Custer County Chronicle

County decries 30x30 plans as land grab

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:46am

In an executive order issued in January, President Joe Biden promised to protect 30 percent of U.S. land and 30 percent of U.S. oceans by 2030. The order, referred as the “30x30” program, isn’t sitting well with Custer County Commission chairman Jim Lintz.
At the commission’s April 28 meeting, Lintz said he believes it is merely a land grab, a case of the federal government trying to wrest private property from its citizens, as opposed to an impetus for climate protection.

Chronicle wins awards

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:45am

Results of the 2020 S.D. Newspaper Association’s Better Newspapers Awards were announced last Thursday with the Custer County Chronicle winning 11, including five first places.
Jason Ferguson won three first places, Ron Burtz one and Down Country Roads magazine a first.

County to study soaring taxes

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:40am

Custer County will convene a study group to tackle the issue of skyrocketing property taxes, although those involved agree it will likely take state legislature action to provide any real solution to the problem.

Kidnapper gets 30 years in pen

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:38am

The woman who pleaded guilty to kidnapping an 88-year-old Rapid City woman last summer was sentenced to 30 years in the S.D. State Penitentiary following a plea agreement with the Custer County State’s Attorney’s office.
Katrina Valazquez, 25, of Pine Ridge was the suspect in the July 5, 2020, armed kidnapping and car theft that began at a Hermosa convenience store and ended up at a Pine Ridge COVID-19 checkpoint.

Woman arrested after bringing drugs to 24/7

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:36am

A cascading domino effect of poor decisions led to a woman being arrested by Custer County Sheriff’s deputies on multiple charges Friday. Among other things, the woman showed up for 24/7 testing at the courthouse allegedly with drugs and paraphernalia in her purse.
Deputy Derrick Reifenrath said 45-year-old Bobbi Buchholz, a 24/7 drug testing program participant from Pennington County, was scheduled to appear at the Custer County Courthouse for urinalysis Friday morning. He said since she lives in Hill City it is closer for her to come to Custer for the testing.

Gov. Noem sues over fireworks

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

Last Friday, Gov. Kristi Noem filed a lawsuit against officials in the Biden administration over their cancellation of the Mt. Rushmore fireworks celebration. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of S.D. Central Division.

Crash takes life of Custer man

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

John Karlowitsch, Jr. , of Custer, age 67, died Wednesday, April 28, about 9 p.m. in a one-vehicle crash five miles south of Pringle.
 Preliminary crash information indicated that a 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup was traveling south on Hwy. 89 when the driver lost control. The vehicle went off the roadway and rolled.
 The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the pickup. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Frieden wins Buffalo Gap seat

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:35am

Daniel Frieden was the winner of a four-way election for a three-year term in the recent Buffalo Gap Town Board election. Frieden received 15 votes compared to Carrie Zoellick with 13, Kenneth Johnson with eight and Lucia Roda with four.
Frieden replaces Kim McNemar, who chose not to seek reelection.

CDC loosens mask guidelines

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:32am

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its guidelines last week on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.
And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some cases, too.
For most of the past year, the CDC advised Americans to wear masks outdoors if they were within six feet of each other.

Noem, Hagen kick off National Travel and Tourism Week

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:18am

On a chilly Monday morning with occasional flurries at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and South Dakota Sec. of Tourism Jim Hagen kicked off National Travel and Tourism Week.
The two addressed the past tourist season and what is to be expected for the 2021 tourism season — and by all metrics it’s looking to be a big year.