The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 5 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
South Dakota Leaders Urge Trump to Restore Mount Rushmore Fireworks for July 4th
PIERRE, S.D. – President Donald Trump’s return to the White House could mean fireworks will again be part of Independence Day celebrations at Mount Rushmore. Both Gov. Larry Rhoden and Rep. Dusty Johnson are urging the president to consider granting a National Park Service permit to allow pyrotechnics at the Black Hills monument, while inviting their fellow Republican to attend patriotic festivities being planned as part of this year’s July 4 celebration. Rhoden’s letter was also sent to South Dakota’s congressional delegation and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the former North Dakota governor whose department is charged with approving permits at national parks.
South Dakota Lawmakers Reject Bill to Cover School Lunch Copays for Low-Income Students
PIERRE, S.D. – State legislators reject a bill today (Monday) covering school lunch copays for low-income students. Miss Hot Springs, Julie Stanek, told lawmakers one in six South Dakota children face hunger. The House Education Committee voted down the measure that would likely cost $616,000 yearly. The panel then sent it to Appropriations, recommending defeat. The bill targets families just above the federal poverty line.
South Dakota Lawmakers Advance Bill Requiring Public Schools to Authorize Chaplains
PIERRE, S.D. – State legislators voted 10-to-5 today (Monday) to advance legislation requiring public schools to authorize chaplains. The House Education Committee approved House Bill 1054. It directs districts to implement policies allowing volunteer or employed chaplains in schools. Committee members rejected making the authorization optional. The full House will consider the measure next.
Senate committee advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination to be health secretary
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cleared his first hurdle to become the nation’s top health official as the Senate finance committee voted to advance his nomination for a floor vote. After Tuesday’s committee vote, the nomination of the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic now goes before a full Senate vote. Kennedy critics have concerns about the work he’s done to sow doubts around vaccine safety and his potential to profit off lawsuits over drugmakers. Kennedy is a longtime Democrat who ran for president but withdrew to support Donald Trump in exchange for an influential job in his Republican administration. As secretary, Kennedy would oversee vaccine recommendations and public health campaigns.
Recovery work resumes at the site of the deadly plane and chopper collision near Washington
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Crews are trying to recover the plane’s cockpit and the rest of the remains of the 67 people who died in the midair collision between a passenger jet and Army helicopter near the nation’s capital last week. They say their work on Tuesday might depend upon the wind and tidal conditions in the Potomac River, where the aircraft crashed last Wednesday after colliding as the American Airlines flight was about to land at nearby Ronald Reagan National Airport. As of midmorning, they were working to raise another large piece of the plane. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to give a news update later Tuesday.
US aid freeze puts at risk Ukraine’s wartime help for frontline evacuees
PAVLOHRAD, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze for 90 days the humanitarian aid that the United States provides to countries overseas is being felt in places far from Washington. In eastern Ukraine, a concert hall requisitioned as a shelter houses people driven from their homes by the almost three-year war with Russia. The center in the town of Pavlohrad costs the equivalent of $7,000 a month to run, and 60% of that was being covered by U.S. funds sent to help Ukraine. Its coordinator says the news was abrupt and unexpected,” and “we have no idea what the future holds.”
China counters with tariffs on US products. It will also investigate Google
BEIJING (AP) — China has announced retaliatory tariffs on select American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google, just minutes after a sweeping levy on Chinese products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect. This isn’t the first round of tit-for-tat actions between the two countries. China and the U.S. engaged in a trade war in 2018 when Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods and China responded in kind. Analysts say that China is much better prepared to counter this time around, but also wary about taking steps that could upset its own fragile and heavily trade-dependent economy.
Rubio says El Salvador offers to accept deportees from US of any nationality, including Americans
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has left El Salvador with an agreement from that country’s president to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, including violent American criminals now imprisoned in the United States. Rubio says President Nayib Bukele has agreed to the most extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world. Bukele confirms El Salvador has offered the U.S. the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system. The U.S. government cannot deport American citizens, and such a move would be legally challenged. Rubio was visiting El Salvador to press a friendly government to do more to meet President Donald Trump’s demands for a major crackdown on immigration. Rubio left Tuesday.
