Sorted by date Results 1151 - 1175 of 3543
The Gun Show over the past weekend provided an opportunity for locals to shop for guns, ammunition, and other shooting sports items. It also brought a lot of traffic to our community and benefitted out local businesses. From the restaurants, to The Motel, to The Grocery Store, the show brought money into our community as people came through to look at and buy guns. Keith Hanson, who organized the event, explained that the show benefits both the vendors and the community businesses: “When my w...
Governor Greg Gianforte and the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) are making available 650,000 at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for Montanans. The tests are being provided at no cost to support early COVID-19 detection in an effort to reduce transmission of the virus. DPHHS shipped the at-home tests this week to county and Tribal public health departments for distribution beginning as early as Sunday, January 30, 2022, unless otherwise noted. Montanans can go to...
A movement is underway to establish and enhance locally grown vegetables and other foods for the Northern Choteau County area. I spoke with Bob Quinn, who explained the concept and timeline to me. “This is an idea that Thomas and Heather Dilworth came up with. They asked if I could help them with designing and maybe helping find somebody that could run a greenhouse (a large hoop house) to raise as much local food as possible for the town… They were looking at getting a grant and building it and...
The student Council reported they would have a Valentine Dance for Junior High Students. The Big Sandy Booster Club reported purchasing a blow-up screen to use at school functions, including outdoor events. They also purchased a button maker. They said that some of Earl Sluggett's memorial money would be used to buy a sign showing how to get to the Big Sandy High School. The high school English class will have hot cocoa with grade school students. The water break at grade school was an enormous...
The Big Sandy Library will be launching a new book club this Friday, the 28th, at 2 PM. The “Loosely Bound Book Club” will live up to its name by providing the town’s readers with a place to discuss the books they are reading, rather than filling a schedule where everyone is reading the same book. The advantage of the loose approach is that it provides an opportunity for participants to share what they are thinking or enjoying in their own reading adventures. It also gives participants the c...
The Golden Triangle Barley Conference will be in Conrad on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. The triennial event features some of the industry’s top professionals. The meeting will be held at the Pondera Shooting Sports Complex (972 Granite Rd, Conrad), and will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. Speakers from Montana State University (MSU) will include Dr. Pat Carr of the Central Ag Research Center in Moccasin, Dr. Jamie Sherman, MSU barley breeder, and Dr. Justin Vetch from the Western Triangle Ag Research Center...
Halfway through the winter season, each coach knows where they are and where they want to go. Pioneer boys basketball coach Thomas Dilworth says his personal goal is to coach character. “I want to have good men, not good basketball players. That’s my biggest thing, focusing on that because it all relates to basketball. It’s discipline, integrity, and accountability. You have to use them to be a good basketball team. I like to win games; it’s fun, but I hope that’s not what I am remembered by.” Right now, “We’re learning. When we get on the righ...
Another year of calving is just around the corner for many in the Big Sandy community and around Montana. The Big Sandy American Legion Coyote Derby started as an idea in 2017 by Mason Ophus, Stephen Boyce and Clete Ophus. A good opportunity to fundraise for a local organization and help the local ranchers with reducing the depredation issues that coyotes present during calving and lambing season. While ranchers are up for hours on end, monitoring and caring for their livestock during this...
The Big Sandy Choir traveled to Bozeman this week to make a second appearance on PBS as a part of a fundraising program that features high school choirs from around the state. TJ Bond, Big Sandy's music teacher, explained the course of events that followed the 2019 appearance: They didn't do it last year due to the pandemic. But this year, they really wanted to do it, not just for the fundraiser, but also to get everyone's spirits back into the music. Very specifically, they really enjoyed our...
The Fort Benton Summer Celebration lineup will feature a major addition this year: The Summer Celebration Slam. The Slam is a demolition derby organized by Eric Tadej. Registration is open for drivers, with 50 available slots for the main class. With a total purse of $40,000, those slots will fill up fast. "We opened registration on Sunday to 50 cars for the main class and basically right when I opened registration people started calling to register and pay paling. I got five guys registered...
Agricultural Testing Facility in Chinook Many Chouteau County producers are sending samples to the new agricultural testing facility in Chinook. Because of its location, producers can get test results back in a couple of days rather than a week or 10 days. Information below came from an article published in the Blaine County Journal. North Border Analytics opened its facility on the north side of Chinook. The business performs testing and assessment for soil, water, forage and grain samples. Dr. Brian Grebliunas, the owner, says the local lab...
The Big Sandy Public Library is hosting a great race this year. This race will not see its competitors traveling around the world, but rather they will be exploring the world through the pages of books. The race pits the librarians and subs against library patrons to see who can finish reading more books throughout the calendar year. I spoke to Darlene Cline, Big Sandy’s Librarian, on the 6th day of the contest. The librarians held a commanding lead over the patrons 21 to 16. Within the space of...
The Big Sandy Rotary Club held its first meeting of 2022 and announced its prizes for the Christmas light displays that adorned the town of Big Sandy during the holidays. The Rotary Club’s Christmas Light Committee met on December 20, 2021. After driving all over town and having reports from members living in the country, the following winners were announced: Kenyon Cook Bright Blue Christmas; Chris Dixon and Shana Wright School Pride Christmas Donita Larson Christmas Through the Window; Dave and Deb Louvar Red Light District; Steve and B...
