The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Rapid City Lawmaker Withdraws Controversial Bill to Defund Huron School District
RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Rapid City lawmaker is explaining his reasoning for a bill that was aimed to stop the Huron School District from receiving state education money. Republican Representative Phil Jensen introduced House Bill 12-24, dubbed “defund the Huron School District” on Tuesday. He then withdrew it yesterday. Jensen says his bill was a stunt in response to a concern shared with him about girls not being protected from boys using girls restrooms or locker rooms in the school. He added it was just to get the district’s attention to explain its policy. Representative Lana Greenfield, the Chair of the House Education Committee, who also represents Huron, kicked Jensen out of Wednesday’s committee meeting. After strong pushback over his actions, Jensen has since stepped down from his role on the education committee as vice chair.
Rapid City Police Offer $1,000 Reward for Fugitive Wanted in Violent Home Invasion
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City Police are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the location of 39-year-old Joshua Peacock. Police are searching for Peacock following a violent home invasion last Saturday in the 1700 block of Lodge Street. Authorities say Peacock was released from prison a day prior to the burglary and assault. A warrant is out for his arrest. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to contact Rapid City Police.
Gov. Larry Rhoden Pushes for Targeted Property Tax Reform Amid Rising Rates
PIERRE, S.D. – Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden said he wants to see tailored owner-occupied property tax reform. About a dozen bills this session seek to reform or lower property taxes in some way. Rhoden has convened a working group of state lawmakers to work on a proposal to address the rise in owner occupied property taxes. Rhoden said the group has a working draft that’s evolving after each meeting.
South Dakota Lawmakers Advance Bill to Cap School Administrator Pay Amid Teacher Salary Concerns
RAPID CITY, S.D. — South Dakota lawmakers are debating limits on school administrator pay as teachers remain near the bottom in national salary rankings. The Senate Education Committee Thursday narrowly advanced a measure capping administrator salaries at three times the average teacher pay in their districts. The state ranks 49th in teacher salaries but 16th for administrator pay. Education groups oppose the bill, saying it would hurt recruitment of top school leaders. The measure now heads to the full Senate.
2 dead, 3 injured in weather event with ‘possible tornado,’ officials in Tennessee say
WARTBURG, Tenn. (AP) — Officials in eastern Tennessee say two people were killed when severe storms with a possible tornado moved through the region. The Morgan County Emergency Management Agency announced Friday morning that a mother and daughter were killed when the storm passed through the Deer Lodge and Sunbright areas of Morgan County on Thursday night. Officials say three injuries were also reported. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says troopers were in Morgan County ensuring resident safety and assessing and helping with structure damage. Officials say county schools were closed Friday because of “significant damage from tornadoes in parts of our county.” The National Weather Service says teams will survey storm damage in Morgan and Grainger counties on Friday.
Trump Administration Slashes USAID Workforce in Cost-Cutting Move
Around 10,000 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development are facing job cuts today under President Donald Trump’s directive. Multiple sources are saying that nearly all but approximately 300 essential personnel are expected to be fired, furloughed, or placed on leave in the coming hours. USAID, responsible for delivering humanitarian aid overseas, has faced criticism for alleged wasteful spending and promoting a liberal agenda. The Trump administration justifies the move as a cost-saving measure, but experts warn that halting USAID’s funding could worsen global humanitarian crises.
Search Underway for Missing Cessna Plane with 10 Aboard in Alaska
A Cessna aircraft carrying 10 people vanished during a flight in Alaska, according to local and state officials. The plane, operated by Bering Air, was traveling Thursday evening from Unalakleet to Nome, two western Alaskan cities separated by the Norton Sound inlet. The Coast Guard reports that flight tracking data lost the aircraft’s position about 12 miles offshore. The search effort comes amid ongoing U.S. air safety investigations into two recent deadly crashes, including a midair collision near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people and a medevac jet crash in Philadelphia that left seven dead.
Ukraine Bolsters Air Defenses with Mirage and F-16 Fighter Jets from France and Netherlands
Ukraine’s air force received a significant boost Thursday as Mirage fighter jets from France and U.S.-made F-16s from the Netherlands arrived to support its war effort against Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged the jets last summer. “The Ukrainian sky is becoming more secure!” Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said. The new aircraft are expected to enhance Ukraine’s ability to provide air cover, strike ground targets, engage enemy planes, and intercept missiles—an increasingly critical role as Russia escalates its overnight missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
US Lawmakers Move to Ban Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek on Government Devices
A bipartisan pair of U.S. lawmakers is pushing to prohibit government employees from using Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI chatbot on official devices. Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) plan to introduce the legislation today, citing national security risks. DeepSeek recently stunned Silicon Valley and Wall Street by unveiling its R1 AI model, which matches the capabilities of top U.S. models while being cheaper to train and more energy-efficient. The development has intensified concerns that the U.S. could lose its edge to China in the global AI race.
