Your week, simplified: July 31, 2024

Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

Weather check: Might get stormy

This week, you'll find the latest installment in the ongoing childcare crisis in Sioux Falls. Plus, you'll meet a Sioux Falls-based company that's helping businesses and four-legged friends. And though school starts soon, there are still a few weeks to soak up all the summer fun, so you'll find a jam-packed event guide this week.

And now, news:

COMMUNITY

LSS no longer offering childcare to young kids

Simplified: Nearly 60 infants, toddlers and preschoolers are losing their childcare center in a couple weeks. Lutheran Social Services announced Monday they’ll be discontinuing childcare services at all locations — though their after-school services are unaffected.

Why it matters

• This is the latest casualty in the ongoing childcare crisis in Sioux Falls. Last fall, Apple Tree announced that it was closing, and scores of in-home daycares have closed in the last decade. LSS will no longer provide care to infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children starting August 16. 
  • This will affect 57 kids and a total of 43 families.
• LSS cited “financial sustainability challenges” as the reason for the closure. In a statement, LSS President and CEO Rebecca Kiesow-Knudsen said pandemic relief funds helped keep the program afloat in recent years, but as those funds expire, LSS can no longer afford to keep sustaining childcare for young children. 
  • Kiesow-Knudsen declined an interview request to discuss this decision further.
• It’s well documented that childcare businesses in the city have a difficult — if not impossible — task in trying to balance providing childcare that’s affordable to families while also paying providers enough to be competitive in the workforce. Sioux Falls Thrive conducted a months-long, in-depth study last year looking at the complexities of childcare and possible solutions. 
  • Since those study results were presented last summer, though, neither the business community nor the city have made meaningful investments in solutions.

"We don't support our families, and as a society, we'll pay for it," said Michelle Erpenbach, president of Sioux Falls Thrive, the group behind extensive research into the local childcare crisis.

Tell me more about the childcare crisis

Plus, hear from a parent directly impacted by the closure, as well as City Council response.

SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS

Meet Jodder: your dog-loving, headache-curing social media companion

This is a paid piece from Jodder.

Simplified: You know you're in good hands when the logo is a cute dog. That rings true for Jodder, a Sioux Falls-based social media company who's celebrating one year in business with a donation to support service animals.

Why it matters

• Jodder is a monthly subscription service that makes social media easy by strategizing, creating and posting social media content on behalf of their clients. The company was founded last July and today is run by Partners Brooke Fitts, Kimber Severson and Milana Semmler.
• The idea is to take the burden of social media off your plate, and have branded content done for you, running in the background and establishing you as an expert in your industry. Then you can focus on what really matters to you – running your business.
• In celebration of Jodder’s one-year anniversary, the startup is thrilled to announce a $1,000 donation to Big Paws Canine Foundation, showing their commitment to giving back by earmarking a percentage of revenue to support community needs. 

"We know that social media is always changing and can be a real headache for business owners," Semmler said. "We strive to be the best partners and social media companions our clients could hope for, so supporting Big Paws Canine Foundation aligned perfectly with that mission—they provide companion animals for veterans and first responders." 

Tell me more about Jodder

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

• City flips the switch. City Light and Power, the city's electric utility group, celebrated a big milestone this week with the completion of Circuit 13. It's a new, 5.5-mile underground electrical circuit that'll power three big city projects: the public safety campus, the water reclamation plant and a future light, power & traffic building in northeastern Sioux Falls. It'll also bring power to any future development out by the airport.
• Teachers, this one's for you. REACH Literacy is inviting teachers to build their classroom libraries this week. Bring your school ID to the book store, and you can snag 25 free books. The event runs Thursday through Saturday, and Saturday is open to families and homeschool teachers as well. Find specific times here.
• Parents, this one's for you. It's the time of year where schools are reminding parents to fill out a free and reduced lunch application. Free (and reduced-rate) school lunches are available to qualifying families, but they're only accessible if specific paperwork is filled out. To learn more and to fill out the application, click here.

EVENTS

Stuff to do: July 31-Aug. 6

• Cheers to five years. Severance Brewing is celebrating five years in business with an event Saturday featuring five new brews, live music, yard games, giveaways and limited-edition merch. Check out the details here.
• Hit the block. It's the last downtown block party of the summer Friday night at 8th and Railroad. Find live music, food trucks, beer, vendors and yard games. Find a full list of performers and vendors here.
• Support student lunches. Third Eye Gallery and Vishnu Bunny are hosting an art gallery to raise awareness (and funds) to ensure students and families don't have to go into debt to eat lunch at school. Learn more about No Free Lunch here.
• See Spot splash. Scheels is hosting a DockDogs hunting expo this weekend. Watch dogs run and jump into a big pool of water outside Scheels. Have a dive-y, jump-y dog? Register here.
• See some art. Photographer and artist Mercedes Nelson is back in town this weekend opening a gallery at Rose and Euguene Presents Friday night. The gallery, "Fructus et Flores" will feature film cooked with various fruits and flowers. Celebrate the gallery opening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Details here. Nelson is also holding photography mini-sessions on Saturday. Details on that here.
• Snag a zoo discount. The zoo's first of three Community Appreciation Days is on Friday. Visitors will get $5 admission thanks to support from the Sioux Falls City Council. The zoo recommends buying your tickets ahead of time here to avoid long lines.
• Celebrate Hispanic culture. The South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is hosting the inaugural Fiesta Latina at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds Friday evening as a way to celebrate Hispanic culture and enjoy some live music and more. Details here.

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

• Pepper
• Juniper
• Teachers

ICYMI

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