On this Fourth of July day (and long weekend) when we celebrate America's independence and all those who have fought for our freedom in the Armed Forces, Happy Hour found it appropriate to bring back for an encore a February conversation with a true American badass — forgive our language, but that's the best way to describe her — Staff Sgt. Kim Hubers, the 2023 Disabled American Veteran of the Year.

The last time the Iraq War veteran was in New Orleans, she spent six weeks helping clean up the wreckage of Hurricane Katrina as a member of the South Dakota Army National Guard. People who had lost everything in their lives literally fell into her arms.

Twenty years later, the lifelong Vikings fan was wrapped in Justin Jefferson's arms as part of a Super Bowl trip rewarded to her through the USAA (United Services Automobile Association). Hubers brought 18-year-old daughter Aubrey to experience not only the suite life in the Superdome for the big game itself, but the Saturday Fanfest, where they met and shared a few minutes with the Vikings' All-Pro receiver.

Hubers tells vivid memories of her Katrina experience and explains the emotions of returning to a place that was so devastated and is now "electric" with people, music, art, culture, and the buzz of the Super Bowl.

She also describes the physical and mental pain she has suffered to this day from her year in the Iraq War and six weeks in Katrina, and how she channels it into serving other disabled veterans. It is an hour full of heartache and heart warmth.

There are few better examples of walking, breathing South Dakota football history than Jim Heinitz, a recent inductee into the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.

The southwest Minnesota native came to play for South Dakota State in 1968 and has spent nearly 60 years since making football programs better and communities stronger through his coaching, business ventures, and both community and political service that included time as mayor of Brandon.

Heinitz is most famous for turning perennial North Central Conference underdog Augustana into a scrappy contender in his two head coaching stints there from 1984-2003, during which he became the school's all-time wins leader until current coach Jerry Olszewski surpassed him last season. (He'll also remind you he's the all-time losses leader there, as well).

But the man whom Augie's field is named after was also an assistant football and basketball coach at the University of Sioux Falls, then for Washington and Lincoln high schools — which included Washington's only girls state track and field title in 1977 — and then head coach for a historic season at Rapid City Stevens. Twice, Heinitz "retired" from coaching to go into the furniture business only to return to football, but his third retirement was his last, as he became CEO for Furniture Mart until actual forever retirement in 2021.

In an hour-long conversation at one of his favorite Sioux Falls haunts, the Gateway Lounge, the gregarious and gracious Heinitz had plenty of stories about his decorated life, including some about his teammates (Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Langer) and players (like Bryan Schwartz) that eventually made it to the NFL.

Plus, a story about a player he recruited but wasn't so crazy about (at the time) and didn't land — some guy named Adam Viniatieri.

Bad news for those who were hoping for a new downtown baseball stadium in Sioux Falls: It isn't happening. Public sentiment and political forces in the city drove the Canaries owners' movement for that away, as the city-purchased "Riverline District," for now, is set to be occupied by a new convention center (with plenty of financial and political obstacles to overcome first).

Good news, though, for Canaries fans and baseball lovers: The current 61-year-old city baseball stadium on the Events Center campus took another step toward preservation and restoration last week when it became public that Mayor Paul TenHaken set aside $11 million for improvements to The Birdcage over the next five years in his Capital Improvement Plan.

Things like new field lighting, bathroom remodels, and sorely-needed visiting locker room and umpire room renovations are part of that plan.

The bigger picture — The Canaries and The Birdcage are a priority, at least to the current mayor, who will leave the actual execution of the plan to a new mayor and city council members once he is out of office in 2026.

In a world where the future is uncertain for minor league baseball nationally, there is still a place for it in Sioux Falls.

In an hour-long conversation, Happy Hour host and Canaries promoter/entertainer John Gaskins chats with Sioux Falls Live editor and political reporter Patrick Lalley — a lifelong Sioux Falls resident — about The Birdcage, the Canaries' recent three-year surge in on-field performance and ownership-funded ballpark improvements, the club and the sport's club's place in the community, and the last 30 years of sports facility politics in the ever-growing city.

First, a new arena. Then, a new baseball park. Build it downtown and they will come? We'll never know.

So, how did we wind up back at The Birdcage for the Canaries, and is it both the best spot for them and the best thing to occupy that space?

Before that...

Perhaps you're familiar with the "Sports Illustrated jinx" from a past era, when your favorite team likely lost the next game after it appeared on the cover of the once-revered magazine.

More modernly, you're likely familiar with the "Madden jinx" — dawn the cover of the video game and you'll get hurt or your team will tank shortly thereafter.

But when it comes to Happy Hour, at least on Tuesday, it is a reverse affect:

The "Happy Hour Hike." Or Happy Hour Buzz, or whatever.

There was plenty of buzz at The Birdcage again, as the Sioux Falls Canaries spiked their league-best home record to 15-7 with a 4-2 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs.

The offensive propeller was Augustana's all-time best hitter and Tuesday's Happy Hour guest Jordan Barth, who went 3-for-4 and was a triple short of the cycle, with a 2-run homer that tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning. The Canaries are still by far the American Association of Professional Baseball's leaders in scoring and home runs and also hold the lead in hits, doubles, triples, RBIs, and total bases.

Barth's former Augie teammate Tanner Brown held down the pitching fort with 7 strong innings (5 hits, 4 strikeouts) to boost his record to 4-2, while USF alumnus Josh Rehwaldt — the league's most-feared and best all-around slugger (.383, 14 HR, 45 RBI) — collected another hit.

Gaskins re-emphasizes why now is a better time than ever to stop watching the miserable Minnesota Twins — who had another historically putrid game at the plate — and catch the buzz at The Birdcage.

Plus, some words about the latest example of the "Caitlin Clark Effect." If she doesn't play, do we not watch or care about the WNBA? Mostly, yes.

And the reasons go well beyond the WNBA or even Caitlin Clark, at least in Gaskins' case.