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While grocery store workers across the country are stocking shelves and ringing up pantry items for a daily crowd of customers, they have been facing a higher-than-average risk of exposing themselves to the coronavirus. Andrea Yadon, a Sidney local, recognized the risk that essential workers are facing in the area; she was looking for a way to help essential frontline workers that are facing a short supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). She obtained a medical facility approved face mask...
Bismarck, ND – On Tuesday, April 7 Gov. Doug Burgum and the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) in partnership with ProudCrowd, creators of the popular Bison Tracker app, launched a free mobile app, Care19, to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in North Dakota. This app will help the NDDoH reduce the spread of COVID-19 by more efficiently and effectively identifying individuals who may have had contact with people who have tested positive. Once the app is downloaded, individuals will be g...
On April 7, 2020, the Richland County Health Department was notified by the Montana State Public Health Laboratory of a positive case of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in an individual residing in Richland County. The individual is a male in his 40s. The case investigation is ongoing. The Richland County case was tested at Sidney Health Center. In accordance with Federal law, the Department will not release any other identifying information about the positive case to protect the individual’s personal privacy. COVID-19 Update: Richland County...
Gov. Doug Burgum issued executive orders designed to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for school districts, agribusiness, fuel retailers and others in North Dakota. Burgum issued an order March 20 directing state agencies to identify any state laws, rules or regulations that hinder or delay their ability to render maximum assistance or continue to deliver essential services to citizens during the COVID-19 crisis. State elected officials and other executive branch offices were invited to do the same. Today the governor signed...
Dear Editor: In the 2020 primary season for HD35 there seems to be much misinformation circulating. Joel Krautter has claimed in his various letters, Facebook posts, and mailings that his vote for Medicaid Expansion Renewal didn’t provide funding for abortion and that those reporting his voting record are “extremists.” Let me address these two accusations. First, contrary to Rep. Krautter and a few other woefully misinformed (but probably well-intentioned) supporters, Medicaid absolutely does...
Dear Editor: Last week, Brad Tschida, a legislator from Missoula wrote a letter to the editor criticizing me. There is a reason why Tschida is attacking me: I disagree with Tschida on many issues. While I normally ignore baseless attacks, because of the current COVID-19 situation I am limited in the personal conversations I would be able to have during a regular campaign season and I want you to know the truth. Tschida voted against a bill to prohibit sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants in Montana; I voted to prohibit sanctuary cities in...
Dear Editor: I have served in the Montana House of Representatives for the past seven years in your neighboring house district. I know both of your Republican candidates for HD #35 very well. The voters of Richland County are fortunate to have such a clear and distinct choice in the upcoming Republican primary. The dictionary defines misrepresentation as “the action or offense of giving a false or misleading account of the nature of something”. For the last two years Richland County has been misrepresented in the Montana House of Rep...
Letter To The Editor In response to Brad Tschida’s editorial comments on House Representative Joel Krautter’s voting record, I as a Montana’ taxpayer and voter the past 44 years, did some research. SB 338, collection of bed/hotel taxes, provides funds for the Historic preservation grant program: historic sites, museums, tourist promotion, maintenance of state parks and construction of the Montana Heritage Center. HB 661, the aviation fuel tax, will increase revenues for MDT’s grants to local public use airports (Glendive and Sidney), aviatio...
Dear Editor: Several weeks ago, before the letters to the editor by Representative Joel Krautter, Julie Millam of Helena and Glenda Edgeworth of Stevensville, I had been asked for my opinion about the allegation that Representative Joel Krautter’s vote for Medicaid reform supported abortion. My ‘off the top of my head’ response included these points. 1. Having had several conversations with Mr. Krautter personally I have no reason to question his sincerity when he says he is anti-abortion and very pro-life. 2. I know that he is part of a stron...
Dear Editor: During the last legislative session, I had the distinct pleasure to represent Montana’s farmers and ranchers and advocate on issues of importance to the agriculture community. Now a proud Sidney resident, I am supporting Joel Krautter’s re-election campaign for representative because of the strong work I personally saw him do for agriculture in Helena. Thankfully the 2019 legislature was one of the most productive for agriculture with the passage of important legislation like HB 50 which Joel sponsored to hold commodity dea...
Dear Editor: I am a Democrat and I know a Republican when I see one. Joel is a Republican friend of mine, as are many other Republicans in this community. The smear campaign that the Ler camp is attempting is less than graceful. - Cara Lokken-Frandsen...
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the MonDak's building passes the one year mark and steps in to assist area youth through the Covid-19 pandemic. Sidney's Boys & Girls Clubs of the MonDak has been contributing to the community for 16 years. It was just one year ago when the new building at 201 3rd Ave. SE opened its doors to area youth, nobody envisioned an impending pandemic, altering its role in the community. On a normal summer, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the MonDak steps in to provide children...
