Sep102018

Obituary: Daniel Levi Johnson

Obituaries

Daniel Levi Johnson

MISSOURI BREAKS — Daniel Levi Johnson age 62 passed away Friday Aug. 31, 2018, in the outdoors that he loved. Dan was born in Greybull Wyoming on March 8, 1956 to Bernard and Inez Johnson. Dan was the second oldest of six children.
Dan grew up in the small farming community of Burlington Wyoming in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming, where he learned to love the land through working it. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1974, throughout high school Dan excelled in football, and basketball being named an all-conference and all state athlete. That passion stayed with him throughout life. Dan was also an avid Elk hunter that started hunting with his dad and brother Brian at age 14 and it remained a large part of his life, and his family’s life to this day.
Love and marriage came nearly 33 years read more

Sep92018

The Post-Truth media ignoring reality again

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Informed voting and the Montana Senate race

The Founders warned of the necessity of an informed electorate – fact-based voting.  Today, that requires understanding how candidates (and the media) view truth.

To the average Montanan, truth means the facts or what really happened. But, in our Postmodern–Post-Truthculture, truth is a product of our emotion-based opinion that tends to service our agenda. Facts don’t enter the equation.

It’s not mud-slinging to say this is where most Progressive Democrats land; it’s their worldview – their perception of reality. As difficult as it is to wrap your brain read more

Sep82018

We deserve better

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

It doesn’t matter which side of the aisle you sit on — one thing we can all agree is important is that our elected officials should work for US. We want representatives who will travel the state, listen to us, and take our concerns with them back to Washington. Unfortunately, Matt Rosendale hasn’t shown me that he can do that.

I’m a law-abiding gun owner, a hunter and a concealed-carry permit holder. And when Rosendale first announced his run for Senate, I reached out to him to see where he stood on our Second Amendment rights. Rosendale’s website promised that he would answer my questions — but after weeks and then months of waiting, I never heard back from him.

If someone wants me to vote for them, the least they can do is respond to my concerns as a Montanan and a gun owner. But Rosendale’s lack read more

Sep72018

When you find a good one, you know it

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Inviting guest speakers into a high school classroom is always a dicey proposition. When you find a good one, you know it. Sen. Jon Tester was the best.

He never said no. He’d let kids videotape interviews with him, and didn’t ask to see the videos or preview the questions. He was open that way.

He knew how to engage with high school students. Believe me, that is not an easy skill to master. I still remember him opening a video Q&A conference by asking which of the students played the trumpet. The trumpet player got to ask the first question – of a United States Senator! That kid felt honored.

You see Sen. Tester everywhere. A group of friends saw Jon Tester at the Billings Clinic Classic, and ran over to see if he would let them get a picture because “we’re all in the class of ’74.” Sen. Tester laughed, and said, sure. He wasn’t worried about protecting his image.

Sen. Tester is a neighborly guy, and that value is reflected in his policy stands as well as in his personal style. In contrast, Sen. Tester’s opponent has attached himself to someone who considers being unpleasant an asset. President Trump picks fights with everybody, even the recently deceased war hero John McCain.

Matt Rosendale fits nicely into this pugnacious mode. The central promise of his campaign is that he will fight. But fight what, and for whom? Matt Rosendale has a long history of actively fighting the values that make Montana what it is.

Take the policy area that means the most to me because I spent 30 years in Montana classrooms: Montanans’ commitment to public education.

Montanans don’t just value public education. They prize it. We enshrined it in our constitution. We said it straight out: we believe in “a system of education which will develop the full educational potential of each person,” and we require that equality of educational opportunity be guaranteed every Montanan through free, high-quality public education.

Matt Rosendale’s record teems with examples that he dismisses this core Montana value.

Rosendale supported charter school legislation in the 2013 Legislature, even as all of these Montana organizations told him it was wrong for Montana: the Montana School Boards read more

Sep42018

‘Bowties and Boots’ dinner and dance to raise money for Blankets and Bears

Events & More! • Community Calendar • Huntley Project

The Sept. 15 event, “Bowties and Boots,”  will raise money for Blankets and Bears and the Kurt “Cubby” Kautz Memorial Scholarship.

