Massive canal search continues for missing girl

by Judy Killen-Originally published in the 7-15-16 Print edition of Yellowstone County News.  

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, center, speaks to about 100 people who searched for Taeva Hawkins on Wednesday at a safety meeting at Barkemeyer Park in Huntley. The 12-year-old Lockwood girl was reported missing after swimming with friends near the diversion dam just west of Huntley. (Judy Killen photo)

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, center, speaks to about 100 people who searched for Taeva Hawkins on Wednesday at a safety meeting at Barkemeyer Park in Huntley. The 12-year-old Lockwood girl was reported missing after swimming with friends near the diversion dam just west of Huntley. (Judy Killen photo)

HUNTLEY — More than 100 trained responders turned out Wednesday in Huntley for an organized search of an 11-mile section of the irrigation canal from Huntley to Ballantine, hoping to find a 12-year-old girl missing since Saturday evening.

Taeva Hawkins of Lockwood was swimming with friends when they swam into the canal operated by the Huntley Project Irrigation District. They entered a tunnel, and when two of the girls emerged at the downstream end, they didn’t see Taeva.

Several boys in a separate group near the tunnel heard the girls’ cries for help and dialed 911, attempting to help them. Emergency crews responded to the area near Tunnel 1 and Tunnel 2 west of the Pryor Creek siphon on Saturday night.

The focus on Wednesday shifted to the area around the siphon, where a search dog indicated places where she may have been trapped by debris.

By mid-afternoon Wednesday, Sheriff Mike Linder said teams were searching on foot and by boat. They are using rakes and poles to prod the bottom of the canal and tunnels, to see if they can feel anything in the water, he said.

“It’s just too murky to see anything,” Linder said. Crews reported feeling a few potential objects, but needed more time to determine what may be in the water.

The Huntley Project Irrigation District lowered the water level in read more

Search and rescue efforts underway at Huntley Diversion Dam

Breaking now:

The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and emergency units from the area have responded to a water search and rescue effort at the Huntley Diversion Dam.

The irrigation canal water that feeds the Huntley Project Irrigation District canal has been shut off pending the current search and rescue.  The Water rescue team has also been dispatched in search of an individual, including a second person.

Railroad traffic has been shut down for the time being while the search continues in and near one of the tunnels that feeds the irrigation canal.

Fire units from Shepherd and Worden Fire departments have responded along with county deputies to aid in the search.

More details will come as Yellowstone County News receives information.

Huntley Project School Roof reveals construction Flaws

Shingles torn off the existing Huntley Project High School roof lie in the foreground as workers look over another part of the roof on June 3. (photo courtesy of Dane Bradford/HP Schools)

Shingles torn off the existing Huntley Project High School roof lie in the foreground as workers look over another part of the roof on June 3. (photo courtesy of Dane Bradford/HP Schools)

by Judy Killen-Originally published in the Yellowstone County News 6/24/16 print edition

WORDEN — Most people associated with Huntley Project School knew there was something wrong with the roof.

They just didn’t know how bad it was.

Workers from Diamond Construction started removing the old roof to install a new one over the summer.

The new roof is scheduled to be complete by Aug. 7.

Dane Bradford, hired by the school district to document the removal of the roof, has compiled a series of photos showing how the roof was built.

On Monday, Scott Gierke, the district’s facilities and maintenance manager, showed the photos to school board members. He said the photos show mistakes in construction and installation that are spread across the entire new high school section, not limited to certain areas.

“That roof was in dire straits,” Gierke said, “and it’s become obvious to everyone.”

The school was rebuilt after a massive fire in 2008. Commercial Construction was the contractor, with JGA Architects and Fisher Construction also playing roles in its design and construction.

On some parts of the roof, workers cut through the vapor barrier to flatten bubbles that arose during its installation, Gierke said. Those diagonal slits were never patched, he said, allowing water to leak through the roof. In those areas, workers can remove shingles without tools because “the OSB had totally delaminated,” Gierke said.

OSB, or oriented strand board, is engineered timber similar to particle board used in weight-bearing construction projects like roofs and walls. When it delaminates, it shreds into thin layers.

