News

Work being done to bring fireworks to Mount Rushmore

Published by admin on Thu, 02/06/2020 - 9:10am
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is still in the process of evaluating holding fireworks there on July 3.
On Jan. 30, Patricia Trap, acting superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Rob Wallace, assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks for the Department of the Interior, and David Vela, acting National Parks Service director, met at Mount Rushmore to discuss the proposal.

Convention of States movement hits Pierre

Published by admin on Thu, 02/06/2020 - 9:09am
On Monday, Jan. 27, a crowd of grassroots supporters of the Convention of States (COS) movement gathered at the S.D. capitol building in Pierre.
More than 50 citizens from across the state met to speak with their local district representatives and show support for the cause.

Council approves bid letting of first BID board project

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:12am

At Monday night’s Hill City Common Council meeting the city got one step closer to revamping its look.

The council unanimously approved Business Improvement District (BID) Board project number one, which paves the alleyway near Hill City Senior Center and Boys and Girls Club.

Brett McMacken, city administrator for Hill City, walked the council through the project at the meeting.

Rushmore fireworks would be July 3

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:12am

The National Park Service (NPS) is evaluating a proposal from South Dakota to host a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The display would be held July 3.

Alpine Inn wins restaurant of the year

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:12am

Anyone who has been to the Alpine Inn knows its excellence; however, the Hill City institution received perhaps one of its greatest honors to date recently.

The Alpine Inn, owned and operated by Moni Matush with the assistance of her mother, Wally Matush (who started the restaurant in 1984) has been named South Dakota Restaurant of the Year by the South Dakota Retailers Association (SDRA).

Keystone chamber board president resigns

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:12am

The Keystone Chamber of Commerce is once again experiencing leadership change as board president Julie Smoragiewicz resigned. She was voted in as board president to serve a two-year term Sept. 20, 2019, according to the chamber newsletter of Sept. 26. 

Wounded Knee with a wounded knee

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:11am

Yay, I have a torn meniscus That means I’m grounded from some things I love for a bit. No climbing, hiking or yoga. Basically no fun.

I realize a ton of things on my 50 firsts list involve me being active so it’s hard for me to make progress there. But after reading the South Dakota One Book for 2019 I put going to Wounded Knee on my bucket list. And what better time to go to Wounded Knee then with a wounded, knee, right?

Convention liquor up for vote

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:11am

Keystone may soon have another business with a convention liquor license according to town finance officer Cassandra Ott.

K Bar S Lodge is applying for a convention liquor license. A town of 300 is only allowed to have three on-sale liquor licenses. Currently BaRLees, the Ruby House and Grizzly Creek hold those. The town, however, also created an ordinance for convention liquor licenses.

No firm date set for permanent Mount Rushmore superintendent

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 10:11am

A firm date has not been set on when the permanent superintendent position will be announced at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, according to Maureen McGee-Ballinger, chief of interpretation at the memorial.

In the meantime, Patricia Trap has taken over as interim superintendent for the memorial, it was announced earlier in January, the second interim superintendent the memorial has had since the spring.

Elevator issues plague area parks

Published by admin on Thu, 01/30/2020 - 9:32am
Nearly seven months to the day that they first went down, the elevators at Wind Cave National Park still aren’t operational.
Consultants were brought in last week to chart a path to fix the elevators. Those consultants will write up a scope of work and a contractor will be sought to repair the ailing elevators.
“We will know more in the coming months,” said Wind Cave chief of interpretation Tom Farrell about what it will take to get the elevators operational again.