Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

Weather check: Dangerously hot (Hydrate, know the signs of heat stroke, and stay safe out there, friends!)

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This week, I've got the latest on some proposed regulations on Airbnb/short-term rentals in the joint city-county jurisdiction among other Super Simplified Stories. And, in honor of back-to-school week, I've got a reminder on school bus safety as well as a look at a local neighborhood is trying to turn a green space into a park.

And now, news:

COMMUNITY

How a downtown neighborhood is looking to preserve green space

Simplified: A group of central Sioux Falls neighbors is looking to turn the site of a former elementary school into a public park in an effort to preserve green space in the city's most densely populated area.

Why it matters

  • The site at the heart of these discussions is a vacant block at Ninth Street at Grange Avenue. Formerly, it held Lincoln Elementary School, which was demolished in 2006 after nearly a decade sitting empty.
  • Neighbors already use the lot – which is owned by the Sioux Falls School District – for recreation and as a community garden, neighborhood volunteer Lura Roti said. But she and about a dozen others are working to make it officially "Lincoln Park."
  • Roti and others gathered for a neighborhood meeting Monday to circulate petitions, and they've already got the support of at least one City Council member, Councilor Greg Neitzert, who said he'd like to see the wheels in motion to make the park a reality before his time in office is up next spring.
"It's served kids for 100 years," Neitzert said of the land, citing its history as a school. "I think it'd be perfect if it could serve kids another 100 years as a park."

Tell me more

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

  • Watch out for runners this weekend. The annual Sioux Falls Marathon will take place on Sunday, and with it comes a number of street closures. Find a full list here, and be sure to plan your routes accordingly this weekend.
  • New city app coming. The city this morning is expected to roll out a new app for utility customers in which they can receive alerts and pay their bill. More details to come.
  • New way to support women in business. A new online database features Sioux Falls area businesses and services that are all women-led. Learn more about the Business Woman Sioux Falls directory here.
  • City and county can't yet agree on Airbnb rules. The City Council and Minnehaha County Commission were set to give a final vote on Tuesday on the criteria needed to have an Airbnb/short-term rental in the areas on the edge of town that fall into the joint jurisdiction of both the city and county. There was about an hour of public input, and ultimately the council and commission opted to send it back to the planning commission with an amendment from Councilor Greg Neitzert.

EDUCATION

School bus safety, simplified

Simplified: Sioux Falls kids head back to school this week, which means more pedestrians, more kids on bikes and, of course, more school buses. Here's what you need to know about the rules of the road and how to stay safe during back-to-school season.

Schools Out
Photo by Austin Pacheco / Unsplash

Why it matters

  • Tens of thousands of kids head back to school this week, and many of them rely on buses, walking or biking to get there.
  • It's important for motorists to know the rules of the road when it comes to bus safety, especially, not only because it'll save you a ticket, but also because it'll help keeps kids safe.
"We have not really had any big issues with cars and kids, thankfully," Sioux Falls police spokesman Sam Clemens said. "But we want to keep it that way."

Here's your reminder on school bus rules

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

ICYMI

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Reach out

What story do you want to see simplified? Falling for something local? Send any news tips, attaboys, missed typos or the classic back-to-school photos of your kids to megan@sfsimplified.com.

Thank you

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