Sorted by date Results 639 - 663 of 1004
It won’t be the first time I didn’t know what to do. A paper requires a lot of advertisements to publish. I knew when I bought the Big Sandy paper that this would be a challenge for me. That’s not saying writing isn’t it, but I had been writing, learning, as I went for over almost two years when I bought the paper. I knew nothing about how to sell ads. I also knew that Big Sandy didn’t even have enough businesses to place ads to pay for the process of printing, so I had to find and sell the paper to prospective businesses. It takes about 43% to...
Hawks are numerous during the summer; in fact, large numbers will follow a tractor as it works the fields ready to dive to pick up a meal in a small rodent. However, this fall, after our first winter storm, I saw more hawks sitting together, then I have ever seen. I was traveling to the Mountaineer one morning to find a hawk sitting on every fence post for one and a half miles, plus there were many flying or sitting on the ground. I called Fish Wildlife and Park in Great Falls, to find out what...
There is a new Parent Support Group starting in Big Sandy. It is for parents of kids with medical and special needs. Rachel Baumgarn is starting the group. According to her she has discovered once again, that Colby and her, raise their children with the support of the community. It is difficult to raise children with medical needs and often parents of children with learning disabilities face peers that do not understand why their child acts a certain way. A poster that Rachel built for the Facebook says, “Parenting is hard, and it is made even...
For the first time, the Big Sandy Medical Guild Rummage Sale was three days long, getting over Saturday at noon. There were too many people to thank, and the fear of forgetting one meant neither Lisa Sipler nor Reggie Jappe would attempt a list of helpers. However, this large event takes many community members to pull off. This year the high school students once again helped. The football team arrived with their pickups and helped set up. Monday Morning, the first two periods of ag classes came...
The Chili Feed and the Pioneer football game ended a full week of spirited activities. Monday, at the grade school was hero vs villain dress up day. At the high school, it was angle vs devil day. Tuesday, they all dressed up as a scrabble letter spelling words throughout the day. Wednesday was Video Game Day. Thursday was gender swap day. Big Sandy students found their costumes at last week's rummage sale. The day of the chili feed, Friday, it was purple and gold day. It started by eating...
Lance Rutledge is busy at school, in 4-H, in FFA, and running on the Pioneer Football team. However last summer he started a new business where he makes signs that are special ordered. In fact, in announcing his new business, Rutledge Design, now will allow the community to call him and order a sign just in time for Christmas. He uses a Plasma Cutter big enough to work with 4 x 8 sheet metal. He can go up to a half inch thick, however, he generally uses a 14 gauge for the signs he creates. He...
There is a new Parent Support Group starting in Big Sandy. It is for parents of kids with medical and special needs. Rachel Baumgarn is starting the group. According to her she has discovered once again, that Colby and her, raise their children with the support of the community. It is difficult to raise children with medical needs and often parents of children with learning disabilities face peers that do not understand why their child acts a certain way. A poster that Rachel built for the Facebook says, “Parenting is hard, and it is made even...
Fire can be mesmerizing. Anyone can sit for a long time by a fire pit or a fire-place just watching it burn, but a grass fire races towards you is a totally different thing. Instantly everyone realizes the danger. Quick frantic calls to 911 and to surrounding neighbors begins. As one of those neighbors, when a fire is received and you pick up the phone, the caller is always speaking fast and a little out of breath as fear takes hold. However, what usually happens when a smoke from a fire is...
Although Chili Feed is about celebrating local heroes and is the annual fund raiser it is also when the firefighters visit the schools and talk to the students about fire safety. In part, it’s something all families should discuss. Here is a starting place for families to talk about fire safety. I found this list as I researched the topic on line. I have a friend who lost their home in a fire that started at night. The entire house was lost. After talking to him I felt it was important we visit the topic of fire safety. Talk to the children a...
I was invited to go to the sneak preview of the North 40 as a representative of the press. I went because I am a farmer's wife who has discussed numerous times around the dining room table, "I wonder what all will be in the new North 40". We were met at the door by North 40 Outfitters Community Relations Coordinator Drew Steinberger and by Sales Presentation Manager John Teini. John has worked for 30 years in the farm and ranch industry. Before that, he was born and raised in Roundup and still c...
National 4-H week: It takes 4-H leaders In 4-H, it takes leaders, adults that care, willing to volunteer. Leaders have always stepped up. To become a 4-H Volunteer leader, the first step is to contact the Extension County office in Fort Benton. Time working with 4-H youth is time well spent. According to the 4-H web page, they say, "Research shows that 4 H helps young people excel beyond their peers. The 4 H Study of Positive Youth Development, conducted by Tufts University, explores the impact...
Creative Writing Club will start Monday October 7th after school. Any grade school student in grades 3rd -6th are welcome to come. Depending on the number of students I might need parent to volunteer to support their child. We need healthy snacks to eat right after school for the club will last for one hour and the students will need to be picked up around 4:45-4:50. The purpose is to encourage creative thinking, learning how to use more powerful words. We will be using a thesaurus to help them write better. It will not be my job to teach them...
Time to clean our closets and garages. The Big Sandy Medical Guild is holding their annual Rummage sale on Thursday October 3rd between 8:00-5:00; Friday October 4th with a Box Sale between 9:00-3:00; and for the first time Saturday October 5th with a Box Sale between 9:00-12:00 noon. (No pie on Saturday) Items can be donated by dropping them off at the Jerry Martin Memorial Hall in the alley behind the city office starting Sept 30th between 9:00- 5:00. The same on Tuesday, but on Wednesday Oct...
