News

Changing practices on the boardwalk

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 11:48am

A decision to block off part of the Keystone boardwalk by one owner has been met with some controversy.

Surrounding boardwalk businesses think Red Garter Saloon/Ruby House’s decision to block off part of the Keystone boardwalk to foot traffic hinders the flow of foot traffic.

But owner Lisa Schaeffer sees things differently.

“We need to keep our patrons safe,” Schaeffer said. “We need to keep our employees safe. Everybody is doing 50 percent of their business. How can you survive on 50 percent?”

Keystone tourist season starts strong

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 11:47am

The Keystone Chamber of Commerce has officially opened the visitor information center (VIC) for the season June 1.

This coincided with the opening of the 1880 Train, once of the biggest draws for tourists in the region. The center had been open for the busy Memorial Day weekend. Summer hours for the VIC are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The center has plenty of town maps available for tourists and locals alike.

The chamber is also finishing interviews for a new director. According to Leah Serrano, “We have a couple of great candidates and it’s a hard choice.”

Another AUP goes to the county

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 11:47am

The Keystone Area Historical Society (KAHS) agreed upon procedures (AUP) has been turned over to law enforcement.

According to KAHS Board President Jon Veltman, “filing the report was a prerequisite the town put on us in order for them to pay for the audit.” The AUP was shared with local deputies who would not comment on the matter, saying only that the matter has been turned over to Pennington County investigations.

The corona effect on local real estate

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:30am
Three out-of-state families made trips to the Black Hills this past weekend, but not simply for a fun getaway. Those folks from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa were in town to look at real estate properties in the area and, according to local realtors and builders, they may be part of a growing trend spurred by the recent coronavirus lockdowns. 
Custer realtor Faith Lewis was the agent showing the properties to the families from states to the east. She believes the inquiries are the beginning of a possible migration to more rural areas like ours. 

Moore, Pechota deadlocked

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:30am
If you think one vote can’t make a difference, look no further than last evening’s race for a seat in Ward III of the Custer City Council, where votes were split evenly down the middle. When the votes were counted, incumbent Carrie Moore and challenger Todd Pechota tied at 124 votes.

New path to school

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:29am
Work has begun on a project that, when complete, will provide a safe walkway for students to get from the western, central and northern parts of town  to the school campus without having to meander through city streets or Sidney Park Road.

Memorial weekend is a mixed bag

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:28am
The summer season got its unofficial start over Memorial Day weekend, and with city-imposed restrictions that mirror Centers for Disease Control guidelines still in place, restaurants and visitors were able to dip their toes into the world of commerce that is the new normal, at least for the time being.

Businesses present plans

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:28am
Although the city of Custer is still in the midst of ordinances and resolutions that curtail business, more businesses and facilities are opening as the United States trudges through its third month dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the June 1 meeting of the Custer City Council, the city gave its blessing to five more businesses’ requests for modifications in their operations to comply with its COVID-19 ordinance, as well as plans for Custer Community Center gym, city pool, high school graduation ceremony and July 4 fireworks show.

Monument Health says COVID-19 peak is coming

Published by admin on Thu, 06/04/2020 - 10:22am
COVID-19 is projected to grow rapidly in our region over the coming weeks, according to Monument Health, whose short-term projections, based on data over the past two weeks and used to calculate the expected growth over the next two weeks, show that in two weeks the number of West River positive COVID-19 cases could grow to 776.

Black Hills welcomes visitors from all over

Published by admin on Thu, 05/28/2020 - 10:28am

This past weekend — Memorial Day weekend — marked the unofficial start of summer, and visitors were out in full force.

At Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Friday, the monument grounds — while still undergoing renovations — had a steady stream of people coming from all over the county to catch a glimpse of the famous stone faces.