Jul232015

A new Master Plan for Shepherd School District 37

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

A new Master Plan for Shepherd School District 37: After several years of building facility assessments, community meetings, and space programming, the Shepherd School District has settled on a course of action, and plans to run a mail-in ballot, for bond election, this coming fall.

The process began in August of 2008, with a Building Assessment report, performed by MGT of Washington state. The information gathered in this report outlined each of the district facilities, and listed ADA concerns, structural stability, energy efficiency, and useful life of the building systems. read more

Jul232015

Sindelar charged in Ballantine shooting death of son

Yellowstone County

Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputies, Montana Highway Patrol troopers and emergency medical personnel responded to the home of Wesley Brian Sindelar on Thunderstick Road in Ballantine Monday evening after his father, James Sindelar, called 911 to report he had shot his son with a handgun. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputies, Montana Highway Patrol troopers and emergency medical personnel responded to the home of Wesley Brian Sindelar on Thunderstick Road in Ballantine Monday evening after his father, James Sindelar, called 911 to report he had shot his son with a handgun. (Jonathan McNiven photo)


BALLANTINE — A Ballantine man was charged in Yellowstone County Justice Court Wednesday afternoon with negligent homicide after he allegedly went to the home of his son, where he shot and killed him Monday night.

James Douglas Sindelar, 73, allegedly told a sheriff’s detective that he shot his son, Wesley Brian Sindelar, after struggling with him over a handgun at his home on Thunderstick Road off Highline Canal Road. read more

Jul142015

Obituary: Drena Dawn (Heath) Chord

Obituaries

Drena Dawn (Heath) Chord

Drena Dawn (Heath) Chord “A Prayer Warrior” at the age of 54 passed away Saturday, May 30, 2015, at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver. She was born Sept. 1, 1960, at Cardston Alberta, Canada.

After a six-month battle with blood cancer, she joined her Lord. Drena always said there is only one way “Jesus.” She had planned to become a chaplain to give back to God and her community.

Drena loved music and was a talented piano player. You always laughed when you were with her. She enjoyed many crafts and arts, a passion that she shared with her husband Paul. Drena was a daughter, mother, wife, grandmother, sister, friend and nurse, and will be forever missed and loved. We will miss your loving smile, and all the joy you brought to our lives. We were all blessed and better people to have known you. We thank all of you who gave so generously in love, prayer and support during her fight with cancer.

A celebration of life in honor of Drena will be held July 25 from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Harvest Church Heights Campus. Desserts and beverages will be provided. Please come join us in celebrating who Drena was, is and always will be!

A memorial in honor of Drena (and a way to give forward to others as given unto her) has been set up at the St Vincent Healthcare Frontier Cancer Center. Donations can be sent to One Cancer Fund Attn: Drena’s gift; In care of Angela Slade, 1106 N. 30th St., Billings, MT 59101 Phone: 406-238-3603.

Drena also had a passion and love for orphans and impoverished families in Uganda. A memorial in Drena’s name may be sent to Hope 2 One Life, Inc. www.hope2onelife.org, P.O. Box 21112 Billings, MT 59104.

Jul92015

County officials continue compensation board work

Local

yellowstone county

by Evelyn Pyburn-originally posted in the Yellowstone County News Newspaper

BILLINGS — Two more hearings have been set for the Yellowstone County Elected Official Compensation Board. Following their rejection of the Board’s earlier recommendation Yellowstone County Commissioners are asking the board to reconvene to make another recommendation.

The board met Monday and will meet again at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Yellowstone County Courthouse in the Commissioners Conference Room on fourth floor.

The commissioners also re-appointed the read more

Jun302015

Accounting error in State Audit ???

Montana-Statewide

“In my fourteen years on Audit this is the first time the financials for Montana shouts of incompetency within the department.”

Montana Senator Dee Brown

Guest Article – by Senator Dee Brown, Legislative Audit Committee

The financial audit for the State of Montana revealed some disturbing problems today in front of the Legislative Audit Committee in Helena. The audit detailed that the Department of Administration does not have adequate internal controls to ensure accuracy of our finances, nor are they properly reviewed or issued in a timely fashion.

