Smoking Ban Prevails, School Funding Lawsuit Reborn...

...and Epp returns to journalism?

Boy, I go spend a day mowing and watching a play (Godspell! Boom chick! Good work, kids!) instead of blogging, and the blogosphere has a banner day of big news:

• Chris Nelson ruins Pat Powers's day by finding the smoking-ban opponents really did screw up by having bar owners circulate petitions. Our able election umpire discovered another 10% on top of the originally statistically estimated 25% of the gathered signatures were invalid. In other words, one in three signers were either too drunk, too lazy, or too blinded by smoke to properly provide their own voting registration info. Bar owners, break out those No Smoking signs!
• The South Dakota Supreme Court unanimously* overturns portions of Judge Lori WIlbur's April ruling and opens the door for parents and school districts to sue the state over inadequate funding for education. Seth Tupper plays pessimist and says even a lawsuit can't squeeze more money out of a budget our Republican legislature can't balance without Washington's help. I play pessimist and maintain that any suers face a hard climb to satsify the burden of proof that the state is not meeting its basic constitutional obligation. Still, at least the parents and schools can make the argument.
• Mr. Epp gets back to some quality citizen journalism, breaking the school funding story with a chance conversation, posting the full decision, and cranking out three posts on the smoking ban. Give that man some hits! (But dang it: just as I thought he might be getting back to form, he fouls the air with another tabloid "Today's Babe" feature. Todd! You're asking for another noogie!)

So many wonders... and now I'll be out today manning the Lake County Democrats bake sale table at Madison's Crazy Days festivities. Who knows what awesome news will break next? Hope springs eternal!

*unanimously overturns: Dang: I guess that means Senator Thune won't be supporting Judge Wilbur for any nominations.