How do I renew my South Dakota architect license?

1. Complete 30 hours of state approved continuing education
2. Submit your continuing education certificates online or by mail. Online and mail submission templates can be found here.
3. Sign in to the South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation website
4. Pay the $80 Renewal Fee

What are the South Dakota architect continuing education requirements?

South Dakota architects must complete 30 hours of approved continuing education including 20 hours in technical subjects and 10 hours in professional management subjects.

What is the South Dakota architect renewal deadline?

All licenses must be renewed every two years by the end of the month of issuance. For example, if you were licensed January 3, 2016, you must renew your license by January 31, 2018.

Where do I find continuing education classes to renew my South Dakota architect license?

Architects Training Institute offers South Dakota approved online continuing education in a Complete 30-Hour Package or as Individual Courses. Classes are available 24/7 on any internet capable device with the benefit of our friendly support staff to guide you through your renewal process.

Self-defense class enrollment soared after Seattle woman Kelly Herron used techniques she learned in a self-defense class to fight off an attacker in a public restroom. The woman was taught to “be loud and fight like a savage” in her course and in real life, it worked. Herron was able to defeat her attacker and lock him in the bathroom until police came to arrest him. Since the attack, searches for the self-defence class Herron took have increased ten-fold.

Herron’s attacker hid in a bathroom stall until she entered, threw her to the ground and attempted to assault her. Even with the element of surprise, Herron was able to use the skills she learned to defeat her attacker. His mugshot showed heavy bruising and a large bandage over his eye, a testament to the effectiveness of the skills she learned in class.

Self-defense is an important skill for everyone to have. Certified Training Institute offers online personal safety and self-defense courses in an easy-to-use, HD video format.

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The marijuana industry has a pesticide problem. The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate pesticides used for growing cannabis because the plant is still illegal at a federal level. Since many marijuana growers are not familiar with the effects of various pesticides, dangerous products are often used. Compounding this problem, many marijuana growing operations are indoors where there is less ventilation and greater risk.  Here is a short list of pesticides to avoid.

• Myclobutanil – Prevents brown patches in turf, ornamental plants, and fruits. Myclobutanil is the active ingredient in Eagle 20 pesticides, it is only considered slightly hazardous as it can cause vomiting, itchiness, nausea, headache, skin rash, nosebleed, and eye irritation.
• Imidacloprid – This pesticide is found in Confidor and Gaucho products. It is moderately hazardous, causing fatigue, cramps, muscle weakness, and twitching.
• Avermectin – Found in Lucid and Avid products; Avermectin is harmful if inhaled and causes birth defects such as cleft palates.
• Etoxazole – One of the less dangerous pesticides, Etoxazole causes enlarged livers when inhaled.
• Bifenazate – Bifenazate causes a decrease in weight and urinary volume, leading to extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen.

To avoid becoming sick or making others sick, be sure to research all pesticides before applying them.

Certified Training Institute is excited to announce our Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) & Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) Status.  Company president, Teri Francis, has the keen business sense that has enabled our company to be the success it is today.

As a WBE and WOSB company, we have are a perfect match for the woman-dominated field of real estate. Real Estate Training Institute, a division of Certified Training Institute provides online classes such as Personal Safety and Self Defense, designed to meet the unique needs of real estate professionals. We are dedicated to bringing quality prelicense classes and state-approved continuing education to real estate professionals nationwide. 

https://youtu.be/Qu2tOcIXHYk

Real estate professionals face daily dangers even as they navigate simple necessary tasks. Here are a few tips to ensure your safety.

1. Drive separately. This may seem like common sense but many real estate professionals carpool with potential home buyers, leaving them open to robberies, car theft, and worse. Furthermore, do not park anywhere that is hard to access or easily blocked in. This will allow a quick get away if necessary.
2. Protect your personal information. First and foremost, do not use photos in marketing materials. Police have documented cases of criminals circling real estate professional’s photos in newspapers as targets for theft. Second, use your cell phone and office address in all marketing materials. Do not provide home buyers with any personal information such as where you live, who you live with, or how many children you have.
3. Promote security at open houses. Advertise security measures you plan to implement at open houses. Require identification at the front door and, if possible, use video surveillance. Implementing and advertising these measures will help discourage criminals from attending your showings. Additionally, partnering up with another agent and introducing yourself to neighbors are tried and true cautionary measures.
4. Avoid showing houses alone if possible. A co-worker, spouse, or dog can be incredibly useful in discouraging attack. If you must show a house alone avoid confined places, walk behind the homebuyers, and make sure someone knows where you are and about how long you plan to be there.
5. Learn self-defense. When all precautionary measures fail it is important to be able to protect yourself. Certified Training Institute provides online HD video classes designed to teach real estate agents basic self-defense from standing and ground positions. This class is a great measure for any real estate agent with the added bonus of being approved as continuing education in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

Drones are increasingly being used for agricultural purposes. Many farmers use drones to survey fields and discover issues with crops before they spread. For example, drones can provide infra-red imaging of crops that show plants with fungal infections, infected plants will not reflect as much light as a healthy plant would. Drones are also used to spread pesticides over crops at a much lower price than manned aircraft. However, until recently drones have continued to waste pesticide throughout the application.

Researchers at Japan’s Saga University have developed a specialized drone to combat pesticide waste. The drone scans crops for clusters of insects and delivers an incredibly precise pesticide application to affected areas. It is also designed to carry a bug zapper at night which draws insects to the drone where they are either fried by the zapper or sprayed with a precision blast of pesticide.

Benefits of the precision application method are a decrease in pesticide use while enabling farmers to continue protecting their crops. This more precise approach will also help farmers, farm workers, and farm animals avoid harmful contact with pesticides. The research team hopes this method will eventually replace the more indiscriminate airplane application method.

ARE YOU USING A DRONE FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

All commercial drone pilots must possess a Remote Pilot in Command Certificate which can be obtained by passing the FAA Remote Pilot in Command Exam.

Step 1: Pay the $5 fee and register any aircraft that weighs more than 0.55lbs.
Step 2:  Pass the $150 Small UAS Remote Pilot Exam – exam prep is available here.
Step 3: Pass a TSA background check
Step 4: File FAA Form 8710-13

Check out our Complete Guide to Commercial Drone Use for more information.

Curb appeal can help increase overall home value but no one wants to sink a lot of money into a home they are intending to sell. A few simple, inexpensive tricks could help put a home’s yard over the top. 

1. First things first, if your home is looking shabby consider a fresh coat of paint or renting a power washer. Power washers can also come in handy for windows, walkways, and details that are looking drab. You’ll be surprised by how much fresher your home can look after a vigorous cleaning. Be careful to use the right pressure settings!
2. Don’t have time to work in the gardens? Potted plants are a great, low-maintenance, and cheap way to add splashes of color and the illusion of landscaping.
3. Do not underestimate the value of your front door. The entrance to your home needs to convey what the buyer will find inside. While a new front door is relatively expensive, Houselogic estimates a 75-100% return on investment.
4. Clean up those leaves! This one is easy, dead leaves make a yard look unkempt. Make sure you rake or leaf blow before showing your home.
5. Last but not least, replace that old mailbox. It’s amazing how something we use almost daily can fall into disrepair without notice but this is a common complaint by home buyers. A rusty broken mailbox makes home buyers wonder what else has not been up kept in a home. Since this is a cheap, easy fix, make sure your mailbox is looking good.
   

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