Western South Dakota News

**AIR QUALITY INDEX:

Check out this link regarding the current air quality conditions in Rapid City.

Click to see the current Air Quality Index

**CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS MOVED TO TUESDAYS IN JANUARY: Due to federal holiday observances, both January meetings of the Rapid City Common Council will move from Mondays to Tuesdays.

Next week’s meeting will move to Tuesday as City offices will be closed Monday due to the federal observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. The Council’s second meeting in January will also move to Tuesday – January 17 – as Monday, January 16 is the federal Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observance.

Both City Council meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers and are open to the public.

**CITY HIRES UNITED WAY'S JAMIE TOENNIES TO MANAGE NEW GRANTS DIVISION: Mayor Steve Allender announced today Jamie Toennies has been named manager of the City’s new grants division.

Toennies has served as director of the United Way of the Black Hills since 2016. She has more than 18 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations, including museums, YMCA, and in United Ways.

“We are excited to welcome Jamie as the manager of our new grants division,” said Allender. “The grants division will provide a more coordinated effort in the administration of grants and is being developed to identify specific needs as well as research and apply for grants that can assist and support City operations and services. Jamie’s extensive experience with nonprofit organizations, including her well-respected work with the United Way of the Black Hills, will serve the City and its citizens well with this needed effort.”

Toennies will begin her position in early February. The grants division will be part of the City’s Finance Department under the direction of finance director Tracy Davis.

“We look forward to working with Jamie as she develops the new grants division and explores opportunities for funding and resources that will assist the City in providing services and support for our growing community,” said City Finance Director Tracy Davis.

Toennies is excited about joining the City of Rapid City and the challenges of the new grants division.

“Over the past six and a half years, it has been my honor to work with our local partners including the City, businesses, and nonprofit organizations, to find long-term solutions to our community’s greatest needs,” said Toennies. “I can’t wait to continue that work with the City to ensure Rapid City continues to be an amazing place for our residents and visitors.”

Allender says the grants division is an important addition to the City in responding to the community’s current and anticipated growth.

“As Rapid City continues to grow, there will be an increased demand on essential services and developing and growing certain functions to respond to the growth,” said Allender. “We need to be in position to search, apply for and obtain funding that will assist in those efforts. We won’t be applying for every grant that comes along, but we want people in place that can search out possible funding sources that make sense and will assist in achieving the city’s comprehensive plan for the future.”

Toennies is a native of Tampa Bay and has degrees from South Dakota Mines and the University of Iowa.

**CITY PROVIDES HELPFUL HINTS FOR TREE DISPOSAL, HOLIDAY RECYCLING, EXCESS TRASH: The City’s Solid Waste Division provides the following helpful advice for holiday trash and recycling collection, along with important information about disposal of holiday trees:

**Natural trees, wreaths and garland can be taken to the remote site at Fitzgerald Stadium or the Rapid City Landfill for disposal and should be cleaned of ornamentation and not be placed in tree bags. No yard waste allowed at the tree disposal sites. The remote site will be available through January.

**Items such as wrapping paper, packing items, cellophane, ribbons, bows, artificial decorations along with cardboard items should be placed in the regular trash containers.

**Homeowners are routinely advised to bag and tie their garbage and it’s especially important during the holiday season. Solid Waste officials advise the public to avoid ‘hay stacking’ -- piling up or overflowing the trash in their containers. As alternatives, the public can place some of the trash items in the following week’s collection or bring excess garbage to the landfill.

**Do not place cardboard boxes or excess trash next to the household trash and recycling containers. Trash collection drivers will not stop and pick up the excess trash.

**Cardboard items can also be taken to remote disposal site at Fitzgerald Stadium or to the Landfill.

**The remote disposal site at Fitzgerald Stadium is only for recycle items and not for dumping trash and other discarded household items. Solid Waste officials advise the public to take other items to the Landfill. Also if remote site recycle containers are full, do not place the items on the ground. Take the items to the landfill.

**Strings of non-working holiday lights should not be placed in trash containers but taken to one of 17 sites in the community through January 31. These sites include City Hall, Rapid City Public Library, Roosevelt Swim Center, the Ace Hardware stores at E. St. Patrick Street and W. Main Street, Western Dakota Tech, Boyd’s Drug Stores at Baken Park and E. St. Patrick Street, Runnings, Fleet Farm, Rapid City Restore, RC Hardware, Menards, Granite Buick GMC, Granite Nissan and Carstar Collision Center and the Rapid City Landfill’s Education Center.

