Articles written by bill vander weele


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  • Fairview FFA Presents Awards During Banquet

    Bill Vander Weele|May 8, 2024

    The Fairview FFA Chapter awarded five area adults with honorary chapter degrees for their contribution to the program during its awards banquet April 29. Honored were Mark and Sheila Neu, Shaun and Michelle Jensen and Vicky Cayko. Officials said that the Neus have been strong supporters of the Fairview FFA chapter for many years. They have provided a lot of behind-the-scenes help because of their love for FFA. Mark was even an FFA officer himself. The Jensens, parents of 2023-2024 Fairview FFA...

  • Sidney Chamber Reaches CVB Status

    Bill Vander Weele|May 8, 2024

    The Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture has reached a milestone with the announcement that Sidney has regained state status as a Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). The news means some additional funding for Sidney to market its large number of events throughout the year. “It helps with our marketing,” Kali Godfrey, executive director of the Sidney Chamber, said. In order to reach CVB status, a community needs to have more than $160,000 in annual gross lodging tax rev...

  • Sidney's Waters Looks To End High School Career On Strong Note

    Bill Vander Weele|May 8, 2024

    Sidney High School's senior Chace Waters is looking to end his high school career with a bang. Waters, who placed third in the discus at last year's Class A state track meet, is off to an even better start this season. Waters earned top honors in the shot put at the Top 10 meet held in Glasgow last week. Waters was seventh in the shot put at last year's state meet. The senior noted it's the best that he has ever done at the Top 10 competition that features the best track athletes in...

  • Sidney High School Students Entertain At Spring Concert

    Bill Vander Weele|May 8, 2024

    Sidney High School choir and band members entertained with musical selections during their spring concert on April 30. Highlighting the night was the annual presentation of honors to top students of the music departments. Award winners for choir were Maude Hammerly with the National Choral Award and Cayla Hanson with the Arion Award. Established in 1948, the Arion Award gives national recognition to junior and senior class members chosen by their schools for outstanding achievement. Xander Schlo...

  • Area Woman Up For Super Mom

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Area resident Amy Karst has a chance to be awarded for doing one of the most important jobs in the world. Karst, who lives in rural Fairview, is in contention for the Woman's World Magazine's Super Mom award. The mother of two has already advanced through the first round of elimination. Next, voting takes place through May 2, to cut the entries to 15 contestants in each group. You can vote at https://thesupermom.org/2024/amy-karst?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1JTcXxRDTA1Hevr-Mv...

  • Camp Encourages Interest In County's 4-H Programs

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Richland County/MSU Extension agent Josie Evenson was surrounded by some of the youngest individuals interested in 4-H during a day camp at the Extension center on Saturday. In attendance were about 20 Cloverbuds, who are between the ages of 5-8. The youngsters are introduced to 4-H before taking part in competitive projects in future years. Evenson said the day included teaching the children the 4-H pledge through different fun activities. Part of the time featured the kids painting the 4-H...

  • Plans Moving Ahead For Sidney Trial

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    A new trial for Kyle Lee Severson is being planned. Richland County Attorney Charity McLarty says a scheduling conference is set for 2 p.m. on May 13. McLarty will serve as prosecutor in the case. District Judge Olivia Rieger has set Severson’s bond at $1 million in the case. Severson remains in prison for tampering. He has served about five years after being sentenced for eight years on that charge. A parole hearing is anticipated to occur soon. The new trial for Severson is planned in R...

  • Promotion Leading Sidney Students To Reading

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Blind dates are going on at Sidney High School, but usually no romance is involved. Recently, librarians started the "Try a blind date with a book" promotion with the goal of getting students interested in a wider variety of books. Sidney High School librarian Dan Hart said he has thought about offering the promotion for years. Now was the perfect time because Central librarian Kelsee Campbell needed a project as part of her work to achieve her library endorsement. The promotion has books...