Gierke said workers didn’t even need hammers to pry out nails, they just came loose when the shingles were removed.

Mold is growing in some roofing materials, and in some places vapor barrier material was installed upside down, rendering it useless to prevent moisture from penetrating the roof, Gierke said.

In some areas, where building materials should either be flush or overlap, there was a gap of up to 2.5 inches, Gierke said.

“Who knows how many cubic feet of air,” either heated or air conditioned, were leaking uselessly out through the roof, he asked.

Superintendent Wes Coy said, in his opinion, all three entities — Commercial Construction, JGA Architects and Fisher Construction — share the blame for the shoddy installation of the roof.

“All three are responsible for it,” Coy said. “Everything is so consistent throughout the whole roof,” Coy said, not just a couple of areas. Judging by how bad the roof looks in the photos, “somebody’s got to see the light, don’t you think?”

Coy specified after the meeting he was speaking for himself, not the school board.

As the school district deals with the roof, the school board also has to turn its attention to floors inside the school.

Coy said in some hallways, the underlayment for the tile floor is delaminating, causing cracks and upheaval in the tiles. In other classroom areas, Quikcrete that was ordered to be removed and replaced never was, causing structural problems in those floors. The district also never received a report of testing it ordered on the Quikcrete last year to evaluate its condition.

“We’ve written a letter” outlining complaints that need to be addressed, Coy said. “We’re heading down that road, too,” he added, alluding to continuing legal problems with the roof.

Old house in Shepherd becomes new home in Ballantine

The former parsonage of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Shepherd took to the road on Wednesday to start a new life as home to a Ballantine family. New owner Nicole Donnally said her family first saw the house was available about a year ago and arranged to move it to Ballantine. 'It's taken a while,' she said Wednesday. She expected the move to take at least all day Wednesday and possibly Thursday. The house left Shepherd at 8:45 a.m. and cleared the Yellowstone River Bridge at Huntley about 1:15 p.m. Moving the house required moving one cable line and around 40 power lines. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

The former parsonage of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Shepherd took to the road on Wednesday to start a new life as home to a Ballantine family. New owner Nicole Donnally said her family first saw the house was available about a year ago and arranged to move it to Ballantine. ‘It’s taken a while,’ she said Wednesday. She expected the move to take at least all day Wednesday and possibly Thursday. The house left Shepherd at 8:45 a.m. and cleared the Yellowstone River Bridge at Huntley about 1:15 p.m. Moving the house required moving one cable line and around 40 power lines. (Jonathan McNiven-Yellowstone County News photo)

Balancing next county budget is a juggling act

Originally published in the print edition of the Yellowstone County News. 

 

BILLINGS — Probably never before has Yellowstone County faced so many building needs going into the budget-setting process. Most of that need is being driven by unprecedented demand on the judicial system, from law enforcement and jail expansion, to accommodating additional judges and jail diversion programs.

Anticipation of looming building costs is putting the squeeze on all other departments. The county’s finance director, Kevan Bryan, said that in preparing for budget hearings this week, departments were asked not only to live within their budgets of last year, but also to look for areas where they might even cut those budgets.

The adjustments resulted in $100,000 in less spending in the General Fund alone, Bryan told County Commissioners, on Monday, as they began their first series of meetings with department heads to review the budgets of each. The county projects a $94.2 million budget in total expenditures.

The overall estimate for county taxes levied is $43.85 million (not including the Big Sky Economic Development levy). The county’s revenue budget, which includes revenues from sources other than taxes, is projected to be $85.2 million in FY2016-17, up $3.5 million over last year. Bryan said that the preliminary budget projects no movement in the countywide levy.

Bryan said that the budget was prepared assuming an overall increase of 1.70 percent, which includes an estimated 1.2 percent increase in net taxable value and a 0.59 percent inflation factor, which is set by the state. The county could get an increase in entitlement funding from the state, but since that is not known at this time, Bryan said he projected no increase in that funding, which was set up years ago to compensate counties when the state assumed vehicle tax revenues.

