SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Pettigrew Heights Neighborhood Association will plant prairie grasses Saturday morning at the triangle green space at Grange Avenue and 11^th Street.

     Association member Kathryn Henning says a sculpture called “Obtuse” currently sits on the city-owned, public right of way.

     Henning says volunteers are asked to show up tomorrow morning at nine.  The plan is to put mulch around the statue, plant switchgrass and bluestem.  The Association wants to make the site more inviting for neighbors.  Henning hopes to the make triangle a gathering site for residents and visitors.

     She says large bench-size quartzite rocks will be placed near the art at a later date. 

     The neighborhood green space improvement project is part of the new City of Sioux Falls’ Neighborhood Project Grant Program.

As in the movie “Taken” young women are grabbed and put into a world of drugs and prostitution.  Human Trafficking is seen as a world wide problem, but it is also a South Dakota problem. 

“What we have in South Dakota is people who come into our state and they start grooming young girls for commercial sex trafficking,” said Brendan Johnson, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota.  “At first these people are very kind to these girls when they bring them into the ring, and then they brutalize them and keep them from leaving the ring.  Eventually they will put their pictures on their websites and pimp them out.”

Johnson said that you may hear of it happening once or twice in South Dakota, but that isn’t the case.   We had a case with Brandon Thompson who had about 20 victims, and he was given a life sentence.  As recently as last Friday, Carl Campbell had about a dozen victims and he received three life sentences.  We have several others who have pled guilty, been convicted at trial or are awaiting trial. 

“We have formed some task forces that deal with terrorism, drugs and human trafficking,” said Johnson.  “We want to make sure information is being exchanged between state and local law enforcement and the federal law enforcement.  We want to ensure that information can be exchanged quickly and there is an agreement in place to do so.”

Johnson said, in South Dakota, we don’t have the fighting between agencies like in other states.  We have the memorandums of understanding in place incase something comes up from some other place. 

“We want victims to come forward to help us prosecute these people,” said Johnson.  “They may have smoked pot or engaged in sexual activity earlier.  They are victims of a much larger problem and we aren’t interested in prosecuting them for a misdemeanor crime.  We are interested in going after these pimps that keep these people in constant fear.”

Johnson discussed the prosecutions on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations.  He said prosecutions were up 82 and 130 percents.  We are working with these communities in weeding out the bad and plant the seeds for future growth.  We are also working with kids in schools to develop new program to help. 

“Some of the biggest obstructions in these communities have been political turnover,” said Johnson.  “You work with leaders who you work well with and they lose the next election.  The next people in may not be law enforcement minded and want to take a couple of steps back.  We want to work with people who are going to want to make progress in these areas.

Brendon Johnson was interviewed on the Greg Belfrage show June 3, 2013

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - A Sioux Falls man is accused of hitting his wife with a shotgun and threatening their three daughters after he had been drinking Saturday night at their home on East 18^th Street.

     Officer Sam Clemens says 29-year-old Nicholas Patrick Thomas allegedly hit his wife in the arm so hard that it cut her. Thomas also allegedly hit her in the face and stomach with the gun.

     Clemens says Thomas told his wife to go to the hospital for treatment of the wound to her arm.  He told her to make up a story about the injury or she would never see him or the girls again.   When the victim got to the hospital she was very upset and told authorities what happened.

     Clemens says SWAT and police negotiators responded and Thomas surrendered to police around eight that morning.

     The girls were not injured and Thomas is charged with four counts of aggravated assault. 

SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) - After meeting with neighbors of a proposed new store at 85^th and Minnesota in April, Walmart has proposed several changes to its future Supercenter in South Sioux Falls.  The company has submitted those changes to the Sioux Falls Planning Commission, which will review them at a hearing on June 5^th.

 “We are excited to improve access to healthy and affordable food options in this area of Sioux Falls, and we take very seriously the need to be responsive to the community,” said Ryan Irsik, Walmart’s Senior Manager of Public Affairs and Government Relations for the area.  “These changes are part of our ongoing commitment to listen to feedback from neighbors and try to incorporate those suggestions into the design, construction, and operation of our stores.”