**NATIONAL COOKIE DAY: CITY EMPLOYEES & COUNCIL MEMBERS PICK FAVORITES: 

Sunday (December 4) is National Cookie Day and with 95 percent of American households consuming cookies, it’s not hard to get a quick answer from a coworker, family member or friend as to their favorite cookie to eat or to bake.

For a third consecutive year, City Council members, department directors and City employees were surveyed as to their favorite cookies to eat and bake. There were some predictable answers but also with some variations on traditional favorites. For a third year, chocolate chip cookies, including variations, led the way as favorite cookie to eat. However, molasses and gingerbread or ginger snaps came in second this year, unseating the runners-up from the previous two years, sugar and oatmeal raisin respectively.

Chocolate chip cookies continues to be the favorite choice cookie for baking. Sugar cookies resumed its second-choice ranking after taking third last year to the ‘do not bake’ choice of many respondents. Only a handful of respondents this year indicated they do not bake cookies.

Council member Pat ‘Chocolate Chip’ Jones made his preference obvious and Council member Greg Strommen also favors chocolate chip cookies to eat. Council member Laura Armstrong favors her Aunt Harriet’s homemade lemon cookies. Regional Airport Director Patrick Dame’s favorite cookie is ginger snaps while Community Development Director Vicki Fisher loves decorated sugar cookies for any occasion - Christmas, Valentines, birthdays, etc. City Water Reclamation Superintendent Dave Van Cleave chooses Oreos over other cookies.

Some employees provided some great sentiments with their choices.

Assistant City Attorney Kinsley Groote favors ‘Liana’s labor-inducing chocolate chip cookies’: “Frozen half-cooked chocolate chip cookies,” says Kinsley. “I call them Liana’s labor-inducing chocolate chip cookies because a friend ate a whole bag of them and then went into labor.”

And the Fire Department’s Joe Reiter favors chocolate chip cookies “made by either one of my near-grown daughters, from the recipe handed down to them from their grandmother. My grandmother baked them, then my mother and aunts, and now my daughters bake them.”

Here are the results:

What is your favorite cookie to eat?

Chocolate chip/white chocolate chip: 27.3%

Molasses/ginger snaps/gingerbread: 14.5%

Sugar (decorated): 12.7%

Snickerdoodles: 10.9%

Oatmeal raisin: 7.3%

(Tie) Peanut butter, Monster & Peanut Butter Blossoms: 3.6% each

Other answers included M&Ms, Oreos, Lemon, Spritz, Raspberry, chocolate peanut butter no bake and rice krispie treats

What is your favorite cookie to bake?

Chocolate chip/white chocolate chip: 40%

Sugar (decorated): 12.7%

Gingerbread: 10.9%

(Tie) Peanut butter blossoms, Oatmeal raisin (variations): 7.3% each

Peanut butter: 5.5%

Other answers included Glazed Lemon, Spritz, Snickerdoodle, Monster, Caramel heavenlies

**REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR CITY WINTER ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUES: Maybe it’s getting through the weeks of cold and snowy conditions during the winter season. Or maybe keeping good on staying or getting healthy for the new year by becoming more physically active. Or perhaps simply a way to hang out with friends and coworkers and showing off your jump shot and hoop skills!

Whatever the reason, the start of the City’s Winter Adult Basketball Leagues is just weeks away and signups are starting this week.

Registration deadline for the six-week leagues is January 4, 2023. There are men's and women's divisions based on level of experience. The season begins January 8 with games played on Sundays at South Community Gym followed by an end-of-season tournament. City Recreation officials also indicate referees are needed to officiate league contests.

"The adult basketball leagues are fun and a great way to stay or get active during the winter months, perhaps holding true to a New Year’s Resolution to get more fit, or a way just to hang out with friends and have fun," said Matt Brandhagen of the Rapid City Recreation Department.

Cost is $375 per team. Applicants can sign up at https://rapidcity.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t2.wcs and click Recreation; or at the Swim Center, 125 Waterloo Street; or the Parks and Rec Office, 515 West Boulevard. For more information or to sign up to officiate league games, contact Matt Brandhagen at matt.brandhagen@rcgov.org , at 415-0226 or 394-5223..

**CITY OFFERING 'YOUTH RIDE FREE' TRANSIT PROGRAM FOR SEVENTH YEAR: 

The City’s Rapid Transit System (RTS) is again offering the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program for the 2022-23 school year. This is the seventh consecutive year youth will be able to ride free on the RTS RapidRide bus system.

