Happy Friday! Megan here. First things first, this issue is sponsored by White Space Studio. White Space Studio is a natural light photography studio and event space owned by local photographer and business coach Maddie Peschong. White Space opens this week in a new location in Tea, with more than 2,500 square feet of rentable space for creatives to dream, build, host and collaborate. Learn more here. P.S. White Space Studio is partnering with Sioux Falls Simplified to offer a free headshot mini-session to one lucky person who upgrades to a membership using  ..read more

Simplified: The parks board and the City Council this week got a closer look at the financials behind plans to build a new pool at Kuehn Park, an indoor recreation center at Frank Olson Park and to purchase the west-side Sanford Wellness Center. Here's what we learned. Why it matters The initial cost for the three facilities totals $77 million – an amount the council will consider approving over the next couple of weeks in the form of a bond (essentially the city's equivalent of taking out a 20-year loan). Pools aren't historically a money-maker for cities, and Sioux Falls is no exception. T ..read more

Simplified: About five months after taking over the contract to run the Sioux Area Metro, New York-based transit company Via is looking to shake things up with a new plan for new fixed routes and citywide on-demand service. Here's what you need to know about the SAM Reimagined plan. Why it matters The city has been looking at ways to improve the bus system for quite some time. In early 2023, the City Council heard a transit development plan that proposed decreasing the number of fixed routes and adding on-demand services – a strategy echoed in Via's plan, said Emily Shapiro, Sioux Falls gene ..read more

Happy Wednesday! Megan here. Weather check: The April showers didn't get the memo that it's May This week, we've got election results, a look at what a new hotel will mean for Harrisburg, a new way the county is helping folks connect with community resources (a story I teased Friday but then decided to save – oops). And of course, you'll find a number of Super Simplified Stories –  including more visuals of the proposed new pools – and your weekly roundup of events. And now, news: ELECTIONS Meet Sioux Falls' newest City Councilor Simplified: Sioux Falls' City Council lineup is complete. F ..read more

Simplified: Sioux Falls' City Council lineup is complete. Former state lawmaker and banker Richard Thomason will represent the city in the At-Large seat, rounding out four new members joining the eight-member council this year. Why it matters Thomason earned a little over 52% of the vote on Tuesday, edging out opposing candidate Jordan Deffenbaugh by a margin of about 700 votes, all told. In just the few weeks between the initial election on April 9 and the runoff, Thomason spent more than $30,000 on his campaign. That's more than Deffenbaugh spent throughout the entire campaign, according t ..read more

Simplified: Minnehaha County's Human Services department recently added four computer kiosks to give folks an easy way to connect with services, apply for apartments, and more. Why it matters The kiosks came as a result of a recent redesign of the human service department's front desk, Director Kari Benz told Sioux Falls Simplified. The four kiosks are, in part, a response to an online application process the county developed during the pandemic to make it easier to connect people with assistance. In addition to county assistance, the kiosks can be used to fill out applications for jobs, apa ..read more

Spring is in full swing! Here's a look at what's happening in Sioux Falls this week. Drink wine, see art. The downtown Art & Wine walk runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and with 33 businesses/artists participating, there's plenty of both wine and art to go around. Get the details here. Hit up the Falls Park farmers market. Farmers market season is officially back this weekend. The market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, and you can check out the vendors and plan your visit here. Recognize missing people. South Dakota Urban Indian Health is hosting a vigil on Sunday evening to ..read more

Happy Monday night! Megan here. Thought you were done with city elections? Au contraire mon frère. There's one City Council seat that remains undecided, and your vote tomorrow will help determine the next city government official. But fear not, Tuesday's election is – say it with me – simple. And I'm sending you a survival guide ahead of time so you can study up tonight. You've only got one bubble to fill on the ballot in choosing between two candidates for the At-Large City Council seat. Jordan Deffenbaugh and Richard Thomason. Want to learn more about the candidates? Keep reading for a Q ..read more

Happy Friday! Megan here. Weather check: Rainy (possibly stormy) ? Cool thing check: Need new headshots? Subscribe to be a Sioux Falls Simplified member using the lovely Maddie Peschong's special link, and you'll be entered to win a free headshot mini-session from her on May 17. (You'll also be supporting smarter, easier local news, which rocks and we love this for you!) This weekend, we're recognizing Infertility Awareness Week – you'll find the stories of several local women who have experienced infertility. You'll also find a look at a new way the county is helping folks connect with commun ..read more

Content note: This story contains discussion of infertility and miscarriage. Simplified: It's Infertility Awareness Week, and in recognition of this common, but often undiscussed experience, Sioux Falls Simplified reached out to some local women to hear their stories. Why it matters About 1 in 5 women will experience infertility – defined as an inability to get pregnant after one year of trying by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's worth noting no two infertility journeys are exactly alike. The hope, though, is in sharing some of them, it can bring greater understanding to ..read more