May132022
Dear Editor,
Women have had abortions for thousands of years and more than likely thousands more, the reason or cause is known to the individual. We now have a group who think they have been given governing power. The original power was to be impartial and unbiased, studying the laws passed and enforcing them (interpret them). read more
May132022
Changes are necessary to the collaborative agreement that is the structural foundation of RiverStone Health, which is also the City County Health Department. read more
May132022
Nearly 17,000 Montanans will benefit from a settlement reached between Montana Attorney General (AG) Austin Knudsen and TurboTax, according to a press release on May 6. read more
May132022
Protesters gathered on the lawn of the Yellowstone County Courthouse opposing the Supreme Court’s unprecedented reversal of its own ruling on Roe v. Wade, the afternoon of Mother’s Day, May 8, 2022. (Photo by Michael Marino)
Protesters gathered on the lawn of the Yellowstone County Courthouse this Mother’s Day to oppose the Supreme Court’s drafted reversal of Roe v. Wade, a historic case that gave women the right to an abortion and other reproductive rights in 1973.
“I don’t understand how, in this time, we could be going backward,” said Jenika Kaiser, one of the event’s organizers. Kaiser further stated that she never thought she would see the Court switch up on an issue such as bodily autonomy.
The leaked draft, written by Associate Justice Samuel Alito, states in part: “We hold that Roe… must be overruled.”
In its entirety, the Court’s opinion is 98 pages. Within the document, it is stated by the Court that abortions are not protected by the Constitution, not even under the Due Process clause. Alito wrote that in order to invoke Due Process, the right must be “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history or tradition…” or “implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.” read more
May62022
Dear Editor,
Amidst all the rhetoric over the new Supreme Court judge, Ketanji Jackson, I’ve become disheartened to find so many of my fellow Americans don’t seem to have a grasp on “due process.” Due process refers to the idea before a person can be convicted of a crime, their guilt must be proven beyond all reasonable doubt. read more
May62022
County Elections Department Director Bret Rutherford explains how the ballots are tabulated and how the ballot counting machines work. (courtesy photo)
Last Friday, about a dozen citizens crowded into a room on the second floor of the Courthouse in Billings to see how ballots are processed and counted. The demonstration is one that the Elections Department Director, Bret Rutherford, must do prior to every election. While the public is always invited to attend, Rutherford said, he usually has to specifically ask a few people to attend to serve as witnesses, which the law says he must have as part of the process to guarantee the integrity of elections. read more
May62022
Lockwood Irrigation has been informed that they are being awarded a $35,000 ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant, according to Carl Peters, Irrigation District Manager. The grant falls short of the $400,000 requested, said Peters, which means that the district may not be able to go forward with their project.
The District is also dealing with problems involving the construction of Camping World at the end of Rosebud Lane.
Peters explained more about the ARPA grant saying that the board had intended to replace the spillway of the intake where the head gates are. The Irrigation Board has not met since news of the proposed grant was announced so what course the board will take remains in limbo. read more
Apr292022
Allan Hofferber & his wife Judy Blake
It hurts my heart and injures my soul to actually put into writing and speak out loud that I have lost my best friend and companion of 25 years.
ALLAN THEODORE HOFFERBER, age 76, lost his battle with lung cancer early in the morning on April 7, 2022. He will be deeply missed by numerous family members and close friends.
Allan’s favorite day of the year was his birthday, August 11. So, we will have a celebration of life on that Thursday beginning at 10 am at Ballantine Cemetery to include an Honor Guard Salute. Then up the hill to Paula’s Long Branch for a party and lunch. God bless Allan, his life and his memory!!!!
