Oct52024
Dear Editor,
We have gotten to know Mike Yakawich through his work with the City of Billings when he was a City Councilman, his interaction with the South Billings Urban Renewal as well as with his time and energy with his investment in the Southwest Corridor of Billings. Mike worked with other read more
Oct52024
YCN Sweepstakes 10 year anniversary celebration
We are celebrating our 10 Year Anniversary owning the newspaper so we are giving away $500 worth of YCN Sweepstakes cash prizes at $50 a piece. We randomly chose 50 YCN Sweepstakes numbers and published them in the October 4, 2024 edition of the Yellowstone County News. If your YCN Sweepstakes number was one of the lucky winners and your number is among this list, then call the Yellowstone County News office at 406-348-2650 and one of the first 10 to claim your sweepstakes number before we go to Press Wednesday afternoon October 9, 2024.
Oct42024
Huntley Project Girls Basketball Coach Mandy Morales claps as she encourages her team at the State Class B Girls basketball tournament in Great Falls in March 2022. Morales has made it to the state tournament two years in a row. Morales is not expected to return as head coach this year due to a contract renewal period that Morales failed to sign by September 9th. Morales is not being recommended for rehire at the next school board meeting. (staff file photo)
Huntley Project School District (HPSD) has decided to not renew Mandy Morales’ contract for the Girls’ Basketball Head Coach position, citing contract. Morales was high school assistant coach for the high school girls’ basketball for two years and then head coach for three years. According to Morales she has worked with and coached the current high school senior class since their 6th grade year at Huntley and when asked about her time at HPHS Morales stated that what stuck with her most was, “watching the students grow into great humans and great players.” Last year Huntley’s girls’ basketball placed third at the state tournament and fourth the year before.
Morales said, “It’s sad I won’t read more
Oct42024
Dear Editor,
The city has lost the trust of the voters. The city maintained the franchise fees which plaintiffs told the council were illegal sales within one week of the MT Supreme Court decision. After six years or more of litigation, the city lost; the ratepayers lost more.
The city used COVID money to pay for police and firefighters. The COVID money allowed the city to use millions of general fund dollars to purchase and expensively remodel the Stillwater Building.
The city put a $145 million dollar parks and trails levy before the voters. This ask failed by a 2:1 margin.
During the budget cycle, the council approved moving state funds from public works and the library to fund additional police officers. The council made Public Works “whole” by increasing fees. I was disappointed to hear the Public Works Director supported by the silence of the city manager and council deny having used Public Works dollars to fund police officers. Technically true but misleading.
Storm water fees were reconfigured and removed from the property tax levy to monthly bills. This transferred about read more
Oct42024
Dear Editor,
Please do your research before voting on the three, pathetic constitutional initiatives on Montana’s 2024 ballot (CI-126, CI-127, CI-128).
Earlier this year, the petitioners who gathered signatures to get the initiatives on November’s ballot used fraudulent and deceptive tactics to obtain citizens’ signatures. They were financed by out-of-state dark money and were paid $7.00 a signature for their misleading efforts. Most people had no clue what they were signing.
CI-126 is mislabeled, “Top-Four Primary Initiative”, but really promotes Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV). RCV was wisely prohibited by the 2023 Montana legislature but was incorrectly overruled by our far-left activist, Montana Supreme Court. I implore everyone to read more
Oct42024
As the U.S. Senate race in Montana heats up, both candidates are placing as many last-minute ads as they can. A prominent issue in several of these ads is federal firearms regulation. Jon Tester’s campaign recently placed billboard advertisements that, among other things, claim that he is ‘pro-gun’. Tim Sheehy, on the other hand, has been running newspaper ads pointing out that Tester has an F-rating from the NRA, while he has an A.
In fact, Jon Tester does have an F-rating from the NRA. The NRA website describes candidates with an F-rating as the following:
“True enemy of gun owners’ rights. A consistent anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners’ rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.”
Oct32024
On Monday, September 30, Senator Jon Tester and Republican candidate Tim Sheehy debated in an event hosted by Montana PBS and the University of Montana.
Before the debate, Tim Sheehy and conservative activist Charlie Kirk held a “Save the Big Sky” rally at the university, which was attended by several hundred students and observers.
In the aftermath of some more explosive presidential debates, this one seemed rather milquetoast outside of a few interruptions from Senator Tester.
