The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Box Elder Man Killed in Rollover Crash Near Lemmon
LEMMON, S.D. (Rapid City Post) — A Box Elder man died Saturday evening in a single-vehicle crash about 15 miles south of Lemmon, when his 2008 Chevrolet Silverado went off a curve on S. Cabin Road and rolled, according to The Rapid City Post. The driver, whose name has not been released pending family notification, was pronounced dead at the scene. The South Dakota Highway Patrol, part of the Department of Public Safety, is investigating; all details remain preliminary.
Driver Injured After Swerving to Avoid Deer on Highway 44
RAPID CITY, S.D. (Rapid City Post) — Emergency crews responded to a single-vehicle crash around 3 a.m. Sunday on Highway 44 West near Thunderhead Falls Road, where the driver reportedly swerved to avoid a deer, lost control, and crossed back over the roadway after going into a ditch and up an embankment, according to The Rapid City Post. Johnson Siding Fire Department assisted Rapid City Fire Department Medic 5 in loading the injured driver for transport, while also managing traffic control and clearing debris. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
Youth Art Auction to Raise Funds for Student Lunch Debt Relief
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Youth City Council and the Rapid City Public School Foundation are hosting the second annual Art Auction, Saturday, April 26 from 1-3 p.m. at the Rapid City Alternative Academy Commons, 601 Columbus Street. All profits from the art auction will be donated and applied to relieving student lunch debt in the Rapid City Area School District, which currently stands at $147,000. Dozens of art pieces are being collected for the auction. The deadline to donate art is next Tuesday, April 22. The event will also include student entertainment.
State Capitol and Governor’s Residence Set for Renovations
PIERRE, S.D. — The state Capitol and Governor’s Residence will undergo renovations. Lawmakers approved three-million dollars to help repair the aging facilities.The Capitol will get new plaster and paint on the walls, followed by repairs to the interior dome. Meantime, exterior changes will be made to the Governor’s Residence for the first time since it was built in 2005. It’s getting a black roof, gray siding, and black trim. Right now, the home is pale yellow and brown.
South Dakota Homeowners Face Sharp Insurance Hikes Amid Severe Weather, Rebuilding Costs
PIERRE, S.D. — Homeowners in South Dakota are paying sharply higher insurance premiums, with rates rising faster than in most neighboring states due to severe weather and the increasing cost of rebuilding, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis reported, citing data from S&P Global, that the average annual premium for a homeowner’s insurance policy in South Dakota increased 41 percent over the past seven years, compared to a 34 percent national average. Northern Plains News reported in the same period, inflation rose just 24 percent.
South Dakota Leads Nation in Hemp Fiber Production, Despite Yield Drop
SOUTH DAKOTA — South Dakota solidified its position as the nation’s top hemp fiber producer in 2024, harvesting 13.6 million pounds of industrial hemp and processing 23% of the national total, according to the USDA’s National Hemp Report. Despite a 30% drop in per-acre yield, the state’s hemp fiber value rose 50% to $3.54 million, driven by a 73% increase in price per pound. Farmers planted 3,900 acres, up 22% from 2023, with 3,700 acres harvested—mostly for fiber. Governor Larry Rhoden praised the state’s regulatory success and agricultural leadership, while hemp board member and former lawmaker Oren Lesmeister noted South Dakota is “kicking a– and taking names” in both production and processing.
Vision Fund Committee Hosts Public Hearings April 22–25 on $74 Million in Project Requests
PIERRE, S.D. — The City of Rapid City’s Vision Fund Citizen Committee will hold four days of public hearings from April 22 to 25 to hear presentations from 29 applicants seeking more than $74.2 million in 2025 Vision Fund allocations, according to the City of Rapid City website. The hearings will take place in 20-minute segments from 4–8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 4–6:30 p.m. Friday in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The public is invited to attend as applicants present proposals and respond to questions from the nine-member committee. The total cost of all proposed projects is nearly $120 million. The committee plans to deliver funding recommendations by late May or early June, with final decisions to be made by the Rapid City Council. For more details, visit rcgov.org.
Black Hills Community Theatre Announces 58th Season Lineup
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Black Hills Community Theatre has unveiled its 58th season lineup, featuring a diverse selection of musicals, comedies, and dramas set to entertain audiences throughout the 2024–2025 season. The announcement includes mainstage productions, children’s theater offerings, and special performances that reflect the organization’s ongoing commitment to showcasing local talent and engaging the community. Season highlights include beloved classics and contemporary titles, with exact show dates and casting calls to be announced in the coming weeks. According to the theater’s leadership, the new season aims to build on BHCT’s legacy of providing high-quality, accessible theater in the Black Hills region. Season tickets are expected to go on sale later this spring.
Pope Francis’ funeral will be held Saturday
Pope Francis’ funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, and a viewing of his body will begin on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, days after the popular pontiff died at age 88. Cardinals met at the Vatican on Tuesday to plan the conclave to elect his successor and to make other decisions about running the Catholic Church. History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated many conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.
Google faces off with US government in attempt to break up company in search monopoly case
WASHINGTON (AP) — Google on Monday began confronting an existential threat as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into a ruthless monopoly. The drama began to unfold Monday in a Washington courtroom as three weeks of hearings kicked off to determine how the company should be penalized for operating an illegal monopoly in search. The proceedings, known in legal parlance as a “remedy hearing,” feature a parade of witnesses that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The moment of reckoning comes four-and-a-half-years after the U.S. Justice Department filed a landmark lawsuit alleging Google’s search engine had been abusing its power as the internet’s main gateway.
Advanced cancers returned to prepandemic levels, according to a reassuring report
Delays in cancer screenings brought on by COVID-19 aren’t making a huge impact on cancer statistics. Experts who track the data say cancer death rates continue to decline. And a new report published Monday in the journal Cancer shows there weren’t huge shifts in late diagnoses. It’s the broadest-yet analysis of the pandemic’s effect on U.S. cancer data. The report’s lead author called the findings reassuring. Many Americans were forced to postpone cancer screenings for several months in 2020 as COVID-19 overwhelmed doctors and hospitals.
A green comet likely is breaking apart and won’t be visible to the naked eye
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists say a newly discovered green comet likely has broken apart and won’t be visible to the naked eye. Comet SWAN hails from what’s called the Oort Cloud well beyond Pluto. The space rock has been visible through telescopes and binoculars over the past few weeks, but experts say it may not have survived its trip past the sun and is fading fast. After its sun flyby, what’s left of the comet will disappear into the outer reaches of the solar system. Once it’s gone, it may never come back.
