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Wiik Saves South Dakota from Coronavirus with Plastic-Ban Ban

Senator John Wiik takes a moment to claim that his Senate Bill 54, the plastic-ban ban, will save us from coronavirus:

Governor Noem held a signing ceremony for Senate Bill 54, the auxiliary containers legislation I brought. This small change in the state law is proving to be timelier than we thought. As the world tries to prevent the latest virus from becoming a pandemic, there are all sorts of new food safety guidelines going into place. Some coffee shops are no longer filling reusable cups directly as no one wants to be in contact with anything that touched anyone else’s mouth, so we’re talking about single use cups again. I believe that for consumer choice, food safety, and for the purposes of research, Senate Bill 54 will be one of the quiet wins of the legislative session [Sen. John Wiik, “Into the Final Week,” wiikfor4, 2020.03.09].

Yeah, single-use cups are a reasonable health precaution. We can afford a little more plastic waste during public health crises But local governments are smart enough to allow their local restaurants to take such precautions without a bill from Pierre that takes away local control. And once we get over the super-sniffles, local governments should still be able to take long-term actions that lower their landfill costs and promote environmental sustainability.

18 Comments

  1. jerry 2020-03-09 09:16

    We now have 3 cases in Iowa confirmed. These folks had to travel from different parts of the United States to get to Iowa, so they have left a trail.

    “Three cases of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have been confirmed in Iowa.

    The announcement was made during a press conference Sunday with Gov. Kim Reynolds, the Department of Public Health, the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and the Iowa National Guard.

    All three cases were confirmed in Johnson County. The three had just returned from a cruise in Egypt. One of the people infected was middle-aged, between 41 and 60 years old, and two of the people were older adults between 61 and 80 years old. Two of the individuals had underlying health conditions. The three people are currently recovering at home in isolation.”https://www.kcci.com/article/breaking-3-cases-of-coronavirus-confirmed-in-iowa/31274720

    Maybe those man camps and CAFO’s we seem stuck on, will have to take care of themselves in isolation. At least we will know there will be no plastic, what a relief.

  2. cibvet 2020-03-09 10:35

    The corona-virus has mutated from animals to humans. It has mutated and certainly has the potential to mutate into something very serious and become a real killer to everyone.I believe one should be concerned about the people who have it, but really show no serious symptoms as they will unknowingly spread it to others. It is serious, but not panic mode and definitely not to be dismissed as just the “flu”..

  3. jerry 2020-03-09 11:30

    The stock market had to stop trading this morning as the sell off was that intense. We have no testing from the CDC that is viable yet.https://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2020/03/ap-white-house-didnt-want-tell

    If we did have testing, we would be as surprised as Italy was at how many are infected. The failure of this trumpian regime is just beginning. We do not have any and I mean any congressional representation on this failure in South Dakota. We supposedly have a number 3 man, Thune, that should be able to break from this danger to help us and the rest of the nation. The other two are just coyotes, but Thune has the position to actually do something instead of the lies and the damn lies that keep coming from them all.

  4. o 2020-03-09 11:59

    Jerry, the Stock Market plunge was also fueled by our friends, Russia and Saudi Arabia, pushing production of oil while the price is falling — thus kicking the world’s largest producer, the United States. Old problems resurface at the most inopportune time. So again, instead of an energy policy that looks ahead, we doubled down on oil, and that decision allows the roots of instability by foreign manipulation into our markets at times of crisis.

    But at least the President got in a round of golf Sunday at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

    What are the odds that November 3 will be a national quarantine day in the US?

  5. Debbo 2020-03-09 15:05

    Here’s how you do it:

    Referring to COVID-19, which is caused by the coronavirus, the [Strib editorial] board wrote that “its Minnesota greeting party consists of the public health equivalent of a well-armed, battle-tested U.S. Navy SEAL team.

    “Yes, the aggressive disease trackers at the state Department of Health are that good. Not only that, they’re backed up by some serious firepower — the infectious-disease experts at the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic and other medical centers in the state’s world-class health care system.”

    The preparations were in place long, long ago. Plans have been made, examined, revised whenever necessary and Minnesota is as ready as any state with a bumbling, incompetent federal government can be.

    Minnesota has never tried to minimize this potential pandemic, nor pretend it’s not important.

  6. mike from iowa 2020-03-09 16:04

    iowa Guv reports iowa’s first three cases of demented drumpf c-virus.

    Dow Jones was down over 2000 points today and drumpf was nowhere to be found and bothered.

    23,851.02 −2,013.76 (7.79%)
    Mar 9, 4:59 PM EDT · Disclaimer

  7. Donald Pay 2020-03-09 16:06

    If you’re trying to avoid COVID-19, the better idea would be to recess the session.

  8. mike from iowa 2020-03-09 16:11

    Instead of self quarantining wingnuts, make it mandatory forced exile in drumpf dump south, West Palm Beach, Florida.

  9. jerry 2020-03-09 16:14

    Italy is now completely shut down for travel. 60 million people, quarantined. Meanwhile trump, EB5 Rounds and the number 3 guy are all dummying up.

  10. jerry 2020-03-09 16:50

    China and South Korea have proven that quarantine is the only solution. Italy tossed out the German plan and quarantined the entire country. Spain looks to be following that scenario as well.

    Meanwhile, the failed regime of trump and his senate trolls, are going in circles, babbling about Making America something…but mostly, sick.

  11. Clyde 2020-03-09 17:24

    Here’s how well things in this country are working or not working. If you are on Medicaid in So Dak you are out of luck and if you are a citizen of So Dak that comes in contact with some one that can’t afford to be sick you are out of luck.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYesGdx76lU

  12. Debbo 2020-03-09 17:27

    Crepuscular Creep has been exposed to Covid-19. Will he do the right thing? Has he ever?

  13. Debbo 2020-03-09 17:41

    Wiik trying to take credit for protecting South Dakotans from Covid-19 is simply absurd. His bill is simply more SDGOP Big Government Nanny State.

  14. grudznick 2020-03-09 22:00

    I do hope the legislatures are using all paper cups and straws, for in the sessions it is much like the NBA. There is a lot of fist bumping, chest thumping, yelling and spittle flying, and more than just a little crying and nose wiping. The sessions are at high risk from these diseases. Make them phone in the last 2 days, Governor Noem!

  15. jerry 2020-03-09 22:41

    Where do trump supporters go when they contact coronavirus? The Hoaxpital

  16. Debbo 2020-03-09 23:38

    😂😂😂

  17. Donald Pay 2020-03-10 10:39

    I hope people toss their plastic straws and cups off the gallery onto the floors of the House and Senate as a little tribute to the lack of common sense shown by the Legislature. It is, after all, local governments that deal with all that waste. Republicans love to pass state mandate that raises costs for everyone.

  18. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-03-10 12:08

    You know, Donald, I need to remember that straw suggestion. Leaving straws around the lobby would be a nice quiet protest of our Legislature’s poor policymaking.

    But I would feel bad about littering in the most beautiful building in South Dakota. Maybe we could just straw legislators’ lawns instead?

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