Custer County Chronicle

New Hermosa School ready

Published by admin on Thu, 08/12/2021 - 9:14am

The staff at Hermosa School is set to begin moving into its new building this week even as finishing touches are being put on Phase 1 of the new $12.8 million facility being constructed on the east side of the existing building.
An hour before its regular August meeting on Monday, the Custer School District Board of Education toured the new building along with construction manager Steve Burgess of Dean Kurtz Construction.

Rally wrecks, fatalities piling up

Published by admin on Thu, 08/12/2021 - 8:50am

With the influx of bikers to the Black Hills for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally comes motorcycle accidents. The following is a list of accidents that are local, involve local people or were fatal.
Last Saturday, Aug. 7, At 11:52 a.m. Saturday, Interstate 90, mile marker 110, one mile west of Wall: A 2011 Harley-Davidson FLSTF motorcycle was westbound when the driver lost control. The vehicle hit a guard rail. The 36-yer-old female driver, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Guns in courthouse shot down

Published by admin on Thu, 08/05/2021 - 9:41am

Custer County Commissioner Mark Hartman made a motion to reinstate a previously rescinded county resolution to allow firearms to be carried by the general public into the Custer County Courthouse outside of areas in use by the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court.
He knew his motion’s fate before he made it, however.
“I’m not expecting a second on my motion,” he said.
The motion, made at the commission’s July 28 meeting, did in fact receive a second, from commissioner Travis Bies. Bies said he would second the motion for the purpose of discussion only.

Cruisin’ to start Friday

Published by admin on Thu, 08/05/2021 - 9:41am

It’s time for motorcycles to invade the Black Hills once again, as Custer Cruisin’ begins Aug. 6 in conjunction with the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
As always, Mt. Rushmore Road will be barricaded for center lane parking for motorcycles, with one lane of traffic heading both east and west from 5th Street to 8th Street. In addition, city crews will block off south 6th Street so Cruisin’ vendors can set up  their tents. Vendors will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day of the event.

Quick council meeting

Published by admin on Thu, 08/05/2021 - 9:37am

It was a sparse agenda at the Aug. 2 meeting of the Custer City Council, as the council breezed through the meeting in 23 minutes, with no major issues to take up.
The topic receiving the most discussion was the department head report by public works director Brian Raber, who said the public works crew has been working late nights and early mornings to locate a water line leak that was eventually found on Sherman Street between 10th and 11th streets. The leak was losing 50 gallons a minute, Raber said, and the water never came to the surface, making the leak hard to locate.

American Rescue Act funds researched

Published by admin on Thu, 08/05/2021 - 9:33am

If Custer County wants to apply for and receive money from the American Rescue Act, it would be wise to do so soon.
That was the message delivered to the county commission by county emergency management director Steve Esser and county veteran service officer Todd Fish, both of whom were appointed to a committee to investigate the money and any strings attached.
“I think we agreed we aren’t looking for any decisions today,” Fish said. “We just want to update you. You need time to read through it, especially the treasury guidance, because it’s a treasury program.”

Body found in flaming car

Published by admin on Thu, 08/05/2021 - 9:09am

On July 29 at 9:41 p.m. a fire was reported in a remote area off Foster Gulch Road between Keystone  and Rockerville. A Pennington County Facebook post explains “after fire fighters arrived and contained a small wildfire estimated at a quarter acre, they found a destroyed vehicle with a body inside.” The post adds that a caller reported hearing a loud popping sound, then seeing fire.
According to Capt. Tony Harrison, an investigator with the Pennington County Sheriff's Office, it is unclear where the caller was located when they called in the fire.

Bridge scheduled to go to Watson Park

Published by admin on Thu, 07/29/2021 - 10:31am
The Keystone Board of Trustees approved the no rise analysis and floodplain application proposal from AE2S at its July 21 meeting. This is another step  to place the “Bridge to Nowhere” at Watson Park.  

Planning for rapid growth

Published by admin on Thu, 07/29/2021 - 9:19am

Part 9 of a series examining the economic and lifestyle impacts of the in-migration to Custer County.
Custer County’s growing pains are being felt perhaps nowhere more keenly than in county and city planning departments where revenues from building permits and other fees have soared and planners are regularly taking on new challenges from the increasing numbers of new residents.
County planning director Terri Kester said permits for road approaches (needed for getting a 911 address for new construction) and septic systems are the leaders among fees collected.

‘Cat’ thefts on the rise

Published by admin on Thu, 07/29/2021 - 9:15am

The term “cat burglar” has recently taken on a whole new meaning for law enforcement officials. That’s because “cat” is short for catalytic converter and thefts of the pricey automotive pollution control devices are on rise, both nationally and here in Custer County.
Lt. Jeff McGraw of the Custer County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a felony theft of a catalytic converter from the garage of a local home and said the cases have been increasing in frequency for a couple of years now.