August 17, 2012
Rapid City and City Growth

 

June 16, 2012
Pennington County Commissioners to Consider Funding Rail Spur to Local Business

Pennington County Commissioners to consider $375,600 loan to local wood chip and pellet company.

On Tuesday June 19, 2012, Pennington County Commissioners will be consider a proposal to loan money to local business Deadwood Biofuels, LLC.  The company would use the money to build a rail spur to its plant at 5406 Old Folsom Road, Rapid City, SD.   Located at the former Dakota Craft site, Deadwood Biofuels manufactures wood pellets used in heating and grilling and wood chips used for playgrounds and parks.  Currently, the pellets are trucked to downtown Rapid City for loading into rail cars. According to owner Randy Kr

June 16, 2012
Rapid City Flood Survivors Share Story On South Dakota Public Broadcasting

Ron and Lavonne Masters, survivors of the 1972 Black Hills Flood, share their account of the night.

Survivors of the 1972 Black Hills Flood shared their tale of that night in Rapid City on South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Ron and Lavonne Masters, who lost three children in the flood, had previously been recorded for the Rapid City Public Library's collection of oral histories.

June 14, 2012
Veterans Affairs Financial Study Supports Closure, New Facilities In Hot Springs And Rapid City

VA financial study supports plan to close existing Hot Springs facility and create new ones in Hot Springs and Rapid City.

Rapid City could become home to a Veterans Affairs facility, based on a financial study by a national real-estate, financial-services consultant and VA financial officials. The study found it would be most cost-effective to close the existing Hot Springs facility, build an outpatient facility there, and create a specialty-service facility in Rapid City.

June 11, 2012
Rapid City Pays Tribute to 238 People Lost In Black Hills Flood

Hundreds of residents and visitors attended a memorial service to honor the 238 people who lost their lives in the 1972 Flood.

Hundreds of people attended the memorial service at the Rapid City Civic Center to pay tribute to the 238 people who lost their lives in the Black Hills Flood of 1972. Current Mayor Sam Kookier spoke at the June 10 service, as did former mayor Don Barnett. Others shared memories of the past and lessons learned.

June 10, 2012
Debate Surrounds Post-Flood Development

After the flood of 1972, park land in Rapid City grew substantially. Now, as more businesses and buildings are being developed in the green way some concerns are being raised.

Without the tragic Flood of 1972, Rapid City would have a much smaller amount of park land. Running through the center of town is an enormous greenway, a direct result of the devastating flood. This region now features Memorial Park, the Executive Golf Course, Central High School, and the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. Recently even more amenities have been added to the greenway such as the Rapid City Swim Center and Roosevelt Ice Arena.

June 8, 2012
Former Rapid City Mayor Returns To Today Show 40 Years After Flood

Former Rapid City Mayor Don Barnett appeared on the Today show after the 1972 flood, and again to mark the 40th anniversary.

Five days after the 1972 flood that destroyed parts of Rapid City and surrounding areas, Mayor Don Barnett appeared on the "Today" Show. Among his concerns was the potential that the damage of the flood would be compounded by a loss of tourism. During his appearance, he was given seven minutes to speak on national television about the state's beauty and need for tourists.

June 8, 2012
Rapid City Remembers Black Hills Power's Important Role in Flood Restoration Effort

Retired Rapid City lineman remembers working nearly around the clock to make sure customers were safe.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Friday, June 8, 2012

Mayor Sam Kooiker

Mutch Usera, Director of External Affairs & Sarah Folsland, Communications Manager

Rapid City and Black Hills area communities rallied to recover from the historic events of 1972, and those efforts included the Black Hills Power linemen (now referred to as line mechanics) who were charged with restoring electric power after the devastation.

Jack Naugle, retired lineman, remembers working nearly around the clock to make sure customers were safe.

June 6, 2012
Rapid City Flood Survivor Wants Greenway Preservation

Flood survivor Todd Burgess wants to ensure that the city does not pursue any development along the floodplain of Rapid Creek.

