The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Rapid City Council Denies Alcohol Sales at Youth Baseball Tournament
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Council Monday denied a request from American Legion Post 22 to serve alcohol at this year’s Firecracker Baseball Tournament. Alcohol had been sold at previous tournaments, served outside the park in beer tents. The sales provided funds for Post 22. However, some council members were against alcohol sales at youth sporting events. They were joined by concerned members of the community. Post 22 leaders also attended the meeting and advocated for beer sales to continue as part of fundraising efforts. The council voted 6-3 to deny the request with one councilor abstaining.
Election Results for the Rapid City Council and School Board in Tight Races
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Voters in Rapid City cast their ballots in the 2025 municipal elections, resulting in several key outcomes. In Ward 1, Stephen Tamang won decisively over Lawrence “Larry” Adams, 1,028 votes to 430, following incumbent Jesse Ham’s decision not to seek re-election. Incumbent Lance Lehmann retained his seat in Ward 4 with 324 votes, defeating challenger Eltina Three Stars, who received 184 votes. In Ward 5, Callie Meyer unseated incumbent Pat Roseland, earning 608 votes compared to Roseland’s 506. Additionally, Ward 2’s Bill Evans and Ward 3’s Greg Strommen were both re-elected without opposition. On the Rapid City Area School Board, Angela Bradsky Rafferty defeated incumbent Michael Birkeland in Area 3, 771 votes to 686, while Jamie Clapham narrowly won over Brian Johnson in Area 6, 546 votes to 543. These results highlight an engaged electorate shaping Rapid City’s leadership for the coming term.
Rapid City Mother Sentenced to 12 Years for Death of Disabled Son
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A Rapid City woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to child abuse and abuse or neglect of a disabled adult. Naomia Prairie, 40, was sentenced this week. Prairie was charged in the death of her 18-year-old quadriplegic son. Prosecutors say the boy only weighed around 80 pounds at the time of his death and died due to extreme neglect.
Sturgis Council Cancels 2025 Spirit of Sturgis TT Races
STURGIS, S.D. — The Sturgis City Council this week voted unanimously to cancel this year’s Spirit of Sturgis TT motorcycle races downtown. Sturgis Mayor Kevin Forrester says the likelihood the event would again lost money as well as continued differences between the city and American Flat Trackers led councilors to cancel. Sturgis City Attorney Eric Davis says the two sides remain far apart on some things, including a proposed move of the races to the city fairgrounds, which remains a separate hot issue in the Black Hills community.
Pennington County Adds Public Session for Hours of Operation Study
SPEARFISH, S.D. — Pennington County has added an additional listening session to its ongoing Hours of Operation Study. The newly scheduled session will be held on June 16, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Pennington County Commission Chambers. This session provides another opportunity for residents to offer feedback on the current hours of operation for the Administration Building. Public input is a vital part of the study, which was initiated by the Board of Commissioners to explore whether changes to the current schedule of 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, could enhance service, accessibility, and efficiency.
Governor Rhoden Tours Hot Springs Veterans Home, Addresses VA Cuts, Infrastructure, Immigration, and LGBTQ+ Concerns
HOT SPRINGS, S.D. —During a stop on his “Open For Opportunity” tour, Governor Larry Rhoden visited the State Veterans Home in Hot Springs, where he discussed the future of VA facilities amid federal job and funding cuts, emphasizing the need for efficiency in government. He reaffirmed his commitment to disaster preparedness through the GRIT taskforce, contrasted his border visit under the Trump administration with the previous one, and announced plans to deputize South Dakota Highway Patrol in partnership with ICE. When asked about LGBTQ+ veterans and citizens, Rhoden assured equal care and safety, despite signing a bill restricting transgender bathroom access in state buildings earlier this year.
