Happy Friday! Megan here.
Weather check: 60s and breezy
Status check: I’ve promised no B.S. here, so I’ll shoot straight: as you think about your end-of-the-year giving, please consider buying in to a smarter Sioux Falls by subscribing to Sioux Falls Simplified as a monthly member. You’ll get an exclusive Monday morning newsletter and my undying affection.
This weekend, it’s short and sweet after a packed Wednesday edition. I had a fantastic opportunity to chat about the importance of Veterans Day with a 100-year-old Sioux Fallsian who served in the Navy during WWII, and I’m excited to share our conversation here. You’ll also find a round-up of events happening this week and some Super Simplified Stories.
And now, news:
What Veterans Day means to this 100-year-old Sioux Falls Navy veteran
Simplified: Rosalie Ovenden served as a records keeper for Bunker Hill Naval Air Station in Indiana during World War II. The now-100-year-old Sioux Falls resident talked to Sioux Falls Simplified about her experience in the service and what Veterans Day means to her.
Tell me more
Ovenden had just moved back to her home state of Ohio at age 22 when she decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
“They needed women to serve,” she said. “Within a month’s time, I went through the whole business of joining.”
It was 1940, and Ovenden found herself flying to New York to Oklahoma to Indiana as she underwent training and took her station at Bunker Hill.
- At her formative age, Ovenden said her days went from doing whatever she wanted to living under someone else’s direction.
- Her experience in the Navy also completely changed her perspective on what it meant to love her country.
“Before I joined the Navy, I never had any real commitment to my country,” Ovenden said. “Once I joined the Navy, I had an entirely different feeling about my country. And I think most of the people felt that way too, that they were doing something that was important, that would help history.”
Ovenden served until the end of the war, and when the naval base was closed, she was one of the last remaining service members because she had to keep all of the records throughout.
During her time at Bunker Hill, she also met her future husband, Lt. Kenneth Richardson Ovenden.
“We weren’t supposed to date officers,” Ovenden said. “But he had a car.”
What’s Veterans Day like as a WWII veteran?
See the full story here.
TL;DR
Super Simplified Stories
- Changes coming for public transit. The city early next week is expected to announce its intent to offer an agreement with a new transit provider. Catch all those details in next Wednesday’s issue.
- Meet Santa at the mall. The jolly old elf is returning to the Empire Mall starting on Nov. 17 and running through Christmas Eve. You can schedule a time to get a photo of your kid (most likely crying, if they’re like mine) on Santa’s lap.
- Celebrate three years of Selah Space. You learned last week about some exciting changes at wellness cooperative Selah Space. Their grand opening event has been rescheduled for Dec. 7, but everything else is the same. Details here.
EVENTS
Stuff to do: Nov. 10-16
- See art and data combine. The Ipso Gallery at Fresh Produce is opening its new installation, “Ipso Facto,” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, where art meets science in pieces that “explore the link between observation and representation.” Details here.
- Refresh your closet. Snag some clothes, shoes, bags and more at the Dress for Success fall closet sale running all weekend long at the downtown Embe location. Your purchases help support programming for women. Details here.
- Take some ‘me time.’ Face Foundrie is teaming up with AMT for a fitness and facial event Saturday morning. Start with a workout class at 7:30 a.m., and then sign up for a discounted facial treatment. Details here.
- Sip boba beer. Sioux Falls Science Pub is hosting a “Spherification of Food and Drink” event at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Severance. Learn the science of making food into spheres, and then experiment with making your own spheres with ingredients that can be mixed with beers. Details here.
- Re-live that teen angst. The Good Night Theatre Collective is putting on the critically acclaimed musical “Spring Awakening,” which, despite being about teenagers, is very much an 18+ show. Don’t miss it – snag tickets here.
- Get in the Christmas spirit. The Sioux Empire Arts & Crafts Show and Festival of Trees is happening this weekend at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds. Find some handcrafted items for purchase, see cool trees and snag a pic with Santa. Details here.
- Eat your vegetables. The Full Circle Book Co-op is hosting a vegetarian potluck party from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Bring a dish and your friends. More here.
ICYMI
More Simplified Stories
How the county is trying to get full ownership of the fairgrounds
The Minnehaha County Commission on Tuesday unanimously voted to take legal action to figure out if there’s a way around the restrictions on what the county can do with the W. H. Lyon Fairgrounds
Stop putting your recyclables in plastic bags
The City of Sioux Falls wants to remind you that plastic bags cannot be recycled as recycling rates decline citywide.
Meet Tea’s new city administrator
The City of Tea has a new city administrator, and he’s bringing lots of regional experience to what’s a relatively new position for the fast-growing community.
THIS AND THAT
What I’m falling for this weekend:
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