Dec162022

Youth Services Center Faces Increase in Demand

Top Stories
by Evelyn Pyburn

Before each shift, the staff at the Ted Lechner Youth Services Center compare notes. Pictured here are (L-R) Hank Richards, Amanda Cortez, Yuliya Johnson, Sandy Woodyard, Albert Marnolejo, Kim Foreman, Randy Spivey, and Tina Taylor. (Evelyn Pyburn photo)

At a moment in time that the population of the Youth Services Center (YSC) in Yellowstone County is soaring, it is struggling to find the help that is needed to operate. Director of the Center for 27 years, Val Weber, told county commissioners last week, that the population numbers at the center have been consistently elevated for the past several months. read more

Dec162022

Capt. Keith Kober Named as Deputy State Fire Marshall 

Local

by Evelyn Pyburn

State Fire Marshall, Keith Kober

A 35-year veteran of the Lockwood Fire Department, Keith Kober, has been named as a Deputy State Fire Marshall. In assuming the new job, Kober will be retiring from his position as Captain at the Lockwood Fire Department sometime in January.

Kober made the announcement at the Lockwood Fire Board meeting last Wednesday. Kober said it was a difficult decision to make because he will miss being part of the local fire department but it is an opportunity that would be hard to pass up.

Lockwood Fire Chief John Staley congratulated Kober saying that hiring Kober was a good choice on the part of Dirk Johnson, Montana State Fire Marshal. “It’s a testament to his career,” said Staley, who also noted that it is a credit to Lockwood that when it came to finding a high-caliber person, they came to Lockwood Fire Department. read more

Dec162022

Citizens Speak Out on Importance of Election Processes

Politics

by Evelyn Pyburn

Citizens who spoke to County Commissioners, many of whom were election judges or poll watchers, itemized a number of things they were concerned about when it comes to accurate and secure elections. From the integrity of machines, to a need to purge voter rolls, to failings in the chain of custody — the 50 or so citizens who attended the public hearing on Tuesday, were adamant that they were there to make sure changes are made.

read more

Dec162022

Obituary: Duane Allison Broadbent

Obituaries

Duane Allison Broadbent

Duane Allison Broadbent, 87, of Ballantine died on December 10, 2022, at his home surrounded by his wife, Jean; son, Tim; and daughter-in-law, Cindy.  Duane was born to Allison and Juanita Broadbent on June 26, 1935, in Corning, Kansas.  He was the second of seven children.  He was raised in Topeka, Kansas, and graduated from Seman High School.  Duane worked for Santa Fe Railroad in the office after graduation then joined the Marines.  

Duane married Jean (Oblander) on January 25, 1958.  They would have celebrated their 65th anniversary next month.  They lived in McPherson, Kansas, for a year while Duane worked for Farmers Alliance Insurance Company.  They moved to Topeka, Kansas, for a year while Duane worked for Retail Credit Company.  They moved to Ballantine, Montana, in 1960 where Duane worked for Yellowstone Valley Electric Company for thirty-two years.  Duane started out working on the ground crew and moved his way up through the company until he retired as the general manager.  After retiring from Yellowstone Valley Electric, he was the manager of Central Montana Power for a year.   read more

Dec112022

Evil Mastermind of China is Dead

Opinion

Dear Editor,

The mastermind of mass imprisonment, torture, and killing in China has died. For hundreds of millions in China, Jiang will mostly be remembered as the architect of the most systematic, deadly, and protracted assault on Chinese citizens in decades: the persecution of Falun Gong. Jiang ordered the genocide of 70-100 million people because he felt threatened by its popularity, and belongs alongside the worst tyrants in history. The dregs of humanity that caused unmeasurable suffering upon his fellow mankind. read more

