May 16, 2021

Transportation pilot for older Mainers, people with disabilities passes committee

Members of the Maine Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to advance a proposed pilot program that would give seniors and Mainers with disabilities rides for non-medical errands, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy.

Ten Democratic and Republican members of the committee, with three members absent and none opposed, voted to advance the bill for a vote in the Maine Senate.

The measure, sponsored by state Sen. Chloe Maxmin (D-Lincoln), would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to create an 18-month pilot project allowing those covered under MaineCare’s Section 19 to receive up to $2,000 in non-medical transportation services if the person has no other means of transportation and if transportation is identified in their plan of care. Section 19 includes adults with disabilities and older Mainers who qualify for nursing home level care but are living at home.

The bill also stipulates that DHHS provide written notice to those who would qualify and submit a report evaluating the long-term viability of the program.

Read more: https://mainebeacon.com/transportation-pilot-for-older-mainers-people-with-disabilities-passes-committee/

May 16, 2021

S.D. Attorney General Ravnsborg moves along with his life, while Joe Boever's family waits for

S.D. Attorney General Ravnsborg moves along with his life, while Joe Boever’s family waits for justice


Wednesday marked eight months since South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg killed Joe Boever.

Ravnsborg (seen above with Boever in the inset in a montage from flipboard.com) faces three misdemeanor counts for that Sept. 12 fatal crash just west of Highmore. A second court hearing was held Wednesday, with neither the judge, lawyers nor Ravnsborg actually in the courtroom. The trial is set for late August or September.

The AG faces three misdemeanor charges, and a possible impeachment in the Legislature. But otherwise, he moves ahead in his life, still drawing a handsome paycheck, hoping for a promotion to colonel in the Army Reserve, enjoying his life. Although, as I first reported last month, that is now in doubt.

One thing is certain: Joe Boever remains dead, buried in a Dell Rapids cemetery.

Read more: https://www.sdstandardnow.com/home/ravnsborg-moves-along-with-his-life-while-joe-boevers-family-waits-for-justice

May 16, 2021

Daschle had a different approach than LBJ, but both sought to advance the country, not their own

Daschle had a different approach than LBJ, but both sought to advance the country, not their own goals

Robert Caro (seen above in an image from time.com) has revealed how politics and power are really used in America through his justly celebrated books.

He continued to do so in “Master of the Senate,” which revealed how Lyndon Johnson took the Senate majority leader position, which previously had little real power, and made it a vital part of American government.

LBJ’s attitudes toward race were complex — he taught young Hispanic students as a teacher and cared deeply for them, but also was willing to spew white supremacist speeches to win elections. He used the “N-word” his entire life, but also did more for Black Americans than any other president.

As the master of the Senate, he pushed through civil rights legislation that advanced the cause of Blacks, prodding racist old Southern senators to support it while placating Northern liberals who wanted more. LBJ wasn’t perfect, nor was his legislation — but it was real progress.

Read more: https://www.sdstandardnow.com/home/daschle-had-different-approach-than-lbj-but-both-sought-to-advance-the-country-not-their-own-goals

May 15, 2021

Noem Blames Biden's Blocking Of Keystone XL for Gasoline Price Hikes and Hacked Pipeline

Hackers held Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline network for ransom for days, triggering gasoline line-ups in the southeastern U.S. and contributing to a dime hike in the national average price of gasoline per gallon since the beginning of May.

Governor Kristi Noem blames those problems on President Biden for rekilling Keystone XL:



I’m not sure policy analysis gets dumber than that. Cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline (for the second time, because there’s no business case for it, and because it wouldn’t serve the national interest) had absolutely nothing to do with the gasoline station line-ups and price spikes caused by the temporary shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline system. Hackers could have taken Keystone XL hostage just as easily as they put a kink in Colonial. Even if TransCanada/TC Energy’s Keystone XL existed and didn’t get hacked and were shipping tar sands oil from Canada to U.S. refineries, the gasoline distilled from that black snake still wouldn’t have been flowing through the stopped Colonial system.

Gasoline prices in general are rising because demand is up… and the Keystone XL would have made gasoline cost even more. Noem was wrong in 2013 when she fantasized that KXL would “drastically” reduce gasoline prices; she’s still wrong today.

Read more: https://dakotafreepress.com/2021/05/13/noem-blames-biden-blocking-of-keystone-xl-for-gasoline-pipeline-trouble-caused-by-hackers-and-baseless-panic/

May 15, 2021

Feds Save 45% on Pierre/Watertown Essential Air Subsidy; Noem Pitches Fit

Subsidy Queen Kristi Noem is complaining that the Biden Administration isn’t spending more money on infrastructure in South Dakota.

In April, the United States Department of Transportation chose Key Lime Air, doing business as Denver Air Connection, to replace SkyWest Airlines as Pierre and Watertown’s federally subsidized Essential Air Services passenger flight provider. Key Lime won the contract because it submitted the low bid:

Read more: https://dakotafreepress.com/2021/05/13/feds-save-45-on-pierre-watertown-essential-air-subsidy-noem-pitches-fit/

May 15, 2021

North Dakota's most costly leased building largely unused

North Dakota taxpayers are on the hook for nearly $3 million in rent over the next two years for unused office space for a state agency that intends to allow most of its more than 400 employees to work from home indefinitely.