 Walmart’s proposed changes focus on four key areas detailed in a letter to the City of Sioux Falls and visual renderings that the retailer released today:

• Appearance: Changes to the exterior appearance include the addition of a brick façade to much of the store, aesthetic cornices to the front elevation and a portion of the store’s side, brick columns to the Garden Center fencing, monument style signage, and moving to a ground mounted flag pole.
• Traffic & Access: Proposed a new street alignment to move the intersection and traffic signal away from residents on Audie Avenue and keep traffic off residential streets.
• Operations: Agreed to prohibit overnight parking by guests at the location.
• Noise: Reiterated the companies strict “No-Idle” policy for trucks and is seeking a temporary construction easement at the far south corner of the project keeping noise as far away from neighbors as possible.

SIOUX FALLS, S. D. (KELO AM) – If you have taken a recent trip and noticed your car getting bad gas mileage or may be suffering alignment problems check the tires first.  Under-inflated or over-inflated tires can be the root cause to many of your car’s problems.

“It pays to be ‘tire smart,” said Dan Zielinski, Vice President, Rubber Manufacturers Association.  “Being tire smart means being able to check tire pressure properly; and there are three elements to that.   People should check their tire pressure monthly using the tire pressure on the label inside of the driver’s door and not the tire and you should check your tires when they are cold.”   

Zielinski said over-inflated tires will wear in the middle faster because there is no grip from the outside part of the tire.  It is important on a dry road, and even more important on a wet road.  By taking a penny, you can check the tread depth on a tire by sticking Lincoln’s head on the tire.  If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to get new tires.

“Cars with a tire pressure monitoring system does not replace your tire gauge, said Zielinski.  “The warning light doesn’t come on until 25-percent of the air in the tires is lost.  Until then, you can be driving on severely under-inflated tires.  Keeping tires properly inflated can save 10 to 12 cents a gallon which is quite a bargain.”

Zielinski says ‘Be tire smart and play your part.’  P.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread.  It promotes tire efficiency and safety.

“Safety is the most important element for the manufactures who build our tires in the US,” said Zielinski.  “Improperly inflated tires can build up heat which weakens the tire and can lead to a blow-out.  A properly inflated tire is your best bet for tire safety.”

Dan Zielinski was interviewed by Jack Taylor, KELO AM News June 4, 2013.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Minnehaha County Commission today approved a labor agreement with the County Deputies Association representing members of the Sheriff’s Office    

     The Association is guaranteed a minimum one percent increase in salary or the increase approved for other county workers, whichever is greater, next year.

      Commission Chairman Gerald Beninga says this has been the most informal and friendly negotiation.  He says the Commission appreciates the Deputies Association's support.  He says it makes the whole budgeting process a lot easier to have this contract settled so early in the year.

     Beninga says it makes a huge difference to the Commission from a labor standpoint, and frankly, a relationship standpoint.

     The agreement is a three year contract through the end of 2016.  The contract also switches President’s Day for the Friday after Thanksgiving as a recognized holiday.

     The Minnehaha County Commission is preparing to begin work on the next year's budget

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Someone went joyriding on a Sioux Falls Canaries’ motorized cart earlier this week and crashed it into a wall near a dugout.

     Officer Sam Clemens says the incident happened late Sunday night into early Monday morning.

     Clemens says the cart sustained extensive front end damage.  He says the keys were left in it and somebody hopped in and took it for a ride.  There was no damage to the wall or the field.  No word on a damage estimate.     

      Clemens says it’s not clear how the suspect gained entry into Sioux Falls Stadium.

Battalion Chief Travis Thom has completed six courses, which totaled more than 300 hours, and is one of only 39 individuals worldwide that have met the requirements for this certification. These courses included many hours of advanced structural collapse training, and this certification demonstrates that Battalion Chief Thom has the skills and ability to better respond to and direct urban search and rescue incidents for his community and the region.

The Texas A&M Engineering (TEEX) Extension Service program is designed for members of a search and rescue task force that wish to obtain the highest level of training and expertise in structural collapse rescue operations. “This is the only certificate of its kind for advanced urban search and rescue training, and very few people nationwide qualify at this point,” said Brian Smith with TEEX Emergency Services Training Institute, who coordinates the program.

For more information from Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, visit www.siouxfalls.org/fire or follow us onfacebook.com/siouxfallsfire or twitter.com/siouxfallsfire.

   SIOUX FALLS, S. D. (KELO AM) – A Walmart store at 85 St.and Minnesota Av. in Sioux Falls, SD has been a concern for both residents and Walmart.  There have been open meetings held and petitions signed, and Walmart is taking those residential concerns seriously.

