Custer County Chronicle

After months of delay, STAR buildings to be leveled

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 10:09am

A full 10 months after local businessman Mark Nielsen announced a plan to demolish three former STAR Academy buildings by implosion, the demolition is finally scheduled to take place before the end of the year. Opportunities to push the button setting off one of the three explosions are being auctioned off right now and the proceeds of the auction will be split between a trio of local non-profits.

Lack of child care a ‘crisis’

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 10:07am

A group of several local, state and national entities are joining forces to brainstorm solutions to the child care crisis in the area, and county library director Jessie Phelps said Early Learner South Dakota is inviting more entities, including the Custer County Commission, to join in the fight to secure more child care for communities, including Custer.
At the Nov. 30 meeting of the Custer County Commission Phelps told the commission about Early Learner South Dakota (ear

Truck, house damaged by fires

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 10:04am

Despite the current dry conditions, fire units from the Custer Volunteer Fire Department were able to keep flames from a recent vehicle fire from spreading to dry grasses surrounding the truck.
On Saturday afternoon, Dec. 3, three units responded to a report of a vehicle fire southwest of Custer. Upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found an industrial type vehicle fully engulfed in flames. They were able to quickly douse the flames and keep the fire from spreading to nearby dry grass.

Group takes discharge complaint to city

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 10:03am

“I object to any additional money unless we know the discharge, the effluent coming out of the pipe, is safe for human drinking because we have 40 wells all in that area and we live in a batholiths where well water and creek water interchange and mingle.”

Wildcat girls take to the mat in Rapid City

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 9:53am

The Custer High School girls wrestling team has more wrestlers than at any time in school history, and those girls took to the mat at the Rapid City Invitational last weekend.
Although only one girl won a match, seven girls took to the mat. Those competing are Rylee Hurtig, Essah Syverson, Addie Sander, Mettea Marshall, River Baily, Abby Johnson and Jessica McKenney.
McKenney scored the lone Wildcat win, pinning Tailie Brehm of Rapid City Stevens in their second-round match in the 190-pound weight class.

County may oppose city’s wastewater plan

Published by admin on Thu, 12/08/2022 - 3:19pm

Permits are secured, contracts are signed and work is well underway on the phased improvement of the City of Custer’s wastewater plant and related infrastructure, but a group of property owners downstream from the proposed new effluent discharge area of the plant want to see the effluent continue to be discharged into Flynn Creek as it is now instead of French Creek, where the city plans to discharge the effluent.

Home decorating contest still open

Published by admin on Thu, 12/08/2022 - 3:18pm

Attention all you Christmas home decorators!
The Custer County Chronicle and Custer Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to welcome entries into their Christmas decorating contest, in which we want you, the reader, to submit either your decorated home or the home of an outdoor display you enjoy.

Sanitizer manufacturing planned for county

Published by admin on Thu, 12/08/2022 - 3:14pm

A spray sanitizer manufacturer appears to be coming to Custer, and the Custer County Commission gave the operation its full blessing at the commission’s Nov. 30 meeting.
Joe Raver, along with some business partners and investors, came before the commission during the commission’s open meeting time to discuss the proposed business, which would be housed in the former National Museum of Woodcarving building that is west of town long Hwy. 16.

Road district wants more money from businesses

Published by admin on Thu, 12/08/2022 - 3:13pm

A Custer County road district wants to assess a special fee to businesses within the road district, citing extra wear and tear to the roads caused by the additional traffic the businesses bring down the roads.
At the Nov. 30 meeting of the Custer County Commission, the commission’s legal counsel told a road district representative the road district was well within its rights to impose that assessment, but said the road district would have to collect the money, not the county.

City has platting process questioned

Published by admin on Thu, 12/08/2022 - 3:12pm

A Custer County property owner expressed frustration with the city’s planning commission and city’s plat approval process at the Dec. 5 meeting of the Custer City Council.
Lamonte Morrow, who along with Ann Cunningham owns property on Wazi Lane, property that is within the city limits in September submitted an application to combine three existing lots into two parcels.
At the Sept. 13 meeting of the city’s planning commission, the plat was tabled after some concerns were raised, including the concern of multiple users of separate ownership from one service line.