Noem Misled everyone! The governor issued “mandates” and “stay-at-home orders” during the COVID-19 crisis. Those orders are independently available on the Secretary of State’s website. Those orders effectively shut down South Dakota just like nearly every other state. Businesses were closed or limited, and worst of all, big box stores were allowed to remain open but small businesses and ‘mom and pop’ shops were closed. Churches were forced to move services online; schools were closed; nationwide CDC requirements were imposed. In a terrible failure of leadership, the federal funding that was intended to help some of our local businesses survive was not released until the governor called a Special Session granting herself the authority to distribute those funds—long after after all the financial damage was done. Governor Noem made poor decisions that created bad policy.