The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Seven Parolees Arrested in Rapid City, Including Early Morning Burglary Investigation
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City Police and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office say seven parolees were arrested on Monday. The first incident started at 4:00 a.m. when sheriff’s deputies spotted a suspicious vehicle near the area of a recent burglary. Four people were arrested at that scene. The other arrests were reported from 5:30 p.m. through 11:10 p.m. for a variety of crimes. One of the incidents led to a foot pursuit that crossed Interstate 90 and required a K9 unit. RCPD and the sheriff’s office say they recognize the ongoing issues being created by parolees in our communities and have reached out to the Department of Corrections about the issue. (Full story)
Uranium Exploration Hearing in Black Hills Postponed After Controversy
RAPID CITY, S.D. — (KBHB) A hearing regarding an exploratory search for uranium in the Black Hills is being postponed. A hearing about the plan in January led to a tense exchange with opponents who note the plan could put ancient Native American rock art at risk of being destroyed. One of the members on the board considering the project’s permit application told an Oglala Lakota community organizer that his goal in life, “is to be a jerk” during the hearing. The canceled hearing was set to be held on April 13th and no new date has been set.
Rapid City Schools Move Forward with $107 Million Bond Proposal
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to move forward with a multi-million dollar facilities bond. The proposed bond will prioritize replacing outdated heating and cooling systems to keep classrooms open and operational. The plan outlines $32 million specifically for HVAC and air quality upgrades at schools like Horace Mann Elementary, Meadowbrook Elementary, and North Middle School. The proposal also aims to tackle critical maintenance needs by upgrading security and building a new elementary school in south Rapid City to ease overcrowding. The $107 million bond was scaled back from its original $125 million to address the needs of the taxpayers. The bond measure is now set to go to the ballot on Nov. 3rd. A 60% supermajority will be required for the bond to pass. (Full story)
Pennington County TIF District Proposal Delayed by Rapid City Council
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) — Pennington County is seeking to create a new Tax Increment Financing District on roughly 172 acres south of Catron Boulevard, west of Fifth Street, and east of Black Hills Boulevard. Part of the land falls inside Rapid City limits, and the county has asked the city for permission to include that portion in the TIF. The Rapid City Council voted 9–0 Monday to delay action on the request until its next meeting on April 20. City documents show the site could be developed for major retail, restaurants, and new housing, including single and multi-family units.
Governor Announces South Dakota Defense Institute, Rapid City Innovation Hub Funding
PIERRE, S.D. — Governor Larry Rhoden on Wednesday announced the creation of the South Dakota Defense Institute and a new collaboration space in Rapid City’s Innovation District as part of his initiative to make national security South Dakota’s “next big industry.” In a release, Governor Rhoden said he was awarding $5 million from the Future Fund to establish and operate the South Dakota Defense Institute (SDDI) for an initial five years. The Institute will serve as a central hub to coordinate industry, education, and government partners. Meanwhile, Governor Rhoden also announced an additional $1 million Future Fund allocation to Elevate Rapid City for the purchase of a building in Rapid City’s Innovation District. The facility will be the SDDI headquarters and provide a collaborative space to bring together students, researchers, and defense companies to support innovation, workforce development, and industry growth. The SDDI will be organized adjacent to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and staffed by experienced leaders with military and defense industry backgrounds. (Full story)
Oil plunges below $95 as the Dow surges 1,300 in a worldwide rally following a ceasefire with Iran
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices plunged below $95 per barrel, and stock markets surged worldwide after President Donald Trump pulled back from his threat of devastating attacks against Iran. The S&P 500 leaped 2.5% Wednesday after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 1,325 points, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 2.8%. To be sure, stock prices are still below where they were before the war. And oil prices are still higher because the threat remains that the war could continue. Prices for both stocks and oil pared big moves as trading progressed Wednesday. (Full story)
Rex Heuermann pleads guilty to murder charges and admits he killed 8 women in the Gilgo Beach case
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A Long Island architect has pleaded guilty to murdering seven women and admitted he killed an eighth in a string of long-unsolved crimes known as the Gilgo Beach killings. Rex Heuermann entered the pleas on Wednesday in a courtroom packed with reporters, police and victims’ relatives. His decision brings finality to a case that bedeviled investigators, tantalized the public and spawned true-crime documentaries, podcasts and a Hollywood movie. Authorities say Heuermann killed the women over a 17-year span. Many of them were sex workers whose deaths received little attention until their remains were found buried together along an isolated beach highway. Heuermann faces life in prison and will be sentenced at a later date. (Full story)
Legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, dies at 97
SEATTLE (AP) — The legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, has died at age 97. His family said in an emailed statement that he died Tuesday at home in Port Townsend, Washington. Whittaker’s 1963 ascent of Everest came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The feat made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity, in demand for public appearances and expected to lend his support to good causes. His family said Whittaker had an enduring belief in the power of nature to bring people together. Whittaker also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO. (Full story)
