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By Dee Pribyl Dolly Parton's recent passing leaves a profound void in the world, but her love of literacy will shine through her proudest achievement-The Imagination Library. Founded in 1995 as a deeply personal tribute to her father, who never learned to read or write, Dolly transformed her humble beginnings into a global mission. What started as a local initiative in east Tennessee has grown into a breathtaking global phenomenon, gifting more than 300 million free books to children from birth...
By Erik Sietsema Throughout the month of September, cyclists all over the United States, including me, are riding to raise money to fight childhood cancer. Over the past nine years I have participated in eight Great Cycle Challenges, missing only 2023, when I broke my wrist. In that time I've raised more than $9,000 for the Children's Cancer Research Fund. This year my fundraising goal is $2,500, though I would love to exceed it. The Great Cycle Challenge was established eleven years ago and...
BILLINGS, Mont., Sept. 10, 2026. Twenty-five years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, sent a generation of Americans into uniform, Dog Tag Buddies is marking National Service Dog Month and National Suicide Prevention Month together this September. The two observances converge directly in the work of Dog Tag Buddies, Montana’s first and only Assistance Dogs International (ADI) accredited veteran service dog nonprofit. Since 2015, Dog Tag Buddies has matched veterans with rescue dogs t...
from Northern Montana Health Care A program at Northern Montana Health Care is helping local seniors avoid one of the major hazards of growing older – falling. SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life) fitness classes are now in their second year at NMHC. The 12-week, one-hour exercise classes help seniors improve their balance, strength and mobility to reduce their risk of falling. SAIL Leader for Northern Montana Hospital Betty Boyce said the program is making a difference for the people w...
By Michelle Robertson The Big Sandy Medical Guild is once again preparing for its Annual Rummage Sale, and we are asking the community to lend a helping . The Annual Rummage Sale is planned for Thursday, October 1st and Friday, October 2nd. This year’s rummage sale will benefit the Big Sandy Medical Center, with funds raised going toward improvements to the Medical Center’s courtyard. Planned improvements include beautification, new raised flower beds, improved wheelchair accessibility, and a new structure to provide shade and comfort for pat...
By Tyler Lane The 2026 Chouteau County 4-H and FFA livestock carcass ultrasound contest took place at the Chouteau County Fairgrounds. A total of 67 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, nutritious and good tasting to the consumer. Out of 39 market swine...
HAVRE – Bear Paw Development Corporation was recently recognized with two Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards from the National Association of Development Organizations for the establishment of the organization’s podcast “Bear With Us” and also for Havre’s Tourism Enhancement Project. “Bear With Us is a podcast we initiated a year ago and have so far produced 20 episodes that include a dialogue with people in northern Montana who shape the vibrancy of our region and who contribute substantially to the wellbeing of northern Montana,” Paul Tuss, Ex...
Due to hot and dry weather conditions, Stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect within Fergus and Petroleum Counties beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026. These restrictions apply to all state, private, and Bureau of Land Management lands in Fergus and Petroleum Counties except for the Upper River Missouri River Breaks National Monument. The Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge will not be under fire restrictions. These restrictions will remain in effect until rescinded. Under Stage 1, the following acts are prohibited...
From MSU-Extension 4-H and FFA members from across Chouteau County had a very busy and successful 2026 Chouteau County Fair held August 12-16, 2026. The following is a list of the award recipients and sponsors at the 2026 Chouteau County 4-H and FFA Fair. We would like to recognize and thank our generous sponsors of these awards. Clover Sponsors indicate individuals and/or businesses whose sponsorship is undesignated and helps us cover awards where project entries vary year to year. Top Project...
By Erik Sietsema Students returning to School for the 2026-2027 School Year will be greeted by some new faces. Big Sandy School has a handful of new faculty, who will be teaching our students. Our local school system has been lucky over the past few years in that they have seen relatively small amount of turnover. I sat down with superintendent Dan Schrock to discuss the line-up of new faces for the upcoming academic year. Dan began his explanation of the staff changes for the coming year with an expression of appreciation to a local retired...
By Charlotte Danreuther The Big Sandy Art Walk was created with the hopes of bringing community members together to revel in our local talents, and to foster inspiration, motivation, and a desire for future gatherings. Many cities and towns have art walks. It is a way for people to engage within their community and appreciate the Arts. Yet underneath these objectives lies an even greater potential gain: a connection that leaves one feeling inspired. Our first Big Sandy art walk was on July 22 of this year. Many people came out to take part in...
By Rachel Baumgarn Supporting Those Who Teach: How Pioneer Parent Team Backs Our Educators Behind every engaging lesson, hands-on activity, and warm classroom is a dedicated teacher. Too often, there’s also a teacher using their own money to make it all happen. Across the country, educators regularly spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket each year on basic classroom supplies, extra learning materials, and items the school budget simply can’t cover. Around here, we live by a clear motto: “Pioneers don’t follow tracks, we make them.” That spir...
