The flow of beer in Whiteclay must stop, the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission ordered Wednesday, an unprecedented move that sets the stage for a major court battle.
Commissioners voted 3-0 to deny licenses to all four beer stores in the alcohol-soaked outpost in northwest Nebraska, a bottle's toss from South Dakota's dry Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
"This is not a place that can exist any longer," commission Chairman Bob Batt of Omaha said after the vote. "This is not a place that can exist as a purveyor of alcohol at all."
Cheers erupted from those who packed a tiny hearing room at the State Office Building for the decision.
Former Oglala Lakota President Bryan Brewer and longtime Winnebago activist Frank LaMere, both in tears, embraced after the announcement.
"We've never come this far," Brewer said. "I'm just so happy for our people."
A lawyer for the beer stores — which also face allegations from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office of selling to bootleggers — said they will appeal the decision in Lancaster County District Court.
The stores may remain open through April 30, when their current licenses expire. Attorney Andrew Snyder of Scottsbluff, who listened to the decision via conference call, said later that his clients will seek a judge's order to extend that until the appeal is resolved.
The beer store owners weren't present for Wednesday's decision.
Snyder repeated his claim that the state's actions against the beer stores are part of a politically motivated effort led by Gov. Pete Ricketts.
"I think the commissioners are wrong," Snyder said.
Alcohol sales in Whiteclay have been in question for months. The Liquor Commission ordered the beer stores to reapply for their licenses in November, citing concerns about law enforcement after a local official said Sheridan County "absolutely" lacked adequate resources to police the area.
Whiteclay has about eight official residents, but combined, its liquor stores sell millions of cans of beer each year, much of it to members of Pine Ridge's resident Oglala Lakota Tribe.
Sheridan County, where Whiteclay is located, is patrolled by a sheriff's office with five full-time deputies.

The tribe's top law enforcement official told liquor commissioners during an April 6 hearing that Whiteclay crime routinely spills over into Pine Ridge, and Nebraska authorities do little to help. And a group of street ministers who live in Whiteclay testified about persistently dangerous, disgusting conditions in the unincorporated village.But aside from that single remark last fall by Sheridan County Commissioner Jack Andersen, local authorities have insisted they have the resources to maintain public safety.
The Liquor Commission rejected that argument in reaching Wednesday's decision.
Commissioner Bruce Bailey of Lincoln, his voice shaking, read a list of reasons he felt gave the commission authority to close the stores: the frequency of ambulance calls to Whiteclay and the stores themselves, the "very moving" stories of debauchery and violence on the streets, and a unanimous resolution by the Oglala Lakota Tribe's executive committee that the beer stores should be closed.
"Very honestly, their five officers cannot cover what needs to be done, let alone realize we're also covering a 35-mile-by-66-mile county," Bailey said.
Snyder said Bailey's comments went beyond the issues the commission was supposed to consider in its decision and will only help with the stores' appeal.
"I appreciate his comments," Snyder said. "That’ll be useful to us."
This is a developing story. Stay with rapidcityjournal.com for updates.

By J. Mark Powell, contributor • 3/8/17 7:00 AM
Washington Examiner

International Women's Day is the perfect time to recall women who've become lost in the past. This year, one woman especially comes to mind. Almost totally forgotten now, she was a celebrity, a big star in a vanished field of entertainment.

It was a simple idea: if Americans couldn't see the Wild West for themselves, the Wild West would come to them. So for the 30 years from 1883 to 1913, the region was celebrated in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. It combined the breathtaking adventures of a circus with a Smithsonian-level dedication to preserving the region's legacy.
Imitation, they say, is the most sincere form of flattery. And Buffalo Bill's show had many imitators. Some very good, like Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show, and many not so good.
And with that entertainment form forgotten today, it's no surprise folks also forgot the important role women played in those shows.
The best remembered are Annie Oakley, "Little Sure Shot" (thanks in no small part to the hit Broadway and movie musical "Annie Get Your Gun") and Calamity Jane, a true western character whose real-life stories were only outdone by those she made up (such as claiming to have married Wild Bill Hickok and had his child; she did neither).
Lulu Bell Parr was another big star. Almost unheard of now, she was widely popular in her time as the "Champion Lady Bucking Horse Rider of the World."
Lulu was born in 1876 in the very un-western Fort Wayne, Ind. Not much is known about her early years. It seems her parents died while she was young. She married at age 20 and was divorced three years later on grounds of "extreme cruelty."
Somewhere along the way she learned how to ride and shoot. She was a good trick rider and shooter. But she excelled at bronco riding. Lulu could handle an unbroken horse as good as any man. So it was only natural that at age 27 she headed west.
Lulu crossed paths with Pawnee Bill, who was so impressed by her riding and shooting that he offered her a job in his how.

