We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
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On Monday night, June 29, and again on July 6, the Chinook Schools’ Reopening Committee met with local school board members to discuss the fall reopening strategies in response to COVID-19. Although no action was taken during either meeting, the group is developing a reopening plan for Chinook School District during the 2020-21 school year. This plan will be presented to the School Board in August. “We had a couple of good meetings and designed a tentative plan. It is a comprehensive one, so I don’t have the document complete yet,” Chinook Scho...
Several people in Blaine County reported receiving invitations to take the Montana Opinion Survey, with a $5 gift card offered as remuneration. The solicitation asks participants to respond by July 13 to have their voices included. The notice, sent through the United States Postal Service, indicates that responses are important and “will help us understand the views of people like you in Montana on a number of issues important in our community.” The Montana Opinion Survey claims to be a project of Sequoia Research, a limited liability corporati...
The Northern Alumni Foundation invites Hi-Line residents to join them this summer for a fun and free outdoor event on the MSU-Northern (MSUN) campus. Every Wednesday from July 15 through August 12, a local yoga teacher will lead a free yoga class. An idea inspired by MSUN Foundation CEO Shantel Cronk, the more social-distancing-friendly outdoor yoga classes will serve as an alternative to the movie nights of previous summers held in the Pershing Hall Courtyard. Trading a sedentary activity for one that includes exercise is also in line with...
Triangle Communications recently announced the names of twenty-seven area youth who won 2020 $1,000 Triangle Communication Scholarships. Among those recipients are two Blaine County residents: Raynee Hasler of Chinook and Tashon Scheaffer of Harlem. To win the scholarship committee's vote, the two young women had to provide evidence of academic achievement, community and school activity participation and leadership, and volunteer service and employment. A recommendation from an unrelated third...
inic (CVC) since 1986, and for the past nine years, Melanie Skoyen has been his administrative assistant. While some things remain fairly constant; others change. On June 18, for the first time that Maureen Schmitt could remember, there were two vet students in the CVC building at 327 Missouri Street: Tylynn Rettig and Tianna Cronk. With experience that traces back to the late seventies when she was helping 4-H club members with their horse projects and currently as she facilitates embryo...
Early last month, the Montana Flex2020 Task Force and the Montana Learn Task Force reported having completed their work and thanked Education Northwest for assisting in the compilation of their final reports. In a letter to Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen dated June 17, the Task Force members shared their recommendations and guidelines for reopening K-12 schools for the 2020-2021 school year. Superintendent Arntzen has consistently communicated her view that the “new normal” in Montana’s K-12 schools will look diffe...
Founded in 1954 and identifying as the "oldest college station in Montana," KNMC, broadcasting from MSU-Northern in Havre on 90.1 FM, is hosting Quarantunes: KNMC Songwriting Challenge 2020. Several songwriters are submitting their parodies or original songs each month for the competition, hoping to win this year's grand prize: a custom made leather guitar strap. For the Songwriting Challenge, Dave Martens, who manages the radio station at the college, is posting a different challenge each...
On June 24, from a room rented at Vine 19, Board Members of the Plant a Seed . . . READ organization announced the names of thirty-three lucky winners who purchased raffle tickets in their recent fundraising effort. The Grand Prize winner of $1500 was Hi-Line Rental. In second place, Lorraine Verploegen won $500, while Sandy Wilson secured the third place prize of $250. Shaylan Verploegen, who serves on the Board of Directors as the group’s treasurer, uploaded a live video to the organization’s Facebook Page during which the top three win...
Multiple competitions took place during the 90th Montana FFA Convention held late last month, and one of the winners was Alyssa Gruszie from the Chinook FFA. Gruszie emerged as a Star Farmer Finalist, making it in the top four among 175 competitors. In other competition, the Chinook FFA Chapter Conduct of Meeting team comprised of Bree Swanson, Morgan Friede, Ryley Hofeldt, Torin Cecrle, and Aislinn Handy placed fifth. Madilyn Gruszie also competed in Livestock. Because the 90th Annual Montana...
Lane Schmitt is a new doctor in town- a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM). And he enjoys the rewards of being around his clients and forming friendships with livestock growers who raise the "best beef in the world," in his estimation. "I get to work in the best places-outdoors, under the big sky. On the job, I have seen some of the best places in the world!" Schmitt exclaimed. After graduating from Chinook High School in 2011, Schmitt enrolled in the Animal Science program at Montana State Uni...
Blaine County Superintendent of Schools, Valerie White, reported that her office has recently been receiving an increase in the number of calls regarding homeschooling. White wants Blaine County residents to know that families considering homeschooling should not only understand Montana’s homeschool requirements but know the laws governing this academic option and the significant commitment required. The coronavirus pandemic, which thrust the country into a mass homeschooling experiment, may be the cause of that uptick in calls and may even h...
The Northwest Earth & Space Science Pipeline (NESSP) grant will be providing registration funding for fifty Montana teachers to attend distance learning through the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) that supports students’ sense-making. The topic of this summer’s NSTA virtual program is distance learning strategies and assessment. NESSP partners, the Montana Office of Public Instruction and Montana Tech, understand that given the current teaching environment, teachers will be more likely to reach the goals of the NASA-funded gra...
