The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Teen Drowns at Belle Fourche Reservoir
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A 15-year-old boy has drowned after apparently becoming separated from his paddleboard at Belle Fourche Reservoir. Witnesses had reported the teen was in distress at the Tequila Beach area after becoming separated from his paddleboard in windy, rough conditions. The Pennington County Search and Rescue team was brought in and they located the body several hours later. The teen’s name has not been released as the incident remains under investigation. (Full story)
Rapid City Robbery Suspect Taken Into Custody
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City police have apprehended a man who was a suspect in an early Friday morning robbery on Haines Avenue. Officers were called around 3 a.m. May 29 to a business at 3343 Haines Ave. after reports of a robbery. Investigators say the man entered the store, displayed an AR-style rifle, and demanded cash and merchandise. The clerk complied, and the suspect fled north from the scene. Using video surveillance from the business, police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Kenneth Saunsoci of Rapid City. Police on Friday night announced Saunsoci had been found and was taken into custody for First Degree Robbery. (Full story)
Rapid City Sales Tax Collections Continue to Climb
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City sales tax collections for March show continued growth across most sectors of the community’s economy. The March and first quarter 2026 sales tax reports were shared with the Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee last week. Total sales tax collections through March totaled more than $21 million, compared to $19.8 million through the first quarter of 2025. The March collections tallied more than $7.7 million, a record for the month of March. The latest report indicates general 2 percent sales tax collections increased 2.4 percent compared to March 2025 and first quarter collections are 5.2 percent above the 2026 budget projection.
Rapid City Man Sentenced in Convenience Store Robbery
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A 22-year-old Rapid City man received a 12-year penitentiary sentence for his role in the December 2025 robbery of a Rapid City convenience store. Arlo Poor Thunder pleaded guilty in May to aiding and abetting first degree robbery. Prosecutors told the court the defendant participated in a planned robbery in which a store clerk was threatened with what appeared to be a firearm. Authorities also stated that Poor Thunder involved his 16-year-old nephew in the offense, directing the juvenile to act as a lookout during the robbery. (Full story)
Trump administration pushes military AI expansion while leaders urge caution
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Trump administration is accelerating the use of artificial intelligence in the U.S. military, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocating broad military applications while some military leaders and technology companies call for safeguards. Adm. Frank Bradley, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said humans must remain confident AI will be used only as intended when determining targets. Military officials described AI as a tool to improve efficiency and decision making, while experts noted it is already helping identify targets and support operations. A contract dispute between the Pentagon and AI company Anthropic has also highlighted concerns over oversight and military use of the technology. (Full story)
Experimental pill promises new hope for deadly pancreatic cancer
WASHINGTON (AP) — New research shows a novel pill is helping people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer. It’s not a cure, as the drug’s effects eventually waned. But it’s a very different kind of treatment than the chemotherapy that is a mainstay for these patients. Called daraxonrasib, the drug is designed to block a mutated protein that fuels most cases of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancer. The research was published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at an American Society of Oncology meeting. Maker Revolution Medicines will seek Food and Drug Administration approval. (Full story)
Rescuers free 4 men who had been trapped in a flooded Laos cave, search for 2 still missing
BANGKOK (AP) — Rescue workers in Laos have safely evacuated four villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days. The operation was completed Saturday, a day after the first survivor was extracted. Lao and Thai rescue groups shared the news on social media, along with photos of the men on stretchers. The villagers had entered the cave last week to search for valuable minerals but were trapped by flash flooding. One villager escaped and alerted authorities. Two people remain unlocated. The rescue involved teams from Laos, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia, with specialists from Indonesia, France and Australia also assisting. (Full story)