Some of the examples include: transportation expenses overstated by about $220 million, capital grants and contributions for Natural Resources understated by $445 million and transfers of about $47.8 million which were omitted entirely.

The hundreds of millions of dollars not accounted for properly are huge red flags for anyone reading the audit, but the one that made my eyes bulge was the overstatement of approximately $1 billion of accumulated depreciation related to infrastructure. Yes, that’s with a ‘b’ as in billion.

The errors have been read more

Jun292015

County labor negotiations nearing conclusion

Yellowstone County

yellowstone county2
BILLINGS — Yellowstone County is negotiating with two unions to renew labor contracts. The negotiations have been going on since March and have gone smoothly, according to Dwight Vigness, the county’s human resource officer. He told county commissioners in a discussion on Monday that they are coming closer together and he expects a conclusion relatively soon with the MPEA (Montana Public Employees Association) and the county attorneys.

Vigness explained that he hopes to get four-year contracts with both read more

Jun242015

Rep. Tom Richmond assailed by critics at Pachyderm lunch

Montana-Statewide • Politics • Yellowstone County

Tom Richmond

Tom Richmond

BILLINGS — Rep. Tom Richmond encountered considerable criticism from his audience when he gave his perspective regarding the successes and failures of the 2015 state legislative session, before the Billings Pachyderm Club in Billings on June 11. One woman became quite emotional and started crying about his support of Medicaid expansion.

Also calling Richmond to task for some of his positions was Barry Usher, who was a contender to fill the House seat to which Richmond was appointed following the resignation of Jonathan McNiven. Usher said that Richmond was appointed based upon his answers regarding his positions on several issues. Usher claimed that Richmond’s voting record was not in keeping with those answers.

About expanding the state’s Medicaid program to reach an additional 70,000 recipients, Richmond said, “I was in a box on this. I pledged not to advance Obamacare,” but this bill helped people who could not afford insurance, and it still required that they pay a premium. The legislation created the HELP program, which, he said, “isn’t read more

Aubree Hancoop works with MSU-B associate professor Tom Lewis on biochemical research. (courtesy photo)

Mar202015

Honcoop nominated for Goldwater Scholarship

Huntley Project • Shepherd
Aubree Hancoop works with MSU-B associate professor Tom Lewis on biochemical research. (courtesy photo)

Aubree Hancoop works with MSU-B associate professor Tom Lewis on biochemical research. (courtesy photo)

MSU BILLINGS — Aubree Honcoop has accomplished more than most people her age.

She has graduated from high school, has three years of college under her belt and, most recently, was nominated by Montana State University Billings for the nationally competitive Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.

Honcoop, who is from Huntley, is 17.

The Goldwater Foundation seeks scholars committed to careers in science, math or engineering who are planning careers in read more

Mar172015

Former Yellowstone County Museum director admits to stealing at least $30,000 from museum

Local • Billings • Billings-Heights • Top Stories • Yellowstone County

mt-yellowstone-museum-wide1Billings – The former director of the Yellowstone County Museum has pleaded guilty to felony theft in Yellowstone County District Court.

Charles “Chas” Weldon was the  museum’s director from 2008 to 2013.

In a plea agreement negotiated between prosecutors and defense attorneys and approved by District Judge Ingrid Gustafson, Weldon admitted to stealing more than $30,000 beginning in read more

Mar152015

Cell phone dispute lands student in court

Yellowstone County • Shepherd

cell-phone-disputeBillings – A Shepherd High School student has been charged with assault after a scuffle over a cell phone at the high school.

James Herring, 19, will appear in Yellowstone County District Court at 9 a.m. March 20.

According to a Yellowstone County sheriff’s report, Herring attacked a teacher who tried to take his cell phone from him at school on March 5.

