Custer County Chronicle

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

Published by admin on Tue, 12/23/2025 - 1:17pm

Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, “If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.”

The legend of the candy cane

Published by admin on Tue, 12/23/2025 - 1:16pm

When was the last time you ate a candy cane?
As a child, candy canes were one of my favorite Christmas treats. I remember we were allowed to have one piece of candy a day. Thus, candy canes were the perfect loophole. They were bigger than any other type of candy, and it took hours to suck away the peppermint-flavored sugar.
These days, my family buys a box or two of candy canes to hang on our Christmas tree. Slowly, as the holiday draws closer, the candy canes disappear into mugs of hot chocolate, are crushed and sprinkled on top of sugar cookies or simply sucked away. 

It’s the most busy time of the year

Published by admin on Wed, 12/17/2025 - 2:49pm

Many times during the summer months, someone will inevitably approach a staff member here at the Custer County Chronicle and say something to the effect of “you must be really busy this time of year!”
The answer is no, not really.
While Custer is at its busiest during the summer months, the truth is that summertime is a “down time” of the year for us. Well, as much of a down time as we can have. Our small but mighty staff is constantly churning out material, so the phrase down time is irrelevant. The point is, it’s our slowest time of the year.

Staring down the barrel of no insurance

Published by admin on Wed, 12/17/2025 - 2:44pm

A few weeks ago in the Custer County Chronicle, there was an editorial imploring the United States government to extend the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies.
Yes, that was me.
I am one of 22 million Americans who are likely to lose their health insurance when the calendar turns to 2026. My crime? Not being able to afford a monthly premium twice what I’m paying now and that will be only a few hundred dollars shy of the cost of my mortgage.

City, county should negotiate accord

Published by admin on Wed, 12/10/2025 - 10:40am

For the past several months, and maybe longer, the City of Custer and Custer County have been going back and forth as they try to settle on an amount of money the city will pay to the county in exchange for providing law enforcement services for the city in 2026. There have been a multitude of negotiation sessions, letters from lawyers, back and forth and frustration. And that is from both sides of the issue.

What goes around comes around

Published by admin on Wed, 12/10/2025 - 10:35am

Whether or not she’s a baseball fan, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson finds herself living one of Yogi Berra’s famous sayings: “It’s deja vu all over again.”
The New York Yankees’ catcher didn’t have Johnson in mind when he said it, but her future bears a remarkable resemblance to her past.
In the summer, Johnson will find herself fighting for her job at the state Republican Party convention where some nominees for statewide office are chosen. She’s being challenged by state Rep. Heather Baxter, a Republican from Rapid City.

President Trump has a point

Published by admin on Wed, 12/03/2025 - 1:14pm

As we enter the holiday season, many of us take time from our busy schedules to reflect on family, home, community and yes, even the government. We are blessed to live in a country that values its citizens, and we all hope for the best for our children, loved ones and our neighbors.
In South Dakota, we continue to enjoy the freedoms our founders envisioned for the entire nation. Yet it is clear that times are changing, even here at home. We must embrace what is good, recognize what is not, and be willing to correct and inspire where needed without demolishing our democracy.

A big thank you to Jim and the crew

Published by admin on Wed, 12/03/2025 - 1:09pm

Phew.
If you’re reading this, good news. The Custer County Chronicle is up and running at its new location. The lights are on, the computers are on and the internet is working. We were able to get this week’s paper out, despite spending the better part of last week packing and moving and spending time with family and friends as part of our little Thanksgiving break.

The things that never change

Published by admin on Wed, 12/03/2025 - 1:03pm

At possibly no other time of the year than now does the whole of society seem to move faster, more frantically, with hardly the time to stop and catch a breath. Shopping malls are a zoo, parking lots are packed, and the post office is drowning in an endless stream of packages shipping to people who don’t like shopping malls and packed parking lots. There is constant pressure to fill the schedule, to overspend, to one-up last year’s festivities with something new and exciting. 

We’re thankful for all of you

Published by admin on Tue, 11/25/2025 - 12:24pm

Thursday we mark another Thanksgiving holiday in the United States of America. We certainly have enough to be thankful for. Our country is seemingly in constant turmoil, but the holiday season can be a time of year when we come together, reflect on all that is good for all of us and be thankful for all the things we have. In many parts of the world people don’t have nearly as much for which to be thankful. Even at a time when our country is seemingly as polarized as it has ever been, we can be thankful we live in this country.