Rapid City, SD · Daily edition
5 stories from Rapid City and Pennington County, in about three minutes.
Local Politics · Rapid City, SD
October 19 is the deadline to register to vote in South Dakota's general election, which will decide the governor, a U.S. Senate seat, a congressional seat, statewide positions, legislative races, and constitutional amendments. Rapid City residents will also vote on a Rapid City Area Schools bond. The notice was published by KOTA TV in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Public Safety · Rapid City, SD
A cold front brings breezy conditions to Rapid City on Sunday, Oct. 18, with gusts of 25–30+ mph and dry air raising fire concerns through the week. Temperatures remain above average, reaching upper 70s by Thursday before relative humidity drops to 20–25%. Residents are advised to secure trailer chains and avoid activities that could ignite dry vegetation. A frontal system late in the week may bring showers and cooler air, with additional rain chances Saturday, Oct. 24.
Public Safety · Rapid City, SD
Rapid City-area fire officials are reminding homeowners to exercise caution when clearing wood stoves and fireplaces as winter heating season begins. Mike Reed, District Program Manager for South Dakota Wildland Fire, recommends shoveling ashes into a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid, storing it outdoors on gravel or concrete, and waiting 24 to 72 hours before disposal. Officials warn that improper ash disposal sparks numerous structure fires and wildfires annually across western South Dakota, particularly when warm ashes are placed in plastic trash cans or dumped onto outdoor brush piles.
Social Events · Rapid City, SD
The second annual "Pistols and Pulaskis Blood Drive," organized by South Dakota Wildland Fire and the South Dakota Highway Patrol in partnership with Vitalant, is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rapid City Outdoor Campus, 4130 Adventure Trail. Donors can vote for either agency; the one receiving the most donations keeps the event's gold trophy until next year. Organizers note that blood donations often decline during the holiday season and encourage appointments due to limited space. Appointments can be made online or by calling Vitalant at 877-258-4825.
Want tomorrow's Rapid City edition in your inbox? It's free.
Subscribe freeCommunity News · Rapid City, SD
During October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month, regional advocates in western South Dakota are highlighting rising stalking and cyber-harassment cases while expanding support for survivors in tribal and rural areas. A new women's shelter, "Where All Women Are Honored," recently opened in Porcupine on the Pine Ridge Reservation under director Norma Rendon, with plans to expand services to families and men. Organizations including Working Against Violence Inc. in Rapid City and Crisis Intervention Shelter Service in Sturgis provide 24-hour crisis lines, while Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board advocate Deanna Prue conducts prevention education across South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa. Advocates stress that many forms of domestic abuse—financial restriction, emotional manipulation, and stalking—leave no visible scars but are equally damaging.
