Your weekend, simplified: July 18, 2025

Happy Friday! Megan here.

Weather check: More storms on the way

Status check: I had the privilege of attending the Sioux Falls Stage awards last night for the second year in a row, and I was absolutely blown away by the level of talent in our community, the joy in the room and the relentless support for the arts that make Sioux Falls cool. On behalf of Sioux Falls Simplified (and myself as a former theater kid), congratulations to all of the winners and nominees! It's truly the Tonys of Sioux Falls, and if you have a chance to go next year – don't miss it.

This week, I'll keep it fairly short and sweet in the interest of preserving all of your energy for soaking up summer fun before we all have to go buy school supplies again. That said, don't miss an important look at Mayor Paul TenHaken's proposed budget cuts and what that'll mean for city services. Plus, learn how you can have your story forever preserved through StoryCorps.

And now, news:

CITY

You'll probably notice proposed cuts to city services – that's no accident

Simplified: A visibly frustrated Mayor Paul TenHaken on Thursday detailed his plans to close pools early, shorten library hours, slow down snow plowing, give less to local nonprofits, close outdoor ice rinks and close school-based community health clinics. It's all part of a strategy to let the community know the true cost of property tax cuts.

Why it matters

TenHaken's proposed budget cuts are a direct reaction to state lawmakers' decision to cap the property tax growth local cities, counties and schools can experience.
- Essentially, this means that while some property owners won't experience their taxes going up as quickly as they have been, it also limits the city's ability to collect enough in taxes to support the growing population in the coming years.
The impacts of those changes start with a proposed $6 million in cuts in the 2026 budget. For context, the overall city budget is over $770 million – but the segment affected by property taxes (and where the cuts must come from) is a much smaller piece of the pie. The city estimated about $91 million in property tax revenue this year, per budget documents.
TenHaken told Sioux Falls Simplified that the cuts are strategically aimed at impacting the average citizen. He said if he just "lays off people behind the scenes," no one will notice, and it won't mean anything. But if someone who's used to going to the story hour at the library at 9 a.m. doesn't get to do that anymore, they'll notice and ultimately call the mayor to complain.
- And TenHaken said he'll encourage them to then call their state lawmakers and ask them for changes to property tax laws.

"You have to make it real for people," TenHaken said. "That's why people have to take notice ... That is part of the strategy – that the community needs to know this is not a city decision."

Tell me more about the proposed cuts

COMMUNITY

How to preserve your story for generations to come

Simplified: The world's largest oral history project is making a stop in Sioux Falls this month to capture local stories that'll ultimately be preserved in the Library of Congress. Here's how you can be a part of it.

Tell me more

StoryCorps is a nonprofit committed to the idea that everyone has a story to tell, and this month they're in Sioux Falls in partnership with South Dakota Public Broadcasting through Aug. 7.

So far, StoryCorps has recorded more than 600,000 stories, and this summer they're touring the Midwest.

The hope is to capture as many everyday stories of people who live in Sioux Falls as possible.

"We're not looking for anything magnanimous," StoryCorps' Kiplyn Primus said. "We would love to have those little slices of life. We tell everyone, you have a story, and you never know who your story might help."

How does it work?

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

A zoo master plan. City Councilors this week got a fresh look at the long-range plan for the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, including an homage to the former Delbridge Museum of Natural History. Pigeon605 has the full story.
A chance for a new career. Sanford Health is offering an open house event next week (and a potential $15,000 scholarship to Southeast Tech) to encourage folks to consider a career as a medical assistant. The open house will take place starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Sanford Imagenetics facility on 22nd Street. Learn more here.

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

ICYMI

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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.

Oh, by the way

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