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Social Issues & Politics

Selected Work

Read pieces published by various news-media organizations. Scope of Work: Coordinated planning and content, wrote and/or edited all copy.

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The South Dakota Standard

VP candidate Walz is right — we mind our own business, but we also care for and help each other

Sometimes you tweet a rant, and someone asks if they can string it together as a guest essay. Neighboring is an activity to make sure others are all right while leaving them their choices.

Blueprint South Dakota

Dignity Through Design: Better Serving a Diverse Population

During my time at an integrated design firm, I coordinated and edited this guest column written by my sister. It highlights how functionality in public spaces matters for families like hers.

Spending on signature project violates city charter

Sioux Falls' mayor made the "Phillips to the Falls" downtown revitalization project a key priority. Then he secretly moved taxpayer money to pay for it. (Part of a series.)

A talk with Tom Daschle

In his first interview with SD media after losing his Senate seat to John Thune, Daschle spoke about his accomplishments and was just as candid about where he'd fallen short.

Young workers concerned about Social Security

President George W. Bush's proposal to privatize the federal safety net worries people who believe the funds will be gone long before they reach retirement age.

State grossly underfunds early-childhood programs

SD claims the nation's highest percentage of young children in paid-care settings, but the state has no public pre-K to jumpstart learning or social development.

'God's not running in the election, and he doesn't have a surrogate'

Congregation members and faith-community leaders wrestle with questions of conscience as the 2004 general election approaches.

Thune, Daschle spar over patriotism

Protesters defend candidates after Rep. John Thune uses a joint "Meet the Press" appearance to accuse Sen. Tom Daschle of emboldening our enemies in the Middle East.

Partisan bloggers blur news, bias

Conservative keyboard warriors (some of them paid by PACs or candidates) sought to sway votes in 2004. They were the first generation of social-media info campaigns.

Come for scenery, stay (briefly) to vote

SD's lenient 30-day residency requirement and the scenic Black Hills make the state a favorite "home" for full-time RVers to register their permanent addresses.

New west-side school will shift students, teachers among elementaries

Parents turn out for the last in a series of open houses before the state's largest school district redraws attendance areas.

SD passes its first test after No Child Left Behind

Educators discuss the pressures of teaching with such a narrow focus on new, unfunded performance benchmarks.

Congressman hits, kills motorcyclist

The tips came in almost as soon as we heard the scanner: Congressman and former Gov. Bill Janklow ran a stop sign and struck a biker. He resigned and would serve 100 days.