Flood survivor Todd Burgess wants to ensure that the city does not pursue any development along the floodplain of Rapid Creek. To remind the community of the flood's devastation, he has volunteered his graphic design company to make educational signs along the city's bike path that follows the creek.  To read the full article, follow the link to the Rapid City Journal.

June 3, 2012
Week Before Commemoration Of Rapid City Flood Filled With Memories and Preparation

Read up on events for the 40th anniversary of the Black Hills Flood and first-hand accounts.

Preparations are underway for three days commemorating the Black Hills Flood of 1972 that devastated Rapid City and surrounding areas. The Rapid City Journal lists events happening on June 8-10. The Journal also shared memories from flood survivors.

June 1, 2012
Pennington County-National American University Settle Over Lot Value

Pennington County and National American University parent company settle dispute over parking lot value.

Pennington County and the parent company for National American University have come to an agreement regarding the purchase value of the Kansas City Street parking lot.  A new evidence building and administration facility are currently under construction in the block bounded by First, Second, Kansas City and St. Joseph streets.

Read the full article in Rapid City Journal.

May 23, 2012
Pennington County Residents Will See Tax Increase

Pennington County Commissioners approve property tax increase.

A unanimous vote by Pennington County Commissioners will increase property tax rates.  By law, the county could have raised the rate up to 5%.  Instead, commisioners chose the lower figure of 2.1%.  Department heads are still being asked to reduce their proposed budgets.

Read the full article in Rapid City Journal.

May 18, 2012
Rapid City's Western Dakota Technical Institute Gets New President

Rapid City School board approves hiring Mark Wilson for new WDTI president.

Mark Wilson of the SD Department of Education, will begin his presidential duties in Rapid City at Western Dakota Technical Institute July 2012. 

At the same meeting, the School Board approved an agreement with the Rapid City Library Board of Trustees to operate a joint-use library at WDTI.  See related story here.

April 27, 2012
Guide to Finding Community Indicators on the Black Hills Knowledge Network

Here's an overview of some of the statistics and data that are available on the Black Hills Knowledge Network. 

Data should help us understand the world. Often, it can help us recognize problems and opportunities. Sometimes, it can lead us to solutions. But it has to be available, and it has to make sense.

On the Black Hills Knowledge Network, we work to provide access to data and statistics that help you understand what’s going on in our region. Is unemployment rising or falling. What about wages? Are we winning the fight against obesity and diabetes? Are we increasing the percentage of students who graduate from high school?

Where do we get this data?

April 26, 2012
Box Elder Working on a System to Simplify Land Use Regulations in Hazard Zones

A new "zoning overlay district" would account for airplane crash zones and other hazard areas in effort to ease development.

Box Elder is working on a "zoning overlay district" to record hazard areas created by Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City Regional Airport, noise from I-90 and the railroad, and flooding from Boxelder Creek.

April 25, 2012
Memorial Park Promenade Wins Support of Rapid City's Civic Center Board

The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center board voted unanimously to endorse a landscaped path connecting the center and downtown.

A proposed promenade through Memorial Park, connecting the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center with downtown, was endorsed Tuesday by the Civic Center board of directors. Destination Rapid City has committed to funding the project, which would include a lighted, landscaped path with art installations and botanical gardens.

April 24, 2012
Black Hills Flood of 1972

The 1972 Black Hills Flood devastated Rapid City and surrounding communitities. More than ten inches of rain fell in just over six hours on June 9, 1972. Rapid Creek and several other Black Hills streams overflowed their banks. The failure of the dam at Canyon Lake sent water rushing through Rapid City.

Flooding of Rapid Creek, 1972

April 22, 2012
New Pennington County Vacation Home Ordinance Allows Time for Applications

Grandfather clause allows applications for controversial vacation homes in suburban residential areas until May 23.

A Pennington County ordinance banning new vacation homes in suburban residential areas like Silver City and Rapid Valley will allow a "kind of safe harbor period" until the law takes effect May 23. Property owners who apply for the state-issued license before then will be allowed to continue operation, according to the Rapid City Journal.