Blankets and Bears gives bundles containing a blanket and stuffed animal to children in need. The scholarship honors Kurt Kautz, a Huntley Project girls’ basketball coach who was killed in a vehicle crash in October 2017.

Bowties and Boots will begin with a happy hour at 5:30 on Saturday, Sept. 15 at Chancey’s Event Center. A steak dinner by read more

Sep42018

It’s back to school time

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

It’s back to school time — new clothes, new backpacks, new schools and new friends. But for some children, old fears arise.

For the student who stutters, the beginning of the school year is a time fraught with anxiety and doubt. Will my classmates like me? Will the teacher understand I may need a few extra seconds to get my words out? Will I be bullied?

One in five children may experience issues with fluency during early development. The Stuttering Foundation has help for students, parents and teachers. For practical help and up-to-date information, visit us at StutteringHelp.org.

Jane Fraser

President, Stuttering Foundation

Memphis, Tenn.

800-992-9392

Sep32018

Attention seniors of the Billings community

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Senior Center Concerns: Attention seniors of the Billings community and Senior Center at 360 N. 23rdStreet. There is a meeting of the Billings Senior Citizens Inc. with the City Council on Tuesday (Monday is Labor Day) Sept. 4, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers in City Hall on North 27thStreet. There is free parking in the parking garage at City Hall, which is accessible read more

Sep32018

Medicare and Tricare

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Because I spent over 20 years in the military, I am covered by Tricare health insurance, as is my wife. Because I am also over 65 years old, I am also covered by Medicare. My Tricare health coverage is superior to other veterans who did not serve for 20 years in the military. I think I am fortunate to have Medicare and Tricare. However my read more

Sep12018

Take a serious look at County Auditor Scott Turner

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

John Ostlund, Bill Kennedy and I were the commissioners on duty when a tornado rained havoc on our MetraPark Arena. During this gut-retching time, we called upon the community to help us rebuild this vital venue. Nine months later, Bill Dutcher and his crews were able to host a state basketball tournament. The rebuild was only possible through the guidance and labor of many caring players like CTA, PayneWest, High Tech Contraction (now Dick Anderson), many area contractors plus a very smart County Chief Financial Officer – SCOTT TURNER.  Scott cares about taxpayers and commissioners wisely followed his fiscal advice.   Scott Turner made sure we had adequate insurance protection and county reserves necessary to rebuild Metra.

With the retirement of Auditor Debby Hernandez, the commissioners appointed Scott to complete her term. As a CPA, he knows the job. Scott is now seeking a full term as auditor. Scott Turner does not believe the job should be political and has chosen not to campaign. Now that is refreshing.

I hope you will take a serious look at County Auditor Scott Turner. I’ll be voting for him and perhaps you will too.

Jim Reno

Billings

Aug312018

I had never heard of Carl until my first edition of the YCN

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

I’m shocked at Mr. Wolf’s response to my letter last week. He dismisses me as a  “geriatric duffer playing cow pasture pool.” He then goes on with a somewhat tangled “assumption” that “prejudicial detractors are prone to leap at erroneous conclusions based on knee jerk assumptions…..”

In my letter, I asked Carl several questions which he ignored, preferring to revert to name calling and assuming…. I asked him 1) did he criticize Obama when he lied about ObamaCare, 2) did he criticize the Obamas for repeatedly using the race card, 3) did he criticize Obama for repeatedly attacking law enforcement, 4) did he condemn Obama and read more

Aug292018

President Donald Trump to visit Billings

Montana-Statewide • Politics • Top Stories

President Donald Trump visited Great Falls in support of State Auditor and US Senate Candidate Matt Rosendale on July 5, 2018. President Trump will be in Billings on Thursday September 6 at MetraPark. (Jonathan McNiven Photo)

BILLINGS — President Donald Trump is returning to Billings on Thursday, Sept. 6, to campaign for Matt Rosendale.

Sources told Yellowstone County News reporters late Wednesday that Trump would appear on Rosendale’s behalf at the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark on Thursday. The time had not been announced by presstime Wednesday.

Rosendale is the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Currently state auditor, Rosendale is challenging Sen. John Tester.

Trump had read more

Aug272018

Mold cancels classes for Shepherd kindergartners

Top Stories • Shepherd

SHEPHERD — School was canceled beginning Monday for fifty kindergartners after their classrooms were found unhealthy because of mold.