   “We’ll be going to the planning commission today to show our new plans for the store at 85th and Minnesota,” said Delia Garcia, Walmart Public Affairs Representative.  “Key things the residents in the area were concerned with were the facade of the store and garden area.  They want the store to reflect the aesthetics of the neighborhood with a brick front and signage that is also consistent with what they wanted to see.”

   Garcia said traffic and access to the store is also a major concern.  We realigned the street alignment and changed the proposed entrance which isn’t an easy task when you are talking about a store like this.  We are going to prohibit overnight parking in the parking lot of this store which was a concern.  We are also going to take measures to reduce noise during the construction of the store.

   “We want to be a good neighbor because we are going to be in that location for a long time,” said Garcia.  “We are going to generate positive revenue into the community and a lot of jobs.  We want to have engagement by the community to have the best relationship as possible.”  

Delia Garcia was interviewed on the Greg Belfrage show June 5, 2013.

Beginning Thursday, June 6, 2013, the entrance from 57th Street to Yankton Trail Park will be closed for asphalt surfacing. During this time, park users are encouraged to use the Minnesota Avenue entrance to the park. With the completion of this work, paving within Yankton Trail Park will be finished. This work is anticipated to be completed by Friday, June 7, 2013.

The prime contractor for this project is Minger Construction, Inc. from Chanhassen, MN.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  The City of Sioux Falls anticipates the Corps of Engineers will finish raising levees around the Big Sioux River this summer.

     Chief Planning and Zoning official Jeff Schmitt says FEMA should certify the work at the end of the year.  

     Schmitt says there’s a significant number of Sioux Falls residents and businesses currently paying flood insurance.  He says the federal government passed a flood insurance reform act that goes into effect October 1, 2013.  That will remove subsidies from the insurance programs.              

     Schmitt says ending the subsidies means flood insurance premiums will rise from one to 25 percent in October.

     Schmitt says it’s unknown when FEMA will issue new flood maps that will excuse some property owners from having to pay flood insurance.

     He says Sioux Falls citizens should be aware of what flood risks exist and ways to mitigate that risk.

The numbers don’t lie: major investments are being made in new residential and commercial construction projects throughout the city. Sioux Falls is on tap to break construction value records, with more than $200 million in permits already issued in the first four months of the year.

Major construction projects started in 2012 are starting to take shape all across the city. From the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center to new schools in both the Sioux Falls and Harrisburg School districts.

The number of new hotels planned is encouraging for the visitor industry as well as the economy, said Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Teri Schmidt.

“It shows that the visitor industry is increasing … that the hotel’s owners believe there is potential for successful business in our city,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said the increase in new facilities, like the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Sanford Pentagon, Scheel’s Iceplex and Community Indoor Tennis Center, there is a belief that Sioux Falls can host more visitors and events — requiring more hotel rooms. With the increase in hotels, Sioux Falls will be closing in on having 5,000 rooms.

“Because of the sports and events facilities being built, there is belief that many of the increased visitors will come to Sioux Falls to participate and/or attend these events,” Schmidt said. “There is great momentum for increasing the amount of visitor events in our community.”

Another factor is the increasing medical care offered in the community, Schmidt said, which also brings visitors who often need to stay in Sioux Falls. One of the proposed new hotel properties would be built on the Sanford Hospital & USD Medical Center campus.

“The hotel growth taking place in Sioux Falls is certainly a positive sign of growth,” Schmidt said. “The companies building these properties have done their homework on our community’s expanding market and obviously believe in the positive future potential and the importance of the visitor business in Sioux Falls.

Residential construction is also on the rise.

“Our members are busy, very busy,” said Julie Terrell, executive director of the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire (HBASE). “We’re hearing this from all aspects of the home building industry from the plumbers to the electricians to the framers. It’s great for our economy because when home building is strong, that financial kickback is felt throughout many other sectors of the local market as well.”

Statistics from the City of Sioux Falls show that single family units are up from 2012 and 2011, as well as townhomes and multiple family units. The total permits through the end of April this year for new residential construction— 975 — are up 345 percent above 2012 219 in 2012 and 176 in 2011.

Just like visitor spending, the economic impact of residential construction can be huge. According to Terrell, the estimated one-year economic impact of building 100 single family homes in Sioux Falls includes: $16.6 million in local income; $1.5 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments; and 272 local jobs. The additional, annual recurring impact of building those homes includes: $2.9 million in local income; $605,000 in taxes and other revenue for local governments; and 53 local jobs.

