News

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.

Revving up for the Rally

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:13am
Locals, tourists, bikers and rally goers can support both of the senior center organizations in the area by attending a rally breakfast.
The rally breakfast is a no brainer for anyone. Jon Veltman, who is organizing this year’s rally breakfast for the Keystone senior center says, “where else are you gonna eat for eight dollars?”
That’s the cost for the egg, sausage, pancakes and  biscuit and gravy breakfast being served up at the Keystone Community Center for two days, Aug. 2-3, from 8-10:30 a.m.

County commissioners keep spending

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:11am
Pennington County Commissioners provisionally approved a $131 million budget at the July 18 Pennington County Commissioner meeting.
This is the same size as the budget of Minnehaha County, despite Pennington County being about half the size of the East River county. Minnehaha also decreased its budget from $168.5 million in 2024 to its provisional amount of $131 million for next year.

Short sewer line in Sunset Creek accepted

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:07am
It was a short and sweet meeting July 22 for the new members of the Hill City Common Council to get their bearings. 
At the July 8 meeting, Jim Peterson with Black Hills Traditions asked for formal documentation showing that the City of Hill City had accepted the smaller section of the Sunset Creek Phase II sewer line system. This section has three houses connected to the sewer line with effluent flowing through it. 

Housing all locked up

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 9:03am
Keystone town board president Casey McNulty addressed elderly housing commission questions at the July 17 town board meeting. McNulty, who also sits on the Keystone Elderly Housing Commission board, was asked by Susan Alumbaugh, “When are you gonna get locks? Did you talk to anybody about the elderly housing?”

Dealership determined to be dependable

Published by admin on Wed, 07/24/2024 - 8:58am
Looking to buy or sell a vehicle? There is now a dealership in Hill City that might be able to help. 
Alex Inskeep has been buying and selling cars since he was 14. When he was 12 or 13, Inskeep raced motocross. This was expensive so he started selling firewood through Trailside Park Resort which his dad, RJ, managed at the time. 
From there, Inskeep bought and sold four-wheelers, dirt bikes, bicycles and other random things. Eventually, he worked his way up to cars and trucks. 

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.