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The very first Thanksgiving was held after life had been so difficult the year before. Thanksgiving is a time to strengthen our attitudes, or maybe alter our emotions. We can finds ways to be thankful even during extremely difficult times. It was 1609, and on the coast of Massachusetts was a native tribe called the Patuxets. In that tribe, there was a boy about 12 years old called Tisquantum, or Squanto. A big ship of men from a different world sailed into the bay. Squanto and his friends didn’t fear them, so they ran to see who they were. At f...
Blaine Ophus is the newest member of the Big Sandy City Council. He took Danielle Weaver's place when she resigned from the council in August. "It was probably a month and a half into taking a seat on the city council that I became a member of the Unified Dump Committee." Big Sandy is the only town in Chouteau County that is part of the Unified Dump Committee. It is an extension of Hill County but not owned by Hill County. It is important to realize that anyone who has paid the necessary fee to...
This year's Veteran Program at the high school was a little different. They usually have a speaker. However, this year's speaker was an essay written by Walter Heimbigner and read by Tucker Taylor. Walter won 2nd place in the state with this essay. "I believe freedom is the ability to live in a country where I may think and act independently. I thank God for the men and women whose service to our country has allowed me to be free in this country. Freedom can also mean having the opportunity to...
God's creation inspires me, but the creativeness of humans also inspires me. I am reminded that I am made in His image, and I believe, to my core, that if we aren't doing something creative, we aren't satisfied with life; there's something missing. Genesis 1:27 SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGINE. I'm not talking about just creating art, sculpture, or painting with oils or watercolor. I'm not talking about what we would see in art. You can be an artist by making an engine purr. You can be an artist when you work outside in your yard and make...
Thank you, Veterans. Those who have never served don't fully comprehend the sacrifices made to serve our country in the armed services. But it is crucial to try to understand! They deserve that much. I tried to get a more accurate account, but it's unavailable. "As of 30 September 2023, there are approximately 85,000 veterans in the state of Montana. Of the 85,000 veterans, approximately 75,800 veterans are male, and 9,200 are female. More than 89% of the veterans in the state of Montana are...
Last week was a big week for Eva Yeadon and the MSU-Northern Skylights. Although Eva had other opportunities, she chose to sign a letter of intent to play for Northern. The press release from MSU-Northern Sports Information: "Montana State University-Northern women's basketball coach Chris Mouat has announced the signing of Eva Yeadon to join the program next fall. Yeadon, a 5'8" guard from Big Sandy, helped lead the Pioneers to their first state tournament appearance since 2009 last season....
This week is Red Ribbon Week. Dianna Keane, LCC Big Sandy Public Schools K-12 School Counselor, sent me the following information. Everyone should consider what they are learning at school. It’s important for our physical and mental health to embrace the information given here. The Chouteau County Health Department donated most of the school’s giveaways this year. We should thank them when we get a chance. Similar training will occur at both the High School and the FE Miley. At the high school, each morning during the first period, the Cou...
CBS correspondent Janet Shamlian interviewed me, asking me if Big Sandy has changed because Montana is getting so many out-of-staters moving into our state. Shamlian said, "I am a correspondent for CBS News, the network out of New York, but I'm actually based out of Houston. I travel the country doing stories. She worked for NBC at one point in time. "I used to be with NBC for about 12 years before I made the move to the Tiffany Network, also known as CBS, and I worked in local news for many,...
Krystyl Kulbeck, PA-C, has worked in family medicine at the Big Sandy Medical Center for 11 years. She said the presentation she gave was for informational purposes only and not to be considered professional advice. If you have any questions, she wants you to contact your primary medical provider. The following information was taken from the PowerPoint slides she presented: Have you wondered about the underlying cause of why society, in general, continues to get sicker with more diseases and mor...
Big Sandy's Chili Feed is a treasured community event. People come home, and even college kids ride the fire trucks. Although it remains a valuable community get-together, it doesn't really change, and maybe that's why it's so important to us. The day starts months before, with our firefighters working tirelessly to secure prizes for the community. Our grade school kids, with their boundless creativity, draw and color their artwork, adding a personal touch to the event. The firefighters' visits to the school to educate the kids about fire...
On June 17, 2024, Montana Attorney General Knudsen issued a news release entitled “Montana On Pace For Another Record-Breaking Year Of Fentanyl Seizures: “HELENA—Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today that anti-drug task forces in Montana seized 150 percent more fentanyl in the first quarter of 2024 than during the first quarter of 2023.” “Through the first quarter of 2024, Rocky Mountain High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces seized a total of 163,184 dosage units of Fentanyl in Montana compared to 65,142 during th...
There's something truly magical about Fall. The world transforms into a canvas of vibrant colors, each leaf a masterpiece in its own right. It's a season that fills me with joy and awe at the beauty of nature. God gave us so many colors if you stop to think about it. The trees, when green, have so many different shades of green. Why did God do that? Then there's dirt. Where I live, the dirt is that brownish gray. In Oklahoma, the dirt is red, and the dirt smells different in both places. It may...
