Custer County Chronicle

Storms takes over equalization reins

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 12:00pm

Scott Storms is a problem solver.
Storms, the newest person to sit in the hot seat that is the director of the Custer County Office of Equalization, comes into the job with eyes wide open, having worked in the office as an appraiser since last May and seeing the good and bad that comes with running the office.
“I like to fix things. I think I can fix this,” Storms said. “That’s my goal. I saw the taxpayers as being misrepresented from this office. I saw a lot of things I didn’t like. I saw a lot of things I learned from.”

Burning Beetle gets city’s blessing

Published by admin on Wed, 11/06/2024 - 11:59am

The 2025 Burning Beetle event is taking shape, and at the Oct. 21 meeting of the Custer City Council, event organizer Hank Fridell was before the Custer City Council to request the usual round of city property use and help for the event, which will take place Jan. 18.
Fridell passed out an informational sheet about the event, which is a Custer Area Arts Council Program under the leadership of the Bark Beetle Blues Committee. Fridell said this year will be the 12th Burning Bettle, and the 13th overall year of events.

New crane will speed progress at Crazy Horse Memorial

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:19pm

Progress toward the completion of Crazy Horse Memorial is set to get a big boost thanks to an even bigger crane it’s just received—and we mean a very big crane. It required multiple semi trucks just to deliver the crane to the mountain, and will revolutionize the carving process at the memorial.

General Election is next Tuesday

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:18pm

Voters will head to the polls next Tuesday, Nov. 5, to cast their votes in the 2024 General Election.
Locally there are races for South Dakota Legislature District 30 House of Representatives and Senate, as well as Custer County Commission.
On the state level, voters will cast a vote on a variety of proposed constitutional amendents, initiated measures and referred laws, as well as for the Public Utilities Commission. Whether or not to retain a current Supreme Court Justice is also on the ballot.

Drawing crowds fit for a queen

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:16pm

“It’s a little chaotic. It feels like half the town is in here,” said Melissa Rush, a bartender at the Custer VFW Post No. 3442.
“Ridiculously busy,” said Eric Lewis, commander of the post.
“It’s been just nuts,” said Faith Lewis, a patron of the VFW.  

Residents protest lot rent hikes

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:15pm

A large group of residents of Woodland Meadows Manufactured Home Park were gathered at the Oct. 21 meeting of the Custer City Council to both protest what they said are unfair price increases of lot rents at the park, while asking for the city’s help to effect legislation that would cap the increases owners of such parks could enact annually.

Three vie for county commission seats

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:15pm

Three candidates will vie for a pair of four-year terms on the Custer County Commission this Nov. 5. Two of the candidates, Republicans Mark Hartman and Mike Busskohl, are incumbents, with Hartman having served 16 years on the commission and Busskohl two. The third candidate is Democrat Colton Jones of Hermosa.
Busskohl is a self-employed business owner, who said he has enjoyed serving Custer County residents.

County audit reveals vast improvement

Published by admin on Wed, 10/30/2024 - 3:13pm

It wasn’t long ago that Custer County was in financial dire straits.
No, it wasn’t because the county was broke, but rather, because its financial accounting mechanism at the auditor’s office was in shambles, leading to the county’s ledger being off by a whopping $14 million and causing the state to intervene and leading to a pair of auditors leaving.
Fast forward to present-day and the county has done a 180º, with Bruce Hintz of the South Dakota Department of Revenue saying the county’s cash records are off by only $20,000 when auditing for 2022 and 2023.

Horsted among those honored at banquet

Published by admin on Wed, 10/23/2024 - 9:52am

It was an evening of celebration last Thursday at the Custer State Park Event Barn as members of the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce gathered for the annual Chamber Membership banquet.

Hermosa board dissolves TIF

Published by admin on Wed, 10/23/2024 - 9:50am

The Hermosa Town Board has voted unanimously to dissolve a controversial Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District due to questions of legality regarding amending this TIF and the possibility of jeopardizing the borrowing power of the Town of Hermosa. The vote was taken at the board’s Oct. 15 meeting.
The balance of the TIF, roughly $215,000, will be returned to the county to be dispersed to the taxing entities, namely the school district, which will receive approximately $135,000 into its general fund.