Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: Hot and breezy
This week, you'll get an update from the Sioux Falls School District facilities task force. Plus, County Auditor Leah Anderson weighed in on some ballot concerns – namely that folks who've been registered for a long time using a P.O. Box are getting federal only ballots instead of local ballots. And don't miss a whole bunch of events – the most important of which is VOTING ON TUESDAY! (You know I've got you covered there.)
And now, news:
EDUCATION
Why the next big school bond will be for more than Whittier
Simplified: The Sioux Falls School District has been talking about the need to replace the century-old Whittier Middle School building for years. But a recent task force convened to look at school district facilities took a much broader scope. Here's a look at where facilities task force conversations landed and what's next.
Why it matters
- The Sioux Falls School District last looked comprehensively at facilities back in 2018, at which time voters ultimately passed a $180 million bond to fund what is now Jefferson High School, Ben Reifel Middle School and Marcella LeBeau Elementary School.
- The need to replace Whittier came up in those 2018 discussions, but it ultimately wasn't funded at that time. Now, it's become a much higher priority, task force members told Sioux Falls Simplified.
- While Whittier is by far the biggest project on the list, task force members considered and ranked the priority of more than three dozen construction projects across the district. Those projects range from something as small as replacing the floor tile in the JFK Elementary bathrooms to a new, $35.8 million elementary school on the west side of town.
"One thing the district is really passionate about is equality for students and making sure they have the same access to programs," task force chair Micki Lundin said. "Even in older buildings, they've figured out how to get that equality as much as humanly possible into those buildings."
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SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
How a new program is developing regional leaders
This is a paid piece from the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.
Simplified: The Sioux Metro Growth Alliance is opening applications this week for a new personal and professional development program aimed at supporting leaders across the region. Here's what you need to know about Leadership Sioux Metro.
Why it matters
- Leadership Sioux Metro will gather folks from communities across the region to develop leadership skills, encourage collaboration and help people feel empowered to make an impact in their community.
- The leadership program will use curriculum from Think 3D. Selected applicants will meet one day a month between August and March, culminating with a graduation ceremony and celebration as part of SMGA's annual meeting.
- SMGA President and CEO Tyler Tordsen said he hopes the program serves as a way to build confidence, network and ultimately get more engaged in their community – perhaps even running for local office.
"We're just really excited about about the ripple effect a program like this can have for years into the future," Tordsen said. "It's also a talent retention opportunity for folks in our small towns, and we hope it'll instill further pride and civic service."
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TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Auditor weighs in on ballot concerns. Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson addressed the county commission Tuesday morning with an update on absentee ballots, voter turnout so far and confusion over folks who've been given "federal only" ballots (SD Searchlight has all the context on that here). Thousands of South Dakota voters have been switched from local voters to federal only voters after a change in state law essentially saying a P.O. Box or mail forwarding service doesn't count as proof of residency.
- "I am confident in my office that we are doing this properly," Anderson told the commission about her enforcement of this law.
- Commissioner Joe Kippley pushed back a bit, saying it "doesn't sound like we're applying common sense and due process" – particularly when there are people who've been registered for years who've had their registration updated without their knowledge (as evidenced in the Searchlight story linked above).
- As for voter turnout, Anderson said absentee voting started slow but has started to pick up and be on pace with previous primary elections. So far, her office has seen 2,800 absentee ballots.
- Community Foundation awards $72K in grants. The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation this week announced $72,000 in Community Fund grants to support area nonprofits including the Augustana University Research Institute, The Center for Disabilities, Downtown Sioux Falls, Foster 605, Levitt at the Falls and Teen Lead Foundation. The next cycle for Community Fund grants closes June 1 – learn more here.
EVENTS
Stuff to do: May 27-June 2
- ✅ VOTE. June 2 is Election Day in Sioux Falls, and I promise you there's more than just the governor's race on the ballot. This election will determine who leads Sioux Falls city government for the next four (or, let's be real, eight) years. So mark your calendar, make a plan, and go vote. Please. Pretty please with a cherry on top. It's so important. I worked so hard on this election guide to make it as easy as possible. No excuses. Go vote.
- Go cruisin' with the family. Hood Magazine is hosting the annual Family Fun Cruise this weekend with dozens of participating businesses. Start at the Outdoor Campus and grab a swag bag (you might recognize one of the brands featured!) And then hit as few or as many stops as you have time for – there's a wide variety of activities, bouncy houses, games, discounts, drawings and more. Find your guide to all the stops here.
- Hit up some garage sales. There's a handful of garage sales in the Cathedral neighborhood happening this weekend – details here. Plus, if you're looking for some outdoor gear, the Great Outdoor Store is also hosting a spring garage sale with gently used outdoor gear this weekend. Details here.
- 🐝All hail the queen. Remedy Brewing is bringing back Queen Bee Day – celebrating its Imperial Honey Cream Ale made with local South Dakota honey. The event will include live music, food, vendors and limited-release Queen Bee beer variants. It's all going down Saturday at Remedy. Details here.
- Do some yoga. The Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a free yoga class in the park at Lloyd Landing downtown in the Steel District. Bring your mat – no registration necessary. Details here. Can't make it this time? That's OK, they're doing it every Saturday throughout the summer.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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