Your week, simplified: April 30, 2025
Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: 70s with a chance of showers
🩷 A Little Help check: Today is the last day to give to support Owen's Outfitters as part of our second annual A Little Help give-back campaign. Remember, a little help goes a long way. Can you give $10 today?
This week, I've got a jam-packed issue for you. You'll get the first segment of the Simplified school board election guide, a look at how Jacobson Plaza is progressing and the truth about downtown parking ramp safety. Plus, don't miss the weekly event guide – lots of fun happening in town this week.
And now, news:
ELECTIONS
Meet the Sioux Falls School Board candidates
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories ahead of the May 13 Sioux Falls school board election. Keep following Sioux Falls Simplified for more.
Simplified: Four people are vying for two open seats on the Sioux Falls School Board, which oversees the largest school district in the state. Sioux Falls Simplified sat down with each of them to ask a series of questions about their motivation to run, their priorities and everything else you need to know ahead of the May 13 election.
Why it matters
- The Sioux Falls school board oversees a district with nearly 25,000 students, 1,800 teachers and an annual budget of over $350 million. So, whoever is elected will have a direct impact on thousands of people in the community (as well as how everyone's tax dollars are spent).
- This year, the school board race is in a standalone election, i.e. there aren't any city-wide races or issues on the ballot. Historically, standalone school board elections have very low voter turnout – the last one in 2023 saw only 6% of voters cast a ballot.
- Regardless of the outcome, Sioux Falls will have at least one new face on the school board. Current board chair Carly Reiter is not seeking re-election, leaving Nan Kelly as the only incumbent of the four candidates. Other candidates are Elizabeth Duffy, Trish Ringold and Thomas Werner.
Tell me more about the candidates
CITY
Get a look at Jacobson Plaza as it nears opening
Simplified: Sioux Falls newest downtown destination is only a couple of months from opening, and we got a look this week at how construction is progressing on Jacobson Plaza.
Why it matters
- The vision for Jacobson Plaza started as an outdoor ice ribbon several years ago, but since then it's grown to include a dog park, splash pad and what's going to be the largest playground in town.
- This week also marked the grand opening for The Lodge Bar & Grill, a restaurant at the center of the plaza managed by the Washington Pavilion. It's also connected to a warming house with skate rentals and a party room that'll be available to rent.
- The park is largely still under construction, but after a few delays, everything is on track to open late June. The goal is to even include Jacobson Plaza in part of the city's Fourth of July festivities, Recreation Manager Jackie Nelson said.
"This has the potential to be the signature park for our community," Mayor Paul TenHaken said. "It's truly something for everyone."
Show me the progress pics
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
How businesses can support growth in the Sioux Metro
This is a paid piece from the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.
Simplified: A new Corporate Partnership Program from the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance (SMGA) is giving businesses a chance to make connections across the region while also showing support for growth across the metro.
Why it matters
- SMGA has been focused on economic development in the region since the 1990s, and this year, there's a new way for businesses to show their support for that work through a new Corporate Partnership Program that launched in January.
- SMGA has always relied on its regional members including cities and counties, but now corporate partners can also buy in at various tiers to support the organization's work.
- Businesses who join as partners will not only get sponsorship opportunities, free tickets to events, opportunities to be featured on the "Growing Places" podcast, but they will also have more connectivity throughout the region – including with SMGA member communities.
"We get to know these companies better," said Tyler Tordsen, SMGA president and CEO. "They get to know us and our members better, and we get to help facilitate those connections."
Tell me more about partnership opportunities
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- That's some good ink.* Encompass Mental Health is hosting its second annual "Ink for Tomorrows" flash tattoo fundraising event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 17. Proceeds will help expand access and support individuals experiencing barriers to mental health services. Not ready for some ink? There will be plenty of fun for all with food trucks, bouncy houses, kids activities and more. Learn more here. (P.S. Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. May 1, and last year they sold out quite quickly!)
- 35 years of cleaning stuff up. The city is celebrating 35 years of the annual Project NICE/KEEP this week. The City developed the NICE (Neighborhood Improvement Complaint Easement) project to identify specific neighborhoods at risk of nuisance concerns and assist residents in addressing those concerns. A few years later, a similar project called KEEP (Keep Environmental Enhancement Permanent) was added on.
- This year, Project NICE border is within the boundaries of 26th Street to the north, 33rd Street to the south, Southeastern Avenue to the west, and Veterans Parkway to the east. And the Project KEEP border is Russell Avenue on the north, 18th Street on the south, I-29 on the west, and West Avenue on the east. Learn more here.
- Time to get your REAL ID. Starting on May 7, 2025, a state-issued driver’s license or ID that is not REAL ID compliant will no longer be accepted as a valid form of identification at airports. Not sure if your ID is "REAL"? It should have a star on it. Learn more here.
*Denotes a paid partnership.
CITY
Worried about crime in parking ramps? Don't be, police say
Simplified: Violent crime isn't happening in downtown parking ramps, and even the number of property crimes is in the single digits, according to Sioux Falls Police Department spokesman Sam Clemens.
Why it matters
- This week, the city will begin enforcing extended hours for paid parking downtown. Previously, it's been free to park on downtown streets on weekends, but now the parking meters will be in effect 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday as well.
- Parking will remain free in all downtown parking ramps on nights and weekends.
- You don't have to look too far in the comments on any article about downtown parking changes to find folks expressing concern about the safety of parking ramps.
- When you look at the data, though, it's clear that crime really isn't happening in parking ramps. Clemens looked at data in downtown ramps from Jan. 1, 2024 to this week, and he found no instances of violent crime and only a handful of instances of property crimes like vandalism or larceny.
"It's more of a perception (that ramps are unsafe)," Clemens said. "But perception isn't always based in reality. The numbers clearly show there are no problems."
Tell me more about parking changes
EVENTS
Stuff to do: April 30-May 6
- Drink wine downtown. The Downtown Sioux Falls Art & Wine Walk takes place Friday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Check out local artists, drink wine, shop local businesses, and even enjoy some live art demonstrations and street performances. Get the details here.
- Hear from school board candidates. All four Sioux Falls School Board candidates will participate in a forum held at the Instructional Planning Center at 6:30 Wednesday evening. The forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters, and you can submit questions for the candidates via email at siouxfallslwv@gmail.com.
- Support inclusivity and style. Rare by Design's fourth annual Style Show: Runway to Inspire show will take place Saturday evening at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Sioux Falls. The show will feature a variety of models with a mission of showing how representation matters in all aspects of life. Learn more and get your tickets here.
- Hit up rummage sales. The Kingswood Rummage Sale kicks off this afternoon and runs through Saturday in the west-side Sioux Falls neighborhood. Find more details here.
- Shop the goth clothing swap. Bat Haus Events is hosting an alt/goth/weirdo (their words) clothing swap at Full Circle Book Co-op starting at 2 p.m. Sunday. Entry fee is $5 or laundry soap, and any excess clothing will go to folks in need in partnership with Sioux Falls Mutual Aid and Mend It 605. More details here.
- Fling like its spring. The Bridges at 57th is hosting a Spring Fling event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Shoppers can enjoy special deals, as well as a petting zoo, a spring-themed photo booth, balloon animals and stretching demos from StretchLab. You can learn more here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
*Denotes a paid partnership.
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
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Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Empower Mental Health, Live on Stage, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
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