Those who think this winter has been unusually cold are not alone. 

They are also correct.

Winter unofficially began with a major snowstorm in October, and since that time, Custer has experienced below average temperatures in three of the past five months. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Rapid City, this winter has been the fifth coldest meteorological winter (December through February) since records started being kept in 1942.

Back in the days of the Free Speech Movement, Students for a Democratic Society, the Weather Underground and dozens of causes for the socially misfit and downtrodden, the 1960s and early 1970s stand alone as a rallying point which nearly ignited a modern day total rebellion within the U. S. Slogans were “Question Authority,” “Make Love, Not War,” “Tune in and Drop Out” and “Don’t Trust Anyone Over 30.” Those are the printable ones.

Basketball can be a heartbreaking sport.

No matter how well you play defense, no matter how much you hustle, and no matter how great you rebound, if you can’t make any shots, you’re going to lose. Monday night in Pine Ridge, the Custer High School boys basketball team couldn’t make any shots. Predictably, that led to a loss.

Nicholas Castro, honor band, alto saxophone; Ariel Cisneros, festival band, clarinet; Michelle Dehaven, festival band, flute; and Sean Dehaven, festival band, alto saxophone; were among the 270 high school students hosted by Chadron State College for the 38th annual High Plains Band and Choir Music Festival Feb. 1-2.

Two weeks ago we ran a photo of 14 Custer County Reserve Deputies who graduated from a three and a half month law enforcement course. They bring the number of unpaid, part-time deputies to 21 in the Sheriff’s Office. They augment the country law enforcement forces of Sheriff Rick Wheeler and 11 paid full-time deputies. After studying and training three nights a week and some weekends, the 14 are now officially reserve deputies.