Custer County Chronicle

Buffalo Auction raises $884K

Published by admin on Wed, 11/20/2024 - 9:38am

The Custer State Park Fall Classic buffalo auction brought in a whopping total of $884,775.00, a figure just over $250,000 more than last year’s auction sale total. All that, and with selling 17 fewer bison than last year.

County now part of IPAWS system

Published by admin on Wed, 11/20/2024 - 9:37am

Custer County has a new tool in its toolbox when it comes to notifying the public or warning the public of potential disasters, weather events, etc.
The county is now a part of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), FEMA’s national system for local alerting that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using wireless emergency alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System, and on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio.

Students honor vets in 30th program

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 3:52pm

Custer Jr./Sr. High School honored area veterans with music, poetry and speeches in its 30th annual program Monday, which brought a packed house of veterans, students and other community members together to honor the nation’s veterans. The guest speaker at the event was Deb Hanagan, a local veteran and director of the 1881 Courthouse Museum in Custer.
The program opened with a welcome by CHS principial Tobey Cass and student body president Brook Bennett, followed by the presentation of colors by the Custer Veterans Honor Guard.

Homes a hot topic

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 3:00pm

Housing was a recurring theme at the Nov. 4 meeting of the Custer City Council, as the council heard from city residents regarding setbacks on manufactured homes, the cost of lot rent in Woodland Meadows Manufactured Home Park and even listened to a dash of vacation rental talk.

Box-cutter flats likely a fluke

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 2:59pm

Multiple reports from Custer of flat tires found with sharp box cutter blade shards have come in to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.
Carl Hansen was one whose tires needed replaced after running over the blades sometime between last Monday night and Wednesday morning.

Strong turnout for General Election

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 2:59pm

The general election in Custer County brought with it a high turnout of voters. A total of 6,079 of 7,994 registered voters cast their ballots for a turnout rate of 76 percent. Of those, 3,186 of those were early or absentee ballots, which is a higher total than the 2020 General Election brought. Statewide voter turnout came out to just under 70 percent with 69.93 percent, about average for a presidential election.

Home decorating contest announced

Published by admin on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 2:58pm

Attention all you Christmas home decorators!
The Custer County Chronicle and Custer Area Chamber of Commerce are again teaming up to plan an exterior Christmas decorating contest in which we want you, the reader, to submit either your decorated home/business or the home/business of an outdoor display you enjoy.
Entries will be collected by the Chronicle until 5 p.m. Dec. 13. The public will choose the winners via online voting. The top three place winners will be awarded prizes.

Creekside Apartment tenants facing eviction

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 12:08pm

Aubrey Frasier doesn’t know what she is going to do.
Frasier, a single mother of three, is one of the tenants in six units at the Creekside Apartments located at 40 Mt. Rushmore Road who recently received an eviction notice telling her she has 30 days to vacate the property.
To say it was a shock would be an understatement.
“I’m very upset,” she said. “Middle of winter, single mom, single income, right before the holidays. I really don’t know what I will do.”

Ladner, Goodwin, Hulse pull ahead

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 12:08pm

It appears District 30 will have Republican representation across the board when the South Dakota Legislature convenes in January, as all three Republican candidates were winning their races as of press time in yesterday’s General Election.
In the race for two seats in the state House of Representatives, Republican incumbent Trish Ladner was leading with 41 percent of the vote, while fellow Republican Tim Goodwin was also around 41 percent. Democrat challenger Susan Scheirbeck was trailing at 18 percent of the vote.

Vietnam vet enjoys life in the skies

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 12:05pm

John O’Connell is a Vietnam War veteran who has spent a lifetime in the skies. At 81 years old, is still finding plenty of adventure. In fact, when he arrived for his interview with the Chronicle, he was fresh off a five-mile hike through the rugged terrain near the Needles in search of an abandoned mine in the area.  
O’Connell is a Custer native and always knew he wanted to return someday, but back when he was growing up here in the ’50s and ’60s there wasn’t as much opportunity for a career.