Custer County Chronicle

We must accept election results

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:11pm

It’s here.
The 2024 General Election is here. The anticipation and/or dread is over. Whether it’s the Republican candidate Donald Trump, or the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, we are about to have a new President of the United States. If Trump is elected, he will be president for the second time. If Harris is elected, we will have our first-ever female president. It will also show us that we don’t need two years of endless campaigning to be elected president, but that is another column for another time.

South Dakota is prosperous and free

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:07pm

Over the past several years, South Dakota’s economy has consistently been the strongest of any state in the country. We recently received two updates that underscore just how strong our economy continues to be, even with the sluggish economy under the Biden-Harris Administration.

Smaller lot sizes a hot topic

Published by admin on Wed, 10/23/2024 - 9:34am

We weren’t at the most recent meeting of the Custer County Planning Commission, but from what we have been told it was as lively as a committee meeting you will ever see. Why? Because the commission was discussing the possibility of allowing smaller lot sizes on which to build in the county. Currently, the county does not allow subdividing land for construction purposes to less than an acre. From the sounds of things, there was a small army of people against it who came to that meeting, and all of them were against the proposal. It appears now it is dead on arrival.

Can’t hardly wait to be disappointed

Published by admin on Wed, 10/23/2024 - 9:34am

I’d like to recommend my mother be posthumously charged with child abuse.
No, not that kind of child abuse. Mom didn’t beat on me. No, this kind of abuse is more of the ongoing lingering emotional abuse. Why? She allowed me to become a Wyoming Cowboy and Las Vegas (and before that Oakland, and before than Los Angeles, and before that Oakland again) Raider fan.

Smaller town coverage difficult

Published by admin on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 3:12pm

When you ready the weekly issue of this newspaper, inevitably there is a story of some form or fact of our local government. Whether it’s the Custer City Council, the Custer County Commission or the Custer School District Board of Education, you will always find one of us at the meetings, and then a report on what happened at the meeting in (usually) the following week’s paper. Local government coverage is the bread and butter of a weekly newspaper. It’s our job to let you know what is going on with those entities if you cannot attend the meetings.

Optimism and pumpkins

Published by admin on Wed, 10/16/2024 - 3:11pm

A nearly-failed pumpkin patch was the crowning glory of my gardening endeavors this year, saved by my chickens and a good turn of the weather sometime mid-August, and finally – finally! – the overgrown tangle has lit up with all shades of scarlet and orange and gold and blue, with a couple green ones I’m still cheering on.

Celebrate National Newspaper Week

Published by admin on Wed, 10/09/2024 - 3:47pm

For more than 30 years, I worked among fellow journalists who were passionate watchdogs reporting on the actions of people in power as a way to hold them accountable.
I’m proud to see that important work continue, from the reporting on local government budgets to investigations of corruption in the halls of Congress. Ensuring transparency and accountability of government remains the goal every day — and no one is above scrutiny.

The tale of Custer’s four-legged outlaw

Published by admin on Wed, 10/09/2024 - 3:44pm

Friday marks 104 years since the Custer Wolf, one of the most notoriously vicious and wanted animals in the country’s history, met its long-awaited demise. While many people will hear “Custer Wolf” and think of the popular downtown Custer restaurant, they may not be aware of the real-life animal it borrows its namesake from. Its story is a fascinating one, retold in bold and colorful language by humorist Dixon Merritt in a press release by the U.S. Department of Agriculture way back in January of 1921.

No lack of issues to vote on this year

Published by admin on Wed, 10/02/2024 - 12:37pm

If there were ever an election to vote in, this November’s General Election is of the utmost importance, particularly in South Dakota, as we have a plethora of constitutional amendments, an initiated measure and a referred law to vote on. Our advice for you would be to do some homework on which way you are leaning on these issues before you head out to the polls, otherwise you might be in there all day reading and deciding.

Harvesting our own food supply

Published by admin on Wed, 10/02/2024 - 12:31pm

Growing up on our family farm and ranch, there were two time periods that were busiest: calving season in the spring and harvest in the fall. The time has come for farmers to harvest most of their crops. It’s the fruit of their labor after a long growing season.