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Local COVID-19 Headlines: March 28

Lawmakers to Consider 9 COVID-19 Related Bills on Veto Day

Governor Kristi Noem wants lawmakers to consider nine bills to help the state respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Legislators will have to suspend the rules to consider the bills on Monday—that veto day is typically reserved to consider overriding gubernatorial vetoes.

Governor Noem has proposed a range of bills. One waives required instruction hours for students - and cancels this year’s state tests.

Two bills give the Department of Health the authority to impose quarantines—restrict public gatherings and impose legal consequences for violators.

Another proposal allows local governments to delay April and May elections and combine those with a delayed primary in July.

Noem says the state has seen huge changes since lawmakers gaveled out on March 12th.

“Every single one of the bills that we’re bringing has an emergency clause on it,” Noem says. “That means as soon as they pass them and sign them into law they will be enacted. They’re all also temporary.”

The governor plans to sign both the fiscal year 2020 and 2021 budget bills. The 2021 budget was set on optimistic revenue projections and gives a two percent increase to state employees, education and Medicaid providers. As a result, there could be budget reductions for both fiscal years.

Democratic State Senator Reynold Nesiba teaches economics at Augustana University and sits on the budgeting committee. He says the state’s response depends on two factors. How long the economic drop lasts and how long the federal government supports states.

“We’re going to have to make some decisions on Monday, on Veto Day. Then, I’m fairly certain we’re going to have to come back for a special session in May or June to resolve some additional issues,” Nesiba says.

Lawmakers convene electronically on Monday to consider Noem’s bills and the several vetoes she’s issued.

Local Company Working on COVID-19 Therapeutic

Medical researchers are racing to find effective treatment for the coronavirus. Eddie Sullivan is President and CEO of SAB Therapeutics in Sioux Falls. He says they are developing a biotherapeutic treatment for those infected with the coronavirus.

Sullivan says they are on track to have a treatment model for COVID-19 by the summer, depending on approval from regulatory authorities.

“We have, essentially, human polyclonal antibodies – that work exactly like our own immune systems – that are targeted specifically to these diseases, so that we can treat those that have become overwhelmed and become ill with this disease.”

Sullivan says it may be possible to use the antibodies for passive immunity as well.

He says this treatment could be similar to what’s called convalescent plasma. That’s when patients get plasma from someone who has already recovered from an illness.

Artists and COVID-19

Many small businesses are reeling from the economic effects of the pandemic. The impact can be especially hard for new ventures. Anna Robinson, creates digital work with her husband.

“Primarily filmmaker, songwriter slash composer. But I also do graphic design and meet other media work to bring in income, you know.”

They started their home-business Open Space Creative last October to offer services to clients in the area.

“We do a lot of different things. We’re basically artists and we like to create things and this is our way of getting those creations out to people. It comes down to we make things and we help others make things.”

Robinson says they’ve already had paid project cancellations because of social distancing practices. And that’s tough because Open Space is still new in the eyes of the community.

“Nobody really knows that we exist. I don’t want our main focus right now to be ‘oh everyone needs to remember us when everyone goes back to normal’. I really do believe that we just need to help where we can and the arts is what I know and the arts is what I want to help in.”

Robinson says for now, they’re switching priorities to focus on community engagement on social media, like giveaways, games and free content. She says it’s difficult to find new clients when everyone's business is struggling.

“I’m nervous about my business and the income that we may not be able to generate and we need. We also just moved to a new house and so I’m worried about making our new mortgage payments as are a lot of people in our community.”

Anna Robinson says at the same time she worries about the financial consequences of the pandemic, she recognizes it’s important to make sure the community stays healthy right now.

Indigenous People Bringing Powwow Dancing Online

Some of the most traditional of ceremonies, Native Powwows and dances are finding a new life online. Tribes are canceling events and gatherings to adhere to restrictions because of the coronavirus. But Indigenous people across the continent can share their talent and cultures online.

Social media has helped thousands of people see16 year old Wakiyan (Wah-Key-ah) Cuny (Coon-ee) and his 14 year old sister Wicahpi (Wee-Chalk-pee) Cook dance. The two are Oglala Lakota and live in Washington state. They compete at powwows across the country, and usually travel a lot in the summer.

But that won’t happen this year. So instead, they put on their regalia and danced in their front yard. Their mother recorded the performance and posted a video on social media. Wakiyan Cuny explains the roots of his Grass Dance.

“Back then the grass would be really tall. So they would have all the grass dancers go out and dance before everybody to lay down the grass so that it would be ready to dance on for everybody else.”

His sister Wicahpi Cook danced in her Jingle Dress. It has about 200 metal cones sewn onto it that make noise when she moves. She says it’s a healing dance that originates from the Ojibwe Tribe.

“Some dress, they kind of differ depending on your age because you don't want too many on a smaller child’s dress. But a normal dress should have 365 for the days of the year.”

The siblings usually compete in separate categories. So dancing in their yard, together, is a treat.

Cook: “It’s fun dancing with my brother and having him by my side."

Cuny: “Yeah, I think it's pretty fun and she’s just my first sibling and we’re pretty close.”

A Facebook group called Social Distance Powwow shares a variety of traditional performances. It’s the creation of Whitney Rencountre—he’s Oglala Lakota and based in Rapid City. So far, it has almost 90 thousand members.

"A platform has been created for them to share these songs and dances and so that’s why I think it’s just going viral for everybody. Because it’s the right time and it’s important to share the talents, and the songs, dances and artistry, languages and all these things that I think throughout the world we never really had a platform for to provide that.”

Rencountre says the pandemic has helped draw interest to traditional Indigenous practices.

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