Shepherd schools superintendent Dan Jamieson said Herring allegedly violated a school regulation forbidding cell phone use in classrooms or during instructional time. The school handbook states that read more

Feb212015

Grant to Shepherd music

Top Stories

Shepherd Elementary School music teacher Dawn Sherseth accepts a grant from the Montana Masonic Foundation delivered by Lewie Fletcher, a member of Huntley Project Masonic Lodge 144. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Shepherd Elementary School music teacher Dawn Sherseth accepts a grant from the Montana Masonic Foundation delivered by Lewie Fletcher, a member of Huntley Project Masonic Lodge 144. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Shepherd Elementary School music teacher Dawn Sherseth accepts a grant from the Montana Masonic Foundation delivered by Lewie Fletcher, a member of Huntley Project Masonic Lodge 144. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Feb192015

MetraPark events benefits go beyond facility improvements

Yellowstone County • Billings

metra-parkBillings – The significance of MetraPark co-promoting events was clarified by Sue DeVries, MetraPark’s assistant manager, during the meeting of the MetraPark Advisory Board.

Following kudos for “hitting a real home run” with the landing of Motley Crue, (appearing July 26) a concert that sold out before the end of January, Devries answered a question about how much money MetraPark is making as a co-promoter of the event.

Co-promotion for MetraPark is not so much about making money, said DeVries.

“We aren’t going to lose money and we will make some money, but the coup is getting the event and improving our relationship with the promoter, who is responsible for a huge number of events,” explained DeVries.

The area in which MetraPark does well with any sold-out event is in the sale of read more

Feb162015

Lockwood PTA receives playground grant

Local • Lockwood

lockwood-montana-playgroundLOCKWOOD – The Lockwood PTA announced the receipt of a $20,000 donation for the building of a new Lion’s Lair from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. Also, with the grant was the notice that the Foundation will match up to an additional $10,000, donated from other sources during the ensuing year.

The PTA had already raised $56,000 toward a goal of $230,000 to read more

Feb142015

The Outdoors Column

Events & More!

by Carl Wolf- Outdoors Correspondent

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Looking for a housekeeper? Look no further than your local forest. There you will find Tamias which is the Greek name for housekeeper or treasurer. Yep, chipmunks are found in the taxonomic group called Tamias because they are little collectors and storers of food for winter use just like grandma used to do. The common name originally may have been spelled “chitmunk,” referring to the sounds they make. They are also referred to as read more

Feb132015

Jim Reno announces re-election bid

Politics

metra-park
BILLINGS – Yellowstone County Commissioner Jim Reno has announced that he will run for re-election in 2016. A Republican primary contender, Denis Pitman, a Billings City Councilman, has already announced his intention of challenging the three-term incumbent.

Reno said that he wants to “finish the job you hired me to do. . . There is a lot of work yet to do.”

But Reno’s main reason for running for re-election is that he read more

Jan272015

Official: Montana economic boom slowing

Montana-Statewide

Economic WeaknessesMontana’s overall economy is going to be “hard pressed” to hit the 3-percent growth mark forecasted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, reported Patrick M. Barkey, head of that agency at the University of Montana.

The boom that Montana has been experiencing is showing signs of slowing, said Barkey in a report in the Montana Business Quarterly. The new trends will be important factors for state decision makers as they head for the Montana State Legislature, he said.

Barkey will explore what’s in store for the state in depth during the 2015 Economic Outlook Seminar, which the bureau will hold in Billings on Feb. 3. The seminar will focus on the impacts of the energy boom on Yellowstone County and the state.

“It’s an energy read more

Jan132015

Commissioners seek comments on Musselshell Trail Road

Yellowstone County • Custer

cottonwood_creek_near_malta_for_web
BILLINGS — A public hearing will be held regarding a plan to realign a portion of Musselshell Trail Road.

Yellowstone County Commissioners set a hearing date for Jan. 6 at 9:30 a.m. at the courthouse to accept public comment about realigning a portion of Musselshell Trail Road as it passes through Junction City Ranch.

The realignment will improve the safety and drivability of the road, by eliminating some sharp curves of the road.

The owner of the Junction City Ranch, Richard Brown, has agreed to extend easements to the public for the new alignment. Once the road has been constructed, the commissioners will act to abandon the old alignment of the road