Jul92018

Obituary: Clarine Bernice Graham Stovall

Obituaries

Clarine Bernice Graham Stovall

Clarine Bernice Graham Stovall passed away on July 4, 2018, at St. John’s Lutheran Home, where she resided for the last three years. Clarine just celebrated her 74thbirthday on June 22. She was born in Billings, to the delight of her parents George and Cora (Davis) Graham, and was the big sister to her two brothers, George and Steve. The family enjoyed life living in the Fishtail and Red Lodge areas. Dickie as she was nicknamed by her Grandpa spent entire summers with cousins, aunts, uncles, and Grandparents, in the Beartooth Mountains.  It was said the kids would go to the mountains outfitted with a new pair of boots and Levis, to return barefoot wearing cutoff shorts. The local game wardens knew the kids by name, and the moose had to tree them to reclaim the peaceful wilderness. Clarine would often claim she had the best childhood and parents one could imagine. Growing up wild in the Beartooth Mountains, with her cousins and brothers, was one of the highlights of her life.

Clarine attended high school in Red Lodge, where she met and married Bobby Stovall. Together they had three children, but were later read more

Jul22018

Obituary: Barbara Ann Muhs

Obituaries

Barbara Ann Muhs

Barbara Ann Muhs, 59, of Shepherd, passed away on Thursday, June 28, 2018 in the presence of family and friends from complications of cancer.

She was born November 8th 1958 in Billings.

A loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, gramma (nana), and friend to many. She loved spending time and adored all the grandchildren. She had three dogs that she loved, which kept her company.

She is survived by read more

Jul12018

Last call for Last Best News

Top Stories

One of Billings only online publications Last Best News announced that they will cease publication as of July 1, 2018. This was the story that ran on their website. (courtesy image Ed Kemmick from Last Best News)

Originally published in the 6/29/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

BILLINGS — Veteran reporter Ed Kemmick is retiring from reporting because he wants to write better.

It’s a paradox the veteran newspaperman wants to explore — if he has time, while he’s exploring Montana and the rest of the country, which is another reason he’s leaving Last Best News, the online newspaper he founded in 2014.

He’s hoping someone will either take on Last Best News or start a similar online venture, but he’s leaving with little regret.

For one thing, he wants to see his family, which includes grown children and grandchildren, more often. He wants to see more scenery. And he wants to play more music.

But he’s not leaving the news behind completely. He intends to write on a freelance basis, an area where he already has experience. read more

Jun302018

Abortion has been around since males found females

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

This is for the pro-life and pro-choice people. Abortion has been around since males found females. Roe vs. Wade just legalized abortion so medically trained people could perform them. The law does not say it is a right, moral or ethical, that is between the doctor, patient and the creator.

The real issue is, why is there a need for abortion? Our media over the last hundreds of years has made sex a form of entertainment, recreation, a selling point as in advertising, pleasure and/or gratification for either party. Males making conquests, one night stands, cheating spouses and acts of violence for power.

I would use the term Men or read more

Jun302018

Obituary: Joyce JoAnn Balzer Krieger

Obituaries

Joyce JoAnn Balzer Krieger

Joyce JoAnn Balzer Krieger, age 83 of Billings, passed away due to complications from heart surgery on June 25th, 2018. She was born in Huntley, MT, Yellowstone County on July 9th, 1934 to Jake and Elsie Balzer. On August 18th, 1951, she married the sweetheart of her dreams, Albert Joseph Krieger. They farmed in the Worden area for ten years and later moved to Billings.

Joyce was a lifetime member of Pilgrim Congregational Church and was passionate and active in read more

Jun292018

Doug Kary has proven himself untrustworthy and irresponsible

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Billings Heights Senate District 22 incumbent Doug Kary has proven himself untrustworthy and irresponsible. He voted against affordable health care, he favors a statewide sales tax, he has voted against teacher’s pensions, public state employees and working class wages, while voting himself a pay increase. He voted against options for veterans, against our elderly and disabled. He voted against education. He voted to allow concealed weapons, without permits, in schools, by students and outsiders, as well as restaurants and other prohibited places. He broke Montana constitutional law by leaving session without a balanced budget, on the taxpayer’s dime, and did not offer any solutions to improve our situation.

He is anti-conservation and voted to promote big state government over local governments. He voted to reduce the penalty for sexual offenders. Voted against the option to lower your utility bills.

