May62022

Lockwood Irrigation District Gets Grant while Construction Causes Flooding Worry

Local • Yellowstone County

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

Obituary: ALLAN THEODORE HOFFERBER

Obituaries

 

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

Lack of Information is not Lack of Intelligence

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

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

Apr222022

New Lockwood Clinic Opens

Local • Lockwood

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

Yakawich to Complete Term for HD51

Politics

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

Apr182022

Carrie Lynn McDowell

Obituaries

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

Censuring ‘Equity’ or focusing on Education

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

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

Apr82022

Obituary: Dorothy E. Krum

Obituaries

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

Apr82022

Massage Therapists File Federal Lawsuit Against City of Billings

Top Stories

A group of local massage therapists from Billings officially filed a federal case against the City on April 6 that challenges a city ordinance that “forces therapists to allow random, unannounced searches of their businesses and patient records,” according to a press release. The group said if a therapist asserts their right to a search warrant under the Fourth Amendment, then they risk criminal prosecution under current city codes. Theresa Vondra, Deborah Kimmet, and Donna Podolak, all part of the Business League for Massage Therapy & Bodywork (BLMTB), are leading plaintiffs in the case. read more

Apr82022

Buchanan Stirs The Political Pot, Enters Congressional Race as Independent 

Politics • Yellowstone County

Gary Buchanan has chosen to file as an
Independent in his bid for Congress.

It may have been something of a surprise for many to see Gary Buchanan file as an Independent to challenge Republican Matt Rosendale for his Congressional seat. While he had been mulling the idea over since December, Buchanan said that he didn’t make the decision until just days before filing deadline.

Buchanan is a noted Billings businessman, having been engaged as a financial advisor for over 40 years and owning his own business, Buchanan Capital, for the last 20 years. He has always been interested in politics and has been politically active over the years in many respects, but never before has he run for political office. While he considered himself a Democrat, he frequently worked with both political parties in various capacities. 

He filed as an Independent, he told Yellowstone County News, because “I have been discouraged by the parties. I don’t like party politics, and I think Montanans are tired of it.”

“Both parties have gone too far to the extreme fringe,” he said. As a consequence, he believes, both Republican and Democrat parties are losing membership.

He first thought about running for political office, at the urging of friends, in December, but he really didn’t make the decision until a few days before filing deadline. As an Independent, Buchanan has no primary challenger, but he does have to get 8,722 signatures from voters supporting his candidacy by May 31.

Other Republican candidates who have filed for the office, include incumbent Matt Rosendale, and James Boyette, Bozeman; Charles Walkingchild, Helena; and Kyle Austin, Billings. (Austin is owner of Pharma 406 in Billings.)

Democrats filing are Sky Williams, Penny Ronning (former Billings City Councilwoman) and Sen. Mark Sweeney, Philipsburg. read more

Apr42022

Obituary: Elizabeth Nafts Hinkle

Obituaries

Our sweet mother, grandmother, great and great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Nafts Hinkle, peacefully slipped into her angel wings on April 1, 2022. Elizabeth was born to Henry and Katie Wolf Nafts on March 5, 1922 in Toledo, Ohio. When she was 2 months old her parents and 5 siblings moved to the Huntley Project. Elizabeth went to the Osborne School north of the Experiment Station and then to Worden High School. read more