Custer County Chronicle

War between Hamas, Israel will be ugly

Published by admin on Wed, 10/18/2023 - 10:08am

As if the brutal war between Ukraine and Russia weren’t enough to hang a dark cloud over our world, we had a new war break out recently when Hamas attacked Israel, sending hundreds of rockets and armed militants into Israel, slaughtering many innocent civilians in the process, while also taking hundreds of hostages. Israel, of course, responded by ordering a “complete seige” of Gaza, cutting off food, electricity, fuel and water supplies. It also immediately began pounding Gaza with air strikes.

Welcoming home South Dakota’s finest

Published by admin on Wed, 10/18/2023 - 10:07am

Welcoming troops home has always been one of my favorite parts of this job. Seeing the joy that our soldiers feel when they are reunited with their families is truly greater than words could ever describe.
I recently had the privilege of welcoming home 50 South Dakota National Guard soldiers with the Alpha Battery 1st Battalion 147th Field Artillery. Their unit is based out of Watertown, and they were deployed to Eagle Pass, Texas to defend our Southern border at the beginning of September.

Health care debt shouldn’t ruin credit

Published by admin on Wed, 10/11/2023 - 2:28pm

The Biden Administration has recently pitched a plan that would keep unpaid medical bills from destroying someone’s credit score. We think that is a brilliant idea.

Grandpa’s apples

Published by admin on Wed, 10/11/2023 - 2:26pm

Every other year, right about this time, when the leaves have started to turn and the shadows have lengthened, two gnarled and twisted apple trees blush rosy-red with clusters of fruit hanging heavy on the boughs, like clusters of grapes. They are my grandpa’s trees, planted some 40 years ago, and are the best apples I have ever tasted. There were others, but only these two made it through the decades. I always get a little sentimental on a bumper-crop year. Grandpa has been gone for 15 years, and there’s something poignant and important in continuing a task he started.

Newspapers are for you every week

Published by admin on Wed, 10/04/2023 - 10:04am

Americans have more media options than ever. We are inundated with stories, memes, videos and promotions 24 hours a day. Most of us are on social media, which is built to provide an endless feed of content to keep us glued to our screens. Unfortunately, misinformation is prevalent and much of that content isn’t fact-checked, verified or professionally produced. The result is that we’re not always shown what we need to know, or what is most likely to impact our lives. That’s where local newspapers come in. Your local newspaper takes a different approach.

The thrill of the agate chase

Published by admin on Wed, 10/04/2023 - 10:02am

The unseasonably hot sun pours its rays on my bare neck, setting off beads of sweat which drip off me or into my T-shirt. Still, a couple friends and I keep our faces to the ground and continue slowly making our way up the ridge near Teepee Canyon, carefully searching for dust-covered treasures. We’re looking for agates—a recent obsession of ours.

We will miss you dearly, Seth

Published by admin on Wed, 09/27/2023 - 3:27pm

It’s a day we feared. It’s a day we dreaded. It’s a day we knew would always come, but liked to think it would be years and years down the road. It’s a day that has come.
Seth Thompson is leaving the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. That, in turn, means that the Sheriff’s Log in this paper, in its current iteration, isn’t long for this world.

Colorado gets a dose of reality

Published by admin on Wed, 09/27/2023 - 3:24pm

The Colorado Buffaloes have been the talk of the early college season, led by their ubiquitous coach, Deion Sanders, star quarterback, Shedeur Sanders (Deion’s son) and two-way star Travis Hunter, who at one time was the No. 1 recruit in the country.

The sad state of American politics

Published by admin on Wed, 09/20/2023 - 10:20am

Indictments. Impeachments. Name-calling. Infighting. Loggerheads. The current state of the American political system would make for a great joke if it wasn’t so sad.
The latest in the seemingly never-ending political folly came recently when Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced last week he is directing the U.S. House to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his family’s business dealings.

Freedom really does work here

Published by admin on Wed, 09/20/2023 - 10:18am

I launched the “Freedom Works Here” nationwide workforce recruitment campaign in June to tell South Dakota’s story to America. South Dakota has seen unprecedented economic success over the last several years. This resulted in us having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation—but we still had open jobs to fill.
From the beginning, this campaign has been about filling job openings for South Dakota businesses. Our businesses are loving the results, and Americans are answering the call.