Happy Wednesday! Megan here.
Weather check: Cooling off a bit
🚨 Tonight's the night! Come down to Good NAtured starting at 6 p.m. for Sioux Falls Simplified Trivia Night hosted by local comedian Zach Dresch and his lovely partner Becca Gehm. I cannot wait to see you! And, to make it more fun, winning teams will receive gift cards to other awesome Sioux Falls businesses. (And maybe even some Sioux Falls Simplified swag...)
This week, I looked at how ready Sioux Falls is for electric vehicles – and how many more may be on the roads over the next decade. I've also got a tremendously impactful story from The Compass Center about how critical funding gaps could mean drastic cuts in services for crime victims. Plus, find a couple Super Simplified Stories and a ton of events.
And now, news:
CITY
How Sioux Falls is preparing for more electric vehicles on the road
Simplified: Sioux Falls could see anywhere from 7,500 to 20,000 more electric vehicles on the road in the next decade. Here's a look at how the city and utility companies are preparing.
Why it matters
- The city late last week released its Electric Vehicle Readiness Study after from nearly a year of research and work with stakeholders looking at electric vehicle trends, grid capacity, infrastructure needs and more.
- The study explains what an electric vehicle (EV) is, projected growth in the number of EVs on the road and how stakeholders – including utility companies – can best prepare for that growth.
- While the city was responsible for pulling the report together, it's not likely the city will play much of a role moving forward beyond educating the public, Environmental Services Manager Josh Peterson said.
"This really is a consumer-driven issue," he said. "One of the things we wanted to make sure of is that the city is putting this document together to make sure our consumers are informed ... There is a lot of misinformation out there, and many people just haven't explored electric vehicles yet."
Tell me more
SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS
Why rape and abuse victims are at risk of losing services
This is a paid piece from The Compass Center.
Simplified: South Dakota's only 24/7 rape crisis center is facing a significant funding shortfall, and without more support, The Compass Center could be forced to cut both staff and services. But there are several ways to help out before it's too late.
Why it matters
- The Compass Center has historically gotten significant funding from the federal government through the Crime Victims Fund. But 2018 policy changes diverted money from the fund supporting victims, leaving a $700 million national shortfall, according to the Guardian.
- This shortfall comes when the need for Compass Center services is greater than ever, Executive Director Michelle Trent said. The most recent data shows South Dakota ranked number three in the nation for sexual violence per capita – not including tribal data.
- The Compass Center already has nearly 60 abuse victims on a waitlist for free counseling services, and with pending staff cuts that number could double virtually overnight, Trent said.
- That said, she doesn't want to discourage victims of sexual violence from coming forward and seeking help.
"Still come," Trent said. "We will do everything we possibly can to support victims, and we still want you to show up and tell your story and to find support."
Tell me more
How can I help?
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- New rules for big ol' trucks. City Council on Tuesday discussed a plan from Councilor Jennifer Sigette to prevent large, parked vehicles from blocking drivers on a four-block stretch of Phillips Avenue. Essentially, folks whose cars stick too far out into the lane would get a parking ticket in an effort to discourage large vehicles from using the angled parking on Phillips. There are still more than 3,000 downtown parking spots outside of that stretch of road.
- State releases school report cards. The South Dakota Department of Education last week released the 2023-24 report cards, which track student performance as well as things like attendance and graduation rates. Sioux Falls School District scores are up slightly from the year prior. You can look at individual schools and other districts here.
EVENTS
Stuff to do: Oct. 23-29
- Support survivors.* The Compass Center is hosting its premier networking and fundraising event, Cultivating Courage, Thursday evening at the Atrium at Blue Haven. Your support at this time is crucial, and to amplify our impact, every dollar donated over the $150 entrance ticket price will be matched by a generous donor. Get your tickets here.
- Bop with the kidz.* Kidz Bop returns to Sioux Falls this November with covers of today's hottest songs. They'll perform Nov. 2 at the Sioux Falls Arena in an all-ages show that promises to be fun for the entire family. Tickets for the show start at $24.50, and you can snag yours here.
- Go trick or treating. There are a ton of Halloween events happening this weekend – more than I could fit here, but here's a quick run-down. Hit up McKennan Park on Friday evening, and on Saturday hit up the Big Sioux Rec Area, Spooky Seas at the Butterfly House, Spooky Science at the Pavilion, and on Sunday afternoon you can trick or treat downtown.
- Get ready for ski season. It might be warm now, but it won't be long until there's snow on the ground. Great Bear is getting ready with their annual OctoBEARfest event this weekend. You can get discounts on season passes, plus take advantage of new season pass insurance options. There'll be a food truck Friday evening, and all kinds of fun Saturday including inflatables and chair lift rides. Get all the details here.
- Party like the undead. The annual Zombie Walk is happening Saturday with registration running from noon to 2 p.m. at Remedy. This years' proceeds benefit the Compass Center and the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz. Learn more here.
- Do the monster mash. Hello-Hi is getting spooky this weekend with "Hell-Hi Fidelity" Saturday night. Participate in the costume contest, sip a featured cocktail and enjoy music from DJ Sharp. Details here.
- Find Nemo. It's a big weekend for Spotlight Theatre Company (formerly known as the Dakota Academy of Performing Arts) as they stage their first production under the new branding. Catch Finding Nemo at the Orpheum Theater Thursday through Sunday. Get tickets here.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
Get ready for Election Day
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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