Opinion

Bearing burdens

Published by admin on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 11:44am

Branding season is that yearly reminder of how thankful I am for the community we are blessed to live in. A lot of prep work goes into a branding, from sorting, vaccinating and moving all the pairs to the branding pasture ahead of time, to gathering up the irons and stoves and more vaccine, to rounding up a crew of our friends and neighbors, cooking for a small army, and more. We start early and work hard, running like clockwork to get several hundred pairs gathered, sorted and the calves vaccinated, branded, and cut, swapping stories and laughs in passing.

Congratulations class of 2026

Published by admin on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 11:43am

The school year is winding down (the last official day is tomorrow), and Custer High School has already said goodbye to another nearly 52 students, as the annual commencement ceremony was held last Saturday afternoon at the Armory. The Custer High School Class of 2026 has its diplomas in hand, and is officially off into the real world. Now is when the work really begins.

Get out and vote

Published by admin on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 10:48am
The South Dakota primary is just a few short weeks away. This year we get to cast ballots in many races, both local and statewide. As a journalist, it’s been nice to see so many people step up and run for office. As a human, I am already tired of the political ads, postcards, signs and billboards. 

Always nice to visit with colleagues

Published by admin on Wed, 05/13/2026 - 2:51pm

It’s been two weeks now since our staff went north to Deadwood for the annual South Dakota NewsMedia Association  (SDNA) Convention.

When snow comes and spring dawns

Published by admin on Wed, 05/13/2026 - 2:51pm

After such a dry and barren winter, the snow a few weeks ago was a welcome sight, despite the way trees bowed and power lines flickered under the weight. It showered down in large, wet flakes, soaking into the earth like it was trying to quench a great thirst. Perhaps it truly was. 
Soon snowball fights broke out, snow angels were made, sleds were raced and forts were built in a tumult of energy stored away all winter. With this one bright chance at a snowfall, every second of the flurry needed to be embraced. 

Rookie writer

Published by admin on Wed, 05/13/2026 - 9:03am
Last weekend, I attended my first South Dakota NewsMedia Association convention and awards banquet. 
Being a rookie writer and a newbie to this event in a room full of some of the most talented journalists in the state was a little intimidating. 
I mostly felt like a wallflower, just taking it all in. 
It was obvious many of the people had been in the trade for decades. Established and confident, with years of experience and stories under their belts. 

There is opportunity in the trades

Published by admin on Wed, 05/06/2026 - 2:22pm

During National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the people who work in the trades and on factory floors as well as the next generation coming up to do this important work. To my knowledge, there’s no artificial intelligence that can lay a foundation for a house or chatbot that can fix a toilet. Skilled jobs are in-demand jobs, and they will continue to be in-demand for a long time to come. So we need to invest in these careers and support the next generation of workers going into the trades, manufacturing, and other skilled professions.

State needs to move forward with ‘relegation’

Published by admin on Wed, 05/06/2026 - 2:22pm

At a recent meeting of the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA), the association’s board of directors discussed creating a success factor for athletics—namely football—but it didn’t seem to garner much interest. I wish that weren’t the case.
When I first heard of this idea, I kind of bristled at the thought. But the more I have thought about it, the more I started to like the idea. Now, you can count me firmly in the corner of my full on support of the idea.

Who is paying for these PAC ads?

Published by admin on Wed, 05/06/2026 - 2:20pm

Greetings. Four more weeks until the primary election. You can now go to your county courthouse and vote early.
I’m getting a lot of questions regarding negative campaign ads on TV and on glossy, big postcards. I watched one reporter ask the four Republican governor candidates if they were responsible for these ads, both print and on TV. There, of course, weren’t takers owning up to it.

A world of Amandas

Published by admin on Wed, 05/06/2026 - 9:57am
The nice woman behind the counter was named Amanda.
She was helping my mom and me transfer data from my mom’s old phone to her new one, part of a big box retailer service we’ve come to use a lot in the past several years.
Amanda could not have been more than 20 years old.
“I bet you help a lot of old folks,” I said to her. 
“Yes,” she said, adding quickly, “but most of them really know more than they think they do.”