2017 Black Hills Trail Running Series
Tag: Sturgis
Election Forum In Sturgis, SD on Redistricting by a Commission and Establishing Non-Partisan Elections
The 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally a Column by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:
It’s almost rally time in South Dakota. What started in 1938 as a single motorcycle race in a small town has grown into one of the largest and best-known motorcycle gatherings in the world. This year is the 76th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and though we don’t expect the numbers will approach the levels we saw last year, the rally is sure to be well-attended.
Motorcycle enthusiasts won’t just be visiting Sturgis. They will be traveling all around the Black Hills – staying in our local hotels and at our campgrounds, eating in our local restaurants, shopping in our local stores and refueling at our gas stations. Each year the rally has a big economic impact on Sturgis and all of the Black Hills, and that creates benefits for our state too.
An event this size is not without its challenges. To help things go smoothly, the state will create a Rally Operations Center and a Traffic Operations Center. Local law enforcement, the Highway Patrol and ambulance services will have additional personnel working during the rally.
Many state agencies will provide additional staff to support food safety, drinking water safety, fire safety, roadway safety, emergency communications, and vendor sales tax registrations and collections. National Guard soldiers will also be prepared in the event they are needed to respond to a large-scale disaster
For the past 75 years, we’ve had no major emergency at the Sturgis Rally. Our goal is to get through the 76th rally with that record intact, but we need help.
We’re asking South Dakotans to do their part to help make this a safe journey for our visitors. Drive carefully and be particularly mindful of the motorcycles on the road. It only takes one mistake to alter your life and someone else’s forever. If you live in the Black Hills area, plan extra time to reach your destinations, and be patient with law enforcement and emergency responders. If something doesn’t look right – maybe how someone is taking photos of government buildings or measuring distances between buildings – let law enforcement know. If you see something, say something.
For those who are attending the rally, be careful and be prepared. Wear a helmet and proper riding attire. If you are driving a vehicle, wear your seatbelt. Most importantly, don’t drink and drive.
Riders can visit SouthDakotaRides.com for real-time information and some helpful tips. On the website there are links to weather updates, fire danger information, Twitter feeds from the departments of Transportation and Public Safety, and a map of hospital, urgent care and police station locations.
One of government’s primary functions is to keep people safe. The state of South Dakota is ready to perform that responsibility and we welcome the opportunity to host so many visitors in our great state. If South Dakotans and our visitors do their part, it will go a long way toward helping make the 76th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally a safe and fun event.
SD Department of Transportation to Reduce Speed Limits and Activate Temporary Traffic Signals
STURGIS, S.D. – Due to the increased traffic volumes during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the anticipated reduced operating speeds, the South Dakota Department of Transportation will reduce the speed limits on the following highways from Thursday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 14.
Interstate 90 speed limit will be reduced from 75 mph to 65 mph from west of the Deadwood Avenue Exit 55 in Rapid City to east Exit 30 (Lazelle Street) Sturgis.
Highway 34 speed limit will be reduced from 45 mph to 35 mph from Blanche Street in Sturgis to 3.8 miles east.
Highway 79 speed limit will be reduced from 65 mph to 45 mph from the junction of Highway 34 to 1.75 miles north.
Motorists are asked to be alert to the changes in speed limits in an around the Sturgis area.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation will activate temporary traffic signals at the following locations:
Junction of US14A and US85
Junction of I-90 Exit 55 eastbound ramps and Deadwood Avenue
Junction of SD34 and Ft. Meade main entrance
Junction of SD34 and SD79 east of Sturgis
Junction of SD34 and 131st Street
Junction SD44 and US385
Junction US16 and US385
Junction US16A and SD244
Junction US85 and US385 (Pluma)
The traffic signals will be in full operation prior to Aug. 1, and remain in operation until Aug. 15, 2016.