In 1908 she joined Colonel Cummins' Wild West Tour and went to Europe, where she performed before King Edward in Liverpool, England.In 1909, she made it to the top of her profession: Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Bill was blown away by her equestrian ability and gave her an ivory-handled Colt revolver in admiration.
Lulu returned to Pawnee Bill's show in 1916. But times were changing. Silent movies had arrived, and people were deserting show tents for the cheaper movie theaters.
It was a sad downward slide for Lulu from there. With Wild West attractions folding up, she kept going to smaller and smaller outfits before finally hanging up her spurs in 1929 at age 53.
Flat broke and alone, she moved to Ohio and lived with her brother and sister. Lulu was a favorite of neighborhood children who loved hearing her stories of famous western heroes and ogling the collection of colorful costumes she had worn over the years.
She had a stroke and passed away in 1955. Lulu Bell Parr was 78.Almost all that's left to memorialize the hundreds of thousands of people she thrilled with her bronco-riding feats is a lonely tombstone in Dayton, Ohio. It's a sad reminder of the truth in the ancient Latin saying, Sic transit gloria mundi - Worldly things are fleeting.

By Linda Wommack
3/6/2017 • Wild West Magazine
Historic trails and horse-drawn vehicles take center stage.
At the heart of South Dakota’s beautiful Black Hills is Deadwood, rich in history and home to two fine museums housing historic collections and artifacts. While the long-established Adams Museum rates among the best in the West, the Days of ’76 Museum recently opened a big new building to better relate the region’s history.

The bitter post–Civil War conflict between Dakota Territory settlers and Indians centered on the Black Hills. The Sioux (Lakotas), who had driven away other tribes in the 18th century, considered the Black Hills (Pahá Sápa) sacred ground. The 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie granted the Sioux “absolute and undisturbed use and occupation” of the hills. A half dozen years later the U.S. government sent Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer into the Black Hills to choose a location for a new fort. When the expedition turned up gold, word got out and thousands of would-be prospectors rushed into the hills, treaty be damned. The Army initially tried to keep out the settlers, but it was a losing proposition, and the resulting tension over the Black Hills helped spark the calamitous June 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn.
The roots of the Days of ’76 Museum stretch back to 1924 when Deadwood held a celebration to honor the prospectors, miners, mule skinners and madams who rushed, legally or not, into the Black Hills in 1876 to seek their fortune in the gold-laden gulches of Dakota Territory. Since then the Days of ’76 commemoration has grown into a spirited annual event highlighted by a parade and a PRCA rodeo.
Over the years the event garnered a collection of donated horse-drawn wagons and stagecoaches, carriages, frontier clothing and other Old West memorabilia, and to house these items, event coordinators started an informal museum in a pole barn. In 1990 local historian Don Clowser added to what was likely the largest repository of horse-drawn vehicles in the state by contributing his own excellent collection of pioneer and Indian artifacts and firearms. It soon became clear the museum needed a better space. In 2004 the board, supported by a $3 million gift from Deadwood officials, pledged to build a $5.25 million, 32-000-squarefoot state-of-the-art exhibit hall at Deadwood’s southern gateway.
On May 25, 2013, the two-story museum held its grand opening. The first floor features an open lobby with an Old West street decor. Displayed prominently are the celebrated horse-drawn vehicles, including an original Deadwood stage, and other modes of early transportation. A nearby diorama features photos and a time line of Deadwood’s colorful past. Another central exhibit features a large photo of museum co-founder Doc Coburn alongside one of his buckskin jackets and other personal possessions.
Throughout the museum visitors will find such distinctive frontier artifacts as gambling devices and Chinese opium pipes. The rodeo collection is sure to rope in anyone interested in South Dakota’s official state sport. Its rich history is captured in photographs, poster art, historic documents and items such as saddles, ropes and trophies. Two main exhibits devoted to American Indians showcase clothing, deerskin boots, beaded moccasins, jewelry, ceremonial pipes, weapons and musical instruments.
The Days of ’76 Museum also sponsors efforts by Deadwood’s Historic Preservation Commission to document the area’s historic trails system. From 1876 until the arrival of the railroad in 1890, Deadwood was a transportation hub for routes from Fort Pierre, Medora and Bismarck in Dakota Territory, Miles City in Montana Territory, Cheyenne in Wyoming Territory and Sidney, Neb. The only way to get goods or services into or out of Deadwood in the early days was by freight team, stagecoach, wagon, horseback or on foot. The museum is dedicated to relating the stories of these routes and the vehicles that traveled them. In 2008 it cosponsored with the Verendrye Museum in Fort Pierre a reenactment along the Fort Pierre–Deadwood Trail and has since sponsored reenactments along the Miles City–Deadwood Trail and the Medora–Deadwood Trail. With the museum’s support, the preservation commission is developing a proposal for consideration by the National Park Service to adopt the Deadwood Trails project into the National Trails System.
With more trail reenactments on the horizon, the Days of ’76 Museum will continue to spearhead trail research and showcase trail history. The museum is at 18 Seventy-Six Drive in Deadwood. For more information call 605 578-1657 or visit www.daysof76museum.

