The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Former Douglas School District Employee Sentenced for Enticement of Minor
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Duncan Witt, 29, a former Douglas School District employee, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after admitting to enticement of a minor. Witt sent hundreds of sexually explicit messages, videos, and pictures to a special education student via Snapchat in February and March of last year. Child pornography charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Multiple Felonies
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Jon Dillon, a Rapid City man, has been sentenced for his 5th, 6th, and 7th lifetime felony convictions. Dillon received 20 years for assault on law enforcement, 2 years for aggravated eluding, and 10 years for riot in jail. The charges stem from three separate incidents, including a high-speed pursuit, an assault on officers, and an attack on a fellow inmate. His sentences will run concurrently, though the State requested a 25-year term.
Rapid City Council Approves First Reading of Tianeptine Sale Ban
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Council passed first reading of an ordinance Monday night that would ban the sale of Tianeptine, an unregulated drug linked to addiction, severe withdrawal, and overdose deaths. Tianeptine is often sold at gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores and is sometimes called ‘gas station heroin.’ Possession and use remain legal for now. Second reading is expected at the September meeting.
Rapid City Launches Water Reclamation Facility Project Website
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The City of Rapid City has launched a new website to provide updates on the Water Reclamation Facility upgrade, the city’s largest infrastructure project. The site includes a guided tour, construction progress videos, costs, timelines, and regular updates. The $207.3 million project is fully funded through an SRF loan, the City’s enterprise fund, and $52.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act grants, with completion expected in winter 2028.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Sees Record Traffic
STURGIS, S.D. — Traffic surged during this year’s milestone Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The South Dakota Department of Transportation reports more than 537,000 vehicles entered Sturgis during the ten-day event, an 11 percent increase over the five-year average. Including walk-ins, public transit, and returning riders, total visits topped 661,000, surpassing last year’s numbers. Officials note the counts track vehicle crossings, not individual people.
Pennington County Administration Office Hours Changing
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County Commission approved new hours for the County Administration Office on Tuesday. With the move to the new Administration Building at 900 Concourse Drive, office hours will shift from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, to a standard 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The change will take effect as departments relocate to the new facility.
Trump says no to US troops in Ukraine
President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered his assurances that U.S. troops would not be sent to Ukraine to defend against Russia, after seeming to leave open the possibility the day before. Trump also said in a morning TV interview that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO and regaining the Crimean Peninsula are “impossible.” Details of the security guarantees and Trump’s efforts to arrange peace talks continue to evolve after the U.S. president, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders held hours of talks at the White House aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Qatar urges a Gaza ceasefire after a ‘positive response’ from Hamas
JERUSALEM (AP) — A key mediator on Gaza is stressing the urgency of brokering a ceasefire after Hamas showed a “positive response” to a proposal. But Israel has yet to weigh in as its military prepares an offensive on some of the territory’s most populated areas. The prospect of an expanded assault on areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of civilians has sparked international outrage. Palestinians say nowhere is safe, and many Israelis fear for the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Qatar on Tuesday warned that even if a ceasefire deal is reached, it will not be “instantaneously implemented.”
As out-of-state Guard troops arrive, Trump’s federal crackdown ripples through DC neighborhoods
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to increase federal law enforcement and immigration agents in Washington, D.C., has had an impact on neighborhoods like Columbia Heights. On Tuesday, vendors noticed fewer customers, especially Spanish speakers. The White House reported 450 arrests since the federal operation began on August 7. The Republican president has declared a crisis in the Democratic-controlled city, despite declining crime statistics, and has taken control of the police department for 30 days. National Guard members from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana have begun arriving in Washington to perform similar duties to D.C. Guard members already on the streets, including protecting landmarks and crowd control.