The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Spearfish Council Calls for City Administrator’s Removal
SPEARFISH, S.D. — Five members of the Spearfish City Council have called for the removal of City Administrator Bobby Falcon, citing concerns about performance, transparency and communication. The city attorney will seek guidance from the state attorney general on whether termination would require mayoral approval. Falcon, hired in late 2024, addressed questions about a past felony conviction he said was pardoned in 2022, while Mayor John Senden said Falcon was transparent during hiring and background checks were clear. Residents focused criticism on communication issues, and the council advanced an ordinance restoring its authority over hiring decisions and reducing the administrator’s powers. (Full Story)
Tire Shredding Proposal Reviewed by Planning Commission
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Planning Commission will consider a conditional use permit Thursday for GCC/Colorado Energy Recyclers to shred used tires at the Rapid City Landfill. The partially enclosed facility would process tires already accepted at the landfill into tire-derived fuel and aggregates, with no tire burning involved. City officials estimate the change could save $30,000 to $50,000 annually, with the fuel used at the GCC Decotah Cement Plant and aggregates sold to the public. The proposal includes a rezone request for about 104 acres and could be operational by spring if approved. (Full Story)
Public Forum Planned Ahead of Libertyland TIF Vote
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The South Dakota Mines Student Association Senate will host one of the final public forums ahead of the Jan. 20 special election on the Destination District Tax Increment Finance proposal, which includes the proposed Libertyland USA development, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Surbeck Center Beck Ballroom. The $125 million TIF advanced to a citywide vote after sufficient petition signatures were verified. Student leaders say the forum is intended to inform residents and students by presenting perspectives from both sides and encouraging voter participation. The event will be an open forum moderated by Student Association Senate President Jacob Vostad and Vice President Clive Uy. (Full Story)
Voting Equipment Test Set for Jan. 15
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County Auditor’s Office says automatic tabulating equipment will be tested to ascertain that it will correctly count the votes of the measure that will be cast at that special election January 2oth. The test will be done on January 15th at 8am at the auditor’s office on Concourse Drive. The public is invited to attend to view the test. (Full Story)
Rock Blasting Scheduled Near Deadwood
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Department of Transportation has announced planned rock excavation blasting outside Deadwood this afternoon. The rock excavation blasting is scheduled on highway 14A, about four miles east of Deadwood. The blast is part of a backslope repair project designed to reduce the steep slope adjacent to the road north of highway 14A near Camp 5 road, the proactive reconstruction project is designed to reduce landslide risks in the area. (Full Story)
109th Engineer Battalion Welcome Home Ceremony
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The National Guard will honor the Rapid City based 109th Engineer Battalion with a welcome home ceremony at 10am on Sunday at Range Road Armory in Rapid City. The ceremony recognizes the unit’s return from a 13 month deployment to the US southern border. The 109th returned in early November from their deployment in support of Joint Task Force Southern Border, where they provided military capabilities to enhance detection and deter illegal crossings through multi-domain operations. (Full Story)
North Carolina Faces Possible $50M Funding Loss Over Commercial Driver License Audit
WASHINGTON (AP) — North Carolina could lose nearly $50 million in federal transportation funding if it does not revoke hundreds of commercial driver’s licenses issued to immigrants found unqualified after a federal audit, the U.S. Transportation Department said Thursday. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found problems with more than half of 50 licenses it reviewed, with records showing 924 such licenses remain valid in the state. North Carolina is the ninth state targeted in a nationwide review launched by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has also threatened or withheld funds from California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, Texas, South Dakota, Colorado and Washington over similar issues. State officials say they are working to address the concerns, while trucking groups have praised the crackdown as a safety measure and immigrant advocates warn it risks unfairly targeting lawful drivers. (Full Story)
NASA, in a rare move, cuts space station mission short after an astronaut’s medical issue
NEW YORK (AP) — In a rare move, NASA is cutting a mission aboard the International Space Station short after an astronaut had a medical issue. The space agency said Thursday the U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four will return to Earth earlier than planned. NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year because of the health issue. The space agency did not identify the astronaut or the medical issue, citing patient privacy. The crew member is now stable. Seven astronauts are currently living and working aboard the space station. The latest crew arrived in August after launching from Florida. (Full Story)
Internet and phones cut in Iran as protesters heed exiled prince’s call for mass demonstration
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s government has cut off the country from the internet and international telephone calls. The move Thursday night comes after nighttime demonstration called by the exiled crown prince drew a mass of protesters to shout from their windows and storm the streets. The protest represented the first test of whether the Iranian public could be swayed by Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose fatally ill father fled Iran just before the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his warning that America would intervene if Iran killed protesters. Activists say least 42 people have been killed so far. (Full Story)
