May 20, 2013
A chance for lowered sewer rates for Rapid City residents proposed

First reading of the proposed ordinance to give more flexibility to ratepayers approved.

The first reading of a proposed ordinance to give more flexibility to ratepayers was approved by the Public Works Committee.  The Current rate is based on water use during December, January, and February and if no water is used during these month then the ratepayer is automatically billed a 7-unit base charge.  The complete article is available from the Rapid City Journal.  For additional information checkout the archives or read the minutes of the May 14th meeting at the

May 20, 2013
Ellsworth Notifies Civilian Employees of Furloughs

More than 500 civilian employees at Ellsworth Air Force Base will take 88 hours of unpaid furlough leave.

28th Bomb Wing Commander Colonel Kevin Kennedy notified civilian employees last week that furlough notices will go out on May 28, according to a report on KOTA TV.

Furloughs will begin July 8 and end in September. Civilians comprise about 15 percent of the military base's workforce.

See the full KOTA report here:

May 20, 2013
Mayoral Candidates Highlight Differences

As the June 4th election draws near, Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker and challenger State Senator Mark Kirkeby are working to make clear their differences.

As the June 4th election draws near, Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker and challenger State Senator Mark Kirkeby are working to make clear their differences.

May 12, 2013
Airport Committee Seeks Fix For Ridership Issues

During the past 3 years ridership from the airport has been on a decline.   A summit was held on Tuesday in an effort to fix the problem.  

The Black Hills Air Service Partnership hosted a summit Tuesday to develop some long-term fixes for Rapid City Regional Airport’s decline in passengers.  The Airport Executive Director, Cameron Humphres, stressed the need to grow demand. "If we don't use our current air service, we'll lose it,” Humphres stated.  

May 11, 2013
Tourism Season Launches for Rapid City and the Black Hills

After a slow start, tourists are beginning to return to Rapid City and surrounding areas.

After a slow start, tourists are beginning to return to Rapid City and surrounding areas. According to KOTA News, spring snow storms discouraged visitors and had a negative impact on the local tourism industry. With temperatures and weather improving, business is picking up and expected to increase throughout the summer.

May 10, 2013
Focus is on Issues in Rapid City Debate

Incumbent Mayor Sam Kooiker met opponent Mark Kirkeby in a debate Thursday night.

Incumbent Mayor Sam Kooiker met opponent Mark Kirkeby in a debate Thursday night. Kirkeby presented himself as the opposite of Kooiker, providing his position on the investigation of Alderman Bill Clayton and the expansion and renovation of the Civic Center.

May 9, 2013
Rapid City Short on Senior Services

A survey conducted by the University of South Dakota reveals that seniors believe Rapid City could do better when it comes to senior services.

 

Rapid City's senior citizens report trouble getting medical care, finding transportation and housing and recreation opportunities in a recent survey conducted by the University of South Dakota.

This Rapid City Journal article quotes Sandy Diegel of the John T. Vucurevich Foundation saying there is a need for centralized information that seniors can access.

May 2, 2013
Rapid City Sewer Bill Rates Questioned

Council member Charity Doyle believes some residents are being overchaged for sewer services.

At the Rapid City Legal & Finance May 1 meeting, Council member Charity Doyle questioned the city's method of determining sewer rates.  Currently, residents who do not use any water in the first three months of the year are charged a default 7-unit rate, which is among the highest rates charged to residential sewer usage.  The full story may be read in the Rapid City Journal and a collection of

May 1, 2013
Alderman Recall Petition Reaches Halfway Point

A petition to recall Alderman Bill Clayton is moving forward.

A petition to recall Alderman Bill Clayton is moving forward. The alderman was investigated for alleged racist remarks to a reporter and comments about another council member. The city council discussed the possible violations of the city's Code of Conduct, but took no action.

April 26, 2013
LaRue: The library is a community asset

Nationally acclaimed library leader charts course for success, advocating for early literacy, ebook publishing and providing research for community leaders.

Jamie LaRue took the worst library in Colorado and turned it into the No. 1 library in the nation.
When he was hired as director of the Douglas County Libraries in 1990, the library in the community of about 60,000 was open four days per week and had no children's story times.
"It was a very depressed library," he told a group of librarians gathered Thursday at General Beadle Elementary School in Rapid City.

April 23, 2013
Rapid City Residential building permits on the rise

Rapid City is on track to surpass last year in residential building permits.

Rapid City is on track to surpass last year in residential building permits.  During the 1st quarter of 2013 there were residential building permits issued for 333 units, while last year there were only 405 units issued for the entire year.  This is a trend that Rapid City has seen over the past few years according to the Rapid City Progress Report which shows the number of permits issued since 2010.  More information can be found at the <

April 16, 2013
Council Prayer Continues Without A Policy

City Attorney Joel Landeen presented six options to the Rapid City Council for creating a policy on the council invocation. The council chose the last option, to continue with no policy on the start-of-meeting prayer.

City Attorney Joel Landeen presented six options to the Rapid City Council for creating a policy on the council invocation. The council chose the last option, to continue with no policy on the start-of-meeting prayer. The City Council had been asked by the Freedom from Religion Foundation to end the prayer, as it was a civil rights violation.

April 12, 2013
Rapid City's Unemployment Rates Rise While Others in the Midwest Fall

Rapid City’s unemployment rates rose slightly from 5.1% in January to 5.2% in February of this year while the state as a whole has remained stable.

