Latest news with #SiouxlandLibraries
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside KELOLAND: What to do in Sioux Falls this summer?
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The unofficial start of Summer is once again upon us. Schools are out for the year and that means summer activities are starting up. On this week's Inside KELOLAND, we're going to talk all about them. First, we'll hear from Sioux Falls parks and recreations about what the department has going on for kids, and their overall summer activities. 1.2 million yd³ of dirt moving on S. Veterans Parkway Then, we'll sit down with two librarians from Siouxland Libraries to talk about summer reading programs and what else the library has in the works. After that, we'll head back outside to the golf course to talk about summer activities at Elmwood Golf Course and other courses. And finally, we'll go out to Western KELOLAND to see how the Rapid City library's bookmobile is preparing for the summer months. And we'll see how kids in Sioux Falls can get some free meals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Summer reading program returns to Sioux Falls libraries
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The summer reading program is back for all ages at Siouxland Libraries. The program encourages reading all summer throughout Minnehaha County and Sioux Falls. This year, it'll run from May 23 through August 15. McKennan Park project underway 'We are passionate about this program because not only do we love welcoming so many people into our branches, but we also are here to support reading during the summer, a great way to maintain literacy skills and combat 'summer slide.' Librarian Neliesha Daws said in a news release. 'Summer slide' refers to the loss of academic progress that can occur when children take time off from reading and learning during the summer months. 'A strong foundation in reading is crucial for a child's success in school and life,' Daws emphasizes. 'When children take the summer off from reading and learning, they can lose two to three years of academic growth by the time they reach middle school.' This year's theme, 'Color Our World,' inspires a program that incorporates literacy, dance, art, and more into the world. Siouxland Libraries has planned a variety of programs for all ages, including storytimes, dance classes, art and cartooning classes, a magician, sensory water play, ZooMobile, book walks, an art contest, an end-of-summer party, and a teen lock-in. Participants in the Summer Reading Program can earn prizes for reaching their reading goals: Children from birth to five years old have 30 challenges designed around five pillars of learning: reading, talking, writing, playing, and singing. Kindergarten through 5th graders are challenged to read for 20 hours. Teens are challenged to read for 30 hours, with a prize awarded every five hours. Adult participants can complete seven challenges to receive a prize and be entered into a drawing to win a grand prize. Information about the 2025 Summer Reading Program can be found at the Siouxland Libraries website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
One book, many conversations
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The kickoff to the One Book Siouxland community reading project takes place next week at the Main Library in downtown Sioux Falls. This year's featured book is Vanished in Vermillion, the real-life story of a cold case that baffled South Dakota law enforcement for decades. The book's author is former KELOLAND News crime reporter Lou Raguse. SF woman sees positive change after elimination diet The power of a single book can bring readers together from all walks of life. We tend to think of reading as a solitary activity. But when a book captivates a reader's attention, many others take notice. 'Reading is a wonderful pastime as we all know. It's a window into other worlds, an escape and a way for us to gain knowledge and what a wonderful thing to do together and have something in common,' One Book Siouxland selection committee member Denise DePaolo said. The goal of One Book Siouxland is to draw a community of readers together to share their insights and opinions about a single book that will generate a lot of public discussion. 'A lot of times, we try to pick books that have maybe a little more tough of a subject, so that we can have programming based around it, but then gives people a better reason to come together to talk about it,' One Book Siouxland Coordinator Kim Kolblank said. This year's One Book is Vanished in Vermillion, the story of the 1971 disappearance of two Vermillion teenagers. While working for KELOLAND News, Lou Raguse dug into the new leads that emerged years later that would turn this cold case from a suspected homicide to a tragic car crash that claimed two young lives. 'The main thing that made this thing different than like another true crime book, or another wrongful prosecution book, is that a man was charged for a crime that never even happened. So that kind of put me on a quest for answers,' Raguse said on January 8th. Vanished in Vermillion is unique from previous works picked for One Book Siouxland. 'In the past, a lot of the books we have chosen have been fiction. This one is non-fiction and it's also sort of a true crime book because there was a criminal investigation element to it,' DePaolo said. Book clubs hosted by Siouxland Libraries always fill up quickly. So you can think of One Book Siouxland as a kind of book club on steroids. 'It is. Yep. We buy 150 copies. Every time we pick a book we buy extra copies so that multiple people can read it at the same time,' Kolblank said. Copies of Vanished in Vermillion are available at all 13 branches of Siouxland Libraries. You can also stream the book online. 'We actually have this one available on our digital platform Hoopla where multiple people can check the e-audio and e-book out at the same time. We want to create that access so enough people can read it. Book clubs can discuss it and they can come to our programs and have that context of why we're talking about these subjects,' Kolblank said. Organizers of One Book Siouxland say readers connect with Vanished in Vermillion because it's a local story, shrouded in a decades-long mystery: one that has a new twist with every turn of the page. 'That's one of the delightful things about this whole program is that you never know what it's going to be and it also can appeal to all sorts of different people in our community,' DePaolo said. The One Book Siouxland kickoff takes place Saturday, April 5th at the downtown library that will include a panel discussion on crime reporting. KELOLAND's Dan Santella will be part of that discussion. You can see a full listing of events throughout the month, including a talk by author Lou Raguse. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate amends bill, will not send librarians to jail
