Apr222019

Raul Sanchez

Obituaries

Raul Sanchez, 75, passed away April 16, 2019 at his home in Lockwood where he was cared for consistently by his loving wife, Pam, beloved daughter, Gabrielle, and the light of his life, grand-daughter Nevaeh.

He was born in Billings on March 25, 1944 to Ysmael and Librada (Garcia) Sanchez. Raul was the oldest of eight brothers and two sisters. He grew up in Lockwood attending Lockwood School and graduating from Billings Senior High in 1962.  Raul served eight years combined in the United States Army and National Guard as a tank commander. He spent his career, of 52 years, working for Yellowstone Paper Co as a salesman.  Raul married his life partner, Pam Flowers, on July 26, 1986.  read more

Apr222019

Russell Vernon Salisbury

Obituaries • Top Stories

1939 – 2019

Russ favored green, but the life of this remarkable man is a portrait in full color!

Russell Vernon Salisbury was born in Great Falls on July 26, 1939 to Ralph and Verneva (Lewis) Salisbury. On February 10, 2019, he died refusing to follow the doctors’ orders, being stubborn and coloring outside the lines for nearly eight decades. Russ met death as he lived; on his own terms along the banks of the Missouri River in the golden fields of Floweree that captivated him. read more

Apr202019

I simply disagree with Shepherd Bond

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I would like to address a few things regarding the Shepherd School bond issue. I’ve attended a meeting at the school and talked to different people, both for and against. Not all were fully informed.

Our property taxes are $2250 per year. With the proposed increase they would be $2858 per year. That’s an extra $50 per month for the next 20 years. This also works out to be a 27% increase. This also doesn’t take into account any other increases caused by our being reappraised every two years. I’ve never heard anybody mention this percentage in all of the talk about it. Whether you are for or against it, we need to be open about the full impact. When you  vote to approve this, because you think you can afford it, you are also voting to impose it on your neighbor. Their finances, may place them in a much more precarious position than you. Through no fault of their own they may have high medical bills or other unforeseen expenses that create an extreme hardship financially. 

I was also struck by Mr. Carter’s statement that he had no plan for a scenario where this vote fails. I would simply disagree with his approach to leading the school. This vote may certainly fail. It failed last time with over 60% opposition. Whether you agree with that or not, I believe the responsible thing to do is plan for the very possibility of that happening. He simply stated that we will pay through permissive levies if we don’t pass this bond. 

I would say that Becky Anderson and Jeff Kanning represented their interests well at the meeting I went to. Becky Anderson said that no matter the outcome, we need to be good neighbors afterword. A classy statement and something that we could all learn from. It’s obvious that the school has issues that need addressed. I don’t think people that want this whole package are bad people. I simply don’t agree with the expense of it. Other ideas have been put forth that may be less perfect but also cost a lot less. I don’t believe that makes me a bad person either.

Richard Morris

Shepherd, MT

Apr202019

There is a difference between wants and needs

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,  

In 1963, I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education and a Master degree in 1991.  After my 1963 graduation, I was hired to teach in the reading clinic at EMC.  I also taught in the Shepherd, Roundup, and the Billings school districts. When not teaching full time, I substituted in all but one school in Billings, including the career center. Now, I feel it is time to save taxpayers money without causing children to have less of an education. read more

Apr192019

Rule of law not in the U.S. Constitution

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,  

The other night I listened to Trey Gowdy pontificate and expound on the rule of law. I felt that I had been taken back to Nazi Germany during the Second World War and was listening to Hans Frank . Hans Frank was one of Adolf Hitlers chief lawyers and traveled throughout the country lecturing on the rule of law. Adolf Hitler was a great believer and proponent of the rule of law.I think you will find that both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are staunch believers in the rule of law. read more

Apr192019

City of Billings facing two class action lawsuits

Local • Yellowstone County

A ruling by District Court Judge Gregory Pinski in Cascade County has made a suit by six Billings residents against the City of Billings into a class action lawsuit. The suit, which claims that the City of Billings illegally collected a franchise fee on water, wastewater and solid waste disposal bills, will now have approximately 35,000 other residents as plaintiffs. read more

Apr192019

Best of Yellowstone County: Results are in!

Features • Meanderings • Home • Top Stories

Well folks, it’s been a busy week once again.  There’s a lot to write about this week, so I’ll keep my comments short from last weekend but then focus on the Best of Yellowstone County Awards that we are releasing this week as well as announcing my first ever Editor’s Choice Award in this edition. We also have a new monthly column coming your way each month. read more

Apr172019

Obituary: Kathryn A. Zurbuchen

Obituaries

Kathryn A. Zurbuchen

Kathryn A. Zurbuchen – Kay of Billings Montana Died April 16, 2019, at Riverstone Health Hospice Home of congestive heart failure. Mom was born the 12th of 13 children of Frederick Nipple and Edith Tracy on the family farm in Rosebud County on February 28, 1919. Upon graduating Forsyth High School she went to Beauty School and worked at Dorothy’s Beauty Shop in Forsyth, MT. In 1944 she enlisted in the US Navy serving until 1946. She came back to Billings MT and worked at the Morrison Eye Clinic as a bookkeeper until 1948. On May 3, 1947 she Married Alpheus W. Zurbuchen, together they enjoyed the fellowship of Masonic affiliations, and raised 2 boys. She went back to work in 1964 as cosmetologist and worked at St. Johns nursing home until 1967. Upon Al’s death in 1977 she went back to the Morrison Eye Clinic until 1993.

read more

Apr142019

Give Shepherd the school it deserves!

