Jul232024

Poll: Inflation, Immigration, Economy are Top Concerns of Voters

Politics • Top Stories

From Center Square

Likely voters across the country continue to be most concerned about inflation, the economy and illegal immigration.

This fresh data comes even as experts say inflation is slowing, indicating that Americans are still feeling the pinch of high prices.

The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted prior to the weekend assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, found that likely voters said inflation/price increases (45%), illegal immigration (36%) and the economy/jobs (28%) were the issues that matter most to them heading into the November election.

The poll was conducted in read more

Jul222024

Montana Senator Jon Tester yet to Endorse Kamala Harris for President

Montana-Statewide • Politics

Weeks after President Biden’s dismal debate performance, Montana Senator Jon Tester was quiet to publicly call for President Joe Biden to step down. It was only until last week that Senator Tester started publicly encouraging President Biden to step down after pressure from other top Democrats had already been calling for him to step down in the news.

President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would read more

Jul202024

Huntley Farmer’s Market Moves to Pryor Creek Café

Huntley Project

Recently the Huntley Farmer’s Market has moved from Barkemeyer Park to Pryor Creek Café. The event that has been going on at the park for many years moved suddenly leaving many in the community confused. The move happened due to a dispute between two parties at the park: the Farmer’s Market and food trucks wanting read more

Jul192024

ELECTION INTEGRITY?

Politics

There have been numerous conversations concerning election integrity the past four years. There have also been new election laws written, and new election laws overturned by legislation from the bench. Since you and I have little control over the courts we might ask ourselves, “What actions can we take to shepherd election integrity?”

To begin, we must ask what is causing us to question election integrity. All fingers point to the President Biden, Senator Tester purposeful and premeditated open border policies. All the duo had to do was read more

Jul182024

It’s Time for Dig It Days 2024

Local • Billings

Here, a group of little kids dressed in their newly worn Dig It Days t-shirts stand in a bucket of a loader holding signs that say “I Like Big Buckets and I Cannot Lie” provided by Tri-State Truck & Equipment at the 2023 Dig It Days event. Free t-shirts will be given away to kids teenagers and adults again this year at the 2024 Dig It Days at MontanaFair. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)

As summer is once again upon us, it’s time to mark the calendar for Dig It Days. As before, Dig It Days will be on the last two days of Montana Fair, Friday and Saturday, August 16 and 17, from noon to 6 pm.

And, new this year is the option of getting free tickets into Montana Fair from Dig It Days Sponsors. That means everything is free because there is no charge for the fun at Dig It Days on (Free entry with sponsors voucher for Friday only ).

Produced by Yellowstone Family and read more

Jul182024

Mr. Crisp is at it again?

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Mr. Crisp is at it again.  4/28 he disputes Emily Daniel noting the Biden Administration (Grandma Garland) have weaponized the DOJ by categorizing parents protesting at school board meetings as domestic terrorists.  If you are like Crisp and only get your news from the Lame Stream Media, you would not know about DOJ actions.  But honest news sources have been reporting DOJ’s actions for three years!  This includes folks who have filed protests over rigged elections. Heritage Foundation has identified 1500+ precincts that have election irregularities – several have been successfully prosecuted.  A whistle blower at a children’s hospital in Texas is now being threatened by the FBI.  It goes on and on. 

Crisp obviously believes the “fact checkers”. First, we had “snopes” and “urban legends” who claimed to give us corrected info.  It soon became apparent they were both biased.  Further investigation revealed both were run by ardent democrats.  In 2016 when Hillary was being exposed for all her evil deeds and lies, the democrats invented “fact checkers”.  But here again they didn’t check facts – they just read more

Jul182024

Big Sky Speedway Results

Sports

Big Sky Speedway Races North of Billings.

Drone Image of Big Sky Speedway by Jonathan McNiven.

The Big Sky Speedway has completed their 11th night of races this summer and here are the top five results from each category for the Kid’s Night that took place on July 13th.

Wissota Midwest Mods: 1st – Michael Rogers – Billings, Montana, 2nd – Shay Evig – Billings Montana, 3rd – Nathan Kenaston – Billings, Montana, 4th – Dayne Kocher – Billings, Montana, 5th – Troy Cepak Jr. – Billings, Montana.

INEX – Legends: 1st – Josh Broadbent – Ballantine, Montana, 2nd – Jay Quenzer – Baker, Montana, 3rd – Travis Wagner – Billings, Montana, 4th – Stuart Mckechnie – Billings, Montana, 5th – Randall Copeland – Ammon, Idaho.

Wissota Street Stock: 1st – read more

Jul182024

Lockwood Residents Will Get Surveys To Help in Qualifying for CDBG Grant

Top Stories • Lockwood

Lockwood residents living in the Phase 3 sewer district will soon receive a survey which the Lockwood Water and Sewer District (LWSD) board is urging they respond to in order to gain a grant which will defray the cost of the new sewer installation. A draft of the survey was approved by the board last Wednesday evening.

The board also approved annual raises for staff and accepted the application of Gary Forrester to read more

Jul182024

Obituary: Milton John Kinghorn

Obituaries

Milton John Kinghorn

Milton John Kinghorn, 84, of Shepherd, Montana, died July 10, 2024, at home with his family. He was born May 26, 1940, in Billings, Montana, to John and Hattie Kinghorn. He was the oldest of four children. Milt was a lifetime resident of Shepherd, Montana, and graduated from Shepherd High School in 1959. He married Marjorie Clair Duckwitz on August 2, 1963, in Billings, Montana.

In the early years, Milton worked as a ranch hand and drove water truck. In 1966 he started work at Rector Cattle Company, where he remained for 26 years. After retiring from Rectors, he drove truck over the road with Steve Nelson Trucking and worked at Western Sugar running front end loader.

