May192024
Shepherd High School Graduating Seniors pose for a group celebration picture after the graduation ceremony Sunday May 19, 2024. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)
Here are some pictures that were captured from the Shepherd High School Senior Graduation on Sunday May 19th. Feel free share and use any of these pictures of your kids and friends that were taken by the Yellowstone County News for your personal use. Congratulations to all the Seniors and good luck to you in the future!
May172024
Dear Editor,
T.J. Smith is correct, we need to find the root cause of addictions, the drugs, alcohol and sexual pleasures, a lot has to do with finances. Those making money off people who are coping with little money. Our children want to fit in, be cool and with the popular people. Our society has made material possessions and wealth a status symbol. When you fail to meet the expectations of yourself or what others think, shame and depression take over, you need a pick me up. The border has little to do with drugs and human exploitation; closing the border will mean finding another way to supply those in need.
Elections are won by read more
May172024
Dear Editor,
For years we have watched news reports of the porous southern border facilitating the illegal influx of 10 million migrants under the Biden presidency (thehill.com, Jan.2024). To be clear, we support immigration– legal immigration. Knock and come through our country’s front door the right way. If you are here to chase the dream and embrace the love of our country and values, we welcome you. It is the illegal part with which we have trouble. Illegal migration has brought drugs, human trafficking, mules, cartels, terrorists on watch lists, and much more negative fallout. For years, this has been ‘behind the curtain’ of the public in Montana. Just ask our Attorney General Austin Knudsen. He continually and relentlessly has warned us of the surge in fentanyl smuggling, a staggering 20,000% increase in confiscations since 2019; and sex trafficking, cases escalating over 116% since 2021 (dojmt.gov March 2024). These crises have become pervasive in Montana due to the current Federal administration’s border policy. We have confirmed illegals flown to Kalispell from New York. When hypocritical sanctuary cities realize Montana won’t send them back, where do you think they will keep sending them? Every town in Montana is read more
May172024
Dear Editor,
Not by choice, but only by accident, I caught part of the Brittney Griner interview on network TV the other night. Wow! Whoa! Shocking, if not read more
May172024
The Huntley Project Irrigation District (HPID) faced several issues at their monthly meeting.
Kay McCloy, owner of Fly Creek Angus Inc. in Pompey’s Pillar and her son Dillon addressed the Huntley Project Irrigation District Board during Wednesday’s May 7th meeting expressing their discontent and dissatisfaction with how the water in the irrigation canal was dispersed and started this year. Kay reminded the board that she attended last month’s April meeting to confirm when the water would be coming down the canal for this year’s season, so that she and her family had time to move cattle ahead of the water as they do each year.
Sunday, April 21st was the date that water started running from the Huntley Diversion Dam and started filling the main canal. However, the 24 to 48-hour notice that was requested by the McCloy family did not happen, and instead they received a two-hour notice. In addition, the fastest the water has ever come to them in Pompey’s is a week, but this year was two days later on April 23, according to Kay.
Kay said that 2024 marked the “45th year that my family has crossed the ditch and moved the cattle ahead of the water.” However, this year, “the time was not granted,” according to Kay.
“We didn’t’ have that opportunity to move our cattle. I feel it was 100% the ditch company’s fault.” McCloy submitted a bill to the board for the basics of what it cost her and her family from the losses they experienced due to how the water came to them this year.
Board President Cody Kuntz responded, “Kay, I don’t think this is our responsibility” in response to her $7,000 bill she submitted to the district board for the loss of her calves.
“You don’t’ think it’s right to give us more than a 3-hour notice?” questioned Kay’s son Dillon McCloy.
Kuntz, replied, “No.”
Kay replied, “After 45 years?”
Kuntz continued, “You knew the read more
May162024
Dear Editor,
Those who are pro-life OR pro-choice need to understand the truth about CI-128, which seeks to embed abortion into MT as a Constitutional right. Planned Parenthood operatives have been unleashed upon our state to gather enough signatures by June 21st to put an anti-baby, anti-woman agenda on our ballot this fall. The activist MT Supreme Court helped draft the vague, open-ended language, and signature gatherers will not be required to be transparent to the public as to what this liberal court system can interpret through it.
This change would allow for unlimited abortion, including partial-birth or dismemberment abortion. I can not believe most Montanans, even if they are pro-choice, would truly want that. In the language “healthcare professional” is left intentionally vague, meaning ANYONE loosely associated with healthcare can approve of abortion at any stage of pregnancy, and will make MT an abortion hub for those from other states who have not passed this horrific amendment. Taxpayers will be forced to pay for many of these abortions.
Both sides of the aisle are against sex trafficking. This initiative will allow for protection of predators and sex traffickers who force victims to obtain an abortion. How sick is read more
May152024
Dear Editor,
We are writing to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Billings and surrounding area for their tremendous support during our 2024 JustServe Community Day of Service.
