News

Changes down the road after bus driver walkout

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 3:12pm

A number of bus drivers recently abruptly quit Harlow’s School Bus Service, causing a sudden disruption in school transportation services as replacements needed to be arranged with little notice.

Fire opt-out meeting March 9

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 3:06pm

The Custer County Fire Advisory Board will host a public comment meeting March 9 from 6-8 p.m. at the Custer County Courthouse Annex Pine Room.
Board members will be on hand to both present information and answer questions regarding the proposed opt-out.

City OKs summer music series

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 3:02pm

Music is returning outdoors this summer in Custer, thanks to the Custer County Historical Society/1881 Museum and the South Dakota Outdoor Shop.
Courthouse museum director Deb Hanagan asked for and received approval from the Custer City Council at the council’s Feb. 17 meeting to have an open container area for eight events over the course of the 2026 season, including for a summer music series.

Keystone Town Board accepts bid

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 9:40am
The town of Keystone  accepted a $1,667,550.62  bid from RCS Construction for the sewer upsize project. The acceptance took place at the Feb. 18 Keystone Town Board meeting. 
The bid was one of 11 the project received. The engineer’s estimate was over $4 million, said town engineer Zach Grapentine. Four bids were under $2 million, three bids under $3 million and one bid was over $5.5 million. Grapentine said when the project began prices were high and there were fewer bidders for projects. 

Road divided on what led to bus strike

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 9:36am
The only thing certain in the Harlow’s Bus Service situation that unfolded late last week is some drivers resigned and walked off their jobs last week. 
The reason(s), however, is unclear.
One driver, who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of “repercussions,” said he left because of unsafe buses saying, “even if one child is hurt over this, our paycheck is not worth it.”
“I was not encouraged by my immediate supervisor to resign,” the driver said.

Governor-backed plan advances as Legislature continues to cull property tax reduction ideas

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 9:33am
The South Dakota Senate endorsed a proposal recently that would allow counties to implement a half-percent sales tax to reduce property taxes for homeowners.
The bill passed the chamber with a 20-14 vote and now goes to a House committee.
The plan is from Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden. It would let counties levy up to a half-percent sales tax and use the money to offset the county’s portion of property taxes on owner-occupied homes, in the form of credits to property owners.

Committee-endorsed plan would use some state revenue growth to reduce property taxes

Published by admin on Wed, 02/25/2026 - 9:31am
The Senate Taxation Committee endorsed a bill 4-3 recently that would create a new fund to offset taxes for all South Dakota property tax categories, using a portion of the state’s annual general fund revenue growth to fill it.
The bill is one of several major property tax proposals moving through the legislative process. Some other proposals were rejected by the House and Senate.

Fire departments vote in favor of opting out

Published by admin on Wed, 02/18/2026 - 12:58pm

Winners, losers emerging on property tax bills

Published by admin on Wed, 02/18/2026 - 12:56pm

South Dakota lawmakers in Pierre have property tax proposals aplenty to discuss, built upon 19 ideas from a tax relief task force and others from the governor and individual legislators. 
Last Thursday they tore through a flurry of the bills, leaving some in the conversation and dropping others out.
The activity came a day after Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a property tax bill into law for the first time this legislative session.

Fire breaks out near Custer

Published by admin on Wed, 02/18/2026 - 12:55pm

A fire that sparked last Sunday afternoon three miles south of Grey Rocks Road in Custer County is nearly officially fully contained, South Dakota State Wildland Fire has reported.
It was at 12:53 p.m. when the initial call for the fire was received by dispatch, and state, federal and local resources provided initial attack on the fire, which burned west of Grey Rocks Road.
The fire was originally estimated at 30 to 40 acres, and grew to 58 acres by the time it was 50 percent contained by Monday.