Public Safety · Box Elder, SD
Douglas High School students in Box Elder, South Dakota, were dismissed early Tuesday after a potential gas leak prompted an evacuation to the school stadium. The school district confirmed that gas service has been shut off and there is no safety threat to other school buildings or the community. Bus riders will wait at Douglas Middle School, while parents picking up students should go to Vandenberg Elementary School at 561 Briggs Street. The early dismissal applies only to Douglas High School; other district buildings are unaffected.
Transportation · Rapid City, SD
The South Dakota Department of Transportation will hold two public open houses Tuesday, Oct. 20, and Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Dahl Arts Center, 713 Seventh St., in Rapid City. The meetings are part of the Rapid City Major Investment Study examining current conditions along the I-90 and U.S. Highway 16B corridors. Residents who cannot attend may submit written comments through Friday, Nov. 6, via the project website or by calling 605-773-6641.
Social Events · Rapid City, SD
Community members, tribal leaders, and youth advocates gathered Monday morning for the ninth annual Remembering the Children Memorial Walk in Rapid City, South Dakota, honoring Native American children who died at the former Rapid City Indian Boarding School. The walk began at 9:00 a.m. at the Flower Gardens at Sioux Park and proceeded to the memorial site, where organizers read the names of known deceased students. Three additional children's names were added to the granite memorial wall this year after historical documentation shared by health center partners identified further deaths. For the second consecutive year, members of the Sicangu Youth Council from the Rosebud Reservation joined the Rapid City Youth City Council in the ceremonies. The memorial site remained open to the public until 4:00 p.m., featuring over 4,000 feet of walking trails, historic overlooks, and public art.
Social Events · Rapid City, SD
NDN Collective organized a 2026 Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration on Monday, Oct. 13, at Main Street Square in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota. Main Street Square was closed to vehicle traffic beginning at 2:00 p.m. for community booths, art spaces, and food vendors, followed by an advocacy rally at 4:00 p.m. and a free concert running until 9:00 p.m. Performers included Oglala Lakota artist Nevada Brave, MCs Chante Heart and Dean LaPointe, Canadian First Nations group The Bearhead Sisters, and Grammy winner Macklemore as a special guest. Organizer Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle of NDN Collective said the event also served as a platform to oppose mining in the Black Hills and promote land and water protection.
Community News · Rapid City, SD
Sanford Sports has hired Brenna Block to lead its newly-established Sanford Sports Academy volleyball program in Rapid City, South Dakota. Block previously served as director of volleyball at the E3 Sports Complex in Rapid City, which Sanford Sports acquired in August. The company announced its Black Hills expansion in March, adding volleyball to its growing academy offerings for local youth. Block brings experience from USA Club Volleyball in North Texas and her own skills development camps in South Dakota.