There were requests for additional staff from some departments. The jail diversion program is asking to hire three full-time positions to move forward a pilot program that had been operating with one staff person, on a 10-month commitment. The sheriff needs two detention offices and a new sergeant for the detention facility. MetraPark needs an additional FTE for concessions and an event coordinator and a .75 FTE in the Metra admissions department.

After hearing a report from Justice of the Peace David Carter about the effectiveness of the risk assessment pilot program (jail diversion) that the county undertook a year ago to help reduce the number of inmates, the commissioners committed to continuing the program with one employee, but will decide about the request for the other two later in the budgeting process.

The increasing demands on the budget are all happening within a budget that is constrained in tax revenues because of tax protests.

In May 2015 and November 2015, CHS Inc. protested about 61 percent ($6.6 million out of the $10.9 million) of their property taxes levied. Along with other protests, including those of read more

Yellowstone County budgets suffer as CHS appeal drags on

Originally published in the print edition of the Yellowstone County News on 5/6/16

BILLINGS — The CHS (Laurel refinery) protested tax case could take as long as another five years to be resolved.

In fact, Montana’s Department of Revenue (DOR) Director Mike Kadas said he thinks that’s the most likely scenario, which is much in contrast to the hopes of local taxing jurisdictions that depend upon the tax revenues, which are withheld during the protest process.

At the invitation of Yellowstone County Commissioners, Kadas and other DOR officials visited on Monday with county and Laurel School District officials, who had hoped to find a way to shorten the process involved in resolving CHS’s tax protest. The company is challenging the state’s valuation of its Laurel refinery in 2014 and 2015.

If CHS maintains the protests on an annual basis throughout the legal process, depending on the resolution, it could result in “a huge release” of the “five-year aggregate,” but that still reduces local government and school budgets for five years. CHS tax revenues represent about 7.8 percent of Yellowstone County’s overall budget and 14 percent of its road fund, and about 30 percent of Laurel School District’s budget.

Kadas said, “We will try to expedite as fast as we can, and I am sympathetic to the local jurisdictions, (but) on the other hand, we can’t walk away from the question of whether they have to provide income information.”

One of the thorns in the process is that CHS has refused to divulge production costs and income information, which could be used as one of three means to determine the value of the CHS refinery. The case is currently awaiting a decision from District Court Judge Russell Fagg about whether CHS must provide income information. Kadas said that he cannot give up his agency’s authority to demand income information.

Asked why CHS would object to providing the information, it was stated that “confidentiality issues could be a reason.” CHS representatives were present at the meeting but made no comments.

At the present time, the two parties remain “a long way apart” in what they believe is the accurate property value. CHS is protesting $352 million of the state’s $821 million valuation of the property in 2015, and $345 million of the state’s $848.6 million valuation in 2014.

If DOR prevails in demanding the income information and CHS does not appeal, the case will take less time, explained Kadas. With the income data, the State Tax Appeal Board (STAB) would then review the Yellowstone County Tax Appeal Board’s decision. No matter the decision from STAB, the losing party will most likely appeal the decision to the courts, for which a date has been set in January 2017. The case could go as far as the Supreme Court in the process, said Kadas.

The Yellowstone County Tax Appeal Board upheld the state’s valuation for 2015, and “split the difference” in the 2014 case, placing a value of $510 million on the property.

CHS protested tax valuations from 2009 through 2013, which were settled with a property value set at $649 million in 2013 and $565.7 million in 2012.

Kadas said that DOR based its valuation on the knowledge that CHS made capital investments of $800 million in 2014. Besides income, he explained, the other two means of determining the value of industrial property is the cost approach and the market approach. The cost approach takes into consideration all forms of depreciation and economic obsolescence. A market approach takes into consideration identified sales of similar properties, which is problematic regarding CHS refinery because there are no sales of similar properties within the region to compare.

Yellowstone County Director of Finance Kevan Bryan asked if there is a way to place tax protest cases involving such a large taxpayer “in front of the line” in being heard before tax appeal boards and in the courts. Bryan said something should change in a system in which, every year, “we roll forward with numbers we know aren’t true” in setting levies and planning budgets.

