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Woman Arrested for DUI After Crash on Skyline Drive
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Police in Rapid City arrested a 28-year-old female following a vehicle crash on Skyline Drive Monday night. Police say they found a Ford SUV in the ditch and made contact with Sheyanne Farmer on scene. Farmer had slurred speech and police say she smelled of alcohol. Following a DUI investigation, it was determined she was too impaired to safely operate a motor vehicle. She was also determined to be on parole. She was placed under arrest for DUI (2nd), Open Container in a Motor Vehicle, No Proof of Insurance, and a Parole Hold.
Pennington County Warns of Ongoing Planning & Zoning Email Scam
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County Planning & Zoning Department is issuing another reminder to residents as fraudulent emails impersonating the department continue to circulate throughout the county. Citizens are still reporting emails that include fake invoices and step-by-step instructions urging them to take action. These messages continue to mimic official communication from Planning & Zoning staff but are not legitimate and should be deleted immediately. The Pennington County Information Technology team is continuing to investigate the issue and is working collaboratively with the Sheriff’s Office to monitor and reduce the impact of these persistent scam attempts.
Law Enforcement Launches Holiday ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Campaign
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Law enforcement agencies across South Dakota are ramping up efforts to prevent impaired driving during the holiday season as part of the nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The enforcement period runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 1, 2026, coinciding with one of the most dangerous times of year for alcohol-related crashes. The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office says they will step up efforts to stop impaired driving and protect road users’ safety in alignment with the winter holiday high-visibility enforcement campaign. In South Dakota during the 2019-2023 December months there were 15 people killed, and 237 people injured in alcohol involved traffic crashes.
Study: E-Cigarette Taxes Less Effective as Youth Vaping Addiction Rises
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A new national study finds e-cigarette taxes have lost more than half their effectiveness at curbing youth vaping since 2020. Researchers say today’s young vapers are more addicted and less price-sensitive than five years ago, making them less likely to quit when prices rise. South Dakota remains among the states without a specific e-cigarette tax, applying only its standard sales tax to vaping products.
Storms bring heavy rain to the Pacific Northwest, snow and freezing rain to the Upper Midwest
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A powerful series of Pacific Northwest storms brought heavy rain, flooding and high-water rescues to Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, while forecasters warned of rising rivers and more severe weather ahead; firefighters pulled stranded drivers from flooded roads, authorities evacuated neighborhoods near swollen rivers, and an arctic blast hit southeast Alaska with dangerous wind chills. The system also pushed east, with a fast-moving winter storm bringing freezing rain, heavy snow and 65 mph winds to Montana and the Dakotas, where North Dakota issued a no-travel advisory and schools closed amid icy conditions. Wintry weather spread into Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, threatening a hazardous evening commute as the storm moved toward the Great Lakes.
Congress presses Pentagon for release of video showing deadly boat strike near Venezuela
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told congressional leaders Tuesday that he is still considering whether to release full video of a U.S. military strike on an alleged drug boat near Venezuela that killed two survivors, as lawmakers from both parties intensify demands for disclosure. Hegseth, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, gave a classified briefing in which Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer pressed for all members of Congress to view the footage, but Hegseth said the Pentagon must “study it.” The incident, which legal experts say may have violated rules governing the use of deadly force, has prompted bipartisan frustration over limited information from the Defense Department. Meanwhile, retiring Adm. Alvin Holsey, who oversaw the campaign targeting suspected drug vessels, spoke separately with Senate Armed Services Committee leaders, though he gave no reason for his early retirement. Congress’ annual defense bill requires the Pentagon to provide unedited strike videos and authorizing orders, threatening to withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget if he declines.
Justice Department can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records, judge says
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in New York has granted the Justice Department’s request to publicly release grand jury transcripts and other material from Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking case, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime confidant. But the judge Tuesday cautioned people shouldn’t expect to learn much new information from the materials. Judge Paul A. Engelmayer says the materials don’t identify anyone other than Epstein and Maxwell as “having had sexual contact with a minor” and don’t ”identify any client.” The Justice Department had asked judges after the law’s passage to lift secrecy orders in Maxwell’s and Epstein’s cases. Records could be made public within 10 days.