The Big Sandy town Council held a public meeting on January 5, 2022, to discuss the grant application. Mayor Schwarzbach and council members Colby Baumgarn, Jon Sheehy, Rich Jespersen and Krystyl Kulbeck were also present. All three staff were also present; Tim LaBuda, Larry Geyer, and Wendy Kleinsasser. There was no one from the public at this meeting. Chuck William from KLJ told the council that a competitive grant using ARPA Pot C funds is due January 14. The funding will be used to purchase a new SCADA system, which will monitor the town’s...
Big Sandy Public School students received an unexpected extension to their Christmas vacation when the plumbing in the elementary school burst on Sunday,January 2nd. The cleanup and repairs were initially completed Monday around midday, when a second burst pipe was discovered further down the line. The repairs for the second issue were completed Tuesday afternoon and classes resumed Wednesday. The first pipe burst sometime Sunday morning. PrincipalHeather Woolery explains the sequence of events...
It's the beginning of a new year, and although RD Recording and Rock School are a year and a half in, it's still a perfect example of going for an idea or dream and making it real. RD Recording and Rock School started In remembrance of Rusty Danreuther. Chris said, "he was so good with music and sports. I'm trying to carry on his passion. If he were here, he'd be all about it." For one and a half years, Chris Myers, with the help of his dad, Larry, has been working with kids, teaching them...
Master Gardener Level 1 Class in Fort Benton or Big Sandy (please pre-register) MSU Extension level 1 Master Gardener classes will take place in Fort Benton or Big Sandy in February pending pre-registration numbers. Now is your chance to participate in an excellent educational opportunity. A minimum of 10 pre-registered participants is required. The class traditionally begins in late February. Please contact the MSU Chouteau County Extension office at 622-3751 to pre-register. The Level 1 Master Gardener course requires 16 hours of class time,...
On December 20th it was reported that Omicron was in Montana but, “Despite the detection of Omicron, Delta remains the predominant strain in Montana. “Given this activity around the country, it’s important that we exercise caution and take proven steps to prevent disease and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 here in Montana.” DPHHS encourages all Montanans to take the following steps to protect themselves from becoming infected with COVID-19, including variants like Omicron. In two weeks on Jan 3rd the DPHHS stated, “ This brings the statewide...
Big Sandy Medical Services Foundation was established to foster better healthcare in the Big Sandy community. One way of doing this is to encourage and assist young people who wish to pursue training in the healthcare field by offering scholarships to Big Sandy High School graduates. Scholarship amounts for the 2022-2023 college year will be a minimum of $300.00 each, one to a graduating senior, one to a college student already enrolled in a college and a third to either of these groups, depending on applications received. All applicants must...
As the new year begins, we hang up our new calendars and pack away all the holiday decorations and lights. It is time to focus on the coming months and make those resolutions. Some people laugh and say the resolutions are things we would like to do but never keep the resolve to really stick to them. We encourage you to write these resolutions on a piece of paper. Use colored paper and colored markers, add a picture or decoration, and keep the resolutions somewhere where you’ll see them. This will make it easier to follow through. Many people h...
Press release- Duluth GA: Tilleman Equipment in Havre MT is the newest dealer to be awarded the Fendt tractor line. (the “d” is silent; rhymes with tent) Fendts have long been a staple on grain and livestock farms in Europe. Only 200 AGCO dealers have demonstrated the ability and taken on the investment in parts, training and tooling to represent this high quality tractor line. Fendt, owned by AGCO, will be making its North Central Montana debut at the MAGIE this January in Great Falls. AGCO purchased the German manufacturer in 1996 and beg...
January 13, at the start of another new year and in anticipation of the hundreds of family and friends coming to town this summer for another Big Sandy Homecoming, your Town Council wants to challenge all residents with this new year's resolution: We resolve to clean up and beautify Big Sandy. Tester's new book Grounded and his experience at the Capitol building last week. What was your reason for writing Grounded? "I just thought after the election that I had in 2018 that the time to write it...
6 Montana’s Next Generation Conference will be Virtual The 2022 Montana’s Next Generation Conference will provide six evening sessions covering recordkeeping, markets, marketing, crop production, succession planning, and business topics. Sessions will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning January 11. All sessions will be broadcast and accessible online. Sessions will be free. Registration is required at www.mtnextgen.com. Farm Service Agency (FSA) borrowers can complete their borrower training req...
Santa Clause and Mrs. Claus brought gifts to every student at the FE Miley School on Tuesday. He flew into the airport and met with all of the students. The Mountaineer missed the opportunity to interview Santa Clause because he was running late. It seems the airplane isn't as reliable in bad weather and his reindeer. However, he didn't come to be interviewed; he came to bring joy to our elementary children in Big Sandy. Not everyone got the same gift. Some got stuffed animals other received fid...
The latest Big Sandy School Board meeting was short. I attended by Google Meet. Superintendent Kelly Haaland mentioned that the gym floor would be touched-up again with a water-based finish during Christmas break. We also have a few electrical issues going on. He also mentioned that the new COVID variant is not going away soon. The evaluation tool for the Superintendent, the Principal, and the Financial Clerk has been chosen. They like the 14-page evaluation better than the two-page one because it covers more areas. They have been looking at...