Kadas said that while he doubted there would be any objection to that, it is the legal processes that are required that extend the timeline, more so than waiting to get on court dockets.

Commissioner Bill Kennedy commented, “Everyone has to have time for due diligence.”

The gist of the conversation seemed to indicate that any changes — such as the creation of a special tax court — will have to go through the state Legislature.

Commissioner Jim Reno asked why previous settlements didn’t address the methodology, which could avoid future protests.

Kadas explained that the previous protest did not address the methodology required by law to be the same in assessing the value of all industrial properties.

Donald Trump campaign releases date and time to visit Billings, MT

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump talks here at a campaign rally. Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Billings, MT on Thursday May 26 at MetraPark Arena.

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump talks here at a campaign rally. Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Billings, MT on Thursday May 26 at MetraPark Arena.

Presidential Candidate Donald Trump campaign has released the date and time for his visit to Billings, MT on Thursday May 26, 2016.  The campaign website released the information that the event will be held at the Rimrock Auto Arena.  For tickets, click here. Republican Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee for the Republican party at this time in preparation for the Montana primary election.  The June 7th primary election is set for him to gain and secure the needed 1,237 votes in order for Donald Trump to secure the Republican nomination in preparation for the July National Republican Conference.  Until then he considered the presumptive nominee for the party.

Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders visited Billings last week with a large crowd at the Montana Pavilion building.  Bernie Sanders is running against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic party nomination.

The Hillary Clinton Campaign announced the former President Bill Clinton will visit Billings this week but little details have been released.  Neither candidate has secured the necessary votes and delegates yet but Hillary Clinton is ahead by a large margin at this point in the Presidential primary race.

The Montana Primary election is Tuesday June 7th and polls close at 8pm.

 

Humor lightens funeral for Sen. Conrad Burns

 Flanked by members of Police Company Delta of the U.S. Marine Corps, Sen. Conrad Burns' casket, draped in a U.S. flag, awaits the family processional Friday morning at MetraPark. (Judy Killen photo)

Flanked by members of Police Company Delta of the U.S. Marine Corps, Sen. Conrad Burns’ casket, draped in a U.S. flag, awaits the family processional Friday morning at MetraPark. (Judy Killen photo)

Originally published in the Yellowstone County News print edition on 5/13/16

BILLINGS — Humorous anecdotes balanced poignant moments as a crowd of about 1,000 gathered last week to say goodbye to Sen. Conrad Burns.

It was a fitting tribute to the man who “never met a stranger,” said his daughter, Keely Godwin during the funeral service at MetraPark. Her father was interested in everything, she said, especially people, but also music and reading.

“I never met anyone that read more than Dad,” she said, although many people who knew him may be surprised by his avid interest in books.

“Mostly, he was interested in people,” she said. “How they interacted… how to make (all) our goals read more

County Commissioner Bill Kennedy to step down to run MSUB Foundation

Bill Kennedy 01 color

Bill Kennedy

In a press conference today at Montana State University in Billings,  Yellowstone County Commissioner Bill Kennedy was named as the new President and CEO of the MSUB Foundation.  Kennedy will step down and retire from the Yellowstone County Commissioners position effective Aug. 1 after 24 years.

Kennedy’s term was to expire at the end of 2017 unless re-elected for another term. Commissioner Kennedy is a known fixture and individual in the Yellowstone County area and is the lone Democrat on the 3 person commission.

Immediately after his position is vacated effective Aug 1, the Yellowstone County Democrat read more

Burns Family Statement On The Passing Of Senator Conrad Burns

(BILLINGS, MT) April 29, 2016 – Today the family of former Montana U.S. Senator Conrad Burns released the following statement after the Senator passed away yesterday evening. Rep. Zinke’s office is sending the statement at the request of the Burns family.

The family said: “Conrad was a loving, dedicated husband and proud father of three whose greatest joy was his three grandchildren. Conrad fought not only for our family, but for families across Montana. He always emphasized the importance of farming and ranching in our state and was proud to serve as a champion for rural telecommunications and healthcare. We appreciate the outpouring of prayers and support from Montanans and folks across the country.”