 

 

April 11, 2013
National Leader to Talk About Future of Libraries in Rapid City

James LaRue, a nationally recognized thought leader in the field of libraries, will talk about the future of public libraries at General Beadle Elementary at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25.

 

RAPID CITY – James LaRue, a nationally recognized thought leader in the field of libraries, will talk about the future of public libraries at General Beadle Elementary at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. LaRue’s visit to Rapid City is sponsored by the Rapid City Public Library, the Black Hills Knowledge Network and the Black Hills Area Community Foundation with the support of the Bush Foundation. The public is welcome.

April 5, 2013
Pennington County Voices Support for Keystone XL Pipeline

The county commission wrote to the U.S. Department of State to lend a voice of support for the project.

The county commission wrote to the U.S. Department of State to lend a voice of support for the project. According to the Rapid City Journal, the proposed pipeline would cross the state of South Dakota in the process of moving Canadian oil to refineries in Texas. Fierce debate surrounding the project has so far kept it on hold.

March 30, 2013
Civic Center Weighs $37 Million in Renovations

Addressing numerous ADA violations in Don Barnett Area would carry a hefty price tag.

Addressing numerous ADA violations in Don Barnett Area would carry a hefty price tag. Proposed improvements to the existing facility include ADA-compliant restrooms, seating, concessions, and elevators. The Rapid City Journal reports that the civic center's board of directors is now faced with a decision:  to commit to renovations on the facility or to build a new arena.

March 29, 2013
Rails-to-Trails Project Envisioned from Rapid City to Kadoka

Fly-bike tourism envisioned for trail that could connect to the Rapid City bike path and that would be open to non-motorized activity such as hiking and horseback riding.

The West River Trail Coalition wants to convert 97 miles of old railbed to a multi-use trail from Rapid City to Kadoka, KOTA's MyTown website reports.

The trail would pass near Rapid City Regional Airport and would include four trailheads at Caputa, Scenic, Interior and Kadoka. The group has commissioned a feasibility study and says much work remains to be done to identify funding sources.

March 27, 2013
Rapid City Election Ballot Finalized

The mayor and three council members will face opponents in the June election.

The mayor and three council members will face opponents in the June election. Ritchie Nordstrom and Jerry Wright are running unopposed. Charity Doyle will face Tim Rose, who also ran in 2011, John Roberts' opponent is former alderman Lloyd LaCroix, and Ron Sasso is up against Brad Estes. In the mayoral race, Mayor Sam Kooiker and State Senator Mark Kirkeby are on the ballot.

March 26, 2013
Journey's 'Reslient Landscapes' Presentation Part of National Collaboration

Immersive planetarium-style imagery will be used to explain the history and future of Black Hills floods.

 

An immersive visualization called “Resilient Landscapes: a History and Future of Black Hills Floods,” will be the first of 12 presentations over three years at Rapid City's Journey Museum funded by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationgrant in cooperation with Worldviews Network, according to a report on KOTA's MyTown website.

March 25, 2013
Ward 4 Alderman Faces Challenger

In the only competitive council race, John Roberts will face Lloyd LaCroix.

In the only competitive council race, John Roberts will face Lloyd LaCroix. Roberts, elected in 2011, is finishing his first term. LaCroix served on the Rapid City Council from 2006 to 2010 before losing to Jordan Mason. According to the Rapid City Journal, LaCroix is returning to politics due in part to frustration with the current council's conduct.

March 22, 2013
Rapid City Sees Dramatic Increase in Building Permits

The city's government has already issued $54 million dollars in building permits this year.

The city's government has already issued $54 million in building permits this year.

March 22, 2013
Ward 1 Alderman Targeted By Recall Petition

Former alderman Gary Brown is circulating a petition to have Alderman Bill Clayton recalled.

Former alderman Gary Brown is circulating a petition to have Alderman Bill Clayton recalled. Brown held the seat from 2010-2012 before choosing not to run, which allowed Clayton to run unopposed. According to the Rapid City Journal, 15% of registered voters, or 6200 signatures, are required to have the recall election.

March 20, 2013
Exploring the Folklore and Reality Behind Wages in Rapid City

There’s an old legend in Rapid City that business leaders conspired to suppress wages. The Rapid City Journal looks at why some workers make less than their peers around the country.

There’s an old legend in Rapid City that business leaders conspired to suppress wages, but you don't need a conspiracy theory to understand why salaries are different in the Black Hills compared to other parts of the state and nation. For decades, the region's dependence on industries that do not relay on workers with specialized training -- including agriculture, tourism, retail and construction -- combined with a relatively slow-growing economy have minimized the pressure on employers to increase wages.

March 18, 2013
Halley Park Only Option for Native Sculpture Garden

Supporters of the First Nations sculpture garden view Halley Park as the only acceptable location for the project.

Supporters of the First Nations sculpture garden view Halley Park as the only acceptable location for the project. According to a Rapid City Journal article, the sculptures will honor Native American heroes and the land at Halley Park holds historic significance.

March 18, 2013
Rapid City Population Grows Toward 70,000

Rapid City's internal population estimate is still forthcoming.

Rapid City's internal population estimate is still forthcoming. According to the Rapid City Journal, possible sources of population growth include relocation and the impact of the North Dakota oil boom. After taking a dip following the 2008 economic downturn, Rapid City population statistics are once again on the rise.