Custer County Chronicle

Of opinions and editorial pages

Published by admin on Wed, 06/07/2023 - 11:29am

Are opinion pages still relevant in local newspapers? Are there certain topics that should be off limits when it comes to the editorial pages?
These are a pair of questions that recently came up among a group of weekly newspaper editors and publishers both in this state and in a group known as the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE), of which the Custer County Chronicle is a member.

How to improve higher education

Published by admin on Wed, 06/07/2023 - 11:26am

South Dakota’s kids are our future. This point really hits home for those of us who are already seeing our own kids have kids of their own. And we must set our kids up with the skills and knowledge to build the best possible future for our state and nation. A big part of that puzzle is our higher education system. Unfortunately, across the nation, higher education is in a state of crisis. I have challenged our South Dakota Board of Regents to show the nation what quality higher education is supposed to look like.

Debt limit issue is always unnecessary

Published by admin on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 11:44am

It seems the government of the United States has to always have some brinksmanship and argument going that is completely unnecessary, if for no other reason than to further divide the American people. Such has been the case with the default talks that took place over the last several weeks in a highly-publicized way.

Thought-provoking throwbacks

Published by admin on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 11:40am

If you haven’t checked out the Chronicle’s Facebook page, you may have missed that we recently joined in on the Throwback Thursday bandwagon, although it has been departed for some years now.  For those not familiar with it, Throwback Thursday (often stylized as a hashtag, #throwbackthursday) is really just a fun excuse to post old photos and reminisce on days gone by. In the Chronicle’s 143-year history, we certainly have no shortage of photos to pull from.

A big thank you to Custer Cares

Published by admin on Wed, 05/24/2023 - 10:17am

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.

What is going on in Hermosa?

Published by admin on Wed, 05/24/2023 - 10:15am

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.

Encouraging work, not cutting funding

Published by admin on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 11:35am

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.

Building a winning workforce

Published by admin on Wed, 05/17/2023 - 11:32am

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.

Reasons why I never shower

Published by admin on Wed, 05/10/2023 - 10:25am
Here are some “Reasons Why I Never Go To Church Shower”:
1. I was forced to shower as a child.
2. People who shower are hypocrites. They think they are cleaner than everyone else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I could never decide which one is right.
4. I used to shower, but it got boring, so I stopped.
5. I shower only on special occasions, like Easter and Christmas.
6. None of my friends ever shower.

Lessons learned from Mrs. Watland

Published by admin on Wed, 05/10/2023 - 10:15am
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.