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The eastern heath snail is the only snail species that climbs to the top of the vegetation to keep cool. This behavior is the main identifier for the species. If you live in other areas of the county and have discovered this species in the tops of vegetation, please contact the Chouteau County Extension office at 622-3751. There may be some financial assistance to help manage the pest. For further information, please reference the Montana Fact Sheet on the eastern heath snail developed by the Montana Department of Agriculture....
I cannot let September slip by without putting information out about this month being National Sewing Month. The past six months have sparked a surge of more people sewing. Motivations of why people sew vary from stress reliever to a way to save money, although many would say it is an expensive hobby. If you are worried about the cost of sewing, by taking some time to do a little research on the web, you can find a lot of free or low-cost supplies to get you going on fun and creative projects. Simply type in a search for “free sewing p...
The Chouteau County Elections office is looking for election judges. In order to serve as an election judge, it is mandatory to attend a training session and be certified. The training sessions will cover the duties and responsibilities of an election judge. Election judges are paid an hourly rate and mileage for training and for serving as election judges. The following are the training dates and locations. Each session will be approximately three hours. Big Sandy Thursday, September 24 @ 2:00 PM – Big Sandy Town Hall Fort Benton Tuesday, S...
Fall is upon us and, with the changing colors in the trees, come changes at BSMC. You know what they say...life is about change. Nothing ever stays the same! Among some of the changes happening at the Medical Center, the Social Services Director, Lisa Genereux,, RN, and the MDS Coordinator, Pam Gasvoda, have moved to an office upstairs. They are now where the hospital waiting room used to be. The waiting room has been added to the outpatient room. This move allows for ease of access to these two...
The Big Sandy Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of the Montana Department of Transportation EMS Grant Program Award. The department has been awarded $196,200, which is 90% of the cost of a new Type 1 Ambulance equipped with a Stryker Power Load and Power Cot system. The department will be responsible for the remaining 10%, valued at $21,800. This new ambulance will serve as a replacement for one of the older ambulances. The oldest ambulance was purchased in 1998 and the newest in 2003. Both...
I was able to talk to Jason Gardiner, CEO of Kart Kleen Technologies, last week about the development of a mobile disinfecting unit that would allow students to clean their personal belongings before they entered the school. Along with company operations director, Jason Gardiner, Joe O’Bresley had their unit scientifically tested by Bill Holbein, a microbiology professor at the University of Montana. Ultraviolet rays at a specific wavelength, not found in sunlight, kills microorganisms, viruses, and bacteria at a 99.9% kill rate. Jason said, ...
For the past five years, Big Sandy's first grade students have been taught by the energetic and cheerful Mrs. Katie Hanson. Mrs. Hanson was born and raised here in Big Sandy. She cites a long term relationship and deep familiarity with the community as two of the major reasons she loves teaching here so much. When asked her feelings about teaching in Big Sandy, she describes it with one word: "Awesome." Her reason is that our town is "...a tight knit group. Everyone focuses on the kids. It's...
Since I moved to Big Sandy, I have always called the road that runs through the middle of downtown "Main Street." I have heard quite a few other people refer to it by the same name. It wasn't until I had been here for a few years that I learned that the road that ran through the middle of town is actually named "Johannes Street." I have never heard a good explanation as to who the road is named after. It was one of many roads in Big Sandy that bears the names of folks I haven't heard of anywhere...
This week, the Pioneer Volleyball team hits the road, playing Hays-Lodgepole on Thursday evening (date change from the original schedule) and CJI on Saturday. As of press time, no spectators are allowed at Hays, though you can watch the volleyball action on the NFHS network. Your only opportunity to watch the Pioneers in person this week is in Chester. CJI is welcoming spectators, but asks that you sign up prior to the game. Please check the Big Sandy High School web site or the Big Sandy Schools Facebook page for a link to sign up. You can...
The following information was prepared by Kevin Wanner (MSU Extension Entomologist). Emerging winter wheat can be particularly vulnerable to damage by grasshoppers. The larger adult stage grasshoppers are more difficult to control and can move into emerging winter wheat fields from surrounding grassy areas. Treatment thresholds for emerging winter wheat are lower, 3-7 per square yard within the field, or 11-20 per square yard around the margin probably requires treatment. Border treatments applied as insecticidal sprays or seed treatments are...
FRIDAY FOOD PRESERVATION 101 Finding your freezer stuffed and no room to put your fresh seasonal produce to enjoy this winter? Canning may be your answer. Canning does require some specific steps to ensure a safe, shelf-stable product. Montana State University Extension is offering a series of basic food preservation classes online. The sessions will be held live on Fridays from 9:30 – 10:30 am. Topics include, water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, sausage making, dehydration vs traditional drying and pickling. On September 25, I w...
Lana Claassen, Chouteau County Clerk, from the Chouteau County Clerk and Reporters office, whose primary job is to ensure we have a fair and reliable voting process, is 99.99% sure voting is fair. Every person who is registered to vote has a statewide registered number. If you have requested a mail-in ballot, there is a name and number on the outside envelope, requiring your signature. It contains your inside envelope with your ballet. She said, “we double-check every single day, making sure that what the computers say is accurate. There are s...
In a year with an unusually small number of staffing changes for Big Sandy schools, one major change isn't a new face. It's a well-loved teacher in a new role: Ms. Amy Terry has shifted to a full-time focus on Special Education at FE Miley Elementary School. For the last two years, she has been operating in a dual capacity, as both the second-grade teacher and the Special Education teacher. The shift in roles took place after the school went through a period of rapid turnover in Special...
