We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
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First Bank of Montana, in Chinook, celebrated "Big Day" last week. Branch Manager Craig Lowham said the day was part of a week-long celebration to attract new accounts to the bank. It was also the first day to use the local bank's new drive-up system. There was homemade root beer floats during the big day and coffee and treats all during the week. Lowham explained that First Bank of Montana is comprised of the two banks owned by Glacier Bank located in Chinook and Lewistown. Each year the...
The Blaine County Fair kicks off today! Well, readers may be aware that some 4-H events, like the Interview Judging started on Tuesday of Fair Week. Last week some parts of horse judging were completed to speed up competition during the actual fair event. Things have been happening at the fairgrounds and Fair Week is on us. New VIP seating available this year for arena events Back in the late winter the Fair Board heard a proposal from Justin Simenson, on behalf of the Bear Paw Roundup organizin...
The Blaine County Sheriff’s Department was recently awarded a Selective Enforcement Traffic Enforcement (STEP) grant through the Montana Department of Transportation. Per Debbie Gomke, with the Sheriff’s Department, this will be the eleventh year the local department has received the grant. The grant combines intensive enforcement of specific traffic safety laws with extensive communication, education and outreach informing the public about the enforcement activity. This year the grant related enforcement will occur on Saturday, July 16. Gom...
About 70 volunteers and celebrants gathered at Hoon Field on Friday night for the 2016 cancer walk. The walk, and related activities, is the culmination of a year of fundraising by local teams to support cancer research and provide services to cancer victims. Local organizers believe 2011 was when the Blaine County walk began. Prior to that volunteers joined Havre's annual walk. Before the walk began at Hoon Field on Friday night, a group of cancer survivors gathered for a dinner hosted by the...
Roy Stone began his new duties on June 1 as a Park Ranger at the Bear Paw Battlefield. A native of central Kentucky and a Navy veteran, Stone said he finds the people in north central Montana "very friendly and helpful." He added, "They remind me a lot of how nice people are back home, except folks here talk different." The new ranger has a recognizable drawl that indicates he's spent time somewhere in the south. Stone said, "Since I was a little kid, I've wanted to be in law enforcement with...
The Chinook Assembly of God installed their new pastor, Joshua Seymour, last Sunday. Seymour was raised in Helena and has spent the past six years as the Associate Pastor in charge of youth and children's ministries at the Havre Assembly of God Church. Seymour's first Sunday at the church was June 26. He's pictured here with his wife, Kristi, and their son, Enom. The Seymour family will be moving from Havre to Chinook to begin their new ministry. A community reception was held after the...
astern Blaine County gathered last week to visit with Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte. The meeting with the candidate was put together by Don Richman, Chairman of the Blaine County Republican Party, and was held in Richman's offices in Harlem. The group, all invited by Richman, was made up of ranchers and farmers, some county party officials and small business owners. Richman described the group to Gianforte as "friends of mine who I believe are also supporters of your...
Reporter's note: I appreciate when readers catch and share a mistake in an article I've written. Sometimes I make a serious misinterpretation of the facts and sometimes it's a less critical inaccuracy-like an incorrect date or the slightly misspelled name of a person or a place. Still, I like to put things right if I can. In the June 1, 2016 story about the Japanese families that came to Blaine County during World War II, much of the war-time experiences of the Tom Matsuoka family were...
Living on the major northern route for bicyclists pedaling across the U.S., Blaine County residents see lots of cyclists each summer. One of the first lone riders to come along Highway 2 this season wasn't someone from the east or west coast, but a Hi-Line resident who was riding across Montana. For Sarah Schindler, of Glasgow, the ride was, in her words, "riding for a reason, something that's been on my bucket list for a long time." The reason for the ride Schindler was riding to raise funds...
As part of its sports-themed reading program, the Harlem Library sponsored a bicycle safety workshop at the second meeting of the summer program for kids. Young riders showed up with their bicycles and helmets at Harlem City Hall for a bicycle safety workshop put on by the Blaine County Sheriff's Office. The Harlem Library and the city of Harlem sponsored the safety program. Earlier, Sheriff Glenn Huestis explained the safety handouts used in the program were from the National Child Safety...
Nearly 100 church members and guests gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem United Methodist Church. Celebrants began the day with a continental breakfast in the church fellowship hall and then moved to the sanctuary for a regular Sunday morning service. After a catered lunch on the grounds, a special program in the afternoon included more singing, a play depicting the work of "Brother Van" and a summary of the 100 years the Harlem church has served God and its community....
Steve Edwards BCJ News Information for this article from unapproved board minutes. Since the school board typically does not meet in July, a late-June meeting was held to complete some carry-over business from last meeting and prepare for July. The three 2016-17 school bus routes were approved after one change in Route #1 (Details for bus routes were printed in the June 29 issue of the “Journal”). Two new classified teacher contracts were approved and it was reported there are still three full-time teacher vacancies to be filled. Cha...
The 2016 edition of Chinook's VFW 4th of July Races was staged on a near perfect summer morning on the grassy playground of Meadowlark Elementary. Emcee and 'head gamesman' Perry Miller welcomed the parents, participants, onlookers and curious who came to see this uniquely Chinook phenomenon. In his introduction Miller said the July 4 Races got started in 1946 by a group of veterans returning from World War II-making this the 70th anniversary of the races. The current commander of the Chinook VF...
