Happy Friday! Megan here.
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This weekend, you'll get a closer look at the citywide survey results – including noteworthy changes from previous surveys. You'll also meet the man behind Sioux Falls' curated Christmas lights route, learn the most popular baby names and get a peek at the new Pomegranate Market downtown.
And now, news:
CITY
Survey: Sioux Fallsians feel less welcome, less respect for diversity
Simplified: Sioux Falls residents say they overall feel less welcome, less sense of community and that the city is doing less to value diversity and vulnerable populations. That's the results from the 2025 National Community Survey (NCS), which were released and shared with City Council on Tuesday afternoon.
Why it matters
- The city conducts the National Community Survey every two years as a way to assess resident’s opinions about their community and local government, Budget Analyst Jody Moss told councilors earlier this week.
- The 2025 results showed several significant decreases in public opinion about how the city values diversity, public health, childcare, and taking care of vulnerable residents.
- It's not all bad news. Most residents feel Sioux Falls is a good place to live overall and a place they'd recommend for people looking to move. But the survey shows several areas where folks feel the city has room to improve, and councilors now have that data to inform decision-making.
"This data is for you guys to utilize," Moss told councilors. "It’s supposed to guide you on where you think the priorities should be. That's your decision because you’re representing the people."
Tell me more
COMMUNITY
Meet the man mapping Sioux Falls' holiday lights
Simplified: Josh Hayes has a knack for logistics – something that's helpful during his day job as an instructional designer in the healthcare sector. But it also comes in handy during the holidays when he creates an annual, optimized route of Christmas light displays across Sioux Falls.
Tell me more
The idea first came to Hayes in 2019, after he and his wife spent hours driving around trying to find the best light displays around town. After a couple hours driving with little success, they were feeling disappointed, Hayes said.
Then, in 2020, the couple welcomed their first daughter in November, and during one of many late-night feeding sessions, Hayes had an idea.
"Something that came to my mind was of that past year and how there was a need – there was a gap for an official Christmas light map or an optimized route," he said. "That operations side of my brain started spinning."
Hayes compiled a list of all of the lights displays around town that he knew about, including finding some on social media, and he created a map not knowing he was also creating a new tradition.
- Hayes shared the map on Facebook, and within hours it was starting to take off, getting shared by friends across town.
How has it grown?
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
How Panther built a company culture of trust, gratitude
This is a paid piece from Panther Premier Print Solutions.
Simplified: Lisa Sweeter's been interested in the print industry since she was a little kid making homemade greeting cards. And while she enjoys the work she does as a graphics specialist at Panther, what's really kept her there for 39 years now is the people.
"I can go to anybody about anything," Sweeter said. "It's just a very positive work environment."
Why it matters
- In a job market where folks often leave jobs within five or six years, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, Panther's staff has an average tenure of 15 years – and that's no accident. The company's commitment to putting people first starts with a foundation of trust, gratitude and open lines of communication, said Aaron Wimmer, vice president of operations and strategy.
- That company culture was a huge draw for Logan Forrester, one of Panther's newest employees who started earlier this fall as a bindery operator. He said even as he's still learning – and making mistakes along the way – he's felt supported and able to take accountability because at the end of the day, it's about working as a team to ensure the products are right for the customer.
- Panther's positive work environment doesn't mean everything always goes perfectly, Wimmer noted. Rather, it's about being willing to have tough conversations when needed, and then move past any challenges to find solutions. And that all starts with trust.
"We trust our employees with the projects that we give them and with the challenges that we give them," Wimmer said. "And I hope they feel the trust in the company that they're taken care of, respected and celebrated."
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Congrats on baby Liam/Lainey/Emma. Sanford and Avera both released the most popular baby names of 2025 this week. At Sanford, the top boy names (in order) were Liam, Oliver, Theodore, Leo and in an four-way tie for fifth place were William/Noah/Jack/James. For girls, the top five were Emma, Lainey (tied with Charlotte), Ella and Ellie. At Avera, the top girl names were Lainey, Evelyn, Amelia, Eleanor and Emma. Top boy names at Avera were Liam, Noah, Henry, Hudson and Cooper.
- The month with the most births for both hospitals was July. Sanford saw 9,000 births, and Avera saw just over 6,200.
- A new downtown grocery store. Pomegranate Market will open its downtown location at Cherapa Place today. This locally owned organic grocery store's new spot will feature an urban, wellness-focused vibe including a bistro with hot and cold meal options, the Groove Wellness Bar featuring fresh juices, clean sodas and locally sourced coffee, and a curated grocery selection emphasizing organic produce and fresh, local goods. Here's a little sneak peek:
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
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, SafeSplash Swim School, Dakota State University, Redmond Prime Cuts, 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.
Oh, by the way
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