Bi-Weekly roundup
What news caught the most eyeballs or stirred up the most trouble?
The City Council is gearing up to vote on the 2026 Deer Harvest Plan, a wildlife management effort aimed at controlling the number of deer within city limits. Supporters say this is about safety and balance. Critics — whether animal folks or just neighbors who don’t want guns near their backyard — are making noise too. Council’s vote will tell us where Rapid City stands next.
Rapid City just got selected for a huge Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant from the U.S. EPA nearly $5 million to boost our recycling system.
So what does that actually mean? City leaders are planning to use that funding to expand commercial recycling services, update old equipment, and improve drop‑off options so more businesses and residents can recycle without it feeling like a chore.
Big story out of Visit Rapid City — their efforts to bring meetings and conferences to town generated about $5.41 million in economic impact in 2025. That’s not chump change — that’s hotel stays, restaurant visits, local spending that ripples out to everyday businesses and helps support jobs and tax revenue right here at home.
The City Had Meetings…
Rapid City Council Meeting – February 17, 2026
• Major Infrastructure Funding: The council unanimously approved a resolution amending the Vision Account to allocate $44 million for the airport terminal project and $39 million for a new combined fleet maintenance and operations facility. Officials noted that replacing the severely outdated maintenance facility with a shared campus for multiple departments will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
• Meals on Wheels Relocation: The council approved a sublease allowing Meals on Wheels to operate out of the Minneluzahan Senior Center's kitchen for $3,000 a month plus utilities. The partnership ensures Meals on Wheels can continue providing a quarter of a million meals annually after its current kitchen is decommissioned at the end of June.
• Cardiac Ready Community: The Rapid City Police Department's wellness coordinator announced that Rapid City has been officially designated as a Cardiac Ready Community by the South Dakota Department of Health and the American Heart Association.
• Diamond Ridge Traffic Hazard: Multiple residents voiced urgent safety concerns regarding the Diamond Ridge neighborhood, stating that rapid housing development without adequate connecting roads has forced dangerous, high-volume highway traffic through narrow neighborhood streets.
• CDBG Fund Dispute: A resident strongly opposed spending $55,000 in federal grant money on synthetic turf for Red Pesek Field, arguing the funds should instead be diverted to a Healthy Homes and Infrastructure Grant to help low-income residents fix failing residential infrastructure like sewers and roofs
Planning Commission Meeting – February 18, 2026
• New "Eye Smash" Entertainment Venue: The commission approved a conditional use permit for on-sale beer and wine at an incoming entertainment venue offering axe throwing, plate smashing, and paint throwing. To ensure safety, strict stipulations were set, including wristband tracking, a maximum of three drinks per visit (two per hour), and a ban on alcohol inside the smash rooms and throwing lanes
TIFF Policy Concerns: A planning commissioner criticized recent City Council actions regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIFF) districts, urging the council to formally update written TIFF regulations if they intend to evaluate applicants differently following the recent election, rather than relying on unwritten shifts in political winds
Local Business Highlight
West River Comedy Club
Did you know we have a dedicated comedy club downtown Rapid City?
The club was founded in 2025 by Air Force veteran and stand-up comic Trevor Ryan. After years of producing pop-up shows and trying to grow a comedy scene from scratch, he finally said, “If no one else is gonna do it, I will.” So he built the thing.
And now? We’ve got a real stage. Real lights. Real drinks. And really funny people.
West River Comedy features a rotating lineup of national headliners, rising regional stars, and brave locals willing to bomb in public. Our events include:
Stand-Up Comedy (from open mics to pro showcases)
Improv Troupes
Special Events, Theme Nights, and Occasional Shenanigans
Real Estate Corner
House of the Week - BIG INCENTIVES
126 Isaac Street
Rapid City SD
listed by Keely Iverson, RE/MAX Advantage
3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
1,214 Total Sq Feet
2 Car Garage
$388,500
Builder offering $19,425 in incentives towards closing costs, landscaping, or interest rate buydown.
Looking to Buy a Home or Check out Home Values?
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Mindful Living Realty
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