Your weekend, simplified: Jan. 10, 2025
Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: Light snow possible throughout the weekend
This weekend, it's a full issue for ya. I've got a quick look at what lawmakers are focusing on in Pierre ahead of the start of South Dakota's 100th legislative session next week. You'll also meet two local filmmakers whose latest project is giving very Sioux Falls-y vibes. Plus, catch the latest Super Simplified city news and see how the police department is looking at new technology in the future.
And now, news:
SODAK SIMPLIFIED
What state lawmakers are focusing on this session
Simplified: South Dakota's 100th legislative session will kick off next week, and Sioux Falls-area lawmakers gathered Thursday morning with business leaders to talk about their priorities and predictions for the 2025 legislative session.
Why it matters
- In recent years, the state has had more budget flexibility thanks to an influx of federal pandemic relief funds. That's gone now, and lawmakers are expecting a tight budget year where every funding request is likely going to mean a cut somewhere else.
- While funding was a consistent topic among the 13 lawmakers who joined the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce's legislative breakfast Thursday, it wasn't the only topic of interest. Lawmakers are also looking at a number of issues that will affect taxpayers, businesses and landowners.
- There's also some perception issues Sioux Falls lawmakers have to overcome. Rep. Greg Jamison said the city is often seen as the "rich uncle," which makes lawmakers from other parts of the state less inclined to support legislation to benefit Sioux Falls, but the city has enough representation to make things happen.
"Sioux Falls has a great chance to sweep the state," Jamison said, calling on the chamber to help organize to get lawmakers and businesses all on the same page about priorities.
What topics are likely to come up this session?
SODAK SIMPLIFIED
How to contact your state lawmakers
Simplified: South Dakota's state lawmakers will gather in Pierre next week to kick off the 100th legislative session. Here's a one-stop guide for how to figure out who's representing you and how to contact them to share your feedback on the (likely) hundreds of bills they'll be considering.
Why it matters
- Your state senators and representatives directly represent you in the decisions they make that affect all of South Dakota. But they only know what you care about if you tell them, so the best way to participate in state government is by calling or emailing your lawmakers.
How do I figure out who my state lawmakers are?
COMMUNITY
This new show brings workplace comedy to Sioux Falls
Simplified: A new workplace comedy features local actors, writers, directors and producers, as well as a setting familiar to many Sioux Fallsians: Last Stop CD Shop. Here's what you need to know about "Last Stop: The Series."
Wait, somebody made a show about Last Stop?
They sure did.
"Last Stop: The Series" came from the imagination of local filmmaker Dominic Wieneke, who created the series with the help of co-producers Zeke Richter and Ari Show.
- Wieneke, a collector of books and other media, has been coming to Last Stop regularly for about 20 years.
- His idea for the show stemmed from his day-to-day interactions in the store, as well as his desire to showcase the talent that lives in Sioux Falls. All of the actors and production crew are local to the area.
"We want to show there's actual, quality stuff that can come out of here," Wieneke said.
In addition to creating an homage to one of his favorite stores, the new series is also foray into a new genre for Wieneke.
"It's his first comedy," said Richter, co-producer and writer who helped bring some comedic elements to the series. "Most of his stuff is horror."
Tell me more about the series
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Sioux Falls adds nearly 5,700 people. Mayor Paul TenHaken on Thursday announced that the population of Sioux Falls has surpassed 219,000, according to calculations from the city. That's a 2.66% increase from last year.
- $1 billion the 'new benchmark' for building permits. During Thursday's press conference, TenHaken also announced that the city saw just shy of $1.1 billion in building permit valuation last year. It's the fourth year in a row the city has surpassed $1 billion in building permits, and that's likely the norm going forward, TenHaken said.
- Add to your TBR. Siouxland Libraries announced this year's One Book Siouxland choice: "Vanished in Vermillion: The Real Story of South Dakota’s Most Infamous Cold Case" by Lou Raguse. The book is about a 50-year-old cold case in which two teenagers disappeared from Vermillion. Learn more here about the book choice and future events.
- Dakota Scout gets even more 'official.' The Dakota Scout has ousted the Argus Leader as one of the official newspapers for both Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties after commission votes in both counties this week. The startup news outlet last year became the official newspaper of the city of Sioux Falls, as well, further cementing the next generation of local news in the city.
CITY
How police are using technology to solve crimes
Simplified: The Sioux Falls Police Department recently purchased some new automated license plate readers to assist in solving crimes, and Police Chief Jon Thum told the City Council this week about both the new cameras and the next types of technology the department is exploring adding in the future.
Why it matters
- Councilors this week approved a $168,000 contract with Flock Safety, a Georgia-based public safety technology company. The contract includes about two dozen license plate reader cameras and the requisite operating system to use them.
- Chief Thum told councilors the city has been thinking about these automated license plate readers for some time, but the police department wanted to make sure adding the new technology is the right decision for our community – an approach he said the department will also take with future technologies it's researching.
- He also shared details about a new Real Time Information Center (RTIC) at the downtown Law Enforcement Center. That's something police implemented after seeing other cities use a similar model to leverage technology in real time response to calls.
"We’re seeing other people catch our bad guys with this technology in their community, and we want to bring that to our community," Thum said.
Tell me more
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
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