Harlem's July 4th annual celebration completed its first decade this past Monday. The summer event was one of the first programs put together by the Harlem Civic Association, a group of volunteers who promote Harlem and the surrounding community. Karolee Cronk, one of the event organizers, said, "It's interesting that in ten years we've had some weather issues during the picnic that follows, but we never had to cancel or postpone the parade in a decade." Veteran parade-watchers quickly filled up...
In 1992, Tammy Edwards was a high school sophomore and spent six months in Australia as an international exchange student. While living with a host family in Seymour, Victoria, a town about 60 miles north of Melbourne, she attended school and learned about the area. Tammy, now married and living in Chinook, has a family and is the Head Librarian for the Chinook Schools. The purpose of a student exchange program is to prepare participating students 'to thrive in an increasingly multicultural,...
Steve Edwards BCJ News The Chinook City Council held a special meeting on the evening of Wednesday, June 22. Council began building the agenda for a special meeting during its regular June meeting earlier in the month. Much of the recent special meeting was devoted to discussions about the 2016-2017 city budget. That final budget will be approved later in the summer. Mayor Keith Hanson called the special meeting to order. All council members were present: Mitch Haider; Robert Smith and Clint Greytak. One council seat is still vacant after the...
Steve Edwards BCJ News Information from unapproved board minutes. The Chinook School Board meet on June 14. Two more resignations from Meadowlark staff were received. Several contracts were approved for summer cleaning staff, a Certified Teacher Contract for the summer and contracts for CHIPS members for both 2015-2106 and 2016-2017 school years. Classified staff contracts and additional Extracurricular contracts were also approved. Three school bus routes for 2016-2017 were tabled pending some corrections that needed to be made. Chairwoman Mil...
Steve Edwards BCJ News Readers may never have heard of Phragmites Australis and even more likely never seen it. But, it's in Blaine and Hill County, and that's not good. Also known as 'common reed' or 'giant reed,' the aquatic invasive species was added to Montana's noxious weed list in 2015. Blaine County Weed Coordinator Christian Lehnart said, "Phragmites (said frag-my'-teez) is very tough to eradicate because it's a grass and usually in a place that's wet and hard to access." Weed experts...
New space is being created for the judicial functions of Blaine County. The shape of new space can be seen from this photo inside the former storage room on the third floor of the courthouse. The step ladder is placed inside what will be the new Justice Courtroom. To the right, where workmen are visible, will be offices and space for the County Attorney and staff. Space to the left, behind the existing wall, will house the judge and staff of the Justice Court-that space formerly housed the...
Police Chief Elmer Zarn is warning locals to keep their vehicles locked overnight. He said a few incidents have been reported of someone entering unlocked vehicles, especially in the early morning hours. He added, “Whoever is doing this seems to be after cash or things they can turn into cash quickly. Credit cards and identifications aren’t being taken.” Zarn said last week a county road employee, on their way to work before 6 am, discovered three abandoned purses lying at separate locations on city streets. The Chief explained, “The locatio...
Saturday evening, June 28, estimated "75 to 100 mph winds" wreaked havoc with an eastbound freight train near the Bowdoin area, between Malta and Saco. Even though the train was stopped as a safety precaution, the winds overturned a number of railroad cars carrying intermodal cargo containers. About 160 of the cargo units were thrown near the tracks during the storm. After work by an outside derailment service and BNSF employees, traffic was restored around 2 pm on the Sunday after the...
Frances Dolezal Ordway, a 101-year old resident of Sweet Nursing Home in Chinook, was recognized in early June for her service during World War II as a Navy 2nd Class Aviation Machinist Mate. The Montana American Legion hosted a series of luncheons around the state to recognize women veterans. World War II veterans were especially emphasized during the luncheons. Ordway was unable to attend the regional luncheon in Havre so Montana American Legion representatives came to the Sweet Home and...
Article information from unapproved council minutes. At its regular monthly meeting the Harlem City Council learned that the bidding process should begin shortly for the upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant. Council approved salary increases for city employees, including a longevity increase for employees that qualify. There was also action on properties in violation of the decay ordinance. The council was called to order by Mayor Bill Taylor. A quorum was present with all members in attendance. Present were: Kenneth Hansen, Ralph Schneide...
The annual Blaine County Cruise is set for June 24 and 25. Alan Pula, one of the planners for this year's cruise, said, "We didn't really come up with a theme for the cruise this year. We couldn't figure a way to make the drive-in movies match one theme. I guess if we did have a theme, it would be "Cruisin' to Beaver Creek Park" since that's the major stop of the cruise." The annual cruise is one of the main activities of the local auto club. This is the sixth year the Chinook-based club has...
The committee that organizes Blaine County's annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is putting the final touches on plans for the July 8 event. A big change this year is a shortened time for the walk, with the walk ending at midnight on Friday evening. In years past the walk lasted all night. The walk and luminary ceremony is set for Hoon Field, in Chinook, with the county fairgrounds as an alternative if the weather is uncooperative. Nationwide the Relay for Life is the major public...