By Taylar Perez
KEVN Black Hills Fox
2-3-17

Deadwood, SD What do you get when you combine a horse back rider a skier and a rope between the two?
Shawn Gerber, skijorer says, "Lace up on skis with a 33-foot rope behind a fast horse, go over a series of jumps around gates like a racecourse if you will, and then they give you a sawed-off ski pole as a joust and you joust rings out of the air."
If skiing or horse back riding weren't scary enough alone, 34 teams combined the two sports went head to head for Deadwood's first skijoring competition.
Gerber says, "It's a Scandinavian sport that use it as a method of travel way back in the day it's kind of become a sport over the years."
The event was organized by the Black Hills Ski Team as a fundraiser for their 44 skiers.
Courtney Schad, Black Hills Ski Team board president says, "We are having a fundraising event for the Black Hills ski team and we decided we wanted to bring skijoring into the state. It's a really big event in most western states and this is the perfect spot for it."
This skijoring event brought together beginners and pro's in the sport.
Richard Weber, Skijoring rider says, "As a skijorer I ride the horse. I've been doing this sport for about 7 years and so I travel around and go to races and have a good time doing it."
And the participants say it's more than just an adrenaline rush.
Gerber says, "You're not thinking about you're not thinking about what you're having for dinner it's real peaceful everything kind of slows down and all your thinking about is getting those rings and making those gates."
Blair Weathers, Skijorer says, "It's a bunch of like-minded people just looking to have a good time and play with their horses and do something and it's just a blast everybody is super nice."
Weber says "Whenever you go to a race, you're just trying to help everybody out so that they can do a good job and it's fun, it's great."
The winners walked away with over $2000 in cash and prizes and the organizers hope to make the event even bigger next year.
Schad says, "We hope to build this event make it a little bigger next year hopefully. It's good for the town of Deadwood and good for us as well."

Deadwood: An Entire American City Named a National Historic Landmark!

