Apr262024

I Want to Give School District 2 Voters Some Things to Consider

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

As someone who wonders if the continual rise of MT property taxes will one day make our home unaffordable, I want to give School District 2 voters some things to consider prior to voting on the safety levy. Ballots will be mailed out soon.

We will be asked to vote on the safety levy for schools, which is a perpetual levy that will only end IF the trustees one day decide we have enough funding and will vote to end it. Who believes that would ever happen? I do not feel this detail has been shared transparently enough to voters.

This levy will fund salaries for mental health counselors due to an i read more

Apr262024

After Moses Endorsed One of the Candidates, I Knew for Sure I Needed to Vote for That Candidate’s Opponent

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I wish to thank Karen Lazetich Moses for her letter to the editor.  I have been mostly unsuccessful in getting info on the two candidates from my district running for School Board.  But after Moses endorsed one of the candidates, I knew for sure I needed to vote for that candidate’s opponent, Jennifer Hoffman.

Moses made it obvious she has either never read the Montana Constitution, or if she has read it, she has no comprehension of what it says.  Moses applauds the Montana Supreme Court for legislating from the bench.  Not only does our constitution not even suggest that the legislature can control the weather, but it also does NOT give the Supreme Court the authority to make legislation.  The Montana Supreme Court has instructed the legislature to control the weather.  Have you ever heard of anything so silly? If the Supreme Court members want to be legislators, then they need to resign from the court and run for the legislature.

Moses then went on to unjustly attack many of our read more

Apr262024

Local Librarian Authors First of Series Children’s Books

Features • Huntley Project

Front cover of the newly released book “Abby the Antelope” that brings out the creative, family-loving personality and character of a young antelope determined to stand out from the herd. This book authored by Edie Vogel and illustrated by Sarah Broesdor is the first of a series called Montana’s Captivating Character. (courtesy image)

After 10 years of sitting in rough draft form, “Abby, the Antelope” has come to life and her character is now available for parents, readers and lovers of children’s books. Loosely inspired by her baby sister Abby, Edie Vogel of Worden has published the first of her Montana series of children’s books called “Montana’s Captivating Characters.” The books are all Montana based creatures, characters or animals and she will “bring them to life with fun stories and personalities and each character has a little quandary, a little challenge in life that they navigate and figure out.”

   “I call children’s books everybody’s books because I think everybody enjoys them,” Vogel said in an interview with Yellowstone County News this week.

In her first book at 32 pages, Abby, the Antelope is a story of a young antelope who wants to distinguish herself because all antelope look the same. Abby lives on the Montana prairie with her family and is determined to stand out from the herd.

“So many life lessons are found in children’s books, so that was my kind of hope with this book in just showing a lovely message for families; it’s a great way for parents to communicate with their kids about some of life’s challenges we navigate read more

Apr262024

Shepherd AD Retracts her Resignation, Board supports AAU proposal for possible AAU Building Location.

Sports • Top Stories • Shepherd

After a more than a month of swirling questions over Athletic Director Tina Downing’s status of her resignation on March 12th (which was published in the March 15th edition of YCN), and Russ Hale pulling his application for High School Head Football Coach, Tina Downing clarified the confusion at the April monthly board meeting.    

“During this whole football situation, I turned in a letter of resignation to Mrs. O’Donnell on the 12th of March. She asked that I take some time to think about it. I have done a lot of thinking and a lot of soul searching, and I will tell you it came down to a conversation with read more

Apr262024

I found Chief Staley to be combative

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I currently serve as your Yellowstone County Commissioner, District 2 (East). While every citizen has the right to decide who to vote for, it helps to have good information in order to make informed decisions. I am writing to provide relevant information concerning the upcoming June primary contest between Mike Waters and John Staley for the open seat on the Yellowstone County Commission.

In 2011, right after Lockwood Fire Board hired John Staley as Fire Chief, I was appointed to the Lockwood Fire Board (LFB). I found Chief Staley to be combative whenever his authority was questioned. After openly challenging Staley on his financial transactions as Fire Chief, I did not seek re-election to LFB.

