The quotable quotes of 2023

Custer County had no lack of quotable quotes in 2023. Below is a list of some of the more memorable quotes that appeared on the pages of the Custer County Chronicle in 2023. These quotes are from the first half of the year; the rest will appear in next week’s issue.
“I think it’s much ado about nothing. I really do. What school is having an overwhelming problem with it?” - Mark Naugle, after District 30 Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller asked him and others gathered at a pre-legislative session meeting their thoughts on transgender student issues.
“It thrills me that there are still amazing young people and I have immense gratitude for his help.” - Barbara Jean Atchison, after Custer’s Noah Tietsort drove 60 miles to battle deep snow to help her bring a pregnant mare back to her home after it had wandered off in the snowstorm.
“Always the first one to step up and offer help to others, Eve spreads sunshine wherever she goes. I joke with her that accepting help isn’t one of her strengths. Eve is humble and selfless and doesn’t want sympathy or pity from others.” - Sonja Tennyson, talking about Eve Trandem, who had to leave her job with the Custer School District due to a neurological disorder.
“I can’t think of anyone better for this award and a better representative on Earth serving as the hands and feet of Christ.” - Tonia Tewell of Holding out Help on the 2022 Custer County Chronicle Citizens of the Year, Marty and Jen Mechaley.
“I felt he was dedicated to law enforcement, trustworthy, a good family man and he would bring those traits to the citizens of Custer County.” - former Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler, on his decision to ask the Custer County Commission to appoint Mechaley as sheriff when he stepped down.
“As you can see, Custer State Park is not anywhere close to paying for the services received from our county. Custer State Park is not only in competition with the private sector in Custer County but Custer State Park is competing tax-free.” - Custer County Commission chairman Jim Lintz, in a letter to Custer State Park. The letter was the beginning of a push to have Custer State Park reimburse the county for lost property taxes and services it provides in the park.
“In every way, this year’s event was bigger than ever.” - Burning Beetle organizer Carrie Moore, on the 2023 Beetle Burn.
“I especially like being on the Burning Beetle committee because I get to build torches and hang out with some of the most creative and energetic people in town!” - Meg Schwartz on why she volunteers for the Burning Beetle.
“It’s amazing our faces were not blue and you didn’t see the breath coming out of our mouths.” - Allen Kirkham, discussing a photo shoot he and wife Jill did for The Western Way Magazine. The shoot was done outdoors on a frigid Black Hills day.
“You hope you never have to use it, but when you do use it there is an expectation someone is going to arrive. The outcome can’t be guaranteed, but you have to be prepared for it and that takes equipment, people and facilities.” - Tim Behlings, discussing the need for firefighters while discussing the possibility of the creation of a fire district in the western part of the county.
“It’s a sad day in America where advancing freedom becomes a crime. I will continue to keep the public and my wonderful constituents abreast of the situation as we fight for the Mount Rushmore District’s right for representation at our state Capitol.” - District 30 Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller, after she was stripped of committee assignments and later suspended by the state legislature for comments she allegedly made during a discussion with a Legislative Research Council staff member. Frye-Mueller denied the allegations and was later reinstated to the legislature.
“I had no ill intentions of saying anything and I sure as heck didn’t say anything that was in that release.” - Frye-Mueller, on the items it was alleged she said by the LRC staff member.
“I saw her walking and asked her, ‘What’s your name?’ And she said, ‘Gertrude.’ And I could say, ‘That’s a good name. My mother’s name is Gertrude.’” - Wayne Martin, on seeing his future wife at a dance. The couple has been married 75 years.
“One I don’t have to cook!” - Stephanie Ornelas, answering the Question of the Week, “What constitutes your perfect meal?”
“I’m not going to be called guilty for something that did not happen.” - District 30 Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller, at the annual Custer crackerbarrel discussing her suspension and subsequent censure at the legislative session over the alleged incident with the Legislative Research Council.
“I don’t like to see people being taxed off their land and out of their homes.” - District 30 Rep. Trish Ladner at the same crackerbarrel on the issue of rising property taxes.
“You’re going to go through this exercise, but it’s not going to mean anything.” - City of Custer alderwoman Peg Ryan, on a spring vote that would declare a nuisance the city’s effluent that is planned to be discharged into French Creek. Residents of the area gathered signatures to put the issue to the vote of county residents. However, because the permit issued for the discharge was issued by the state, it was questioned whether the vote would mean anything in the long run.
“Most people on the board have a lot more land than us. If you guys keep cutting our land we’re going to have nothing.” - Juliann Gramkow talking to the Custer County Commission about the possibility of a section line between Harris Lane and Aspen Lane being improved to create a new county road. The section line in question falls on Gramkow’s land.
“It’s come back to bite us several times. We have learned our lessons hard on that.” - Dan Holsworth, talking to the Custer County Commission as to why the Town of Hermosa Board didn’t want to grant a variance for a home that was eight inches onto the town’s sewer easement. The town was just outside of Hermosa but within the town’s one-mile extraterritorial area.
“I tell you, the inconsistencies are outrageous.” - Pamela Somervold, owner of the home Holsworth was discussing, on the mixed messages she received from the town board regarding the placement of her home.
“The security is probably better than Fort Knox.” - Custer City Council alderwoman Nina Nielsen, discussing the security at a medical cannabis dispensary she and Mayor Bob Brown toured in Sturgis.
“I’m going to change your mind tonight, and if I fail I’ll do it tomorrow or the next day or the next day.” - Tom Patterson, addressing the Custer City Council regarding his opposition to the planned F3 Gold exploratory mining in the area. Patterson was addressing those who may feel it’s a Forest Service issue and there was nothing the council could do about the mining.
