Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: A little more winter before warming up this weekend
This week, you'll learn a little more about what's next for the proposed Riverline District downtown and why Mayor Paul TenHaken is looking to find someone else to lead that effort. You'll also meet two women behind a new downtown wellness studio who are looking to help people connect with their bodies in new ways. Plus, catch up on Super Simplified and state legislative news before you head into the weekend.
And now, news:
CITY
Why the city is looking to get out of leading the Riverline District vision
Simplified: If Sioux Fallsians want a downtown convention center, it's going to have to be a community-led decision, not a city-led one, Mayor Paul TenHaken told the Riverline Steering Committee Thursday afternoon. Here's what that means for the process moving forward.
Why it matters
- The city now owns the roughly eight-acre parcel of land known as the Riverline District, so the clock is ticking on getting a project started. The purchase agreement approved late last year includes a requirement that development on a project that provides "significant economic impacts" break ground by 2030 Otherwise, the sellers can buy back the property for the original sales price of $8 million.
- But TenHaken only has a little over a year left in his tenure as mayor, and he said Thursday if the Riverline is something that only the city is leading, "it will die."
- That's why he's asking community groups like the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, Forward Sioux Falls, Experience Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation and Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. to find a way to take over leadership of moving the vision for a new downtown convention center forward.
"I made a commitment to myself and to the community when I took office that I will not hand the next administration a half-baked anything that's gonna put them in turd alley ... I had an initiative that was left to me as a challenge, and I don't want to do that to another mayor," TenHaken said.
How did we get here?
COMMUNITY
Meet the women making space for healing through movement
Simplified: Two Sioux Falls women are teaming up to open a new wellness studio in downtown Sioux Falls with the goal of helping people get out of their head and into their bodies. Meet Conscious Connections.
Why it matters
- Co-owners Chelsea Giedd and Whitney Ullom are hoping Conscious Connections will be a place for people to explore movement, healing and connection in new, sometimes unconventional, ways.
- The studio – located in the former Covert Artisan Ales taproom near Eighth and Railroad – will host classes on wild movement, somatic healing, breath work, yoga and more.
- The overall mission is to help people connect with something deeper within themselves, embody their feminine energy and just explore various healing methods in a safe space.
- Ullom describes her wild movement classes, for example, as a way to not only come home to your own body but also to feel alive in a new way.
"This work for me is so much about this full range of expression and aliveness," she said. "You have this gorgeous instrument, but most people are only playing about five keys."
Tell me more about the studio
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Last ditch effort to save taxidermy falls short. A petition drive to refer the City Council's decision to send the Delbridge Museum taxidermy collection to Notre Dame fell short, as announced in a Facebook post Thursday night. Because the petition didn't get enough signatures in the 20-day time period to refer a council decision to a public vote, the council decision stands. More background here.
- Lallycooler announces full lineup. The inaugural Lallycooler Music Festival announced its full lineup this week, including Redferrin, TLC, Uncle Kracker, Kory and the Fireflies and more (not to mention headliners Sam Hunt and Pitbull). See the full lineup and snag tickets here.
- Zoo hits first fundraising goal. The Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium this week announced it has hit a milestone in fundraising for a future aquarium and other big improvements to the zoo campus. The organization's Chamber Appeals campaign hit its goal of $1.3 million and is now looking to hit $2 million before the end of the month. Learn more about the campaign here.
SODAK SIMPLIFIED
Three things from Pierre
- 'Librarians in handcuffs' bill advances. Lawmakers this week advanced a bill that would criminally punish librarians, university employees, museum workers and others who allow children to view material that the state defines as "obscene" or harmful to minors. Searchlight has some background here, but since that story, the bill has progressed through both the full House and the Senate Judiciary Committee. That means there's one more vote before it heads to the governor's desk to be signed into law.
- Guns on campus. A bill that would allow certain people to concealed carry handguns on college campuses is headed to Gov. Larry Rhoden's desk. South Dakota Searchlight has more.
- Up in the air. There's still some hope for state help in funding an addition to the Sioux Falls airport, but right now the funding amount is $100 with only a week to go in the legislative session. The Dakota Scout has more.
THIS AND THAT
What I'm falling for this week:
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
Megan Raposa
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