The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Pennington County Commission Approves $18K Raise for State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel, Despite Opposition
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Pennington County Commission on Tuesday approved a raise for newly sworn-in State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel. Her raise came before commissioners in December, where it was continued to January’s meeting for more discussion. Pennington County Human Resource Director Carol Bancroft asked commissioners for a salary of $158,340 for Roetzel. That is a a nearly $18,000 increase from her current salary of $140,000. Commissioners voted in favor of the increase, with Deb Hadcock voting no.
Former Alderman Aaron Jordan Appointed as New City Administrator for Sturgis
STURGIS, S.D. – A former alderman will be the City of Sturgis’ new City Administrator. Sturgis Mayor Kevin Forrester plans to announce Sturgis resident Aaron Jordan will be appointed as City Administrator at a special meeting tonight. In April of 2024, voters approved a new form of government granting the mayor authority to appoint a City Administrator, subject to council approval. Jordan was selected among 10 candidates that had applied for the job. Jordan previously served as a Ward 3 councilman for three years.
Harrowing escapes from Los Angeles wildfires were made by foot, by car or by the grace of strangers
PASADENA, CA — Thousands of residents made harrowing escapes as devastating wildfires bore down on the Los Angeles area. Some fled by foot, some by car and some by the grace of good Samaritans. Aaron Samson said strangers twice picked up him and his 83-year-old father-in-law as they fled from Pacific Palisades on Tuesday. The second time came as he was helping his father-in-law shuffle down the street with a walker, with flames burning on both sides. Sheriece Wallace is another Pacific Palisades resident who had to flee. She said was prepared to jump into a pool to try to save herself when a neighbor offered her a ride to safety. The fires killed at least five people.
More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, officials say
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Gaza’s Health Ministry says the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has climbed above 46,000. The ministry updated its toll from the ongoing 15-month conflict on Thursday. It says 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded. The ministry has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in residential areas. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are now packed into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.
United Airlines Finds Loose Bolts on Boeing 737 Max 9 Planes Amid FAA-Mandated Inspections
Following an incident where a plug door blew off an Alaska Airlines flight, United Airlines has discovered loose bolts on several grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 planes during inspections. These checks are part of FAA-mandated inspections of 171 aircraft equipped with mid-cabin door plugs to ensure passenger safety. United, the largest U.S. operator of Max 9s, has canceled over 470 flights since Saturday due to the inspections. The airline stated that preliminary checks revealed installation issues, such as bolts requiring additional tightening. Alaska Airlines is also collaborating with Boeing to investigate the Flight 1282 incident.
NASA’s Artemis Moon Mission Faces Delay to 2025; Astrobotic Halts Lunar Lander Attempt
NASA is expected to announce a “monthslong delay” for its first crewed Artemis moon mission, originally planned for November. The mission, which aims to send four astronauts on a moon flyby, is now unlikely to occur before 2025, according to sources. NASA’s Inspector General had previously warned of potential delays due to challenges the agency must overcome to ensure the mission’s safety. Meanwhile, Astrobotic Technology, the maker of the first U.S. commercial lunar lander in five decades, abandoned its attempt to place the Peregrine spacecraft on the moon after a fuel leak less than a day after launch.
IRS to Begin Accepting 2023 Tax Returns on January 29
The IRS announced Monday that it will start accepting 2023 federal income tax returns on January 29. The standard deadline for submitting returns and paying any remaining taxes is April 15, though some taxpayers may have later deadlines due to state holidays or disaster-related extensions. Refunds are typically issued within 21 days of return acceptance, and most taxpayers receive money back. In 2022, the IRS processed over 160 million returns, issuing nearly 105 million refunds with an average amount of $3,050, according to agency statistics.