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Recently, I drove my son through the Shepherd Schools.  A few years ago, I had the chance to eat lunch with my nephew in the same lunchroom where I ate lunch 30 years ago.  Now I can’t do that because they eat in classrooms.  I then found out that the building where I used to sing in choir is now condemned.

In thirty years, my beloved Shepherd school has not seen any significant updates.  There hasn’t been a death from fire in a school since 1958, the old building doesn’t need those upgrades.  We need to prevent someone from being able to pull a kid out of school or someone coming on campus to harm kids.  In the USA we average about 10 school shootings a year with 375 of these resulting in deaths or injuries.  This bond helps that by creating secure entries and by limiting outside transitions. 

Overcrowding isn’t only about number of graduates.  The number of students requiring special services has increased.  These are the students relegated to closets and hallways.  This is a disservice to students that need a little more help. 

Shepherd has done a phenomenal job as stewards of our schools.  The fact that I can walk through most of the facilities, and they look as same as they did thirty years ago is both promising and troublesome.  To suggest that this school doesn’t need TLC outside of typical maintenance is completely ignoring common sense.  Can you imagine not having to do any type of major work in your home for 30 years?  Now imagine you have had thousands of kids running through it.  The kindergarten building is now condemned.  Part of the school is an old restaurant.  This is a good indication of Shepherd’s responsible use of funds that both lasted this long. 

It is not lost on me the actual financial impact of the imposed taxes on Shepherd citizens.  My family will pay, and some will have trouble with an increase in taxes.  They support this bond because they love this community.  Shepherd doesn’t get the support from businesses as other communities. That is the cost of living in the community without businesses.  Shepherd community members have an obligation to support their town. 

It is time to provide the community of Shepherd the school it deserves.  Trust that the architects and educators have put together the needs of our school, with the education of the students in mind.  These are the qualified professionals that know what they are talking about.  Vote YES for this bond.  Make sure Shepherd continues to provide a quality educational facility that matches the quality of the educators that work there and the community that supports it.  Now is the time to take care of our community.

Mark Beddes

Shepherd, MT

Apr142019

Planned parenthood will hold it’s own

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

So what’s the big deal about the government defunding Planned Parenthood? Don’t they provide valuable family planning and medical services to women – including those in the predicament of an unplanned pregnancy? Many large companies (through matching employee 501c3 funds) and private donors already contribute to this organization, but should they also continue to receive money from tax payers, regardless of ideology? read more

Apr122019

Expose the causes of socio-economic issues

Opinion • Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,  

  Poverty, is it a cause or an effect?  Some have said alcoholism and mental illness are a treatable disease. Some have said poverty is just a lack of education or ambition.  So, are addiction, crime and abuse effects of poverty or the cause?  Does lack of education mean lack of knowledge, experience or discipline?  Are addictions genetic or taught by background, example?   The same with any violence or abuse, has it become an acceptable way of life?  With sex trafficking and suicide being high in Yellowstone county, does that make it okay? read more

Apr122019

Unveiling more of the YCN iceberg everyday

Features • Meanderings

Well, Folks, the ballots are in and we have some winners! Actually, we have 40 winners to be exact plus my Editor’s Choice Award winner that we will be announcing in next week’s edition of Yellowstone County News. Thank you for your patience and to all the readers and voters that participated in the process.  We’ll be announcing even more things to come in the near future so keep your eyes glued to your paper as those announcements come to light. read more

Apr122019

Local School Bond Levy controversy gets personal

Local • Shepherd

The controversy over a bond for the Shepherd School District has become personal, stepping over legal lines with the posting of Vote No signs without property owner permission. The amount of misinformation on both sides is causing more confusion than clarification. On May 7 the votes will be in on the matter but for now, information and so-called facts continue to vary widely. read more

Apr102019

Obituary: Kenneth “Ken” Joseph Johannes

Obituaries
Kenneth “Ken” Joseph Johannes

Kenneth “Ken” Joseph Johannes, 79, was called home to his heavenly father April 8th, 2019 surrounded by his family.  Born in Billings, MT on October 13, 1939, Ken was the oldest son of Conrad and Frieda (Reich) Johannes.  He attended Huntley Project Schools, graduating in 1959.  Upon his graduation he entered the US Navy where he served 2 years. read more