Custer County Chronicle

Custer to get free testing

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:49am
The S.D. Department of Health, in partnership with the S.D. National Guard and Office of Emergency Management and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will provide drive-through COVID-19 testing in 10 South Dakota communities over the next two weeks. Custer is among those selected.

Buffalo prices are down again

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:49am
For the second consecutive year, prices were down at the Custer State Park Fall Classic Buffalo Auction, as the auction brought in $437,700 in revenue, down from the $602,250 brought in a year ago.
Kobee Stalder, visitor services program  manager at Custer State Park, said the drop in prices was anticipated, as those in the private bison industry expect another dry summer.
“So there is a strong majority of bison ranchers who are not growing their herds at this time,” he said.

County voter turnout sets record

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:48am
County auditor Terri Cornelison told the Custer County Commission at the commission’s Nov. 5 meeting that 5,541 votes were cast in Custer County during the Nov. 3 General Election, representing 79 percent of the registered voters. Of those, 3,343 were absentee ballots, by far the most ever cast in an election.
While Joe Biden might have won the popular vote for President of the United States during last week’s General Election, he did not fare as well in Custer County or in South Dakota.

No masks Monday at school

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:48am
The masks come off at all Custer County schools Monday following action by the Custer School District Board of Education Monday evening. In a split vote, the school board moved to transition all Custer and Hermosa schools from level two of the district’s COVID-19 operation plan to level one, which means only certain students will be required to wear face masks while in school.

County records another death

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:47am
Custer County recorded its fourth COVID-19-related death last Wednesday, Nov. 4. 
The S.D. Department of Health does not give ages or genders for people who die, but of the 14 people who died that day, eight were men and six were women, including three in their 60s, one in their 70s and 10 who were 80 or older.
The country’s five highest days of COVID-19 cases have all been recorded since Oct. 29. The nationwide seven-day average of new daily cases is over 100,000—more than double what it was Sept. 4, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

County won’t plow private roads

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:46am
If you need your private road plowed after a snowstorm this winter, don’t call the Custer County Highway Department. It is officially getting out of the snowplowing business.
At the Nov. 4 meeting of the Custer County Commission, the commission, at the request of county highway superintendent Jesse Doyle, decided to eliminate completely its practice of plowing private roads for money, with Doyle saying “the highway (department) is not in the business of doing snow removal.”

COVID-19 challenges hospital

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:43am
With increasing COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in western South Dakota, coupled with a continued nursing shortage across the nation, Monument Health hospitals are experiencing stressed capacity.

Select A Gift needs donations

Published by admin on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 9:36am
Now that the Halloween decorations are down and Christmas draws ever closer Custer residents are asked to contribute toward a happier Christmas for the families in Custer County who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts.
The challenge of the Select A Gift committee is to raise at least $9,000 by Dec. 1, purchase all gifts by Dec. 15, then sort, wrap (with the help of dedicated volunteers) and organize prior to the gift giving Dec. 19.

All students now must mask

Published by admin on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 10:06am
While several board members acknowledged they would make people angry no matter what path they chose, the Custer School District Board of Education voted to mandate the wearing of masks in all three district schools for two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 among the students and staff. The decision came at the end of a two-hour special meeting Thursday evening at the Custer High School Theater before a vocal audience of over 35 parents and teachers. 

Frye-Mueller is Senate winner

Published by admin on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 10:05am
As of press time it appears former District 30 Rep. Julie Frye-Mueller (R) will be the next District 30 Senator, as she led Libertarian challenger Gideon Oakes by a 70 percent to 30 percent margin.
In the statewide ballot contests, Constitutional Amendment A, an amendment to the South Dakota Constitution to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana; and to require the legislature to pass laws regarding hemp as well as laws ensuring access to marijuana for medical use was being approved 52 percent to 48 percent.