The family is requesting those who wish to make a donation in his honor should make them to read more

Special Primary Election Edition

Meet the CandidatesThe 2016 Montana primary election is peaking and all campaigns are or should be in full swing. The absentee ballots in Yellowstone County will be going out in the mail on Friday May 13th. Bret Rutherford, Yellowstone County Election Administrator, stated on Tuesday that they receive back about 1/3 of the absentee ballots within 7-10 days. Rutherford also stated that about 80%-90% of ballots cast will be absentee in Yellowstone County.

As Yellowstone County residents usually have a pretty high turnout for presidential election years, this year will mark yet another reason to fill out the ballots as the primary election will basically decide some races as there is no general election opponent. Montana is looking to be an important primary election this year as the republican presidential election on June 7 could decide the GOP nominee in favor of Donald Trump.  Donald Trump is currently at 991 delegates and needs to reach 1,237 in order to clinch the Republican nomination.  In June’s primary, Montana has 27 delegates to offer in favor of or against Donal Trump in his quest to clinch the Republican nomination before the convention in July.

Locally, there are primary races that will decide the winner.  For example, incumbent Jim Reno and Denis Pitman are vying for the Yellowstone County Commissioner’s seat. In the Clerk of District Court position,  there are three running for that seat; incumbent Kristie Lee Boelter, Terry Halpin and Richard William Nixon.  As for District 2 of the Public Service Commission, Incumbent Kirk Bushman is running against Tony O’Donnell.  All three races will decide the winner as there is no general election Democrat opponent.

With that being said, the Yellowstone County News’s special edition of the local races and candidate responses were released read more

Robber shoots gun, leaves without cash

An armed, unidentified suspect wearing a black hoodie with a bandana over his face attempted to rob a clerk at The Blue Basket convenience store at 2347 Main Street in the Heights early Monday morning. The clerk was not injured in the incident. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

An armed, unidentified suspect wearing a black hoodie with a bandana over his face attempted to rob a clerk at The Blue Basket convenience store at 2347 Main Street in the Heights early Monday morning. The clerk was not injured in the incident. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

BILLINGS HEIGHTS — The Billings Police Department is investigating an early morning robbery on Monday at the Blue Basket convenience store at 2347 Main St. in the Heights.

During the attempted robbery, the suspect fired at a clerk, destroying a cell phone, but the clerk was not injured.

According to a press release from the Billings Police Department, officers responded to the store at 4:17 a.m.

An unidentified man entered the store, pointed a handgun at the clerk and read more

Billings Flying Service wins zoning change from county commissioners

Originally published in the Yellowstone County News print edition of 4/1/16.

BILLINGS — In a split vote, Yellowstone County Commissioners have approved a highly controversial zone change request – one that will allow a 50-year old family-owned helicopter business in Yellowstone County to continue to grow next to the Billings Airport.

The decision came after almost 40 citizens testified during a two and a half hour public hearing in a standing-room-only commissioners’ board room.

Billings Flying Service, owned by Al and Gary Blain, has been operating at 6309 Jellison Road, south of Billings, along the Yellowstone River since the company was started by the Blains’ father, Gerhardt. The acquisition over the past few years of seven Chinook helicopters has launched the business into a new realm of fast paced-growth, one that has brought them international recognition and an opportunity to add considerably to the diversity of the local economy.

In seeking more space, the most logical place to locate, say the Blains, is near the Logan International Airport, more specifically on acreage west of the airport along Highway 3.

But residents of a high-end residential area – Sky Ranch Subdivision – disagreed, as did residents of other areas above and below the Rims that parallel the airport and Highway 3. Those testifying voiced concerns about potential noise from the helicopters, but most of all they opposed the change to “controlled industrial” because of what it might mean to the future of the area. There is no commercial or industrial uses allowed along Highway 3 under current zoning, and they did not want that to change for fear of marring what is otherwise a “pleasant and welcoming entryway” to Billings, one with “with breathtaking views.”

The Blains want to expand on read more

Tempers flare over county’s Riverside Cemetery actions

Originally published in the Yellowstone County News print edition on 4/1/16.