This year, we were overwhelmed with the response, as over 120 projects were listed on the JustServe.org website for Saturday April 27th. Among these, 42 projects were from 25 organizations included 10 from the Great American Clean Up/Bright ‘n Beautiful Billings were dedicated solely to the JustServe Community Day of Service, including donation wish lists.
The impact of your collective efforts was truly remarkable. Every organization involved expressed profound gratitude for the outcomes achieved, despite any shortage of volunteers. Your willingness to lend a hand made a significant difference in our community. There were 360 volunteers for a total of 920+ hours of service.
A special mention goes to Nick Anderson, Billings Fireman, and Chief Valdez for their invaluable support read more
May112024
Wesley Fisk
Wesley John Fisk, 98, passed away peacefully of natural causes in his home, in Shepherd, Mt., Tuesday, March 5th, 2024.
Wesley was born July 6th, 1925 in Bartlett, North Dakota. Wesley was the youngest of four, he had two brothers and one sister born to John Wesley and Nellie Arella Wright Fisk.
Wesley was married to Joan Dorthy Karna on July 31, 1947. They had six children Barbara J. Pate, Nancy A. Hewitt, Ronald D. Fisk, Lesley G. Clark, David W. Fisk and Gerald (Jerry) D. Fisk. Wesley widowed in 2008 and subsequently married Linda DeCamp, they divorced in 2018. Wesley left behind 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.
Wesley served as a TEC 5 in the US Army from March 1945 to December 1946. Following his military service Wesley made his living in various read more
May102024
Dear Editor,
The definition of insanity is repeating an action while expecting different results. There are few issues with as many missed opportunities as veterans’ health and quality-of-life. Whether lacking creativity or undervaluing individualism, current programs are not fully serving those who served us. Throwing hospitals, doctors, and outreach initiatives at the problem has not inhibited an unacceptably high rate of adverse outcomes for veterans, especially suicide.
Traditional clinical treatment is not accessible, affordable, or even effective on its own. Reintegration requires tremendous vulnerability. Too much time in medical settings is psychologically detrimental. It is a positive feedback loop: “Here I am again. Something is really wrong.” Veterans need to be fulfilled in their lives, engaged in their communities, and comfortable in their own skin. Rehabilitation and counseling centers are just one piece of the puzzle. Over two-thirds of veterans who commit suicide never seek support.
The VHA’s Behavioral Health Autopsy Program studies thousands of suicides, trying to pinpoint warning signs. The three highest risk factors for veteran suicide are read more
May102024
Burton Ray Gigoux (Burt)
A Marine who stood tall helping Veterans, Burton Ray Gigoux (Burt), 75, went to meet his Lord and Savior on December 23, 2023, from complications of cancer. He was born in Oakland, California, to Ray Gigoux and Delta Coop.
After graduation from Armarillo High School, he enlisted and proudly served in the United States Marine Corps. Upon his discharge, he found the love of his life, besides the Marines, and met and married Anita Moore in New Orleans, LA. She was his lifelong partner in all of his veteran endeavors. In 1972, Burt took Anita up north to Billings, MT, to start a new read more
May92024
Dear Editor and Fellow Constituents,
The United States Congress needs HELP!! The $95 billion foreign aid bill passed by the US House this past week proves why we need strong, honest, conservative leadership willing to fight the battle for the soul of the Republican Party.
Thus far US has sent at least $175 billion to Ukraine. Latest bill: $61 billion to Ukraine; $26 billion Israel which includes $9 billion humanitarian assistance in Gaza; $8 billion to regional partners Indo-Pacific including Taiwan; and TO the US SOUTHERN BORDER $0, YES $0.
There are 218 House Republicans. A 366-58 vote by the House passed this Bill, with only 21 Republicans read more
May52024
Dear Editor,
Those of us who are happy to live in Montana need to seriously consider who we will vote for in this November to represent us in Washington, D.C. He (or she) will be one of our two representatives in the the House, or one of our Senators in the Senate. While they represent us in the nation’s capital, they are also members of either the Republican or the Democratic parties and are often asked to help support their party’s national agenda – which may or may not serve Montana’s best interest.
The reason I bring up the importance of party affiliation is that the Democratic party beginning with Obama in 2008 has betrayed our nation’s history of patriotism and the love of America that I remember. In his first year of office President Obama declared that the United States was not a Judeo-Christian nation, (guided by the Ten Commandments). He never said whose God he read more
May42024
Dear Editor,
I am a small business owner and understand that to stay in business, one has to either control expense or increase prices.
HOW MANY RETIREMENTS DO YOU NEED?
In reading John Staley’s article, he is a retired fire fighter from Quincy, IL; retired A/Fire Chief, Billings, MT; retired Fire Chief, Thornton, CO and retired Fire Chief from Lockwood Fire Department. That is a lot of retiring. It would be interesting to know if Staley receives multiple pensions. Most people are lucky to retire with Social Security and some personal savings.
