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Rapid City Sales Tax Collections Running Nearly $1 Million Ahead of Last Year

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Sales tax receipts for February are showing stronger-than-expected numbers for the first two months of 2026, according to city officials. General two percent sales tax collections increased 11.4 percent in February compared to February 2025. Overall collections are 7.9 percent above the 2026 budget projection and tourism sales tax collections for February were 6.2 percent higher than the prior year. Total sales tax collections through the first two months of the year totaled $13.3 million, nearly $1 million higher than the receipts from the January-February period from 2025 ($12.33 million). Tourism sales tax receipts tallied $854,244 for the first two months compared to $793,226 for the opening two months of 2025.

Man Arrested After Displaying Firearm in Residential Neighborhood, Two Elementary Schools Briefly Secured

RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Rapid City man was arrested this week after police say he was seen holding a handgun in a residential neighborhood, prompting a large law enforcement response and brief security precautions at two nearby elementary schools. Officers were called around 1:15 p.m. on April 28 to the 200 block of Knollwood Drive after a report that a man was displaying a firearm. The caller also told police they were worried he might shoot someone. As a precaution, Knollwood Elementary and General Beadle Elementary were briefly placed in secure status while officers searched the area. Police found and arrested the suspect, 27-year-old Ziad Belhage.

Two Suspects with Rapid City Connections Arrested in Sioux Falls Officer Shooting

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A pair of suspects with Rapid City connections have been arrested in connection with the shooting of a police officer in Sioux Falls. Darren Richards and Loretta Bettelyoun were both out on parole at the time of the incident which occurred Monday. The suspects are accused of stealing a vehicle after the shooting and being involved in a crash after a pursuit. Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller and Rapid City Chief Don Hedrick say this officer-involved shooting also highlights the value of addressing violent re-offending parolees in our communities.

Groups File Federal Motions to Immediately Halt Drilling at Pe’ Sla

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Motions filed this week in federal court seek to stop drilling at Pe’ Sla immediately. The filings were submitted by a group including the NDN Collective, the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance and Earthworks. The lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Forest Service but the plaintiffs worry drilling could continue before the Forest Service responds. That is why they are asking the court to stop drilling that has already started at two different drill pads. The organizations say the drilling is unlawful and taking place on protected land that is described as sacred to the Lakota Tribe, while also putting water sources on the Cheyenne River at risk of contamination.

Oil Prices and Bond Market Jitters Shake Wall Street Despite Strong Earnings

More jumps for oil prices sent tremors through the bond market, along with hints that some Federal Reserve officials don’t want to cut interest rates any time soon. But fat profit reports from big companies helped the U.S. stock market remain resilient Wednesday. The S&P 500 edged down by less than 0.1%, a day after slipping from its latest all-time high. The Dow dropped 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite inched up less than 0.1%. The price for a barrel of Brent crude jumped nearly 6%. Treasury yields climbed as traders erased nearly all their bets for a cut to rates by the Fed this year.

Jerome Powell to Stay on Federal Reserve Board After Chair Term Ends

Jerome Powell plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month “for an undetermined period of time,” saying the “unprecedented” legal attacks by the Trump administration have put the independence of the nation’s central bank at risk. The Fed Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signaled it could still cut rates in the coming months, moves that attracted the most dissents since October 1992. The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell’s successor as chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, on a party-line vote.

Hegseth Faces Six Hours of House Questioning Over Iran War

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced nearly six hours of questioning Wednesday from House lawmakers for the first time since President Donald Trump’s administration launched the war against Iran. Democrats have contested the war as a costly conflict of choice waged without congressional approval. He’ll return tomorrow to face the Senate. Trump, meanwhile, told Axios that he’s rejecting Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a lift of the U.S. blockade — a plan that would postpone discussions of Iran’s nuclear program. Until now, Hegseth has avoided public questioning from lawmakers about the war, although he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine have held televised Pentagon briefings.

Stranded Humpback Whale ‘Timmy’ Begins Journey to the North Sea on Rescue Barge

A barge carrying a stranded humpback whale nicknamed Timmy has begun its journey toward the North Sea. The whale was spotted near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast in March, far from its Atlantic Ocean habitat. Its health deteriorated as it repeatedly became stranded in shallow waters. Rescuers used a flooded barge and a dredged channel to move the whale. The barge is expected to travel around Denmark’s northern tip. German officials describe the operation as unprecedented and successful. The whale’s condition has sparked debate, with some experts concerned about stress, while others believe it is fit for transport.