BILLINGS — A relatively simply action to approve a $3,000 change order erupted into a heated discussion among Yellowstone County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Commissioner Bill Kennedy was opposed to approving the change order for a utility shed that is being built at Riverside Cemetery, which is where the county buries indigent citizens who cannot afford to pay for their own funeral costs or when no family steps forward to do so.

Kennedy said, “I have a hard time spending money to house a lawnmower.”

He went on then to sharply criticize Commissioner Jim Reno for attempting to save the county money by “blatantly” going forward with a policy of having the remains of the deceased cremated rather than buried, at a cost savings of only $300 per individual, but then be willing to build a $30,000 shed.

“You seem to care more about a building than the people involved,” said Kennedy.

Reno seemed to be read more

Winter Storm Watch issued

A Winter Storm Watch was issued Sunday afternoon for the Southeast Montana region by the National Weather Service.

Here is what was released.

… Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Monday evening
through Wednesday afternoon…

* impacts… travel may become hazardous. The heavy wet snow may
cause tree and power line damage and could pose a threat to
Young livestock.

* Timing… snow will develop Monday night and continue into early
Wednesday. The snow may be heavy at times. The snow will taper
off Wednesday afternoon.

* Snow accumulation… 5 to 10 inches possible… with the heaviest
amounts occurring over the higher hills and lighter amounts
over lower elevations.

* Winds… northeast 15 to 25 mph will combine with the snow
causing poor visibilities.

* Snowfall tonight and early Monday… rain and snow showers could
become all snow from Billings west. Accumulation of a trace to 2
inches is possible. After a break in precipitation Monday
afternoon and evening… the main snow event will occur late
Monday night into early Wednesday.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Storm Watch is issued when severe winter weather is
possible but not imminent. At this time there is a potential for
significant snow. Future driving and walking conditions may
become hazardous so it is important to monitor the latest
forecasts.

read more

Shepherd School evacuated after Bomb Threat

Shepherd students and staff wait outside the Shepherd high school building Monday evening while Yellowstone county sheriff deputies search the buildings for evidence from a bomb threat that was reported. (Photo by Jonathan McNiven)

Shepherd students and staff wait outside the Shepherd high school building Monday evening while Yellowstone county sheriff deputies search the buildings for evidence from a bomb threat that was reported. (Photo by Jonathan McNiven)

by Jonathan McNiven- Yellowstone County News

        Shepherd School District was evacuated Monday evening after a bomb threat was reported. Yellowstone county sheriff’s officers ordered that all remaining students and faculty in the school evacuate. Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputies first cleared the Shepherd Elementary building and then the high school and surrounding buildings while sheriff deputies searched the buildings for any evidence.

Students and staff in the after-school programs were asked to leave the buildings and go outside for read more

Gianoforte meeting targets effects of Clean Power Plan

HUNTLEY — Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte met with a number of representatives of the energy industry in Huntley, on Monday, to gather input about how the Clean Power Plan will impact their respective organizations and businesses.

A group of about a dozen business and government officials held what was literally a roundtable discussion at the Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (YVEC), where YVEC General Manager Brandon Wittman told Gianforte that his organization’s primary power provider, Basin Electric has said that compliance with the CPP is “impossible.” Basin Electric has told him, said Wittman, that it will cost their company, alone, $5.3 billion to comply with the federal regulations, which were announced in October by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The frustrating thing is,” said Wittman, “there is so much that has been done already, but it doesn’t count.” He said that while Basin Electric “has invested a lot in wind and natural gas,” they still rely on coal to produce about 56 to 60 percent of their energy. YVEC has established numerous programs offering incentives and support to customers wanting to pursue conservation and alternative energy options – “and none of it counts” in meeting the extreme carbon emission reductions that CPP is demanding of Montana.

Participants in the discussion, besides Wittman, were Gary Wiens of the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association; Tom Richmond, HD 56 Representative; Geraldine Custer, HD 39 Representative; Kirk Bushman, Montana Public Service Commissioner; Dave Kelsey, YVEC board member; Dave Anderson of Electrical Consultants, Inc., and others.