CONSTRUCTION STATS

New Nonresidential Buildings January - December 2012   Project Construction Value(in $millions) 1. Denny Sanford PREMIER Center $66.1 2. Sioux Falls Middle School $19.3 3. Sanford Pentagon $17.6 4. Harrisburg Middle School $14.5 5. Harrisburg Elementary School $14.5 6. Sanford Fieldhouse $9.3 7. Vance Thompson Vision $6.6 8. Fairfield Inn $5.0 9. Lumber Exchange $4.2 10. Animal Health $3.0 Source: City of Sioux Falls  

Nonresidential Building AdditionsJanuary - December 2012   Project Construction Value(in $millions) 1. Raven Industries (interior remodel) $6.2 2. Sanford Medical (interior remodel) $3.1 3. John Morrell & Co. (lagoon) $2.9 4. Raven Industries (extrusion tower) $1.9 5. Sioux Falls Regional Airport (restaurant remodel) $1.9 6. Harvey Dunn Elementary School (addition) $1.8 7. Oak Hills Baptist (classroom addition) $1.8 8. Fareway Foods (tenant finish) $1.5 9. Prairie Green Gold Course Clubhouse $1.5 10. Latter Day Saints (addition) $1.4 11. City of Sioux Falls (update) $1.4 Source: City of Sioux Falls  

Top Ten Projects Permitted in 2013   Project Construction Value(in $millions) 1. Scheels (addition/remodel) $6.2 2. Hilton Garden Inn Downtown $3.1 3. Empire Mall (updates/remodel) $2.9 4. University Hills (122 units) $1.9 5. Brooks Crossing (104 units) $1.9 6. Dakota Beverage $1.8 7. Glanbia Nutritionals Inc. $1.8 8. South Harmony (70 units) $1.5 9. Midcontinent Communications (addition) $1.5 10. Raven Industries (phase II remodel) $1.4 Source: City of Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  A Sioux Falls man faces aggravated assault and eluding charges after trying to win back an ex-girlfriend early this morning at her home on South Sunburst Place.

      Officer Sam Clemens says 20-year-old Chase Ryan Stevens appeared at the 17-year-old girl’s bedroom window and she called friends to come to her aid.

     When they arrived, Stevens allegedly hit one.  Clemens says Stevens made a comment that he was going to kill all her friends and her as well.  He said he had a handgun in his pocket but he did not show one.

     Clemens says the girl and friends drove from her home and Stevens followed them to 26^th Street and Marion Road.

     Highway Patrol Captain Kevin Joffer says troopers next saw Stevens driving at 100 miles an hour southbound on I-29.

      Joffer says the pursuit ended when Stevens lost control of his car in a ditch in Lennox and he fled on foot.  During the pursuit Troopers learned that the suspect was Stevens and that his mother lives in Lennox.  Troopers and Lennox Police went to an apartment complex and took Stevens into custody with out incident.

     Stevens is also charged with reckless driving, speeding and possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

Sioux Falls - If weather conditions permit, the City of Sioux Falls Health Department will be conducting spraying efforts for mosquitoes in targeted areas of Sioux Falls this evening.

A map on the City’s website outlines the targeted zones where spraying will occur. Sioux Falls Zone 2 will be sprayed this evening due to high numbers of Culex mosquitoes. This targeted spray effort is being conducted in response to increased numbers of mosquito populations. The Sioux Falls Mosquito Control Program follows a phased-response guideline created by the CDC that is used to determine when spray events and other treatments are needed. This evening’s spray will occur between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. as weather permits.

The City will be using the product Zenivex E20 for spray treatments. Products used by the City of Sioux Falls are designed to break down in the environment quickly and are used at very low concentrations. Zenivex E20 is a product approved for use by the EPA in residential areas for adult mosquito control.

As progress is made toward completing the spraying process, updates will be placed on the City’s website. In order to view the spray map, or for additional information such as which zone you live in, visit the website at www.siouxfalls.org/mosquito. Citizens wanting to report local concerns on mosquitoes or standing water should leave this information on the automated Mosquito Reporting Hotline at 605-367-8799.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -The U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki announced that HUD will provide 60-million dollars for public housing for homeless veterans.  Out of that money, South Dakota will receive 56,112-dollars for its homeless veterans.