At the start of the debate, Tim Sheehy thanked Senator Tester for his years of service to the state and country as a senator, an action he repeated at the end of the debate as well. Notably, Tester did not once thank Sheehy or his wife for their service as combat veterans.
So far, the most viral exchange of the night was read more
Oct22024
Later this month, Senator John Thune will make his way to the Last Best State. Specific dates and locations have not yet been announced, but he will be appearing at events in support of Tim Sheehy in his race against Jon Tester. read more
Oct12024
With less than five weeks until election day, here is a quick overview of the state of the Montana U.S. Senate election mainly between Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Tim Sheehy. read more
Oct12024
Huntley Project School District (HPSD) has decided to not renew Mandy Morales’ contract for the Girls Basketball Head Coach position, citing contract differences. Morales was high school assistant coach for the high school girls’ basketball for two years and then head coach for three years. Superintendent Mark Wandle stated, read more
Oct12024
YCN Sweepstakes 10 year anniversary celebration
Jonathan McNiven
Well, Folks, this week marks our 10-year anniversary of owning the Yellowstone County News. Sometimes I wonder where did the time go? Other times, I wonder what in the world did I get myself into? However, I’m amazed looking back how much we’ve been able to do and how far we have come.
I remember asking some close family and friends what they thought about us purchasing the newspaper back on October 1, 2014. Some were very supportive as others were very against a “dying industry”. However, I’m glad we did it as it has been one of the best business decisions in my life.
However, I remember signing the paperwork at the Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative office in Huntley and getting it notarized. I remember the anxiety I had in owning a new business I had no idea how to run. I remember starting out for the first two months in the back little office of the R&R Trading and then moving to a little closet next door for about five years. We were a very little family business and trying to find our way as we went. I remember the many nights working until about two or three in the morning as I was trying to figure out the new programs. I remember the insecurities I felt not knowing really what to expect, but somehow, found my way through it and just started working as if it all depended on myself while secretly praying as if it all depended on the Lord.
I remember my first story about the record black bear that was shot and killed by Adam Vogel in Worden. I remember Dan Vogel calling me and telling me that I read more
Sep282024
Remembering a morning walk through Ann Morrison Park years ago…we move from under a canopy of trees into the bright sunshine. Our toddler son runs into the bright sunlight first. He stops. Looking at the ground he slowly lifts one foot up, then the other. He sprints in a circle looking down shouting, “Don’t like it! Don’t like it!” His mother bends down and gently asks, “Don’t like what?” He jumps into her arms and points to his shadow.
His older sister begins to laugh uncontrollably. I crack a big grin myself. This is serious business for him, though. My wife explains to him that it is just his shadow, and continues read more
Sep272024
Because they are having trouble filling the positions needed on Election Day to monitor and process the voting process, Ginger Aldrich, who heads the Yellowstone County’s Election Department, has received approval of Yellowstone County Commissioners to request funding from the federal government.
The county department is requesting $28,310 from Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which was passed by Congress in 2002.
“Yellowstone County finds it difficult to recruit and retain read more
Sep272024
Dear Editor,
Bipartisan Letter from Montana Business Leaders
Small businesses are at the heart of all American communities—nowhere more than here in Montana. From agriculture to technology, our business leaders understand far better than professional investors and opinion writers that starting and managing businesses are risky efforts, with the goals of getting to profitability and staffing the needs of the business constantly buffeted by headwinds such as market uncertainty, lack of capital and even uncertain weather.
Which brings us to the recent attacks on Bridger Aerospace and its founder, U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. While we seek and value engagement by all interested voices on the issues that matter to Montanans, when that engagement comes in the form of a thinly disguised political attack timed to impact an upcoming election, the motivations of the critics become a more important factor to consider: Why is this criticism being leveled now? What are they hoping to accomplish? With those lenses in place, we can look at the read more
Sep272024
Paige Lofing of Huntley Project drives to the basket during a state tournament game against Columbus March 2023. (YCN staff photo)
Huntley Project High School senior, Paige Lofing, has committed to play women’s basketball at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Lofing, a three-year all-state player, announced the commitment on Instagram Tuesday with the community immediately expressing support and congratulations. Activities Director Tim Kaczmarek stated in an interview, “I’m super excited for her. She set herself a goal and put a lot of work, effort and sacrifice over the years to get to this point. She is a good kid, a good student, and has proven to be a good role model for the younger kids at the school.”
