Page de couverture de Jon Michaels' Forum

Jon Michaels' Forum

Jon Michaels' Forum

Auteur(s): MWC
Écouter gratuitement

À propos de cet audio

 A community issues and answering program that focuses on the city and people of the Sioux Empire.2026 Midwest Communications Inc. Politique Sciences politiques
Épisodes
  • Horizon Health - 27 Clinics - 19 South Dakota Rural Towns - 200 Employees

    Horizon Health - 27 Clinics - 19 South Dakota Rural Towns - 200 Employees
    Feb 1 2026
    Public Affairs Director, Jon Michaels (since 1977) talks with Brady Kerkman, Director of Development of Horizon Health Care in South Dakota. (HOWARD, SD) – The Horizon Health Foundation will be hosting a raffle during its Drive It Home ’26 campaign that kicked off on January 19th.Car Raffle Flyer The campaign is set to raise $100,000 to support the purchase of chronic care kits as part of Pillar II of the Healthier Horizons program. Only 800 tickets are available for the Drive It Home ’26 Campaign raffle drawing. The first prize is a 2026 Chevy Trax LT, the second prize is a half a hog and a deep freeze, and the third prize is a $500 local gas card. Tickets can be purchased at www.horizonhealthcare.org/foundation The campaign will fund chronic care kits for Horizon Health patients managing diabetes, cardiovascular and dental disease. In 2025, 242 patients were enrolled in Horizon’s Chronic Care Management Program. This resource provides additional support from primary care providers and their teams to Medicare patients with two or more chronic conditions. The care kits would give additional assistance to these patients and any Horizon Health patient managing diabetes, cardiac or dental disease. “Care kits for our dental patients are an essential resource to improve and maintain their dental health,” Horizon’s Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Michelle Scholtz, DDS, said. “Some of our patients have dental concerns that have gone untreated for years due to lack of accessibility to care. These kits help them to maintain their dental health and keep them on track for a healthy smile.” “We are excited to provide added value to our patients with care kits they can use at home to help manage their chronic illnesses,” said Misty Rudebusch, MPAS, PA-C, Horizon’s Chief Medical Officer. “The care kits will help them reach positive milestones on their wellness journey and give them tools to take further ownership of their health.” A Chili Cook-Off to support the raffle campaign is scheduled for Feb. 20 from 6-8 p.m. at the Riverfront Event Center in Yankton. The cook-off will feature local chilis, cinnamon rolls and entertainment by a regionally known comedian. Attendees will choose the top chef in the cook-off contest. RSVP by Feb. 6 by texting or calling 605-610-8048 to be entered into the raffle to win one of two $500 cash prizes to be given away that evening. You must be present to win. Entry to the event is free but donations are appreciated to help support the Drive It Home ’26 Campaign. “The Drive It Home ’26 Campaign is truly about putting patients in the driver’s seat for their health care needs, through a combination of providing them with necessary chronic health kits, prevention, and education,” said Brady L. Kerkman, Director of Development for Horizon Health Foundation. Raffle prize winners will be drawn at the Dueling Pianos event scheduled from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., April 18 at The Pointe in Elk Point, SD. You need not be present to win. Sponsors of the Drive it Home ’26 Campaign include Rupiper Tours, Sanford Laboratories, First Dakota, SDN Communications, Prostrollo Auto Mall, Lindy Land & Livestock, Elk Point Ace Hardware, and See The Trainer. A sincere thank you to each of these sponsors who made this campaign possible. Contact Brady L. Kerkman at 605-610-8048 for more information about the raffle, cook-off and Dueling Pianos events. At Horizon Health, we’re focused on what’s real and what’s rural. With advanced technology and a personal touch, we deliver medical, dental and behavioral healthcare that’s open to everyone. Because the strength of a community isn’t measured by size. It’s measured by how much we care. Horizon Health provides dental, medical, and behavioral health services at 27 medical and dental clinics in 19 rural South Dakota communities. Horizon Health provides patient-centered, quality care that’s personalized for rural South Dakota. Our patients are our neighbors. Our communities are our homes. And the wellness of those areas is vital to our way of life. For us, healthcare isn’t just a service we provide. It’s our mission. As a Community Health Center, Horizon offers high-quality, affordable coverage in medical, dental and behavioral health with an invested presence in the communities we serve. We are primary care providers who care. And we’ve been nationally recognized for it by the Health Resources and Service Administration, among others. With a dedication to rural health, we offer leading edge technology and telemedicine capabilities, working with providers and specialists virtually anywhere in the country. In addition to urgent care services, we emphasize primary care, providing whole health medicine and wellness throughout your life. The health of our neighbors reflects the health of rural South Dakota. That’s why Horizon Health chooses to be here, and nowhere else. Every day we’re dedicated to caring for our ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    30 min
  • Todd Epp: Balancing Home Caretaker of His Father and Radio Analyst of the SD Legislature

    Todd Epp: Balancing Home Caretaker of His Father and Radio Analyst of the SD Legislature
    Jan 24 2026

    Public Affairs Director Jon Michaels, (since 1973) talks with Todd Epp about being a home caretaker of his father and news analyst of the South Dakota State Legislature.

    from chat gpt:

    Todd Epp in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area is a local journalist, attorney, radio news contributor, and media writer known for covering community news, local government, and public affairs topics.

