i'll be covering tonight's sioux falls city council meeting, where the majority of socially-distanced seats in the audience are already filled

this will also be my first time out in public for any significant amount of time in ... a while

david zokaites is up first during public comment talking about civil rights lawsuits

unfinished business is a lot of alcohol licenses (including one for germanfest on Sept. 12. any bets on whether that goes off as normal?)

attempts at speaking with people over the internet who have not muted their livefeed have created an absolutely hellish recurring echo in the room

we're at the second reading of the stay at home order, which is being withdrawn from the agenda. someone in the room applauds.

tenhaken speaking on the matter. says we're the 11th hottest MSA in terms of COVID-19 cases per capital. but adds hospitals say due to lower than expected hospitalization/death rates, we're ready to handle the surge.

tenhaken says the state and hospitals support this move, but he says we're still in the first inning. we're not done, we haven't won. tenhaken says there's only two masks in the room and he wishes there were more.

public comment now on before a vote for withdrawal

was wondering if the issue being withdrawn would mean people would refrain from speaking during public comment, and the answer is "no"

first two speakers have said we need to get the economy on, the mere mention of this motion "frightened" the last speaker, who said he will not vote for tenhaken again

next speaker says shelter-in-place is akin to house arrest, says that illegalizing driving would also save lives

"I am concerned that america is no longer the land of the free."

next speaker is talking about holistic health, says that two hours of nature sounds can reduce stress by (I think) 800 percent. says that while going outside is not banned, it's also not encouraged

(the mayor has encouraged people to run 100 miles in the next 100 days) https://twitter.com/paultenhaken/status/1252032605257707520?s=21 https://twitter.com/paultenhaken/status/1252032605257707520

next speaker says he's glad that the city has come to their senses about the stay at home order, also says Smithfield should have stayed open so that virus would have stayed there instead of going to pierre, referencing a rumor he heard about some workers going there

next speaker is reading the constitution

"everybody in this city, in this state, should be going out, going to sunday dinner with their family, going to church."

this speaker, i think maybe crying, is angry that the council members do not have copies of the constitution on them. "we need to be taking our kids shopping tomorrow." Says there's no pandemic, calls it I think a "scamdemic" made up to control us

"I'm ready to go back to church." Says going out should be a personal risk that people decide to take.

"People live, people die. We all need to be ready for that."

councilor soehl says hospitals have been very clear that they were concerned that cases could overwhelm the system. the measure is being withdrawn because they've said that they will be slammed, but believe they can handle it.

councilor stehley pointing out that governor noem has issued a stay-at-home order for 65+ and those with chronic conditions, it's not just the mayor/council doing/considering these things