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• In January, a consultant recommended a 40,000-square-foot multipurpose recreational building. A task force subcommittee later decided to pursue a facility that would double as an events center to help attract tournaments, trade shows and concerts to Pierre.
• Commissioners voted 4-1 on Tuesday night to hire Icon. Commissioner Jim Mehlhaff cast the dissenting vote, saying he didn't feel comfortable spending $55,000 while the city is discussing cutting $1 million from its 2014 budget. He said he would have felt more confident if some of the groups who would use the proposed facility had pledged part of the money instead of Pierre paying the entire cost.
• The money will come out of the city's contingency fund, which has about $250,000.
• Commissioners Jamie Huizenga and Jeanne Goodman said they recognized Mehlhaff's concerns and were "torn" by the decision, but they thought the initial investment was worth the risk.
• Mehlhaff told the Capital Journal after the meeting that he supports the concept of the project.
• Icon estimated in June that an events center could be built for between $8 million and $10 million. Mayor Laurie Gill said a new events center would move forward only with private partners.
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Inmate gets more jail time for prostitute incident
• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A Sioux Falls man with a history of soliciting sex has been given more jail time after authorities say he invited a prostitute to his house while out of jail on work release.
• Robert Corsini, 52, was caught in two separate online sex stings last fall. He was serving a seven-day jail term and was out on work release when authorities say he went online to find a prostitute.
• "It was extremely aggravated by the fact that the defendant was serving a sentence for soliciting commercial sex and engaged in the exact conduct that was supposed to be prohibited by his jail sentence," Minnehaha County State's Attorney Aaron McGowan said in court Tuesday.
• Corsini said he invited the woman to his home but that he told her to leave when she asked for money.
• "It took me by surprise," he said.
• "There's no doubt that Bob put himself in a difficult position," said Corsini's lawyer, David Palmer. "There's a big difference between being stupid and being crimi (Continued on page 23)
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