“What people don’t realize is that your paraprofessionals are with your students 100 percent of the day. We don’t get a prep hour. We’re with your student.” - Katie Dethlefs, a Custer School District paraprofessional, discussing the importance of paraprofessionals.
“I don’t object if (mining) is done properly either, as long as it’s not done in the Black Hills.” - Patterson, speaking against the proposed exploratory gold mine drilling in the Custer area.
“We could have helped the citizens with even more tax cuts if we didn’t waste so much money.” - Frye-Mueller on the 2023 legislative session.
“Words hurt, and words cut more than if somebody were to flat out punch me in the face.” - Darcie Gentry, adoptive mother of Serenity Dennard, on her two suicide attempts following online criticism and accusations of her following Dennard’s disappearance.
“I don’t know how we got this lucky.” - Tessah Behlings, new City of Custer planning director, and both her and her husband finding jobs in Custer, where they wanted to relocated to be near family.
“I thanked the crew for tolerating me. I drove them like rented mules the last two days.” - Custer County Highway Department superintendent Jess Doyle and having his crew plow up to two feet of snow off the county road system in two days following an April snowstorm.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a few of those jobs here?” - June Johnston, speaking to the Custer County Commission regarding the possibility of high-paying jobs coming to Custer County via gold mining.
“Nothing is going to be perfect, no matter how we do it.” - Custer School District Board of Education member Travis Hartshorn, on developing a new plan for scheduling snow days for the district. The issue arose after the district had experienced several snow days over the winter, including a scheduled snow makeup day that was snowed out.
“There will be stories told, and I think some of them might even be true.” - Ron Bradeen, owner of Bradeen Auction and Real Estate, encouraging the public to come to a benefit auction at the YMCA in late April. The auction was held in celebration of Bradeen’s 100th anniversary of doing business.
“It’s something I’ve subconsciously always dreamed of being able to do, but now that I’m doing it it’s really very humbling.” -  South Dakota State Railroad Museum curator Rick Mills on being able to work a job that allows him to follow his passion of railroads. Mills was honored in 2023 by the South Dakota State Historical Society for his contributions to preserving historical preservation.
“On a macro perspective, that’s one of our biggest assets we have in this community and we have to preserve it.” - Custer Cares board member Mike Tennyson, on the work to bring a nursing home facility back to Custer.
“When one person goes in there, I’ll be good.” - Mayor Bob Brown on whether he was excited to have signed paperwork to bring the former nursing home building back into city ownership.
“In my mind, Herb and Jan kind of invented the climbing shoe,” - local caver Chris Pelczarski, commenting on Herb and Jan Conn during the screening of “The Ups and Downs of Herb and Jan Conn,” a South Dakota Public Broadcasting Documentary about the Conns. The Conns are pioneers in the climbing and caving world, best known for their work in Jewel Cave.
“They just didn’t look under the right rock.” - Jan Conn, on she and Herb mapping 60 miles of Jewel Cave after the cave had been advertised as a “small cave.”
“Gratitude isn’t just a word; it’s a way of life, and it’s actually a great way of life. It’s what I wish most for you all.” - Hermosa School physical education teacher Casey Trandem, addressing the Custer High School Class of 2023 at the class’s graduation.
“I won’t sugar coat it for you. It is hard, and it is scary—but it is thrilling and exciting.” - Custer High School English teacher Sydney Hickman discussing life during the graduation ceremony.
“It was really painful to be honest.” - Blake Boyster, on running the final 75 meters of the 400 into a wind gust at the Class A State Track Meet. Boyster won the gold medal in the event, his third straight state championship in the 400.
“The future is looking very very bright for all of us here in Custer.” - Custer Cares member Monica McGowan, discussing the upcoming reopening of a nursing home in Custer.
“It’s just continuous storytelling on his part. We’re going to have to go to the next level.” - Custer County Commissioner Mark Hartman on the ongoing saga of having three homes block the right of way on Galaxy Trail in the Star Valley Subdivision. Hartman was referring to Tom McDill, who purchased the homes from the property of the former STAR Academy but had yet to move them off the road after months of them being parked there.
“We will see how long they (the city) choose to ignore us.” - Steven Beardsley, attorney for Preserve French Creek, after his law firm sent a cease and desist letter to the City of Custer seeking a halt to construction of the force main that would take city wastewater plant effluent to French Creek. The letter was sent after Custer County voters voted to declare sending effluent to French Creek or its tributaries as a nuisance in the June 6 election.
“I hope you know we are very over it.” - Custer County Commissioner Mike Busskohl, responding to a Star Valley Subdivision resident who said subdivision residents “were over” having the three former STAR Academy homes purchased by McDill blocking a street in the subdivision.
“We’re not gonna fail this time.” - Shelley Martin on she and husband Dan’s second attempt at retirement after selling Pop’s Grocery Shoppe in Hermosa after 16 years.
“There’s a saying in journalism: if your mother says she loves you, check it out.” - Jack Marsh, former executive with Gannett and the Freedom Forum, on the importance of fact-checking in journalism. Marsh was one of the presenters at a panel after a performance of “The Lifespan of a Fact” at the Black Hills Playhouse.
“We can get caught up in the beauty of a story and retell it simply because it sounds good.” - Bart Pfankuch of South Dakota News Watch on the same subject.
“If you would just get some checks set up I’ll move your houses.” - Kevin McGowan, the man who was set to move McDill’s homes, after McDill said he couldn’t get ahold of McGowan at a county commission meeting. McGowan was sitting at the back of the room, unbeknownst to McDill.