Staley believes there needs to be more collaboration between the City of Billings (COB) and Yellowstone County (YC). On the surface, that sounds good. Then we get into the details when he says he would like to see “shared services” for public works, code enforcement, parks and recreation ($140 million rec center anyone?) and transportation. Staley believes county residents living outside city limits should subsidize Billings City services. Gee, what could go wrong with that? In terms of public transportation, Met buses with two people on them? Let’s extend that money losing service to the entire county…Don’t get me started on the city buying electric buses.
Where the COB and YC governments can work together, they seem to be doing so. They have recently announced a partnership to read more
May42024
Dear Editor, Youth Protests – BACKFIRE!
America has gone through a LOT over the years. Good and not-so-good. I personally lived during the Vietnam error. I was fortunate. I served my three years in the Army, primarily in South Korea and Germany. Lots of protests. Lots of conscientious objectors defected to Canada. Those fortunate in coming home from Vietnam, were not welcome back, and yes, even spit upon. Ugly to say the least. These were primarily young college read more
Apr262024
Well, well, well, as you can see on the front page of our newspaper, the day of reckoning has come, and Pam Ellis won her case and the CURRENT Heights Water Board agreed to pay some attorney fees as well as place Ellis back on the board as the judge ruled in her and the county’s favor.
If you don’t remember, I’ll take you back in time when this episode of the Heights Water and Sewer District soap opera evolved when Ming Cabrera, Laura Drager, and David Graves were elected onto the Heights Water Board some years ago, and Ming Cabrera was then elected as the head of the board as chairman.
Well, I was fed a big bowl of whiplash as Ming took that entity as the Chairman and ran it even farther down the drain (Yes, pun intended) in the public’s eye as I gave him a chance to turn things around.
YCN originally came onto the scene in covering and following the Heights Water and Sewer District meetings because there were questions from the public as well as board members about how stuff was being done from management, staff as well as a district in general. In fact, there were some that said things were being done illegally and questioned how job bids, procedures, meeting minutes and notices, meeting agendas and meetings in general were conducted. The whole premise of YCN being at those meetings was to document what happened at those meetings as well as report what happened. I feel that is how we as a media and journalists can do our job in reporting and documenting the meetings as well as feature concerns and questions that affect the public, taxpayers and members of our communities while holding elected officials accountable. Overtime, if elected officials are doing things incorrectly, it will read more
Apr262024
The Heights County Water District Board (CWDB) has offered the position of General Manager to Allan “Bo” Andersson of Cambridge, New York. At their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, the board voted unanimously to offer Andersson a contract.
CWDB President Doug Kary said that Andersson received the highest score in the board’s interviews and evaluations of candidates. The board is offering him $100,000 a year in their proposed contract.
Andersson is a retired business owner, who retired in 2021 as the president and chief executive officer of Flomatic Corp., following a 52-year career.
As the board dealt with other issues read more
Apr262024
Dear Editor:
I see that Huntley Project Schools has decided to throw in the towel on education moving to a four-day school week. I agree with Tim Ley not being convinced that this is in the best interest of students. In fact, this is part of a further degradation in rigor in our public schools in general. I was one of the better students in my day, but I was really unprepared fully for college at a serious university as a freshman. I would like to know how education levels and higher expectations of achievement in real subjects like reading, writing, and arithmetic are enhanced by these types of changes. I doubt they are.
When I was a professor in New Jersey and listened to all the complaining American students about the homework required and the actual education that was needed, I decided to teach the point. In my class were several Asian students. Some were from Korea and a few from China. I asked the Asians read more
Apr262024
Dear Editor,
It’s that time in the election cycle where you, the voter, will head to a search engine to determine the best primary candidate. Hopefully, I can save some homework time for you by endorsing Mike Vinton for House District 40. I have known Mike for just shy of a decade and at every turn I appreciate his hard work and straightforward candor. It is rare to find a truly read more
Apr262024
Dear Editor,
Stop the Expansion of County Government
I recently read with great interest that John Staley, a candidate for Yellowstone County Commission, supports a five-member board of county commissioners, up from the current three members. How wrongheaded.
Back in the 1980s, it was decided by the Board that over a six-year period, which is also the length of a commissioner term, each would serve two years as the chair of the commission, regardless of party. This working arrangement has served well for almost 40 years. Imagine with a bloated five-member commission all of the horse trading of support and backroom deals as they all fight for position and chair responsibilities.
This would not increase representation. Quite the opposite. Right now, removing one member through the ballot box can bring about real change. Not so with five members. Increasing the board will just lead to more read more
Apr262024
Dear Editor,
A huge THANK YOU to Yellowstone County Works Department and Knife River, for repaving and improving Chicago Road. It is read more
