Custer County Chronicle

Custer County has its first COVID-19 death

Published by admin on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 10:04am
Custer County recorded its first death due to COVID-19-related complications, the S.D. Department of Health reported.
The death came last Sunday, according to the state. The Department of Health declined to released the age group or gender of the person who died.
South Dakota is one of four Midwestern states, along with Iowa, North Dakota and Kansas, making news for their large jump in COVID-19 cases.

Chronicle turns 140

Published by admin on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 10:00am
This Friday, Sept. 11, the Custer County Chronicle will celebrate 140 years of continuous business serving the readers and advertisers of this area and beyond.
This makes the Chronicle the oldest, continuously-operated newspaper and business in the Southern Black Hills.
There will be an open house at the newspaper from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the exact day of the newspaper’s founding 140 years ago. People may stop in, meet the staff and share in some refreshments.

Baker is back on school board

Published by admin on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 9:57am
Larry Baker of Hermosa, who served temporarily as a member of the Custer School District Board of Education for several months in 2018, has been selected to fill an open seat on the board following a resignation. Baker will occupy the seat vacated by Ronni Calvird who resigned shortly after being sworn in earlier this summer. 
Baker was appointed in the winter of 2018 to fill Tom Martin’s unexpired term after Martin resigned and moved away. He then ran for one of two openings on the board in June of that year, but came in third behind Jeff Prior and Jeff Barnes. 

Big Mick is scheduled for this Saturday

Published by admin on Thu, 09/10/2020 - 9:39am
After a seven-year hiatus, the day-long Mickelson Trail bike ride known as the Big Mick was scheduled to make its return in June. 
Then COVID-19 happened. 
However, the ride is finally scheduled to take place this Saturday and interest is high with 157 riders of all ages signed up to participate.
Ann Morrow, owner of Mickelson Trail Affiliates, the organization sponsoring the ride, said apart from the three-month delay the only major change to the operation of the event is how food will be handled.

Uptick in COVID-19 not surprising

Published by admin on Thu, 09/03/2020 - 9:50am
If you’re waiting for COVID-19 to go away, you’re going to be waiting awhile.
COVID-19, one of many novel corona viruses, isn’t going to disappear, even after there is a vaccine, local physicians say. However, the vaccine will be another tool to fight the virus, and eventually, says Dr. Joy Falkenburg, COVID-19 will become just another virus that is dealt with—albeit with admittedly potentially serious complications.

To catch an arsonist

Published by admin on Thu, 09/03/2020 - 9:49am
How did Phil Geenan help track down the woman responsible for lighting the largest fire in recorded history of the Black Hills?
Some strong sleuthing ... and some good luck.
Geenan, a law enforcement officer who conducted wildland fire investigations at the time of the Jasper Fire in 2000, helped determine it was Janice Stevenson who started the fire that destroyed over 83,000 acres.
He had a lot of help, however, including from a Wyoming fire marshall and two really good witnesses.

CDC: 6% die from only COVID-19

Published by admin on Thu, 09/03/2020 - 9:48am
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report last week saying the vast majority of patients who die from COVID-19 also had other health issues.
The report says 94 percent of patients who died of COVID-19 had another health condition ranging from respiratory illness and heart disease to obesity and diabetes.
“For 6 percent of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned,” the report said. “For deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death.”

Potential STAR buyers reveal plans

Published by admin on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 10:23am
A group of investors have big plans for the former State Treatment and Rehabilitation (STAR) Academy should they successfully purchase the facility when it is once again auctioned to the highest bidder Sept. 16.
And they are plans that would make Bubba Gump himself proud.

Community spread now confirmed

Published by admin on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 10:21am
It was early March when South Dakota saw its first COVID-19 cases, and almost three months later, Custer County finally got its first case. The date was June 4.
Just over two months later, the city of Custer has been classified as having confirmed community spread of the virus, Custer Mayor Corbin Herman told the Custer City Council at its Aug. 17 meeting.

18 test positive

Published by admin on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 10:20am
Monument Health has confirmed that 18 residents at its Custer Care Center have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The remaining 30 residents have tested negative.
Most of the COVID-19 positive residents have no symptoms and some have mild symptoms. None are serious enough to require hospitalization. Staff from other Monument Health facilities are being called in to help care for the residents. Families of the COVID-19-positive residents have been notified.