Accompanying Gianforte was his newly named running mate, Leslie Anderson, a Hi Line rancher and Phillips County Commissioner. He also introduced two young women from Colstrip who have launched a movement called “Colstrip United” which has generated much interest on Facebook and its website (www.colstrip-united.org). Ashley Dennehy and Lori Shaw urged support to save their community which faces a stark economic future if Colstrip Power Plants are closed so the state can comply with the Clean Power Plan.

Dennehy talked about what a wonderful place Colstrip is to live. She pointed out that because of the taxes paid by the coal power plants Colstrip has parks and amenities, and a “class A” school, that would be the envy of any community. “If all of Montana’s communities were like Colstrip,” she said, “millions and millions of people would want to live here.” She went on to say, “The average income in Colstrip is double that of any place else in the state.”

The power that is generated in Colstrip is so important to the state’s grid, that if it is lost, “Montana will not even register as a state,” she said, “You might as well call us an impoverished nation.”

Colstrip’s plight is so unnecessary, Dennehy explained, “The governor has on his desk a bill which could have solved the state’s compliance problem.” But Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed SB31, which would have allowed power generated by future hydroelectric projects to count towards the state’s renewable energy mandate for public utilities. He vetoed it not once, but twice, because the same bill passed the state Legislature in both of the last two sessions.

Kirk Bushman said that not only would the bill have eliminated Montana’s compliance issue, but it would have given the state more flexibility in dealing with states that do not want to accept energy generated from coal-fired plants. Bushman said Governor Bullock explained his veto saying that it would undercut the incentive to develop renewable projects.

Dave Kelsey said that the biggest concern faced by YVEC is that the closure of power plants will leave an unpaid debt that their customers will still have to pay, while at the same time paying for the development of new energy generation. That is in conflict with the YVEC’s mission of providing their membership with reliable and affordable energy, he said.

Wittman added that the EPA has done no study on the cost of implementing the CPP regulations, nor has anyone else, except for one national economic research company which at probably a conservative estimate, shows that every state will be impacted, somewhere in the range of increasing power bills by 21-22 percent.

Dennehy suggested to Gianforte that one way to improve state government is to staff regulatory agencies in a more fair way. She said that as it is, those who staff the agencies are “People who don’t like energy. We need people who like energy and appreciate where it comes from. We need people on our side of the fence, too.”

“They just need to be people with an open mind,” added Anderson.

Gianforte interjected that that is where leadership is needed. The agencies are staffed by “too many insiders who have adopted a culture of enforcement,” and with no real life experience. He said it should not take ten years to get a project permitted, and vowed he would change that as Governor.

“Environmental groups need to have accountability,” added Kelsey. “They need to have some skin in the game.” Kelsey said that the CPP has to be put on a “realistic timeframe. You can’t just wish things into happening. Some things are impossible to do in five years.”

Gianforte said that the CPP regulations are – as are a lot of recent regulations – “an overreaching of government.” He went on to say that the CPP is “a confiscation of property rights and a violation of our tenth amendment. We need leadership to stand up to the federal government” when it overreaches.

Wittman noted that the CPP, despite its enormous cost on taxpayers and consumers to implement, will not have any significant impact on carbon levels because, globally, the use of coal is projected to increase 65 percent – and even were the US “to completely quit using coal,” worldwide coal use would increase 55 percent. “The only solution is for the US to take the lead in making coal energy viable,” he said.

Gianforte agreed, saying, “American ingenuity solved the oil and natural gas problem, and we can solve it for coal.” He emphasized that Montana has the people with the knowledge and expertise, and the technology could be developed right here.

 

Irrigation district workers find dead body in canal off Mailbox Road

SHEPHERD — Irrigation district workers on Tuesday found a decomposed body in an irrigation canal near Mailbox Road.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said Wednesday that authorities were still trying to identify the body and were checking missing persons reports to attempt to determine who it was and where it came from.

“We are looking for anything that might tie the body to any other missing persons reports in the area,” Linder said.