For FY2024, then Chief Staley assessed taxpayers 163 mills which is 21.69 mills above the inflation adjusted (@2.46%) State of Montana calculated mills of 141.31. These extra 21.69 mills cost Lockwood taxpayers a completely unnecessary $374,849. Recently, your read more

Apr252024

Shepherd School Approves 6th Graders to Play Junior High Football

Yellowstone County • Shepherd

In a special board meeting this week, Shepherd’s Elementary Board members voted to allow 6th graders to join the junior high football program this fall. Josh Casares, the new Head Football Coach who was hired last week for the high school team spoke to the board about his concerns as being on the job for now a week overseeing the school’s football program. “I understand the vision on why we want to do it, but my concern is there’s not many read more

Apr252024

County Responds to City’s Offer On Temporary Holding Facility

Top Stories

In advancing the agreement between the city and the county in the building of a short-term holding facility (STHF), the County Commissioners responded this week to the Billings City Council’s offer in February to contribute a total of $2 million to the cost.

The temporary holding facility will be built to hold inmates for only 72 hours. It is viewed as a read more

Apr202024

Dr. Garcia, SD2 Superintendent, Will Provide Voters With a Presentation

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Dr. Garcia, SD2 Superintendent, will provide voters with a presentation describing the Safety Mill Levy and how funds will be spent on April 23 at 5:30 pm in the Billings Public Library. The program will be broadcast on Community Seven and available on Facebook and YouTube.

The needs for providing school safety have been changing and not in a good way. School shootings, student suicide, video gaming and social media have all played a role in desensitizing students to the use of read more

Apr192024

Signal Peak Closure Would Mean Loss of 260 Jobs

Montana-Statewide • Politics • Top Stories

Signal Peak Coal Mine near Roundup is “in jeopardy”, President and CEO of Signal Peak, Parker Phipps, told Yellowstone County Commissioners last week. And, if it is in jeopardy, so are the jobs of its 260 workers – two thirds of which live in Yellowstone County. And, so are the approximately $211 million in taxes the company paid over the past three years to Yellowstone and Mussellshell Counties.

Mining operations will have to cease at the end of 2025, given the decree from US District Judge Donald Malloy, said Phipps. Judge Malloy issued an order in February 2023 prohibiting any expansion of the mine onto federal land, until another environmental impact study is done, as well as an analysis of impacts of greenhouse gases.

Not only does the suspension of its permit to mine federal coal impact the expansion into federal coal areas, but it blocks access to areas in which there is state coal deposits. “A lot of the coal is not federal coal,” said Phipps.

A report in Yellowstone County News from a year ago, stated that the Judge ruled the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) made “sufficiently serious” errors in their original analysis of Signal Peak’s expansion. The Enforcement Office “did not account for the emissions generated by coal combustion, obscuring and grossly understating the magnitude of the Mine Expansion’s emissions relative to other sources of greenhouse gases.”

Judge Malloy said that the additional studies shouldn’t take more than two years, but as that time frame diminishes and no study has been done, Signal Peak has filed suit against OSM. Phipps said “It’s difficult for me to believe that the office can’t get their work done in a timely fashion . . . it appears almost intentional.”

County Commissioner John Ostlund said he read more

Apr192024

Lockwood Board Names Don Christman New Superintendent

Lockwood

At a special meeting of the Lockwood School Board, following a day of tours, social gatherings and interviews, board members unanimously chose Don Christman as the new Superintendent of Lockwood Schools.

Contending candidates were Leland Stocky, Ashland, and Don Christman, Lockwood.

Board member, Josh Skidmore, made the motion to extend the offer to Christman through the Montana School Board Association, which has assisted the board in its year-long search for a Superintendent. The motion was seconded by board member Sylvia Noble. In a second motion they approved offering Christman a three-year contract with an annual salary of read more

Apr192024

Governor Extends Deadline for Property Tax Relief Programs

Montana-Statewide • Politics

Montana property taxpayers have been granted an extension, to June 1, in the deadline to apply for two property tax relief programs.

