If you missed last week’s edition of the Custer County Chronicle, you missed some of the biggest and most positive news we have had on these pages in some time: A nursing home is coming back to Custer, thanks to the hard work of many dedicated inviduals in town.
Election season frequently brings out the worst in people (who are we kidding, in the U.S. it absolutely brings out the worst in people) but the bickering and infighting seems to be at an all-time high in Hermosa, a town that has only about 400 people but has enough political fighting to rival Chicago.
Young writers always seem to have a goal in mind. They want to get published, win an award, start a podcast, travel on a book tour or what have you. Some achieve their goals early on. They are dubbed outstanding and have a natural talent.
Others work for years without seeing much progress. The hope of that goal can become a distant dream. But they keep plodding on because writing is in their nature. It can’t be denied.
A couple weeks ago, this opinion piece was published on CNN. It’s directed at my bill, the America Works Act. In the piece, the writers make broad, misleading claims about welfare work requirements legislation.
Let’s debunk their claims:
MYTH: The America Works Act “take(s) food from the mouths of babies.”
FACT: My bill does not affect any family or able-bodied adult with children under the age of seven. This bill won’t take benefits away from people who are able-bodied without dependents, as long as they work, go to school or participate in training programs.
My first job consisted of a list of farm chores—feed the horses, check the cows, clean the barns. But it was never my intention to keep that job forever. It wasn’t my dad’s wish for me either. At one time, my dad suggested that my sister and I should become famous auctioneers. He used to say that the “Arnold Sisters” could travel the Midwest entertaining crowds while helping families get the most for their treasures.
My new dog, Zeus, is about to celebrate his birthday. He will enter into his second year as a doggie, I only met him two months ago but I have to say he’s quite a pup.
His ad described him as a jumper, that he nips and distrusts men.
His intake card noted he was a lap dog.
They claimed him to be a blue heeler/border collie mix. If that’s true he is the laziest of this breed I have ever known.
Last week I went to the Custer Elementary School to ask our Question of the Week to a handful of sixth graders: “What is an important lesson you have learned from Mrs. Watland?” It had to be a covert operation since Mrs. Watland has always been our go-to person for everything at the elementary school, and we wanted the question to be a surprise for her. The principal, Mrs. Paulson, met me at a side door and led me to a group of smiling students who were eager to share what they had learned.
The skies are spitting out rain instead of snow, and the temperatures are warming up. The calendar has turned to May, which can only mean one thing: tourism season is upon us.
If you look outside, you can already see that guests from all over are coming to town. There are less and less places to park, and more and more people walking down the streets. It will seem like it was only a blink of an eye before we are celebrating our independence with a fireworks show and then hearing the rumbling of motorcycles for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
I recently went to a wedding where two of my good friends got married. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the bride and groom waited many years for this day. They lived out “in sickness and health” before ever saying their vows, and there was much celebration as a result.
In general, weddings seem to have three parts. There’s a time to reflect, a time to congregate and a time to celebrate.
