Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: Dangerously hot (and insufferably humid)
This week, you'll find a deep dive on school supplies, including cost comparisons and tips for shopping that aligns with whatever your goals/values are. You'll also learn more about the upcoming ADA Festival, which recognizes 35 years of the legislation that prohibited discrimination on the basis of disabilities. Plus, don't miss a bunch of local events happening this week.
And now, news:
COMMUNITY
Your simplified guide to school supply shopping
Simplified: Look, there's still plenty of summer fun to be had, but it's also the time of year where the "back to school" sections start popping up in stores. So, whether you're looking to score the best deal, support local businesses or find environmentally sustainable school supplies, Sioux Falls Simplified did the research so you don't have to.
Tell me more
In past years, our back-to-school shopping stories have focused on where to find the best deals.
- This year, the goal is to provide not only the best deals but the best school supply option for you and your unique situation, needs and values.
The methodology for this reporting included walking around various stores in Sioux Falls and tracking prices in a spreadsheet – as well as a good deal of good ol' fashioned Googling to find other options.
- For the supply list, I looked at a few third-grade lists in the Sioux Falls School District and added a few common supply items like loose-leaf paper, colored pencils and different types of notebooks.
First off, where do I find my kids' school supply list?
I've got you, don't worry.
COMMUNITY
How Sioux Falls is celebrating 35 years of disability rights
Simplified: This Saturday marks the 35th anniversary of when the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. To recognize this milestone, the city, the Levitt and the ADA Sioux Falls Committee are teaming up for a celebration for the whole community. Here's what you need to know about the ADA Festival.
Why it matters
- This year's celebration recognizes how far society has come in making accommodations, but it also comes at a time when that progress is at risk of moving backwards in the face of things like pending cuts to Medicaid and the removal of federal guidelines related to ADA accommodations.
- Festival Co-Chair Tana Zwart said people don't always realize how ADA benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities. She shares the examples of curb cutouts, elevators, ramps, audiobooks, and even things like modern vegetable peelers, which were invented to help folks with arthritis or limited hand mobility.
- This anniversary is particularly important, too, because there's an entire generation of people who've grown up only knowing what life is like under ADA, said Jamie Reindl, who coordinates the Lifescape Center for the Arts.
"I think it's important to tell the story of what came before and the struggles that people endured – to recognize how that was not OK," Reindl said. "(It's also important to recognize) the growth that we’ve made and really focus on the growth that is yet to come."
Tell me more about the festival
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Chill at the hill.* Great Bear Ski Valley's next "Chill at the Hill" event series is happening next week. This family-friendly event will bring in a food truck and live music, and the bar will be open serving drinks for folks to enjoy as they take in the beautiful views. The fun kicks off at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 30 with the 605 BBQ food truck and music from Todd Casilli. You can find a full lineup here.
- Focus on re-entry, not just a new prison. A Safer Sioux Falls forum Tuesday morning featured several city and state leaders discussing the impact of a proposed $650 million prison in Sioux Falls, and the conversation featured not so much a debate about if the prison should be here, but rather a push for the state to invest more in re-entry and helping folks transition from incarceration back to the community. Makenzie Huber with South Dakota Searchlight has the full write-up on Tuesday's discussion here.
- Apply for a sustainable improvement grant. Local nonprofit Building Sustainable Connections announced this week that they've opened applications for grants of up to $300 for businesses to spend improving energy conservation, community impact, waste reduction, pollution, and water quality. Find more details and an application here.
*Denotes a paid partnership
EVENTS
Stuff to do: July 23-29
- Farewell to Headlights. Headlights Theater announced it'll be closing this year, but not before going out with a big ol' party. The final show will take place Friday night starting at 8 p.m. You can see a wide variety of local performers including Juke the Tiger, S.D. Aerial & Arts, the Good Night Theatre Collective and professional dancers from New York and Sioux Falls. Get the details here.
- Check out some art. The last Falls Art Market of the summer is happening Saturday just east of the Levitt. You can get a bronzed thumb print (or paw print of your four-legged friend) from BronzeAge Art Casting, support local artists, find fun activities and even swing by and say hi to us at the Sioux Falls Simplified booth. :) More details here.
- Pick some flowers. The flowers are in bloom, and you-pick flower season is underway. You can pick your own bouquets Friday evening in Garretson at Two Little Bees Family Farm and again at Lavender Lane on Sunday.
- Play bingo and eat pizza. Good Earth Farm is hosting a Bingo & Pizza night Wednesday night in which all proceeds benefit the farm's animal sanctuary. Pizza is a flat rate for buffet style, and bingo is $20. You can also build your own bouquet of zinnias from the you-pick patch. Reservations required – learn more here.
- Catch some live music. Good Earth State Park's summer concert series wraps up this weekend with musician Marty Dewitt starting at 4 p.m. Sunday. You can also see the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, which will be out at the park that afternoon. More details here.
- Have some beer. Remedy Brewing is celebrating eight years in business this weekend with a "Totally Rad Backyard Bash" on Saturday. Swing by for live music, food specials, games and, of course, beer. Details here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
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Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, Great Bear Ski Valley, 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, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.
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