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one-fourth the size of last year's, the Rapid City Journal reported.
• "I don't know if I'll even cut it," said Pennington County rancher Dennis Boomsma.
• The dry conditions also are a worry for Fourth of July fireworks retailers such as Jon Siemonsma and the other volunteers who operate a fireworks trailer in Renner to raise money for a local church.
• "Dry weather kind of scares people with fireworks, so we have to be especially careful for that," Siemonsma told KELO-TV.
• Volunteers put up safety signs for their fireworks and Renner Fire Chief Mike Schmitz hopes customers heed the warning. Conditions are ripe for grass fires sparked by fireworks, he said.

• "They're all pretty dangerous, but bottle rockets and firecrackers that are close to the ground, if you toss them on a grassy area, that's all it takes to spark a grass fire," Schmitz said.
• Lightning sparked three forest fires in western South Dakota's Black Hills over the weekend. The weather service has issued a fire weather watch for western South Dakota for most of Tuesday due to anticipated low humidity and gusty conditions.
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• The Associated Press
• Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today (all times EDT):
• 1. NATO ENVOYS DISCUSS SYRIA'S DOWNING OF TURKISH JET
• The head of the military alliance calls incident unacceptable and condemns it 'in the strongest terms,' but it does not appear that they will respond to it militarily.
•
• 2. THIS IS A WEEK TO WATCH WASHINGTON
• Decisions being made now will affect the major issues driving the presidential and congressional elections.
•
• 3. SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IS GOOD NEWS FOR OBAMA, ROMNEY
• The ruling emboldens U.S. companies and the campaigns to continue spending freely on the election.
•

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