News

Buffalo Gap may have recall election

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:56pm

Buffalo Gap Town Board trustee Travis Lasseter, whose two-year term expires in June 2027, may be facing a recall election following the filing of a recall petition Sept. 2 by former trustee Terrence Kizer. Lasseter was elected to the town board last year. 

DOT to conduct tunnel inspections

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:53pm

Starting Monday, Oct. 5, through Wednesday, Oct. 7, South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) crews will conduct bi-annual tunnel inspections in the Black Hills area. The inspections will result in traffic delays and/or closures of S.D. Hwy. 87 (Needles Highway) and U.S. Highway 16A (Iron Mountain Road). 
The schedule of inspections will be as follows:

Round ‘em up

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:47pm

The whips cracked, the crowd cheered and the buffalo cooperated—save for one or two who felt the need to direct their ire at a horse—as the 61st annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup took place on a sun-splashed Sept. 25 morning.
Thousands of visitors watched as Custer State Park and South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks staff were joined by a bevy of volunteers to push approximately 1,500 buffalo to the park corrals where they are tested, branded and sorted.

2026 tourism season up three percent

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:46pm

Three percent appears to be the average increase in tourism for the 2026 season in Custer. 
Katlyn Svendsen, global public relations and content services senior director for Travel South Dakota, said, “Overall, 2026 was a decent year. We had a strong start to the year and steady summer visitation. Through August, tourism promotion tax was up 2.4 percent, hotel occupancy was up 0.9 percent, average daily rate was up 3.7 percent and state park visitation was up three percent.” 

Council gets short-term rental update

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:46pm

There are 41 short-term rentals operating in Custer, 24 of which are grandfathered into operation in residential areas. That was information given by City of Custer planning director Tessah Behlings at the Sept. 21 meeting of the Custer City Council, as Behlings gave the council a short-term rental update.
Behlings added there are 16 more short-term rentals in commercially-zoned areas, although that figure could be higher, as there could be multiple such rentals at one address when it comes to commercially-zoned areas.

County OKs LEO vehicles, gear

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:46pm

The Custer County Commission has approved over $500,000 in purchases for the Custer County Sheriff’s Office to help it fulfill its contract to provide law enforcement for the City of Custer.
The commission approved the purchases, which could be paid for by both supplement of the county’s 2026 budget as well as out of its 2027 budget, at its Sept. 23 meeting.
Custer County Sheriff Derrick Reifenrath came before the commission to discuss the requested expenditures, saying he wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page as to how to go about making the purchases.

DUI arrest in DOT lot

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 2:45pm

A 41-year old Custer man was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol the evening of Sept. 24 after he hit a crosswalk sign in front of a Custer County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
According to Custer County Sheriff Derrick Reifenrath, the man, driving a South Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicle, came upon a deputy near the intersection of Mt. Rushmore Road and N. 2nd Street when the man crossed the center line and hit the sign, launching the sign into the front of the deputy’s patrol car, breaking the headlight and grill.

Fifth South Dakota DMV Now Kiosk open at Three Forks

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 10:23am
South Dakota residents now have another  option for completing eligible motor vehicle transactions with the addition of a new South Dakota DMV Now self-service kiosk at The Country Store at Three Forks, open seven days a week, 5 a.m.  to 8 p.m.
The new kiosk brings the total number of DMV Now kiosks in Pennington County to five and expands access to self-service motor vehicle transactions for residents and visitors in the Southern Hills, including the Hill City and Keystone areas. Other Kiosk locations throughout our area are: 

Proposed tax to ease water financial burden

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 10:04am
With Hill City facing significant infrastructure needs in both its water and wastewater systems, a proposed additional one percent sales tax would give the city a way to provide capital-funding for the projects, in majority, from local tourism dollars.

County update on July cybersecurity incident

Published by admin on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 9:58am
Pennington County is providing additional information regarding the cybersecurity incident first identified July 4 as the investigation, data review and recovery process continues.