• Council approves $950K for police radios. Councilors voted 6-1 to approve giving the police department funds to buy police radios yet this year as part of a sale from supplier Motorola. Police Chief Jon Thum estimates the sale will save the city $300,000 in the long-run, but the ask for close to $1 million after a belt-tightening budget season rubbed some councilors the wrong way.
    • Councilor Curt Soehl, the lone "no" vote Tuesday evening, said he'd like to see that $950,000 put on a table and the city give everyone whose budgets got cut a chance to say why they ought to get a piece of the pie.
  • Council OKs closing a block of 19th Street. Another decision Tuesday night that caused some consternation was a unanimous council vote to vacate a block of 19th Street between Minnesota and Dakota Avenues to make way for a new Tre Ministries development promising three dozen housing units. A few neighbors spoke out against the closure, warning of higher traffic in already-busy streets like 18th and 22nd, but given the amount of communication between developers and the neighborhood, councilors voted 7-0 to approve closing the portion of the street.
  • Something for your TBR. Siouxland Libraries this week unveiled the 2026 One Book Siouxland pick: "True Biz" by Sara Nović. Each year, the library system brings folks together for discussion and community events surrounding a single title, and the late-2025 reveal will give readers more time to check it out ahead of spring events. Learn more here.
  • A look at Gov. Rhoden's budget. Gov. Larry Rhoden unveiled his first budget proposal as governor. It's a "limited budget" with zero proposed increases to schools, state employees and health care providers. South Dakota Searchlight has the full story.