Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Warm and windy (don't start any fires)
This week, I've got another lovely story for you on Owen's Outfitters as continued coverage of our annual A Little Help campaign. You'll also learn about the city's new downtown parking rules and how they compare to other similar-sized cities. Plus, catch the latest from regional mayors and some spring cleaning tips to take you into the weekend.
And now, news:
A LITTLE HELP
Why accessible medical supplies can be life-changing
Editor's note: This story is part of Sioux Falls Simplified's second annual "A Little Help" give-back effort. We're sharing stories all month long about Owen's Outfitters with the goal of raising $5,000 to support this fast-growing nonprofit. You can learn more here and donate here.
Simplified: Owen's Outfitters is a medical device lending library that works with dozens of community partners, including many other local nonprofits, to help connect people with the medical supplies they need.
Why it matters
- Owen's Outfitters works with dozens of other nonprofits who refer along people who might need medical devices or, conversely, who might have some available to donate.
- The partnerships are essential, and Owen's Outfitters has been intentional about making connections from day one, said co-founder Eleanor Turner.
- It's more than just the community partnerships, though. It's about filling a broader need. The medical system is big and complex, and as Owen's Outfitters Board Member Elizabeth Hanson said, people will inevitably fall through the cracks.
"No matter how good services are, no matter how well-managed big organizations are, there are gonna be cracks for people to fall through," Hanson said. "Owen's Outfitters is one of those entities that is there to catch those people that fall through the cracks."
Can you share an example?
CITY
How do Sioux Falls new downtown parking rules compare to other cities?
Simplified: The city next month will start enforcing some new parking rules, including requiring folks to pay for parking on downtown streets on Saturdays. These changes prompted Sioux Falls Simplified to take a look at how Sioux Falls' downtown parking rules compare to other mid-sized cities, and what we found was the new policies are very similar to the parking rules in other places.
Why it matters
- Sioux Falls has either the same or fewer hours of metered parking enforcement than most similar-sized cities in the region, even after adding the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday enforcement.
- It's probably also worth noting that each of these other cities has a way to pay for parking digitally – mostly through an app.
- The most similar community is Fargo, North Dakota, which enforces parking meters 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. One key difference, though, is Fargo's restrictions on overnight on-street parking – something that's still going to be allowed in Sioux Falls. (For what it's worth, Fargo also does have free overnight parking in ramps.)
- The parking changes are largely supported by downtown businesses and DTSF, Inc. CEO Brandon Hanson said each parking spot has potential to generate up to $20,000 per year in revenue for small businesses if it's turned over five or more times per day. The extended enforcement hours aim to keep those spaces turning over to let more cars park throughout the day.
"The idea of getting more (parking) turnover is going to be better for retailers," said Greg Koch, owner of 605 Running Co. "When our foot traffic is next to nothing, it's hard to stay open."
Tell me more
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Bye, leaves. The city's two seasonal leaf and branch drop-off locations will open Saturday. One site is at North Lyon Boulevard, near the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds, and the other is on Chambers Street, near the city’s Hazardous Waste Facility. Both sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The sites are free for residents to use, and they'll both be open through Sunday, May 25.
- Oh, and while we're spring cleaning... Sioux Falls residents (and anyone in the five-county area) get one free pass to the landfill each year. To redeem the free pass, residents can scan their driver’s license or state ID at the landfill. More details here.
- Getting rid of something that isn't garbage? Here's a round-up of where you can donate various items.
- Building a bunch of beds. Students at Southeast Technical College this week were a part of the college's largest single-day community service event to date. More than 360 volunteers got together to construct 86 beds for the nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Learn more here.
COMMUNITY
Why regional mayors have some beef with state lawmakers
Simplified: Mayors from Sioux Falls, Tea, Harrisburg and Brandon got together Wednesday morning for a panel hosted by the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. A good chunk of the discussion centered on frustrations with state lawmakers and their "anti-growth" policies.
Why it matters
- It's not a very fun time to be leading a fast-growing city in South Dakota, apparently. Mayors Paul TenHaken (Sioux Falls), Harry Buck (Brandon), Derick Wenck (Harrisburg) and Casey Voelker (Tea) shared gripes about the challenges of managing costly infrastructure projects.
- Those challenges are made even more tricky by a combination of declining revenues due to new property tax relief efforts and the state legislature's track record of shutting down ways for cities to raise taxes.
- In Sioux Falls, for example, the city is looking at losing $25 million in revenue over the next decade, TenHaken said. Wenck noted it'll be even trickier for Harrisburg to keep up with things like paving more roads because the city's budget is already pretty tight, saying there's "nothing to trim."
"The legislature sent a message of, 'we want to stop growth,'" TenHaken said.
Tell me more
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
WANT TO HELP MORE PEOPLE FEEL THIS SMART?
Support Sioux Falls Simplified
Here are a few ways to ensure this smarter, easier local news outlet is here to stay:
- Forward this to a friend. Sharing is caring, and the best gifts are the ones that make your life easier – like this smarter, easier local news.
- Become a member. Consider buying into a smarter Sioux Falls by becoming a member and offering financial support to the no B.S. journalism you've been reading here.
- Give a one-time gift. Not ready to commit to a membership? That's OK! If you want to help in a smaller way, you can give a one-time gift here.
- Advertise with us. Tell the "simplified" story of your business to your target audience. Want more info? Reach out to megan@sfsimplified.com.
Thank you
Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, 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
Your feedback is extremely helpful – hit the reply button and send any news tips, typos, complaints, compliments or cups of coffee my way. ❤️
