The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Jersey Mike’s Subs Opens Next to Upcoming Natural Grocers
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Jersey Mike’s Subs has officially opened at 855 Omaha St. in Rapid City, marking the first business to open in the redevelopment of the former Albertsons property. The restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is located next to the future Natural Grocers, which is preparing for a summer opening. The development, designed by Dream Design International, will also include Juna Sleep and a Monument Health Clinic. (Full story)
Sky High Sparks and Drones: Downtown Rapid City Prepares for the “Real America Birthday Bash”
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Downtown Rapid City will host the Real America Birthday Bash from July 1-5, featuring live music, family activities, a July 2 drone show and a July 4 fireworks display. The July 2 Sky Elements drone show will launch 500 drones, including 50 equipped with pyrotechnics, from Central High School following the downtown parade. The celebration also includes food vendors, Kids’ Zone activities, Touch-A-Truck exhibits, historical reenactors, a Freedom 5K and performances by Chancey Williams, Brandon Jones, the U.S. Air Force Academy Band and other local and regional musicians. (Full story)
Major Reconstruction Underway at I-90 Piedmont Interchange
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Reconstruction of the Interstate 90 interchange at Piedmont (exit 46) has begun with crews currently building new eastbound ramps and working along Elk Creek Road and Sturgis Road. The multi-phase project includes a full rebuild of the interchange and nearby roads. Phase one, set for completion by Nov. 25, 2026, covers road realignment, partial bridge construction, and new ramps. Phase two will run from March to November 2027, completing bridges, opening the new interchange, removing the old one, and rebuilding westbound I-90 near exit 44. (Full story)
Rapid City Announces Independence Day Holiday Closures
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City officials remind the public of upcoming city government office closures and service impacts for the Independence Day holiday week period. City offices will be closed and several operations and services adjusted or not operating Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 to coincide with the federal holiday observance of Independence Day. Independence Day falls on a Saturday this year, so federal law designates the preceding Friday at the observed federal holiday. City offices including City Hall and the Public Library will be closed on Friday. (Full story)
NASA races to save Swift telescope from falling back to Earth with daring rescue mission
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA is racing to save its Swift telescope from falling back to Earth with a daring rescue mission. The salvage effort gets underway as soon as this week with the planned launch of a robotic lifesaver. NASA has hired Katalyst Space Technologies to boost Swift to a higher orbit where it can continue hunting for some of the universe’s biggest explosions. Launched in 2004, Swift has been sinking faster and faster because of recent intense solar activity. It needs to get to a higher orbit as soon as possible to survive. Otherwise, it will come crashing down. (Full story)
3 firefighters killed, 2 injured while tackling wildfires on the Colorado-Utah border
BEAVER, Utah (AP) — Three firefighters have died and two were injured while battling fires on the Colorado-Utah border. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service says they were responding to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday. Wildfire activity has intensified across the Western U.S. due to hot, dry, and windy weather. The largest blaze, the Cottonwood Fire, has grown to over 146 square miles in southwest Utah. Utah’s governor declared an emergency earlier this week, and Colorado’s governor on Saturday followed suit and authorized the National Guard to help. Conditions have been critical, with record-low snowpack and extreme drought fueling the fires. (Full story)
The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing
A campaign for stronger online safety measures for children in the U.S. is gaining steam with recent jury verdicts against tech giants like Meta and Google and a new push for legislation in Congress. Parents who turned to advocacy after their children died from social media-related harms say it feels like the tide is turning. And while the U.S. is nowhere near embracing social media bans for children like those seen from Australia to Indonesia, some U.S. senators are calling for urgent action. The Senate Judiciary Committee has invited the CEOs of Meta, Alphabet, TikTok and Snap to testify at an upcoming hearing about children’s safety. (Full story)