April 18, 2012
Pennington County Breaks Ground on Expansion Building

Ceremonies were held at Kansas City and 2nd Streets, the location of the new $28.5 million expansion building.

Pennington County officials broke ground to commemorate the new $28.5 million expansion building, which will provide for more administration space and a larger evidence collection storage area. Read the story in the Rapid City Journal and follow Pennington County news here.

April 17, 2012
Rapid City 2012 Municipal Election Candidates

City Council

Ward One

Bill Clayton
Age: 61
Occupation: Auditor at the Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base. 
Education: Master’s degree in human resource management
Currently on the Rapid City Urban Wildlife Committee
 
April 16, 2012
Meetings Set to Discuss Pennington Co. Master Transportation Plan

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is seeking public input into the Pennington County Master Transportation Plan.

 

The South Dakota Department of Transportation is seeking public input into the Pennington County Master Transportation Plan. Meetings are planned in Wall (April 16), Hill City (April 17) and Rapid City (April 18).

Find more details here.

April 15, 2012
New Map Highlights Income Differences in Black Hills

A new data map created by the Black Hills Knowledge Network shows that the highest household incomes in the Black Hills region are concentrated in southwest Rapid City. Residents in the area referred to as Colonial Pine Hills on Google maps have median household incomes of $90,203, more than any other area in the region, according to U.S. Census data. 

A new data map created by the Black Hills Knowledge Network shows that the highest household incomes in the Black Hills region are concentrated in southwest Rapid City. Residents in the area referred to as Colonial Pine Hills on Google maps have median household incomes of $90,203, more than any other area in the region, according to U.S.

April 12, 2012
Black Hills Knowledge Network Lights Up Local Information

Maybe it happens at dinner one night. Someone asks a question. No one knows for sure. Someone else tries Google. Maybe you have your answer in seconds. Or maybe not. If it’s a question about your neighborhood or your community, you might not find anything at all. In the age of Google, the most elusive information is local.

 

So the Black Hills Area Community Foundation got together with a team of librarians to create the Black Hills Knowledge Network, an online resource for everything local in the Black Hills. Our librarians are organizing news stories, city council minutes and research reports to give you the history of an issue. Visit our virtual community archives to see historic photographs or find data on issues. We have information on how to start a business, train for a new career or get involved with volunteers doing good work in your community. The document library for the history of this project can be accessed to view the mission statement, presentations about the project, and more.

Lightning, like social media, strikes Black Hills media

Photo courtesy of Tom Warner

Maybe it happens at dinner one night. Someone asks a question. No one knows for sure. Someone else tries Google. Maybe you have your answer in seconds. Or maybe not. If it’s a question about your neighborhood or your community, you might not find anything at all. In the age of Google, the most elusive information is local.

 

April 11, 2012
Most Incumbents Returned in City Council and School Board Elections

Election results for Summerset, Keystone, Edgemont, New Underwood, Lead, Deadwood, Whitewood, Sturgis, Newell and Belle Fourche will shape the future.

Voters went to the polls Tuesday in many Black Hills communities to elect city council and school board members, as well as a few mayors. For results in Summerset, Keystone, Edgemont, New Underwood, Lead-Deadwood, Whitewood, Sturgis, Newell and Belle Fourche, check out the Rapid City Journal.

 

April 4, 2012
Forums to Highlight State of the Region

Elected officials, policymakers and nonprofit leaders in the Black Hills will hear about what's working and what could be improved in the areas of education, health and wellness and the economy in three upcoming Data Matters leadership forums. 

Elected officials, policymakers and nonprofit leaders in the Black Hills will hear about what's working and what could be improved in the areas of education, health and wellness and the economy in three upcoming Data Matters leadership forums. The forums will highlight local statistics and data that reveal regional strengths and weaknesses and benchmark the Black Hills against comparable communities, the state and the nation.