 
Deadwood was established in 1876 during the Black Hills gold rush. In 1875, a miner named John B. Pearson found gold in a narrow canyon in the Northern Black Hills. This canyon became known as "Deadwood Gulch," because of the many dead trees that lined the canyon walls at the time. The name stuck, and, over 125 years later, the U.S. 2000 Census cites Deadwood's population as 1,380; and the town sits some 4,533 feet above sea level. Given its colorful, violent, and lawless beginnings, few could have imagined that Deadwood would someday serve as the county seat for LawrenceCounty, as it does today.
In 1874, under the command of General George A. Custer, a government- sponsored expedition confirmed the presence of gold in the Black Hills. The U.S. government tried to conceal the discovery from the general public in order to honor the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which forever ceded the Black Hills to the Lakota-Sioux. The government also dispatched several military units to forts in the surrounding area to keep people from entering the Hills. However, people illegally entered the area anyway, searching for gold or adventure. Despite the efforts of the military and federal government, the American populace learned about the discovery of gold in the Black Hills. Influenced by dreams and greed, the 1876 gold rush was on in the Black Hills. Once Deadwood was established, the mining camp was soon swarming with thousands of prospectors searching for an easy way to get rich. Such luck happened to fall upon Fred and Moses Manuel, who claimed the Homestake Mine, which proved to be the most profitable in the area. Although the Manuels had been lucky, others were not so fortunate. Most of the early population was in Deadwood to mine for gold, but the lawless region naturally attracted a crowd of rough and shady characters. These particular individuals made the early days of Deadwood rough and wild. A mostly male population eagerly patronized the many saloons, gambling establishments, dance halls, and brothels. These establishments were considered legitimate businesses and were well known throughout the area.
By 1877, Deadwood was evolving from a primitive mining camp to a community with a sense of order. The crude tents and shanties that had housed the early miners quickly gave way to wood and brick buildings. The community organized a town government that relied on Sheriff Seth Bullock to keep law and order. The gradual transition of Deadwood from a mining camp to a civilized community nearly came to an abrupt end. On Sept. 26, 1879, a fire started at a bakery on Sherman Street and rapidly spread to the business district of Deadwood. The fire damaged the business district of the town, but rather than give up, the community rebuilt itself. The fire made clear the need for regulations preventing another fire. The local government enacted laws that would permit only certain building materials for building construction. After the fire, Deadwood rebuilt itself in brick and stone rather than in lumber.
In 1890, the railroad connected the town to the outside world. The Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad helped bring the community together as a civic entity. The railroad also brought people to the area from various ethnic groups. Chinese immigrants were among those building the railroad. Hundreds of Chinese came to the Black Hills looking for work in mines or commerce. Many settled in Deadwood, where they sought work in restaurants, laundries and stores. By the end of the 1880s, Deadwood had a Chinatown, which was at the northern end of present-day Main Street. The Chinese managed to establish a district and a fire department for themselves, but struggled in nearly every part of society. Often denied equality in a dominantly Caucasian community, the members of Chinatown strived for recognition as citizens of Deadwood. All too often they were subjected to the suspicion and hostility of whites.
Deadwood gradually evolved from a wild frontier town to a prosperous commercial center, due, in part, to the construction of the railroad. Although the community primarily focused on its gold mining industry, Deadwood became the place where people traveled in the Black Hills to conduct their business. Despite an 1883 flood, and another fire in 1894, Deadwood prevailed through many hardships. In March 1878, Paul Rewman established Western South Dakota's first telephone exchange in Deadwood. Dakota Territory became the states of North and South Dakota on November 2, 1889 (Dakota Territory also included areas that encompassed present day Montana and most of Wyoming). Deadwood moved forward into the twentieth century, but the image of the wild West town has lingered, due to past events and the individuals responsible for making the town into a legend. Figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane each left their mark. Hickok, a legendary figure even in his own lifetime, was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall, while playing poker at the No. 10 Saloon on August 2, 1876. Calamity Jane was renowned for her excellent marksmanship, preference for men's clothing, and bawdy behavior. Although Deadwood had its tough individuals, others were gentler in nature, such as Rev. Henry W. Smith. Preacher Smith was the first Methodist minister to come to the Black Hills. Smith was mysteriously murdered on Sunday, August 20, 1876, while walking to CrookCity to deliver a sermon. These individuals are just a few of the many notables buried in Mt.MoriahCemetery, which was established in 1877 or 1878.
 
“Deadwood has been known the world round for over half a century. It is the smallest ‘metropolitan’ city in the world, with paving and public and other buildings such as are seldom found in cities less than several times its size.”
John S. McClintock
Pioneer Days in the Black Hills, 1939
 

As Deadwood settled into the twentieth century, the gambling and prostitution establishments were still considered legitimate businesses. The new century brought new beliefs and ideas, and the gambling and prostitution came under attack from reformers. The reformers believed that the two were partly responsible for causing social problems, such as drunkenness and poverty. These reformers also supported the temperance movement that was sweeping the country. In 1919, the U.S. government had passed the Prohibition Act banning the sale and distribution of alcohol. During the roaring twenties, gaming became illegal but continued to operate behind closed doors. With the repeal of the Prohibition Act in 1935, gambling once again flourished in Deadwood until 1947, when it was officially closed. Prostitution remained a business until the 1950s when the state's attorney shut down many of the brothels. The last one to close was Pam's Purple Door in 1980. While gambling and prostitution establishments closed, Deadwood became the only city in the United States to be named a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
During the 1980s the question of gaming resurfaced, and a petition was introduced to reinstate gaming in Deadwood. In 1986, local business owners agreed to lobby for legalized gaming to create economic development for the community. As gaming moved through the state legislature, the Deadwood City Commission established the Historic Preservation Commission in 1987 to oversee the restoration of historic sites in the community. In 1988, the gaming issue initiative was put on the state ballot. It passed with 64% of the vote and was authorized to begin on November 1, 1989. The introduction of gaming has enabled Deadwood to preserve its historic buildings and dramatically increase tourism. The lure of gaming is not the only draw to Deadwood; people are also fascinated by its unique, colorful history.
Time Line
Events in Deadwood's history that shaped the town.Books and Internet Resources
Learn more about Deadwood, how it came to be, and its role in the history of the Black Hills.

