Custer County Chronicle

We’ve been having interesting weather lately

Published by admin on Wed, 02/28/2024 - 11:21am

As far as boring small talk topics go, “the weather” might be the first to come to mind. To me, though, the weather is endlessly fascinating and always relevant, especially in these past few years. Remember the storm that caused French Creek to flood up to Mt. Rushmore Road in 2019, the time it hailed so much that snowplows had to clear it off the roads in 2015, the two feet of snow that came last April, or the snowstorm that gave students in Custer and Hermosa snow days in the final week of the school year in 2019?

End of session is in sight

Published by admin on Wed, 02/28/2024 - 9:10am
Well, the finish line is in sight for the 99th legislative session. Even though we only have two weeks left, this is “crunch” time for legislators.
During this small window of time there will be long hours and intense negotiating between the members of the House and the Senate. Funding requests will be finalized along with ultimately producing a balanced budget. 

Impeachment is becoming weaponized

Published by admin on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 3:31pm

Some trivia for you: Do you know the first federal official to ever be impeached? His name was William Blount, a U.S. Senator from Tennessee, who was impeached July 7, 1797 on charges he conspired to assist Britain in capturing Spanish territory. The House approved articles of impeachment, but the Senate voted it did not have jurisdiction. All told, 21 men have been federally impeached over the years, or roughly one every 12 years of our country’s existence.

Which sports teams do you love to hate?

Published by admin on Wed, 02/21/2024 - 3:28pm

If you weren’t in the Armory Feb. 13 for the second matchup of the season between the Custer High School girls basketball team and the Hill City Rangers, you missed a great environment for high school basketball.
The Wildcats had upset the region-leading Rangers earlier in the season, so the Rangers played like they had revenge on their mind. They got their revenge via a fairly lopsided win, but some of the best entertainment could be found in the crowd.

Border security should be nonpartisan issue

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:44am

We get it. Our country’s political parties couldn’t agree if water is wet or the sky is blue. But, hyperbole aside, there is an issue on which they should unite and get fixed immediately—the security of our southern border.

Border situation is a threat to states’ rights

Published by admin on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 11:40am

For almost 250 years America has been the standard of a government of, by, and for the people. But today, the American people are not secure. We have a national security crisis at our Southern Border because the federal government is facilitating the violation of federal law.
A nation without borders is not a nation at all. A government that does not value the security of its people is not only negligent but inhumane.

Property tax issues continue to fester

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:35am

Shut up and pay your taxes.
That’s what the state is technically saying to the taxpayers that live within its borders—not in so many words—but is essentially what the state says to its taxpayers over and over, every time there is a movement to do something—anything regarding the continuing spike in property valuations, and in turn, property tax costs.

Distracting in coveralls

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 10:33am

I still remember the look on my now father-in-law’s face when he rattled up in his blue ranch truck to the middle of the pasture we call Hidden City. His dogs piled out, then he climbed out and then he just looked at me. Brad and I were scooping muck out of a stock tank, getting it ready to cement the bottom. Dave had brought the sacks of cement. And to my knowledge he had no idea I’d be out there helping. We had been dating for about six days. Maybe 10. You know, the time in a relationship when the guy is trying to impress the gal?
I was sunburnt, covered in mud, and grinning.

We’re down but we’re not out

Published by admin on Wed, 02/07/2024 - 9:07am
Greetings from Pierre! 
Well, it was a tough week at the capital this week. SB 167, the bill to cap property valuation for tax purposes (started out at HB 1040), was heard in the Senate Taxation committee. 
The bill passed out of committee but had opposition from 17 highly-paid lobbyists more interested in the cause they were hired to represent than the homeowners.  To our surprise, SB 167 was heard on the floor of the Senate the very next day.

Tip, ‘round up’ culture starting to go overboard

Published by admin on Wed, 01/31/2024 - 11:11am

Would you like to donate to this? Would you like to donate to that?
If you’ve gone shopping, ordered food, or done much of anything lately, surely you’ve noticed the growing and growing onslaught of businesses wanting you to spend extra money on what should be routine errands by asking you to donate to virtually every cause under the sun. We think it’s getting out of control.