Superintendent Scott Carter said district officials had the air in the annex building, which houses three kindergarten classrooms and a music room, tested early in August. The results returned last week showed unhealthy air in the building.

The air quality problems stem from mold growing in the annex’s damp, vacant basement, Carter said. He canceled school for the kindergartners and the building has been cleared of furnishings, he said.

“We didn’t want them in an environment with that type of mold,” Carter said. “We just moved read more

Aug272018

Obituary: David Loring Totten

Obituaries

David Loring Totten

David Loring Totten passed away on August 16th surrounded by family.  He was born on March 16th, 1955 to Fern and Floyd Totten in Billings Montana.  In 1973, David joined the U.S. Air Force until 1983.  He then went on to enjoy years working for the National Security Agency.  He gave a total of 36 years of service to our country.  He was an extensive world traveler and connoisseur of beautiful things.

David is survived by his read more

Aug272018

These “junk” insurance plans don’t protect Montanans

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Matt Rosendale doesn’t prioritize Montana families in his position as state insurance commissioner. His actions have led to higher prices for health care for Montanans across the state. In fact, his record shows he favors the insurance companies over us.

Rosendale helped insurance companies at the expense of Montana families. Last year, Rosendale approved insurance rate hikes as high as 23 percent. As insurance commissioner, Rosendale read more

Aug262018

Vox populi Es Vox Dei

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

In 1957, I began the ninth grade in a Catholic boarding school in California. The school was run by a group of priests and brothers whose religious order had originated in Italy. I remember Father Felix was my first year Latin teacher. He had been born in Italy and spent his younger years in Italy when the dictator Benito Mussolini was in power.

I especially remember when he talked about the Latin phrase “Vox populi Es Vox Dei,” which means the voice of the people is the voice of God. I especially remember that he said if we believed that, that we probably believe anything the devil would tell us. He used this to introduce to us the difference between the French Revolution read more

Aug252018

I don’t see any reason to make good classics into trashy movies

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I would like to share my opinion about making old classic movies into new trashy movies, like the new Jumanji movie.

I don’t see any reason to make good classics into trashy movies. The old Jumanji movie was a good fun classic movie, whereas the new Jumanji movie completely trashy. The new Jumanji movie trailer is filled with inappropriate humor, cursing, and violence which says a lot about the movie. The original Jumanji movie is rated PG, but the new one is rated PG-13. The makers purposely made the new one trashy. read more

Aug242018

Let’s kill the trees before they kill us!

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Let’s kill the trees before they kill us!

Elected officials have a moral duty to protect the health and lives of citizens they represent and to be good stewards of resources. According to the EPA, wildfire smoke has microscopic particles that penetrate deep into your lungs and cause aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases and is linked to premature death. Tree and vegetation removal correlates to less wildfire and smoke. It seems reasonable for elected officials to pursue policies and legislation that protect citizens’ health and exercise good stewardship.

Politicians on both sides are now talking about “managing forests” and “fuel reduction.” However, only one of the two major U.S. political parties is overwhelmingly supported by members of activist organizations that repeatedly file lawsuits against the US Forest Service to stop and delay tree and vegetation removal projects. Members of these “hands off our forest” organizations have now even resorted to attack campaigns against local elected officials, e.g., county commissioners.

Montanans need to wake up and stop electing candidates from the one major party in our country that has been inundated by people who care about protecting diseased trees more than humans, pets and livestock.

Dusty R. Weber

Hamilton

Aug212018

Obituary: Frances E. (Reiter) Scott – “Fran”

Obituaries

Frances E. (Reiter) Scott – “Fran”

On a cold wintry Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1939, Frances Elaine Reiter was born to Philip and Pauline Reiter in a small wooden frame house in Worden, MT. She was raised on a farm and many times quoted, “I wouldn’t trade my up- bringing on the farm for anything.” It was a good life and she learned to work very hard. She graduated from Huntley Project High School in Worden. She planned and organized every five year class reunions with the help of her classmates.  She is survived by daughter Terresa Stowell (Jay Watson) of Worden and Tamela Morrison (Larry) of Custer. A son, Timothy Krum, preceded her in death. She married the love of her life, David Dean Scott in 1998.

She held a variety of jobs in her lifetime, which included read more