It is the Deadwood Social Clubs pleasure to announce our appearance on the Travel Channel Show Secret Eats with Adam Richman. Join Adam as he discovers the Deadwood Social Club and experiences Chef Caleb Storm’s signature off the menu dish Wild Boar Poppers. Episode airs February 1st at 11am mountain time.Check Local listings #secreteats

The George S. Mickelson Great Service Award honors businesses or organizations that have done an exemplary job of exceeding visitors’ expectations in customer service. It marks the culmination of a yearly hospitality program that involves hospitality training, customer comment cards, an employee recognition program, and an application for the Great Service Star designation.

Two George S. Mickelson Great Service Awards were presented for 2016.

In today’s social media world, a good or bad experience is rapidly communicated throughout online communities. That’s why it is more important than ever to create an environment focused on customer service and visitor experience. That’s why every year we recognize two partners who go above and beyond.
The Saloon #10 and the Deadwood Social Club, Deadwood, encourages every full-time and seasonal employee to explore the community and the surrounding area so they can pass along information to guests. Each employee is also given a one-sheet of common questions asked by visitors.

They also hold an annual meeting that includes customer service training and hospitality tips to help prepare them for the peak travel season. Monthly department meetings are held with the owners where employees are encouraged to discuss areas that need improvement, as well as share stories of success.

The Saloon #10 believes that by including employees in this part of the process, it not only boosts morale it also creates a culture of respect from the top down. Something, they say, that is the key to providing great customer service and keeping their employees long term – many have worked there at least 10 years, others have celebrated two decades at the establishment.

It is because they have great respect for each other and give great service that The Saloon #10 and the Deadwood Social Club was recognized this year.

(The Saloon #10/Deadwood Social Club is the non-corporate category winner. This category recognizes smaller hospitality businesses that do not have access to a larger corporate training program.)

Laughs, cheers and smiles were had in abundance on Saturday morning when the World's Smallest Rodeo took center stage in Rushmore Hall during the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo.
Kids ages 3 to 5 took turns barrel racing, pole bending and wild riding on stick horses with everyone, spectators and competitors alike, coming out a winner.
Tanse Herrmann of Sturgis said he, his wife, Tonya, and their daughter, Tayzi, attend rodeos in the summer and thought the World's Smallest Rodeo was a great chance for Tayzi to get into the ring and see what it's all about. Tayzi, 5, said her favorite event was the wild ride.
Three-year-old Ridge Lanka of Box Elder agreed, calling the wild ride "the best." Her father, Zach Lanka, said they have been coming to the Black Hills Stock Show for years, and their 5-year-old son, Retta, participated a couple of years ago, too.

A Nebraska bull that escaped from the Black Hills Stock Show on Sunday afternoon was able to take a scenic tour of downtown Rapid City before being captured.
The 1,200-pound bull, which will participate in the Chi-Influenced Show on Saturday, was being loaded into a stall at the Central States Fairgrounds when it bolted and took off down the bike path, said show General Manager Ron Jeffries.
It headed northwest, through Memorial Park and Rapid Creek, before stopping at the Executive Golf Course, where it was captured by rodeo cowboys. The chase covered 2.3 miles, and the entire episode was over within an hour, Jeffries said.
“The bull was running down the bike path at the same time that the rodeo finished, so there were some mounted Cowboys that took off after it and roped it,” he said.

In his 20 years with the stock show, Jeffries said he has seen about four other animal escapes, which can become a safety issue. Fortunately, he said, there are always a lot of ranchers around who are adept at handling such situations.Rapid City police also participated in the chase, as seen on a video on social media.

