The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Public Hearings Scheduled for 2025 Vision Fund Applicants
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Vision Fund Citizen Committee will host four days of public hearings for 2025 Vision Fund applicants to present their projects, according to the Rapid City Post. All 29 project presentations are scheduled for the week of April 22-25. The meetings will run from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, April 22-24, and from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 25. The hearings will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 300 Sixth Street. The public is invited to attend. Each hearing is divided into 20-minute segments, including time for the applicant’s presentation and questions from committee members.
Suspect Arrested After Gunshots Fired at Rapid City Apartment
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A suspect is in custody following a shooting incident Tuesday afternoon in Rapid City, according to the Rapid City Police Department. Officers responded around 3:30 p.m. to reports of gunfire at an apartment building on Knollwood Drive, where they found several shell casings in the parking lot. No injuries were reported. Police later located the suspect barricaded inside a residence on Willsie Avenue. According to the Rapid City Post, the Pennington County/Rapid City Special Response Team safely took the suspect into custody. The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
Former State Employee Pleads Guilty to Forgery
PIERRE, S.D. — A former state employee accused of forgery is pleading guilty to multiple charges. Fifty-five-year-old Renee Strong pleaded guilty to four felony forgery charges Tuesday in Hughes County Court, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Investigators say Strong faked food service inspection reports. She was working for the Department of Public Safety at the time, but the reports were contracted with the Department of Health. Strong faces up to 14 years in prison. Her sentencing is June 10.
Jackley, Attorneys General Warn Phone Providers Over Illegal Robocalls
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined a bipartisan group of 51 attorneys general in warning nine voice service providers that they may be violating state and federal laws by continuing to allow illegal robocalls on their networks. According to a release from the Rapid City Post, the attorneys general are part of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, which sent letters to the nine companies demanding they stop transmitting illegal robocalls. The letters include details from the task force’s investigation and analysis of each provider’s allegedly illegal or suspicious robocall traffic. Companies receiving the warning letters include Global Net Holdings, All Access Telecom, Lingo Telecom, NGL Communications, Range, RSCom Ltd., Telecast Network, ThinQ Technologies, and Telecentris.
Mega Millions Multiplier Boosts Winnings for South Dakota Lottery Players
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Lottery players claimed $8,392 in total prizes following Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, thanks to the game’s new multiplier feature, according to the Rapid City Post. Without the multiplier, total winnings would have totaled just $2,770. Twenty players saw their prizes multiplied by 10, including three who turned $10 prizes into $100 each. One player doubled their prize to $400 with a 2x multiplier. The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday with a $72 million jackpot. The South Dakota Lottery reminds winners that prizes between $101 and $5,000 can now be claimed through its official mobile app. More information is available at lottery.sd.gov.
Black Hills Communities Elect New Mayors in Tuesday’s Municipal Elections
SPEARFISH, S.D. — Several Black Hills area communities held municipal elections Tuesday, resulting in the election of new mayors. In Spearfish, incumbent John Senden was re-elected to another term, continuing his leadership in the city. In Faith, newcomer Levi Haefner ousted long-serving Mayor Glen Haines, signaling a shift in local leadership. Lead voters chose Dustin Heupel as their new mayor, while Charlie Struble-Mook won the mayoral race in Deadwood. Meanwhile, in Edgemont, Rheta Colding Regan emerged victorious, defeating Carla Schepler to become the city’s new mayor. The elections marked a changing of the guard in several Black Hills communities.
Dinosaur Park’s Dino Turns Purple in Honor of Military Kids’ Day and Month
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Dino at Dinosaur Park will shine purple this weekend in recognition of Military Kids’ Day and the Month of the Military Child, as reported by the Rapid City Post. Mayor Jason Salamun will sign a proclamation at Ellsworth Air Force Base Friday, declaring the day as “Purple Up! For Military Kids’ Day and Month of the Military Child.” The purple lighting of Dino marks the third time the iconic statue has been illuminated for a special occasion. Previously, Dino was lit red for Red Ribbon Week and blue for Diabetes Awareness. The mayor’s proclamation encourages residents to wear purple in support of military children, who often face the challenges of moving, separation from deployed parents, and uncertainty. The purple lighting will remain through the weekend and return to its normal lighting next Monday.
Cleanup underway of the Keystone oil pipeline spill in North Dakota
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Trucks and workers started a cleanup effort at the site of a spill of the Keystone oil pipeline in rural North Dakota. The cause of the spill and the timing to get the pipeline back online remain unclear. Keystone’s entire system remains shut down after the spill on Tuesday. The pipeline company estimated the spill to amount to around 3,500 barrels, or 147,000 gallons. The spill is contained to an agricultural field. A farmer says he can smell the crude oil when the wind blows from a certain direction. He also says the spill site has been a beehive of activity.