Dec92022

GOP Hints at 38 Constitutional Amendment Proposals in 2023

Politics

by Michael J. Marino

After being selected President of the Montana State Senate, Sen. Jason Ellsworth (R-Hamilton) gave a speech in which he said, “We›re going to have an opportunity next session, because we›re going to have a supermajority, to potentially pass constitutional initiatives, and give those votes to the people.” A “supermajority” is whenever one party has two-thirds (2/3) control of both the House and Senate. To place a potential change to the state Constitution on the ballot, a two-thirds vote between both the House and Senate is required. read more

Dec92022

Dig It Days Donates $12,000

Top Stories

Accepting the $10,000 check for scholarships on behalf of the Montana Contractors’ Association Education Fund was John Hurd, Manager of the Billings RDO Equipment store, and Barry Houser, Helena, Marketing & Communications Director at Montana Contractors​’ Association. Presenting the check was Dig It Days Director, Jonathan McNiven, owner of Yellowstone County News, and Evelyn Pyburn, owner of Big Sky Business Journal, a Dig It Days volunteer.
Dig It Days is a production of Yellowstone Family, founded by Jonathan and Tana McNiven.

With considerable pride and satisfaction, Yellowstone Family, the non-profit organization of Yellowstone County News, was able to present a $10,000 check to Montana Contractors Association (MCA) Education Fund, to be used for scholarships for young people pursuing careers in the building industry. The MCA Education Fund is the educational arm of the Montana Contractors’ Association. read more

Dec42022

Have We Gone Too Far?

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

It was the fall of 1964 and in October I heard a speech by Ronald Reagan called “a time for choosing”. He said it was not about left or right, but about up or down. I had just turned 21 a few months earlier and had reached voting age, the speech was in support of Barry Goldwater for president. read more

Dec22022

Stromswold Elected Despite Resignation

Local

 by Arren Kimbel-Sannit

Montana Free Press

Stromswold

On Aug. 12, 21-year-old Billings Republican Rep. Mallerie Stromswold signed a letter withdrawing from her legislative race and forwarded it to the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee, which, after a delay, mailed it to the Montana Secretary of State.

In theory, Stromswold would thus be removed from the ballot, and the county party would select a replacement to face the Democratic candidate, James Reavis, running to represent the central Billings district in November. In practice, the county party did get as far as selecting a new Republican candidate. But the person who beat Reavis in the general election was Mallerie Stromswold. read more

Dec22022

“Overrun by Roaches,” Rimrock Park Apartments Face Negligence Lawsuit

Top Stories

Roaches that became trapped partly beneath the Gorilla tape that Long’s son, Elijah, had placed over the exhaust fan in the bathroom ceiling that is located directly above the toilet seat. He reportedly did this “because so many roaches kept crawling out of that cover and some even dropping straight down out of there,” according to supporting documents provided by Long.
See YCN’s Instagram page @yellowstonecountynews for more photos related to this story.

by Michael J. Marino

A complaint filed earlier this year alleges the Rimrock Park Apartments off Burnstead Drive in Billings have been “severely neglected” since August 2019, when the buildings were sold to Rimrock Holdings LLC, and BP Asset Management (BPAM) took over the role of landlord. Failing plumbing, moldy ceilings and an “acute infestation of roaches” are among the issues many residents say have been neglected or totally ignored since day one of BPAM’s management of the premises. read more

Dec22022

Obituary: Henry A. McNeel

Obituaries

Henry A. McNeel

Henry A. McNeel was born on November 21, 1936, to John A. McNeel and Mary Lou Gilmore McNeel Manning in New Castle, CO. Hank passed away Novermber 15, 2022, just a week before his 86th birthday.

Hank was a weed scientist for the BLM and was passionate about weed control. He received numerous achievement and recognition awards for his work in controlling weeds. He served on the Yellowstone County Weed Board from 2006 to 2021. Before working for the BLM, he worked for the Forest Service, was County Agent in Rupert, Idaho, and worked for the U of I as head grounds keeper, all while continuing to farm.

Other interests included hunting, creating horseshoe art, working with diamond willow making canes and walking sticks and of course his work with rocks specifically agates , He was always interested in farming and growing weed free hay, of which he was very proud. read more