Apr222018
Dear Editor:
I appreciated Krayton Kerns’ comments in his column last week regarding profanity. In his column, Krayton described both personal and national instances where profanity was used. This subject has been on my mind as well, having read of recent incidents of profane language by a current state legislator as well as a statewide candidate for public office. To our current public servants as well as to all candidates for public office I say, read more
Apr222018
Originally published in the 4/20/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.
HUNTLEY PROJECT — You may recall the epic battles of history: The Thrilla in Manilla. The Rumble in the Jungle.
Coke vs. Pepsi.
Fasten your seatbelts for the Battle for the Bridge.
It’s Shepherd Public Schools (the challenger) vs. Huntley Project Schools and it all ends April 30.
The outcome of this battle is still in the balance, but both sides already know who the winner is: the American Cancer Society’s research funded by Relay For Life.
Each school has until April 30 to raise as much money as it can for Relay For Life, through the school version, called Relay Recess.
Shepherd students have experience at this cause, since they’ve participated in successful mini-relays on the last day of school for several years. In fact, the Shepherd event, in part a tribute to teacher John Barta, who died of cancer last year, is second only to the countywide annual Relay For Life event in terms of fundraising in Yellowstone County.
Frank Hollowell, principal at Huntley Project Junior High, told the HP School Board Monday night that the challenge has been read more
Apr212018
Dear Editor:
As a casual and occasional reader of this publication, I have been drawn to the Letter to The Editor column. I do so enjoy and find great humor in some of the fact-less right wing fear and hatemongering. I do have to admit, however, at times some of this right wing jabber has gotten under my skin.
Then I remind myself that’s not the Republican Party that I grew up with. Not saying I agreed with everything the Republican Party wanted to do. I knew when push came to shove, those Republicans would sit at the table and attempt to solve the problem. We didn’t always agree on how to get to the answer, but usually an answer could be found. I may not have always agreed with the answer, either, but the process worked. I know there are still some levelheaded Republicans.
It is a shame the far right of the Republican Party has screamed read more
Apr212018
Originally published in the 4/20/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News.
HUNTLEY — Volunteers who join the Huntley community cleanup on Saturday, April 28 will be given lunch in Barkemeyer Park and enjoy a free concert by the Bucky Beaver Ground Grippers.
Ryan Roen, who is organizing the grassroots effort, was happy to report this week that the band is ready to play and that the Huntley Project School District will supply a school bus to bring volunteers from the park to the interstate to pick up trash.
Roen first announced his community cleanup plan last week. Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative will read more
Apr202018
Jonathan McNiven
Well, folks, I’m writing to inform the masses and especially our valued, loyal readers and residents of Yellowstone County of our options for obituaries due to some of the comments, concerns and feedback we’ve gotten from funeral homes and the general consumers (You, the public) in regards to obituaries that are published in the Billings Gazette.
As the Billings Gazette has made changes over the last years and especially the last months, we have been asked to provide a solution to a need that keeps reappearing in conversations and public dialogue for obituaries.
I’ve had a number of people ask us about providing online obituaries due to the cost that the Gazette is charging, so we have evaluated our options for obituary submissions to our paper to better serve the public and masses so here are the reasons we’ve decided to make the added changes and options for the people.
First off, I understand that the Billings Gazette has to always evaluate their prices and options as we do, and they have to make business decisions from a business standpoint, so I understand that change as I am a business owner myself.
But first, here is a general obituary comparison to the Gazette and Yellowstone County News in price. We charge $35 for a general obituary that includes a picture. The Gazette charges $35 PER COLUMN INCH and an additional $10 for a picture.
Here are some of the recent changes the Gazette has recently made that affect funeral homes and you the consumer.
According to the Last Best News read more
Apr202018
Dear Editor:
In the Marbury V. Madison case, the U.S. Supreme Court proclaimed that it had the authority to invalidate a law passed by Congress and signed by the president.
Of course, this right is not found in the U.S. Constitution. That is why Thomas Jefferson spent all the rest of his life criticizing and predicting what would happen to this country because of the decision in this case. This case was decided in 1803 and Jefferson died on July 4, 1826. One of Jefferson’s predictions was that judges would become despots or little dictators.
It took a while for this to be true, but it became to fruition in about the middle part of the last century. That is when judges began telling juries in criminal trials that they must follow the law. When our founders crafted the Sixth Amendment, they intended that a jury could protect their fellow citizens by not enforcing an unfair or unjust law against them. Judges read more
Apr202018
Dear Editor:
As one who flew fighter aircraft for the Air Force in Vietnam I am confused about the political ads Troy Downing has been putting out. He says he was a helicopter pilot and was some type of jet pilot and also flew in combat. The truly confusing part is that Downing only spent eight years on active duty.
