Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: An absolute gift after the humidity/heat/rain
🎉 A very cool thing: Summer fellow extraordinaire Makayla has completed a major project she's been working on to make it easy for you to not only understand the forces that shape Sioux Falls but also to feel empowered to shape it yourself. It's all about civic engagement, baby! And we'll have it in your inbox Tuesday morning.
- Psssst: Want a sneak peek? Stop by the Sioux Falls Simplified table at the downtown Art & Wine Walk this evening. Also, be very nice to Makayla – she's holding down the fort while I'm writing to you from a gorgeous vacation rental in Wisconsin overlooking the Mississippi River.
This week, it'll be short and sweet because there isn't much summer left, and we all need to spend more time eating ice cream or being near a body of water and less time reading emails. That said, I do have a look at some planned upgrades for the Oak View library and find some very important reporting from our friends at South Dakota Searchlight.
And now, news:
CITY
Get a look at planned updates for Siouxland Libraries' Oak View Branch
Simplified: A library on the northeast side of Sioux Falls is getting a glow up this summer – including a fenced-in outdoor patio space. Here's what you need to know about renovations at the Siouxland Libraries' Oak View Branch.
Why it matters
- The Oak View Branch was initially built 20 years ago, and Director Alysia Boysen said the renovations and updates are all about modernizing the branch and improving the experience of folks who come to visit.
- Changes include renovations to the front entrance, including sidewalk and driveway improvements. These renovations also create an opportunity for landscaping around a new neighborhood sculpture coordinated by the Oak View Neighborhood Association.
- The changes will also mean the branch will close starting Monday, Aug. 18, and it'll likely be closed throughout the fall. The city anticipates Oak View will reopen in late December, which means regular visitors will have to find a different branch to go to for the next several months.
"We appreciate everyone’s patience during the temporary closure, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to a refreshed and revitalized library that will truly enrich the lives of our guests,” Boysen said in a news release.
Tell me more about the changes
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories.
- Voter registration lists share personal info for thousands of South Dakotans. A new state law requires the state to publish voter registration data – but, as our friend Makenzie Huber at South Dakota Searchlight discovered this week, that's not all that was published.
- The voter list also shared where people registered to vote, which (inadvertently, according to several sources,) tied their personal information to the fact that they'd applied for public assistance like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF), or the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. The ACLU says this could open the state up to lawsuits. Get the full story here.
- Terror on the trails.* Ok, admittedly we're a few months out from spooky season, but it's the perfect time to snag an early bird deal on the new Spook & Sprint event at Camp Leif Ericson. Participate in a fright-filled 5K fun run and one-mile haunted walk through the eerie trails of the camp brought to life with spine-tingling help from Terror 29 out of Brandon. Then, you can unwind with some not-at-all-spooky s'mores by the fire. Tickets go on sale today (Friday, Aug. 1), and you can save up to 50% off the price of admission by buying early. Learn more and register here.
- Preserving African American history. An Augustana University professor received a $61,000 grant from the National Parks Service to help preserve African American Heritage Sites in Sioux Falls.
- “Of the thousands of properties on the National Register in South Dakota, only six are directly associated with the Black experience,” said Zach Van Harris Jr., director of the South Dakota African American History Museum, who will help Dr. Will Wright from Augie in overseeing the funds. “This collaboration goes a long way in preserving the contributions of African Americans across our great state.”
More Super Simplified Stories
- Longer hours for branch drop-off. After seeing how many folks are taking advantage of free branch drop-off sites, the city has decided to extend the hours the drop-off sites will be open. You can now drop stuff off from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. any day of the week through Aug. 11. Then, the city will evaluate if the extended hours are still needed, but regardless the two drop-off sites will be open through Aug. 17.
- You can drop off trees and branches at either 1015 E. Chambers St. or at 200 Lyon Blvd. Only trees and branches will be accepted at the drop sites; no root balls or bags of leaves will be accepted.
- Also worth noting: The city crews are only cleaning up trees/branches that fall within the public right-of-way (i.e. streets, boulevards). Trees or limbs that fall on private property become your problem. The city wants to remind folks it is not responsible for picking up trees or limbs that fall on private property and are piled in the public right-of-way by property owners.
- Major Props.* A fresh face in Sioux Falls property management, Props, celebrated its grand opening this week, though the company's been operating in town since Jan. 1. With a portfolio that includes nine townhome communities and approximately 1,200 units across the Sioux Falls area, Props is redefining property management through a family-friendly, people-first approach. The company is built on the values of connection, integrity, and community, offering a more personalized and thoughtful experience for both residents and property owners. Here's a look at their team:
*Denotes a paid partnership.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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