Latest news with #RapidCity
Washington Post
29-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
This man had a heart attack while traveling. He owed almost $78,000.
On Christmas Day at the WaTiki indoor water park, Hans Wirt was getting winded from following his son up the stairs to the waterslides. Wirt's breathing became more labored once they returned to the nearby hotel where they and Wirt's girlfriend were staying while visiting family in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Home Insurance Claim Hassle? Here's How To Come Out On Top
A damaged home after a large tree fell on it. getty If you have ever filed a homeowners insurance claim, you know it can feel more like an endurance test than a straightforward process. The savvy financial advisor Rick Kahler, president of Kahler Financial Group in Rapid City, S. D., tells us how to navigate this treacherous path. Larry Light: Trying to get paid for damage to your dwelling sounds like torture. Rick Kahler: While insurers are legally required to honor valid claims, they have strong financial incentives to delay, underpay or deny them whenever possible. Over the years, I've learned this the hard way. The most recent lesson started when a hailstorm hit my home in June 2023. I promptly filed an insurance claim. I relied on a roofing contractor to handle the whole claim, including the gutter and siding damage. That was my first mistake. About 15 months later, my roof and gutters were replaced, but the siding repairs and painting remained undone. Every time the insurance company reassigned my claim to a new adjuster, I had to start over. When I called the contractor after a period of inactivity, they said the adjuster had ghosted them, so they'd given up—and I still owed them the full roofing bill. Light: What did you do then? Kahler: At that point, I had two choices: pay out of pocket for the unfinished work or escalate. I chose the latter. I filed a complaint with the state insurance division, contacted my agent, reached out to the last adjuster, hired my own painter and withheld final payment to the contractor. I also made it clear that I was prepared to take legal action if necessary. That was not a bluff. Within a week, things started moving. Seven days later, the insurance company reinspected my home and sent a check covering all but $3,000 of the painting costs. After nearly two years of delays and excuses, progress finally happened when I took matters into my own hands. Light: What should one look out for? Kahler: Delay is a common insurer tactic. They'll repeatedly ask for more documentation, take months to respond or swap adjusters to force you to restart the process—all in hopes that you'll give up or accept a lower payout. Another common tactic is the lowball offer. Insurers often rely on software that underestimates damages or send adjusters unfamiliar with actual repair costs. Accepting their first offer without question can be a costly mistake. It's wise to get independent repair estimates or even hire a public adjuster who works for you rather than the insurance company. Insurers also deny claims based on fine print, arguing that damage was pre-existing, caused by poor maintenance or excluded under some obscure clause. Knowing your policy inside out and keeping pre-loss photos can help you counter these claims. Light: What other tricks are there to be aware of? Kahler: Another one is steering homeowners toward "preferred" contractors who work at discounted rates and may prioritize the insurer's interests over yours. Getting independent estimates ensures repairs are done properly. For homeowners stuck in an insurance battle, persistence is key. Withholding final payment until work is complete, filing a complaint with the state insurance division and even considering small claims court can help push a claim forward. If the dispute is within your state's small claims limit—often between $10,000 and $25,000—filing may push the insurer to settle. Assuming my contractor would handle everything was my biggest mistake, and it cost me nearly two years of frustration. Even though progress happened quickly once I took control, my claim isn't over. I suspect I will be filing legal action in small claims court against the insurance company, contractor and insurance agent. Light: So, what can a policyholder do? Kahler: If you need to navigate an insurance claim, be persistent and attentive. Keeping records, pushing back on delays and escalating when necessary can mean the difference between being shortchanged and getting the settlement you deserve.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Offering short-term bridge funding for Black Hills Nonprofits
Rapid City, S.D. (KELO) –Nonprofits across South Dakota are facing pressure as federal priorities are moving around. The Black Hills Area Community Foundation and the John T. Vucurevich Foundation have teamed up to help in the Black Hills. 'The strength that George had' The Sustaining Black Hills Nonprofits Fund looks to offer short-term bridge funding for Black Hills nonprofits. 'So whether it's waiting for a grant to come through and not knowing if that's happened, or because funds have been cut. We're able to respond to that and to provide the funding that they need to get to what the next plan looks like and how they can adjust for that.' John T. Vucurevich Foundation President & CEO Jacqui Dietrich said Over the next three months, this fund will provide $90,000 to Feeding South Dakota due to recent USDA food supply cuts. 'Every dollar that is donated provides about three meals, so our buying power is huge. And so we're able to pass that onto our neighbors throughout the state that are facing hunger insecurities.' Feeding South Dakota Development Officer Kristina Simmons said These foundations sent out a survey to over 70 nonprofits, which showed that four out of five are facing uncertainty as to what their funding will look like going into the fall. 'Sustaining the services we have in our community around the work that Feeding South Dakota is doing in our Rapid City community was really critical when we looked at how foundations like ours could come together and bring the community together to really support and ensure that these nonprofits can keep doing the work that they're doing.' Dietrich said 'Either pantry help or food through mobile distributions, those calls are constantly coming in as one in nine adults and one in six children in South Dakota face hunger. The Sustaining Black Hills Nonprofits Fund is going to help families and nonprofits throughout the Black Hills.' Simmons said These foundations are still reaching out to nonprofits in the Black Hills as they continue to look for ways to help out in times of need. Almost 1,800 SFSD graduates walk the stage Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Update: Names released in Rapid City murder