By: Seth Tupper
Rapid City Journal
1-29-2016

LANTRY | The fate of endangered wild horses in north-central South Dakota has been resolved with a settlement allowing an embattled nonprofit organization to keep 20 horses with the 520 others transferred to a new owner and put up for adoption.
The settlement agreement forestalled a two-day hearing last week on a motion by state and local authorities to seize all the horses from the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros.
The horses had been impounded at the society’s small and overgrazed ranch near Lantry since October, where they were being cared for by local authorities after a state-employed veterinarian determined the horses had been neglected.
The settlement prohibits the society from allowing its 20-horse herd to grow beyond 40 horses during the next five years and says the horses will be seized if that happens. Among other conditions, the settlement requires the society to undergo, for the next 18 months, quarterly veterinary inspections and other inspections as scheduled by the sheriffs of Dewey and Ziebach counties (the county line is straddled by the society's ranch), and to pay the counties a total of $10,000. 
The 520 horses taken from the society's ownership will be transferred to the ownership of Fleet of Angels, a Colorado-based nonprofit that provides crisis management and transportation for horse-related emergencies in the United States and Canada.
Fleet of Angels and another nonprofit, Return to Freedom, of California, said in a joint release they would work to find suitable placements for the horses at approved homes, sanctuaries and rescue facilities.
“The settlement sets the stage for one of the largest known equine rescue and adoption efforts in U.S. history,” the release said.
The agreement allows the rescue organizations to keep the horses at the society’s ranch for up to 60 days while conducting the adoption campaign. The release from the rescue groups also said they may relocate their 520 horses “to a more suitable adoption hub.”
When the horses were impounded in October, they numbered 810. Some were thin and others had various physical ailments, and a former society employee alleged that some horses had died of starvation-related causes while the cash-strapped society struggled to acquire hay.
Fleet of Angels stepped in to arrange adoptions of 270 of the horses in the past few months, leaving 540 whose fates were determined by the settlement agreement.
Fleet of Angels and Return to Freedom reported that the current health of the horses varies from good to underweight, and some suffer from blindness or vision impairment.
The rescue groups said they face feed costs of $40,000 per month for the 520 horses, and additional costs are anticipated for veterinary care, hoof care and transportation.
Dewey and Ziebach counties predict their impounding-related costs from the past few months will reach $200,000 when all the bills are tallied, but Dewey County State’s Attorney Steven Aberle said the counties will be reimbursed for most or all of those expenses.
Through Dec. 29, the counties had spent $156,735.53 but had been reimbursed $52,000 by the society, $11,714.14 by donations from the public and $15,000 by a grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals, leaving $78,021.39 yet to be reimbursed. Aberle said Fleet of Angels agreed to pay that amount.

The counties are still compiling costs incurred since Dec. 29. Aberle said the $10,000 paid by the society as part of the settlement will be applied to those bills, and Fleet of Angels has agreed to pay the rest.Fleet of Angels reported that the Humane Society of the United States, the Griffin-Sofel Equine Rescue Foundation and “another national equine welfare organization,” which was not identified in the release, contributed money to reimburse the counties.
“Without the efforts of the many concerned people who are helping with this mission in a variety of ways, a massive emergency rescue like this could never be possible,” Elaine Nash, executive director of Fleet of Angels, said in the release.
The International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros also issued a release, summarizing some provisions of the settlement. One provision requires that “none of the parties to this action will make disparaging remarks, comments or statements about another party.”
Aberle, the Dewey County state’s attorney, said he is “very pleased” with the settlement and called it positive for everyone involved – the rescue groups, which saved the horses from being auctioned and potentially sold to foreign slaughter plants; the society, which gets to keep some horses; and the counties, which will recoup their costs.
The society and its president, Karen Sussman, who lives at the ranch, still face other difficulties including some pending lawsuits from hay suppliers.
In one of those suits, a judge ordered $90,004.95 to be released from a society bank account Jan. 5 after the Spearfish-based plaintiff, who is owed money for hay deliveries, had legally garnished the account.
In another suit, a court clerk issued issued a document known as an “execution” Jan. 4, directing the sheriff of Dewey County to collect $30,322.96 that the society still owes to a Lantry hay supplier after the supplier had won a judgment against the society in May.

