’m very thankful for our health care organizations and their staff and volunteers. These individuals have sacrificed a lot and given so much of their time and God-given talents to care for those afflicted with COVID-19 and those needing to access routine health care services. I also appreciate the sacrifices and support their families have given them during these challenging times.

While COVID-19 numbers, for now, have decreased, allowing greater freedom in daily activities, health care workers continue to follow CDC guidance and take the necessary infection prevention precautions to protect themselves, coworkers, patients and family members. We’ve all had to make sacrifices during the pandemic, but they pale in comparison to the individuals who’ve dedicated their lives to caring for others.

If you haven’t done so lately, please take the time to express your appreciation to those individuals who work in our health care organizations across the country, in our state and in your hometown. Having worked in health care for more 45 years, I can safely say that I’ve never felt a greater respect and admiration for them and the demands, both physical and emotional, placed upon them during these challenging times. Their caring and compassion has been unwavering. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you’ve done and all you continue to do.

Darrold Bertsch, Beulah, N.D.

Ambulance service a prime concern in Day County

Since I announced my campaign in December, we have already put a few thousand miles on my truck crisscrossing District 1, learning all there is to know about the issues facing rural South Dakotans.

As many of you know, few issues are as important as the ambulance service in Day County. In the last four months, I have spent many hours sitting in on public meetings and listening to leaders on how best to tackle this issue. I am happy to hear as of April 2 that the county will move forward with a plan to provide this valuable service. I also wanted to take this opportunity to let the people of Day County know that I will do everything in my power once I am in Pierre to help make sure that this transition happens smoothly and with the necessary resources to run effectively. After all, you simply cannot have a county without an ambulance service. In my opinion, my role in all of this is to simply facilitate the best possible outcome once the county decides which direction it intends to go, whether that is public or private service.

I want to personally thank Mark and Renae Christiansen for all of there hard work over the decades and thank Roy and Ericka Aldrich for offering up a last-minute alternative. I promise I will hold up my end of the bargain.

Logan Manhart, Bath

Request constitution of states

To gain their freedom, colonists fired the "shot heard round the world" by lining up against the British Army in 1775. Now, the federal government has become the next threat to American freedom and liberty.

Lifetime politicians in Washington are only interested in their careers, not the people whose rights have been unconstitutionally stolen by a federal government that is spending us into trillions of dollars of debt. Many American people have taken their freedoms for granted, do not vote, can't name the three branches of government and know very little about the Bill of Rights. They have become occupants and observers of this country instead of active citizens who are participating in the protection of this constitutional republic.

Now is time for the "second shot heard round the world." Active citizens are stepping forward and taking action to protect their constitutional rights by using Article 5 of the Constitution. Join them. Go to conventionofstates.com and educate yourself. Contact your state representatives in Pierre and tell them you want a convention of states. If they are against it, replace them. Spread the word.

If Americans don't become active citizens and protect the Constitution, then we all will become mere occupants.

Mike Weiler, Rapid City

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Letters to the editor about NATO, a new jail in Brown County, Ravnsborg