Governor Greg Gianforte said he is extending the deadline to give Montanans with a substantial hardship time to apply for relief.

The extension applies to the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) and the Montana Disabled Veterans (MDV) Property Tax Assistance Program, which were initially set for April 15.

Gov. Gianforte said that he worked with the state read more

Apr192024

Ellis to Remain on County Water District Board Following Court Decision that Board Lacked Authority to Remove Her

Top Stories • Billings-Heights

Following a closed session of the County Water District board, last Wednesday, Board President Doug Kary announced that the board had unanimously agreed to accept a settlement offer from Pam Ellis and Yellowstone County.

The County Water District accepted the defendants’ offer that the district pay for $9500 of the defendants’ legal costs and to agree that Pam Ellis may rejoin as a member of the board to complete her term to the end of 2024.

Members at the board meeting on Wednesday were Doug Kary and Frank Ewalt, and Jeff Essmann, who attended virtually.

On Friday court documents were filed dismissing a read more

Apr192024

MT Senate President Invites Public to Serve on New Judicial Select Committee

Montana-Statewide • Politics

Members of the public are invited to serve on the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform, according to a news release last Friday from the Montana Legislature.

Senate President Jason Ellsworth (R-Hamilton) said on April 2, he is forming the committee to “look into overreach by Montana judges and develop solutions to restore the separation of powers among Montana’s three branches of government.”

“The Legislature is the branch of government closest to the people, so I’d love to have the people participate directly in this committee,” said Ellsworth. “If you have good insights to offer the Legislature as we look for reforms to address Montana’s out-of-control courts, please consider read more

Apr192024

One Commissioner Caught in This Situation is Kirk Bushman

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

When the Public Service Commission was created, generous salaries were set, but without specialized knowledge requirements necessary for the job.  I asked about this odd matching and was told it was assumed that by setting the salary high, well qualified individuals would be attracted to the positions. I still can’t follow that thought process, and, unfortunately, it has led to unqualified professional politicians competing for lucrative voter paid jobs without read more

Apr132024

Punxsutawney Jon on his Definition of “Montana Values”

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Kudos to Annie Halland for calling out Punxsutawney Jon on his definition of “Montana values.” Jon falls in lock-step with his fellow Washington rodent, Woodchuck Schumer when it comes to his voting. We are at a crossroads in America unfortunately. When your representative votes against the values of the citizens he or she represents, it is time to dump them. How dare Jon Tester supports illegal immigrants flooding our borders and killing our citizens!

I can understand his TV ads more fully now. Every time I watched Jon wiping his hands read more

Apr122024

Obituary: Ervin Fischer:

Obituaries

Ervin Fischer

Born November 23, 1930, Hooker, OK, Died March 24, 2024, Billings, MT

Ervin was number six of ten children. His parents were Martin B. Fischer and Eva (Voth) Fischer. He was raised in a German Mennonite family. He spent two years in first grade learning English. At 17 he hitchhiked to Montana to work for his brother and to go to school at Senior High. He was drafted and chose the Navy. He spent 36 months at sea aboard the air craft carrier USS Corrigador CVE 58, going through the Panama Canal six times delivering airplanes. He came back to Billings again to work for his read more

Apr122024

Worried Sick About Increasing Property Taxes?

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Worried sick about increasing property taxes? Wondering if you can keep your home?… How can you cut your budget?…You are not alone.  Every AA school district in the state is cutting millions from their budgets.  Billings could not afford to keep Washington as an elementary school, and I fear more cuts are coming.  The most needy among us are losing Medicaid in applications more messed up than our taxes.

Mr. Rogers used to say, “In times of trouble, look for the helpers.”  But who will help?…

Not the Governor…  He proudly stands with Texas as he sends them our troops, but he says he’ll put together a committee to look at our tax concerns.  

Not the Legislature… Their lawmaking redefined obscenity:  MORE TAXES…Less government …

Not the Attorney General…He’s spending untold millions of our tax dollars on private law firms defending unconstitutional laws the legislature continues to read more