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🌱 How a new Indigenous medical school could reshape Rapid City’s future
Rapid City, South Dakota Patch AM: a 4 min readHey hey Rapid City! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How a new Indigenous medical school could reshape Rapid City’s future
- What we know about charges in February’s fatal Rapid City crash
- How to explore Rapid City’s hidden Historical Collections Room
Today's riddle: What did the carpenter ant say when he walked into the bar? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Wednesday: Pleasant with clouds and sun, with a high of 76 and low of 56 degrees.
- Thursday: An afternoon thunderstorm, temps: high: 73, low: 57.
- Friday: A shower and thunderstorm, with a high of 77 and low of 56 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Proposed Indigenous medical school in SD aims to boost Native physician numbers (northdakotamonitor.com) — A first-of-its-kind Indigenous School of Medicine is being planned for Rapid City, aiming to train more Native physicians through a culturally grounded, flexible curriculum. Backed by major grants and targeting a 2030 opening, the school could inspire local Native youth, partner with USD’s medical school, and eventually help fill physician shortages in tribal and rural clinics across the region. 
2. Pine Ridge Man Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal Rapid City Crash (kotaradio.com) — A Pine Ridge man has pleaded not guilty to charges tied to a February crash in Rapid City that killed 22-year-old Mia Lane Carpio and injured several others. Prosecutors say he fled a traffic stop before the collision; he now faces a potential life sentence, with his next court hearing set for June 22.
3. Rapid City Public Library highlights historical collections during 150th anniversary (kotatv.com) — Rapid City’s 150th anniversary is a perfect time to explore the Public Library’s Historical Collections Room, which preserves rare photos, archives, and artifacts from the city’s early years and the 1972 flood. The climate-controlled room is open by appointment, and staff are actively seeking local donations, especially high school yearbooks, to keep Rapid City’s stories alive for future generations.
4. Volunteers needed for Independence Day celebrations around Rapid City (newscenter1.tv) — Rapid City is recruiting volunteers now for the July 1–5 “Real America Birthday Bash,” part of the America250 celebrations. Residents, churches, and businesses can sign up for roles like parade support, guest services, and crowd assistance, choosing specific events and time slots online to help make the city’s Independence Day festivities welcoming and well-organized.
5. Rapid City couple indicted on federal drug trafficking charges in South Dakota (rushmorestatenews.com) — Federal prosecutors say two Rapid City residents are accused of trafficking fentanyl pills in the Rapid City area and on the Pine Ridge Reservation, using fraudulent tribal funds to help pay for the drugs. The pair have pleaded not guilty, and investigators allege the activity continued into May, underscoring ongoing concerns about fentanyl in western South Dakota communities.
📸 Around Rapid City
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Z's Micro Bakery Stand will be open this Wednesday and Thursday from 9am till 7pm.
The special muffin of the week is the sourdough vanilla bean muffin, a vanilla muffin topped with vanilla crumble and a vanilla bean glaze! These… (Nextdoor Copperfield) - Scammer just tried to fool me about buying my rocking chair.
So beware, always check accounts. They only want to use one of the cash apps to pay you. Then you get a spam email… just sad. So beware aware! Not my… (Nextdoor Gemstone Dr.)
- O'Reilly Auto Parts posted a job opening for Merchandiser/Stocker - Hub in Rapid City. Apply here.
- Albertsons Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Night Crew Stocker in Rapid City. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Rapid City here.
Ok Rapid City! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Is the bar tender here? (Thank you W. M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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