News

Parent presents playground problems

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 2:38pm

Are children allowed to play at the playground after school is dismissed? 
Terri Kester asked the Custer School District (CSD) Board of Education about the matter at the meeting Sept. 8 at the Custer Administrative Building. 
Kester said she, along with other parents, recently received messages from teachers concerned about their children’s after school plans. The matter has caused some confusion and upset a number of parents. 

County employees question GIS transfer

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 1:16pm

Some county employees expressed concern at the Sept. 17 meeting of the Custer County Commission over a commission mandate that will see the county’s GIS responsibilities transferred from a standalone GIS department to the county’s planning office.
The county’s GIS department has for years been led remotely by Troy Schmidt. Under the commission’s plan, Schmidt will train all three employees of the county’s planning department until the end of the year, and will also remain available to help answer questions, etc., as needed after the transition.

Boys first, girls third at Custer Invite

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 1:04pm

Although the Custer High School Wildcats were using the Eldon Knudson Invitational Cross Country Meet at Rocky Knolls Golf Course as a training run, the boys walked away with a first place finish. 
“That wasn’t the primary goal when we ran it. I just wanted them to be on the course, to get a good workout in and to again run solidly as a team and pull each other along,” said head coach Karen Karim. 
Kian Rusch and Peyton Krueger ran stride for stride throughout the race, taking fourth at 18:16.16 and fifth at 18:17.31, respectively. 

Both sides of Fairburn recall vote offer perspective

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 12:49pm

A Fairburn Town Board member who has been on the job roughly three months will face a recall election in the small eastern Custer County town Oct. 7.
Cameron Smith, the man who filed the petition to recall town board member Bradley Mikkelson, said it only took one meeting before he felt having Mikkelson on the board was not going to work.

Lodge expansion permits approved

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 10:00am
Building permits for the  K Bar S Lodge expansion were approved by trustees at the Sept. 17 Keystone Town Board meeting. The approval is conditional on the town sewer upsize project, and the property cannot connect to the sewer until the upsize project is completed. The permit refers to four three-bedroom structures, nine two-bedroom structures, a clubhouse amenity building, a swimming pool with hot tubs and two pickleball courts. 
Trustee Will Parks explained his support of the expansion only with the contingency in place.  Trustee David Cofoid agreed. 

Rockerville area structure fire held to a single alarm

Published by admin on Wed, 09/24/2025 - 9:56am

The Rockerville Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire in the 23000 block of Pine Grove Road, unincorporated Pennington County. Upon arrival, firefighters found an active fire in a detached garage with heavy fire and smoke conditions with fire extending into the ceiling and roof assembly. Rapid attack by firefighters contained  the fire to the structure of origin, stopping the spread of the flames to nearby natural vegetation, infrastructure and other improvements. No injuries to firefighters, civilians, domestic animals or livestock were reported.

School board OK’s $22 million budget

Published by admin on Wed, 09/17/2025 - 10:07am

A budget of $22,391,253 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 was approved by the Custer School District (CSD) Board of Education at the meeting Sept. 8 at the Custer School District Administrative Building. 
Superintendent of schools Dr. Tim Frederick explained that putting together a budget is not as simple as punching numbers into a template. It requires looking at all the different programs, understanding what funding is out there and what funding might not be available in the future. 

Council approves big blue tank mixer

Published by admin on Wed, 09/17/2025 - 9:52am
Aldermen approved an installation of a mixer for the big blue water tower. The contract was awarded to Maguire for $35,000. Public works director Justin Asher explained the options to Hill City Common Council members at the Sept. 8 meeting. 
“I need to put something in it” to keep it from freezing, Asher said, explaining his desire to move away from a variable drive motor. He presented two quotes for a mixer, but said the Pax Water Technologies solution was “a bigger version of what we have now and I’m trying to get away from that.”

Elk Mountain School looking to expand

Published by admin on Wed, 09/17/2025 - 9:50am

The Elk Mountain School District is considering an expansion of its school facilities, but this will require an increase in property taxes to repay the bond. Voters will decide how to move forward at the polls Nov. 4. 

Black Hills Energy announces merger

Published by admin on Wed, 09/17/2025 - 9:49am

Black Hills Energy (BHE) and NorthWestern Energy announced a merger that will, according to an Aug. 19 press release, “create a premier regional regulated electric and natural gas utility company with a pro forma market capitalization of approximately $7.8 billion and a combined enterprise value of $15.4 billion.”
BHE president and CEO, Linn Evans said, “The combined company will have greater scale and financial strength to consistently deliver for customers across our service territories and invest at the pace and scale that today’s energy transformation demands.”