Aug282017

City, county may split ways on zoning regulations

Yellowstone County

Originally published in the 8/25/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

BILLINGS — Yellowstone County Commissioners approved a proposed separation of the zoning regulations that govern the City of Billings and Yellowstone County.

Called the Unified Zoning Regulations, the City-County Planning Board proposed separating the governance of the two governmental entities to facilitate a planned update and revision of the goals and policies of each.

By the time County Commissioners approved the separation, the City Council had already approved the proposal, said Nicole Cromwell, zoning coordinator and code enforcement supervisor for the Planning Department.

Cromwell said that the separation involved no other changes or deletions to the Unified Zoning Regulations and, in fact, much time was spent on making sure that the zoning regulations for the county and for the city remained the same. Going forward, each governing body will be able to consider and adopt changes to the zoning code for their own jurisdiction.

The City and County agreed to unify the zoning code in 1993 and it was completed in 1997. The separation was initiated by the Yellowstone County Board of Planning as a step in a multi-year project to update and “modernize” the zoning codes to meet the goals and guidelines adopted through Growth Policies, Neighborhood Plans and other land use policies. read more

Aug252017

Solar eclipse wows Pompeys Pillar crowd

Events & More! • Top Stories • Yellowstone County

With their eyes protected by special glasses, a crowd gathered at Pompeys Pillar National Monument (behind group) to watch Monday’s solar eclipse. Ham radio operators used the eclipse to test how radio waves were affected the changes in solar energy. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Originally published in the 8/25/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News

POMPEYS PILLAR — Monday’s solar eclipse wowed people who gazed up at the sky, but on the ground at Pompeys Pillar, ham radio operators from the Yellowstone Radio Club were listening for responses to their broadcasts at the national monument.

For Bob Hall, a ranger for the Bureau of Land Management and longtime ham radio operator, Monday’s solar eclipse was a mix of the mystical with pure scientific data.

“Hams, by their nature, have a scientific bent,” Hall said. The ham radio operators on Monday were part of a nationwide fabric transmitting and receiving both Morse code and voice transmissions, collecting data for Virginia Tech researchers.

The experiment was set up to find out more about how the interruption of solar radiation during an eclipse affects radio transmissions.

For Hall, it’s important that everyday citizens, not just PhDs in research labs, can contribute to the scientific base of knowledge.

“We kind of like to push the idea of citizen science,” Hall said. “The average citizen can contribute to real research,” and given his ranger assignment at Pompeys Pillar, doing it on public land makes it an even sweeter accomplishment.

The event drew dedicated eclipse viewers, veteran and new ham radio operators, Boy Scouts and a couple of read more

Aug242017

New mega fertilizer plant taking shape in Lockwood

Yellowstone County • Lockwood

Originally published in the 8/25/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

LOCKWOOD — The economics of unit trains and improving technology are making possible the building of a new mega fertilizer plant by Town & Country Supply Association near Lockwood.

Construction began in February and is expected to be completed in December. It will be operational just in time to serve the needs of farmers for the 2018 growing season. The $12.5 million facility — $2 million of which is the cost of building a rail spur — has been a long-term goal of the cooperative.

Town & Country Supply Association is a cooperative that supplies farmers and ranchers in south-central Montana and northern Wyoming with feed, fuel, fertilizer and a variety of supplies. It also has convenience and ranch stores in Laurel, Billings, Bridger and Hardin.

The mega plant will allow Town & Country to dramatically increase production, implement new technology and equipment that reduce blending times, centralize dispatching of deliveries, expand their market opportunities, and buy materials in greater quantities – all of which, “We hope long-term gives customers a better price while we get enough to pay for the new facility,” explained Wes Burley, Town & Country’s general manager.

Building the railroad spur allows Town & Country to purchase the materials used in making fertilizer by the train load, which is not only less expensive, but delivery is more dependable, said Burley, who strongly commended the cooperation and commitment they received from Montana RailLink in the process of building the rail spur. read more

Aug242017

Homecoming week postponed for Huntley Project,

Top Stories • Huntley Project

Originally published in the 8/25/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

WORDEN — Huntley Project High School’s Homecoming has been postponed until the week of Oct. 2-7.

HP Superintendent Mark Wandle said the original schedule changed because Poplar was unable to play the Sept. 8 game.

The Red Devils will host Poplar on Friday, Oct. 6.

The HP cross country meet at Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture is still scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4. The district encourages everyone to show up in force to support the cross country team at the home meet. read more

Aug242017

YVEC’s new ‘Operation Round Up’ is “opt-out rather than opt-in”

Top Stories • Custer • Huntley Project • Lockwood • Shepherd

by Judy Killen-Originally published in the print edition of Yellowstone County News.

