The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Rapid City Man Appears in Court in Death of Infant Son
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The man accused of murdering his infant son has made his initial appearance in a Rapid City courtroom. Tyler Slow Bear of Rapid City is facing second degree murder charges and charges of improper disposal of a body in connection to the death of his missing infant son. Police performed a welfare check on his son, Melinko Bagola, but the boy could not be found. Slow Bear was brought in for questioning and told police where the boy’s remains could be found at an outdoor location. Slow Bear’s bond was set at 10-million dollars.
Sturgis Judge Resigns to Run for Attorney General
STURGIS, S.D. — John Fitzgerald announced he has stepped down from his position as a Fourth Circuit Court Judge in Sturgis. Fitzgerald said in a press release he is doing so to seek the Republican nomination for South Dakota Attorney General. Fitzgerald is a graduate of Black Hills State University in Spearfish and the University of South Dakota School of Law. In November 2022, Fitzgerald was elected as a Fourth Circuit Court Judge, serving eight northwestern South Dakota counties. Fitzgerald will be joined in the race by Austin Hoffman and Lance Russell. (Full story)
Public Comments Sought on Proposed Black Hills Uranium Mine
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is asking for public input on a proposed uranium mine. BLM leaders are accepting all comments through midnight on Thursday, May 14th. The project would cover more than 10-thousand acres in Fall River and Custer counties in the Black Hills. The mine would institute the in-situ leach mining process that injects water and chemicals into the site to extract the uranium. While many experts say nuclear power is the best way to provide long-term, sustainable energy, the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance is encouraging comments that oppose the project.
LDS Church Plans First Temple in South Dakota
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hoping to build a new temple. As previously announced, the Rapid City South Dakota Temple will be constructed on a 4.86-acre site at the northeast corner of Mount Rushmore Road and Moon Meadows Drive in Rapid City, South Dakota. Plans call for an 11,800-square-foot, single-story temple and an accompanying ancillary building. Plans for the temple were announced in April of 2025 and church officials say it will be the first of its kind in South Dakota. South Dakota is home to over 12,000 Latter-day Saints, meeting in about 30 congregations., and finding practical solutions to complex enforcement issues.
Officials say $1.3 billion in Medicaid money to California will be deferred over suspicions of fraud
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance announced new actions Wednesday aimed at cracking down on fraud in federal health care programs, including a $1.3 billion deferral in Medicaid reimbursements to California and a nationwide six month freeze on some new Medicare provider enrollments. Speaking at the White House, Vance said fraud harms both taxpayers and people who rely on programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. The Trump administration said the moves are part of an anti fraud task force created by President Donald Trump to investigate potential misuse of public funds. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the administration identified questionable spending patterns in California’s Medicaid program, though he did not provide documented examples of fraud. California officials disputed the claims, saying growth in the state’s home care program has helped keep people out of more expensive nursing homes. The administration also warned states they could risk losing federal funding if they fail to aggressively investigate Medicaid fraud. (Full story)
US Drug Overdose Deaths Fall for Third Straight Year in 2025
NEW YORK — Drug overdose deaths in the United States dropped for the third straight year in 2025, with preliminary federal data showing about 70,000 Americans died from overdoses last year, down roughly 14% from 2024 and the lowest total since before the COVID 19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported declines across several drug categories, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, while most states saw decreases in overdose deaths. Researchers credited factors such as expanded addiction treatment, wider availability of naloxone and changes in drug use patterns, though experts cautioned the overdose crisis remains severe and could worsen again if prevention efforts decline. Health officials are also monitoring emerging synthetic drugs entering the illegal drug supply, including cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid reported to be significantly stronger than fentanyl. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has scaled back some overdose prevention programs, including ending federal support for test strips and kits used to detect dangerous drug additives. (Full story)
Doctor who helped ship take care of passengers with hantavirus is isolated in Nebraska medical unit
An oncologist traveling on a cruise ship amid a hantavirus outbreak says he’s the lone American isolated at a special biocontainment unit in Nebraska. Dr. Stephen Kornfeld says he volunteered to help care for sickened passengers aboard the MV Hondius. Now he’s among 18 Americans under observation at medical facilities that specialize in treated highly infectious diseases. Kornfeld is the only passenger at the Omaha, Nebraska, medical campus after one of two tests on a nasal swab he took on the ship came back positive. Kornfeld told CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” on Tuesday that he feels great and has no symptoms. He’s awaiting new test results later this week. (Full story)
