The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
America 250 Committee Seeking Volunteers for July Birthday Bash
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City’s America 250 ‘Birthday Bash’ committee continues to seek volunteers to support next month’s multi-day celebration event. Planned activities include a patriotic drone show, community parade, multi-day downtown festival, Mount Rushmore Fireworks Show watch party, concerts, children’s activities, 5K Freedom Run, community fireworks show, exhibits and multi-stage performances. Community residents, businesses, churches and local organizations are encouraged to participate in the America250 Volunteer Challenge, as Rapid City prepares to host this summer’s ‘Real America Birthday Bash’ celebration July 1-5. Volunteer opportunities are available in areas including parade support, guest services and event operations, Kids Zone activities, entertainment support, logistics and crowd assistance.
Black Hills Energy to Remove Downtown Powerline Overnight
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Black Hills Energy (BHE) plans to decommission an overhead powerline this week near the downtown area. The work will be conducted during late evening and overnight hours and will take place beginning at approximately 9 p.m. Wednesday along Fifth Street from the alley south of Kansas City Street to the alley north of Main Street. Due to the high volume of traffic in the affected area, BHE officials indicate the late-evening and overnight work will provide a safer work area. One lane of Fifth Street will be closed in the affected area.
Central States Fair Employee Identified as Shooting Victim
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Central States Fair has identified its maintenance manager as the victim of a Sunday morning shooting at the fairgrounds in Rapid City that sparked a multi-agency manhunt. Paul Nebel, known to many as “Pauly,” was injured when 58-year-old John Troy Lee of Rapid City opened fire at the fairgrounds on Sunday. Nebel remains hospitalized following the incident. Many social media posts indicate he is in a medically induced coma. In a statement, the Central States Fair, Inc. family expressed their heartbreak over the tragic events involving their team member. The organization is asking the Rapid City community to keep Nebel, his family, friends, and colleagues in their thoughts. Fair officials also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of concern and compassion they have received. They asked for patience and understanding from the Rapid City community in the days ahead as they support Nebel and one another. Meanwhile, investigation into the incident remains underway today. The suspect, Lee, was shot and killed by Oglala Sioux Tribal officers. During the confrontation, Lee also shot one of the OST officers. That officer was being treated at a local hospital according to officials. (Full story)
OpenAI files confidential SEC paperwork for IPO, opening the door to a Wall Street debut
OpenAI has filed preliminary paperwork to potentially become a publicly traded company. The company announced Monday it has submitted confidential documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. OpenAI says it hasn’t decided on timing yet, as there are advantages to staying private. This move follows Anthropic’s June announcement of its own IPO plans. Both companies are following SpaceX, which is also pursuing an IPO. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned last fall that an IPO was the “most likely path” due to the company’s size and capital needs. (Full story)
In a California Chinese enclave, a mayor’s guilty plea stokes fears of Beijing’s influence
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government. The news filled the unassuming suburban city outside of Los Angeles with anger, disappointment, and murmurs of quiet concern. Fears about spies and Chinese Communist Party influence abounded on social media. Arcadia’s population of about 53,000 is majority Asian, like many other cities in the region. Some residents worry Wang’s indictment could bring unfair scrutiny on the broader Chinese and Asian American community. Acting Mayor Paul Cheng called the news a “slap in the face.” (Full story)
Apple unveils an upgraded Siri voice assistant with new AI features at its annual conference
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple is unveiling new artificial intelligence features at its annual developers conference. The World Wide Developers Conference started Monday. It’s the last one featuring CEO Tim Cook before he turns his post over to John Ternus in September. The conference attracts thousands of developers from some 65 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters. It usually focuses on software, in contrast to the fall unveiling of the latest iPhones. Apple showed off updates on new AI features, including upgrades to its Siri assistant. Apple says it’s focusing on day-to-day use and privacy. (Full story)