As parents and students scamper to buy school clothes, sneakers and supplies, one of the key boxes on the school checklist that impacts many families is reliable transportation to and from school. As in previous years, RTS is offering a free ride orientation period beginning today (August 22) through August 29 for parents to become familiar with routes and schedules by boarding any of the RapidRide buses.

Parents can ride free during this orientation period when accompanied by their school-aged child.

More than 33,000 youth riders utilized the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program during the 2021-22 school year, a 17.9 percent increase over the number of youth riders using the program during the previous school year. From September through May – the 2021-22 school calendar -- Rapid Transit System (RTS) recorded 33,101 youth passenger trips. The number compares to 27,662 youth trips recorded during the same time period for the 2020-21 school year.

"The ‘Youth Ride Free’ program continues to be a great success,” said Megan Gould-Stabile, RTS System manager. “The service provides parents with peace of mind knowing there is a reliable option for getting their child to school. The program is a free and convenient option for transportation to and from school for youth and anywhere along our fixed route system.

“It’s also a great option when that school car isn’t working or we have cold, inclement weather with icy roads.”

Registration is required for the free transportation program. Parents and guardians can contact Rapid Transit Service at 605-394-6631 to register or go online to rapidride.org and click on the ‘Youth Ride Free’ button. Information requested includes student’s name, school, parent or guardian’s name, and a phone number for emergency contact purposes.

Gould says the parent orientation rides are a great opportunity for parents and children to ride together to learn about transit schedules, routes and boarding locations.

In announcing the free youth transportation program in the summer of 2016, Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender indicated the free youth transit program would provide students better access to schools, libraries, recreation and social events as well as save money for families and foster appreciation for public transportation among the City's youth.

  RapidRide will also have maps, material and regular ride schedules available as well as material published online at rapidride.org .

**PUBLIC REMINDED TO REPORT NON-WORKING STREET LIGHTS: The City’s Traffic Operations Division is reminding the public to contact city staff if they see a non-working street light or a light not working properly, whether the light is in the city’s downtown or well-trafficked areas, or especially in residential areas. The public is advised to call the Traffic Operations Division at 394-4118.

“We rely on the public in many instances to notify us of a non-working street light, especially in a residential area,” said Mark Preble of the City’s Traffic Operations Division. “We want to respond as soon as possible to get the light changed out or make any repairs if necessary.”

With later sunset and earlier sunrise times, the public may be the first to observe non-working street lights and their assistance in reporting the issue to the City is appreciated, say officials.

“They may be out walking their dog later in the evening or taking a stroll around their neighborhood and see a light flickering or out of service,” said Preble. “We appreciate the call so crews can get the light checked out and changed or repaired.”

Officials request callers to provide as much information as possible about the location of the non-working light so crews can be dispatched to fix the light or make any repairs in a timely manner. If possible, the caller should note the light pole number that is marked on the pole. Callers are advised to leave a message in the evenings or weekends.

**PUBLIC ENCOURAGED TO CHECK OUT 'PENNINGTON OUTDOORS!': Looking for details on recreational opportunities in Rapid City and Pennington County? Residents and visitors to the area have a quick tool to access information through an interactive map that helps users explore local recreational facilities and opportunities.

The site, Pennington Outdoors!, was launched last year by the City’s Geographic Information (GIS) Division, can be accessed at rapidmap.org and is one of many valuable map and informational tools available on the GIS Division page which includes access to City and County voting precincts, the City's air quality zone, downtown parking map, the City's major street plan and much more.

Pennington Outdoors! site users can zoom in, zoom out or pan across a map to view different park facilities; Rapid City, Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands trail systems; location of statues; the Rapid City bike path; park amenities and recreational sites in Pennington County and the communities of Rapid City, Box Elder, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Wall, Hill City, Keystone, New Underwood, Wasta and Quinn. Once a desired site is visible, users can click on it using the 'identity' tool to see details, website and a photo associated with the recreation site.

As an example, clicking on Wilson Park will yield information indicating the Park includes a flowering garden, gazebo, ice skating area, tennis courts, playground, restrooms, basketball court and other amenities. Users can easily identify the location of the Park. Clicking on Robbinsdale Park will yield information including locations of the BMX Track, several baseball fields, location of picnic shelters, playgrounds, restrooms and walking paths.

Users wanting to know the location of specific downtown and area statues can access the site for the actual location

The City's GIS Division provides mapping services, data and technical support to the public as well as staffs of City and County government. the GIS Division page which includes access to City and County voting precincts, the City's air quality zone, downtown parking map, the City's major street plan. RapidMap services offers information on land parcels, aerial photos, address points and other map information. Survey Points provides information on area survey points.

