Custer County Chronicle

New rules for high school sports emphasize safety against coronavirus

Published by admin on Thu, 08/06/2020 - 8:43am
On July 22 the board of directors of the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) approved a variety of rules for fall sports that deal with safety measures schools should take during the coronavirus pandemic.

Summer break is extended

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:43am
Students in the Custer School District will get an extra two days of summer vacation, thanks to a decision made by the board of education in a special meeting Monday. All seven school board members were present at the 5:30 p.m. meeting, either by phone or in person, to consider the one item on the agenda: whether to move the start date for in-classroom instruction from Monday, Aug. 24, to Wednesday, Aug. 26. 

Black Elk Fire burns 7.6 acres

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:39am
Firefighters will continue to monitor the burn area of the Black Elk Fire that was first reported July 22 afternoon in the Black Elk Wilderness. The fire burned 7.6 acres and is 100 percent contained.
Due to its containment, a number of resources were demobilized late last week. A 20-person hand crew, a National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter and a rapid extraction module remained in the area and continued to work through the weekend.

The night of broken glass

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:36am
A trio of juveniles is facing possible criminal charges following a spree of vandalism that ended with an assault on a Custer County Sheriff’s deputy. 
Sheriff Marty Mechaley said dispatch received a report of vandalism at a gravel pit on Lime Kiln Road near Pringle on the evening of July 15. The reporting party who placed the call at 7:14 p.m. said windows had been broken out of a shed, several vehicles and other equipment at the site. The reporter also said the suspects were believed to be hiding in the area. 

May sales tax reports are in

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:36am
The state Department of Revenue sales tax numbers  are in for May this year compared to May 2019.
Custer collected $100,630 in May this year compared to $107,984 in 2019, for a decrease of 6.81 percent.
Hill City was up 12.79 percent, collecting $51,866 compared to $45,986 in May 2019.
Hot Springs was up 4.83 percent with sales tax collections of $134,281 compared to $128,090 in May 2019.
Edgemont was up 12.94 percent with collections of $32,679 this May compared to $28,935 last May.

Two die in county bike crashes

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:34am
A Hot Springs man died Tuesday morning in a truck-motorcycle crash south of Custer.
A 2008 Harley Davidson FLHTCU motorcycle and a 1989 Freightliner truck hauling gravel were both traveling north on U.S. Hwy. 385. As the truck tried to pass the motorcycle, the motorcycle began a left-hand turn into an approach. The two vehicles collided.
Bradley Winter, 70, was thrown from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet.

Raber is public works director

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:34am
Brian Raber may be new to the position of public works director, but he’s no stranger to the City of Custer’s public works department, or public works in general, for that matter.
Raber, who on July 7 became the city’s new public works director, spent the last two years working and learning under recently-retired director Bob Morrison. His experience in public works dates back much further than that, however, as he began his career in public works in 1997 when he went to work for the city of Belle Fourche.

Custer’s future laid out in comp plan

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:30am
The city of Custer’s updated comprehensive plan is winding its way toward completion, with a series of public meetings held last week to both inform and gather input from residents on the plan.
A three-hour open house-type meeting, along with a pair of Zoom meetings were held, with Lysann Zeller of the Black Hills Council of Local Governments (BHCLG) leading the discussion. BHCLG was tasked by the city with taking the lead on the comprehensive plan update.

Custer County adds another positive case

Published by admin on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 9:29am
Custer County officially has one active case, as a new positive test was reported Tuesday. That brings to 12 the number of people who have tested positive for the virus in the county. The other 11 have all recovered.
Hospitalized patients at all five Monument Health hospitals may once again have visitors at their bedside. In addition, patients who come for emergency medical care, surgery or other procedures will be able to have someone with them.

Local women detail their battle with COVID-19

Published by admin on Thu, 07/23/2020 - 9:00am
On the evening of June 15, Kelly Martinez thought she was dealing with seasonal allergies.
Her chest was heavy and she had a cough. It wasn’t a dry cough, but it was enough to catch the attention of her supervisor at Carson Drug, pharmacist Colby John-son, when she returned to work June 17 after having a couple days off.