Custer County Chronicle

Headwaters Economics floats flood strategies

Published by admin on Wed, 07/31/2024 - 12:19pm

Propane tanks floated down flooded streets, unmoored boats were caught under bridges and cars were lifted off the ground in flash flooding that occurred five years ago Aug. 2, 2019. To help prevent such things from happening again, Headwaters Economics is helping the City of Custer and Custer County implement infrastructure projects with the aim of flood mitigation, which was discussed at a meeting at the Custer County Courthouse Annex Pine Room July 23.

Buffalo Gap house fire claims life

Published by admin on Wed, 07/31/2024 - 12:18pm

One person is dead after an early-morning fire Sunday in Buffalo Gap.
Custer County Dispatch received a call regarding a structure fire at 3:04 a.m. from a neighbor of the home that was burning. When firefighters arrived on scene, part of the home, located at 410 N. 3rd St., was fully involved.
Randy Schroth, Buffalo Gap fire chief, said his son lives next to the home that was on fire and was the first to respond along with another son, and he was five minutes behind. A couple more firefighters were on scene around 10 minutes later.

West Dam could be full once more by end of 2025

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:40am

Could West Dam have water in it by the end of next year?
According to Steve Bareis of RESPEC Engineering, the firm, along with Banner Engineering, that is working with the city on reviving the dam once more, while the timeline is aggressive, it’s possible the dam could be full of water again for the first time in over a decade by the end of 2025.

New school board members take oaths

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:35am

The Custer School District Board of Education held its first meeting of the new fiscal year last Monday, and the recently-elected school board members were sworn in at the start of the meeting by business manager Sarah Wedge.
After swearing in its members—including new board member Heath Reindl—the board elected its president and vice president, unanimously voting for Jeff Barnes for presidents and Travis Hartshorn for vice president.
The board adopted the  official budget for the coming 2024-25 fiscal year.

Septic issues raised again

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:35am

Where number twos go is starting to become the number one issue raised at Custer County Commission meetings, as another septic issue was brought to the commission at its July 10 meeting.
Dane Shuman was before the commission at the meeting sharing what he deemed the “challenges in fulfilling the undocumented, unwritten requirements of installing a septic system” in Custer County.

Commission talks fire district

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:35am

A special meeting of the Custer County Commissioners was held last Friday to continue learning about the possible pros and cons of forming the proposed Custer Fire District. Most were in agreement that a fire district is badly needed to ensure adequate fire protection in the face of dwindling volunteer numbers and the Custer Volunteer Fire Department’s strained budget.  Any debate in the meeting was more to address how best to pitch the idea to the public.

Residents weigh gold drilling litigation

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:34am

A new board is forming with the goal of protecting the area from exploratory gold drilling and potential subsequent mining following a meeting held at the Custer County Courthouse Annex July 16. That’s due to the categorical exclusion for an exploratory drilling project that the U.S. Forest Service granted to F3 Gold June 18, allowing the company to move forward with the project. Organizers of the meeting argue the decision was rushed and done in disregard to valid concerns raised in public comments submitted last year.

Gold Discovery Days results listed

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:33am

Winners at the annual Gold Discovery Days are as follows:
Bob Plaisted Memorial Car Show
Best of Show Stock—1966 Ford Fairlane owned by Dennis Torres of Rapid City.
Best of Show Car Modified—1955 Chevy Nomad owned by Ron and Judy Lacey of Custer.
Best of Show Truck Stock—1970 GMC Pickup owned by Bill Morsett of Custer.
Best of Show Truck Modified—1971 C-15 owned by Steve Olson of Custer.
Best of Show Motorcycle—1999 Harley Davidson Wide Glide owned by Jeff Baird of Custer.

Gold Discovery Days returns this weekend

Published by admin on Wed, 07/17/2024 - 12:40pm

One hundred and fifty years ago, Horatio N. Ross, a prospector along with George A. Custer’s Black Hills expedition pulled the first confirmed shining bits of gold in the Black Hills from French Creek, just a few miles from the present town of Custer. In 1923 Gold Discovery Days was born to commemorate that discovery, and each year since Custerites have celebrated along with visitors from all over the country.

‘Life savings in jeopardy’

Published by admin on Wed, 07/17/2024 - 12:38pm

A handful of Custer County residents near where gold exploratory drilling is set to begin understand there probably isn’t much they can do to stop the project from moving forward.
That doesn’t mean they aren’t going to try.
At the July 10 meeting of the Custer County Commission, some of those residents were before the commission to plead with the commission to help them find avenues to slow or stop the project, which got the green light from the U.S. Forest Service June 18.