The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Federal Civil Rights Office Terminates Agreement with Rapid City Schools
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Area School District says the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has terminated the Voluntary Resolution Agreement between the Rapid City Area School District and the OCR concerning the District’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, specifically regarding discipline, truancy, and advanced learning opportunities for Native American students. RCAS sent letters out to parents and others regarding the agreement. The directive follows President Trump’s Executive Order which directs federal agencies to eliminate race-based policies in education, employment, and government programs.
South Dakota Public Universities to Raise Tuition by 2.9%
ABERDEEN, S.D. — The South Dakota Board of Regents announced the state’s public university system will implement a 2.9% tuition increase at nearly all of their institutions for the upcoming academic year. The decision comes after remaining nearly flat for the last five years. The tuition increase is designed to minimize the impact on students while ensuring institutions have the necessary resources to invest in faculty, academic programming, and student success initiatives. South Dakota Mines will include a 5% increase in tuition to align the institution with their peer universities and help support their special focus mission.
Pennington County Proposes Temporary Moratorium on Data Center Development
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County Planning & Zoning Department has proposed a temporary moratorium on the development of data centers within the county. The intent behind the proposed pause is to allow time for thoughtful planning, research, and the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks for these large-scale facilities—not to prevent their future establishment in the region. The topic will be revisited at the Board of Commissioners meeting on April 15, 2025, where further discussion is expected. Planning officials, including staff currently attending national planning conferences, are gathering data to bring back to the Commission for consideration.
Global Trade Turmoil Escalates as U.S. and China Exchange Tariffs, Nations React
WASHINGTON — Countries and industries around the world scrambled Friday to respond to a wave of U.S. tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, including a 34% tariff on Chinese imports. In retaliation, China imposed a matching 34% tariff on all U.S. goods starting April 10, along with export controls on rare earth elements and trade sanctions on 27 U.S. firms. Other U.S. trading partners, including Taiwan, Vietnam, the European Union, and India, announced diplomatic efforts or support measures for affected industries. Vietnam’s deputy prime minister is set to visit the U.S. for trade talks, while the EU and Japan signaled potential countermeasures. The tariffs, part of Trump’s “Liberation Day” trade policy, range from 20% to 46% on goods from countries including Europe, Vietnam, and India. China also filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization, calling the U.S. actions “unilateral bullying.”
U.S. Employers Add 228,000 Jobs in March; Unemployment Rises to 4.2%
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added 228,000 jobs in March, up from 117,000 in February and nearly double the 130,000 projected by economists, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% as 232,000 people entered the labor force. Revisions reduced January and February job gains by a combined 48,000. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% from February and were up 3.8% from a year earlier. Healthcare added 54,000 jobs, while restaurants and bars added nearly 30,000. The federal government lost 4,000 jobs. The job gains were reported amid heightened economic uncertainty following new U.S. import tariffs and retaliatory measures from China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,000 points Friday morning after a 1,600-point decline the previous day. Major indexes have fallen 5% to 7% this week.
Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza as ground troops enter Palestinian territory’s north
DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza (AP) — Israeli strikes have killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip as Israel sends more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas. Staff at the hospital in Khan Younis said at least 17 people were killed when an airstrike hit a three-story building early Friday. Some of the victims were from the same family. People were still searching through the rubble looking for survivors hours later. The attack follows days of Israeli strikes that have killed at least 100 people. Israel has intensified its operations in a bid to pressure Hamas to release its hostages. Israel said Friday it had begun a ground activity in northern Gaza to expand its security zone.
Britain and France accuse Russia’s Putin of delaying Ukraine ceasefire efforts
BRUSSELS (AP) — Britain and France have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet over Ukraine ceasefire talks and ramped up pressure on Moscow by insisting that he owes the United States an immediate answer. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for a full and immediate 30-day halt in the fighting. The Kremlin says that Moscow views efforts to end its three-year war with Ukraine as “a drawn-out process.” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Friday that “Putin continues to obfuscate, continues to drag his feet.” His French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, said Ukraine accepted ceasefire terms three weeks ago, and that now Russia “owes an answer to the United States.”
Yoon Suk Yeol removed as South Korea’s president over short-lived martial law
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Constitutional Court has unanimously removed Yoon Suk Yeol as president after he threw the nation into turmoil by declaring martial law and sending troops to parliament in an ill-fated effort to break through legislative gridlock. Friday’s verdict comes more than three months after the National Assembly impeached Yoon and he was suspended from office. South Korea must now hold a new presidential election within two months. Surveys show , leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, is the early favorite to become the country’s next president.
British police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault
LONDON (AP) — British police have charged comedian Russell Brand with rape and sexual assault against four women. London’s Metropolitan Police force said the comedian faces one count of rape, one of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two of sexual assault. The alleged offenses took place between 1999 and 2005. The investigation was sparked by a 2023 TV documentary and newspaper report in which four women claimed they had been sexually assaulted by Brand. The comedian, author and actor has denied the allegations, saying his relationships were “always consensual.” Police said Brand is due to appear in a London court on May 2.
