The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Black Hills Officials Warn of Active Fire Season Amid Dry Conditions
BLACK HILLS, S.D. — Fire officials say the Black Hills is experiencing record dry conditions, with State Fire Meteorologist Darren Clabo describing fuels as “explosively dry” and noting this is the third driest season on record, contributing to an expected active fire year; officials including Jeni Lawver said resources are being positioned to respond, while Rapid City Fire Chief Brian Povandra urged residents to clear debris around homes and avoid fire hazards such as dragging RV chains and fireworks, and Pennington County Emergency Management Deputy Director Adam Davis encouraged the public to follow the “Ready, Set, Go” evacuation framework and sign up for alerts, including landline notifications. (Full story)
Rapid City Population Continues Strong Growth, Nears 86,500 in 2025
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) — Rapid City’s population in 2025 is estimated at 86,484, a 1.83 percent increase from 84,930 in 2024, continuing steady growth in recent years. The city has grown by nearly 12,000 people since 2020, when the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population at 74,703. The City’s Long Range Planning Division calculates the estimate each year using data such as building permits, housing demolitions and 2020 Census occupancy and household rates, with the methodology approved by the U.S. Census Bureau. Officials also reported population estimates of 82,418 in 2023 and 84,930 in 2024. (Full story)
Rapid City City Attorney Joel Landeen Steps Down, Interim Named
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Mayor Jason Salamun has announced the departure of Joel Landeen from his position as City Attorney. Landeen has served in the city attorney’s office since 2004 and as city attorney since 2012. To ensure continuity of operations and steady legal leadership for the city, Carla Cushman, who currently serves as deputy city attorney, will assume the role of Interim City Attorney effective immediately. She is a graduate of Augustana College and the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law, and has been with the City Attorney’s Office in Rapid City since 2012. Mayor Salamun indicates a search for the next permanent City Attorney will begin soon.
Rapid City Sees Strong Start to 2026 with Rising Sales Tax Collections
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) — In the first tax report for 2026, sales tax receipts in Rapid City for January indicate solid early-year growth across most sectors. Total sales tax collections tallied more than $6.4 million ($6,473,352) in January, a 4.7 percent increase over January 2025 collections ($6,184,428). General 2 percent sales tax collections increased 4.3 percent ($3,036,863) compared to January 2025 ($2,911,232). Collections are currently 3.7 percent above the 2026 budget projection. The general fund provides the revenue needed to support police, fire, library, parks, recreation and other needs. (Full story)
Semi-Truck Crash on Highway 16 Causes Temporary Road Closure
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A semi-truck crashed on U.S. Highway 16 Wednesday and prompted a temporary road closure. The truck crashed through guardrails while going northbound on U.S. Highway 16 near the Croell gravel pit. The vehicle sustained significant damage and came to rest in a sloped area of the ditch. Cleanup of the area commenced throughout the day Wednesday. (Full story)
Artemis II astronauts bound for moon after rocketing away on NASA’s first lunar voyage in decades
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon, humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than half a century. It’s the thrilling leadoff in NASA’s push toward a lunar landing in two years. The 32-story moon rocket blasted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center Wednesday evening, carrying three Americans and one Canadian. The Artemis II crew will spend a day in orbit around Earth checking their capsule before firing the main engine that will propel them to the moon. The nearly 10-day mission will see them fly around the moon and set a distance record, before coming straight back home. (Full story)
New DNA testing links unsolved death of Utah teen in 1974 to serial killer Ted Bundy
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah sheriff’s office says DNA testing has definitively linked the unsolved death of a Utah teenager in 1974 to the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. Laura Ann Aime, 17, went missing Halloween night 51 years ago after she left a party alone. About a month later, her body was found on the side of a highway, bound, beaten and a without clothing. Investigators long suspected that Bundy was responsible. He was one of the nation’s most prolific serial killers, with at least 30 women and girls’ deaths linked to him in several states in the 1970s. (Full story)
SpaceX files initial paperwork to sell shares to the public and likely make Musk a trillionaire
NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk’s space exploration company has filed preliminary paperwork to sell shares to the public, according to two sources familiar with the filing, a blockbuster offering that is likely to rank as the biggest ever and make its founder the world’s first trillionaire. A SpaceX IPO promises to be one of the biggest Wall Street events of the year with several investment banks lining up to help raise tens of billions to fund Musk’s ambitions to set up a base on the moon and possibly one day send a man to Mars. The sources spoke on anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly about the confidential registration. (Full story)
