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The Angostura Reservoir is lower in elevation due to low rainfall and irrigation use. At the end of the irrigation season in September, it is projected to be ten feet from full. Despite being ten feet from full, the Angostura Reservoir is higher than in previous years. Photo by Garland Wright/Fall River County Herald-Star

The Angostura Reservoir is lower in elevation due to low rainfall and irrigation use. At the end of the irrigation season in September, it is projected to be ten feet from full. Despite being ten feet from full, the Angostura Reservoir is higher than in previous years. Photo by Garland Wright/Fall River County Herald-Star

Angostura Reservoir water levels remain higher than previous years, but are depleting rapidly

Garland Wright
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Body ORAL -- The Angostura Reservoir, located at the southeast edge of the Black Hills near Hot Springs, is experiencing a notable decline in water levels due to reduced rainfall and routine irrigation water delivery to farmers participating in the Angostura Irrigation Project.
Workers with WyoDak Energy Services, LLC, from Buffalo, Wyo., work along Hwy. 79 near mile marker 40, about six miles north of Buffalo Gap. The company started a 15 mile water pipeline project this past April south of Buffalo Gap for the Fall River Water Users District and are continuing to work north towards Fairburn. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Workers with WyoDak Energy Services, LLC, from Buffalo, Wyo., work along Hwy. 79 near mile marker 40, about six miles north of Buffalo Gap. The company started a 15 mile water pipeline project this past April south of Buffalo Gap for the Fall River Water Users District and are continuing to work north towards Fairburn. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Fall River Water Users expanding capacity with new Hwy. 79 pipeline

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Body HOTSPRINGS–Motorists heading north from Hot Springs on Highway 79 have likely noticed a considerable amount of work being done along the fence lines west of the road.
Edgemont Ambulance Services’ two EMTs include, from left, Bill Kreutzer and Paul Nelsen, along with George Darrow, who has been the driver for more than 25 years. Not pictured is substitute EMT Dee Hughes from Hot Springs and Jordan Stevens of Edgemont, who is a new mother of a brand-new baby girl. Courtesy photo

Edgemont Ambulance Services’ two EMTs include, from left, Bill Kreutzer and Paul Nelsen, along with George Darrow, who has been the driver for more than 25 years. Not pictured is substitute EMT Dee Hughes from Hot Springs and Jordan Stevens of Edgemont, who is a new mother of a brand-new baby girl. Courtesy photo

Edgemont facing an EMT shortage

Garland Wright
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Body Concerned citizens submit Letters of the Editor EDGEMONT -- Edgemont is grappling with a critical shortage of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and drivers for its ambulance service.

Hand-counting votes in primary deemed a success

Cathy Nelson
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Body HOT SPRINGS – During the Fall River County Commission meeting on Thursday, June 20, the commissioners appeared pleased to find out that the recount of the votes from the primary election proved that the original hand count was correct and in line with their canvass of the votes...

Felony charges dismissed against Watts

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Body HOT SPRINGS – Felony charges against a Hot Springs businessman were dismissed by Fall River County State’s Attorney Lance Russell, last Friday, June 21, following a no-contest misdemeanor plea agreement which ends a near-one year legal process.
Excavators work to uncover mammoth bones during the early days of The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota. This week, the attraction and scientific site is celebrating its 50th anniversary with two celebrations on Friday and Saturday, June 21-22.

Excavators work to uncover mammoth bones during the early days of The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota. This week, the attraction and scientific site is celebrating its 50th anniversary with two celebrations on Friday and Saturday, June 21-22.

Mammoth Site turns 50 years old

News Staff
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Body On the bottom row of a large bookshelf in the office of the Fall River County Herald-Star is a row of bound newspaper indexes with hard green covers from the 1970s. The 1974 book – from 50 years ago – features Hot Springs Star newspapers with headlines ranging from U.S.
Chubby Checker and the Wildcats give the audience a taste of early 1960s music at its best at the Prairie Wind Casino Saturday night, June 1, to a crowd of over 300 adoring fans. Despite on stage in this photo, the performer spent the majority of the night on the floor doing The Twist with the audience. Photo by Dakota Backline

Chubby Checker and the Wildcats give the audience a taste of early 1960s music at its best at the Prairie Wind Casino Saturday night, June 1, to a crowd of over 300 adoring fans. Despite on stage in this photo, the performer spent the majority of the night on the floor doing The Twist with the audience. Photo by Dakota Backline

Chubby Checker twists the night away at Prairie Wind Casino

Katie Merdanian
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Body OELRICHS - Chubby Checker and his band, the Wildcats, pulled their tour bus into the parking lot of the Prairie Wind Casino east of Oelrichs ready to entertain the more than 300 fans in attendance.
Inside their Angostura home, Julie and Jerry Roe hold a photo of their then-19-year-old son Jared who died in a drowning accident in 2011, four days before he was set to be deployed to Afghanistan with the South Dakota National Guard. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Inside their Angostura home, Julie and Jerry Roe hold a photo of their then-19-year-old son Jared who died in a drowning accident in 2011, four days before he was set to be deployed to Afghanistan with the South Dakota National Guard. Photo by Brett Nachtigall/Fall River County Herald-Star

Tragedy inspires region’s largest walleye tournament, bringing together people with common love of fishing

Brett Nachtigall
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Body 8th annual Jared Roe Memorial Walleye Tournament is June 8 at Angostura Reservoir HOT SPRINGS – Mother’s Day weekend 2011 was a time for celebration at Angostura Reservoir for the family and friends of Jared Roe, 19, of Rapid City, who was four days away from his deployment to...
The 2024 Miss South Dakota Court (L to R): 3rd runner-up Jensine Matson of Ramona, 2nd runner-up Emily Deinken of Sioux Falls, Miss South Dakota 2024 Joelle Simpson of Rapid City, 1st runner-up Katherine Milbrandt of Brookings, and 4th runner-up Sydney Morgan of Hot Springs.

The 2024 Miss South Dakota Court (L to R): 3rd runner-up Jensine Matson of Ramona, 2nd runner-up Emily Deinken of Sioux Falls, Miss South Dakota 2024 Joelle Simpson of Rapid City, 1st runner-up Katherine Milbrandt of Brookings, and 4th runner-up Sydney Morgan of Hot Springs.

Hot Springs’ Morgan earns fourth runner-up at Miss S.D. 2024

News Staff
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Body BROOKINGS – Joelle Simpson was crowned Miss South Dakota 2024 at this past Saturday night’s competition in Brookings. Simpson is originally from Rapid City and is attending the University of Minnesota majoring in Medical Laboratory Science.
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