Canadian wildfire smoke causes ‘very unhealthy’ conditions in American Midwest and reaches Europe
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Smoke from Canadian wildfires has carried another day of poor air quality south of the border to the American Midwest. Conditions in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were rated “very unhealthy” on Tuesday. The smell of smoke hung over the Minneapolis-St. Paul area on Tuesday morning. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued an alert for almost the entire state into Wednesday. Canada is having another bad wildfire season, and more than 27,000 people in three provinces have been forced to evacuate. The smoke is even reaching Europe, where it is causing hazy skies but isn’t expected to affect surface-air quality.
Spring Surge of Miller Moths Impacts South Dakota and the Plains
NEW YORK (AP) — As spring arrives on the Great Plains, South Dakota is among the states experiencing the seasonal migration of miller moths, a native species whose caterpillars known as army cutworms emerge from winter hibernation in the soil. These caterpillars overwinter partially grown and quickly feed on crops like wheat and alfalfa in early spring, sometimes causing agricultural damage in outbreak years. After pupating, the adult moths migrate west toward higher elevations, pollinating flowers along the way. While often considered a nuisance, miller moths play a key role in nocturnal pollination and serve as an important food source for wildlife. Light pollution and habitat loss are contributing to global moth declines, making their role in ecosystems increasingly significant.
Trump Administration Spurs Uranium Mining Comeback in Utah, With Midwest Eyes on Energy Future
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) —Uranium mining is gaining new momentum in southeastern Utah as the Trump administration fast-tracks projects like Anfield Energy’s Velvet-Wood mine under a declared “national energy emergency,” slashing approval times from months to days. While production is still limited by market prices and infrastructure needs, rising global demand and bans on Russian imports have sparked renewed interest. Midwest states like Wyoming and Nebraska are already contributing significantly through in-situ uranium extraction, with Wyoming producing nearly 40% of U.S. uranium in 2024. However, environmental groups and residents near historic mining sites, such as Moab, remain wary of pollution risks and limited public input in the process. Experts warn that rebuilding a full domestic uranium supply chain from mining to fuel production will require sustained prices and major investment.
Ukraine’s drone attack on Russian warplanes was a serious blow to the Kremlin’s strategic arsenal
A surprise Ukrainian drone attack that targeted Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers was unprecedented in its scope and sophistication, and dealt a heavy blow to the Russian military. Ukraine said more than 40 bombers were damaged or destroyed Sunday. That’s about a third of Russia’s strategic fleet. The Russian military said only several planes were damaged. The conflicting claims couldn’t be independently verified. But the bold attack demonstrated Ukraine’s capability to hit high-value targets anywhere on Russian territory, dealing a humiliating blow to the Kremlin and inflicting significant losses to Moscow’s arsenal in the 3-year-old war.
Flamethrower Attack at Pro-Israel Rally in Colorado Leaves Eight Injured, Suspect Held on $10 Million Bond
On Sunday in Boulder, Colorado, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman used a makeshift flamethrower to attack participants of a pro-Israel “Run for Their Lives” event, shouting “Free Palestine” before igniting the crowd. Eight people, ranging in age from 52 to 88, sustained burn injuries, with four hospitalized in Boulder and two airlifted to a burn unit in Aurora. Authorities are treating the incident as ideologically motivated terrorism, citing its timing ahead of the Jewish holiday Shavuot and links to rising antisemitic violence amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Soliman faces multiple felony charges and is being held on a $10 million bond.
‘King of the Hill’ voice actor Jonathan Joss fatally shot outside his Texas home
HOUSTON (AP) — Authorities say a voice actor best known for his work on the animated television series “King of the Hill” was fatally shot near his Texas home. San Antonio police said Monday that Jonathan Joss was found about 7 p.m. the previous night on the street near his home after having been shot. He died at the scene. Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, says in a statement the couple had been at Joss’ home checking mail when a man yelled homophobic slurs at them before opening fire. The home had been damaged in a January fire. Police have arrested Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez and charged him with murder in the fatal shooting.
