The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Sexual Contact with a Child Under 16
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A Pennington County jury has found Treon Middletent, 47, guilty of three counts of Sexual Contact with a Child Under Sixteen Years of Age following a two-day jury trial. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between December 2020 and May 2022 involving a child who was known to the defendant. Evidence presented at trial showed that Middletent was a trusted adult in the child’s life and began sexually abusing the victim when she was 10 years old. After deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on three of the four counts charged. Middletent now faces up to 15 years in prison on each count at sentencing. A sentencing date has been scheduled for May 14th.
Three Additional Candidates Qualify for Rapid City Municipal Election Ballot
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Three more candidates have had their petitions validated by the Rapid City Finance Office and their names will be placed on the June 2 municipal election ballot. They include Josh Biberdorf in Ward 1, Ardin Jay Cychosz in Ward 4 and Laura Armstrong in Ward 5. March 24 is the deadline to file petitions for the June 2 municipal election. One position in each of Rapid City’s five wards is up for election. A total of 50 validated signatures are required for a candidate to be verified for placement on the June 2 ballot.
South Dakota Flu Death Toll Rises to 23 for 2025-2026 Season
PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Department of Health says three more people have died from the flu. It brings the 2025-2026 season death total up to 23 in the state. The department is also reporting there have been 15-thousand-204 cases and 838 hospitalizations in the state this season. The number of cases peaked in the second week of February and new cases have slowed down ever since. Meade County has reported 369 cases this season along with one death while Pennington County has reported 1,461 cases and one flu-related death. Lawrence County has reported 214 flu cases.
School Lunch Assistance Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk
PIERRE, S.D. — A bill to help families pay for school lunches is moving to the Governor. A version of the bill, sponsored by Representative Kadyn Wittman, has been presented for each of the last four years before finally passing through both chambers on Monday. Should Gov. Rhoden sign it, it will help cover one-point-five million meals served in South Dakota’s public school system each year. Wittman says “I think folks are starting to recognize how important this investment is for our kids, and how this is not a Democrat versus Republican issue.”
Property Tax Relief Dominates Debate as South Dakota Legislative Session Ends
PIERRE, S.D. — Property tax relief was the biggest divide Thursday as South Dakota lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 session. Republicans said Senate Bills 96 and 245 deliver historic and meaningful help for homeowners after years of rising valuations. Governor Larry Rhoden signed both bills into law yesterday. Democrats said the package helps now but diverts future sales-tax growth that could have supported K-12 education, Medicaid, and the state workforce. Both sides signaled the issue is likely to return next year.
Attack at Michigan synagogue was a ‘targeted act of violence against the Jewish community’
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (AP) — A man armed with a rifle rammed a vehicle into a major synagogue in a Detroit suburb and was fatally shot by security. The FBI says it was “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.” Authorities say the vehicle caught on fire after crashing into the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield Township. Oakland County Sheriff Sheriff Mike Bouchard says a security officer was knocked unconscious and 30 law enforcement officers were treated for smoke inhalation. West Bloomfield Police Chief Dale Young said Temple security officers “engaged the individual and neutralized the threat.” The suspect was found dead inside his vehicle. (Full story)
Video appears to show New York City bomb suspect buying
The FBI says ROTC students subdued and killed a gunman who yelled “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire Thursday in an Old Dominion University classroom, killing one and wounding two. The FBI says the suspect who killed one person and injured two others at Old Dominion University on Thursday has been identified by authorities as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post that the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett said officers responded after it was reported that people were being shot in a classroom in the business school building, Constant Hall. (Full story)
Google overhauls its Maps app, adding in more AI features to help people get around
Google Maps will depend more heavily on artificial intelligence to help people figure out where they want to go and the best way to get there as part of a major redesign unveiled Thursday. The overhaul driven by Google’s Gemini technology will introduce two AI features into a digital mapping service used by more than 2 billion people worldwide. One tool called Ask Maps will expand upon conversational abilities that Google brought to the service last November answer users looking for suggestions on where to go to get things done. The other called Immersive Navigation will feature 3D renderings of places to help users get their bearings as they drive. (Full story)
