The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Ezekiel Mayweather Sentenced to Life in Prison for Role in Wolfe Killing
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office has sentenced Ezekiel Mayweather to life in prison. In a news release from the State’s Attorney’s Office, Gina Nelson, the chief deputy state’s attorney, called Mayweather the “planner, instigator,” and “driving force” behind the plot to kill Esther Wolfe. On Feb. 21, 2024, Wolfe was shot in the head and killed in Rapid City by Arkadius Wright. Prosecutors found Wolfe’s murder was planned and motivated by Mayweather’s false belief she was involved in the 2019 death of Mayweather’s brother, Michael, which was later ruled as a suicide.
Arkadius Wright Sentenced to 35 Years in Wolfe Manslaughter Case
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Arkadius Wright was sentenced today to 35 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary, with 10 years suspended, for first-degree manslaughter in the February 21, 2024, shooting death of 22-year-old Esther Wolfe. Wright was initially charged with first-degree murder. However, the State later agreed to reduce that charge to first-degree manslaughter in acknowledgment of Wright’s cooperation with law enforcement and the State.
Rapid City Extends Free Downtown Parking on Holiday Saturdays
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Rapid City officials remind the public of free parking at downtown meters on Saturdays leading up to the Christmas holiday. For the past several years, the City has provided free parking during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and the Saturdays leading up to Christmas. Free parking continues this Saturday and December 20. There is also free parking downtown on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Attorney General Orders Mayday Health to Halt Abortion Pill Ads
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has sent a letter to Mayday Health ordering the company to immediately cease and desist the advertising of the sale of abortion pills in South Dakota. In a release, Jackley said the state may bring a lawsuit against the company if it does not comply. The news comes a day after Governor Larry Rhoden asked the state’s attorney general to investigate the matter. The ads were playing at select gas stations across the state and were being funded by Mayday Health, a national non-profit that provides abortion information and resources, especially in places where abortion is restricted, like in South Dakota.
South Dakota Expands Biotech Footprint with New Discovery District Hub in Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (South Dakota News Watch) — The University of South Dakota Discovery District has opened its first building on an 80-acre campus in northwest Sioux Falls, advancing a long-term effort to grow South Dakota’s life science and biotechnology industry. The district provides lab and office space for emerging companies and joins a statewide network that includes major health systems and Rapid City–based Phylloceuticals. A new market study cites the state’s low costs, strong transportation network and close collaboration among industry and government as key advantages, though South Dakota ranks low in national research spending and offers no biotech-specific incentives. Leaders say the state’s strengths in agriculture, defense ties through Ellsworth Air Force Base, and its small, collaborative ecosystem position it for growth. The district has three tenants and expects thousands of biotech and life-science jobs over the next two decades as it continues to attract companies. (Full Story)
Dakotas Hit with High Winds, Freezing Rain as Pacific Northwest Storms Spill East
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Residents in western Washington prepared to evacuate Wednesday as another atmospheric river pushed rivers toward record levels, threatening the Skagit River and triggering rescues, road closures and a statewide emergency declaration. Crews pulled people from rising water in Orting, a landslide trapped vehicles on Interstate 90, and officials warned that levees could fail as the river is expected to crest higher than ever recorded. Oregon also faced flooding and power outages, while a separate storm hit the Upper Midwest, putting much of Montana and the Dakotas under high wind warnings and freezing-rain advisories; North Dakota issued a no-travel advisory and some schools across the Dakotas moved to virtual learning. More rain is expected by Sunday. (Full Story)
Trump says the US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says the United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro. Using U.S. forces to take control of a merchant ship is incredibly unusual and marks the Trump administration’s latest push to increase pressure on Maduro. The seizure Wednesday was led by the U.S. Coast Guard and supported by the Navy. That’s according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Video posted to social media by Attorney General Pam Bondi shows people fast-roping from a helicopter to the deck and later moving around with their weapons drawn. (Full Story)
