Happy Friday! Megan here.

First things first: This issue is brought to you by Hey, Carl!

  • Brand designer Carly Kewley helps business owners with their brand, website and design elements. Fun fact: She recently did a VIP Day with Sioux Falls Simplified, so when you see some fun new graphics on our social media posts, you'll have Carly to thank! Learn more here about how you can refresh your brand and learn to just have fun with it.

Weather check: Breezy and mild

A special note: My grandpa Leo is turning 80 this weekend!! He's the best grandpa, has been a lifelong support system, and he's always got a joke ready to share. Happy birthday, grandpa! Love you!

This weekend, if you've been hearing more about functional medicine, you're not alone. I chatted with some local providers about the increasing demand they're seeing for a more holistic look at healthcare. Plus, you'll find a story about how the Sioux Falls Canaries are looking to bring more than just baseball to the Birdcage. And don't miss some Super Simplified Stories – including the multi-million dollar burger battle impact.

And now, news:

COMMUNITY

How the Canaries are working to bring more than baseball to the Birdcage

Simplified: From yoga on the field to corporate events to an early aughts punk festival, there's a lot more going on at the Birdcage than just baseball. It's all part of a concerted effort to create more energy around Sioux Falls Stadium.

Photo courtesy of sfcanaries.com

Why it matters

  • The Canaries team was sold to new ownership in 2021, and President Brian Jamros took the helm in August 2022. Now, with his first full season under his belt, Jamros said he's ready to start thinking bigger than baseball.
  • Though the Birdcage was originally built in the 1960s, new ownership group True North Sports has made several upgrades to the facility including a new scoreboard, artificial turf and new seating behind home plate. That's paying off already, with attendance at games up 25% for the 2023 season.
  • And while a move to downtown appears to be off the table with this week's announcement of a vision to bring a convention center rather than a sports stadium to the Riverline District, Jamros and his team have been working to make connections with event promoters and
  • Jamros and his team have also been working over the last year to make connections with event promoters and see what other offerings they can bring to Sioux Falls. It's all about creating a vibe that makes people want to keep coming back.
"We tell our staff every day, we don't know who's coming to the stadium for the first time," Jamros said. "And we want it to be almost that 'Disney mentality' – unforgettable in a positive way."

Tell me more

HEALTH

Simplified: More Sioux Falls women are looking for a holistic approach to medicine and wellness, and with that, functional medicine providers are seeing an increasing demand for their services.

black and gray stethoscope
Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography / Unsplash

Why it matters

  • "Functional medicine" casts a pretty broad net, but at its core, it's about a patient-centered approach to healthcare, said Sanford acupuncturist Blake Blowers.
  • For Melissa Bunkers, a certified nurse practitioner and owner of Revive Functional Medicine, it's also about digging in to a patient's lifestyle and looking at physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual wellbeing.
  • Providers say they're seeing an increase in demand – specifically among women – who are looking to better understand their hormones, nutrition and lifestyle and how they interact with their overall wellness.
"I think women really want to understand what's going on and know what they can do about it instead of just taking a pill," Bunkers said.

How does functional medicine work?

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

  • Big money on burgers. Downtown Sioux Falls estimated the economic impact of the 2024 Burger Battle at $2.9 million. Nearly 23,000 people voted for the best burger, and a total of 26 people tasted and rated all 37 burger entries. To those people, I ask, how are you feeling after all of that?
  • Tuthill Park construction begins. The city is starting some construction work at Tuthill Park on Monday to build a combined restroom and maintenance building at Upper Tuthill Park and removing the existing restroom and maintenance buildings. The sledding hill will be closed for the rest of the season as a result.
  • Meet the grand marshal. Denise Ferrie will be the grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade this year. The parade will start at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, and the festivities begin even earlier with the annual painting of the shamrock at 11 a.m. in front of First National Bank on Phillips Avenue.
  • Sanford opens new clinic. The new clinic at Madison St. and Veterans Parkway opened this week. It's also got an attached Lewis Pharmacy. The Sanford Health 3D mammography mobile truck will be parked at the new clinic routinely, providing convenient access to 3D mammograms for patients.
  • Levitt announces new summer camps. Send your kids to a music-focused summer camp with new options from Levitt at the Falls including a hip-hop camp, a Latin camp and a songwriting camp all at Augustana University. Details here.

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this weekend:

ICYMI

More Simplified Stories

How a ‘no wrong door’ approach will bolster the county’s system of support
Minnehaha County has a new, full-time position focused on connecting various resources within the community.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
City reveals vision for new convention center in Riverline District
Mayor Paul TenHaken on Monday announced a “2050 vision” for what the city is calling the Riverline District east of downtown.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa
This scholarship honors business leaders who died and supports future ones
The Spirit of Sioux Falls Scholarship helps college and technical school students who are pursuing a degree in business, and its history is rooted in the important role the Sioux Falls Development Foundation has played in the region’s economic development.
Sioux Falls SimplifiedMegan Raposa

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What story do you want to see simplified? Falling for something local? Send any news tips, attaboys, missed typos or a few extra hours of sleep to megan@sfsimplified.com.

Thank you

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