RAPID CITY, SD (KELO) — Police have released the names of both the victim and the suspect in a deadly weekend shooting in Rapid City. 17-year-old Omariraine Red Bear is charged with First-Degree Murder in connection with Saturday morning's shooting on Wood Avenue, on Rapid City's north side. Red Bear is being held in the Western South Dakota Juvenile Services Center. He's accused of killing 33-year-old Dakota Britthouer, who died at the hospital. Police say the two knew one another and that the shooting was not random. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Kristi Noem's honorary degree event draws scrutiny
Published: Updated: Kristi Noem faced the ultimate humiliation as she accepted an honorary degree on stage in South Dakota on Saturday. On the other side of the state, a woman from India that she has been trying to deport, Priya Saxena, was on stage at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City receiving her doctorate in chemical and biological engineering and a masters degree. Saxena was introduced to the crowd as Dr. Priya Saxena, sparking cheers from the audience. Meanwhile, Noem was heckled by protesters who rallied against her honorary degree in light of her work as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, leading the Trump administration's efforts to carry out the nation's largest mass deportation scheme. 'A doctorate in graft I could understand,' one sign outside the Dakota State University campus hall read as Noem beamed inside. Saxena has been a target of Noem and her department for weeks. The department maintains she should have her student visa revoked because in 2021 she was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of failing to move over for flashing yellow lights. Her student visa was set to expire in 2027, meaning she would have had to leave the country unless she secured a working visa relating to her field. Saxena sued Noem over her efforts and filed for a restraining order, arguing she declared the misdemeanor charge before applying for her next visa and that it is 'not a deportable offense.' The lawsuit also noted that she 'has not been involved in any political activity, has not attended any demonstrations, and has not made any statements about controversial public matters.' A judge sided with Saxena earlier this month, barring the government from taking any action in relation to the termination of her visa until a May 13 hearing, allowing Saxina to receive the degree she had been working toward for five years. Noem and her department were also 'temporarily enjoined from interfering with Saxena's freedom and from transferring Saxena out of the jurisdiction of the District of South Dakota during these proceedings.' The fact that she received her doctorate and masters degrees at the same time Noem was being honored rubs salt in the wound for the department. The battle over Saxena's immigration status returns to court this week. Noem herself has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from South Dakota State. The student senate and general faculty at the college both voted against Noem receiving an honorary degree, arguing it would be a highly politicized decision that would send a message to both international students and marginalized communities. But a spokesperson for the university told South Dakota Searchlight the decision to present Noem with an honorary degree and to invite her to speak at the ceremony was made while she was still the Governor of South Dakota. The invitation was extended due to Noem's longstanding support of the university's cybersecurity programs while she was in that role, the spokesperson said. In her speech, Noem encouraged students to believe in themselves like they once believed in Santa Claus, and expressed that receiving an education is important. But she warned 'the world still revolves on relationships.' 'People will be successful based on the people that they know and the people that they spend time with.' She went on to say: 'I'm going to encourage you that as you go out and tackle the next big thing in your life, to take your emergency brakes off. There's little things in our lives, little insecurities, little things that we're unsure of, maybe. Something that's scary, like moving across the country, taking a new position. It's your emergency brake that's holding you back. You still will move forward, but it might be tougher if you don't let it go.' Dakota State President José-Marie Griffiths credited Noem as one of the instrumental figures in transforming the university into the highly respected institution it is today. She said Noem 'changed the trajectory of this institution,' adding: 'And by the way, there were protests for that decision, too.' Protesters were not allowed inside the building but chanted loudly from outside as they lined the streets, shouting 'no honor for Noem' and branding her 'cruel.' One of the demonstrators said: 'One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared for the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus. 'That's something we take pride in.' International students from Vietnam and India were among graduates being honored at the ceremony. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