Apr292022
Dear Editor,
While hiking the other day, I met a middle-aged couple walking two small dogs in a baby stroller. I commented on the well-loved pups and a conversation ensued. These folks informed me that they had moved, about a month ago, from southern California to Wyoming. After learning that I lived in the area, they proclaimed how dreary the scenery looked. “Everything is dead and so brown. What caused all this?” read more
Apr292022
Imagine receiving a text from a friend, only to discover… it’s not actually your friend? read more
Apr292022
Popping up all across the county are campaign signs urging voters to vote, for or to vote against, overturning Yellowstone County’s law which legalizes the recreational sale of marijuana throughout the county. read more
Apr222022
The new St. Vincent health care clinic at Lockwood School is open for business. A grand opening ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 31, at noon. The clinic has been years in the planning, and its opening is a hallmark of determination and community effort for the school and for Lockwood. The clinic is built on school property that has been leased to Corning Companies, which built the building to meet the requirements for a clinic, which will be operated by St. Vincent Healthcare, which has a 15-year lease with Corning Companies on the building. Having a clinic located on the school campus has long been a goal by the Lockwood School Board and administration – that it can serve the entire community is a huge bonus, since there are no medical care facilities in Lockwood. The clinic will operate and serve the community in the same way as any other medical provider.
A committee of the Lockwood School Board recommended increasing Superintendent Tobin Novasio’s salary 6 percent for the 2022-23 school year, which was unanimously approved by the board. read more
Apr222022
Former Billings City Council member, Michael Yakawich, was the unanimous choice of Yellowstone County Commissioners to complete the term of Montana HD 51 which was left vacant with the untimely death of Frank Fleming (R) in March.
On Monday, commissioners interviewed three candidates nominated for the position by the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee, as required by state law. read more
Apr222022
Governor Greg Gianforte announced Tuesday, April 19, that Montana’s unemployment rate had dropped to 2.3% — a new record. Additionally, Yellowstone County created 4,098 new jobs over the past year, making the county’s unemployment rate a mere 2.5%. Those numbers rank the county as 19th in terms of unemployment, and set a new local record as well. read more
Apr182022
Carrie Lynn McDowell
Carrie Lynn McDowell, beloved daughter, sister, and aunt, 63, passed away on March 18, 2022, suffering from the effects of congenital heart disease, surrounded by her loving family. She was born January 30, 1959 and baptized February 22, 1959 in Corvallis, OR, the daughter of James and Roberta (Reu) McDowell. In 1960, the family moved to Stillwater, OK, then in 1963 to Fargo, ND. Finally, in 1965, they moved to Billings, MT and remained in Montana for the rest of Carrie’s life. In 1978, they moved to the country to a small place at Worden, MT. Then, in 1983, their final move was to the family ranch at Silesia, MT.
Carrie graduated from Billings West High School in 1977, a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated from Eastern Montana College with academic distinction in 1981 with a BS in Education. She substitute taught for several years in local rural schools before finding her love teaching preschool/day care. She taught at the YMCA for several years moving to Little Seeds in 1991 upon the closing of the YMCA’s day care. She remained at Little Seeds the rest of her life, 30+ years. In 1994, she was credentialed as a Child Development Associate. She loved the preschoolers and used to brag that she had “potty trained” half the population of Billings. read more
Apr152022
Yellowstone County is now the owner of two new pieces of equipment which emergency services personnel anticipate will be invaluable to the county in many ways. read more
Apr152022
If you reach retirement with a significant amount of assets, you’ve done a great job of saving and investing. But now comes another challenge – making that money last. read more
Apr152022
Dear Editor,
The real school choice is coming to your mailbox April 13th. You get to choose whether you want your schools to spend their time and your tax resources banning books or learning from them…censuring ‘Equity’ or focusing on Education…obsessing over CRT or providing CTE. Critical Race Theory?…or Career Technical Education? You get to choose. read more
Apr152022
As the project to install new distribution wells pushes forward, the Worden-Ballantine Yellowstone County Water District (WBYC) Board met Monday, April 11 to talk about moving on to the project’s final two phases. read more
Apr82022
Dorothy E. Krum
Dorothy E. Krum, 91 of Billings formerly of Huntley, passed away Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at her beloved home at Wyndstone. She was born May 15, 1930 in Ballantine, MT to Henry and Katie Krum and graduated from Huntley Project High School.
Dorothy worked very hard raising her four children on the farm in Huntley. She was an excellent sales clerk at Hart-Albin, Hennesy’s, and Dilliards, which was the perfect job for her, as she was a sharp dresser and meticulous in everything she did. read more
