Feb162019
Dear Editor,
Every one of us agree Shepherd School buildings are in need of work. We need to give our children and grand-children the best education we can afford. The over whelming reality for our Shepherd School District is our resources are limited by the taxes we all pay. Shepherd is not a large or a wealthy community. If you look at your tax bill, property owners, home owners, ranchers, farmers school taxes are roughly 70% of the total. read more
Feb152019
Dear Editor,
The Progressive Pioneer’s recent article lecturing everyone about religious right was particularly enlightening. I am not aware of any “gearing up in the media.” I am aware that the new progressive socialist democrats are lurching far to the left which has been covered by the media. read more
Feb152019
by Evelyn Pyburn
Public discussion has swirled with questions following the acceptance by the Billings City Council of a 400-page master plan for One Big Sky District, last week. It passed in a 7-3 vote with Brent Cromley, Frank Ewalt and Chris Friedel opposing. read more
Feb152019
Dear Editor,
After pulling his head out of a certain part of his anatomy, and realizing how stupid he made himself to look, and, of course, not accepting the blame for himself, a guy once said, “You don’t have to help me look like a horse’s patoot.” The answer came back, “That’s right, Carl, you do a magnificent job of that all by yourself.”
Feb152019
Dear Editor,
Anyone who is selected to sit on a jury in a criminal case should understand what the sixth amendment is really about. This amendment describes our rights to a jury trial after we have been charged with a crime by the government. There are two words in that amendment that are key to understanding your function as a juror. read more
Feb152019
by Elisa Schlosser
On September 28, 2018, NorthWestern Energy filed a general electric rate review request with the Montana Public Service Commission, the first such request since 2009. The proposal included a rate increase of nearly 7.4 percent of the average monthly bill. NorthWestern is citing significant investments in, “safe, reliable and smarter energy infrastructure,” read more
Feb112019
Dear Editor,
A couple years ago I started filling people’s propane bottles. I had written a “Letter To The Editor” in an attempt to explain that while I do receive LIEAP funded propane; I DO NOT and I WILL NOT sell any LIEAP funded propane to anyone. Please DO NOT ASK to me to sell you LIEAP funded propane; it will not happen. read more
Feb102019
Dear Editor,
I address this letter to Senator Tester.
When I called your office on 1/31/19, your person told me that there are no facts to prove that walls work. read more
Feb102019
Dear Editor,
I have never read a better explanation on what has happened to true journalism than what Krayton Kerns wrote Feb. 1, 2019. Mr. Kerns, that was put together so even a child could understand what has happened. read more
Feb102019
We are excited to announce one of a couple projects we are jumping into heads first this year. Our first one is our 1stannual Best of Yellowstone County Awards! It’s our first time ever to do a reader’s choice of the best businesses, services and products offered in Yellowstone County for readers of our newspaper, whether you are a subscriber or pick up the paper over the counter or at newsstands through our coverage area, we want to hear from you!
There are a number of reasons for doing the Best of Yellowstone County Awards.
First, it’s an opportunity for our readers to honor the people, businesses and entities that are deserving of the awards.
Secondly, it encourages competitors to up their game in providing a better service or product to those they serve and live among.
Third, its gives our readers another voice to express what they think is best. We know our readers have a good feel for what’s currently going on locally so why not express it in your choices you select?
Fourth, we are a hyper-local weekly newspaper, what better way to be involved in the community? There are 40 categories to choose so ready, set, Go!
This Best of Yellowstone County Awards will start in the read more
Feb102019
Dear Editor,
In response to Ann Chontos of Custer, Mt. Jan 25-19 letter, Ms. Chontos, I must admit it is admirable that Jon Tester has been married only once. In response to your comment about President Trump being married three times as a “gimmick,” is wholly disrespectful read more
Feb92019
Dear Editor,
I was puzzled by one of the contributors continuing to smear some of your readers by referring to them as “mindless watchers of Fox News” ….where does this hatred come from on the radical or progressive left? It’s so intellectually lazy read more
Feb92019
Dear Editor,
In my medical specialty most of the patients that find their way to our offices do so because of pain complaints. Most of that pain is acute but some of it could be characterized as chronic. When a medical seminar in Billings concerning the latest available treatments for chronic pain was available, I decided to attend it. read more
Feb82019
Dear Editor,
The presentations of One Big Sky District are intended to get us excited about the project. They have, and I believe you will find most all of us support the concept of OBSD. read more
Feb82019
by Evelyn Pyburn
The City of Billings is in the process of developing a secondary source of water to serve the westend of the city with the development of an $84 million reservoir and treatment plant at Shiloh Road and Hesper Road. They will purchase property from Knife River Materials and from Yellowstone County, as part of that process. read more
Feb82019
by Jonathan McNiven
Shepherd students headed for a field trip took an unexpected detour Wednesday morning when the school bus veered off the road. Here, Shepherd Fire Chief Phil Elhers escorts students as they get off the school bus and load the athletic bus in -10 degree weather. A red Billings Towing semi-truck sits in the background while a Yellowstone Valley Electric box truck sits after disconnecting power lines temporarily due to safety reasons. Traffic was backed up for about 3 hours both ways while emergency crews helped relieve the congestion. (Photo by Jonathan McNiven)
SHEPHERD—A Shepherd school bus left the road early Wednesday morning after being distracted at the wheel due to weather conditions. Scott Carter, Superintendent of Shepherd School District, told the Yellowstone County News early Wednesday morning that “approximately 65 students were on board headed to Red Lodge for a reward ski trip” when the bus front window got fogged up and the bus driver got distracted while trying to turn on the window defroster.
About a mile South of the school, the bus veered into the other lane and ended up driving off the road between a tree to the left and electricity pole to the right but breaking a guy wire.
Dan Shaules, Line Superintendent at Yellowstone Valley Electric Coop, told the Yellowstone County News Wednesday that the guy wire that was supporting the pole was broke and the pole shook hard enough to break the tap wire that shorted out the main feeder line read more
Feb82019
Dear Editor,
One Big Sky District (OBSD) is too risky and too dangerous.
Hammes /Landmark LLC, is both conducting the feasibility studies and would also be the developer of One Big Sky District (OBSD). Over $500,000 of taxpayer generated funds, meant for this “study”, are also being used to lobby our elected officials and the public, read more
Feb82019
Dear Editor,
Senior Center Concerns are Ongoing:
The seniors are still waiting to be able to have their dances, garage sales and other events at the Community and Senior Center at 360 N 23rd Street. I realize the mayor and the city administrator have city business to attend to, read more
Feb42019
Dear Editor,
I wanted to respond to people that say walls don’t work.
Then why do they put them around prisons and other secure areas? But theirs is just a political approach that attempts to divert attention from their real agenda of “open borders”. I also suspect that many who say walls don’t work live behind walls read more
Feb32019
Dear Editor,
Well, Carl, it must be depressing that recent leakers at DOJ and FBI have burst your hopes and dreams of convicting President Trump of some crime. They are now leaking to their favorite liberal “investigative reporters” not to expect much of anything from Mueller’s two year witch hunt. read more