DEADWOOD | A local family is mourning the loss of its beloved dog this week after a mountain lion snatched it from their backyard in broad daylight, killed it in seconds, then dragged its limp body into the forest and disappeared.
Kerry Ruth said she had followed Brodie, her small 10-year-old Lhasa Apso-Maltese mix into the backyard of their home off U.S. Highway 14A on Deadwood’s south side at about 4:45 p.m. Saturday, just as she had done countless times before.
“When I took him out, he was normal, he peed, and then went around the corner of the house,” she recalled on Wednesday. “I was waiting for him and I thought, 'He’s so slow.' Then I heard him barking, which he’ll do at deer or rabbits or other dogs. Then suddenly his barking turned to this terrorized yipping, and my heart just dropped. I knew something bad was happening.”
Ruth watched as her pet raced back around the corner of the house toward her with what she estimated was a 150-pound mountain lion close on his heels. She said the cat came within 15 feet of her.
“I started yelling, 'No, no, no,' and then the mountain lion had him and killed him instantly,” she said. “There was no noise. At that point I knew he was dead, and there was nothing I could do, and I knew not to get in the way of a mountain lion and his next meal. It was a big lion, and he just carried him up the hill like he was nothing.
“In less than a minute, he had disappeared up the hill. I felt so bad. He was trying to get to me, and he just wasn’t fast enough, my little guy.”
Ruth’s husband, Dave, a Deadwood city commissioner, said the family of four was devastated by the loss of their treasured pet. Brodie had been Dave’s father’s and stepmother’s dog, and when they died, the “little guy” was passed along to the Ruth family about four years ago.
“He was part of the family, a smart dog who knew to stay away from the highway,” Dave Ruth said. “But he got ambushed. It’s been tough on our family because he was one of our last connections to my father and stepmother.”
Kerry Ruth echoed her husband’s sentiments and said Brodie was the kind of house dog who loved people.
“He was the sweetest dog ever,” she said sadly. “What I’ll miss most is his happiness every time we walked through the door. He was always happy to see us, and he always did a little dance on his hind feet for a treat.”

Cognizant of the possibilities when living in the highest reaches of the Black Hills, where deer and mountain lions roam, the Ruths said Brodie was equally attuned to the potential dangers.“We almost always went out with him because we knew mountain lions were in the area,” Kerry Ruth said. “At times he would go outside, sniff the air and come right back in, like he knew something was there. There were times when he was scared of something.”
State Game, Fish & Parks Regional Wildlife Manager Trenton Haffley said Wednesday that the Ruths had followed every precaution to ensure the safety of their pet by not leaving it unattended when it was let outside.
Alerted to the mountain lion attack shortly after it occurred, a GF&P “wildlife damage specialist” based in Custer went to the scene Sunday and spent the better part of two days tracking the big cat through the forest with a pack of trained hounds, eventually canvassing areas of nearby Maitland Road near Central City.
When the houndsman encountered the tracks of two mountain lions that had crisscrossed in the forest, “it got to the point they couldn’t be certain which animal was involved,” and the search for the killer cat was called off, Haffley said. He added that when the agency receives calls and documents mountain lions' killing domesticated pets, they do what they can to identify the mountain lion and euthanize it.
Following a flurry of mountain lion sightings last fall, January has witnessed relatively few reports, Haffley said. Besides the Ruths' loss last weekend, one mountain lion was reportedly sighted earlier this month near Miller, and the GF&P had received a belated report of a mountain lion attack on a pet in Rapid Valley, he said.

Photo: John Hanson
Hibbert ready for repeat gold at X Games
By Staff report on Jan 23, 2017 at 1:17 p.m.


Pelican Rapids' Tucker Hibbert took home a fourth place finish and a win at rounds seven and eight of the ISOC National Snocross tour in Deadwood, SD. Photo: John HansonTucker Hibbert took home a fourth place finish and a win at rounds seven and eight of the ISOC National Snocross tour in Deadwood, SD. Despite missing the podium Friday, Hibbert had impressive runs both nights on the tight, rough track – something the sold-out Deadwood crowd has come to expect from the 10-time champion.
“I’m really happy with my rides in the main events,” said Hibbert. “Obviously, I wish I could have won Friday night but moving through the field, I felt good. Saturday night’s main event went about as smooth as it can get. I got a great start, made the pass for the lead on the first lap and was able to pull a big lead. Overall, I’m happy with my performance but disappointed in my qualifying results. Since the qualifiers have bonus points to win, I really need to start winning those races. That’s something I’m focused on turning around.”
In Friday’s 14-rider, 24-lap race, Hibbert was buried off the line, rounding lap one in 11th place.
Battling heavy roost, he moved around the track, searching for new lines to make clean passes. He charged hard but ran out of time to get to the front, finishing in fourth place.
Saturday night’s final was a drastically different race for Hibbert. He took the holeshot, momentarily got shuffled back to fourth place in turn two’s split lane corner but by the time he exited the next corner, he regained control of the race. With a clear track in front of him, he quickly pulled away and by lap 16 of the 24-lap race, he had a jaw-dropping 16-second lead. He rode the remaining laps smart and in control to take his 124th career win.
Next up for Hibbert is X Games Aspen where he’ll compete for his 10th consecutive gold medal.
“I got in a solid week of testing in Colorado and feel really dialed-in with my sled,” he said. “I’m riding as good as ever right now and feel really confident heading into X Games this week.”

