Hill City Prevailer

Generators generate a lot of discussion

Published by admin on Wed, 06/18/2025 - 9:45am
Discussion about  the effects of the Black Hills Energy (BHE) Power Shut Off Plan (PSPS) dominated the June 9 Hill City Common Council (HCCC) meeting. Aldermen discussed purchasing a generator for the well house on Smokey Drive as well as city hall and the Hill City Center.
City administrator Nate Anderson received one bid for the Smokey Drive well house generator for $32,000.

Board discusses state sport results, BHE outages

Published by admin on Wed, 06/18/2025 - 9:39am
The Hill City School District Board of Education held its first meeting of summer break last Monday, highlighting student athletic successes, recognizing staff, reviewing the budget, providing Hwy. 385 updates and discussing concerns over potential blackouts proposed by Black Hills Energy that could impact the district in the coming months.
As has become custom, Ranger athletes and coaches who reached the state level were invited to attend the school board meeting to receive earned recognition and praise. 

Officials, owners fire concerns about power shutoff plans

Published by admin on Wed, 06/18/2025 - 9:38am
Wes Ashton, vice president of South Dakota and Wyoming Utilities for Black Hills Energy (BHE), fielded questions about the company’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) plan at the June 9 Hill City Common Council (HCCC) meeting. The plan, in short, means that BHE will shut off power by selectively de-energizing power lines to any region during days it deems its power grid might be at risk for starting a wildfire. 
Ashton began his introductions by saying that everything BHE does is driven by safety, and one of the company’s main priorities is wildfires. 

Do South Dakota lawyers need continuing education? Some say yes

Published by admin on Wed, 06/18/2025 - 9:33am
Attorney Seamus Culhane said he was “baffled” to learn that South Dakota is one of only four states in the nation that does not have a continuing education requirement for working lawyers.
Unlike numerous other professions in South Dakota, there is no requirement for attorneys to receive ongoing training in order to maintain their licenses. There’s also no way to know if working lawyers are staying up to date or improving their knowledge of the law.

Keystone board president asked to resign yet again

Published by admin on Wed, 06/11/2025 - 8:51am
Keystone Town Boar trustee Matt Fullilove read a letter asking for the resignation of board president Casey McNulty at the June 4 Keystone Town Board meeting.
This was not the first time Fullilove asked for McNulty’s resignation, nor the first time he requested an executive session to discuss the matter.
Fullilove said he received a letter from a  citizen regarding the “TikTok ordeal.” Business owner Tammy Hunsaker later claimed to be the author of the letter. 

BHE plans spark concern for communities, emergency management

Published by admin on Wed, 06/11/2025 - 8:50am
A letter dated May 23 from Pennington County Emergency Management director Dustin Willett to the Hill City Common Council and Keystone Town Board is drawing concerns throughout the communities of Keystone and Hill City.
The letter was in response to a proposed Black Hills Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff  (PSPS) program. Officials in both towns say they were not informed about the plan by Black Hills Energy (BHE), yet the proposed plan could shut off power to residents and tourists of the towns for multiple days.

Abolish Property Taxes South Dakota gives Custer presentation

Published by admin on Wed, 06/11/2025 - 8:41am
A petition will be circulated in the near future that, if the 35,000 required signatures are gathered, will be voted on by state residents in 2026.
The petition’s goal? Abolish property taxes.

Lori Miner wins council election

Published by admin on Wed, 06/04/2025 - 8:52am
Lori Miner will remain on the Hill City Common Council after emerging victorious from yesterday’s election, the lone city council race in this spring’s election.
Polls stayed open until 7 p.m. as voters in Ward 2  chose between Miner, the incumbent, and challenger John Johnson for alderman. 
Miner received 39 votes while Johnson received 13. 

New law changes Keystone elections

Published by admin on Wed, 06/04/2025 - 8:43am
The Town of Keystone is seeing some changes to its election as a result of the passage of House Bill 1130. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Will Mortenson of District 24 and signed into law March 25 by Gov. Larry Rhoden.
Mortenson said the main rationale behind the bill was to “make it easier for people to vote and to increase voter participation. The current system of holding elections on random dates is confusing for the voters and leads to turnout of 2 percent, 3 percent or 5 percent of the voters, as we’ve seen this year.”

School projects get the go from city

Published by admin on Wed, 06/04/2025 - 8:42am
A floodplain development permit for the Hill City School District was approved at the May 27 Hill City Common Council (HCCC) meeting.
The school intends to  build a 600 square-foot addition to the high school by the fitness center entrance. This will accommodate a small boiler room. The cost of the project is $801,730. The Hill City high school property sits in the floodplain.
Schools are a critical structure and need to be considered in the 500-year floodplain requirements.