SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – One local artist is turning sneakers into support for Special Olympics athletes as they prepare to compete on a national stage.

What started as a simple idea quickly grew into something much larger for Team South Dakota. After discovering his work on social media, Special Olympics South Dakota reached out to artist Michael Middlen about designing a single custom shoe to auction off and raise funds.

“So I had stumbled upon him on Instagram and I just reached out and you know just kind of told our story of what USA games is and what it means to us and see if he wanted to partner with us to do a custom shoe and to raffle it off,” said Haley Zerr, head of sports and competition for Special Olympics South Dakota.

But after hearing more about the athletes and their journey, Middlen decided one pair wasn’t enough.

“So initially when we first started communicating, it was just going to be one pair of shoes, and then we met with him one day, and he brought it to our attention like, Hey, I would love to do a pair for everybody, so that was shocking to us but very rewarding,” Zerr said.

Instead, Middlen took on the task of hand-painting 67 custom pairs of shoes for every athlete and staff member representing South Dakota at the USA Games in Minneapolis.

“When I heard their story, it just really touched me and moved me, and I just felt that I needed to do something for them, and I just figured this would be the best way to do that,” Middlen said.

Each pair is uniquely designed, incorporating both the Special Olympics logo and the sport each athlete will compete in, adding a personal touch to every step they take.

“But I really wanted to do something to make it more personal, and I always try to do that with every custom to make it a little more personal to the individual that’s receiving them. So I thought it would be a really cool addition to add the sport logo of the sport that the athletes are competing in. So every athlete is going to get a pair in their own size, it will have the Special Olympics logo on one shoe, and then it will have the sport they are competing in on the other,” Middlen said.

Beyond design, the project carries a deeper meaning centered on unity and inclusion.

“I just wanted to really bring inclusion and help everyone, from staff to the athletes, to feel like they’re all one and just lift these athletes up and support them as they are going into the games,” Middlen said.

For many of the athletes, this is an experience they’ve never had before, making it all unforgettable.

“You know a lot of them have never received anything like this or gone to a USA Games, so it’s a big deal for all of our athletes attending,” Zerr said.

The custom shoes will also help Team South Dakota stand out as they represent their state during the opening ceremonies.

“And that was our whole thing behind this: we wanted to stand out when we go to the opening ceremonies. So just South Dakota and they all have matching shoes, custom shoes, so yeah, it’s a big deal for us,” Zerr said.

As excitement builds for the USA Games, leaders say the effort also highlights the broader need for community support.

“To be able to represent our state with the number of people we have going which is 67 to Minneapolis is a big important thing for us but the fundraising for that and raising money and awareness for getting our athletes there to compete is where we need help for the community as well,” said Nick Moen, president and CEO of Special Olympics South Dakota.

Middlen hopes the project encourages others to give back in their own way.

“I don’t think the public is completely aware of how much of a need there is to support them, and everything they rely on is donations, and you know, I think when people think of giving, they think that it’s gotta be money or whatever, but lots of times the best thing you can give is just your talent and your time,” Middlen said.

As Team South Dakota prepares to take the national stage, they’ll do so backed by more than just preparation, carrying with them a visible reminder of the support behind them.

More information on the Special Olympics of South Dakota and where to donate can be found here, and entering the custom shoe raffle drawing can be found here.

Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.

Two men who worked as managers at AutoZone stores in South Dakota have filed suit against the company, alleging the auto parts chain exploited them by not paying overtime.

Jay Grigsby was an employee of an AutoZone in Spearfish from 2021 to 2022, and Zakk Gill worked at the Rapid City AutoZone from 2013 to 2020. Both men had been plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit brought in Montana. That suit – Richter v. AutoZoners represented plaintiffs in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho.

AutoZone filed a motion to have that lawsuit decertified as a class action. Last month, a judge ruled against the company, but the judge did rule he lacked jurisdiction over non-Montana residents, and the case for them was dismissed, albeit without prejudice, which allows them to refile a new case.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Spring planting season has officially begun, and Sioux Falls is taking new efforts to revitalize the city’s urban forest.

It’s all part of the new initiative through Sioux Falls and their CommuniTree program, which is going to plant roughly 150 plants a day to help protect and provide for our environment for decades to come.

This past fall, the city of Sioux Falls announced it had received a 3 million grant from the USDA Forest Service. The funds are being used to restore the city’s tree population by planting approximately 5000 trees over the course of a few years.

“If you have room to plant trees within the adjacent right-of-way and you have an approved planting permit, we will issue a $100 voucher per tree for the planting of those trees,” said Bryan Peterson, Urban Forestry Specialist. “Vouchers are only issued to approved planting locations. Vouchers are not issued to properties already enrolled in a city cost-sharing program focused on tree planting.”

Sioux Falls has lost 17,000 ash trees to the invasive emerald ash borers, and through the CommuniTree program, they hope to plant 1200 trees this spring. It’s voluntary, and residents have the option to choose from six trees.

“There’s a lot of trees and even within our park system where they get dinged with lawnmowers or string trimmers and that over time can actually kill the tree itself,” said Peterson in terms of how to take care of your trees.

Sioux Falls was selected for the grant based on the impact it would have on the city.

“We have several communities in Colorado that are currently working on them, but we also have some domestic grants that go directly through the state of South Dakota,” said Amanda Marr, who is with the USDA Forest Service. “And then South Dakota therefore passes it down through communities.”

After years of losing trees to invasive pests, Sioux Falls is turning over a new leaf. They encourage any resident to look into the program so they can help plant a tree in their own front yard and help make a difference.

Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.