Sorted by date Results 1402 - 1426 of 3543
1. Why did we see high populations of grasshoppers in Montana in 2020? Favorable weather conditions have promoted grasshopper pest populations. In 2019, a cool wet spring delayed hatching which resulted in high percentage hatch survival rates. In addition, vegetation was highly productive in 2019 especially sweet clover. As a result, grasshopper populations grew without being noticed or managed. 2. Why should I be concerned in 2021? A dry summer in 2020 and an open fall promoted a high egg lay which will result in large hatches this spring. If...
Do you find yourself falling short of drinking water during the day? You know you should but it just does not happen. Many of us could increase our water intake. But why? What is the purpose of water in our bodies? - Water fuels muscles to keep them working by transporting oxygen, fat and glucose. Muscles contain 75 percent water so a lot of water is required to maintain and even gain additional muscle. - Water maintains good blood volume which helps cushion and lubricate joints and assists with cardiovascular health. - Water helps fight off...
Students at FE Miley Elementary School experienced hands-on instruction for Earth Day this week when they took part in a community cleanup effort organized by the teachers. Several weeks in advance, the Elementary School teachers planned the basics of the day and divided the eastern side of town into areas for each class to engage in clean up. The original plan was for the students to go out primarily in the afternoon, but high winds and the cold weather prompted a change in plans. The majority...
Our town’s schools are excellent. This is product of our hard working teachers and administration. It is also directly linked to the efforts of the dedicated members of our school board. With the current school board election already in process, we sought out the four candidates and asked them questions we feel the voters would care about. Here are their responses: Why are you running for school board? Kelly Rutledge: I’m a current member of the board. I want to keep doing what’s best for the kids. Whatever is best for the kids is what...
I was visiting another service organization representative who said he had great admiration for the Rotary members and the amount of service they do for our community. To date, they have raised and given to the community through various projects $675,000 in the last 36 years. This Saturday, April 24, is the Big Sandy Rotary Banquet. This is how they have raised all of their funds. If you would like to buy a ticket for the meal, you may purchase one at First Bank. It costs $100 for two Prime Rib dinners, including salads and desserts. There are...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted 988 as a new three-digit number to be used nationwide to reach the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline, starting July 16, 2022. Until then, customers must continue to dial 1-800-273-TALK to reach the Lifeline. For 988 to work properly in our area code, and in several other area codes and states around the country, 10-digit local dialing needs to be implemented. What is Changing? All telephone customers may begin dialing 10 digits (area code + telephone number)...
5 Montana Drought Series for Livestock Producers in Havre Montana State University Ranch Management Systems Team in collaboration with local MSU Extension agents have put together a series of workshops to address potential strategies to reduce the effects of drought in 2021. The 2021 Montana Drought Series has put together a tour of talks in 5 locations across the state where drought is most prominent. The topics featured include; Cattle Management During Drought, Range Conditions and Grazing During Drought, Forage Management Options During...
This year Earth Day falls on Thursday, April 22nd. There isn't much celebration for the Holiday here in Big Sandy. Here in God's Country. Here in the middle of farm and ranch country. I get it. People living in the city surrounded by cement don't have much earth around them to influence them, even if it's just a tiny patch of green in their backyards. I can understand why they would want a day to express the importance of the earth, the importance of nature because they see too little of it. On...
Big Sandy High School will be competing in the Spring Music Festival online next week after missing the event last year entirely due to the lockdowns. This year, the Montana High School Association (MHSA) decided that all of the state music festivals would be done digitally, due to concerns over the potential spread of the COVID virus. This decision was a bit of a disappointment for the students and staff who see the festival as a major component of performing arts at the high school level....
Budding musicians in the Big Sandy area have a new resource to learn and grow through the teaching and experience of several local entertainers. The "School of Rock" set out to "give the kids a little bit of music education that is popular music based, not that there's anything wrong with classical music. We just know a little bit about popular music, because we have been playing it forever," explains Chris Meyers who is heading up the School of Rock effort with the help of his father, Larry Mey...
This year at the FE Miley Elementary school, because of Autism awareness month, students will be learning why and how to be kind. They made a rainbow of seven colors representing all seven classes. They used each student's handprint, and the high school art department will paint the words "In a world where you can become anything, be kind" above the rainbow. Every year 1 in 54 births is diagnosed with Autism. Often nationwide, students on the spectrum are bullied. But Cat Lopez,...
The single most important component of a successful breeding program is using fertile bulls that have passed a bull breeding soundness evaluation (BSE). Each bull is expected to contribute to 20 to 50 pregnancies each year. Having a BSE conducted on breeding bulls is crucial to a successful breeding program. The BSE is an exam conducted by veterinarians that includes a physical exam, semen evaluation, and an internal and external exam of the reproductive tract. The BSE should be conducted 30 to 60 days prior to breeding to allow sufficient...
The annual RECYCLING BONANZA is back this year. It will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Dedman Foundation Animal Shelter at 2400 High Street in Fort Benton. We will be accepting recyclable scrap metal and appliances, household batteries (sorted by chemical type), clothing and shoes (gently used or better), paint (usable condition, all kinds), steel canned food cans (rinsed and label removed), aluminum cans, tabs removed from the aluminum cans, mixed paper including copy/printer paper, newspapers and magazines, c...
