The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Vehicle Crashes Into Rushmore Hotel, Driver Flees Scene
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City Police are investigating a Monday morning incident in which a vehicle ran into a building. Police along with the Rapid City Fire Department were dispatched at around 8:40 a.m. for a call of a vehicle colliding into the bottom floor of the Rushmore Hotel and Suites. Damage was visible to the front of the Hotel on Main Street. The vehicle had fled the scene after the crash, striking not only the building but three parking meters as well. A Highway Patrol trooper was able to locate the driver and pull them over along East Flormann Street. Police said the driver is in custody and charges were pending.
Lawmakers Consider Ending $70 Sales Tax Credit for Businesses
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota could do $6.8 million worth of good for its bottom line by repealing a $70 monthly credit for businesses that remit sales tax returns online, lawmakers learned Monday at the Capitol. The state’s Bureau of Finance and Management delivered the message to the House Appropriations Committee Monday. The money would come from undoing what’s known as the “sales tax collection allowance” by way of House Bill 1037. The allowance lets businesses who file their taxes online keep up to $70 of the sales taxes they’ve collected on the state’s behalf. The cut is one of many under consideration this session as legislators deal with declining sales tax revenues.
South Dakota Lawmakers Advance Crime Crackdown Bills
PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota House Judiciary Committee rejected two bills Monday that would have granted legal immunity to off-duty police officers and church security teams. House Bill 1148 would have protected officers making arrests while off-duty, but law enforcement groups opposed it. They argued that existing laws already provide sufficient legal coverage for such situations. House Bill 1214 would have shielded church security volunteers from lawsuits, even in cases involving deadly force. Trial lawyers warned that the measure lacked training requirements. Both bills died in committee.
Hamas’ threat to delay the next release of Israeli hostages raises fears for Gaza ceasefire
JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas’ threat to delay the next planned release of Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip has jolted a fragile ceasefire that’s seen as having the potential to wind down the war. It has brought new dismay for Israelis who watched the latest Hamas handover of hostages in growing horror over the weekend as the three emaciated men came into sight. The next handover of hostages had been scheduled for Saturday, and families say time is running out for those still alive. Israel now awaits what comes from a security Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning that was moved up after the Hamas announcement.
Elon Musk Makes $100 Billion Bid for OpenAI, Altman Fires Back
Elon Musk is making a bold move to dominate the artificial intelligence landscape with a high-stakes bid to acquire OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, for nearly $100 billion. Leading a group of investors, the Tesla and SpaceX founder seeks majority control of OpenAI, positioning it alongside his own AI venture, X.AI. However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quickly dismissed the unsolicited offer, responding on X, “no thank you but we will buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.” Their exchange comes as political and business leaders gather at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris to discuss balancing AI innovation with regulatory oversight.
Google Maps Renames Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ for U.S. Users
U.S.-based users of Google Maps will now see the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico labeled as the “Gulf of America,” while users in Mexico will continue to see “Gulf of Mexico.” For everyone else, both names will appear, Google announced Monday. The change follows a broader naming policy shift by the tech giant, which also includes renaming Mount McKinley back from Denali, reversing a previous recognition of the region’s native heritage. Both moves stem from an executive action signed by President Trump, who stated the adjustments “honor American greatness.”
Trump Tariffs Blamed for Delayed Packages from China
Recent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration may be causing delays for packages from China on platforms like Amazon, Shein, and Temu. Last week, Trump enacted a new 10% tariff on all Chinese imports, initially including packages worth less than $800 that were previously exempt. However, his administration temporarily suspended that provision, leading to disruption at the U.S. Postal Service, which halted package deliveries from China and Hong Kong to comply. Experts say some shipments may still be stuck in customs, awaiting more thorough inspections amid the ongoing confusion.