The North Dakota Information Technology Department’s 85,000-square-foot leased space in a newly remodeled, privately owned office building in north Bismarck is unoccupied, except for about a dozen employees, said Greg Hoffman, the agency’s director of administration.

It is the largest and most expensive leased office space in the state, North Dakota Capitol Facilities Manager John Boyle said.

Boyle said each lease has an “appropriation clause” that allows the state to get out of it if the Legislature doesn’t provide funding.

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/north-dakotas-most-costly-leased-building-largely-unused/article_5e3443f3-bc99-55ea-ade7-2668c05e748d.html


The North Dakota Information Technology Department building is located at 4201 Normandy Street in northwest Bismarck.

May 15, 2021

New civil trial ordered for driver in Expressway crash that brought $1 billion jury award

The North Dakota Supreme Court has ordered a new civil trial for a driver who caused a 2015 Bismarck Expressway crash that killed two women, injured a third and brought a $1 billion jury award.

The crash killed Taylor Goven, 21, of Mandan, and Abby Renschler, 22, of Lincoln, and caused a traumatic brain injury to Shayna Monson, 21, of Dickinson.

Jordan Morsette, 28 at the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol content of just under 0.3%, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08%. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular injury.

A civil court jury in November 2019 awarded $295 million in punitive damages each to Monson and the families of Renschler and Goven. Jurors also awarded compensatory damages totaling $170 million to Monson and $36 million each to the families of the two women who died. Punitive damages are awarded as punishment; compensatory damages are meant to cover losses. The district court later reduced the total damage award to about $690 million, according to Supreme Court documents.

Read more: https://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/bismarck/new-civil-trial-ordered-for-driver-in-expressway-crash-that-brought-1-billion-jury-award/article_e2759b2e-4fc6-5d6a-afa5-6010361fefa2.html

May 15, 2021

More Should be Considered to Fill Job Openings

The drive to eliminate the pandemic-related enhanced unemployment benefits is gaining steam. On Monday, Governor Burgum announced ND would stop participating in the federal benefit starting June 19th citing workforce shortages. Shortly after that announcement, Sen. Kevin Cramer co-sponsored legislation to stop the enhanced benefits over time. Intended as a tool to push potential employees back to work, it isn’t the silver bullet to end the workforce shortage in the state. Though it may chip away at unemployment, leaders need to discuss other factors preventing people from entering the workforce.

Burgum’s decision is steering us in the right direction. As vaccinations rise, it is time to draw some of the pandemic-necessary benefits down. The decision was unsurprisingly met with applause from business lobbyists including Arik Spencer, the President and CEO of the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce. He joined me on KFGO to discuss.

However, the approach toward full employment can’t just be narrowly focused on a temporary benefit created out of necessity. According to releases from Burgum’s office, North Dakota had more than 16,000 online job openings in April. There are likely far more employment opportunities that aren’t posted online or Job Service. About 8,300 people are currently claiming benefits under the programs Burgum is looking to curtail. Even if every single person claiming enhanced unemployment benefits became employed there would be a lot of job vacancies.

As of March 2021, ND’s unemployment rate was 4.8%. More needs to be considered to fill these jobs.

One of the largest employment suppressants is the lack of access to affordable child care in ND. The Republican-led Legislature has constantly refused to make meaningful investments in this area. Those same lawmakers also refused to even study paid family leave as an option so a parent can comfortably take time with those children or elderly in need of care and maintain their employment status.

Read more: https://ndxplains.com/2021/05/12/more-should-be-considered-to-fill-job-openings/

May 15, 2021

John Legend to Headline Tulsa Race Massacre Remembrance

Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter John Legend will headline a nationally televised ceremony in remembrance of the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, an event official said Friday.

“When we sat back and asked ourselves who could really elevate this, who could take it to the next level, John Legend was obviously a great fit,” 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission director Phil Armstrong told the Tulsa World.

Legend will headline the Remember & Rise event on May 31 at ONEOK Field.

The commission was created to educate people about the attack by a white mob that killed an estimated 300 people, most of them Black.

Legend is scheduled to speak and perform during the event that Armstrong said will include other, yet to be announced speakers and performers.

Read more: https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/john-legend-to-headline-tulsa-race-massacre-remembrance/2633176/

May 15, 2021

I-20 traffic at stand-still due to stand-off at 627 mile marker in Harrison County

Traffic on Interstate Highway 20 in Harrison County is currently at a stand-still due to a stand-off, around the 627 mile marker, between law enforcement and a reported armed driver in a possibly stolen truck, officials confirmed, Saturday.

“There is a shutdown of the highway in both directions for safety,” confirmed Lt. Jay Webb with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.

“The driver of the vehicle has numerous warrants and he is currently in a standoff,” said Webb. “He is armed and we are working through it.”

The stand-off is at the 627 mile marker, eastbound, near the Scottsville area. The incident has halted the traffic flow on I-20 for a little more than three hours now, one driver told the News Messenger, around 10:46 a.m.

Read more: https://tylerpaper.com/news/crime/i-20-traffic-at-stand-still-due-to-stand-off-at-627-mile-marker-in/article_98da1ec3-522e-58c2-8433-62f8d89b7f51.html