The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Missing Rapid City Infant Found Dead, Father Arrested
RAPID CITY, S.D. — After a short missing and endangered person’s advisory, a missing baby was found dead in Rapid City. Melinko Ivan Bagola was nine weeks old. An arrest has been made, and the Rapid City community is now trying to tangle with heartbreak. The body of Melinko Bagola was recovered by investigators with the Rapid City Police Department after questioning the child’s father, Tyler Slow Bear, who has been arrested. The last confirmed sighting of Melinko was in mid-April. The missing person alert was issued Thursday night and then canceled Friday morning. (Full story)
Mining Company Withdraws Black Hills Project Near Sacred Pe’ Sla Site
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Opponents of a mining operation near the Pe’ Sla site in the Black Hills says the company behind the project is backing off the plan. Pete Lien and Sons sent a letter to the United States Forest Service withdrawing its plan of operations, according to a statement from NDN Collective, a Native activist group opposing the project. The group released a statement saying they were notified of the letter Friday. Pe’ Sla, located in the central Black Hills, is considered a special place by many Native peoples. Several tribes purchased land at the site in 2012 and successfully petitioned the U.S. Department of the Interior to be federally recognized as a sacred site. (Full story)
South Dakota Mines And Black Hills State Celebrate Growing Graduating Classes
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Saturday was graduation today for hundreds of students at the South Dakota Mines. There were just over 520 graduates who walked the stage to receive their degrees, up 101 students compared to last year. The graduating class included two associate, 400 baccalaureate, 95 master’s degrees, and 24 doctoral degree recipients. The university also continued its tradition of recognizing its 50-year graduates from the class of 1976 wearing golden robes. Meanwhile, up in Spearfish, Black Hills State University celebrated 309 graduates, an increase of nine students from the previous year.
South Dakota Regulators Approve Xcel Rate Increase, Allow Interventions In Black Hills Energy Case
PIERRE, S.D. — A panel of South Dakota regulators approved an electric rate increase Friday for Xcel Energy customers and allowed eight entities to intervene in a pending Black Hills Energy rate case. While commissioners ruled on a lower rate increase for Xcel, it approved the intervention of eight entities in a Black Hills Energy rate increase case. Those entities are now official parties in the proceedings related to Black Hills Energy’s rate increase. The utility company is seeking an increase that would raise the typical residential customer’s bill by 25%, which would add $25.13 to the typical customer’s monthly bill. (Full story)
Passengers evacuated from hantavirus-stricken cruise ship begin flying home from Canary Islands
TENERIFE, Canary Islands (AP) — Passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship have started flying home aboard military and government planes after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. That’s where travelers were escorted to shore Sunday by personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks. Spanish passengers were the first to leave the MV Hondius following its arrival in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the West African coast. They were then flown to Madrid and taken to a military hospital. Hours later, a plane that evacuated French passengers landed in Paris, where it was met by emergency vehicles. One of the five French passengers developed symptoms on the flight. (Full story)
Remains of US soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered
CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — The remains of a U.S. soldier missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered in the Atlantic Ocean. The army announced Sunday that 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., a 27-year-old Air Defense Artillery officer, was found by a Moroccan military search team. Key was one of two soldiers who fell off a cliff during a recreational hike. The two were reported missing May 2 after participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise. Search efforts continue for the second missing soldier, involving over 600 personnel from the U.S., Morocco, and other military partners. (Full story)
NTSB gathering details on Frontier Airlines evacuation after plane hit and killed person in Denver
The National Transportation Safety Board says it is gathering information about the evacuation of a Frontier Airlines plane after it hit a person on the runway at Denver International Airport during takeoff. The Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Los Angeles reported the incident late Friday night. Frontier Airlines stated that smoke was reported in the cabin, leading pilots to abort takeoff. Passengers were evacuated via slides and taken to the terminal. An airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to hospitals and some passengers described issues with the evacuation. (Full story)