HUNTLEY — With the “Operation Round Up” program launching this month, YVEC general manager Brandon Wittman would like to remind co-op customers that the program is totally voluntary.

Customers who choose to participate in Operation Round Up will receive monthly electric bills from Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-op at the usual time. On the statement, the bill will be rounded up to the next whole dollar amount. 
read more

Aug172017

City and Mayor candidates respond in special edition of YCN

Politics • Top Stories • Billings

Just published in the 8/18/17 special print section of the Yellowstone County News, Here is what was published for the Mayor and City Council publication this week.

The 2017 primary election for the City of Billings is now upon us.  The absentee ballots in for the City of Billings will be going out in the mail next Friday August Aug 25th . The City of Billings Primary election is a mail-in only ballot election.  All ballots are due in the Yellowstone County Elections Department on or by 8pm Tuesday September 12th. We asked the candidates to answer the following questionnaire regarding local hot topic issues in the area and help us, the readers, decide in voting.

Some candidates chose not to respond for reasons we are not sure. We are grateful to those candidates who did take the time to respond as the answers are pretty telling and you will know where they stand on issues that are hot button issues for the City of Billings residents.   You can read their responses in this special issue.  Some candidates decided to be short as others decided to add detail.  We hope this special edition gives some insight into the candidates that are running in this area for our readers.
read more

Aug122017

Iona Stookey joins Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Features • Sports • Huntley Project

Iona Stookey – Huntley Project Volleyball Head Coach

Originally published in the 8/11/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

WORDEN — Huntley Project High School volleyball coach Iona Stookey officially joined the Montana Coaches Association Hall of Fame last week.

Her induction with the Class of 2017 was announced in April.

Stookey, who has coached at the school for 27 years, is also a read more

Aug82017

Obituary: Marlene F. Amen

Obituaries

Marlene F. Amen

Marlene F. Amen was born Dec. 12, 1938, and passed away July 29, 2017, at St. Vincent Healthcare of metastatic malignant melanoma at the age of 78 years and seven months.

She married George Amen on Nov. 16, 1957, at the age of 18 in Laurel, MT. To this marriage they have two children, Rhonda and Arla; and having four grandchildren, Shawntell and Skyar Armfield and Shelbie and Cearra Oblander.

She was a housewife and enjoyed farming and ranching. She loved doing her read more

Aug82017

Obituary: Philip Wade Schmidt

Obituaries

Philip Wade Schmidt

WORDEN – Philip Wade Schmidt, 42, of Worden passed away doing something he loved most, being outdoors and off-roading with family and friends.

Philip was born October 28, 1974, son to Mary and Gary Schmidt.  He started 1st grade and graduated from Huntley Project were he excelled in baseball, wrestling and football. At the time of his death, Phil worked at read more

Aug32017

NRCS offers wildfire recovery assistance to Montana farmers and ranchers

Montana-Statewide

Originally published in the 8/4/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

BOZEMAN — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners impacted by 2017 wildfires across Montana.

NRCS is accepting applications for its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to assist with livestock grazing deferment, damaged read more

Aug32017

Rosedale Announces run to replace Tester

Montana-Statewide • Politics

Matt Rosendale

HELENA — Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale announced Monday that he plans to campaign for the U.S. Senate seat in 2018.

A Republican, Rosendale would seek to unseat current Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, of Big Sandy.

“Montanans are fed up with politicians who say one thing back home but vote another way in Washington, D.C.,” Rosendale said. “The people of Montana deserve a senator who will defend our way of life, get the federal government out of the way, and return power to the hardworking people who make this country great.”

“It’s time to get read more

Aug32017

Work begins on new 911 dispatch center in Billings

Top Stories • Yellowstone County • Billings

County and City of Billings Officials dig in to start the construction project of the new 911 call center in Billings for Yellowstone County. (photo Dennis Ulvestad)

Originally published in the 8/4/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

BILLINGS — Officials from Yellowstone County and the City of Billings on Monday broke ground for a new 911 dispatch center in downtown Billings.

The formal groundbreaking marked the beginning of construction on the new dispatch center, which should take about one year to complete.

At approximately 2,300 square feet, the new dispatch center is about twice the size of the current facility and is being built across the street at 911 N. 24th St.

CTA Architects Engineers designed the building; Fisher Construction is the general contractor.

The new dispatch center will cost about $6 million to construct. Money from the 911 fund generated by telephone customers funded the construction budget.

The dispatch center operates 24 hours per day. Emergency responders from several agencies, including the Billings Police Department, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Department, ambulance services, rural volunteer fire departments and some state and federal agencies are dispatched through the call center.

