Custer County Chronicle

New school raises budget

Published by admin on Thu, 05/13/2021 - 9:32am

The Custer School District is set to spend just over $18 million on its 2021-22 budget, although half of that is on capital outlay expenditures as the school district wraps up construction of the new Hermosa school.

Viability of rural ambulance services at risk due to staffing, funding shortages

Published by admin on Thu, 05/13/2021 - 9:11am

Rural ambulance services in South Dakota are having an increasingly hard time recruiting volunteers and generating revenues, putting the stability of the services at risk and making it more likely that rural residents will endure longer response times in emergencies or possibly lose ambulance service altogether.

County decries 30x30 plans as land grab

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:46am

In an executive order issued in January, President Joe Biden promised to protect 30 percent of U.S. land and 30 percent of U.S. oceans by 2030. The order, referred as the “30x30” program, isn’t sitting well with Custer County Commission chairman Jim Lintz.
At the commission’s April 28 meeting, Lintz said he believes it is merely a land grab, a case of the federal government trying to wrest private property from its citizens, as opposed to an impetus for climate protection.

Chronicle wins awards

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:45am

Results of the 2020 S.D. Newspaper Association’s Better Newspapers Awards were announced last Thursday with the Custer County Chronicle winning 11, including five first places.
Jason Ferguson won three first places, Ron Burtz one and Down Country Roads magazine a first.

County to study soaring taxes

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:40am

Custer County will convene a study group to tackle the issue of skyrocketing property taxes, although those involved agree it will likely take state legislature action to provide any real solution to the problem.

Kidnapper gets 30 years in pen

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:38am

The woman who pleaded guilty to kidnapping an 88-year-old Rapid City woman last summer was sentenced to 30 years in the S.D. State Penitentiary following a plea agreement with the Custer County State’s Attorney’s office.
Katrina Valazquez, 25, of Pine Ridge was the suspect in the July 5, 2020, armed kidnapping and car theft that began at a Hermosa convenience store and ended up at a Pine Ridge COVID-19 checkpoint.

Woman arrested after bringing drugs to 24/7

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:36am

A cascading domino effect of poor decisions led to a woman being arrested by Custer County Sheriff’s deputies on multiple charges Friday. Among other things, the woman showed up for 24/7 testing at the courthouse allegedly with drugs and paraphernalia in her purse.
Deputy Derrick Reifenrath said 45-year-old Bobbi Buchholz, a 24/7 drug testing program participant from Pennington County, was scheduled to appear at the Custer County Courthouse for urinalysis Friday morning. He said since she lives in Hill City it is closer for her to come to Custer for the testing.

Gov. Noem sues over fireworks

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

Last Friday, Gov. Kristi Noem filed a lawsuit against officials in the Biden administration over their cancellation of the Mt. Rushmore fireworks celebration. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of S.D. Central Division.

Crash takes life of Custer man

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

John Karlowitsch, Jr. , of Custer, age 67, died Wednesday, April 28, about 9 p.m. in a one-vehicle crash five miles south of Pringle.
 Preliminary crash information indicated that a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup was traveling south on Hwy. 89 when the driver lost control. The vehicle went off the roadway and rolled.
 The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the pickup. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Frieden wins Buffalo Gap seat

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

Daniel Frieden was the winner of a four-way election for a three-year term in the recent Buffalo Gap Town Board election. Frieden received 15 votes compared to Carrie Zoellick with 13, Kenneth Johnson with eight and Lucia Roda with four.
Frieden replaces Kim McNemar, who chose not to seek reelection.