When I ran for the Montana Supreme Court in 2014, I posted my law school transcript read more
Apr182018
Originally published in the 4/13/18 print edition of the Yellowstone County news.
BILLINGS — A supportive vote from Billings Mayor Bill Cole was necessary to break a council deadlock about whether the City of Billings would contribute a total of $500,000 to help finance a study for the future development of One Big Sky District, which involves two areas of downtown, including a proposal to build a downtown convention center.
The vote approved a $100,000 direct contribution from city coffers and another $400,000 on loan from Big Sky Economic Development that will be repaid through the Downtown Billings Partnership’s Tax Increment Finance District.
While proponents urged read more
Apr182018
Barbara Miller Garnett
In the early morning hours, Barbara Garnett departed this world to attend her father’s birthday party with Jesus.
She was born January 3, 1940 to Kathryn and Lawrence Miller in Okemah, Oklahoma. When Barbara was thirteen they moved to Tioga, ND where she graduated from Tioga High School in 1958. She married Robert T. Moore, in August 1960. Barb and Bob had two children, Bobby and Serrena. Barb was a teller at The Bank of Tioga for several years until they moved to Bowman, ND and then later they moved to Douglas, WY. She worked as a teller in both towns. While in Bowman Barbara and Bob hosted an exchange student Raija Savolainen and they made her an instant part of their family.
Following the Oil Field work, Bob and Barbara eventually moved to read more
Apr92018
Dear Editor:
Russ Fagg is the conservative choice.
Russ Fagg is the obvious choice for the U.S. Senate race. He is:
* Pro-Second Amendment.
* Pro-education.
* Pro-limited government.
* Pro-life.
* Pro-jobs, and
* Pro-balanced budget.
Russ will read more
Apr82018
Originally published in the 4/6/18 print edition of Yellowstone County News.
HUNTLEY — Vigilant oversight is the key to ensuring school curriculum is appropriate, school officials said.
The board of trustees for School District 2 in Billings recently fielded a complaint from parents over a high school assignment they said required students to look at objectionable images on a website that compared advertising messages.
Superintended Terry Bouck said at the school board meeting that he found the images offensive.
Superintendents of the Shepherd and Huntley Project school districts both said their districts have curriculum policies in place to evaluate the learning materials used by students. Both said they recalled no objections filed by parents.
Scott Carter, superintendent of the Shepherd School District, said district employees continually evaluate curriculum and work assigned to students by teachers.
“All our curriculum is consistently under review,” Carter said. “The quick answer is, yes, it’s under a constant state of review.”
But, he said, as was the case in the Billings school district, “You can never be read more
Apr82018
Dear Editor:
“Obfuscation” – to make obscure or unintelligible.
Gov. Steve Bullock and his party have been considered very environmentally conscious, but it seems they are forging a new direction.
North Dakota is not currently allowing the disposal of Bakken oilfield radioactive or hazardous garbage. But the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is moving briskly to welcome a veritable torrent of those toxic materials to a site near a Sidney subdivision and rural school.
Imagine having your home on a scenic plateau overlooking the Yellowstone Valley, and being told you will soon live less than a half-mile downwind from a dump for hundreds of thousands of tons of N.D.’s radioactive/hazardous garbage.
The DEQ says they are revising regulations related to read more
Apr72018
Dear Editor:
I suggest that Russ Fagg review the U.S. V. Dougherty case; the cite is 473/F2d/1113. Among other things, this case held that a criminal trial court jury has the right to engage in jury nullification. It also says that a judge does not have the duty to tell them about this right. It also does not state that a judge can lie to them and tell them that they do not have the right. By telling a criminal trial court jury that they must follow the law, a judge is essentially lying to the jury and is precluding them from exercising this constitutional right. Mr. Fagg admitted to me that he had given that instruction to juries in criminal trials.
Because this instruction precludes the jury from exercising an essential constitutional right, I believe this instruction has to be considered blatantly unconstitutional.
I suggest that Mr. Fagg apologize to read more
Apr62018
William “Bill” Bennett
William “Bill” Orvis Bennett of Shepherd, Montana passed away March 19, 2018 at his home.
Graveside services and burial with full Military Rites will be 11:00 AM on April 9th at Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel, Montana.
There will not be a visitation.
Bill was born June 28, 1944 and lived most of his youth in Newberry, Michigan with his parents, Arlet and Dale Bennett. He joined the Army at 17 where he served four years before going to the University of Albuquerque to get a business degree in accounting. After graduation, Bill joined the Army again and went to Officer Candidate School. Upon receiving his commission, Bill joined the Military Police and lived throughout the United States. After serving his country for another 16 years and obtaining the rank of Major, Bill retired from the Army.