Big Sandy Pharmacy is offering additional point of care testing services for our patients. This program enables them to conduct influenza(flu), strep, urinary tract infections, cholesterol and glucose tests and to receive results within minutes and treat accordingly, allowing the patient to care for his or her healthy. Thirty three years ago, the development of Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA ‘88), introduced point-of-care testing (POCT) In the early stages of the flu, many people do not realize thy are infected. W...
Bryanna Goodman had a marvelous summer. She planted her dream garden. "I grew up gardening. Ever since I was a little toddler, I was barefooted in the garden, helping my mom. She had a magnificent garden my whole life, but it was always just vegetables, never flowers. I have always wanted to grow wildflowers, and this year, I decided to scatter wildflower seeds throughout the garden and see if it would work. They grew so abundantly and completely took over. It was just magnificent." "I grew a...
Close to 200 people were served meals, and with a silent auction, live auction, and raffle tickets, the benefit brought in $60,000. One hundred fifty items were donated to the benefit. One of the organizers, Mikki Pansch, said, "I think John and Jessica Sheehy Elk print, Billy's and Kandi's Thai dinner for 12, and the Mint prime rib dinner for 12 brought in the most dollars. Ryan Pansch's service inspection also brought in a good amount. The beef box donated by the Darlington Ranch went for $500...
Harvest is almost over. For the farmers in this community, this season is when they collect all their yearly income. So it's stressful. It's long hours for many days, working with the weather and equipment that breaks down. This year, we did get good rain in most areas, but the price is lower this year, so the question will be if there is enough money after selling the crops to cover the operating loan. According to Hi-line Today on 9/13/24, winter wheat was worth $5.09 a bushel, and spring...
It's that time of year. It's fall house cleaning and time to go through everything and give to the Big Sandy Medical Guild Rummage Sale. We're particularly in need of gently used clothing, toys, books, records, and glassware. There are three weeks left to clean your own home and donate. The 2024 annual rummage sale starts with donations dropped off at the Jerry Martin Memorial Hal from Monday, October 7th, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can continue to drop off items until Wednesday, October 9th,...
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" Proverbs 15:1 What is my response to abrasive people? It's a constant struggle. I can usually keep my mouth shut, but not always! If harsh words stir me up to be harsh back, I'm no better than the person who offended me. It's a battle of self-control and understanding. Walking in the cool September weather after the nice rain, I found myself taking pictures of odd things, like always. But the picture of the thistle growing by a...
Don Jenkins has been diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis. The official medical definition says it is, "Many different things may cause damage to the lungs that results in pulmonary Fibrosis. Examples include long-term exposure to certain toxins, radiation therapy, some medicines, and certain medical conditions" that cause the disease. Don Jenkins graduated from Big Sandy High School in 1979. He coached wrestling for 14 years and was the assistant football coach for 14 years. He also loved being th...
Marty Demarest has been preaching at the Methodist Church. I went to worship with them and found him full of joy and the Spirit of God, as they do. I couldn't wait to interview him. Marty said, "I am a lay preacher. I am exactly what Brother Van was: a layman called by God to bring the Word of God. I can preach at three churches on a Sunday, no problem. I love it. I absolutely love it. I drove 230 miles today. The Spirit of God sustains you if God calls you to the work. Before this, Marty wrote...
Montana has more independently owned bookstores per capital than any other state. A group of those shops have banded together to help promote their businesses and attract a peculiar type of tourism around the state. The Montana Bookstore Trail is the product of that effort. For the past 2 years, the Trail has raised awareness of these small businesses in our state. The concept is quite clever. Bookstore explorers get a passport, which they get stamped at each place they visit. The passport has...
Hearts for Hep is a benefit for Casten Heppner. It will take place at the Jerry Martin Memorial Hall in Big Sandy, Montana, on Saturday, September 14, starting at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served, followed by live and silent Auctions. Casten and Katie and their children have lived here for years and are still Big Sandy people in our hearts. Katie wrote on Facebook (she gave me permission to use it), "We traveled to Mayo, and we were able to see Casten's mass. The team assessed it to be an arachnoid...
4-H and FFA Youth Meet Excellence Criteria for Livestock Carcass Quality The 2024 Chouteau County 4-H and FFA livestock carcass ultrasound took place at the Chouteau County fairgrounds. A total of 89 Chouteau County animals were evaluated for carcass quality by Elin Kittelmann, Ultrasound Technician from Ekalaka. The purpose of the carcass contest is to teach youth how to correctly select, feed and finish livestock based on carcass data. If carcass criteria are met, youth can be confident they are producing a quality product that is safe,...
Okay, I'm going to say this upfront: This team is worth watching. Come and enjoy the Big Sandy Girls' skills and help support them. Their first matches are away on August 30th at North Star and August 31st at Belt for a tournament. The first home matches are September 12th against Highwood and September 19th against CJI. I walked into the Big Sandy gym, and the first thing I noticed was that the girls were exhausted and sweating. I said, "Hard practice," and they said yes! At the beginning of...
Some believe we are in a rebuilding year, but Coach Tucker Tayor answered that question right up front. We have lost a lot of talented football players over the last three years, some of whom are playing football just down the road, but head coach Tucker Taylor believes there are athletes ready to step up and, given the chance, will do well for the Pioneers. There are four seniors this year: Sonny Phillips, Darrell Sunchild, Ryder Galbavy, and Severin Heimbigner. Although he cannot play this...
