Burtz joins News-Register staff

Long-time South Dakota radio and print newsman Ron Burtz has been named news editor at the Aurora News-Register. He replaces Cheyenne Rowe, who served as the paper’s editor for the past five years.
Burtz started his news writing career just after graduation from high school by working as a summer intern for his hometown newspaper, the Winner Advocate in Winner, S.D. After that he worked approximately eight years at two South Dakota radio stations where he served as on-air personality, news reporter and later the news director. He worked first for KKLS/KKHJ in Rapid City, S.D. and then at KWYR AM/FM in his hometown.
While working in Rapid City, Burtz received several statewide awards for special news features from the United Press International and was also named Friend of Law Enforcement by the Rapid City Police Department.
Leaving the media world in 1991, Burtz moved his young family to Central Illinois where he began a 25-year ministry as a pastor of three small churches in both Illinois and South Dakota. His last pastorate was at the Evangelical Free Church of Wall, S.D., where he served for 10 years.
In 2017, the Burtzes moved to Custer, S.D., where he began working as a writer and reporter for the Custer County Chronicle and Down Country Roads Magazine, a quarterly regional publication of SHP Publishing.
During his time in Custer, Burtz was the recipient of several statewide awards from the South Dakota Newspaper Association for his feature articles and series, headlines and cartoons. In 2021, his article chronicling a three-hour armed standoff in the street between the Custer County Sheriff and a man who had robbed a drug store won first place for best spot news story.
Burtz and his wife, Tammy, have three grown children. The couple moved to Central City in May of 2022 to be close to their oldest son, Matt, his wife, Sarah (Armatys) and their two children. Over the past school year he has worked as a paraprofessional at Central City High School.
In addition to writing as a profession, Burtz enjoys creative writing as well and has penned several short stories, poems and essays over the years. He also enjoys reading, photography, cooking, drone flying, music, theater, photography and videography and has many years of experience as a video editor.
“I am grateful for this opportunity and the trust that has been placed in me,” said Burtz, “and I hope to earn the trust of our readers as news editor. I have already met so many kind and outgoing people in my short time here and I look forward to meeting and getting to know many more folks in the days and years ahead.”
Burtz began his duties with the News Register on May 3.
“Aurora is a beautiful and obviously energetic community,” Burtz added. “I am excited about learning more about it and becoming part of what’s going on here.”