Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: Chilly and maybe rainy
This week, I've got the last bit of the City Council election guide – so you've got all the council AND mayoral candidates to start researching. I'm hoping to have a guide to school board candidates in the next week-ish as well. Plus, don't miss a whole bunch of events (including our very fun Zine Folding Party on Saturday – be there or be square!)
And now, news:
2026 CITY ELECTION
Meet the Southeast District City Council candidates
(Editor's note: This is just one part of a series of stories about local candidates in the upcoming June 2 primary, municipal and school board election. Find more coverage here.)
Simplified: Three people are looking to fill one open seat representing Sioux Falls' southeast neighborhoods on the Sioux Falls City Council. All three candidates sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified for interviews covering a wide range of topics from affordable housing to data centers to public safety and much more.
Why it matters
- Four of the eight City Council seats are up for election this year. That means as many as half of the seats could see new faces. The city's Southeast District seat is guaranteed to have one of those new faces because the current Councilor David Barranco will not be seeking re-election but instead running for state auditor.
- The three candidates looking to represent the Southeast District are Michael Crane, Sara Pankonin and Brady Kerkman. If you're uncertain about which district you live in, you can double-check using this map.
- This guide aims to make it easy to feel smart about how the candidates feel on a wide variety of relevant policy issues. If you prefer to listen/watch full interviews, you'll find them in this YouTube playlist.
Let's talk policy
At the risk of this story turning into a novel, you'll find specific topic-based stories linked below that you can peruse based on your interests and concerns. Click the topic below to see candidate responses to questions on that topic.
Here's how the candidates responded to questions regarding:
- Homelessness
- Affordable Housing
- Public Safety
- Collaboration between Sioux Falls police and federal immigration officials
- Public art
- Sustainability
- Childcare
- A downtown convention center
- Data centers
- Smithfield and the future of downtown
Learn more about the Southeast District candidates here
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Board approves free bus pass changes. The Public Transit Advisory Board on Monday afternoon voted to pass changes to the Pass-It-On program. Those changes include requiring a photo ID for people who receive free bus passes to be able to use those passes. Proponents said it'll ensure the passes go to those who really need them instead of being traded as currency, but critics said will add unnecessary obstacles for people who already face a lot of obstacles. Find more background here.
- Last call for camp.* Still deciding on summer plans? Now's the time to get your kids signed up for the life-changing outdoor experience of Camp Leif Ericson. Slots are available for kids ages 4 to 15. Registration closes on May 15. Learn more here.
- Don't freak out. You'll see emergency vehicles around the Career and Technical Education Academy on Thursday, but it's all part of a mock mass-casualty training event happening in the morning. Students in healthcare-related classes at CTE will work alongside first responders to exercise their knowledge in the simulated emergency. Southeast Technical College will act as a receiving hospital for those “injured” in the mock exercise, and the college's Health Simulation Lab will be set up like an emergency room. Police, fire and ambulances will also be on-site.
- City completes Project NICE/KEEP. The city last week finished up two annual projects aimed at reducing nuisance complaints and keeping properties clean. This year, more than 3,300 addresses were included in clean-up areas, and more than 340 tons of debris were collected and removed by volunteer city staff. That debris included more than 1,500 tires and 932 mattresses. Learn more about these projects here.
*Denotes a paid partnership
EVENTS
Stuff to do: April 29-May 5
- Schedule time to reset.* Startup Sioux Falls is giving founders a chance to take a step back from their business, reset and remember why they started their business in the first place. Take time to reflect and reset so you can come back stronger. Register here for the June 22 one-day event.
- Fold zines. Sioux Falls Simplified is hosting a zine folding party on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Startup Sioux Falls. This is a chance to 1) help us fold a whole bunch of zines to tell the world about this cool, smarter, easier local news outlet and 2) hang out with me and other cool, smart people. Ask me anything about elections, local news, favorite restaurants, whatever. RSVP here.
- Hear from City Council candidates. There's a handful of forums for At-Large City Council candidates, but there aren't as many chances to hear from the folks looking to represent the central and southeast parts of town. But fear not, your favorite local journalist is moderating two upcoming forums: one for Central District candidates on Wednesday evening at Augie AND a Southeast District candidate forum on Monday evening at the Ronning Branch Library.
- Support inclusion (in style). Rare By Design's annual Style Show fundraiser takes place Saturday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. This event promises an evening of fun and inclusivity, and your ticket supports the mission in supporting people with rare diseases and disabilities – because representation matters. Learn more and snag tickets here.
- Find new-to-you treasures. Ya know what they say, one man's trash... It's the 49th Annual Kingswood Rummage Sale this week from Wednesday to Saturday, and there are literally hundreds of garage sales to shop in the west-side neighborhood. Find a map of the sales and more details here.
- Drink wine, support artists. Downtown Sioux Falls is kicking off its summer of Open Streets events with the art and wine walk in downtown Friday evening. More than two dozen downtown businesses will have both wine and featured artists. Catch the full lineup of participating artists and locations here.
- Sing for your ... brunch? Wiley's is teaming up with Jess Meuzelaar to host its first-ever sing-along brunch event Sunday morning. The mimosas will be flowing, and so, apparently, will the hits. Details here.
*Denotes a paid partnership
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
- Mini buckets
- Big baby
- Shameless self promotion (like & subscriiiiiibe)
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
WANT TO HELP MORE PEOPLE FEEL THIS SMART?
Support Sioux Falls Simplified
Here are a few ways to ensure this smarter, easier local news outlet is here to stay:
- Forward this to a friend. Sharing is caring, and the best gifts are the ones that make your life easier – like this smarter, easier local news.
- Become a member. Consider buying into a smarter Sioux Falls by becoming a member and offering financial support to the no B.S. journalism you've been reading here.
- Give a one-time gift. Not ready to commit to a membership? That's OK! If you want to help in a smaller way, you can give a one-time gift here.
- Advertise with us. Tell the "simplified" story of your business to your target audience. Want more info? Reach out to megan@sfsimplified.com.
Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including SafeSplash Swim School, Wayne & Mary's Nutrition Center, Startup Sioux Falls, Encompass Mental Health, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, The Premiere Playhouse, The Good Night Theatre Collective and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
Oh, by the way
Your feedback is extremely helpful – hit the reply button and send any news tips, typos, complaints, compliments or cups of coffee my way. ❤️
