Happy Friday! Megan here.
First things first, this newsletter is sponsored by Owen's Outfitters.
- Owen's Outfitters is hosting its inaugural Game Night fundraiser on Sept. 19. Enjoy a night of games, prizes, and celebration while also supporting the nonprofit's medical equipment lending library. Get your tickets here.
Weather check: Storms possible over the weekend, but a cooler next week
Our annual 'A Little Help' give-back campaign kicked off this week. The goal is to help local nonprofit Bread Break raise $5,000 to support their mission to prevent food waste while feeding the hungry. Learn more about Bread Break here, and consider tossing a few bucks their way if you're able.
This week, you'll find a closer look at the city budget discussion from earlier this week. Plus, you'll meet Nena the Metro 911 dog (and on her birthday, no less!) Then catch a couple Super Simplified Stories to carry you through the weekend.
And now, news:
CITY
What was tossed out of the 2027 city budget
Simplified: The Sioux Falls City Council on Tuesday formally approved a nearly $800 million 2027 city budget, but not before several proposed amendments and a few last-minute changes. Here’s a look at what was tossed and what was kept.
Why it matters
- For both Mayor Christine Erickson and the three newly elected City Council members, this budget was largely inherited from the previous administration with little time to review and adjust. That’s in part due to the timing of the election — leaving only a matter of weeks between taking office and needing to make budget decisions.
- Not many major changes were made, but the council did increase funding for Benson Road improvements and for street outreach in the Whittier neighborhood, while opting to cut funding for new turf at the Birdcage.
- Additionally, Councilor Sara Pankonin attempted to cut $120,000 in funding for Flock cameras, automatic license plate readers used by the Sioux Falls Police Department. Her effort was defeated 7-1.
“A number of people in Sioux Falls have used their First Amendment to let us know that they do not agree with being watched,” Pankonin said. “As an elected official, I owe it to these people to bring this forward.”
Tell me more
COMMUNITY
Meet Nena, the emotional support dog behind local 911 calls
Simplified: The people who work at Metro Communications spend their days responding to the most challenging moments in our city – the car accidents, the medical emergencies, the tragedies. It's a tough job. But for the last couple years, one thing has helped make that job a little bit more palatable: a 4-year-old poodle named Nena.
Tell me more
Nena lives at the Metro Communications office in the Public Safety Training Center in northeast Sioux Falls, and since the office is open 24/7, she's always got caretakers to make sure she gets what she needs.
Her name is based on the acronym NENA, which stands for National Emergency Number Association, and while she's not officially a therapy dog, she's had a therapeutic effect on the employees at Metro, including creating a stronger sense of community, Operations Supervisor LeNora Giles said.
"We deal with a lot of technology and a lot of tragedy," Giles said. "She just lets you reconnect back with happiness, which is so fun. I knew she'd reduce stress, but (the way she) brings people together is kind of a neat surprise."
How Nena found her forever home
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
Meet the woman building villages for postpartum families
This is a paid piece from Our Postpartum Village.
Simplified: The old adage "it takes a village to raise a child," didn't ring true for Carrie Benson after she had her first child in 2019. All of a sudden she found herself as a new parent facing down a gap many parents also experience: the village wasn't there. Now, she's working to help parents build their own support systems with her business, Our Postpartum Village.
Why it matters
- Benson, who has a background in social work, decided she could do something to help families adjust to having a new baby in the house. She started working as a doula part-time in 2021, which later evolved into running her own business, Our Postpartum Village, full-time earlier this year.
- Our Postpartum Village helps families plan ahead of time what their support system will look like before the baby arrives. Benson not only helps moms, but she also looks at the entire family unit and helps them build systems to make sure everyone is cared for.
- In addition, Benson has compiled a comprehensive resource guide for families to find community resources like helplines, support groups, specialists and more. She's also working to help more women understand "matrescence" or the developmental stage of becoming a mother.
"Having a village is so much more than what someone may think," Benson said. "Our Postpartum Village is helping to change the culture of, 'I can do it all by myself,' because just because you can doesn't mean you have to – and your health is going to feel that."
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Ask the question. It's National Suicide Prevention Month, and Avera is bringing back its "Ask the Question" public service campaign. The idea is that being direct can save lives. Asking someone directly, "Are you thinking about suicide?" can help open up a conversation that leads a person to finding help. If you're in crisis, you can call or text 988 for support. Learn more about the Ask the Question campaign on Avera's website.
- Blue Ribbon schools. Two Sioux Falls-area schools were named South Dakota Blue Ribbon Schools this year: O'Gorman High School and Legacy Elementary in Tea. It's the fifth time O'Gorman has earned this designation.
- Weigh in on the Quarry. It's time to dream big about the Quarry. The city, in partnership with the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund, is hosting an event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 at the at the future site of The Quarry at The Falls, 1110 N. Weber Ave. The site will be redone thanks to a $15 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund, and the goal is to start envisioning what that future renovation could include. The event will feature family-friendly activities, and the first 500 attendees get food vouchers.
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 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.
Oh, by the way
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Special thanks to Owen's Outfitters!
Don't miss the upcoming Game Night on Sept. 19 at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance. This unique fundraiser will feature games, prizes, live music and a dessert bar. Get your tickets here.