In the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, organizers have cancelled this year's 2020 Spring "E-rase your E-waste" e-cycling event, originally scheduled for May 1-2 in Sidney and Fairview. "We just weren't sure that we could maintain proper social distancing and other safety procedures to protect both our community participants and volunteers, as well as our e-cycler's employees," local Coordinator Heather Luinstra said this week. "However, we hope to hold our fall event as usual on the weeke...
Lower Yellowstone Lodge #90 of Masons has awarded the $1,000 Ben York Memorial Scholarship to Joshua Herron, Fairview. The scholarship is awarded to a student who plans to study the construction trades. Ben York was a skilled plumber, heating and air-conditioning contractor who contributed greatly to the Masons and his community. Josh will graduate from Fairview High School this spring and plans to attend Arizona Western College or MSU Billings to study Construction Technology. (Submitted by...
(BPT) - COVID-19 has dramatically shifted daily life for many people around the world. Nobody is immune, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and older adults and individuals with chronic health conditions are at higher risk of getting very sick from the Coronavirus. To protect vulnerable individuals, many nursing homes or assisted living facilities are banning outside visitors temporarily in hopes of limiting residents' exposure to someone who may be infected with the...
Stemming from my youth and now my role in handling public relations, marketing, and fundraising for McKenzie County Healthcare Systems (MCHS), I continue to be impressed and amazed with nurses. I've decided that those who are nurses are likely called to the profession as most that I've visited with say they've never considered another career. They embody qualities that are the fabric of humanity - like empathy, kindness, and decency - that stretch beyond the boundaries of the facilities in...
North Dakota State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte issued an order expanding on North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s executive order 2020-21 requiring individuals who are family or household contacts to quarantine for 14 days. To align with new CDC guidance, Tufte’s order allows for essential workforce exemptions for individuals who are household contacts of people testing positive for COVID-19. Individuals who are exempt include essential critical infrastructure workers as defined by the United States Department of Homeland Security. “Employers shoul...
Since the onset of COVID-19 in the United States, Sidney Health Center has been preparing and implementing procedures to protect healthcare workers, patients, residents and people living in Richland County from the threat of the pandemic coronavirus. "We have been working closely with local and state officials to get ready for the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in our community," stated Jen Doty, Sidney Health Center CEO. "One of our biggest concerns is overwhelming our healthcare facility...
Bozeman — A program delivered entirely online that aims to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms will be offered for free to hundreds of adult Montanans. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services is making the program – an internet-based interactive platform known as Thrive – available to many more Montana residents over the age of 18. Previously, up to 1,000 adult Montanans were invited to enroll in the Thrive program for free during the research phase. Now, hundreds of additional free accounts are available for adult Monta...
Richland County, MT – In this time of uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing is certain, lung health has never been more important. Now is the time to quit smoking and vaping and Montana has free resources to help. COVID-19 is a new disease that attacks the lungs. People of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Some of the higher risk populations are people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, people who have serious heart conditions, a...
Owls have amazing eyesight and night vision. They lurk in trees at night, look below them, see a dark rodent running across equally dark ground, swoop down, and unerringly make a catch. Wow, talk about the ability to see in the dark. I wish I had it so good. My eyes have never provided me with crystal clear sight. My daylight vision leaves a lot to be desired, never mind navigating at night. I can’t blame this on older age, because even as a child, I never saw particularly well whatever the time of day. Darkness and shadows really presented p...
If you are worried about how you are going to pay your home energy bill as a result of issues related to COVID-19, please contact Energy Share of Montana. Energy Share is a statewide nonprofit organization whose purpose is to help Montanans facing loss of heat or lights in their home, and who have no resources to pay the bill themselves. Energy Share is fuel blind so helps people no matter what their heat source is. If you or someone you know needs help: • Contact Action for Eastern Montana, Glendive, MT, 1-800-227-0703 or www.aemt.org. They h...
The 2020 paddlefish seasons on the Yellowstone and Lower Missouri rivers (yellow tag) are canceled in response to Gov. Steve Bullock’s extension of the directives for social distancing and non-resident quarantine to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As of now, paddlefish season on the Upper Missouri River from Fort Benton downstream to Fort Peck Dam (white tag) will remain in place and the drawing for these limited tags occurred April 6. The fishery opens May 1 and is conducted in a more dispersed manner. There are also no proposed changes t...
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Fort Peck Reservoir walleye spawn/egg-take effort will be completed using only Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 6 staff. Unlike prior years, no volunteers will be participating in this popular spring event. FWPs’ number one priority is the health and safety of the public and its employees. FWP Fisheries Chief, Eileen Ryce, determined that with the current social distancing guidelines, this was the best decision for all those involved. Many other projects across the state that oftentimes use v...
MONTANA – Governor Steve Bullock today released a report produced by state epidemiologists examining 377 cases of COVID-19 in Montana that helps the state understand who is impacted by the new virus, how it spreads, and patient outcomes. The report will help the state continue to make data driven decisions to aggressively respond to COVID-19 in Montana. "The report released today sheds light on how this virus is impacting Montanans and provides data we can use to examine what's working to slow t...
