Custer County Chronicle

Park to get $4M for buffalo center

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 9:21am
Custer State Park is about to get a new building, thanks to some generous donors.
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust awarded a $4 million grant to the S.D. Parks and Wildlife Foundation to build a Custer State Park Bison Center. The announcement was made at a press conference attended by S.D. Gov. Kristi Noem, Matt Snyder, superintendent of Custer State Park, and Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the trust.
“Today is extremely special because (Panzirer’s) heart for this park is incredible,” Gov. Noem said.

We got the Homecoming beat

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 9:20am
Even though the theme is “We got the beat,” Homecoming 2020 will definitely have an off-beat feel. Because of COVID-19 there has been a shakeup of the schedule for the music-themed homecoming week Oct. 5-9 and several traditional events will be moved out of doors, weather permitting. 
School will be in session Monday through Friday that week and will feature daily dress-up days at all schools. 

County delays budget decision

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 9:18am
The Custer County Commission has delayed decisions on the 2021 budget and the hiring of a full-time office manager for the weed and pest board and the conservation district pending the outcome of meetings scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30. 
The $10.2 million county budget was on the agenda for the regular meeting Sept. 23; however, when presented by county auditor Terri Cornelison with competing options regarding the county’s request for taxation, board members wanted more time to make a decision.

Names released in fatal crash

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 9:17am
A Hermosa man has been identified as the person who died in a three-vehicle crash Friday, Sept. 18, at 10:19 a.m. in Hermosa.

State hits record COVID cases

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 9:16am
South Dakota reached record levels of new cases reported, hospitalized people and active cases in the past week when it comes to COVID-19. Saturday was the biggest day in terms of reported cases, when 579 new cases were reported on 2,181 tests, a 26.5 percent positivity rate. The total of reported cases was more than 100 above any other day during the pandemic. The previous two record days had came the Thursday and Friday before when 463 and 457 new cases were reported, respectively.

Smoke causing breathing problems

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:25am
All the heavy smoke you have seen and breathed recently has caused an uptick in visits to  Monument Hospital Custer Clinic.
The smoke is drifting here on prevailing westerly winds from forest and wildfires burning mainly in California, Oregon and Washington.

Bike trails discussed

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:24am
There was both enthusiastic support and concern expressed during a public meeting regarding a proposed series of mountain bike trails at Big Rock Park.

City charges for cleaning up

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:22am
The Custer City Council moved to collect over $3,400 from owners of four properties which had mowing and snow removal done by the city under the city’s nuisance ordinance. At its meeting Monday, Sept. 21, the council passed a resolution certifying a delinquent assessment against properties owned by Jan Gray, Robert L. Johnson and First Bank of South Dakota. 

It’s Buffalo Roundup weekend

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:19am
The 55th annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup is set to take place this Friday, and with it comes the annual Arts Festival and Craft Show, replete with plenty of entertainment and crafts to purchase during the three-day extravaganza.
Friday morning, dozens of cowboys and cowgirls on horseback and park crews in pickups will  round up around 1,450 buffalo to drive them into the corrals where they will be sorted, branded and vaccinated in preparation for the fall sale in November. 

Drug bust incurs federal charges

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:11am
Three Rapid City residents face federal drug charges following a Custer County stop of their vehicle that culminated with large quantities of various drugs being seized.
Sydney Lynn Knigge, 22, Tanner Alex Thoresen, 25, and Aidan Raye Hein, 22, all initially faced a variety of state charges for alleged drug offenses, but Custer County state’s attorney Tracy Kelley dismissed those charges once the trio was indicted federally. Her office can still file state charges later if deemed appropriate, Kelley said.