News

Mark Naugle to retire

Published by admin on Wed, 01/29/2025 - 5:47pm

Custer School District superintendent Mark Naugle has announced he will retire at the end of his current contract, which runs through the end of June.
Naugle, who has been in education for 35 years, said he announced his pending retirement at a gathering of school district staff to the Custer Jr./Sr. High School theater Jan. 24. Hermosa School staff were brought into the meeting video teleconferencing.
Naugle, a Custer High School graduate, was hired as district superintendent in April 2014.
Naugle said the end of the school year is the right time to retire.

City to celebrate 150th birthday in August

Published by admin on Wed, 01/29/2025 - 5:46pm

The City of Custer will celebrate its 150th birthday this summer and it appears the City of Custer and 1881 Courthouse Museum will join forces to mark the occasion.
At the Jan. 21 meeting of the Custer City Council, 1881 Courthouse Museum director Deb Hanagan came before the council to discuss the possibility of joining forces.
Documents Hanagan provided to the council showed research revealed Custer’s birthday as Aug. 10, 1875.

Delta Dental mobile program returns

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:58am

For over a decade, a large truck has been parked at the Hill City School District for one week a year. Children can be seen coming and going from the truck throughout the day, and they all leave with bright, healthy smiles.
This is part of Delta Dental of South Dakota’s (DDSD) Mobile Program which provides oral health services to children up to age 21 who do not have access to dental care, a home dentist or insurance.

Council approves tank repair funds

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:57am

Members of the Hill City Common Council approved a $4,136 repair for the blue water tank at its Jan. 13 city council meeting.
Public works supervisor Justin Asher called the repair a “Band-aid” saying that “every year it seems we pop another pinhole in it.”
The winning bid to Midco means the company will come in with epoxy and try to seal the leak from the inside. The other company’s bid was much higher and would have repaired the leak from the outside. Asher said it is a crapshoot as to if either repair will work and that neither company can guarantee its repairs.

School board talks legislature, goals

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:56am

The Hill City School District (HCSD) Board of Education held its first  meeting of the new year Jan. 13, and it was a look back at the previous calendar year and a discussion of goals and intentions for the upcoming year.
Congratulations were made to Hill City student Andee Frandsen, who competed at the South Dakota High School Activities Association state oral interpretation festival at Sturgis Brown High School Dec. 6-7 receiving a perfect score and the designation “superior with distinction” in her category.

Mix of old and new for Hill City Arts Council

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:56am

The Hill City Arts Council (HCAC) met Jan. 16 to elect officers and introduce some exciting new people and changes.
Jenn Pitt is the new HCAC coordinator taking over for Twila Morris.
Kristie Van Bogart is remaining as board president as is Charlotte Cushman as treasurer. Cushman will help Carmen Null assume treasurer duties in the future. Null is one of three new faces voted in at the meeting. Anissa Jepsen will be the new vice president and Susan Anderson the new secretary.

Keystone elderly housing loses management

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:53am

The Keystone Commission on Housing for the Elderly met Jan. 15 to update newly-sworn-in members about the commission’s duties and operations moving forward.
The commission was established by resolution by the Keystone Town Board  in 1992.
The commission was meant to be a branch of the town. The way it was created has established it as its own agency, with its members being appointed by the town. It receives no money from the town and its only assets are the Keystone Elderly Housing building, which is not a part of the town’s holdings.

Keystone library seeks change to county rule

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:52am

According to Keystone town librarian Robin Scott there is a Pennington County rule that prevents county residents from having voting rights if they sit on the Keystone Library Board.
Scott explained the situation to the Keystone Town Board at its Jan. 15 meeting.
“People that live in the county and not in the city can’t be a voting trustee on the library board,” Scott told Keystone trustees.  “The county commissioners have to make that decision in order for a county resident to be a voting trustee. We’d like them to change that.”

Free English Conversation Classes at library

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:52am

If your New Year’s resolution is to learn English as a second language (ESL), there’s a new class at the Hill City Public Library that could help.
Library aide Terry Meissner is organizing free English Conversation Classes at the library through the support and training of the Literacy Council of the Black Hills (LCBH).
“The LCBH is a volunteer-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization providing free, individualized tutoring in English and group educational experiences to help people meet their personal goals and enhance their contributions to the community.

Mayor Brown honored by CAEDC

Published by admin on Wed, 01/22/2025 - 10:16am

It was a celebration of economic development and community last Thursday evening at Laughing Water Restaurant at Crazy Horse Memorial, as the Custer Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) hosted its annual meeting that included an update on the CAEDC’s recent activity as well as the presentation of a pair of awards.
City of Custer mayor Bob Brown was honored as CAEDC’s Individual of the Year, with CAEDC treasurer Phil Abernathy, who presented the award, saying Brown is a person in the city who makes things happen.