Tuesday,  July 3, 2012 • Vol. 12--No. 355 • 19 of 36 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 18)

• Novelty fireworks can still be sold in Rapid City, but vendors say various fire bans have cut deeply into business. Mark Lantis tells KOTA-TV that his sales are down at least 60 percent.
• The Rapid City Journal reports that officials in Piedmont and Belle Fourche (bell-FOOSH') still plan to go ahead with fireworks shows.

Black Hills-area wildfires scorch 6,000 acres

• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Wildfires are now burning on about 6,000 acres in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming.
• The White Draw Fire near Edgemont is the largest at nearly 5,000 acres. It's about 50 percent contained. Fire crews are dealing with the crash of an Air Force air

tanker that killed at least one person but fire spokesman Brian Scott says crews are focusing on getting the blaze under control because that's their job.
• The Parker Peak Fire near Hot Springs has grown to about 1,000 acres, and is 10 percent contained. The Highlands Fire has scorched about 400 acres between Newcastle, Wyo., and Custer, S.D., and is 60 percent contained. It has destroyed five structures and damaged two others. The Soldier Fire near Beulah, Wyo., is five acres and 50 percent contained.

Thune to present Purple Heart during ceremony

• SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- Sen. John Thune is presenting Sgt. Maj. Robert Dickerson with a Purple Heart and the Legion of Merit Medal on Tuesday.
• Dickerson is receiving the Legion of Merit Medal upon his retirement from the Army after 29 years of service.
• The presentation is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. at Sen. Thune's office in Sioux Falls.

Daugaard: Drive safely over July 4 holiday

• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Gov. Dennis Daugaard is asking residents to drive safely as the July 4 holiday approaches.
• He says that nearly all crashes can be avoided, but every person must take personal responsibility and do their part. This includes wearing a seatbelt, obeying speed limits and other traffic laws, avoiding distractions when driving and not drinking and driving.

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