Running the school year safely during the COVID pandemic has been challenging and required significant precautions be taken. One of the courses that faces the biggest challenges in meeting safely is music education. TJ Bond is the music teacher for Big Sandy Schools, and I sat down with him to discuss these challenges. The problem arises in the strange fact that airborne illnesses spread more effectively through singing, and the playing of wind instruments than through ordinary talking....
According to Laurie Kerzicnik (Montana State University Entomologist), grasshoppers continue to be an issue for several areas in Montana. Grasshopper infestations will continue to extend into the fall. High grasshopper populations this year could be due to a couple of factors including an abundance of a yellow sweet clover in 2019 and a cold, wet spring in 2019 where grass was abundant and rising grasshopper populations were tolerated and mostly not managed. Most grasshoppers overwinter in the egg stage in the soil. After egg hatch in mid to la...
Rutledges are not just my neighbor. Both Lance and Andrea Rutledge had impressive accomplishments in the Red Angus beef industry. Lance Rutledge was one of the 24 Nile Merit Heifer Program participants in the class of 2020. He'll be showing his heifer in October of this year. I visited with Lance about his selection, and although I asked him to brag a little about himself, he played down his accomplishment. His application clearly showed his work in 4-H and FFA. It also required he had three...
You may have all seen this on TV Friday night but did not realize Big Sandy’s own Kris Kulbeck partially designed it. The TV story was about technology using UV lights to Kill COVID-19 germs. Kart Kleen Technologies showcased the system, “Freq Kleen-e” at Hellgate Middle school, which kills 99.9 percent of all bacteria and germs. It was the first working model in action. It takes 28 seconds to kill all bacteria and germs. They use a conveyor belt to place objects on, it then passes through an enclosed UV light tunnel and then it comes out o...
The following is a list of the 4-H and FFA member who received the top awards at the 2020 Chouteau County Fair and the businesses and individuals who generously sponsored the award. Top Rabbit Project – Faith Gasvoda – Sponsored by: Jay and Patricia Eklund Senior Rabbit Showman – Faith Gasvoda – Sponsored by: Rick & Kay Bailey Junior Rabbit Showman – Tiegan Mortensen – Sponsored by: Chouteau County 4-H Council Novice Rabbit Showman – Parker Mortensen – Sponsored by: Mary’s Little Lambs Junior Poultry Showman – Jayton Ophus – Sponsored by: Joyce...
The Pioneers hit the road this week, traveling to Fort Benton on Thursday for volleyball and then onto Stanford on Friday to play DGS. The football team is also on the road, playing North Star in Rudyard. As I mentioned in last week’s article, the Northern Division struggled to come to any consensus on Covid-19 guidelines, with each community having different views on how best to manage spectators during a pandemic. Here are the Covid-19 expectations for each school we are visiting this week. If you are planning to support our Pioneers, p...
The newest face at FE Miley Elementary School is actually a returning personality. Mr. Desmond Parker is the new 2nd Grade teacher. He is taking over from Amy Terry, who will be shifting to focus exclusively on special education. Mr. Parker did his student teaching with Sherri Moore in the 3rd Grade Class last year, where he was popular with the kids and well liked by the staff. He applied to several schools, including FE Miley, who hired him before he heard back from anyone else. He was was...
If you have never been to an Omoxsee, you are missing something fun!! August 30 is the last meet for the season, but read this article, and you will be raring to attend next year. O-Mok-See comes from the Blackfeet word meaning "riding big dance." At the time, it was basically connected with war when horses would be painted, and all the warriors would race into the camp riding a prescribed pattern. Today, it's a time for people of all ages to gather and compete in different events. You see three...
The 2020 Chouteau County 4-H and FFA livestock carcass contest took place at Pioneer Meats in Big Timber. A total of 58 Chouteau County 4-H animals were evaluated for carcass quality by Mark King (MSU Extension Sweet Grass County). The purpose of the carcass contest is to teach 4-H 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 36 market swine entered at the...
If you love working with wool fabric, yarn or fiber, the Make It With Wool (MIWW) Contest needs you! If you knit, crochet, spin, weave, sew or quilt, consider entering the MIWW contest this fall. The MIWW contest promotes the beauty and versatility of wool fabrics/yarns/fibers, encourages personal creativity, recognition of creative skills and development of life skills. The 2020 MIWW contest is quickly approaching so here are the details. The District 3 (Blaine, Broadwater, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis & Clark,...
Chouteau County 2020 4-H & FFA Fair Hope Gasvoda ~ Project of Merit – Grand Champion – Environmental & Natural Sciences -Entomology ~ Project of Merit – Grand Champion -Woodworking Faith Gasvoda ~ Project of Merit – Grand Champion - Leathercraft ~ 3rd Place – Senior Beef Showmanship ~ Grand Champion Senior Rabbit Showman ~ Project of Merit – Grand Champion – Top Rabbit Project Lance Rutledge ~ Reserve Champion Beef Breeding ~ 3rd Place – Beef Breeding - Replacement Bred Heifer ~ Project of Merit – Grand Champion – Leadership Jaycee Worrall ~ Pr...
The majority of athletic directors in the Northern Division met this last week to attempt to establish a consistent set of “ground rules” for allowing spectators at athletic events. After extended discussions, the consensus of the group was that this was impossible, due to wide variances in health department regulations across the counties in the state. While Chouteau County is enjoying a period of zero active cases of Covid-19, Cascade County has reported 30 new cases in the last two weeks. Thanks to the Governor’s mask mandate and rules for g...