The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Lookout Fire reaches 54% containment near Spearfish
SPEARFISH, S.D. — Firefighters have reached 54% containment on the 444-acre Lookout Fire, one mile northeast of Spearfish. The human-caused fire has remained largely within the same footprint since Monday night. Officials said dry conditions and shifting weather could increase fire activity, with humidity as low as 10% Thursday and wind gusts up to 35 mph Friday. One northbound lane of Interstate 90 remains closed between mile markers 10 and 12 due to potential smoke. Local roads previously closed near the fire reopened Wednesday evening. A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in effect. (Full story)
Box Elder Time Capsule Submission Deadline Today
BOX ELDER, S.D. — Today is the deadline for residents to submit items for Box Elder’s Centennial Time Capsule, which will be sealed during the Salute to Ellsworth celebration and opened in 2064. The city is seeking items representing local history, culture, family and community life, including photographs, letters, publications, artwork and Ellsworth Air Force Base memorabilia. Submissions may be dropped off at Box Elder City Hall with a completed submission form. Digital files may also be submitted on labeled USB drives. Items selected for the capsule will not be returned. (Full story)
Rapid City Data Center Ordinance Delayed Until November
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Planning Commission continued consideration of a proposed data center ordinance until Nov. 5. The ordinance would prohibit hyperscale data centers, defined as using at least 50 megawatts of power and 10,000 gallons of water daily. Smaller facilities would face restrictions based on power and water use, location and size. Proposed regulations also address water availability, noise, power generation and distances from residential districts. City officials plan to gather additional input before the ordinance returns to the commission. (Full story)
South Dakota Public Universities See Freshman Enrollment Growth
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota’s six public universities enrolled more than 35,000 students for the third consecutive year, while first-time freshman enrollment continued to grow. More than 5,000 first-time freshmen enrolled across the system. Black Hills State University reported its highest enrollment in five years with more than 3,500 students, while Northern State University reached a record of nearly 4,000. South Dakota State University remains the largest with nearly 12,000 students. The University of South Dakota enrolled more than 10,000, Dakota State University nearly 4,000 and South Dakota Mines nearly 2,500. (Full story)
South Dakota SNAP Shoppers Get 50% Off Qualifying Milk
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants in South Dakota can receive a 50% discount on qualifying milk purchases at eight G.F. Buche Co. locations. The discount is part of the federal ADD Milk program and applies automatically when customers purchase qualifying unflavored, unsweetened skim or 1% fluid cow milk using a SNAP/EBT card. Participating Buche Foods stores are in Gregory, Mission, Wagner, Oacoma, Pine Ridge and Mobridge, with Buche’s Gus Stop locations participating in Lower Brule and Wanblee. The program is part of the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives initiative established under the 2018 Farm Bill. (Full story)
Black Hills to Mark 25th Anniversary of 9/11 With Memorial Hike
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Firefighters, military personnel, law enforcement and community members will gather today at Founders Park to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A memorial hike up M Hill will begin at 9:11 a.m. following opening ceremonies and guest speakers. A piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center will be displayed at the summit. A golf tournament will follow at noon at Meadowbrook Golf Course, with proceeds helping families attend a burn camp through the Children’s Hospital Burn Center in Aurora, Colorado. (Full story)
Oil prices leap to their highest since May and drag Wall Street lower
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks sank after oil prices jumped to their highest levels since May. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% Thursday for a fourth straight loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7%. Stocks felt pressure as the price for a barrel of Brent crude briefly topped $108 because the war with Iran continues to clog the global flow of crude. Treasury yields leaped in the bond market on increased worries about inflation, and the 10-year yield jumped to 4.95%. That’s up nearly a whole percentage point since the war with Iran began. (Full story)
Trump proposes $5,000 payments if Republicans retain Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump proposed $5,000 payments to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections. The proposal, announced Wednesday at a Republican convention in Dallas, would cost more than $1.3 trillion and require congressional approval. Some Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized the proposal, while economists raised concerns that the payments could increase inflation and the federal deficit. Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno said he would prepare legislation for the payments. Trump previously proposed payments funded through tariff revenue and savings from the Department of Government Efficiency. (Full story)
9/11 overshadows other major events of the past 25 years for many Americans, new poll finds
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are still among the most significant historical events in many Americans’ lives. About half of U.S. adults consider what happened that day to be one of the most pivotal events they’ve lived through, 25 years later. In contrast with more recent major events, like the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and presidential elections, 9/11 stands out for its lasting impact. The vast majority of Americans remember where they were when they heard the news about the attacks, and about two-thirds say it affected the country “a great deal” or “quite a bit.” However, only about 1 in 10 plan to commemorate today’s anniversary in some way. (Full story)