Aug32017

County commissioners will ask voters to OK 8-mill levy

Top Stories • Yellowstone County

Originally published in the 8/4/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

BILLINGS — In a unanimous vote, Yellowstone County Commissioners approved a resolution calling for an increase in the Public Safety Mill Levy of 8 mills to be put before the voters on Nov. 7.

County Attorney Scott Twito, whose office will primarily benefit from the additional revenue, made the request of the county commissioners, saying “This is difficult for me.” But, he said, the burden being faced by his office and the continuing increase in felony crimes “hits a lot of area of the office.”

The number of felony cases has read more

Aug32017

Lightning fire destroys Lockwood garage

Lockwood

Lighting is suspected in the fire that destroyed this garage on Tigard Avenue in Lockwood Tuesday night. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Originally published in the 8/4/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

LOCKWOOD — A garage at 3433 Tigard Ave. in Lockwood was fully engulfed in flames when the Lockwood Fire Department arrived on scene just before 11 p.m. Tuesday evening. The fire is suspected of being caused by lightning, since it occurred as an intense lightning and thunderstorm passed through.

Residents of the adjacent home reported hearing a large boom at the same time it started, which would be indicative of lightening, said Lockwood Fire Chief John Staley.

Staley said that a large piece of metal artwork attached to the top of the garage is believed to have attracted the lightning strike.

At the time the garage fire was reported, the Lockwood Fire Department had … Read full story by subscribing online here or calling Yellowstone County News and receive the newspaper each week for a year for $34.

Jul302017

County considers weekly newspapers as option for legal ads

Top Stories • Yellowstone County

BILLINGS — County officials are mulling over whether they want to change the publication designated as the official publisher of legal notices for Yellowstone County.

It’s been about three years since County Commissioners designated the Billings Gazette as their publisher of legal notices.

Raising the question last week was Jonathan McNiven, publisher of the Yellowstone County News. In a discussion on Monday, McNiven said he wanted to know if there was any interest by the commissioners in considering other publications and what exactly the criteria would be.

The Yellowstone County News was recently named the legal publication for the City of Billings, wresting the contract from the Billings Times, which had held the contract for a couple of decades.

McNiven said that he believed his company was able to do that by offering a better value. So far, he said, the city has been satisfied with the arrangement.

Commissioners and other county department advisers were not … Read full story in 7/28/17 print edition of paper or by subscribing online here.  

Jul282017

PSC approves settlement, rate hike for NorthWestern, customers

Billings

Originally published in the 7/28/17 print edition.

HELENA – The Montana Public Service Commission voted 5-0 last week to approve a natural gas rate increase for NorthWestern Energy customers.

The Commission largely accepted a settlement presented by the parties, which included consumer advocates. However, the Commission modified a proposal by NorthWestern to embed several gas production fields located in northern Montana into rates paid by customers.

“The settlement before us was mostly good, but we discovered a few problems that needed our attention,” said Commissioner  … Read full story online or by subscribing here.   

Jul272017

Billings airport receives $1.5 million for terminal work

Top Stories • Billings

Originally published in the 7/28/17 print edition.

BILLINGS — Billings Logan International Airport will receive $1.573 million in federal funds to expand the terminal building.

The Billings financial award is part of nearly $5 million to upgrade airports in Kalispell, Billings, Butte and Glendive.

The funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants to airports across the country in order to expand and improve America’s air travel infrastructure.

“This grant will go toward the design of our terminal renovation project, a project that will provide ... Read full story in print or by subscribing online here.  

Jul272017

Custer School to build $3 Million Gym

Top Stories • Custer

Originally published in the 7/28/17 print edition.

CUSTER — Custer Public Schools is preparing to build a new gym after voters approved a $3 million bond in May.

“It will be very functional for a school this size,” said Superintendent Dr. David Perkins of the new gym. The new gym will be in a 14,070 square foot metal building attached to the west side of the existing school building.

Custer school district voters passed a bond in the May election to cover the costs of the gym and a few additional improvements. The vote came after a long educational process during which the school board tried to explain to voters why a new gym is so important the school and community.

Voters approved a $3 million bond, which will cover building a new gym, improving the physical plant and repairs to the existing gym, which will remain in use.

“The town has been divided over this for a long time,” Perkins said. But “the days of the gym were numbered” and they had to take steps, he said.

One major problem is that the gym’s foundation is sinking in spots, leaving the floor uneven and dome-shaped, he said. The sides have slumped as much as 5 inches in some places, he said.

The new gym will have a full-size basketball court with about 10 feet on each end. Perkins didn’t know the exact square footage of the existing gym, but it’s cramped.

“The end line is a foot, foot and a half off the end wall,” he said. The floor isn’t regulation size. People sitting on the bleachers find their knees in people’s backs.

The new gym will have …  Read full article online or in print edition by subscribing here.