    📌 Who He Is

    • Journalist & Writer: Todd Epp has written news and feature articles for outlets like KELO.com and local sports/media sites, reporting on a range of topics including local government, community events, and Civil Air Patrol activities.

    • Radio Contributor: He has appeared as a radio news reporter and commentator in South Dakota media.

    • Attorney & Consultant: In addition to journalism, Epp is identified as an attorney involved in legal and consulting work.

    • Community Involvement: He’s been active in community reporting and has held roles such as incident commander for Civil Air Patrol exercises in the Sioux Falls region.

    Overall, Todd Epp is a multifaceted local media figure and professional who engages with Sioux Falls news, law, and community issues through writing, reporting, and public outreach.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    30 min
  • Human Trafficking in Sioux Falls and South Dakota - 10 Years of Call to Freedom

    Human Trafficking in Sioux Falls and South Dakota - 10 Years of Call to Freedom
    Jan 18 2026
    Public Director Jon Michaels, since 1977, talks with Becky Rasmussen, President and CEO, and Rachel Foltz, Director of Impact and Program Relations of Call to Freedom. from the internet: THE PROBLEM Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of forced labor or sex trafficking. As the world’s fastest growing criminal industry, it affects every corner of the globe—including the state of South Dakota. It is a $150 billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to millions of people around the world. Every day, men, women, and children are being exploited for commercial sex or manual labor against their will. It is estimated that less than 1% of victims are ever identified. Many return to “the life” (streets), end up in jail or prison, or simply disappear due to a lack of specialized long-term care for survivors. Who We Are Sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation occur at growing rates across the United States, including in the state of South Dakota. Several intersecting factors, including extreme poverty, geographic isolation, and homelessness, result in high levels of victimization across the state. Call to Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in South Dakota dedicated to bringing wholeness to all individuals impacted by sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Founded in 2016, Call to Freedom hired its first full-time staff member in 2018 and has grown to 26 full-time staff united by their passion for ensuring survivors of trafficking and exploitation are believed and supported by their community. Staff members bring decades of experience combatting violence and providing community-based services and include previous South Dakota Department of Corrections staff, social workers, law enforcement, and addiction recovery specialists. The majority of our direct service staff had worked with Call to Freedom in their prior roles as community-based service providers and joined call to Freedom because of their passion for its holistic, person-centered approach. Our staff are uniquely positioned to serve trafficking survivors, given their experience working with people who have experienced trauma, responding to crisis situations, and identifying community resources available within the Sioux Falls community and across South Dakota. Call To Freedom Statement of Faith: We model Christ in our approach to restore wholeness to those impacted by sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Mission: Call to Freedom brings wholeness to all individuals impacted by sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation by navigating a healing path through our continuum of care model. Vision: Our vision is to create a comprehensive CommUnity model of care for individuals, and support communities while educating and advocating to combat sex and labor trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Barriers that prevent identification Individuals who are at risk of trafficking or who have experienced trafficking are often not recognized for various reasons. These barriers to identification fall into two categories: individual-related and provider-related. Provider Related Barriers Lacks knowledge about human trafficking“Checks off boxes” without seeing the full situationInadequate understanding of lawsFears violating HIPAA rulesLacks trauma-informed care trainingDoes not believe it is their role to get involvedLacks access to neutral, professional interpretersThinks that asking will be time-consuming or too complexFeels the individual is unresponsive or hostile to questioningLacks information about referral optionsAttributes behavior(s) to harmful cultural stereotypesHas preconceived notions of how an individual who has experienced trafficking will behave or lookIndividual Related Barriers Lacks awareness that what they are experiencing is traffickingLacks understanding of victim and legal rightsLacks identification and other recordsHas a language barrierFears deportation or law enforcementFears that reporting could lead to being returned to an abusive home, jail, or foster care placementFeels complicit in an illegal actFears that traffickers will cause harm to self, family, or loved onesHas limited literacy and education that hinders ability to communicateHas experienced trauma bonding with the trafficker or other victimsDistrusts the provider or those in authorityFeels hopeless and helplessFeels shame or guiltFor more information on the barriers that prevent identification, visit National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center Is it an indicator of trafficking? A variety of flags can be indicators of trafficking. The examples listed are not definitive, and not every individual will present the same flags. Additionally, seeing one or two indicators doesn’t necessarily mean that something is happening to you, it simply lets you know that you should probably step back and take another look at ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    30 min
Pas encore de commentaire