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Bond Set at $500,000 for Jeremy Taylor After Multi-Day Manhunt
HOT SPRINGS, S.D. — Jeremy Taylor made his initial court appearance in Pennington County on Thursday, where a judge set his bond at $500,000 cash on charges of first-degree eluding and simple assault on law enforcement tied to a recent Rapid City incident. His arrest followed a multi-day manhunt across the Black Hills that ended Feb. 4 in Fall River County. After his South Dakota cases are resolved, Taylor is expected to be extradited to Ohio, where he faces warrants for gross sexual imposition. He remains held in the Pennington County Jail pending further proceedings. (Full Story)
Police Pursuit Ends in Crash and Multiple Hospitalizations in Rapid City
RAPID CITY, S.D. — According to RCPD sources, a vehicle collision early Thursday morning led to a partial closure of roadways in the area of E. North Street and Cherry Avenue, as well as the arrest of several individuals. A Highway Patrol Trooper had initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Interstate-90 and Haines Avenue, but the vehicle did not stop and the pursuit continued into town before the suspect vehicle struck a previously-uninvolved vehicle, according to RCPD. Police detained several occupants of the fleeing vehicle, several of whom were admitted to the hospital with injuries, and one individual in the uninvolved vehicle was also hospitalized. Names have not been released, and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety is investigating the crash.
Rapid City Council Candidates Can Begin Election Filing Process
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Candidates for positions on the Rapid City Common Council can begin picking up election packets for this June’s municipal election from the City’s finance office and may begin circulating petitions for signature. One position in each of Rapid City’s five wards is up for election, with the municipal election scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, and the deadline to file petitions set for Tuesday, March 24. City Council candidates will be seeking three-year terms.
GOP Leaders Clash Over Data Center Tax Incentives at Capitol
PIERRE, S.D. — Republican legislative leaders publicly clashed Thursday over data center tax incentives at the Capitol. Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff accused House Speaker Jon Hansen of fear mongering about economic development and creating a chilling atmosphere for investors, while Hansen pushed back, saying he was representing citizens’ concerns before retreating and restarting his remarks. Assistant Majority Leader Carl Perry attempted to de-escalate the situation, saying the leaders were disagreeing in an agreeable manner.
South Dakota FIRST LEGO League Championship Showcases Youth Innovation in Sioux Falls
RAPID CITY, S.D. — The 2025-26 South Dakota FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship was held Jan. 24 at Memorial Middle School in Sioux Falls, bringing together 20 qualifying teams despite extreme cold and a delayed start. The event highlighted student achievement in robotics, innovation and teamwork, with Rapid City’s Isaac Harr named Coach Mentor of the Year. The H-BC Brick Wall 2.0 team from Hills-Beaver Creek, Minnesota, earned the top Champion’s Award, while several South Dakota teams secured honors and advancement opportunities to national and invitational competitions.
Chairman of prominent law firm Paul Weiss resigns after release of emails linking him to Epstein
The chairman of prestigious law firm Paul Weiss has resigned from that position after emails revealed his exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein. Brad Karp will remain at the firm where he’s practiced for 40 years and has served as chairman since 2008. He said in a statement from the firm that “recent reporting has created a distraction and has placed a focus on me that is not in the best interests” of Paul Weiss. Emails recently released by the Department of Justice as part of its Epstein investigation show Karp thanking Epstein for hosting an unforgettable evening in 2015. Karp also sought Epstein’s help in 2016 for Karp’s son’s film career. (Full Story)
Minneapolis man is charged with threatening and cyberstalking ICE officers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal prosecutors have arrested and charged a Minneapolis man, accusing him of doxing and threatening to kill immigration officers. Authorities say Kyle Wagner threatened Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers involved in the crackdown in Minnesota. Attorney General Pamela Bondi accuses Wagner of doxing and calling for violence against ICE officers, as well as claiming an affiliation with anti-fascist militants. The complaint accuses Wagner of posting threats on social media, including a video targeting ICE officers. He is also accused of doxing a pro-ICE individual in Michigan, by sharing personal information online. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says such conduct won’t go unpunished. (Full Story)
A funeral home stashed 189 decaying bodies and handed out fake ashes. His mother was among them
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Derrick Johnson buried his mother’s ashes in 2023 alongside his home on Maui, fulfilling her wish of a final resting place overlooking her grandchildren. The FBI called Johnson a year later. They said his mother’s remains weren’t in the ashes he buried. Instead, his mother was among nearly 200 decomposing bodies found inside a Colorado funeral home. The funeral home owners had given families fake ashes for years, trying to conceal the bodies. Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in 2023 and charged with abusing nearly 200 corpses. On Friday, Jon Hallford will be sentenced. Johnson will be among the grieving families to speak, advocating for the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. (Full Story)
