Sorted by date Results 142 - 166 of 200
After seeing the departure of the area’s misdemeanor probation officer, Richland County has decided to go a different direction to cover the responsibilities. Richland County Attorney Mike Weber requested the commissioners agree to a professional service contract with Compliance Monitoring System of Missoula to cover the position. Weber said the company will hire for the position. He noted the misdemeanor probation officer will live in the area and that Richland County will supply the i...
Fairview native Ann-Marie (Bills) Zahn notes that at times it's been heartbreaking for her, but she is extremely proud of the courage demonstrated by her 13-year-old son, Ty Miller, as he continues recovery from a bone marrow transplant. "Watching my kid go through what he went through, it was brutal," Zahn, a Fairview High School graduate, said. "My kid is amazing." Miller is recovering from a bone marrow transplant, which took place on April 1. The hope is he can be given approval from...
The importance of keeping operations going at the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District is greater for the City of Sidney than even many residents realize. Along with the tremendous hit the economy would feel, the City of Sidney would also have concerns about its water aquifer. “The canal recharges our aquifer to a great extent,” Greg Anderson, Sidney’s water department superintendent, said. “The biggest thing is that big recharge that we would be losing.” Without the canal in operation...
With improving patients' care always their desire, Sidney Health Center employees held a celebration regarding new standards of performance and being selected a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in America. Sidney Health Center CEO Rick Haraldson thanked employees for their part in making SHC a top 100 critical access hospital. He said there are more than 1,300 critical access hospitals in the country. "It's a big deal," Haraldson told those gathered for the celebration. He thanked the Quality...
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said that after nearly 50 people were killed by a shooter in Orlando, Fla., this month that the government must stop talking and start acting. “It’s time we work together to try to prevent actions of hate and intolerance,” Tester told state reporters during a conference call last week. Tester said national security must be improved. The country needs to also keep guns out of the hands of terrorists and strengthen its border security. The senator noted a bill that...
Although it’s not exactly the type of mail that people are excited to receive, Richland County District Clerk of Courts Janice Klempel stresses that it’s important to return information regarding jury duty. Klempel’s office recently mailed out 2,000 questionnaires for qualifications for jury service to area residents. She explains a new jury pool is created to serve from July 1 to June 30. “Every year, the names are drawn randomly,” Klempel said. “A new jury pool is selected each year.” Klem...
After some concerns that the museum in Alexander might be closed during summer months, museum officials are pleased to now announce that the future looks much more positive for the Lewis and Clark Trail Homesteaders Museum. Barb Curren, president of the museum’s board, said the group was short of workers and board members late in the spring. But since May, three staff members have been hired and the group now has a full board. Curren said cleaning started the week prior to Memorial Day and t...
From highway to water concerns, Richland County Commissioner Loren Young expressed his feelings during a meeting with representatives from the office of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., on June 13. Young said that despite the oil industry slowdown, Highway 200 between Sidney and Fairview remains more busy than portions of the Interstate. “It’s one of the major feeders for the Bakken,” Young noted. Although he feels government agencies try their best to finance highways, he thinks a speci...
Dr. Chengci Chen, superintendent at the MSU Eastern Agricultural Research Center in Sidney, is looking forward to his second field day at the location. One large change is that the annual field day activities will take place on June 30. Traditionally, the field day has been held in the middle of July. Chen explains the change came about so that the state advisory council for the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station could hold a meeting in Sidney on the same date. Field day will begin with...
The field day programs held in Froid on June 23 and in Sidney on June 24 will feature several presentations by Dr. Brett Allen, agronomist at USDA-ARS in Sidney. The Froid Research Farm Field Day is 1-5 p.m. June 23 eight miles north of Culbertson on Montana Highway 16. Registration starts at 12:45 p.m. The Sidney ARS/MSU EARC Dryland Field Day is June 24 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Site is at the MSU-EARC farmsite located 4.4 miles north of Sidney off Highway 16. The farm turnoff is on the right-...
The president of the Montana-North Dakota Sugarbeet Growers Association is urging a strong showing of positive support at the upcoming public meetings regarding the future of the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District. "Each meeting needs to be attended because this is not just a farmer issue, it's a community issue. No matter how you feel about it, it does affect you. From a farmer standpoint, we need support from everyone," Kjeld Jonsson said. "The rancher that gets irrigated hay and corn from...
Fairview Superintendent of Schools Luke Kloker has stepped up into a role where he feels he can benefit students throughout the state. Kloker, who is in his 14th year in Fairview, has been voted to be the Class C representative on the Montana High School Association's Executive Board. "I am pretty excited for the opportunity to be involved," Kloker said. "I'm a big supporter of the Montana High School Association and interscholastic sports and activities." The process began when Eastern C...
A legislative luncheon, featuring candidates who won their primary elections, is scheduled to take place in Sidney on July 13. Sidney Mayor Rick Norby said Tim Burton, the Montana League of Cities and Towns’ executive director, is organizing the meeting so city and county officials can discuss issues with candidates. Norby said he expects about 15 communities to be represented at the meeting. In other business during the Sidney City Council meeting on June 6: • A resident of the 300 block of 10t...