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Republican South Dakota Senator Lauren Nelson lead the charge in the Senate for House Bill 1239, a bill which some argued was a threat to librarians. Debate on the measure was spirited, including arguments about responsibility, culture wars and the hypothetical hanging of librarians. Troopers find 250lbs of Marijuana in traffic stop The bill would have removed legal protections for those working at a school, college, university, museum or public library if they were accused of providing obscene or harmful material to minors. Nelson said HB1239 was simply providing teeth for the existing law. Jodi Fick, Director for Siouxland Libraries, which has13 branch locations across Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County provided this statement on the measure prior to the Senate debate. House Bill 1239 would change the legal standing of professionals, including librarians, and open them up to legal consequences when minors inadvertently access material deemed 'harmful to minors' – even if those materials are in an adult section of the library. Siouxland Libraries currently has established policies and procedures in place that allow community members to challenge materials if they have concerns. Our existing policies respect the right of parents and guardians to determine what materials are suitable for their own families. If the Senate passes House Bill 1239, and Governor Rhoden chooses to sign it into law, Siouxland Libraries would need to make significant changes in operations or policies to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff and guests while complying with the new state law. Jodi Fick, Siouxland Libraries Opposition came early from Democrat Sen. Jamie Smith, who called this an instance of national politics being brought into South Dakota, and arguing the issue addresses by the bill is not an actual issue in South Dakota. Smith outlined various measures already in place, including systems to remove books or to flag specific student accounts if their parents wish. 'Instead what we're going to do is demonize one more profession,' said Smith. 'We're going to make it possible to actually arrest our librarians.' Much of the proponent debate struck on the themes of accountability for libraries and disgust for the content of certain books. If somebody had knowingly given that to my children when they were little, I'd want them strung up from the nearest tree. Senator Taffy Howard Republican Sen. Taffy Howard spoke about an excerpt from one of the books she looked at. 'I opened it up and right away it was like, oh my goodness,' said Howard, saying that the shut the text immediately. 'None of our children should be exposed to this garbage. It's absolute garbage,' Howard said, arguing that librarians should not be allowed to provide these books to kids. 'I don't care what your job is, no one should be able to hide behind their job and use that as a way to provide this garbage to our children,' said Howard, adding that she doesn't know if any librarians actually are providing these books. 'If somebody had knowingly given that to my children when they were little, I'd want them strung up from the nearest tree.' Another theme of opposition was parental rights. Republican Sen. Tamara Grove spoke of the lack of agency that individual parents have regarding what books library systems have. 'If a parent wanted to do something — there's nothing that they can do,' she said. Before discussion on the bill could continue, and amendment was brought by Republican Sen. David Wheeler. This amendment stripped the language that would result in potential criminal charges from the bill, and instead inserted sections that would allow for judicial review of a school board's decision on a book in the event that a parent disagrees with that decision. Wheeler argued that while the Senate could probably come to an agreement that a handful of books used as an example should not be available to children, there are hundreds of books out there that may offend different people for different reasons. 'How many of those are we going to agree on,' said Wheeler, arguing that judicial review would allow for the decision to be made by someone who understands the law, without subjecting librarians and teachers with the threat of criminal prosecution. Howard was the first to speak against the amendment, though her thoughts were echoed by others. Howard's opposition to the amendment began with a question about who would pay for the court costs if a parent decided to appeal a district's decision. Wheeler answered that the cost would be on whoever decided to bring the appeal, and Howard argued that such a process puts too great a burden on parents, using her own mother, who was a single mother as an example, and saying she never could have afforded to take it to court. Nelson echoed Howard's statement and argued that the crux of the bill was the ability to criminally charge people. 'This amendment just simply it guts the bill,' Nelson said. 