The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Absentee Voting Now Open for Rapid City Election
RAPID CITY, S.D. — City officials are reminding the public that absentee voting is now underway for the upcoming municipal and school board election on Tuesday, June 3. Voters in three of the city’s five wards will elect representatives in the municipal election. Absentee ballots can be requested or submitted in person at the Pennington County Auditor’s Office, located at 130 Kansas City Street. Voting hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with early voting ending at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 2.
$433K Grant to Upgrade Mary Hall Park Trail
RAPID CITY, SD — The Rapid City Council has approved a $433,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant from the South Dakota Department of Transportation to improve Mary Hall Park’s trail system. The project, scheduled for spring and summer of 2027, will replace the deteriorating asphalt path with a wider concrete trail. The initiative is expected to enhance safety and accessibility for park visitors.
Rapid City Awarded Nearly $492K in Federal Housing Funds
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner has awarded Rapid City $491,823 in Community Development Block Grant funding for 2025. The funds will support affordable housing initiatives and outreach programs. Michelle Schuelke, the city’s Community Enrichment Manager, says the projects receiving funds have already been selected through a competitive process.
$100K Bond Set for I-190 Stabbing Suspect
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Garrett Otto, 29, made his initial court appearance Tuesday following a stabbing incident at a homeless camp under the I-190 bridge on Sunday. Otto faces charges of attempted murder and simple assault after allegedly injuring two people and assaulting a third. A $100,000 cash bond was set, and a no-contact order was issued. The victims were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Governor Rhoden Visits South Dakota Troops at Southern Border
PIERRE, S.D. — Governor Larry Rhoden visited South Dakota National Guard troops at the Southern Border Tuesday. Governor Rhoden met with the 109th Engineer Battalion in Eagle Pass, Texas, then viewed the Picnic Observation Outpost near the Rio Grande River. Governor Rhoden ended the day by engaging in a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol briefing at the Del Rio Sector. They outlined their actions to stop drugs, human trafficking, and other illicit activities from crossing the border.
911 Board Offers Incentives to Improve West River Service
PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota 911 Board is offering LUMEN Technologies an additional $22,000 per month to station a service technician in western South Dakota, aiming to improve emergency service coverage in the region. Currently, all technicians are based in Huron and Sioux Falls. The proposed four-year deal would add $1.1 million to LUMEN’s existing $36 million contract. The board also wants input on the technician’s location, but LUMEN has not yet accepted the offer.
Trump Confronts South African Leader Over White Farmer Killings
WASHINGTON — During a tense but ultimately civil meeting at the White House, President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed concerns over violent crime and land reform in South Africa, with Trump citing his belief that white farmers face targeted attacks—claims South African officials and independent experts dispute, attributing the violence to broader crime issues. Ramaphosa emphasized that South Africa’s policies are focused on equity and justice, not racial discrimination, and expressed a desire to strengthen ties with the U.S. despite differing perspectives.
House Speaker Johnson vows to push ahead on Trump’s big bill
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson is pressing ahead with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping tax and spending package central to President Trump’s agenda, despite internal GOP divisions and strong Democratic opposition. The bill would extend and expand Trump-era tax cuts, boost deductions for families and seniors, eliminate taxes on tips and some overtime, and allocate billions for defense and immigration. To offset costs, it proposes deep cuts to federal programs like Medicaid and SNAP, introducing stricter work requirements. While some conservatives worry about the bill’s $3.3 trillion impact on the national debt, others view it as a bold step toward fiscal reform and economic growth.
OpenAI recruits legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to work on AI hardware in $6.5B deal
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI has recruited Jony Ive, the designer behind Apple’s iPhone, to lead a new hardware project for the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT. OpenAI said it is acquiring io Products, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion.Ive became renowned for a meticulous design aesthetic that shaped the cultural zeitgeist during a 27-year career at Apple, which he left in 2019. The new OpenAI deal now thrusts Ive at the vanguard of AI — a technology driving the biggest industry shift since the iPhone’s arrival.
