The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Rapid City Law Enforcement Partners with Ring App to Boost Community Crime Solving
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office have teamed up with Ring to make it easier for residents to share video evidence with law enforcement through the Neighbors app. Ring offers the Neighbors app as a way for users to post and view updates about safety and what’s happening in their area. With this partnership, both agencies now have an official presence on the platform. The collaboration allows investigators to send targeted requests for video or information during active cases. Participation is completely voluntary. Law enforcement cannot access any videos unless a user chooses to share them.
North Haines Avenue to Close for Six Weeks as Reconstruction Project Begins
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Meade County’s highway superintendent told commissioners last week that North Haines Avenue would be closed to through-traffic for a month and a half when a reconstruction project starts early next month. The $3.1 million dollar project starts May 4th. Officials say there will always be one lane open during construction for local traffic only, but residents who don’t live in the immediate area and use Haines Avenue daily should start planning alternate routes. The project is located from a half mile south of Peterson Road to just north of Husker Place.
Beaver Valley Fire Contained After Burning 40 Acres Near Buffalo Gap
RAPID CITY, S.D. – For the second weekend in a row, a wildfire broke out in dry conditions near Buffalo Gap in southern Custer County. The Beaver Valley Fire was initially reported Saturday afternoon off Beaver Valley Road east of Highway 79 and north of Buffalo Gap. Fire crews reported moderate to high spread potential when the fire broke out with risk to structures and power infrastructure. Quick work by firefighters slowed forward progression of the flames and the fire burned an approximate 40 acres. It was listed as 100-percent contained Saturday night.
Medical Marijuana Card Approvals Surge 62 Percent in South Dakota
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The State Department of Health says medical marijuana card approvals jumped 62 percent last year. It brings the total number of people in South Dakota with access to medical marijuana up to nearly 19-thousand residents. It shows that even though the state hasn’t approved marijuana use for recreation, the industry is still growing. One dispensary manager says it’s interesting to see clients of all ages share their stories and experiences of how cannabis has made an impact in their life. Data from the state shows that 70 percent of medical marijuana card holders are being treated for pain while 13 percent are being treated for PTSD.
Oil Prices Spike as U.S.-Iran Standoff Disrupts Strait of Hormuz
Oil prices are rising in early trading as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz. The price of U.S. crude oil increased 6.4% to $87.90 per barrel an hour after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 5.8% to $95.64 per barrel. The market reaction followed more than two days of lifted hopes and dashed expectations involving the strait. Crude prices plunged more than 9% on Friday after Iran said it would fully reopen the strait to commercial traffic. The country’s government reversed course on Saturday after the U.S. vowed to maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Refund System Launches for Businesses Impacted by Overturned Tariffs
A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court eventually struck down is scheduled to launch on Monday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds online beginning at 8 a.m. It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in late February that President Donald Trump usurped Congress’ taxation authority when he set double-digit import tax rates on products from almost every other country.
Hong Kong Fire Victims Return to Homes Months After Deadly Blaze
Thousands of residents displaced by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades are beginning to return to their apartments to assess damage and retrieve belongings months after a November blaze in the Tai Po district killed 168 people and spread across seven buildings, with many finding homes severely damaged or destroyed as elderly residents prepare to climb stairs in buildings without elevators and others grapple with grief, uncertainty and ongoing investigations into the cause of the fire, while the government considers demolishing the affected buildings and offering resettlement options.
