Custer County Chronicle

A dog-gone bill we can get behind

Published by admin on Wed, 02/04/2026 - 9:36am

Last week in this space we wrote about how we are behind a proposed law that would allow school districts to remove unruly students from schools. Not even a week later, the legislature pitched another bill that we think is common sense gold.
Senate Bill 82 would make it a Class 2 misdemeanor to misrepresent an animal as a service animal. That means up to 30 days in jail, up to a $500 fine, or both. Senate Bill 81 clarifies protections against injuring or harassing legitimate service animals.

Still seeking property tax reform

Published by admin on Wed, 02/04/2026 - 9:23am

As we enter February and begin our fourth week of session in Pierre, it’s remarkable how quickly the first three weeks have passed. This year has brought an overwhelming number of bills, and each time I review one, I start with a few basic questions: Is this bill addressing a real problem? Will it actually solve that problem? What unintended consequences might follow? And could this be handled locally instead of through state law? Call me old fashioned, but I thought we believed in less government, not more.

Uproar over homeschooling bill

Published by admin on Wed, 02/04/2026 - 9:21am

Week three is in the books. Week four we go Monday through Friday, which is a long week to be in session.
This past week I pulled two bills. The first bill I withdrew was a bill requiring home schoolers to test. My intent here was to identify home schoolers who are left behind.

We support getting rid of disruptive students

Published by admin on Wed, 01/28/2026 - 3:39pm

We’ve all heard the stories about students in public schools who are nothing but trouble. They are aggressive, they don’t stay on task, and in some cases, they are violent. Most every teacher has a story about such a student, how big of a pain they are, and how they are disruptive to every other student in class. They may not say it publicly, but you can be sure they do privately—they wish the kid was gone.

No one warned me

Published by admin on Wed, 01/28/2026 - 3:37pm

No one ever warned me about this part. It is a part of marriage I never really pictured, didn’t think much about, and for sure no one warned me about.

South Dakota is the new Wyoming

Published by admin on Wed, 01/21/2026 - 1:35pm

Is it windy enough out there for you?
What in the name of flying trash cans, falling trees and the worst bad hair days you’ve ever seen is going on in South Dakota? We have been experiencing winds the likes of which we have not seen in this area for as long as many of us can remember. It’s constant, it’s relentless, and it’s getting really, really old.

When life comes with a yellow light

Published by admin on Wed, 01/21/2026 - 1:33pm

What do you typically do when the stoplight in front of you turns yellow? Do you rush through quickly? Do you slow down and prepare to stop? Do you edge forward into the intersection to guarantee your opportunity to turn, even though the light will be red before you get through? 
That’s the thing with yellow lights though. You can’t really plan what to do ahead of time because it all comes down to timing in the moment.

The country has to address massive debt

Published by admin on Wed, 01/21/2026 - 9:45am
Greetings. Week one of the 101st legislative session is in the books. The first week starts off slowly with the Governor’s address on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday is the judiciary address followed by the state of the tribes address. In the state of South Dakota we have nine reservations and one of the tribal presidents addresses the joint legislature regarding the state of their reservations.

There is much to tackle this session

Published by admin on Wed, 01/21/2026 - 9:44am
Once again, South Dakota weather is following the Farmer’s Almanac! 
It predicted that we could expect a drier, yet much colder winter this year. Unfortunately, they failed to mention the wind factor. Chilling temperatures coupled with the arctic blast has taken its toll on our district. Electric was out for days and we lost countless trees. Trees that were compromised by the last storm fell like dominoes during this past week’s second round, downing more electric lines and damaging properties.

So, what do we think about it?

Published by admin on Wed, 01/14/2026 - 12:46pm

The above isn’t just a headline, it’s a question. It’s a question we have been asked a lot lately, and it’s a question we still get asked when it comes to how things shook out in terms of the county and city failing to find agreement on a new contract for the Custer County Sheriff’s Office to continue to provide the saw law enforcement coverage for the City of Custer that it has provided for the last number of years.