Jim and Marla Drga opened their home to Emily Sparkes, an agriculture guest from England for two and a half weeks. She said, "I thought I should just come over and just see a different scale of farming then we have in England." Emily is a dairy farmer in England. "It's totally different here. She lives in a village called Pretty, with rolling hills and lots of rain. "I wanted to see a different way of doing stuff. It's a lot bigger over here. You need a lot bigger landmass to produces crops and...
It's like living with a dark cloud constantly around you. It's like a storm always heading your direction. World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10. Every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide. "Depression is such a cruel punishment. There are no fevers, no rashes, no blood tests to send people scurrying in concern, just the slow erosion of self, as insidious as cancer. And like cancer, it is essentially a solitary experience; a room in hell with only your name on the door."...
The second annual Powder Puff football game was a big hit. The mom's and teachers won, making it back to back wins! The new English teacher's speed earned her the nickname "Wheels." I went to a barbeque last night, no one there was at the Powder Puff, and they said they heard I had an excellent game. Our team was very competitive." Another teacher laughed and said, "Welcome to a small town." Senior, Amanda Cline said, "It was the most fun I've ever had!" One girl said, "Let's just say we found o...
I was driving past Dan and Pat Matthews yard when my granddaughter said, "Look at that very very pretty park." I told her it wasn't a park, but someone's personal yard and she said, "well some people make their own parks." Pat Matthews told me, "it is labor-intensive, but we do enjoy it. We did sod the boulevard, and we added the raised flower beds this year." It's been a struggle this year because both and Dan and Pat had surgery. The secret, besides the intensive labor, is Dan set up the...
For the second year in a row, Big Sandy will lead in Pioneer spirit by Big Sandy Cheerleaders. There are four cheerleaders for the football and volleyball games and eight to 10 cheerleaders for the basketballs games. It is crucial to realize cheerleaders must, by rule, cheer equally at both the football and the volleyball games. The school doesn't want them to travel to far away with the football team, so even though the volleyball games are closer or more at home, they will not be cheering...
At the end of the regular Big Sandy School Board meeting, the budget for the year 2020 was approved by the council. The school districts were combined a few years ago. The total budget for all funds is $3,259,046. You can contact the school for a complete budget, and without going into detail in every category I will mention a number of categories the citizens might be most interested in: General fund budgets is $1,870,192; Transportation budget is $240,000; Bus Depreciation is $617,132; Technology is $58,218; Building Reserve is $64,333; and...
There will always be two EMT personnel at the football games. They have the best seats in the house. They have 10 active EMT members Krystyl Kulbeck, Medical Director; Dusty Allderdice, Service Manager; Melanie Schwarzbach; Heather Pleninger; Paula Amsbaugh; Nathan Merrill; Maggie Cline; Tim Bahnmiller; Ken Denning, and Larry Ophus. Dusty Allderdice said, "we also get support from the Big Sandy Firemen. They help us when we need lifting assistance, vehicle accidents, or drivers." She also said...
It takes a village to raise a child they say. It takes a community to withstand all the difficulties of time. A community bands together over the years if it wants to survive 110 years. The Mountaineer is 110 years old. Older than the homestead pictures I took. The Mountaineer has gone through many changes, but always serving the same community. I love unique pictures, this one of a blank with old rusty nails which may be helping to hold the old building together, reminds me of the Mountaineer....
Eating cotton candy is a requirement at a county fair. So is eating fried bread, Indian tacos, and drinking lemonade. I was sitting in the 4-H Chuck Wagon eating the fair special pulled pork, baked beans, and coleslaw in a plastic cup. A little boy waiter came up to me and asked if I wanted him to remove my cup. I said, "No, I'm not through eating yet. I just talk too much." He smiled as to comfort me and said, "My mom does that too." There is only one event that helps Chouteau county residents...
A full Big Sandy Council voted unanimously to fix the pool according to state requirements. As published in the Mountaineer in August, "Leslie Gregory reported the Big Sandy Swimming Pool Inspector showed up for a surprise visit and inspection. Historically, the pool was grandfathered for not meeting the requirements at the beginning because of the age of the pool. We are required to maintain an eight-hour water exchange; which means the water in the pool must all be taken out of the pool every...
If you have ever known a child who Shriners Hospital in Spokane as helped you know supporting their fund-raising efforts are well worth it. According to their web site, "For more than 90 years, families seeking the best orthopedic care have chosen Shriners Hospitals for Children - Spokane. What began as a mobile unit in 1924, has grown into a beautiful, state-of-the-art, 30-bed hospital treating thousands of patients each year." The Shriners Hospital in Spokane works with children from birth...
The Chouteau County Fair will be taking place Friday, August 16 through Sunday, August 18. The fair’s theme, “Make the Fair Great.” According to Shirley Embleton, Chouteau County Fair Office Manager, they chose the theme because it’s local participation that makes the fair great. She’s been the office manager for 12 years and wants to invite everyone, “Come and see what is going to happen at the fair. Without you participating the fair wouldn’t be. So, we need you to come, and you’ll be surprised it’s more fun than you’ve given it credit for...