Hill City Prevailer

Fire damages Sylvan Lake Lodge

Published by admin on Thu, 12/23/2021 - 8:29am
Custer State Park’s (CSP) Sylvan Lake Lodge along Hwy. 87 near Sylvan Lake sustained major damage in a fire Saturday night that brought firefighters from more than a dozen departments and from as far away as north of Rapid City and Newcastle, Wyo., to help in the battle. 
Frigid temperatures, gusty winds and flames shooting through the roof of the two story building greeted the first responders to the scene. 

Loan for BID approved

Published by admin on Thu, 12/23/2021 - 8:26am
The Hill City Common Council approved a resolution for an inter-fund loan from the General Fund to the Business Improvement District (BID) fund for the BID No. 1 project. The approval of resolution 2021-09 took place at the Dec. 13 meeting. 

Keystone employees get COVID-19 bonus

Published by admin on Thu, 12/23/2021 - 8:25am
Keystone employees will get a COVID-19 bonus. The approval came at the Dec. 15 meeting of the Keystone Town Board. The $500 bonus was approved by four trustees, with president Kwinn Neff being the lone “nay” to the motion. Neff was  concerned in general with fiscal responsibility.
“Overtime it has been a big issue for me. We’ve been over quite a bit,” he said.

Thefts on the rise in the area

Published by admin on Thu, 12/23/2021 - 8:23am
Don’t make yourself an easy target. 
That’s the message from senior deputy Jim Waldrop of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Waldrop wants residents of Hill City and Keystone to know that if they are not easy targets they are less likely to get victimized.
“Times have changed,” said Waldrop. Mail theft, theft from vehicles and theft of catalytic converters are all on the rise in Rapid City. Small towns in the region are becoming more vulnerable to this crime. 

Sweet displays in Hill City

Published by admin on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 10:00am
Gingerbread houses have taken over Hill City. Eleven businesses around town are displaying homemade gingerbread houses in an effort to win bragging rights and a chance for some free advertising at the Visitor Information Center.
The Gingerbread House Magic Decorating Contest is a recycling of sorts, sponsored by the Hill City Chamber of Commerce. 

School board celebrates athletes

Published by admin on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 10:00am
During the Hill City School District Board of Education meeting Dec. 13, the board recognized the achievements of the school district’s athletes.
This year both the girls and boys cross country teams placed fifth at the state meet in Sioux Falls for the first time in school history.
It was reported that the seasonal exit meetings found the students excited to rise above their success during the next year. Abby Cutler and Lillie Ross were present at the meeting to receive recognition of their accomplishments by the school board. 

Buried bottles uncovered in Hill City

Published by admin on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 10:00am
Some construction workers struck buried treasure when they pulled several bottles out of a construction site behind Main Street in Hill City recently. The bottles are mostly whiskey or wine bottles, unlabeled and not embossed. They  are likely from the early 1900s but some may date back to the mid-1800s. Some are marked with the words “Federal Law Forbids Sale or Reuse of this Bottle,” while some have no identification markings on it other than “half pint.”

Garden club stays busy

Published by admin on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 10:00am
The Hill City Evergreen Garden Club celebrated the holiday season with  a party and holiday wreath wrap up. The party, which was attended by about 30 members, featured holiday music, a gift exchange and an assortment of delicious treats. 
The party was also the club’s last meeting of the year highlighting many of the club’s accomplishments including its biggest fundraiser, wreath making. 

Out with the old, in with the new

Published by admin on Thu, 12/16/2021 - 10:00am
Plans for the new building at McGregor and Main in Hill City were unveiled at the Dec. 6 Hill City Planning and Zoning meeting. 
The 11,950 square-foot building will be two stories with a mezzanine on the upper level. The completed structure will be 33 feet high and will be designed with early 20th century and Italianate elements integrated to “add to the architectural character of Hill City,” according  to P and Z documents. 

Keystone once again tables COVID-19 bonuses

Published by admin on Thu, 12/09/2021 - 9:56am
The Keystone Town Board once again tabled the vote on employee COVID-19 bonus money. A brief discussion about the bonuses took place at the Dec. 1 town board meeting. 
Trustee  Sandi McLain thought it was a way to say thank you to the employees for staying through the pandemic. Trustee Matt Fullilove was in favor of bonuses as he received one from his job and it was very valuable to his family.  Board president Kwinn Neff thought the pay raises for 2022 were sufficient to incentivize the employees.