  • Savage School Holds Career Exploration For Students

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Savage students learned more about the energy field during a career exploration titled, "The Oil Industry and Its Impact," on April 23. The afternoon featured presentations from Cross Petroleum, Continental Resources, Valley Garage Welding and Fabrication along with Skills USA. Information shared from Richland Economic Development included that Richland County is the top oil production county in Montana. The county features 26 oil related companies with a total of 530 employees. Average...

  • Commissioners Review Library Staff Status

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Richland County commissioners discussed the staff situation at the Sidney-Richland County Library during a meeting on April 22. Clerk and Recorder Stephanie Verhasselt, who heads human relations for the county, reported that library staff was hoping a seasonal employee could be hired to assist with the summer reading program. A person worked in that position last summer. Commissioners Duane Mitchell and Loren Young approved the position during the meeting. Commissioner Shane Gorder was absent....

  • Food Bank Volunteers Enjoying Benefits Of New Building

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    The Richland County Food Bank is enjoying the space of its new home. The non-profit organization made the move from the Nutter Building to 517 East Main during November 2022. "I love the building," Candy Markwald, Richland County Food Bank president, said. "It's awesome. We're very grateful." Markwald explained the purchase of the building was made possible due to a generous donation from a family. Richland County also provided $100,000 for the purchase, "The space we had in the Nutter Building...

  • Test Flows Start On Missouri River

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Missouri River Water Management Division started its weekly virtual meetings on Wednesday, April 24, to keep residents updated on the status of Fort Peck test flows. The call attracted more than 60 participants. The public can access the meetings, which start at noon (mountain time) on Wednesdays, at https://usace1.webex.com/usace1/j.php?MTID=ma8b176ff7ce553ae5f1f645f3a8629a4 The 2018 Biological Opinion requires the test under the Endangered Species Act for o...

  • Ag In The Classroom Held In Sidney

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    About 300 second and third grade students from throughout Richland County learned valuable information during the Ag in the Classroom program held at Sidney High School on April 18. "It's to teach the kids about agriculture and show them where their food comes from," Extension agent Marley Voll said of the program's goals. Organizers of the program included the Extension office, MonDak Stockgrowers, the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and area FFA advisors. Farm Bureau...

  • Richland County/MSU Extension Review Programs With Commissioners

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    Richland County/MSU Extension agents provided encouraging information to Richland County Commissioners while reviewing programs during a meeting on April 22. Extension Agent Josie Evenson provided preliminary numbers for 4-H projects for this year’s county fair. She noted there are 240 4-H members in Richland County, which is a 23% increase since she started in the position 10 years ago. Preliminary amount of entries for the fair include 100 for market beef, 25 for breeding beef, five in d...

  • Three Buttes 4-H Club Donates To Food Bank

    Bill Vander Weele|May 1, 2024

    A member of the Three Buttes 4-H Club assisted the Richland County Food Bank by donating a pig to help feed area people in need. Brynn Spinner, an eighth-grade student in Lambert, made the donation of a little over 100 pounds of ground pork last week. Spinner explained that she donated her back-up pig to Lambert School and six more pigs were born. "The whole donation is a lovely donation," Candy Markwald, Richland County Food Bank, said. "It's a huge blessing to use, and the fact that there's...

  • Sidney LVA Announces Changes In Leadership

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    The Learning Volunteers for Adults program is still going strong and offering services in Richland County. Linette Miller has been serving as the program's director since late summer after Bernie Braden retired from the position after 11 years. "I was really happy especially working with a lot of students," Braden said of her tenure. "I loved being busy." The main instruction provided by LVA include tutoring to earn a high school diploma (HiSet), English as a second language and citizenship...

  • City OKs Agreement For Pool

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    The Sidney City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Sidney’s TBID in order to approve the Svarre swimming pool environment during its meeting on April 15. TBID is willing to provide a $10,000 grant for deck furniture, umbrellas and lap lane ropes at the pool. TBID’s bylaws, however, are that the city needed to match the grant. City clerk/treasurer Jessica Chamberlin said there’s $5,000 in the city’s budget for the project, but not the $10,000 needed to match the TBID’s amount. I...