“Our major goal is to end homelessness for veterans in a partnership with HUD and the VA at national levels,” said Candice Cummings, Homeless Coordinator, Sioux Falls VA.  “Sioux Falls housing will receive the vouchers and then the VA will be able to provide case management.  These vouchers will then allow veterans to find affordable housing.”

Cummings said the Sioux Falls VA sees over 300 homeless veterans in a year’s time.  Many of these veterans are homeless because of physical problems, lost a job or their family situations have changed.  It’s a tough spot to be in and sometime very hard for veterans to pull themselves out. 

“If anyone knows a homeless veteran, they should call us at the Sioux Falls V.A. so we can get them the help they need,” said Cummings.  “We can make them part of the healthcare system and get them needed medications.  We can help them with their physical needs, substance abuse and if there are mental health issues, we can help them in those areas too.  We have programs that can help them with employment needs.”

Cummings said the impact of these housing grants on veterans is huge.  If you don’t have a place to live, you can’t do anything else.  You can’t leave a phone number for and employer, and you don’t have a place to go at the end of the day.  A home is first on the list of human needs and we will work with local veterans to get them what they need.

If you know a homeless veteran, call the Sioux Falls V.A. at (605) 336-3230 ext. 6135 or ask for the homeless staff at ext. 6890.

Candace Cummings was interviewed on the Greg Belfrage Show June 4, 2013.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) -  Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States with nearly 360-thousand out-of-hospital cases every year.

     American Heart Association spokewoman Chrissy Meyer says survival depends on the victim receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation from someone nearby

     Meyer says the Association is encouraging hands-only C-P-R that’s been shown to be just as effective as conventional mouth-to-mouth C-P-R.  Meyer says to think about the song "Stayin Alive" buy the Bee Gees" which is exactly 100 beats per minute.  She says as you're doing chest compressions, that's roughly that 100 beats.  She say you continue the compressions until help arrives. 

     Meyer says people are more likely to feel comfortable performing hands-only C-P-R.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The “It’s All About Science Festival,” tomorrow in Sioux Falls, celebrates the exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

     Sanford Researcher Jill Weimer says the Festival showcases all things science to the Northern Plains Community.

     Weimer says that includes hands-on science activities, demonstrations and exhibits.  She says the goal is to spark that interest in science to carry it forward and get more people in STEM professions. 

     Stem is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

     The Science Festival is Saturday, June 8, from nine to five at the Sanford Center off Benson Road and is free of charge.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Without a Bakken Formation in the state of South Dakota, it seems that getting a slice of the energy pie is nothing more than a pipe dream.  Being this close to the North Dakota Oil Shale Boom, South Dakota has needed resources to play a tremendous role in the energy industry.

“With all of the activity in North Dakota, we have seen a lot of trucks going through our area to service the oil industry needs and some South Dakota companies have done well doing so,” said Hunter Roberts, South Dakota Energy Policy Director.  “We have hired a consultant to see how South Dakota can capture some of the repair and maintenance needs in North Dakota.”

Thompson said there is a business for manufacturing and repair and some South Dakota businesses have done well in those areas; but there is room for improvement.  Right now when companies need to have their equipment repaired, they may have to send it to Oklahoma where it will sit for a month.  Now with energy booms in Oklahoma and Texas, they are getting busy down there too.  It makes sense to truck your equipment to South Dakota in a day where it will be fixed in two days and trucked right back up and working again. 

“We are so close to the activity in North Dakota, that we would like to see a hub of oil and gas in the western part of South Dakota,” said Roberts.  “We are hoping that when something needs to be sourced, oil companies will look at South Dakota where it isn’t as crazy with seven dollars for a gallon of milk and long waits in gas lines.  We are close enough where you can be up there in three hours, do your work and be home that night.”

Thompson said, we are still looking into alternative energy like wind and biofuels.  With the high activities of production in North Dakota, we are very interested in getting a piece of that pie.  We don’t have the Bakken Formation like North Dakota, Montana and up into Canada so we have to rely on other means to profit from Oil Shale.

“We live close enough to the oil fields where it makes sense for us to manufacture equipment and get it up there,” said Roberts.  “We don’t have to be a part of the grind of Willeston, North Dakota where things are crazy right now.  We can be a part of the oil industry and enjoy the good quality of life in South Dakota.”

Roberts said, that in the near future we will work with our consultants to see where the needs are in the Bakken area and fill those needs.  We have a great business footprint here and that is a good news story.  We will concentrate on helping our business continue to build and that will be our focus for the next six months.