By Erk Sietsema Visitors to the Big Sandy Historical Society Museum are greeted by a display of arrowheads as they walk down the ramp into the larger display area. The framed array of triangular, notched stone artifacts sits alongside Native American clothing and other objects collected in the Big Sandy area. A small printed sign beneath the display notes that the assortment was “Collected on the Lonesome Prairie by Glenn and Anita Cook.” I’ve walked past that exhibit for more than a decad...
By Melanie Schwarzbach If you’ve lived in Big Sandy for any length of time, chances are you have memories of summers spent at the community pool. For generations, it has been a place where children learned to swim, teenagers gathered with friends, families cooled off on hot afternoons, and lifelong memories were made. Today, a group of dedicated volunteers is working to ensure those memories can continue for future generations. The Big Sandy Pool Committee has embarked on an ambitious effort to construct a new community pool, one that will prov...
From NMH A third-year medical student is back in Havre and back at Northern Montana Hospital, completing the first of his clinical rotations required to finish his medical degree. Spencer Obresley, a 2014 graduate of Havre High School, is a third-year student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Great Falls. He said he is excited to complete his elective clinical rotation back in Havre, at the hospital where he was born, and is learning a lot while working with Dr. Cameron Scranton...
By Your Accidental Journalist Living in a small rural community comes with an advantage that is increasingly rare: we know one another. We recognize the person behind the counter at the bank. We know the business owner whose name appears on a check. We recognize our neighbors’ voices on the telephone, and we often know the people working at our schools, clinics, pharmacies and local government offices. Unfortunately, criminals have learned how to take advantage of that trust. Fraud and forgery have changed dramatically. The person trying to s...
(Lewistown, MT)— In response to persistent hot and dry weather conditions, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions will be implemented starting at 12:01 a.m. on August 7, 2026. These restrictions will apply to all state lands, Bureau of Reclamation areas, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 6, and Bureau of Land Management lands, except for the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Phillips County. Hill County will also initiate Stage I fire restrictions. Private land within Phillips County began Stage I restrictions as of Monday, August 3. T...
By Rachel Baumgarn We had a great turnout at today’s blood drive at Jerry Martin Memorial Hall! Out of 22 scheduled appointments, 18 people were able to successfully donate—including three awesome first-time donors who stepped up to give. We did have two deferrals and two no-shows, but overall, it was a fantastic day for our local supply. A huge congratulations goes out to two of our local donors who hit big milestones today: •Kurt Strutz hit an amazing 4 gallons (that’s 32 donations!). •Matthew Louvar reached his 1-gallon mark (8 donations...
By Jessica Sheehy Summer is in full swing. Between the sound of laughing kids, afternoon bike rides, trips to the pool, and family travels, the familiar smell of sunscreen signals that school is officially out. But while the classrooms may be quiet, Big Sandy Schools are still hard at work serving local youth. Thanks to the district’s Summer Food Program, free meal boxes are being provided to every child in the district from ages 0 to 18, regardless of household income. Each box is packed with a well-rounded variety of fresh fruits, vegetables,...
By Ella Chauvet The July Sunshine Snippers 4-H club meeting was hosted by Russ and Nicole Allderdice at their home along the Missouri River at Virgelle. Thank you Allderdice family for opening your home to us! Before the meeting, we shared a potluck lunch of delicious salads, chips and hotdogs. The meeting was called to order by Vice President Garrett L. and we resighted the pledge of allegiance and 4-H pledge. The roll call question was, “Are you excited for fair?” The answer was mixed feelings—some members were excited, while others seeme...
From Northern Montana Health Care Northern Montana Health Care is hosting a free presentation focused on helping older adults stay active, independent, and healthy. NMHC social worker Janet Blackaby said the presentation will include information about the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, along with available resources for individuals and families. “Being knowledgeable about supportive resources is important to impact the quality of life for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers,” Blackab...
MADISON, Wis (July 20, 2026) - The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year. Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean of their school or college at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Her...
By Erik Sietsema Montana Actors’ Theatre brought its summer theater camp to Big Sandy July 20–23, concluding Thursday evening with a student production of Kid Frankie Stein. Twelve local children participated in the four-day camp, along with one high school student who volunteered backstage. Though MAT’s theater camp is a long-running program, this summer marked its first visit to Big Sandy. The event was hosted by the Big Sandy Theater Company and sponsored by Triangle Communications and the Bi...
By Mary Ophus The Sunshine Snippers 4-H Club is proud to announce that they were awarded a $500 People Partner Grant from the Montana 4-H Foundation, which helped fund their “Care & Share” community service project. The People Partner Grant program provides support to youth-led projects that enhance the quality of life within local communities. These grants emphasize youth involvement in planning and carrying out meaningful, educational projects that create lasting benefits. Through this gra...
HAVRE – Bear Paw Development Corporation recently released its Annual Report for 2025. The multi-county nonprofit economic and community development organization, founded in 1969, serves Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian Reservations. The Annual Report chronicles the impact Bear Paw Development had on its region last year. Overall, the organization coordinated more than $10 million in funding through grant writing, revolving loan fund investments and other sources for business sta...