Articles written by Steve Edwards
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Fair food does more than feed hungry fairgoers
Correspondent's note: Alert readers may recall a story I wrote in 2016 about food booths at the Blaine County Fair. I researched and wrote the story after I worked my first time ever in a fair booth....
Customs and Border Patrol agents visit library's summer program
Three Havre-based officers with the Customs and Border Patrol CBP) recently visited with children at Blaine County Library's summer program for kids. The officers did two presentations to educate...
Signs of the Times
Motorists coming in to Chinook from the west on US 2 can enjoy a brief "no construction zone" between these two signs on the west edge of town. They are signs of the times as road repairs carried on...
Iconic water tower is now a memory
In the late spring I was walking along Stephens Road that borders the Kuper Memorial Cemetery northwest of Chinook. I noticed some construction equipment and workers around the water tower located on...
We played in Peoria!
Alert readers may be familiar with the phrase "Will it play in Peoria?" The "will it play" expression dates to the 1920's-30's when vaudeville producers gauged the potential success of a new show by...
"Snakecicles:" a book of family snippets
A friend in Havre recently gave me a book noting, "I think you might enjoy reading this." The book was written by Tim Gilge. Locals may recall the Gilge family, Kent and Lois and their five children,...
McClelland Ferry launched for possible 100th season
In early May Blaine County Road and Bridge Supervisor Mark Burkhartsmeyer invited me to ride with him down to the Missouri River to watch the spring launch that would begin what might be the 100th sea...
Indian Health Service Officials praise Fort Belknap's vaccination efforts
Indian Health Service's (IHS) national director, and other regional IHS officials, visited Fort Belknap Indian Community last week. IHS Acting Director Elizabeth Fowler described her visit as a...
Chinook Wastewater Treatment Plant's "good example" goes international
In 2014 the US Environmental Protection Agency asked the staff at the Chinook Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) if they would help the regulatory agency develop a case study to be shared with other...
Blaine County Museum needs a logo and wants your help
The Blaine County Museum's board of directors wants to create a logo for the Chinook-based museum. Asked why the museum needs a logo Director/Curator Samantha French explained, "A well designed logo...
Chinook Senior Center reopened on March 11
The Chinook Senior Center "reopened" last Thursday, March 11. State health mandates forced the Center to close several months ago over concerns of spreading COVID-19 to seniors, a group considered...
How COVID-19 affected main street businesses in Blaine County
Over the past several months I've read several commentaries about how the COVID-19 pandemic (covid) affected businesses nationally. Recreational vehicle sales were up as folks sought ways to vacation...
Winter winds add a new 'hazard' at local golf course: drifts of dirt
A new, unintentional hazard for local golfers has been added to the Chinook Golf Course northwest of town. A wind event north of Chinook in early February equated to a Category I Hurricane with 75...
More info found about cowboy artist Walter J. Brown
Alert readers may recall a story in the January 27 issue of the "Journal" about Walter J. Brown. Brown, a cowboy for Miller Brothers from the late 1940's through the 1950's, was also a cook on the...
Young moose hanging out on northside of Chinook
A Chinook northside resident recently called and asked, "Have you heard about the moose who is wintering up here in our neighborhood?" I had not. She said, "If you come up right now you can get a...
Ash Wednesday 2021 observed in midst of pandemic
Two local churches continued a long standing tradition of a combined Ash Wednesday service. Ash Wednesday 2021 was celebrated between the Chinook United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church...
Meadowlark first graders enjoy Lions Club 'flag gift' tradition
Chinook Lions Club President Richard Cronk and member Ben Hall recently visited the Meadowlark Elementary first-grade class of teacher Tammy Edwards to talk about the American flag and give each...
Blaine County completed second Phase 1B COVID vaccination clinic
The Blaine County Health Department and One Health Sweet (formerly Sweet Medical Center) hosted a clinic last Thursday and Friday to administer vaccinations for COVID-19 to people in Phase 1B of Monta...
COVID-19 has changed how we spend leisure time
A year-long series of directives, rules and, in some cases shutdowns and cessation of public activities, resulted from the need to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Most all of us have been affected...
Native cowboy artist used materials at hand to make unique art
Blaine County Museum Curator/Manager Samantha French asked me recently what I knew about a piece of art on canvas that once covered a chuckwagon on the Miller Brothers ranch. The piece of canvas has...
B & B Buyers' collection of news clippings is a slice of local history
Correspondent's note: Laurie Faber recently told me, "You might be interested in doing a story about the news clippings posted on the walls of the scale house at the livestock loadout facility...
Maiden flight of Dick Edgington's homebuilt plane back on hold
Another glitch has halted the runup to the maiden flight of Dick Edgington's homebuilt RagWing4 single engine plane. Many locals recall the plane that Edgington, a longtime resident of Chinook, built...
"Rock writer" on the prairie: The rest of the story
Alert readers may recall a story that ran in the October 7, 2020 issue of the "Journal" about some unusual "rock writings." On the family ranch south of Chinook, Mark Burkhartsmeyer found a hilltop wi...
Christmas music: from sacred to big money makers
Christmas music is as much a part of the holiday as baking cookies, giving presents and participating in family gatherings. Though this season will be different because of the pandemic and issues...
The new normal
Carol Johnsrud, of Chinook, wanted to share a Thanksgiving greeting with friends. A retired nurse she wanted to keep everyone safe but still personalize the greeting. She would drive to a "greetee's"...