'It would turn the bill into something that says 'you don't have an affirmative defense' or — for something — 'you can't be charged with anyway'. And that's the crux of it.' Instead, Nelson says the amendment perpetuates the status quo and would leave schools unaccountable. Speaking in favor of the amendment was Republican Sen. Steve Kolbeck, who argued that this is a local issue, and not one that should be addressed state wide. Kolbeck, like Smith, noted that there are already systems in place to address material parents find objectional. 'We already have a process. And that's my issue with the bill,' he said. Instead, Kolbeck advocated for talking to your local librarians. 'I know my librarians — Mary and Wilma,' said Kolbeck. 'There isn't a rampant problem with librarians. And if you don't know your local librarian, or if you haven't called your local librarian to double check that these [books] are in there, I think that you should vote no on this bill.' I dare everybody who wants to vote for this bill, who thinks we should help hold the librarians accountable to look in the gallery today, look in the eyes of these librarians that are up here and say, 'I don't trust you.' Senator Stephanie Sauder Republican Sen. Stephanie Sauder also spoke, giving a more forceful statement in support of the amendment. 'No one has been able to tell me — and I've asked this a lot of times since this all has come up — how many actual incidences have been reported,' said Sauder. 'There haven't been any in my district.' Here Sauder issued a challenge to those who preferred the original text of the bill. 'I dare everybody who wants to vote for this bill, who thinks we should help hold the librarians accountable to look in the gallery today, look in the eyes of these librarians that are up here and say, 'I don't trust you.'' said Sauder. 'I dare you to do that. And then vote yes on this.' Wheeler's amendment passed 18-16. Following this vote, discussion turned to passage of the amended version of the bill, with many of the proponents of the original version expressing their displeasure with the amendment, and the less forceful impact. Despite that, all of those lawmakers voted to pass the amended version, with the bill passing on a vote of 32-2, with the only opponents being Democrats Smith and Liz Larson, each of whom had opposed the initial bill. As the bill has been amended, it will need to be re-approved by the House. Nelson urged senators to vote yes on the amended bill. She implied the fight wasn't over. 'It will go to conference committee. We'll see what happens there.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A man & his bones
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A longtime Augustana University anthropology professor has launched a new career in retirement highlighting his ancient inventory. Adrien Hannus now works as a consultant for museum exhibits, with the goal of spreading his lifelong fascination with pre-historic people and things to the rest of South Dakota. Hannus is connecting old artifacts to our modern-day lives. Celebrating 30 years of Siouxland Libraries These aren't paperweights atop Adrien Hannus's desk. They were cutting-edge technology back in the day. 'This is a hand-ax that dates about 700,000 years ago, from a site in Africa,' Hannus said. Ancient axes and blades that carved civilizations. 'The stone tool is really one of the critical, critical points in human's march through time,' Hannus said. Hannus calls his new Sioux Falls-based non-profit, 'A Man and his Bones.' So, where are the bones? 'The bones, yeah. In the closet. Very definitely, they're hidden away,' Hannus said. Hannus has made a career of unearthing old bones and artifacts hidden away for millennia. He's a kind of modern-day Indiana Jones, with a passion for the past that began in childhood. 'Museums, to me, were the way of life. I mean, they were something that I looked forward to when we went on trips. We always went to museums,' Hannus said. You'll still find Hannus trekking to museums today. He's currently working on setting up a new exhibit highlighting stone tools in the Archeodome at Mitchell's Prehistoric Indian Village. 'We have never done anything over in Mitchell with ancient stone tools. We're just discussing stone tools were made by people that lived at Mitchell one-thousand years ago and I thought, well, might be interesting to show a broader sweep of what kind of chronology it fits into,' Hannus said. Prehistoric Indian Village board member Jerry Garry is using modern woodworking tools to help Hannus build the display. 'I just provide my time and materials based on designs that Adrien's put together to build those. I find the challenge a lot of fun and it helps me enjoy the hobby I enjoy the most,' Garry said. Hannus says these artifacts reveal how humans from long ago adapted to their ever-changing environment. 'Some of these tools they made, like this ax for instance, the climate was probably minus 100-degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of Europe,' Hannus Hannus says people of today can take a cue from those who preceded us and rely upon human resourcefulness to nimbly adjust to major upheavals that may come our way. 'I keep saying when all the power supplies go out, then I can sit in the corner and chip my stone tools and go out and harvest my vegetables and everybody else will be dying to have me teach them how to do that,' Hannus said. Another project Hannus is working on is sending educational kits, containing items like donated artifacts, to schools across South Dakota because Hannus says kids are natural-born anthropologists. 'The kids always embrace that enthusiastically. I mean, if you got in with a group of 8th, 9th graders or something, they just fix on it and be sitting there with their toothbrush scrubbing the artifact and stuff for hours,' Hannus said. Hannus still maintains childlike enthusiasm for archeology, even as he's on the verge of turning 81. Old artifacts keep him young. 'I'm told that I'm supposed to be old and doddering and so, I can't quite bring myself to be old and doddering around,' Hannus said. Hannus gained national fame when he was featured in the PBS series, Time Team America in 2009. But he says he wasn't able to parlay that into lasting notoriety because he never hired an agent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