Hunter Roberts was a guest on the Greg Belfrage Show June 4, 2013.

New York, NY (KWSN) –– The Miami Heat, the Sioux Falls Skyforce and the NBA Development League today announced that the Heat and the Skyforce have entered into a single affiliation partnership beginning with the 2013-14 NBA D-League season.  Miami becomes the record 13^th NBA team to have a one-to-one affiliation with an NBA D-League team.  

The Heat, which  joins the Philadelphia 76ers as the second NBA team to become singly affiliated with an NBA D-League team this offseason, will be Sioux Falls’ sole NBA affiliate and will have full control over the team’s basketball operations.  To further solidify the relationship, the Skyforce has adopted Miami’s red, yellow and black color scheme and signature font beginning with next season.  

This partnership, also referred to as a “hybrid affiliation,” is the sixth of its kind in the NBA D-League and allows an NBA team to pay for and control the NBA D-League team’s basketball operations, while existing local ownership maintains primary responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations and community initiatives. 

"This partnership between the Heat and Skyforce further demonstrates the growing importance of an exclusive NBA D-League affiliate for NBA team player, coach, and staff development," said Dan Reed, NBA D-League President. "We're excited about the positive impact this record 13th 'one-to-one' affiliation will have for both teams and the league as a whole."

The Heat assigned both Dexter Pitman and Jarvis Varnado to the Skyforce last season, the fourth season of the teams’ affiliation.  During the 2012-13 season, Sioux Falls was also affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.  New affiliates for the Timberwolves and Magic will be announced at a later date. 

“We have been working with the Skyforce for four years and feel that it is one of the most professional organizations in the NBA Development League,” said Heat President Pat Riley. “It will be a pleasure working with Mike Heineman to make this partnership a success for both them and the Miami Heat.” 

The Heat joins the Brooklyn Nets (Springfield Armor), Boston Celtics (Maine Red Claws), Houston Rockets (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), New York Knicks (Erie BayHawks) and Portland Trail Blazers (Idaho Stampede) as NBA teams with “hybrid” affiliations. 

 Seven other NBA teams are singly affiliated with their NBA D-League affiliates.  The Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs fully own and operate the Canton Charge, Santa Cruz Warriors, L.A. D-Fenders, Tulsa 66ers, Delaware 87ers and Austin Toros, respectively, while the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Legends are one-to-one affiliates. 

 “The Miami Heat is a premier franchise in the NBA and we are honored to be their exclusive NBA D-League affiliate,” said Heineman, Skyforce owner/president.  “This affiliation will take our franchise to a whole new level on and off the court.” 

Mike Heineman joined Sports Talk with Craig and Chris Monday afternoon and discussed the move.

Miami’s partnership with Sioux Falls comes on the heels of the NBA D-League’s 12^th season, in which an all-time high 58 NBA players were assigned to their NBA D-League affiliates and an additional 36 NBA D-League players earned 31 GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA.  An all-time high 30 percent of players on 2012-13 NBA end-of-season rosters have spent time in the NBA D-League during their careers. 

Courtesy: Sioux Falls Skyforce

Weather permitting, the City of Sioux Falls Street Division of Public Works will be cleaning debris collected on the bridge abutments. They will be working on the South Minnesota Avenue bridge over the Big Sioux River. The southbound outside lane will be closed to traffic. This project is expected to last from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact the City of Sioux Falls Street Division at 367-8255. Thank you for your patience during this project.

Beginning Monday, June 17, 2013, concrete street repairs will begin at the intersection of West 26th Street and South Sertoma Avenue. Lane closures will be in place for the street repairs but traffic will be maintained in both directions at all times.

Traffic delays are to be expected. Motorists are urged to use caution and reduced speeds while traveling thru the construction zone and may wish to consider using an alternate route.

Project completion is expected by August 9, 2013.

Big Al’s Contracting Inc. of Sioux Falls is the prime contractor.

Beginning on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, Oxbow Avenue will be closed from 49th Street to 57th Street for asphalt paving. Driveway access will be maintained for local traffic when possible but access will be restricted when paving is occurring at the driveway location.

Local motorists are urged to use caution and reduced speeds while traveling thru the work zone. All other traffic should use an alternate route.

Weather permitting, the work is anticipated to be complete on Wednesday, June 19, 2013.