Milton was one of the founding members of the read more

Jul162024

Barkemeyer Park Displays New LED Sign

Local • Huntley Project

A new LED sign is displayed in huntley for public notices and local events. (Gage McNiven Photo)

A new LED sign has been installed at the Barkemeyer Park in Huntley. This new sign replaces the old one which was staring to deteriorate. “We have been in need of the sign for a while,” said Susan Johnson, a board member for the Huntley Community Club. “The old sign was getting to be too much work with not enough volunteers.” The old sign also “required some skill to hold the long, heavy pole up to place the letters and took quite a bit of time to do.” This sign will help save volunteers for other projects and duties to keep the park in a working order.

The sign, made by Billings Sign Company, an avid supporter of the community, was funded with money raised by the annual Barkemeyer Park auction and cost $21,550 to create and install. “The generosity of this community is amazing and greatly appreciated,” Johnson said in a social media post.” This new sign will display public notices … Read Full story here.

Jul162024

Obituary: Gerald “Gabe” Lee Gabel

Obituaries

Gerald “Gabe” Lee Gabel

Gerald “Gabe” Lee Gabel left us for greener pastures on July 8, 2024. Born in Poplar on Feb. 10, 1936, Gabe was the eleventh of thirteen children born to Heinrich “Henry” Gabel and Maria “Mabel” Grosskopf. His siblings and their spouses include Esther (Reinold) Buerkle, Harold (Dorothy) Gabel, Alvin (Marylou) Gabel, Dorothy Shinazy, Roy (Clarice) Gabel, Majorie “Marge” (Fred) Herman, Violet (Bob) Eckhardt, Henry “Buck” (Eleanor) Gabel, Annabelle (Reynold) Schreiner, Alvina (August) Jansma, Conrad “Cooney” (Mary, “Sam”) Gabel, and Larry (Beverly) Gabel.

Gabe grew up in Hardin, where he attended school and worked on the family farm. He then worked for Holm-Sutherland Construction, Inc. until he and Bob Holmes started read more

Jul162024

Obituary: June Elizabeth Equall (Hug)

Obituaries

June Elizabeth Equall

June Elizabeth Equall (Hug) passed away unexpectedly from a stroke on June 15, 2024, at the age of 81, in Billings, Montana. She was comforted in her final hours by the presence of her family.

June was born on June 5, 1943, to Alvina (Gums) and Arthur A. Hug on their farm in Worden, Montana, where they lived and farmed on the Huntley Project. She married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Duane Equall, in 1960. Over the years they made their home in Wyoming and vario read more

Jul152024

A Good And Decent Man

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Politics is increasingly a “contact sport!” However, this primary election has gone from twisting facts and statements to outright lies about candidates. We have become used to the Soros-funded Democrat political PAC Tactics they have perfected, but during this Montana primary a well-funded left-leaning Republican faction attacked conservative incumbent legislators (opponents were endorsed by Republican governor Greg Gianforte) and carried out by the “Republican” Llew Jones led “Solutions Caucus” (the “Democrat wing” of the Republican legislature).

An example was incumbent Rep. James Bergstrom (HD 78–Hobson) who was attacked read more

Jul132024

Obituary: Betty Ann (Michalies) Strobbe

Obituaries

Betty Ann (Michalies) Strobbe

Betty Ann (Michalies) Strobbe passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, June 30, 2024, surrounded by loved ones.

Betty was born on August 29, 1936, in Billings, MT, to John & Marie Michalies; she grew up in Billings and attended Billings Senior High.

Betty married Harry Strobbe on October 14, 1955, in Columbus, MT. This union blessed them with five children: Tammy Jo, Kathy, Eva, Brenda and Harold.

Betty is survived by her children: Tammy Jo (Rick) Coyle; Kathy Lynn (Jock) Clause; Eva Marie (Dave) Adams; Brenda Mae (Frank) Dugas; and Harold. Grandchildren: Eldon (Jana) Sindelar; (Victoria & Ben Lyncoln); Andrew (Jessica Anderson) Sindelar; Jared Coyle; Amanda Keyes; Jerimy (Amy) Biship; Eric (Destiny) Bishop; Dillon (Shandell) Clause; Corina (Doug) Bruce; Josh Clause; Trystan Clause; Guy (Melissa) Welborn; Chad (Megan) Welborn; Miranda Welborn; Brant (Whitney Deshaney) Welborn; Brad (Holly Jonas) Dugas; Leah (Tristan) Kovacs; Rachel (Alexander) Canellopoulos; Chris (Jenni) Strobbe; Raymond (Gabby) Strobbe; Gracie (Isaac O’Shea) Strobbe; 34 great-grandchildren – soon to be 35 in October 2024. Brother Richard (Kathleen) Michalies; brother and sisters-in law: Robert (Bob) & Helen Strobbe; June Kratochvil and Vivian Michalies; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Those who greeted Mom in Heaven are read more

Jul112024

Obituary: James Burton Farley

Obituaries

James Burton Farley

Montana lost a humble, hardworking rancher and horseman on July 6, 2024, as James Burton Farley went to Our Father’s most beautiful grazing meadows. Burton was born August 14, 1935, in Forsyth, Montana, to Leo and Beulah Farley. He always said he was born on a horse and spent the rest of his life on one or near one.

After graduating from Colstrip High School in 1953, he went on to Montana State College where he worked on a ranch breaking colts and helped recharge the now Montana State University Rodeo Team. After college Burton returned home to the family ranch. The Farley Hereford Ranch was well known for its annual production sales for three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s in Miles City, Colstrip and Pryor Creek.

Burton was known to all as a rancher, cowboy and gentleman.

Burton was and is well respected among his peers. Without hesitation he would read more