The staff and residents of the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home celebrated National Skilled Nursing Care Week with themed days from May 10-16 to commemorate the sharing of wisdom offered by some of our oldest community members. On Monday, which was declared Pajama Day with Ice Cream Sundaes marking the day as extra "sweet," many of those living and working at the SMNH wore their pjs, showed their silly sides, and enjoyed three flavors of ice cream topped according to individual sweet tooth demands. T...
Montana Actor’s Theater is back, and the crew have been busy. Earlier this month, they held auditions, announced theater camp schedules, and hired interns. On June 9 and 10, Montana Actor’s Theater (MAT) hosted auditions for their upcoming theatrical production of The Wizard of Oz. Auditions were conducted from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Creative Leisure Building located at 417 First Street in Havre. Roles were available for middle and high school youth in this classic show in which Dorothy is swept to Oz on a cyclone. There, she joins the Scarecrow...
The past couple of weeks, the Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion has been celebrating area teachers who have faced the school closure challenge with a level of professionalism and dedication to their students. This installment, which captures the perspectives of primary school teachers-those teaching kindergarten through grade three-represents the final installment in this three-part series. To celebrate their efforts and to share their perspectives, we asked teachers to reveal not only the...
Tickets are currently being sold for the Third Annual Plant a Seed... READ Cash Raffle. Only 500 tickets will be sold, and there are 33 chances to win! The drawing will be held on June 24, but not at Triple Dog Brewing, as was originally planned. The Plant a Seed . . . READ Program is an educational community impact project that not only advocates for literacy but supports children in North Central Montana with readiness skills prior to kindergarten. This proactive nonprofit encourages and educates communities and families about the importance...
In these social distancing times, Shiloh Seymour, Principal at Harlem Elementary School, and Evelyn Bigby, Elementary Assistant Principal, took the wearing of masks and gloves to an entirely different level to celebrate their students' attendance. Because Seymour and Bigby wanted to honor their students for their attendance this past school year, while also bringing some humor and fun to the achievement, they travelled to the homes of their students on Wednesday, May 20, to hand out attendance...
Samantha (Sam) French has been on the job as Director of the Blaine County Museum for a little over a year, and she recently shared details of her preparation for the position, a progress report on her role and vision, and a few of her goals for the museum. French grew up in Havre, and after graduating from Havre High School, she attended Carroll College, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. While in Helena as an undergraduate, French held a couple of internships with the Montana...
Blaine County Museum Director, Samantha French talked excitedly recently, about bringing summer assistants and student interns into the facility. In the spirit of fulfilling that goal, she wishes to introduce readers of the Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion to Brandon Long Fox-Blaine County Museum's first-ever student intern. Expressing aspirations to advance with the Island Mountain Development Group, Long Fox reenrolled at Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC), where he is currently a business...
On Saturday, June 13 at the Bear Paws Saloon, the Tj Overcast Band will be performing at the Amber Miller Benefit. This is a community fundraiser and dance to help Miller with her medical expenses as she receives treatment for cancer. The event will take place from 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. at 213 Indiana Street in Chinook. It follows on the heels of a May 16 fundraiser for Miller, sponsored by Bikini Coffee, Shores Floral, Finley's Food Farm, Patty's Greenhouse, and Gary & Leo's IGA. Miller...
Since 1899, “to have a beef” has indicated more than just owning cattle, taking on significance outside the field or corral and meaning to harbor a complaint, grievance, or objection. Today, those who raise cattle and many who eat beef have a beef with the fact that they may not be eating meat raised in the United States. According to Bill Bullard, CEO of Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA), if a consumer buys off the grocery store shelf, the chances are very high that such beef is from South Ame...
On behalf of the Department of Commerce, Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney, who also chairs the Montana Complete Count Committee, contacted Blaine County officials this past week about the seriously low numbers of people in Blaine County completing the 2020 Census. The Montana Complete Count Committee (MTCCC) is panel of state leaders who represent the diverse communities, geographies and populations across our state. In a bipartisan effort, Greg Jergeson, who chairs the central committee in...
In a press conference on May 19, Governor Steve Bullock announced that beginning on June 1, Montana will move from Phase One to Phase Two of the Reopening the Big Sky plan. Among other changes, the transition will mean lifting the 14-day out-of-state travel self-quarantine since Montana continues to have the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations per capita in the United States. Although travel restrictions will subside on June 1, the Montana National Guard remains authorized to assess travelers in airports and train depo...
Officials at Montana State University-Northern announced on May 20 that a task force has determined that the start date for fall semester will remain as published, and classes will begin on August 31, 2020. The first regular summer session will begin on June 8 and will run fully online as planned. According to MSUN Chancellor Greg Kegel, the university remains committed to fulfilling its mission and meeting its standards of excellence while protecting the health and safety of the campus and community. Consequently, the university’s fall s...
Upon learning last February that she had received a National FFA Living to Serve grant in the amount of $800.00, Robin Allen, Advisor of the Chinook Chapter of the FFA, set to work with FFA members to make that money grow. Piggybacking on an order with agriculture education teacher Chad Massar in Jolliet, the process began with purchasing 200 petunia plugs, which arrived in March. These small-sized seedlings were then transplanted into container trays by the Exploratory Ag class and cared for...
