Belle Fourche Beacon

Butte County voters weigh in on state and local races, approve data center measure  Polls closed at 7 p.m. June 2, setting the stage for a long night of vote counting across South Dakota. By 12:30 a.m. June 3, 89.9 percent of the vote had been counted statewide as several highly contested races began to […]

BELLE FOURCHE—A faint meow coming from beneath the hood of a vehicle set the stage for an unusual rescue in downtown Belle Fourche on May 29. Thanks to the quick response of local police officers, a trapped kitten was safely brought to freedom. Brandy Hoopingarner and Linda Dreiske spent a few hours in downtown Belle […]

BELLE FOURCHE—In a small town, taking care of each other often shows up in simple but meaningful ways. That spirit was on display May 29 when the Ride or Die Brotherhood and the Circle Lounge came together to present both food collected and money raised to the Compassion Cupboard. For the presentation, Pastor Chuck Aurand […]

BELLE FOURCHE—Businesses in downtown Belle Fourche were open late to provide a special evening of shopping, wine pairing and camaraderie. Merchants from across Belle Fourche partnered with State Street shops to come together and treat area residents to a memorable night at the second Wine Up on State Street—Spring Into Summer—on May 29. As visitors […]

BELLE FOURCHE—A summer staple for area youth, the Belle Jackpot Association is in full swing for another season. The volunteer-run association has been providing fun rodeo competition for around 33 years. May jackpot dates were held on Thursdays—May 7, 21 and 28. In June, the schedule shifts to Wednesdays, June 3 and 10. Rain dates […]

By Kandi Tonsager– A number of Bronc track and field athletes punched their ticket to the state competition in Sioux Falls May 28-30th earning outstanding accomplishments all the way around. A stand out performer of the weekend was Rhys Pearson who ran the 3200, 1600, 800, and was the anchor in the sprint medley relay, […]

The Belle Fourche Rec Center hosted its 11th annual Track & Field meet for K-6th grade kids. Seventy kids competed, with 53 of them participating in three days of group practices prior to the meet. The purpose of the program is to give the kids an introduction to track and field, improve fitness and provide […]

BELLE FOURCHE—The waiting area was overflowing at Nehl Dental on May 28, but not for patients waiting to be seen. No, this day it was busy for a very different reason. Family, friends and patients cared for over the years flocked to the lobby to celebrate Teresa Aspen’s 30 years at Nehl as she prepared […]

BELLE FOURCHE—What was once a weathered and overgrown service station across from the Butte County Courthouse is now a patriotic display of red, white and blue, thanks to a team of United Way volunteers. On Saturday, May 23, the volunteer crew spent the day cleaning up and removing all the junk from the property. They […]

BELLE FOURCHE—For Dave Raber, a U.S. Navy veteran who grew up in Belle Fourche, S.D., a recent Midwest Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., became far more than a sightseeing trip. It was a powerful day of remembrance, gratitude, and recognition for military veterans who served their country decades ago. On May 19, Raber joined 82 […]

NEWELL—Garden enthusiasts might enjoy exploring all of the offerings at Hocking Greenhouse, located just outside Newell. This quaint plant nursery opened for the season in early May. Their first greenhouse began as a way to honor Sherry Hocking’s mother’s love of plants. “We started with that small greenhouse and brought in some things that kind […]

Publisher’s Opinion This opinion column was written with some reluctance to break a journalistic practice of staying neutral/silent in political campaigns and races.  I recently had a conversation with a friend, an Aberdeen lawyer who had lobbied for Homestake Mining Company during my time active in politics. We talked of those days we worked together […]