**CITY REMINDS RESIDENTS OF UTILITY RATE RELIEF PROGRAM: Rapid City utility customers can apply for a reduction of their monthly utility charges through a decade-long program administered by the City's Public Works Department.

The program, entitled the Utility Rate Relief Program, is designed to lower the monthly utility expense for senior citizens and people with disabilities. The program recently underwent an update, to make the qualification process more straightforward.

Under the City's updated Utility Rate Relief Program, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria: they must be 65 or older or disabled as defined by the Social Security Act; they must fall below the “very low income” limit criteria outlined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Rapid City Metro Area; the applicant must be the person who is responsible for payment of the utility bill directly to the City; the property must be the applicant’s primary residence.

If qualified, the rates charged for utility services billed to the applicant will be reduced by 25 percent for a period of two years or until the renewal date established by the Public Works Director. New applications are accepted at any time, but renewal requests must be received by April 30, 2021 in order for current participants to remain on the program.

For more information and an application, visit https://www.rcgov.org/departments/public-works/water-division/urr-587.html  or call the City's Public Works Department at 394-4165.

**PUBLIC REMINDED TO SIGN UP FOR COLLECTION ALERTS: Officials with the City's Solid Waste Division remind residents to sign up for alerts about curbside collections and adjustments in pickups due to holidays and weather.

"We've had great response since launching our website back in January," said Jancie Knight, Solid Waste community outreach coordinator. "The site is an excellent way to receive alerts and reminders on trash collections and other updates."

Knight says residents can visit www.rapidcityrecycles.org to register in the 'Stay Informed' section. Other informational items on the page include a color-coded map of the city to determine specific curbside pickup days, where to dispose of specific items, and hours and contact information.

**GOT A POTHOLE? CALL THE POTHOLE HOTLINE: The City Street Department's pothole patching crews are at it as the calendar flips toward summer. If you see a pothole that needs to be fixed, call the Pothole Hotline at 394-4152 and provide a location and crews will be on it quickly.

**CONSTRUCTION MAP FEATURE ALLOWS DRIVERS TO STAY UPDATED ON PROJECTS: To stay updated on local construction projects, City officials remind the public they can utilize a newly-launched road construction site feature on the City's website which provides detailed site, map and project information.

The City's Geographic Information System (GIS) Division launched the 'Rapid City Road Construction Site' link on the GIS page last month, accessed by visiting rapidmap.org and clicking on the orange construction barrel. It is also available by clicking on 'Road Construction Updates' on the City's home page at rcgov.org . Once on the site, users can click on a highlighted segment and get additional information such as the project's location, the start date and estimated end date of the project, listing of the contractor and other useful information. Each segment on the map will also have the public service announcement attached to it and there will be a link provided for State Department of Transportation projects.

The site will be updated as active projects begin and sites will remain on the map through the duration of the specific projects.

With local construction season well underway, City officials are also reminding drivers to slow down and use caution when driving near and through all road construction areas, allow additional time to reach their destinations and to consider alternate routes.

**DIGITAL MEDIA POLICY: The City is advising the public of a requirement for digital media material for presentations at City Council and City Committee meetings. Effective May 1, 2017, digital media submissions must be provided at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting where the material will be presented. In addition, no digital media containing music will be accepted.

"This new guideline will allow for more efficient presentation of the item, ensuring there are no compatibility or virus issues with the item and the City's display system, as well as providing sufficient time for City staff to contact individuals for any changes that may be needed to the item prior to the meeting," said Darrell Shoemaker, City Communications Coordinator. "Too often, items are brought in a few moments before the start of a meeting, even after the meeting has started, and there is not sufficient time to ensure compatibility with our system, make sure there are no viruses, problems or issues with the item and for effective presentation of the item."

Digital media items can be submitted to the appropriate department division at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. For Monday's Council meetings, the item should be provided no later than Friday at 5 p.m. The City reserves the right to reject any items for presentation due to digital compatibility issues or content appropriateness.

**CITY HALL KIOSK WELCOMES VISITORS: A kiosk in the lobby of the City/School Administration Center welcomes visitors. There are four blocks of information, including a block for daily meetings and locations; a block explaining the location of meetings rooms in the building; a 'what am I looking for' block that provides a brief explanation of specific offices and their missions; and a date/time/temperature block.

Original source can be found here.