Deputies were dispatched to the site in a Billings Bench Water Association canal on Mailbox Road east of Highway 87 North at 9:40 a.m. Tuesday. Linder said irrigation district employees found the body while cleaning the canal.

Deputies and detectives responded and conducted their investigation, treating the incident as a crime scene, Linder said.

“Due to the decomposition, we are not able to determine the gender or any other identifiers,” he said. “An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday morning and I should have more information after that.”

Last phase of Bench Boulevard begins, final phase before Billings Bypass

by Evelyn Pyburn-Originally published in the weekly edition of the Yellowstone County News on 3/4/16.

BILLINGS — Construction to complete the modernization of Bench Boulevard began this week, reports Knife River of Billings, the general contractor for the project. Utility crews have been doing some preliminary work along Bench Boulevard over the past few weeks, but actual construction to resurface and widen the street will commence in earnest and run throughout the summer, according to Doug Teller, project manager. (The start date was earlier announced to be Feb. 29, but was moved back to March 2.)

The project, from Hilltop to Pemberton, will complete the modernization of the entire length of Bench Boulevard. Earlier phases built the Bench Connector between Lincoln Lane and the intersection at Main and Sixth Avenue North. Another phase widened and enhanced the street from Lincoln Lane to Hilltop. Last year, a signal light was installed at the end of Bench at the north end of Main Street, and rebuilt the intersection. Knife River got the bid – at $8.5 million – to build this phase of the project, which will probably be mostly completed this summer. The contract calls for its completion in 140 working days. Construction crews will start at Barrett Road and move north while related utility installation and significant shoulder work continues south of Wicks Lane.

The Bench Boulevard Project is widening the street to three lanes, including a center turn lane.  Additional modifications include improved street lighting and signage, new sidewalks, boulevard landscaping, and bulb-out corners at school zones for safety purposes.   Teller said, “Our teams live and work here – we recognize the disruption construction can create and are committed to limiting delays and detours whenever possible. Throughout the project, Knife River will distribute schedule details and road closure notifications in order to reduce inconveniences and encourage open communication with the surrounding community.”

Knife River crews are anticipated to work Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each week.  During construction hours, there may be occasional five to 10-minute delays and detours for adjacent residents and businesses. Drivers are encouraged to avoid delays by using alternate routes such as Main Street or Hawthorne Lane when possible.   Knife River requests the community’s cooperation in ensuring the safety of residents and construction personnel. Those traveling through the project are asked to adhere to all signage and flaggers as crews work to create a better roadway and a safer neighborhood.

The Bench boulevard Project is the next project to be completed before construction of the Billings Bypass is to be started. The Billings Bypass will connect the Billings Heights to Lockwood areas. Another new road will connect the Billings Bypass to Highway 312 by another new road that will be built called “5 Mile Road“. The Billings Bypass is projected to be done as early as 2020, according to Stephen Streeter, District Manager for the Montana Department of Transportation. The expansion of the Bench Boulevard Project is next to be completed though.

Shepherd Seniors dig into lunch at new community center

Shepherd Senior Citizens meet and eat at their new community center off Haynes road in Shepherd for the first time on March 2, 2016. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Shepherd Senior Citizens meet and eat at their new community center off Haynes road in Shepherd for the first time on March 2, 2016. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

The Shepherd Senior Citizens group met for the first time Wednesday at the Shepherd Community Center on Haynes Road. The lunch meeting drew 56 people, including several guests from the Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County: Bee Ann Melichar, Joan Kimball, JoDee Samano and Judy Hughes, along with Yellowstone County Commissioner Jim Reno and commission candidate Denis Pitman. Phyllis and Ed Weidinger of the Worden Senior Citizens group were also on hand. Rose Fritz, president of the Shepherd senior group, said about 40 people usually attend.

The Shepherd Senior Citizens meet every Wednesday at 11:30am for lunch. The Shepherd Community Center is a project that was completed with outside playground, open area for picnics, and community parking by the Shepherd Lions Club. Fundraisers over the last decade like the annual Shepherd Jamboree helped contribute to the Shepherd Community Center, playground and location for groups in the Shepherd area to meet. (Jonathan McNiven photos)