In 1924 Everton Mattress Factory began as a small bedding company in Utah before moving to Twin Falls, Idaho. That’s important because they have always been a company that made beds in the United States. It is one of the reasons that Ed Lehman has them for sale at Lehman’s True Value. I found myself in the basement of the hardware store in Fort Benton in a room full of beds. Everton has a large selection of different kinds of beds. He told me he carries twin, full, queen, and kings size mattresses. I mean, you can get soft pillow tops, pos...
Mayor Shaud Schwarzbach mentioned that the pivot soil samples had been taken. Diane Labuda from the Big Sandy Pool Committee attended the meeting and reported on the recent meeting held with KLJ about the pool design and emphasized the funds would all be raised through fundraising. There will be stages so that the project can be started in different phases. A zero entrance versus a ramp approach to the pool was discussed. Mark Rohweder from KLJ visited about the state code mentioning the pool...
The annual Rotary banquet will be held on Saturday, April 24 at 6:00 in the Big Sandy High School gymnasium. The theme this year is Camelot, so join us in your finest royalty attire. Tickets are $100 again, which includes 2 prime rib dinners and entry into the top 10 prizes and grand door prize. The top prizes this year will be: 1. $3,000 Grand Prize – Big Sandy Rotary Club 2. $1,000 gift certificate to North Forty – Cash Sponsors 3. 20 yards of gravel - Genereux Gravel 4. Big Screen TV – Cash Sponsors 5. Covered Swing – Cash Sponsors 6. Gard...
A surprise assembly at the F. E. Miley school was held to award Amy Terry, Alma Terry, Cat Lopez, Brittany Sherburn, Cheryl Ostrom, and Dick Thornton the Paraeducator/Teacher Team of the Year award. Kristie Rutledge, School Psychologist Bear Paw Cooperative, presented the award to a shocked group of paraprofessionals. Also present was Glen Terry, the president of the Big Sandy School Board. He said, "Everyone is born with a gift, and these people use their gifts working with you," he said to...
The Big Sandy Food Bank is raffling off a half a pig to raise money to support their food distribution program. Tickets are $5 and the drawing will be held April 30th. They can be purchased from the Senior Center, the offices of the Big Sandy Activity Center, the Mint Bar, or at the Mountaineer Office. They can also be purchased from Terry Grant or LeaAnn Williams. The fundraiser is a result of the generosity of Triangle Communications. The company purchased pigs and cows from 4-H groups last...
The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers in determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 28 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and providing the state drought committee with soil moisture information. Testing for soil moisture took place in Chouteau County on March 26-31. All winter wheat locations except three (southeast of Big Sandy and north of Loma) exceeded 3.5 feet of stored soil moisture, which...
The food being promoted through Montana Harvest of the Month for April is chickpeas. Harvest of the Month is a program which showcases Montana grown foods. You will see posters and events in the schools, other education facilities and healthcare institutions across Montana. These places promote the locally grown item by serving it as a meal and/or snack along with displaying educational literature and displays. Many of your children may have mentioned during school they learned about these locally grown items and/or had a taste test. The...
Three months in Rick Darlington, County Commissioner, reports, “It’s been really good, not a lot of snow removal this winter, with the open winter we saved a lot of money. We have a big job ahead of us to try and get them (the road) all improved. We aren’t going to get it done overnight. It’s going to take a long time” It was Saturday during the grade school basketball games when I finally got up with Rick. He continued to tell me, “We are out there blading them right now.” They have a full crew having hired Lance Cook again. Traci Sibra i...
Last year, I preached the Good Friday and Easter Morning Services to an empty room with a camera set up to stream everything to Facebook. All of the other churches in town, and across the country, had the same experience. Like everything that happened in 2020, church services for Easter were cancelled due to the lockdowns. Most churches had had the opportunity to adapt by that point and were streaming their services or running worship online via Zoom or other apps. In the weeks before Easter...
Answering a third grader’s concern about finding a home for all the stray animals, especially feral cats, I thought I would ask first at the Dedman Animal Shelter. Nikki Jones has been the director for three years. She admitted that the topic of homeless animals is a big concern. Currently, they have 40 cats; three are kittens. Adult cats are the hardest to adopt out. They also have nine adult dogs and 25 puppies to give away. They take strays from Big Sandy and have a new program funded by grant funds to fix the problem of feral (wild) c...
Jaesun Yirsa is a 7th grade home school student and the son of Petra and Justin Yirsa. Jaesun said he likes writing and has a very patriotic family. “It’s an honor for me.” Marty and Tamee Havrilla, from Fort Benton, both air force veterans, presented his award. Marty represents post 447 VFW in Fort Benton, and Tamee is a state VFW Auxiliary officer. VFW Post 447 just celebrated its 75th anniversary. The 2020-21 Patriots Pin Theme this year was “What is Patriotism to Me?” Jaesun was required...
With the coming of spring and warmer weather conditions, snakes are through hunkering down for the winter making human encounters more likely. For many, snakes evoke feelings of uneasiness to outright panic. Montana only has 10 native snake species of which only the Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is venomous. Prairie Rattlesnakes are pale green to brown in color with brown or black blotches along the back extending to the tail where they change from blotches to rings. However, pattern and coloration vary widely across snake species and...