The Daily Slice, your Black Hills news podcast in under 10 minutes. Delivered every morning Monday-Friday at homesliceaudio.com/dailyslice
Pennington County Man Convicted in 2024 Execution-Style Killing of Esther Wolfe
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A Pennington County jury has convicted 24-year-old Ezekiel Mayweather of aiding and abetting first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Esther Wolfe. Wolfe was fatally shot, execution style, in February of 2024. Prosecutors had charged Mayweather with orchestrating the killing, claiming it was planned, and motivated by Mayweather’s false belief that Wolfe was involved in his brother’s death, which had been ruled a suicide.
Sturgis Man Appears in Court Following High-Speed Pursuit and Alleged Kidnapping
RAPID CITY, S.D. — A Sturgis man arrested following a high-speed pursuit earlier this week made his initial court appearance Thursday morning in Meade County Court. Michael Wilson is charged with several offenses, including Rape, Aggravated Kidnapping, and various drug and pursuit-related charges. The incident followed a report by a juvenile female who says Wilson held her against her will and sexually assaulted her, forcing her to take illegal drugs. Wilson will return to court for his next hearing on October 22nd.
Black Hawk Firefighters Contain Structure Fire on Polk Street
SUMMERSET, S.D. — Black Hawk firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in the 6000 block of Polk Street in Summerset Wednesday evening. First arriving firefighters found a free-burning fire with heavy smoke coming from the exterior of a single-story residential structure, with flames extending into the interior and ceiling. Rapid attack by firefighters contained the fire to the structure of origin, preventing spread to nearby structures. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Community Relations Commission Supports Knollwood Halloween Trunk or Treat Event
RAPID CITY, S.D. — For a fourth consecutive year, Rapid City’s Community Relations Commission is again supporting the Knollwood Halloween Trunk or Treat event, seeking donations of candy and costumes. The Trunk or Treat event is sponsored by the Renewal MB Church and will be held in the Renewal MB Church parking lot on Halloween evening from 6-7:30 p.m. and the public is invited. Donations of candy and costumes may be dropped off in the donation boxes in the lobby of City Hall, 300 Sixth Street. Donations are being accepted through Monday, October 27.
State Officials Hold First Input Meeting for Rural Health Transformation Program Grant
PIERRE, S.D. — State leaders are discussing how they would spend funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program Grant. This week, officials held the first of five input meetings, as the state hopes to receive between $100 to $200 million annually for the next five years. The group believes that accessibility and recruitment are two critical challenges affecting rural South Dakota. Discussions also addressed removing barriers to qualifications for healthcare providers. Four more meetings will be held this month, with the application due by November 5th.
New York Attorney General Letitia James Indicted in Federal Mortgage Fraud Case
WASHINGTON (AP) — New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution as part of a mortgage fraud investigation led by the Trump administration. The indictment followed a grand jury presentation in Virginia by Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide and attorney for President Donald Trump who was recently appointed as a federal prosecutor. James, who previously sued Trump and his company for fraud, denied wrongdoing and called the charges politically motivated. Her attorney said the case stemmed from a clerical error in 2023 that was promptly corrected. The investigation began after the Federal Housing Finance Agency asked the Justice Department to review a home purchase by James in Norfolk, Virginia. Federal officials said the case would proceed under existing law.
Texas appeals court again pauses execution of Robert Roberson in shaken baby case
HOUSTON (AP) — Texas’ top criminal court has again paused the execution of Robert Roberson, just days before he had been set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death in a shaken baby case. The execution stay was granted on Thursday by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection Oct. 16. This was the third execution date Roberson’s lawyers have been able to stay since 2016. Nearly a year ago, an unprecedented intervention by a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers stayed an earlier scheduled execution. Prosecutors say Roberson hit and violently shook his 2-year-old daughter. Roberson has long proclaimed his innocence.
At a key moment in talks that led to the Gaza ceasefire deal, Trump refused to take no for an answer
WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of gridlock, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza came together in a matter of days after a deft maneuver — or perhaps a misunderstanding — by President Donald Trump that boxed in the two adversaries. Either way, efforts to wind down the devastating war have seen a breakthrough. The last hostages are set to be returned under the agreement announced Wednesday. Major questions remain, including over governance and reconstruction of Gaza as well as whether Hamas will disarm. But it appears for now as though the fighting will pause. That’s because at a critical moment last week, Trump took Hamas’ very conditional response to his proposal as a yes.
Annoyed by junk calls to your iPhone? Try the new iOS 26 call screen feature
LONDON (AP) — Apple has introduced a new call screening feature for iPhone users to combat nuisance calls. This tool, part of the iOS 26 update, allows users to screen calls from unknown numbers. To activate it, users must update their iPhones and enable the feature in the Phone app settings. When an unknown caller dials, a Siri-style voice asks for their name and purpose. Users receive a transcription and can choose to answer or send a pre-written message. While some users find it helpful, others report issues with important calls not getting through. Apple is catching up with Google, which already offers a similar feature.