RAPID CITY, S.D. — For the second time in less than a week, Rapid City Police detectives are investigating confirmed incidents of gunfire in the city with confirmed property damage, but no injuries. The two most recent incidents both happened during the predawn hours of New Year’s Day. Detectives are asking for help from residents in the area.
The first incident happened shortly before 2:00 a.m. Patrol officers in the 300 block of Curtis Street heard gunshots and tracked them to the area of Haines Avenue and Van Buren Street. They spoke to a witness who said two male subjects began firing a pistol before continuing on foot down Van Buren Street. Investigators found several shell casings in the area, as well as damage to the tire of a vehicle parked along the street.
The second incident happened about an hour and a half later near the same intersection. The person who called in the report told officers that they had been driving on Haines Avenue when they saw two males crossing the road. The witness said the two then turned, fired several shots at the vehicle, and ran eastbound on Van Buren Street. Officers noted several bullet holes in the vehicle. the witness described the two assailants as short, juvenile Native American males. One was described as wearing a black sweater and dark pants. The other was wearing a gray sweater.
Fortunately, no one was injured in either incident.
Detectives are investigating both incidents, identifying and interviewing witnesses and working to find video from the area. They ask that homeowners with security or door bell cameras review their video for any suspicious activities involving two youth matching the witness description. Because of the proximity in both time and location, detectives are also trying to determine if the two incidents are related.
The New Year’s Eve night incidents follow a

similar random gunfire incident

Friday night. RCPD Chief Don Hedrick

announced late Tuesday evening

that three suspects — two male adults and one male juvenile — had been taken into custody in that incident.
Rapid City Police say they are giving the two newest incidents their highest priority and are using “every appropriate investigative resource.”
Anyone with video or any other information about either incident is asked to contact police at (605) 394-4131, or send an anonymous tip by texting the letters “RCPD” and the information to 847411.

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North Dakota will ring in the new year with a lot of unfinished business from 2024.

Many of the state’s biggest stories from last year — including those related to taxation, abortion and incarceration — remain unsettled. State leaders could reignite public discussion of these issues as early as the 69th legislative session, which starts Tuesday.

Here are five state government stories we’ll be watching this year:

Property taxes

The ballot measure to eliminate property taxes based on assessed value put a spotlight on the property tax issue in 2024. Although it failed in the statewide vote, Measure 4 got the attention of legislators.

Expect several bill drafts related to property taxes in the 2025 legislative session that starts Tuesday. In November, Legislative Council reported it had already received dozens of requests to prepare bill drafts related to property taxes. Gov. Kelly Armstrong has also repeatedly said that property tax reform will be one of his administration’s top priorities.

The state is already taking applications for the second year of the primary residence property tax credit even though a bill authorizing the credit will need to be passed by the Legislature. The program, created by the Legislature in 2023, allowed most North Dakota homeowners to apply for $500 off their 2024 property tax bill. 

Abortion

A judge last year struck down North Dakota’s law banning most abortions, declaring it unconstitutional.

In a September order, South Central Judicial District Court Judge Bruce Romanick found that women in North Dakota have a right to seek abortions until the point of fetal viability. 

State Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, who sponsored the 2023 bill that created the ban, said after Romanick’s order that the focus should be on defending the law that the judge said was too vague.

The ban made abortion illegal in all cases except rape or incest if the mother has been pregnant for less than six weeks, or when the pregnancy poses a serious physical health threat.

Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, has said he plans to bring a bill this session to allow women to receive abortions for any reason through week 15 of pregnancy in North Dakota. The bill would place restrictions on requests for later-term abortions, including review from committees of doctors.

The state is appealing Romanick’s decision to the North Dakota Supreme Court. The high court has yet to make a final decision on the case. 

Summit pipeline 

In 2024, Summit Carbon Solutions successfully obtained permits for the portion of its carbon dioxide pipeline and storage area planned for North Dakota. But the Iowa-based company still faces appeals from two North Dakota counties and a group of landowners. 

The state’s rules governing underground storage areas, also known as pore space, also are being challenged. 

Summit has also received pipeline route permits in Iowa and for a small section in Minnesota, but was denied a permit from South Dakota where the main trunk of the 2,500-mile pipeline network is planned to run. Summit is trying again for a permit in South Dakota, so pipeline opponents and supporters will be watching the state closely this year. If built, the pipeline would connect 57 ethanol plants in five states to the underground storage area in western North Dakota. 

Summit calls the nearly $9 billion pipeline the world’s largest carbon capture and storage projects. 

Supporters say it will benefit the ethanol industry and the farmers who sell corn to the ethanol plants. Some opponents call it a taxpayer-funded climate change boondoggle and some landowner see it as an assault on property rights. 

A portion of property owners along the path of the proposed pipeline oppose the project, and refuse to provide easements to Summit. If Summit and the property owners are unable to reach an agreement, Summit may take the matter to court to seek eminent domain. 

Higher education

Bismarck State College, Dickinson State University and Lake Region State College will all be looking for new presidents in 2025, and the North Dakota University System also will be looking for a new leader. 

Chancellor Mark Hagerott, who oversees the 11 colleges and their presidents, is stepping down at the end of 2025. 

Bismarck State’s Doug Jensen is done Thursday; Dickinson State has been using an acting president since Stephen Easton quit in July; and Lake Region’s Doug Darling will retire at the end of June. 

Inmate population 

North Dakota’s prison system has been over its capacity for men since July 1, 2023, resorting to using county jails and a waiting list for some prisoners to get into a state facility. 

The state Legislature will be asked to address the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation problem in the 2025 session.

Former Gov. Doug Burgum’s budget proposal included $6.5 million into pay equity for corrections employees, $127.3 million for a new 600-resident facility for the Missouri River Correctional Center, and $36.5 million to finish a building project for the Heart River Women’s Correctional Center in Mandan.

Donnell Preskey, a government and public affairs specialist with the North Dakota Association of Counties, said counties are struggling to keep up, too, with several local jail expansions planned. 

She said the issue is related to high incarceration costs and property taxes,since property taxes are the primary funding source for jails.

BROOKINGS, S.D. — Former South Dakota State player and assistant Dan Jackson has been hired as the Jackrabbits’ new head coach, the school announced Tuesday night.

Jackson takes over for Jimmy Rogers, who left for Washington State after leading the Jackrabbits to the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals.

Jackson was Idaho coach Jason Eck’s defensive coordinator this season and had been set to move to New Mexico for the same position under Eck before the SDSU job opened.

Jackson played for the Jackrabbits from 2003 to 2005 and became a graduate assistant at SDSU in 2012, when the program began its current streak of 13 straight FCS playoff appearances.

He was elevated to cornerbacks coach in 2014 and also served as recruiting and special teams coordinator and assistant head coach under John Stiegelmeier before moving on to Northern Illinois following the 2019 season. Jackson coached two seasons at Northern Illinois, then was hired at Vanderbilt, where he coached defensive backs during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The Jackrabbits, who won national titles in 2022 and 2023, finished this season 12-3 overall and as co-champions in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.