We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
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Driven by supply chain disruptions, rising fuel prices, and increases in production costs—whether with labor or energy, the trend towards escalating costs inevitably affects every business and every individual. Given those conditions, as well as rising costs in postage, the price of The Blaine County Journal—News—Opinion and the Havre Weekly Record is due to go up on May 1. An issue of the newspaper will increase from the current price of $1.00 to $1.50. Keri Hanson, Co-Owner of the two publications, explains: “When we purchased the paper i...
People across the globe celebrated Earth Day 2026 on Wednesday, April 22. With the theme "Our Power, Our Planet," the celebration marked the 56th anniversary of the environmental movement. In the spirit of responsible stewardship, the students at Zurich Elementary School gathered for their Fifth Annual Community Clean-up. As explained by current Sixth-Eighth Grade Teacher, Mrs. Brooke Pruttis, the litter collection day is a tradition. "We started cleaning Park Road from the school to the dump...
The Chinook Community Chest Fund Drive will take place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, beginning at 5:30 PM. For nearly 50 years, the Chinook Community Chest has helped support local organizations by eliminating the need for multiple groups to go door-to-door seeking donations. This annual drive provides vital funding for programs such as the Food Pantry, PAWS, AAU Wrestling, youth baseball and softball, youth soccer, Children’s Theater, the swim team, and the Rod & Gun Club. Community members are encouraged to be ready for volunteers, who will b...
Blood donations tend to drop during the winter months, whether it is due to cold weather or seasonal illness. When spring arrives, schedules begin to fill up. Schools are wrapping up the year, activities pick up, the weather improves, and days grow longer. People get busy, but the need for blood does not slow down. Donors of all blood types are urgently needed, especially those with type O blood and those who give platelets. Here in Chinook, we take care of one another. That is why we are asking all eligible donors to roll up a sleeve and join...
Local community members were encouraged last week to support Carson Kelly as a finalist in the Reach Higher Montana Sticker Design Contest. With that intention in mind, several residents visited the Reach Higher Montana website to vote for Kelly’s sticker, an art piece entitled “Strive to Create.” In speaking about the contest, Kelly explains what prompted him to enter: “At the beginning of March, I found out that Reach Higher Montana was hosting their annual design-a-sticker competition. To be honest, anytime anything in my life has the wor...
The Valley Clovers 4-H Club is excited to report we were recently awarded a $100 grant from Montana Farmers Union! Grant funds will help us with our goal of contributing to the Angel Tree Foundation, providing holiday gifts for under-privileged children in our community. Montana Farmers Union supports family farms, ranches, and rural communities like ours. By contributing to our 4-H project, MFU helps give our club members more opportunities for learning valuable lessons in leadership and...
Although most FFA Chapters across the country observe National FFA Week during the last week of February, the Chinook FFA usually waits until May to implement their activities. This year, FFA Week in Chinook will be May 4-7. As explained by FFA Advisor Mitzi Cecrle, this change is mainly due to inclement weather conditions typical for February and the time of season. "It has been written in our POA from past years to make this change," she explained. Monday will be celebrated by wearing the FFA...
While attending the State FFA Convention in early April, the Chinook Chapter of the FFA learned that two of their members had joined the ranks of proficiency award winners. A senior at Chinook High School, Falyn Cecrle earned a gold proficiency in beef production, and sophomore Bryce Elliot won a silver in forage production. These awards provide recognition to members who are exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways. To win her Gold Proficiency Award in beef...
During Meadowlark Elementary School's March Awards Assembly, in addition to their regularly scheduled monthly honors, Seed Show art winners were announced and presented with their prizes. Elementary Music and Art Teacher, Mrs. Amy Spence delivered some student art work to the Seed Show, and those who earned ribbons received them during the assembly on March 26. Kindergarteners receiving ribbons were Taelynn Thompson, Raija Weinheimer, Harper Crane, Quinn Fetter, and Brixlee Hammond. From the...
News Release Angie Paulsen Montana Association of Clerk & Recorders and Election Administrators As the ballots for the May 5 school and special district election are mailed this week, election officials are reminding voters that they must write their birth year and signature on their mail ballot envelope before mailing it or returning it to their elections office. Failure to provide either detail will result in the rejection of the ballot. “These laws impact every voter using mail ballots, and we want to ensure that people are aware of this r...
On April 2, the KRTV television station carried a news report about the 96th Annual Montana FFA State Convention being held in Great Falls, Montana. During that 5:30 p.m. broadcast, the Chinook FFA's Hall of Chapters entry was featured. While it didn't rank in one of the top three places at State Convention, thereby enabling it to advance for competition at National Convention, the exhibit did win newsworthy status. According to Chinook FFA Advisor Mrs. Mizti Cecrle, although FFA Chapters...
As our communities continue to support individuals and families across all stages of life, access to reliable information and resources becomes increasingly important, especially when it comes to memory loss and dementia. One of the programs Montana State University Extension is involved in is providing Alzheimer’s and dementia support for families, helping individuals better understand and navigate the challenges that come with memory-related conditions. As part of this effort, MSU Extension is bringing a valuable opportunity to Blaine County...