Showing their caring for community members, the Fairview High School's National Honor Society recently raised more than $2,700 for the MonDak Relay for Life. Kelly Danielson, spokesperson for the club, said students became interested in holding a fundraiser because the son of former teacher Rosemary Weber is undergoing medical treatments. "We all wanted to put together a Relay team in the high school," Danielson said. "This was the first time." Melissa Gackle, faculty advisor, said the students...
Thanks to the inspiration of a few local residents, Wednesday night has now been designated as Car Night at the Shops at Fox Run parking lot. "It's something that I wanted to try," Gene Trudell, one of the organizers of the car shows, said. "There are so many great cars around. We thought we should have a no-strings attached event where we could talk cars." Trudell said no prizes or awards are given. Instead, the prize is sharing fun time together. "It's just to neighbor up for two or three...
The Richland County Health Department is urging individuals and groups to take an active part in cleaning up their communities in order to give the area a fresh appearance for upcoming summer events. Stephanie Ler, the county's environmental health director, said the clean-up project was created because of a wide variety of events in the area this summer including the Sunrise Festival of the Arts weekend in Sidney, Savage's catfish tournament, Lambert's Fourth of July celebration and the...
Richland County commissioners are discussing a couple options regarding the mosquito problems in the Lambert community. Commissioners feel that there are more mosquitos in Lambert than in other areas because of the stagnant water at Fox Lake. Richland County Commissioner Shane Gorder said he has spoken with weed district coordinator Dick Zoanni and Montana Association of Counties’ officials about different options relating to handling mosquitos. Gorder said counties that have a mosquito d...
Scott Staffanson and Steve Hinebauch were the big winners during primary election night as far as Richland County is concerned. Staffanson, running for re-election in District 35, won the Republican primary with 1,127 votes. Challenger Joel Krautter received 749 votes. Staffanson will face Democrat Chris Trumpower in the general election. In the State Senate District 18 Republican primary, Steve Hinebauch received 2,302 votes compared to former Sidney mayor Bret Smelser’s 1,952 votes. Casey B...
McKenzie County commissioners heard about proposed design plans on June 7 for when the current sheriff department is vacated. Heidi Brenna of ICON Architectural Group said plans are for the area to have holding cells, moving court room two and for more storage space.Because construction of the new law enforcement center is scheduled to be completed next spring, commissioners needed to put in their budget now costs for design fees. Commissioner Douglas Nordby explained that positives are having...
Sidney school officials are hoping that students will miss less school in the future because of extra-curricular activities. During a report of his season, high school softball coach Damon McLaughlin noted how impressed he is that 10 of his 16 varsity players earned Academic All-State honors considering how much the softball schedule conflicts with school time. McLaughlin said the squad plays a lot of Tuesday and Thursday games. Sidney Superintendent of Schools Daniel Farr said school officials...
The McKenzie County commissioners approved $29,792 on June 7 for a fencing project at the McKenzie County Fairgrounds. Tim Jorgenson, county fair board member, said the chain link fence will be located between the parking lot and the rodeo grounds. Commissioner Kathy Skarda asked, “Have you felt like you have outgrown the area there?” She said she heard some concerns from 4-H members. Jorgenson answered that there is enough room at the current location, “if we get it like we want. We’re working...
Those people attending the Sunrise Festival of the Arts in Sidney on July 9 should be impressed by the gourd creations of local artist Carol Christensen. Christensen, a native of Sidney, became interested in art at an early age, but her move toward gourds started only about four or five years ago. "I like that there are so many things you can do with them," Christensen said, noting art work by painting, wood burning or carving the items. Christensen, who now lives half of the year in Mesa,...
When public meetings are held regarding the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project in Sidney June 28 and in Glendive on June 29, people can expect to see more people speaking against the irrigation dam than at previous similar meetings. In a blog for the Defenders of Wildlife, one of the two national environmental groups wanting to remove the dam, it states, “Working with our partners and with experts on the fish living in these rivers, we are developing a ‘no dam’ alternative for the Corps and t...
With the City of Sidney facing an anticipated budget deficit of about $500,000, Sidney Mayor Rick Norby informed county commissioners last week that he plans to use the money in the downtown enhancement fund to pay for other city projects. “Guys, I’m sorry but I’m going to have to use it up,” Norby told commissioners. The funds had about $122,000. All the money came from the city. Some businesses made pledges for the downtown enhancement, but the project never got to the point where actual...
Positive news and positive attitudes are what Richland Economic Development officials heard while manning a booth at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference held in Bismarck near the end of May. A grant from XTO Energy made it possible for Richland Economic Development to have a booth during the conference. "We were so fortunate," Leslie Messer, executive director of Richland Economic Development, said. "XTO Energy made it possible for us." Messer and project assistant Katie Dasinger...