Buffalo Chip Awards Challenge Scholarships
Buffalo Chip Awards Challenge Scholarships
Buffalo Chip, SD (May 5, 2016) – In an ongoing effort to inspire Black Hills students to discover a career in the expanding world of motorcycle engineering and manufacturing and prepare the next generation of American motorcycle craftsmen, Sturgis Buffalo Chip® president, Rod Woodruff today announced the winners of the 2016 Buffalo Chip ChallengeTM scholarship awards. Three outstanding Black Hills students have been chosen to receive awards totaling $8,500. The Buffalo Chip collaborates with some of the motorcycle industry’s leading professionals to offer a free industrial education and scholarship program to Black Hills students, enabling them to take hold of dreams that might otherwise seem impossible.
Calvin Tohm, a junior from Whitewood attending Spearfish High School, was selected to receive the top scholarship award of $5,000. In addition to earning academic honors, Tohm is a member of several school organizations, attended Boys State, has been nominated to attend the 2016 National Youth Leadership: Engineering & Technology Conference, volunteers in the community, works part-time and dedicated himself to the 2016 Challenge program as a member of Team Indian. His investment in the project was infectious, and his growth and understanding of the mechanics made an observable improvement.
Rapid City Central High School senior Brennan Davis will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship. An honor student, Davis has a particular interest in math and engineering and has plans to further his education in performance engine machining. As a member of the Buffalo Chip Challenge Team Victory, Davis brought some existing knowledge to the project and was able to assist other students in understanding the build process and making sure it was done correctly. He displayed an intimate knowledge of the bikes’ specs and a passion for the build.
2015 Buffalo Chip Challenge alumnus Arianna Nelson will receive the $1,000 scholarship. Nelson, a senior at Sturgis Brown High School, was also a member of Team Victory. She accompanied the bikes to both the Black Hills Motorcycle Show and the Donnie Smith Bike & Car Show in St. Paul, Minn. where both bikes took top honors. Her contagious positive spirit and leadership skills had a profound influence on the 2016 Challenge build program.
“The time and effort these outstanding students put into the Challenge program is proof positive they are deserving of these scholarships,” said Buffalo Chip president Rod Woodruff. “We’re pleased to be able to help them further their career goals and hope to see them opening their own businesses someday, contributing to the economy of the Black Hills. If the leadership they displayed here is any indication, they will all go far.”
A variety of criteria was used to determine scholarship awards including level of participation, interest and improved abilities over the course of the program. In addition to assistance from program coordinator Keith Terry of Terry Components, Chris Malo of Baggster led Team Indian to build a John Shope Signature 2015 Indian Chieftain and Randy Cramer led Team Victory to build a Rusty Jones Signature 2016 Victory Cross Country. The student-built custom 2015 Indian Chieftain and the 2016 Victory Cross Country both took first place honors at the Black Hills Motorcycle Show and the prestigious Donnie Smith Bike Show in St. Paul, Minn. The students competed against professional custom bike builders from around the country, which makes winning these awards a remarkable achievement. Both bikes will be auctioned in support of the Buffalo Chip’s Legends Ride on Monday, Aug. 8 in Deadwood.
About the 2016 Buffalo Chip Challenge™
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip® continues its commitment to education and the growth of South Dakota’s motorcycle industry with its sixth annual Buffalo Chip Challenge. The program utilizes award-winning veteran custom builders Keith Terry, Randy Cramer and Chris Malo to serve as instructors and mentors to students customizing two stock motorcycles. The goal is to develop students’ skills and knowledge in a real-world experience they can use after graduation. Throughout the years, the custom creations produced in the Buffalo Chip Challenge have received much acclaim at prestigious motorcycle competitions, including winning multiple first place trophies at the Donnie Smith Bike Show.
About The Sturgis Buffalo Chip
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip® celebrates 35 years as the Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling™ in 2016. It is the world’s first and leading entertainment destination for the motorcycle enthusiast. The venue’s high-profile, nine-day festival, known as The Best Party Anywhere®, remains one of the world’s most televised and longest running independent music festivals. Located three miles east of Sturgis, SD on 600 creek-fed acres, it offers eight stages of entertainment, a swimming hole, bars, mouth-watering food, showers, cabins, RVs, camping and more to visitors traveling from all corners of the world. The Chip’s concerts are free with camping. More details are available at www.BuffaloChip.com.
Custer Free Press - HFR DESIGN STUDIO 