  • State Candidates Share Views During Republican Dinner

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    A packed house at the Richland County Lincoln-Reagan dinner organized by the Richland County Republican Central Committee heard directly from five of the eight candidates for the U.S. House 2 position on Thursday night. Elsie Arntzen, who is the current Superintendent of Public Instruction, told audience members that she is a fourth generation Montanan and a practicing Christian. The House candidate said that most importantly she is a conservative and has fought for values in her position as...

  • Judge Takes Part In Chamber's Power Hour

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    District Judge Katherine Bidegaray provided a program regarding "Judicial Impacts on Community" as part of the Sidney Chamber's Community Power Hour series on April 16. Bidegaray, who is a candidate for the Montana Supreme Court, was born in Sidney. After studying in a one-room schoolhouse, she attended junior high school and high school in Culbertson. She went on to earn dual bachelor of arts degrees from the University of Montana and obtained her juris doctorate from the University of Montana...

  • Zoning Board Approves Changes In Sidney

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    The City of Sidney’s Zoning Board approved zoning code changes during a public meeting held at City Hall on Wednesday. The recommendations now head to the city council for final approval. City planner Forest Sanderson explained that the main reason for these amendments is the 2023 legislative session when several land use bills were considered and then signed into law. The major changes are intended to increase availability of housing options in residential and commercial districts, data m...

  • Local Candidates Discuss Strengths

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    Republican candidates campaigning to represent area districts were among the speakers at Richland County’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner on Thursday. Greg Hunter and Rhonda Knudsen are seeking the Senate District 15 position. The district features most of northeastern Montana including from Sidney to Glasgow. Hunter, a rancher in the Glasgow area, said this is his first jump into seeking an elected government position. His concerns include rural health care, a strong education system and strong law e...

  • Track Athletes Place At Sidney Invitational

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    Richland County track athletes enjoyed success during the Sidney Invitational, which featured more than 600 students, on Saturday. Sidney's boys placed fourth in the team standings with 42 points while Sidney's girls tied for seventh place with 23 points. Williston won both the boys' and girls' titles. Sidney's Daniel Stevens cleared 13-6 for top honors in the boys' pole vault. Chace Waters had a solid meet as the senior placed second in the shot put at 44-10 and fifth in the discus at 133-6....

  • Eagles Drop Game Against Glendive

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    Sidney's softball squad put up a good fight, but the Eagles lost at home against conference foe Glendive, 14-6, on April 16. The pitching of junior Amiya Steinbeisser kept Sidney close as the Eagles trailed by only a 3-0 margin after three innings of play. After Glendive increased its lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth, the Eagles responded with five runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth to cut the margin to 7-5. Sidney's Aiyana Kirn singled and Steinbeisser reached on an error to...

  • Con's Weed Control Provides Quality Services In Area

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    It's that time of year when area residents should make a call to Con's Weed Control Service, Sidney, in order to guarantee having a top-notch lawn. Con Donvan, owner, has run the business since 1990. He said his crews cover about a 70-mile radius including all of Richland County, some of McKenzie County and the eastern side of Roosevelt County. It's a family business with Con's wife, Lynn, and their grown children Michael, Matthew and Kerri all playing roles in the company's success. Valuable...

  • Sidney Senior Students Enjoying Fun With Game

    Bill Vander Weele|Apr 24, 2024

    Members of Sidney High School's Class of 2024 are having fun with the "senior assassins" game this spring. Lexi Rang, administrator for the game in Sidney, says the game locally began March 19 and will run until May 19. "It's a game that seniors are all doing across the country," Rang explained. Through the game, each participants is a target each week through an app. That person then attempts to hit his target by using a watergun sometime during that week. Students can use floaters, goggles...

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