Bill had always wanted to have some land and read more
Apr62018
Dear Editor:
Wow, Jon Tester’s ads tell us he’s “out of fingers” counting the ways he’s just like Donald Trump. Truth is, he WISHES Montanans would run out of fingers when remembering the times he bowed to Obama, Pelosi, Clinton and Schumer, and left Montana stained with his collusion.
Jon, some may clutch their noses and swallow the pasty grime that you’re “not finished getting things done for Montana,” but the facts are, you never started – you didn’t dare! Montanans remember how you voted a straight Democrat Party line and forsook us for party politics on dozens of major Montana issues. You assumed that when you needed our vote, you could whitewash our memories with the wave of your hand, like some cheap Jedi trick.
read more
Apr62018
Originally published in the 4/6/18 print edition of Yellowstone County News
BILLINGS — Stating that the only reason the One Big Sky Center project has stalled “is because of what people don’t know about the project,” Kris Carpenter, Chairwoman of the Billings Chamber of Commerce Board, was joined by a host of others to persuade members of the City Council to approve a request of $100,000 to help fund a planning study for the two districts that comprise the project.
The project is “about what could be, in our community,” said Carpenter, in speaking at The Strategy Partnership for One Big Sky District (OBSD) Development and the Council, last week.
“It’s a transformative project,” declared Randy Hafer, a downtown developer and business owner.
Mike Nelson, owner of the Northern Hotel, said he is being kept awake nights with the excitement at the prospect of the proposed project.
The City Council is expected to read more
Apr62018
Originally published in the 4/6/18 print edition of the Yellowstone County News.
HUNTLEY — Weary of winter? Hang on — another front is heading this way.
With the winter of 2017-2018 already the third snowiest in the county, the National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a winter weather advisory Wednesday morning calling for up to nearly a foot of snow in some areas.
The advisory, which began at midnight Thursday and was expected to continue through noon Friday, called for snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with “localized amounts up to 11 inches.”
Monday brought another round of snow to Yellowstone County communities. The National Weather Service reported 9 inches of snow in Billings and 6 inches in Huntley, Shepherd and Pompeys Pillar.
Snow and wind have snarled traffic in the past few days, with dozens of crashes reported. US 87 North between Billings and Roundup was closed Monday, and Interstate 90 read more
Apr52018
Dear Editor:
Hey, Huntley Project neighbors!
The snow was deep this winter, but it’s gone now, and we can all look forward to signs of spring in our yards and neighborhoods. What we are NOT looking forward to is seeing all the garbage that has accumulated along our fence lines and in the ditches and barrow pits.
We all like to think that we are living in “God’s Country.” If that is the case, we need to respect “God’s Country” and do what we can to keep it clean and beautiful.
Property owners/renters: Take a walk along your property and clean up the garbage that was buried under the snow and is now an eye sore. This walk to pick up garbage probably won’t be a one-time event. You may want to make it a once a week walk and grab a garbage bag as you head out to pick up what has accumulated. Hopefully, your body will benefit from the exercise and your neighborhood will look better.
Drivers of flatbed trucks, pickups with open beds, cars and farm implements: Keep a garbage bag in your vehicle for your soda/beer cans, fast food wrappers and other garbage instead of throwing it in the back of your truck (you know it will read more
Apr42018
Dear Editor:
Where is the justice system in Montana?
Gene Jarussi, the state’s hired liar, has asked for information that he holds in his possession and is accusing me of not playing fair or being hard to deal with. He is asking your court to place me in jail because he cannot do his job.
When at this time I still have not been charged with a crime or fined for a crime I have committed.
I have been accused of wrong doing by the devil’s right hand, the father of all liars, sued by the same in the name of justice without ever being convicted of any wrongdoing, only accused by this heathen.
I have spent four days at your expense (the taxpayers of Yellowstone County) in the Yellowstone county jail for contempt of court when, in reality, what I did was said I am not dealing with a liar I have contempt for, not being charged with a crime and being sued by the state of Montana without any real evidence or proof of a crime. What is my fine or charge?
The state claims to have in its possession hundreds of read more
Apr32018
Dear Editor:
In November, Montana voters have an important role to play in giving Republicans a 60-vote majority in the Senate.
Since each state gets two senators, one Montana vote is worth 19.85 New York and 39.54 California votes, since our population is 1.05 million and those states have 19.85 and 39.54 million people.
The last 12 years, Sen. Jon Tester, Democrat, has taken it upon himself to give your votes to New York and California. He decided to represent the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, not Montana. Chuck Schumer calls the tune and former music teacher Tester plays it well, with Nancy Pelosi pounding the drum.
Tester was the anchor vote for ObamaCare, of which he exempted himself because it’s so bad. He stood silent while Obama and the Democrats destroyed the Montana coal read more
