Category: Local politics
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Three Weeks In, Pennington County Still Can’t Fully Process Real Estate Records – On the Eve of a Statewide Runoff
Pennington County issued another public update Monday on its recovery from the cybersecurity incident that has disrupted county operations since early July — three weeks in, with county email still down, real estate recording systems still not restored, and a statewide primary runoff election set for Tuesday. The update, released as a “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”…
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Rapid City is the Only Accredited Police Department in South Dakota- What That Actually Means
Rapid City SD – Chief Don Hedrick told the Rapid City City Council at a special meeting Monday — during his 2027 Police Department budget presentation — that the Rapid City Police Department is the only accredited law enforcement agency in South Dakota. The point came up as part of his prepared remarks generally, not…
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Twins From the Start: What the TIF Ledger Actually Shows About the Catalyst District
Rapid City SD – Mayor Jason Salamun’s office marked this week’s “five key agreements” announcement with a Facebook post declaring the Indoor Sports Complex “a win for our community and the next generation.” It’s a good press release. It’s also a good moment to check the underlying paperwork — because the city’s own Tax Increment…
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The Mayor Took The Floor: What Salamun Said About the Sports Complex – And What He Didn’t
Rapid City SD – Mayor Jason Salamun does not, as a rule, address city committees from the public comment podium. He runs the executive branch; committee members ask the questions, staff answer them, and residents line up at the microphone to weigh in. That’s the format. On Wednesday, at the Legal and Finance Committee, Salamun…
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A Tricky Gift from Lien: The Sports Complex Enters the Legal and Finance Committee Agenda
Rapid City SD – The proposed Rapid City Indoor Sports Complex — officially named the “Rapid City Fieldhouse” in its facility management agreement — goes before the Legal and Finance Committee as a $76.2 million project built on a land donation that reads, on paper, less like a gift and more like a long-term lease…
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South Dakota Reaches $15 Million Settlement With Roblox Over Child Safety
Pierre SD – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced a settlement worth up to $15 million with Roblox Corporation on July 13, resolving state claims tied to child safety on the popular gaming and creation platform. The money will fund South Dakota’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the state Department of Education,…
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Chapel Lane Bridge Replacement Delayed to 2027 as City Pursues Temporary Crossing
The Chapel Lane Bridge replacement — the sole access point for more than 500 homes in the Chapel Valley neighborhood — has been pushed back over a year, from a May 2026 completion target to June 1, 2027, after the city was passed over for a 2026 state Bridge Improvement Grant that would have covered…
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Public Works Agenda Roundup For 7/14: Star Village Demolitions, A Contractor Lien, A Dropped Exception, and A Park Moves Forward
Rapid City SD- The City of Rapid City is spending at least $133,500 to demolish 28 detached garages in the Star Village neighborhood after owner Tzadik Rapid City Portfolio I failed to meet two separate city-ordered demolition deadlines — November 13, 2025, and February 20, 2026. The city’s own agenda language describes the structures as…
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Behind the Quiet of a Cyber Incident Recovery: How Pennington County and Rapid City Might Proceed
Rapid City SD – A week after a cybersecurity incident forced Pennington County to shutter most public-facing offices, the systems that run daily life in Rapid City and the county remain in a state of quiet reconstruction. Officials have said little about what happened. But the public record — statutes, certificate logs, and the county…
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Razor Wire And Bassinets: Inside South Dakota’s New Women’s Prison
Rapid City SD – By 10:00 a.m. Friday, the July heat radiating off the fresh asphalt at 1020 N Creek Drive was already suffocating. It was the kind of sweltering Rapid City morning that makes standing in a suit feel like a punishment — a fact visibly written on the sweating faces of local legislators,…