KOTA TV
1/24/17

DEADWOOD, S.D. (KOTA TV) - Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates from Deadwood, SD will be in the 59th Annual GRAMMY® Awards Presenter and Performer official gift bags.
The rare Fortunato #4 chocolate from Peru, thought to be extinct and just recently rediscovered will be part of Music’s Biggest Night®! Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates has created a most delicious gift.
The GRAMMY talent will receive two delectable bars made from Fortunato No.4 dark chocolate, produced by Maranon Chocolates. This is truly the world’s rarest rediscovered “Pure Nacional” chocolate from Peru.
“The goal of Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates is to provide the most decadent confections anyone will ever experience. We offer moments of chocolate heaven, where any problem is instantly forgotten as our delicacies are savored. If we can give our customers a few moments of blissful decadent enchantment, we have done our job!” ~Chip Tautkus~
Chubby Chipmunk Hand-Dipped Chocolates product specialties are also hand-dipped gourmet truffles (more than 50 flavors) as well as delicacies they create using their own butter rich toffee and caramel.
The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

By: The Associated Press on Jan 15, 2017 at 2:38 p.m.

RAPID CITY (AP) — A Ski Patrol member from Terry Peak in the Black Hills remains hospitalized with a severe spinal cord injury after falling from a chairlift.
The Rapid City Journal reports 24-year-old Drew Stephens was in fair condition at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
According to a GoFundMe page that's raised nearly $18,000 for Stephens as of Saturday, he was finishing his last sweeps as an emergency medical technician and wilderness first responder when the accident happened last Sunday.
Stephens' family says on his CaringBridge page that he's undergone surgery, and that the next step will be moving him to a rehabilitation hospital.
With a summit at 7,100 feet, Terry Peak bills itself as offering the highest lift service between the Rocky Mountains and the Alps.
The accident remains under investigation.

If you cast your mind back many years ago, before Game of Thrones, Westworld and True Blood, you’ll remember that HBO first made an impact on the television landscape with shows like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire and, of course, Deadwood. It only lasted three seasons, but the Western was one of the most critically acclaimed series of its time and amassed a small but incredibly loyal fanbase. Unfortunately though, the ratings just couldn’t justify the cost to produce the show and it was ultimately given the axe.
However, creator David Milch has always promised us that there’d be more. It’s been well over a decade now since Deadwood left television, but every so often a small update pops up on the proposed movie, which has been in development for a very long time. Said to wrap up the stories of the various characters in a satisfying manner, fans have been holding out hope that it’ll eventually see the light of day. While we wouldn’t expect it to arrive any time soon, it seems that HBO is still intent on making it.
Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour this weekend, Programming President Casey Bloys told Variety the following when they asked him about the Deadwood film:
“David Milch is still writing. I believe he’s writing a ‘Deadwood’ movie that I have not read… When it’s ready we will take a look at it.”

While it’s encouraging to hear that Milch is still hammering away at the script, we imagine that the project is probably not a priority for HBO at the moment. Despite the show’s loyal fanbase, the feature film would still only appeal to a very small audience and certainly wouldn’t be a big moneymaker for the network.
Honestly, they might be better off trying to revive it for a limited series, or something similar, rather than putting a movie into theaters. Then again, with most of the main cast now busy with multiple other projects, doing something like that would no doubt be quite difficult. If they could pull it off, however, it might be the wiser option.
Either way, we definitely want to see more of Deadwood. It was a show that never really caught on like it should have and be it on the big or small screen, another chance to revisit this world and its colorful cast of characters would be very welcome. Let’s hope that HBO feels the same way.
Tell us, are you still holding out hope to see more of Al Swearengen, Seth Bullock and the rest of the gang, or were you never really a fan of the show in the first place? Take to the comments section and be sure to let us know!
Source: Variety