HELENA, MT – In partnership with Reach Higher Montana and Montana Campus Network for Civic Engagement (MCNCE), Governor’s Office of Community Service (ServeMontana) is pleased to announce this year’s Youth ServeMontana Scholarship recipients. “It is a privilege to offer the Youth ServeMontana Scholarship to deserving students who have positively impacted communities across Montana through volunteering,” said Kelly Cresswell, Executive Director of Reach Higher Montana. “They are much more than financial assistance, they were created to encourag...
On Sunday, April 12, the Chinook FFA held its biennial Donkey Basketball fundraiser. This year's competition featured four teams with the Blaine County Sheriff's Deputies eventually taking the crown as the 2026 Chinook Donkey Basketball Champions. Travelling from Entiat, Washington, Donkey Sports furnished referees, game equipment, animals wearing rubber shoes, and helmets for the protection of the players during the fundraiser. The Chinook FFA rounded up players to form four teams: Sheriff's...
HELENA – The drawings for Montana deer and elk permits and for nonresident combination licenses are complete and applicants can check their results online. This is the sixth year of the new online application process, which allows Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to complete the drawing much faster than in years past. There are a few ways to get your drawing results. Visit fwp.mt.gov, click on MyFWP Login in the upper righthand corner, then click on Lookup Draw Results, Register for Lists tab on the left-hand menu, or login to your MyFWP...
With the arrival of March, the school year's third quarter winds down and spring fever begins to heat up. Given those conditions, this round of monthly award winners might be considered a group that managed to rein in their energy in such a way that they channeled 'rowdy' into enthusiasm, determination, and positivity. On Thursday, March 26, Meadowlark Elementary School held an awards assembly to recognize that vivacious group. Among the awards presented were a Recess Award, a Mountain Mover...
As we continue to celebrate talent from the 75th Annual Montana Seed Show held last month, Harlem High School Art Teacher, Mary-Kate Nienhuis-French shared the names of several artists who walked away as winners. The students' art was organized and presented at the Seed Show by the Harlem High School Art Club with Nienhuis-French as their advisor. The big winner was Harlem High School freshman, Naeleigh Main, who scored status as Best of Show overall for the Junior High/High School Division....
With a team name like the Tornadoes, what else would their boosters be called if not the Storm Chasers? And in that spirit of the whirlwind, a group of community members, supported in part by Booster Club dollars, have undertaken the project of updating the track. Because of generous monetary donations and many hours of volunteer time, the Tornados will soon have an actual track instead of prairie grass on which the athletes can run, compete, and perform. On Monday, March 30, Miller Trucking...
On April 7, the Havre Elks Lodge #1201 announced the winners of their 2026 Most Valuable Students (MVS) Scholarships. Two of the recipients are from Blaine County: Carter Rayburn of Chinook and Bridget Reed of Turner. To win the scholarship, Reed and Rayburn were judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. As part of the application process, the candidates wrote about leadership, how they developed that leadership and how they are currently applying the skill. Rayburn's essay...
Over 1600 FFA members and guests gathered in the Pacific Steel and Recycling Arena at Montana Expo Park in Great Falls, Montana, on the Opening Session of the 96th Annual Montana FFA State Convention and Career/Trade Show. Both the Chinook FFA and the Turner FFA travelled to the Convention, which was held March 31-April 4. While in Great Falls, the two Chapters had the opportunity to tour the Montana Air National Guard base, the Wilcox Egg Packing Plant, the Montana Shed Center, and the...
Blaine County Historical Foundation is a newly formed 501 c3 non-profit organization. The general purpose of the BCHF shall be, but is not limited to: • Aiding in the development of the Blaine County Museum (a county owned institution located in Chinook, Montana), its services, and the preservation, establishment, and expansion of its collection, exhibits, facilities, and properties. • Educating the citizens of Blaine County about the needs and goals of the Blaine County Museum. • Enric...
Montana State University (MSU) Extension will host an Initial Private Applicator Training on April 14, 2026, at the Blaine County Fairgrounds Commercial Building in Chinook. This full-day program is designed to equip agricultural producers and land managers with the knowledge and skills needed to safely and effectively apply restricted-use pesticides while meeting state licensing requirements. The training will run from 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is open to both new applicators and those with expired licenses. Participants who do not currently...
On April 1, for the first time since 1972, NASA launched a rocket to the Moon, although there is no plan to land on the lunar surface. No, that's not an April Fool's joke. With its crew of four astronauts on board, Artemis II lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at approximately 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time to test human deep space capabilities. NASA's Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission...
Roy Case generously donated his time and shop-class supplies to help 7th and 8th grade students learn how to build log cabin–style birdhouses. Over several weeks, students worked hands-on to construct and complete their projects, gaining basic woodworking skills along the way. Once finished, each student was able to take their birdhouse home. Case said he wanted to give back to the community by working with youth and teaching them a practical craft they could be proud of. The class included e...
HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that seven projects will each receive $1.25 million in funding through Commerce's Montana Tourism Development Grant Program. These projects will be eligible for up to $2.75 million over the life of the grant. "Developing tourism in a sustainable and manageable manner boosts Montana's rural and under-visited communities by diversifying local economies, fostering community pride and creating tourism destinations that represent the...
