Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

Weather check: Storms possible – keep an eye on the forecast

This week, we might actually learn who the next mayor will be. Maybe. Probably? I don't want to get ahead of myself. But, what we do know for sure is that there'll be big changes to downtown after the city scored a $15 million grant. Plus, don't miss a whole bunch of Super Simplified stories and events happening this week.

And now, news:

2026 CITY ELECTION

It's recount day. Here's what we know so far.

Simplified: It's recount day! It feels like that scene in "Frozen" where the princess wakes up and is like "It's coronation day" and then sings a whole song about how it feels like it's felt like forever for the day to come. Anyway, here's what we know about the mayoral recount.

Why it matters

  • Sioux Falls mayoral candidate Christine Erickson led the June 23 run-off election by two votes over candidate Jamie Smith – leaving it too close to call with an inevitable recount.
  • Now, the recount day is here. Both Erickson and Smith have identified attorneys to be on the recount board – Justin Smith for Erickson and Matthew Tysdal for Smith – and the two have agreed upon the third member, retired circuit judge Rodney Steele.
  • The recount board is set to meet at 9 a.m. today in the Minnehaha County Commission room on the third floor of the county admin building. There, they'll re-count the votes, discuss any provisional ballots, ballots that were thrown out, over votes, under votes, and, hopefully, at the end of the day, figure out who the next mayor will be.
"Once the board convenes in the morning at 9 a.m., it’s pretty much their show," City Clerk Jermery Washington said. "We’re not sure how it will go or how long it’ll take."

Tell me more

CITY

How a $15 million grant will fund a new downtown destination

Simplified: A $15 million donation from the Bezos Earth Fund will help the city revitalize a quarry east of Falls Park into a new destination downtown. Here's what we know so far.

Why it matters

  • Mayor Paul TenHaken announced the donation Tuesday morning in front of the water-filled quarry on the east side of Weber Avenue just south of where East Falls Park Drive turns into East Stockyards Place.
  • Sioux Falls is one of eight communities to receive money in this round of grant funding from the Bezos Earth Fund, a global effort to invest in projects that help restore the natural world. TenHaken told Sioux Falls Simplified folks working with the fund proactively reached out to the city and encouraged them to apply for funding.
  • The grant announcement is a final victory for TenHaken, whose term was set to end next week (pending the resolution of the mayoral election recount). During the eight years of TenHaken's term, the city's park system saw more than $90 million in private investments.
"We can transform this blank canvas into a beautiful green space," TenHaken said. "This project simply would not happen without (the Bezos Earth Fund's) investment."

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SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS

How Wayne & Mary's is helping kids get ready for school

This is a paid piece from Wayne & Mary's Nutrition Center.

Simplified: Donating school supplies can help you save money on supporting your own children's nutrition. Throughout the month of July, Wayne & Mary's Nutrition Center is offering a 10% discount to customers who bring in school supplies to donate.

Why it matters

  • It's the third year in a row that Wayne & Mary's Nutrition Center is running a school supply drive for Project SOS, an annual effort to collect school supply and backpack donations for Sioux Falls kids in need.
  • The annual drive is a way to give back to the community and support kids' wellbeing by making sure they have what they need to be successful in school.
  • Wayne & Mary's also offers a wide variety of products to help support kids wellbeing in their physical and mental health – including products to support immunity, brain development, and well-rounded nutrition overall.
"Kids' health sets them for success for the future, and this school supply drive is one small way to help support families in need in the community," Co-owner Andrew Reinartz said.

Tell me more about supplements and nutrition for kids

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

  • Minnehaha County approves opt out. But don't worry, it won't increase your property taxes next year. The county commission voted Tuesday morning to authorize a $2.4 million opt out, but Susan Beaman, the county's finance and budget officer, said the plan is to not levy the opt out in 2027 and hopefully delay it as long as possible.
    • "The hope is to not need it," Beaman said. "But with how public safety and justice needs have grown in very recent years, we know from a reality perspective that we need to be prepared."
  • A big groundbreaking. Christensen Development is breaking ground on a 60,000 square foot office building near 8th and Railroad. Jodi Schwan with SiouxFalls.Business has the details and the history of the development here.
  • Pet licensing just got easier. You can now get a pet license online, thanks to a new program the city is rolling out this week called DocuPet. Licensing your pet is required by city ordinance, and you can pay $5 for a one-year license or $15 for a three-year license (unless your pet isn't spayed or neutered, then the fees jump to $25 and $75, respectively). You can learn more and get your pet license here: siouxfallspd.docupet.com.

More Super Simplified Stories

  • Mourning a loss. City Councilor David Barranco died Monday morning peacefully and surrounded by his family after a battle with cancer, according to a news release from the city. Barranco was elected to the council in 2022 and represented the southeast district. He is survived by his wife, Catherine, and two sons, Christopher, age 14 and William, age 11.
    • More than his work on the council, Barranco will be remembered for how much he loved his boys and his wife, Mayor Paul TenHaken said.
    • "He absolutely loved his boys," TenHaken said. "He was a great dad, a great husband – that's what I'm going to remember about him."
    • Catherine Barranco had previously announced that she'd step in and continue David's work in running for state auditor.
      • A quick personal note: It's hard to be a writer in a time when words don't ever quite do justice to the situation, but what I do have is a very sweet memory of the time David took more than an hour to sit with me, answer a whole bunch of questions about his council campaign and then, later, when his wife Catherine brought cookies for me and the girls because she heard I had little kids. They're just good people – plain and simple, and I'm certain David will be missed by many.

EVENTS

Stuff to do: July 8-14

  • Check some Shakespeare in the park. Bare Bodkins is back again, bringing a show that should be on everyone's summer bucket list. You can see a free, live performance of "Julius Caesar" Thursday through Sunday in the Queen Bee Mill ruins at Falls Park. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy. Details here.
  • Chill out at Lallycooler. The Lallycooler Music Festival is back for its second year this weekend – bringing a whole bunch of live music to the Birdcage including headliners Darius Rucker and Jason Derulo. It promises to be the coolest thing you'll do this summer. Details and tickets here.
  • Check out the hydrant party. Need a more affordable way to cool off than a music festival? The Sioux Falls parks department has you covered with a free hydrant party Thursday afternoon at Morningside Park. Plus, in addition to splashing around, other city departments will swing by including Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, SFPD and Siouxland Libraries. Details here.
  • Hang out at the bandshell. There are a couple of recurring events all summer long at the McKennan Park Bandhsell including live music during Mondays at McKennan (full lineup here) and kid-friendly theater productions with the Storyland Children's Theatre (full lineup here).
  • Paint your pet. Local artist Alex Lunstra will guide folks through a pet portrait class at Mosaic on Tuesday evening. Your registration fee includes a pre-drawn outline of your pet and supplies to paint your own pet portrait. Details and registration here.
  • Sing like no one's listening. Good NAtured is officially open in its new location on West 10th Street, and they're bringing the party with karaoke on Tuesday night. Details here.

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

ICYMI

More Simplified Stories

What’s in Mayor TenHaken’s final, $1.1B five-year capital spending plan
Mayor Paul TenHaken last week unveiled a $1.1 billion five-year capital spending plan for the city. It’s the fourth year in a row the proposed capital plan has exceeded $1 billion in investments. Here’s a closer look at what’s included.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
Simplified: Slower downtown traffic and still no recount
Your TL;DR headlines this week.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
FAQ: What we know about the mayoral election recount process
It’s historic any way you slice it. In an election with more than 36,000 votes, only two separated the two mayoral candidates, Christine Erickson and Jamie Smith, Tuesday night. So, what happens next?
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa

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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.

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