Sen. Kary wants to decrease read more

Jun282018

Meanderings 6-29-18 – Zinke &Trump Jr. to Last Best News

Meanderings

Jonathan McNiven

Wow, folks, what a week! I can’t believe all that has happened since we went to press last week.  Since then, YCN landed an exclusive interview with Donald Trump Jr. on Friday, June 22, and I visited personally with United States Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke today, Wednesday, for a couple minutes after he was on the radio show Montana Talks with Aaron Flint. (I’ll talk about guest hosting the radio show later). 

First, know that your local newspaper is gaining traction, and we are trying to keep the local beat on stuff that is happening here. From Last Best News (local online publication) ceasing publication locally on July 1 to national figures like U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke stopping in Billings for a brief visit with the Yellowstone County Commissioners and Billings representatives, YCN is busy getting the news.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reading a past edition of the Yellowstone County News on Wednesday June 27, 2018 after talking on the radio with Aaron Flint from Montana Talks. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

We have so much that is going on that we need to be hiring another reporter, so if you’d like to get your feet wet and start contributing to your only weekly newspaper that covers Yellowstone County and Billings area news, give me a call. Heck, maybe I can get David Crisp (former owner/publisher of the Billings Outpost) to come write for YCN since the Last Best News went out of business. Or maybe Ed Kemmick will change his mind and write for us since he doesn’t have enough on his plate as well. Either way, I understand why some local publications have gone out of business with the changing times, business models, and employee payroll requirements out there. It’s not easy running a business and then making it successful is even harder. 

I had to take a selfie with the present company since Donald Trump Jr. was in Billings. From left to right, Jonathan McNiven, Matt Rosendale, Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Gillfoyle (Fox News Contributor)

As for YCN, we have been blessed, and we continue to gain traction, supporters, advertisers and we are working hard to be your local weekly publication with local hard news and stories that affect this area as well as keep you informed on what is going on for local school districts and local news, etc. In fact, we have a lot to do still, but we’ll focus on the little successes we have each and every week. read more

Jun282018

Carl Wolf paid a rare compliment to my writings

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

In the June 22 edition of the YCN, Carl Wolf paid a rare compliment to my writings. Thank you, Carl, and Happy Birthday.

However, Carl then used his column to villainize myself, claiming that I feel Democrats are “monsters” and “deadly creatures,” “out to destroy our country” and “enemies and terrible to boot.” Which article written by me gives him even poetic license to tell people that such are my innermost thoughts?

I take special offense because read more

Jun282018

Trump Jr. headlines Montana Republican Party Convention in Billings with Exclusive Interview

Montana-Statewide • Top Stories • Yellowstone County • Billings

Donald Trump Jr. speaks at the Republican Convention Friday night. Listening are Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, left, U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale, center and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, right. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Donald Trump Jr. speaks at the Republican Convention Friday night. Listening are Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, left, U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale, center and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, right. (Jonathan McNiven photo)

Originally published in the 6/29/18 print edition of Yellowstone County News .

BILLINGS — In an exclusive interview, Donald Trump Jr. offered Yellowstone County News one of only two interviews as he arrived in Billings to headline the Montana Republican Party Convention dinner Friday evening in high spirits to support Republicans on the ticket, including current State Auditor Matt Rosendale who is running for the U.S. Senate. 

President Donald J. Trump won over Montana voters in easy fashion in 2016, and Trump Jr., his son, is encouraged at the general election makeup this year. 

With security detail outside the hotel room, Don Jr. allowed few visitors in preparation for his headline speech to Montana Republicans.   

“Just because Donald Trump is not on the ticket, doesn’t mean that Trump is on the ticket,” said Trump Jr. to the Yellowstone County News and about 300 attendees Friday evening. All of his policies and all the great accomplishments are on the ticket. There is a lot at stake as Don Jr. rolled off the tip of his tongue many instances that Senator Tester is out of line and out of touch with Montana values and character. read more

Jun222018

Yellowstone County News Lands exclusive interview with Donald Trump Jr. and Matt Rosendale

Politics • Top Stories • Yellowstone County

Donald Trump Jr., left, Publisher Jonathan McNiven, middle, and State Auditor Matt Rosendale, right, meet in exclusive interview on Friday June 22 in Billings. (Yellowstone County News Photo)

With excitement brewing in the air at the Montana Republican Party Convention in Billings, Yellowstone County News announced that they have landed one of only two exclusive interviews that were given this weekend with Donald Trump Jr. being the keynote speaker at the convention’s dinner.  

Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Billings to speak to the statewide convention of Republicans and attendees to the annual dinner convention.   read more

Jun222018

Because she has a D after her name

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

I grew up on a cattle ranch in the Salinas Valley of California in the 1950s. When I was 40 years old, I enrolled in one of the larger law schools in Northern California. Many of my classmates were from some of the various University of California campuses, including the campus in Berkley, California.

Whenever I refer to a politician as a Marxist from Berkley, I do not do it to simply call that person a name. I am doing it to label them because of the political philosophy that they have shown me in what they have said and written. By the Berkley part, I am referring to the University of California campus that this person attended.

You can tell who the Marxist from Berkley is read more

Jun222018

McNiven Meanderings – Best Breaking News Story Award goes to our staff

Meanderings

Jonathan McNiven-Publisher/Owner of Yellowstone County News.

Well Folks, last week was the Montana Newspaper Association’s annual convention (In Billings this year).  This was the first time I’ve attended the annual convention since purchasing the Yellowstone County News, your hyper-local, weekly newspaper in the Yellowstone County area.

I learned so much in mingling with other newspaper owners, publishers and editors throughout the state that I have caught the YCN fever in taking YCN to the next level.  If you don’t believe me, wait until you see what we have in store for you, the reader, taxpayer and resident of Yellowstone County.

But before I do, I want to focus on a couple of things.

First, I’ve instructed my staff and reporters that we, as a newspaper team, need to make sure that we are informing all our readers why each story is important to you and why you, the reader should care. In fact, I’ve given the charge to make sure each story explains why the reader should care about the Yellowstone County News and make sure we are relevant to you the reader, so starting this week, I hope you see us honing in on that focus.  I think we already do this but we need to do it even better because I know we can.

Second, the Yellowstone County News won two awards last weekend at the MNA (Montana Newspaper Association) convention.  We won first place for Best Breaking News Story and read more

Jun222018

What my vote means to Colstrip:

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:

What my vote means to Colstrip:

Should a Canadian company be allowed to buy out the part-owners of Colstrip units 3 & 4? The Public Service Commission voted on that question on June 12, and my answer was “no.” Some friends have asked me whether my vote was “against Colstrip.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Avista Corporation is part owner of Colstrip units 3 & 4. They are being bought out by Hydro One Limited, a Canadian utility company. The Montana Public Service Commission must approve the sale because Avista serves customers in Montana.

After examining the unique facts and testimony in this case, I determined that in this specific instance, the public interest was best served by preserving jobs in the community of Colstrip for as long as possible.

Avista and Hydro One made agreements in other states to read more

Jun222018

Rates increase July 1 for Lockwood water, sewer service

Top Stories • Lockwood

Originally published in the Yellowstone County News 6/22/18 print edition.

LOCKWOOD — Most of the business of the Lockwood Water & Sewer District during its monthly meeting was about budgets.

The board approved a planning budget of $52,600. The planning budget projects anticipated activity associated with developing future phases of the sewer system.

The sewer budget of $1,677,965 was also approved, as was a $2,987,161 budget for the water division.

Expenditures still exceed read more

Jun222018

Ag research could make better beer, bread and pasta

Local • Huntley Project • Top Stories • Yellowstone County

Originally published in the 6/22/18 print and online edition of Yellowstone County News.

HUNTLEY — Want a beer? How about a sandwich on really good bread?

How about some sugar for your coffee or to bake a cake?

Plant research happening today at Montana State University’s Southern Agricultural Research Center at Huntley could affect all of those menu items.

Tuesday’s field day at SARC included tours of dozens of research test plots where the future of sugar beets, barley, wheat, lentils, peas and other crops is taking shape.

Dr. Kent McVay, a researcher at SARC, and Jamie Sherman, a plant pathologist assigned to the Bozeman campus, are in the midst of a multi-year study crossing a gene from a barley variety called Karl with a barley variety called Hockett, which has shown higher yields. The study is designed to measure how using fertilizer to increase yields affects protein levels.

In malt barley, lower protein levels are useful in the malting process, McVay said. The experiment is duplicated in Bozeman and at the Moccasin station, he said. The Moccasin trial had poor results last year because of drought, but may turn out better after this year’s wet spring, he said. read more

Jun202018

Huntley Project School Board accepts $790,000 settlement for faulty high school roof

Top Stories • Huntley Project

Early release of Yellowstone County News for 6/22/18 print edition.

