Local Deals Get National Attention

Cash For Clunkers may be over, but the program is still a hot topic. Now, some local deals are getting national attention. 

Eventually, every vehicle traded in as a clunker will meet the giant crusher and be reduced to a pancake. This is the video I thought would generate some extra traffic at KELOLAND.com, but I was wrong.

Instead, it was a story from last week that got so much attention it temporarily crashed our site.  We wanted to let new car owners know what to bring to get their vehicle registered.  Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson also warned people about a little-known state tax.

"They didn't realize that would be taxable. A lot of people don't realize that. So they're not happy and kind of surprised when they find that out," Nelson said.

The Drudge Report heard about the story and set up a link. Within just two hours, 55,000 people clicked on it. And that's just one example.

On Monday, KELOLAND News talked with a local dealer still waiting on government money.

"I wonder how long they'd wait if I owed them $3.2 million. I think they'd be at my door or at least my banker's door," David Billion said.

Again, the Drudge Report set up a link sending tens of thousands to KELOLAND.com.

The story also got the attention of national radio and television shows and cable news networks. FOX News contacted KELOLAND News for video and also asked Dave Billion for an interview.

The clunker stories have also been linked to several blogs, sparking debate about the government program,and government in general.

One thing to note, because the clunker tax story was about South Dakota law, many out-of-state blogs were misguided especially when it came to taxes.