Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Too warm for sweaters
This week, you'll find a lot of opportunities for civic engagement, i.e. shaping Sioux Falls' future. Don't miss a cool new quiz that you can use to help you figure out where to start. Plus, it's spooky season, and we've got some Super Simplified Stories to take you into the weekend.
And now, news:
CITY
This committee is one to watch if you want to see change in city government
Simplified: The Charter Revision Commission – a group tasked with recommending changes to Sioux Falls' governing document – is set to start meeting regularly over the next few months. Here's what you need to know.
Why it matters
- The city charter was established as Sioux Falls' primary governing document in 1994 when the city adopted its current strong-mayor form of government.
- Any changes to the charter have to be approved by voters, but before anything gets to the ballot, it has to go through one of three processes: referendum by voters, City Council ordinance or through the recommendation of the Charter Revision Commission (which also ultimately requires City Council approval).
- The five-member Charter Revision Commission met this week to outline its meeting schedule for the next few months. Commissioner Carl Zylstra proposed taking a page out of the Lincoln County Commission's playbook and moving some meetings to the evening to be more accessible, but that was dismissed pretty quickly.
"I can't imagine an employer in this town wouldn't say yes to that," City Attorney Dave Pfeifle said in response to concerns about people needing to get off work to attend Charter Revision Commission meetings.
Tell me more
COMMUNITY
Looking to get more involved? This quiz can help you get started
Simplified: A new resource from Sioux Falls Simplified makes it easy to find ways to get involved in local government that align with your interests and skills. Here's what you need to know about our new "It's cool to care about civics" quiz.
Why it matters
- It's one thing to know that it's good to be engaged in what local government is doing, but it's another thing entirely to know how to do that – especially when there are dozens of city boards and commissions, each with a distinct focus area.
- This quiz sorts all of those boards into five general categories, and from there you can see recommendations for local boards or commissions to follow based on your interests.
Tell me more (and take me to the quiz)
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
Celebrate spooky season with your favorite animals at ZooBoo
This is a paid piece from Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium.
Simplified: The Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium is bringing back its annual ZooBoo event with some "spooktacular" fun for all ages and a new option for exclusive early access to all of the festivities.
Why it matters
- ZooBoo gives guests a rare opportunity to experience the Great Plains Zoo in the evening and see the animals outside of regular hours. The two-day event will run 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
- For the first time this year, guests can also purchase VIP Early Access tickets to be the first in line for trick-or-treating on Friday evening. Additionally, families who want a more calm, quiet experience can come during Sensory Hour from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.
- In addition to the trick-or-treating fun, ZooBoo will include a DJ in the plaza, characters from Simply Ever After, a chance to learn the "Thriller" zombie dance and an SD Aerial fire show.
"This year's event really gives families a chance to experience ZooBoo in whatever way works best for them," said Denise DePaolo, director of PR and marketing. "You can get early VIP access to avoid long lines, come during our sensory friendly hour, or time your visit so you catch the entertainment partners you most want to see."
Tell me more about the event
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Run for your life.* Ok, the stakes aren't that high, but the Sioux Falls Family YMCA's upcoming Spook & Sprint is sure to get your heart pumping. You can dash through the trees at Camp Leif Ericson on a 5K run while terrifying creatures from Terror 29 chase you, or, if you prefer a spooky stroll at a slower pace, you can also try the one-mile walk – but you still might be followed. All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Learn more and get tickets here.
- 200 homes. On Friday, Oct. 3, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls will celebrate the dedication of its 200th home in 35 years. Habitat's first home was rehabbed and sold to a single mom in 1991 for just under $30,000. Now, Habitat builds and rehabs around 10 homes per year to sell to buyers in the nonprofit's homeownership program.
- “It’s amazing to know that 200 families have a safe, stable place to call home because of our ministry,” Executive Director Rocky Welker said. "We’re grateful to the people who saw a need for affordable housing in our community all those years ago and to everyone who has come after to volunteer, donate and advocate for our mission.”
- A+ parks. Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation has received a perfects core from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. The park system was first accredited in 2010, got its first perfect score in 2020 and continued that streak this year.
- Tracking city housing metrics. The City of Sioux Falls this week unveiled a new dashboard to share what the city is doing to support housing – from single-family rehab projects to subsidized units. The site also tracks total building permits, and you can search on a neighborhood level to see what kind of projects are happening near you. See the dashboard here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
*Denotes a paid partnership
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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