WORDEN — The Huntley Project School Board voted unanimously Monday night to accept a $790,000 settlement in its lawsuit over the faulty high school roof.

The school board met in an executive session closed to the public for 47 minutes before voting 5-0 to accept the settlement. Four trustees attended in person, with Steve Erb and attorney Lawrence R. Martin participating by telephone.

Martin, of the Billings law firm Felt, Martin, Frazier and Weldon, specializes in read more

Jun182018

Obituary: Lydia Walters

Obituaries

Lydia Walters

Lydia was finally called home in the early morning hours of June 16, 2018, after living 105 years on this earth.  A kinder, gentler, unassuming person won’t be found. Even as her time was growing near, she never complained and was so appreciative of her caregivers.  Thank you to the Vista staff for making her last 5 ½ years with you so pleasant, and to Compassus Hospice for their help in her final days.

Mom was born on March 15, 1913, in Garden City, Kansas to Conrad and Mary Oblander, the youngest of five children.  Shortly thereafter the family moved to the Huntley Project area, where Lydia remained until moving to Billings in 2012.

She married Ed Walters on January 15, 1935, and they began their life together farming, milking cows, and raising read more

Jun182018

Obituary: Shirley F. (Blair) Ickes

Obituaries • Custer

Shirley F. (Bair) Ickes

passed away Friday, June 15, 2018. She was born October 28, 1923, in Sheridan, WY, to parents Viola (Picken) and Stark Bair. Shirley spent her early childhood in the Sarpy Basin. The family, including her younger sister, Marilyn, moved to Hardin where the girls completed their educations. After graduating from Hardin High School in 1941, Shirley moved to Seattle to work for Western Union as a part of the war effort.

Shirley and Ralph Cameron Ickes were married June 5, 1944, in Billings, Montana, just prior to Ralph’s overseas deployment with the US Army. Upon Ralph’s return from Japan, they moved to Clearmont, WY, where they built and operated a mechanic’s shop. This was where Shirley established her expertise at washing and mending LOADS of greasy coveralls!

They returned to Tullock Creek and the Big Horn, MT, area after several years to ranch and farm at read more

Jun162018

“Research is not a free thing”, “Come and see where your tax dollars are going”

Features • Yellowstone County • Huntley Project

Dr. Prashant Jha discusses kochi competition and control issues in sugar beet production. (Courtesy photos)

Originally published in the 6/15/18 print edition of Yellowstone County News.

HUNTLEY — Agricultural commodity prices are down. Profit margins are slim. And “research is not a free thing.”

But ag research is a key to keeping farming profitable as plant varieties and farming techniques evolve.

To help growers stay ahead, every other year, the Southern Agricultural Research Center at Huntley offers a field day to give anyone who wants to come a firsthand look at the projects underway at the 462-acre facility operated by Montana State University.

This year’s Field Day Tours are Tuesday. Everyone is welcome.

“I would hope people would want to come and see where your tax dollars are going,” said SARC superintendent Ken Kephart. “Enjoy the company of your friends and neighbors at the very least.”

Registration begins at 2:30 p.m. at SARC, which is 3.5 miles east of Huntley just off Highway 312.Tours are offered on both irrigated and dryland field trials. The first set of tours begins at 3 p.m. A free dinner of steak, burgers or brats is served by the Billings Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a second round of tours that begins at 6 p.m.

The same set of tours is offered before and after dinner. A complete schedule will be available at registration and people can choose to listen to either tour or both.

Kephart said he directs the research, but Tuesday’s speakers “have a better idea of where this is all fitting into the state.” read more

Jun122018

Obituary: Eva H. Swenson

Obituaries

Eva H. Swenson

Our dear Eva, 93, of Billings, passed away on June 10, 2018, at St. Vincent Healthcare.

Eva was born on Dec. 11, 1924, in Grano, North Dakota. She met the love of her life, Frank Swenson, and married him on Oct. 5, 1948, in McGregor, North Dakota. They moved to Billings in 1955 and to Shepherd in 1958, where they lived until Frank’s death in 2006. Eva and Frank founded and managed Shepherd Stainless, a custom stainless steel manufacturing company. Eva loved their farm and transformed their century old farmhouse in Shepherd to create a beautiful read more