Lofing chose to commit to Gonzaga after considering other schools such as read more
Sep272024
Jonathan McNiven
Well, Folks, as many of you saw on the front page of our newspaper this week, we have made the choice to endorse Montana U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy over MT Senator Jon Tester. This decision was not taken lightly as we have never publicly endorsed a candidate before in this manner in the 10 years since taking the helm. There were a number of additional reasons for doing this that I felt were more appropriate in my Meanderings column than in our editorial column. If you agree or disagree, please send us a letter to the editor and let us know at letters@yellowstonecountynews.com. Make it 500 words or less and put your name at the bottom of your letter with your town or city. We’ll get it in our next week’s paper.
But before explaining why, I want to remind you that we will publish our read more
Sep272024
US Senate candidate Tim Sheehy addresses a crowd of 300+ attendees in Billings Sunday afternoon September 22 at an airplane hanger next to Billings Logan International Airport. Tim Sheehy has received a “thumbs up” endorsement from the Yellowstone County News as the best candidate in this race that will help support our economy and secure our border. The economy and border security have resonated as the top two issues from Montanans in this race from Yellowstone County. You can read the reasons for this rare endorsement in the article as well as in McNiven’s Meanderings column starting on page 2. (photo by Jonathan McNiven)
Given the gravity of the Montana’s U.S. Senate race this election cycle, the YCN editorial board has decided to endorse a candidate for the first time in its history. The YCN editorial board endorses Tim Sheehy for U.S. Senate over the current Senator, Jon Tester, and other third-party candidates.
We believe Sheehy outperforms Tester in the top two issues facing Montana voters as indicated by recent polling, these issues being: the economy and border security.
Regarding the economy and the more fundamental issue of grocery costs being up over 40% since January of 2021, we believe Montanans simply cannot read more
Sep272024
Paul George Odegaard
Paul G. Odegaard, 94, of Billings, died on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at St. Vincent’s Hospital, surrounded by family.
Paul was born on Aug. 6, 1930, in Hankinson, North Dakota, the son of E. Julius and Minnie (Milbrandt) Brummond. Upon his parents’ divorce, he lived with his mother and her new husband, Herman Berg. Paul was adopted by Herman Berg. After Minnie’s death, he was raised by his adopted father Herman and his new wife, Kathryn.
Following periods of illness, Paul was placed into the North Dakota Children’s Home (The Village) in Fargo, North Dakota. He was later adopted by Alfred and Christine (Gross) Odegaard of Cleveland, North Dakota.
Upon graduating from Cleveland High School, he worked on the family farm and went on to work in heavy construction. Soon after, he met Kay Anderson, and they married on July 19, 1957, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. They celebrated 67 years together. They traveled many places for Paul’s work before settling in Billings. Together, they raised four children: Paula, Shayne, Troy and Shelley.
After retiring, Paul and Kay read more
Sep272024
Chelsea and Shane Hensleigh plan to open their new and approved kiosk for The Beanery on September 30 in Huntley. The kiosk, in the works for a few years now, was originally planned as a storage shed but according to Chelsea, it was just built too nice to not be their new coffee kiosk. With the old kiosk showing significant wear and tear and the new kiosk complete, the Hensleighs decided last week to make the switch. The Hensleighs are excited to bring the same product with a much more efficient set up, hopefully allowing them to serve the community more quickly and keep lines short. Chelsea was adamant about keeping consistency a top priority for The Beanery; she believes providing customers a consistent experience from service to coffee products will allow her to serve the community with a great product for years to come.
Chelsea, originally from St. Ignatius, MT, has been in the coffee industry read more
Sep272024
MontanaFair set new records on many fronts this year, according to MetraPark Manager Stoney Field.
Total paid gate numbers set a new record, as did concession sales commissions, carnival rides and sponsorships. The benchmark they were comparing to was 2022 and “We beat all those numbers,” said Field.
Field went on to report that they have put out a request for bids for design of the proposed outdoor arena, which is causing “a ton of excitement in the industry and will present new opportunities for next year’s fair. He said that there are already people planning roping events for it. They will soon issue a request for bids for sheets for bucking shoots and panels.
Also paving will soon begin on the ARPA Expo lot.
Michaela Woemrner, MontanaFair Coordinator, said MontanaFair was “phenomenal.” She said there were over 8000 entries for read more
