Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan, Yankton, June 12
Speed Limits And Our Own Limits
When it comes to speed limits on our roadways, speed itself can become relative.
A study reported by the Sioux Falls Argus Leader last week showed that raising the speed limit on interstate highways, which South Dakota lawmakers approved in 2015, did not function simply as an adjustment of the law to match the speed at which motorists were already driving. It was also an invitation to drive even faster.
Two years ago, lawmakers decided to raise the limit to 80 miles per hour (mph), which was seen as a means of accommodating what drivers were already doing. Research showed that, at the former limit of 75 mph, motorists were driving an average 86 mph.
Now, with the 80 mph zones in place, the average speed has ticked up to 88 miles per hour.
Citations for speeding have risen. This includes an alarming spike in the number of citations issued for motorists driving faster than 100 mph.
Another statistic to note is that the number of highway fatalities went up slightly last year after years of steady decline.
So, the conclusions that can be drawn from this seem clear.
When a law is charged to accommodate existing behavior that is straining at the boundaries of legality, existing behavior tends to adjust to the new legal normal in order to push those boundaries again. In other words, when the speed limit on interstates was raised to more closely match the average speed people were driving, the motorists made a corresponding acceleration.
The fact that more motorists are being busted for exceeding 100 mph is worrisome. At that speed, there is far less room for error and more opportunity for disaster. And if more than one vehicle is involved in a crash involving a motorist driving in the triple digits, it’s not likely to end well for a lot of people.
To be fair, the rise in fatalities must be kept in perspective. For one thing, the overall rate last year was still the second lowest in 55 years, although the reversal of the downward trend is worth noting. Also, it must be acknowledged that the rise in distracted driving may have exerted some influence on the statistic (although, the image of a motorist driving 88 mph - or faster - AND fiddling with a smartphone is genuinely disturbing).
The results of this survey are a cause for alarm, according to an official from the group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. The organization notes that higher speeds decrease the chances of motorists surviving crashes. That fact would seem obvious, although it didn’t prevent lawmakers in 2015 from pursuing the course anyway.
But they’re being aided and abetted by motorists, who are proving to be their own worst enemies when it comes to expanded speed limits on the interstates. While it’s probably too soon to draw any concrete conclusions on the impact of the speed limit change, the trend certainly isn’t promising.
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The Daily Republic, Mitchell, June 13
Sweet news on new playoff format
A positive change has arrived for prep sports in South Dakota, specifically with the postseason.
The South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors last week approved changing the state qualifying format for Class AA basketball and volleyball. Mitchell and the rest of the state’s largest schools play in Class AA.
It was in part due to the success of the Class A “Sweet 16” format that pushed more schools to consider a change after years of discussion without action. While support wasn’t unanimous in Class A at first, a competitive playoff season both on the local and state-qualifying level emerged.
The Class AA ranks could use more of that, as well. In the approved format, 16 of the 18 Class AA schools will qualify for postseason play, trimming the field before the bracket begins. They will then seed the teams one through 16 and play eight games at the high seed’s site, with the winners advancing to the state tournament.
We think this is a change for the better. The likelihood of improving the state tournament field and the level of competition in each sport has increased with this format.
Regular-season performances are rewarded with a home-court advantage and those teams need one win to advance to the state tournament, getting rid of an archaic double-elimination format that sometimes required one team to beat another twice to win a state title.
The format is also blind to geography and allows teams, regardless of region, to advance to the state tournament. There are no loopholes with a “win and you’re in” bracket. If there’s an upset or two in the Sweet 16, those teams rightfully earned their slots, too.
Some have already complained about a loss of regional representation and rivalries, along with a loss of revenue from fewer playoff games. But if schools can’t get excited to host a game that would send their team to the state tournament, that’s not the fault of the format. Excitement should also help drive ticket sales, which should at least lessen a possible budget shortfall.
Our state is covering new ground on how state champions should be determined. It won’t always be perfect but South Dakota is giving it a worthwhile test drive.
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American News, Aberdeen, June 14
Diversity coalition should step up
The Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition is losing in the local court of public opinion and awareness.
The group, which is working to help integrate new citizens - refugees, immigrants and other newcomers - into our community has let other groups fill the conversational void, to the detriment of Aberdeen.
That’s not to say what the coalition is doing is not worthwhile; far from it. But we would like to see a greater engagement in the conversation at large.
Until now, only one local group, calling itself “Americans First, Task Force,” has had a high public profile in the discussion of refugees and immigrants in Aberdeen and South Dakota. The loosely affiliated outfit - essentially just a Facebook group, with no one admitting ownership - is anti-refugee.
What that group has done - what the Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition has failed at - is dominated the local discussion of refugees and immigrants and their place in our community.
The group has done this by being incredibly active on Facebook, with more than 1,140 “likes” as of this writing, reaching audiences of users with strong opinion and links.
It has parlayed that audience into a seemingly successful string of anti-refugee, anti-Islam speakers in Aberdeen. The next event is 7 p.m. Friday at the Dakota Event Center: “Understanding the Threat: Strategic and operational training and consulting on the the threat of the global Islamic movement.”
The task force posed a question in its Facebook announcement: “With all the jihadist terrorism in the news these days, would you like to know more than what’s fed to us in cherry-picked local and national media headlines?”
Hundreds have been attending these events.
Meanwhile, the Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition has been meeting every other Thursday at the Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center, at an inopportune mid-morning time. Though the meetings are open to the public, only about a dozen folks gather, mostly those who are sympathetic to their cause. The group has no web or social media presence; it has not sponsored any events on par with other groups, or hosted any speakers. Its visible outreach to the community has been minimal.
Part of the coalition’s effort has been put toward securing a $35,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to create a newcomers section at the new Aberdeen library, especially for those learning to speak English. That’s a good thing, but still months away from realization.
Today, we implore the Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition - like the other task force, a self-appointed group, but with true nonprofit status - to go where the people are. Get a Facebook page going with links to accurate news stories, and talk about the real challenges facing Aberdeen.
The coalition should look toward local, regional and national speakers and programs who can turn the talking points away from hate, fear and mistrust and closer to understanding, working together and what it all means.
Yes, there will always be online trolls. Yes, there will always be rude people in crowds.
But that should not deter members of the Aberdeen Area Diversity Coalition from trying to reach those outside of their circle.
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