Custer County Chronicle

Chamber awards banquet Thursday

Published by admin on Thu, 10/15/2020 - 9:23am
The Custer Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 annual Chamber Membership Awards Banquet will be held this Thursday, Oct. 15, at Sylvan Lake auditorium. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6:30 p.m. and awards presentations.
Several awards will be handed out to local businesses, citizens and organizations at the banquet. They are:
• Government Employee
• Community Team
• Individual of the Year
• Extra Mile
• Lifetime Achievement
• Business of the Year

County approves road plan

Published by admin on Thu, 10/15/2020 - 9:23am
More road base stabilization projects similar to the one done recently on a stretch of Sidney Park Road will be done over the next five years as the newest part of Custer County’s five-year road plan.
The plan was discussed and approved at the Oct. 7 meeting of the Custer County Commission. Road base stabilization is just one of the many facets of the plan which seeks to guide county road maintenance through 2025. The plan is updated annually and sent to the state Department of Transportation for approval.

State defines case types

Published by admin on Thu, 10/15/2020 - 9:18am
The S.D. Department of Health will now measure positive COVID-19 cases based on the national surveillance case definition for COVID-19. According to that definition, a confirmed case includes a person with a positive RT-PCR test and a probable case includes persons with a positive antigen test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. A positive case moves from active to recovered status based on the Centers For Disease Control guidelines for removal from isolation.

Bike trail plan tabled

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:30am
If there is going to be a series of mountain bike trails in the Big Rock Park/Pageant Hill area, it won’t be in the near future.
At Monday evening’s regular meeting of the Custer City Council, the council voted unanimously to table the issue for six months, citing a litany of issues, including potential liability, the city’s bevy of projects already in the hopper and a desire for more clarification as to what the trails will entail and who they will affect.

Rounds relays good news

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:26am
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds had good news for Custer County Republicans at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner last Saturday evening at Mt. Rushmore Brewing Co.
For one thing, the B-21 stealth bomber is on schedule in production, with Ellsworth Air Force Base by Rapid City set to receive the first two squadrons of the state-of-the-art aircraft.
“It’s a magnificent war machine and weapons system, a ‘bad ass’ weapon that will be key to keeping peace,” Rounds said.

County finalizes its ’21 budget

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:25am
One week after tabling a final decision on its budget for 2021, the Custer County Commission approved a budget of $10.35 million for next year at a special Sept. 30 meeting, which is an increase of $432,840.85, or 4.36 percent, from this year’s budget.

Native American Day program is Monday

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:24am
South Dakota was the first state to officially celebrate Native American Day the second Monday in October annually. Elsewhere, the day is observed as Columbus Day.
The S.D. Legislature established the Native American Day holiday at the urging of Gov. George S. Mickelson who declared 1990 as a “Year of Reconciliation” and called for the first Native American Day observance to be held at Crazy Horse Memorial.

COVID-19: Why some are hit harder

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:22am
One of COVID-19's scariest mysteries is why some people are mildly ill or have no symptoms while others rapidly die — and scientists are starting to unravel why, according to a story by the Associated Press.
An international team of researchers found that in some people with severe COVID-19, the body goes rogue and attacks one of its own immune defenses instead of fighting the coronavirus. Most were men, helping to explain why the virus is hitting men harder than women.

Deadwood bets on sports wagering

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:02am
Deadwood casinos are once again betting on South Dakota voters to allow them to expand their gaming choices. Amendment B authorizes the Legislature to allow wagering on sporting events at Deadwood casinos. If approved, tribal casinos would also be allowed to offer sports wagering. 
“We know sports wagering is happening in South Dakota,” said Mike Rodman, executive director of Deadwood Gaming Association. “It’s happening illegally.”

Medical, recreation marijuana on ballot

Published by admin on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:01am
South Dakota voters aren’t seeing double; marijuana is on the ballot twice in 2020.
Initiated Measure 26 lays out the parameters for starting and running a medical marijuana program. Constitutional Amendment A takes an omnibus approach, calling on the Legislature to make rules for medical marijuana and setting the standards for legalizing the use of recreational marijuana. 
Organizers for the two ballot measures say they complement each other, and that the passage of Amendment A would protect the initiated measure from meddling by the Legislature.