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Given the opportunity to keep winter on the books, Mother Nature once again is holding off spring with these works of art on the river. Don't blink though because we know how the old saying goes in Montana....wait five minutes and the weather will change. Let's hope for some warmer weather by the end of the week for all those anxiously awaiting the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunts....

A recent press release from a group calling itself the Montana Study Group for Toll Road Implementation (MSGTI) is advocating for the construction of toll roads in Montana. Toll roads are built by investors who recoup their construction and maintenance costs, and hopefully earn a profit, through fees paid by road users. A fee is required of all vehicles that travel a toll road. Montana is one of only 15 U.S. states that have no toll roads, bridges or tunnels. The MSGTI group is exploring novel...
Montana FWP A new law was passed by the 2023 Montana Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte. Beginning July 1, 2023, everyone ages 12 and older would need a Montana Conservation License to access most of state land. It simplifies existing laws for state land users, and it provides a way for users who don’t buy hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses to help pay for the maintenance and conservation work on state lands. What is a Conservation License? A Conservation License is required to access most state lands. Before last y...
The press release said, “Big Sandy Organics, LLC in Big Sandy, Mont., received a (three-million-dollar grant) to increase processing capacity for organic grains and pulse crops by acquiring advanced equipment to enhance product quality, reduce labor-intensive processes, and reduce production costs. The project will also expand the organic market by promoting collaborative product development and diversification.” Heather wrote, “The grant will help us become so much more efficient, take on more business, and produce a better-quality produ...

Four Meadowlark Elementary School sixth graders travelled with their teacher Mrs. Alicia Noel to Great Falls on March 5 to compete in the Regional Middle School Science Fair. Noel received indication of prizes this past March 11. After winning Chinook's science fair, Cali Van Voast, Garrisen Powell, Rian Molyneaux, and Sasha Anderson all advanced to the Regional Science Fair. Held at Great Falls College MSU, the fair's participants were judged on scientific thought and engineering, clarity, crea...
Big Flat Community Grain Bin in collaboration with Montana Actors’ Theatre will host a dinner theater performance of The Queen of Blaine County at the Turner Christian Church on April 6. Anyone wishing to attend should reserve a ticket by March 27. Written by Executive Artistic Director for MAT, Jay Pyette, The Queen of Blaine County is subtitled “A Murder Mystery with Cows” and will be directed by Anjanett Hawk. Additionally, it will feature the talent of Mark Cichosz, Andi Daniel, Bonnie Ortner, and TJ Schwartzkopf. As the plot unfolds, the a...

Looking back over the stories I've written leading up to and about the annual Harlem Seed Show I found I tried to write about everything offered at each show. I decided this year to approach my wrap up story in a different way. For the 74th edition, I'm writing about my observations and the things that caught my attention. If you attended this year's show you might have seen things differently but here's my take on the show that ended last Saturday. A little history: Paul Rasmussen, the Chairman...

Alert "Journal" readers may recognize the name "St. Urho." Actually, really alert readers will remember when the Finnish saint was first introduced in the "Journal" I spelled his name wrong-oops. That's all in the past, way back in 2022 when St. Urho made his first visit to Chinook. He appeared first at the Chinook Senior Center for lunch on March 16, the official St. Urho Day. Here's a bit of background to this year's runup to St. Urho's Day, 2024. St. Urho created in Minnesota as a reaction...

The Northeast Montana Feral Swine Tour was in Blaine County last week. While there appear to be no feral pigs in Montana, MSU Extension Wildlife Specialist Dr. Jared Beaver, Officer Shawn Hondo with the Montana Department of Livestock and Doug Ekberg with USDA's APHIS Wildlife Services shared updates about the continuing need to be vigilant to keep feral pigs out of northern Montana. The meeting in Chinook was attended by about 40 folks who gathered to hear regional experts talk about the challe...

A chance reading of a "Facebook" post launched a project back in October that was finally completed in early February. Bonnie Hellman, with the Community Quilters at the American Lutheran Church in Chinook, saw the random post by a quilter who was making "cot quilts." Bonnie learned a cot quilt is a special covering for a corpse being removed on a funeral cot from the site of a death. The cot is a gurney-like piece of equipment that evolved over the years for removing a body from where a death...

A Blaine County Museum Director Sam French's goal to begin an oral history collection involving local seniors has started. French said at a meeting last month that conducting an oral history collection has been one of her goals since she came to the museum five years ago. The first interview was conducted last week and more interviews are soon to follow. Last month, at a monthly meeting of the Chinook Lions Club, Sam French laid out her plan to attract volunteer interviewers and interviewees. Sh...
On March 11 from 9:45 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., students from across the Hi-Line will converge on the Hill County Electric/Triangle Telephone properties in Havre for Opportunities in Trades Day. In 2023, Hill County Electric and Triangle Communications hosted their inaugural event, and considering it a success—with over 150 high school students in attendance—they decided to hold it again this year. According to Bethany Chinadle, COO for Triangle Communications, the goal of this event is to expose area high school students to opportunities ava...
The February meeting of the Big Flat 4-H Club was held on February 18, 2024 at 2:00 at Richman Insurance in Harlem. Members present include: Modesty, Alaina, Mason, Hannah K., Isaac, Hannah R., Natalie, Even, Jessa, Mary, Hannah V and Isabella. Leaders present were Hilary Richman and Shannon Van Voast. The American pledge was led by Isaac and the 4-H pledge was led by Hannah Van Voast. The treasurer’s report showed $2,954.71. Old Business: Jessa gave a report on the steer weigh-in. Isaac and Hannah Klindworth gave a report on the skating p...

On February 20 from 6:00-7:30 p.m., Meadowlark Elementary School played host to the Second Annual Science Fair. During this time, student projects were on display for the community to scrutinize, and the top young scientists were celebrated: Cali Van Voast, Garrisen Powell, Sasha Anderson, and Rian Molyneaux. These students and their projects will advance to Great Falls on March 5 for regional competition at the Middle School Science Fair. Parents and community members who strolled the Meadowlar...

Five Chinook Lions Club members visited Meadowlark Elementary in Chinook and handed out 20 American flags to first graders on Presidents Day last Monday. For some local families it's a third generation receiving the desktop stick flags. Lions Club members say handing out the flags is a 40-plus year tradition. Some surrounding first graders in country schools also receive the flags. First grade teachers at Meadowlark this year are Brigette Brennan and Tammy Edwards. Mrs. Edwards is teaching a...
By Donna L. Miller BCJ News In Great Falls on February 10, 24 cowboys were inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame (MCHF). One of the Legacy Inductees for 2024 is Clarence Basil Cuts The Rope of Hays from District 4. The MCHF Mission honors American Indian cultures, the cowboy way of life, and collective Montana Western heritage. “We exist to serve as a resource to all who wish to see this way of life passed forward to the next generation,” states their website. The biography submitted in support of the nomination of Cuts The Rope des...
The Montana Historical Society is seeking nominations for people and organizations whose exemplary commitment to identifying and preserving our historical and cultural heritage makes them eligible for the Heritage Keeper Awards. Up to two people or organizations will be honored by the MHS Board of Trustees for the Heritage Keeper Award. An exemplary nominee may be honored instead with the Montana Heritage Guardian Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of one of the Heritage Keeper Award nominees with a record of outstanding...

Ritch Grimes, former solo pastor of the Chinook Alliance Church, is the new co-pastor of the Milk River Churches (MRC). Rev. Grimes joins Theresa Danley, Certified Lay Pastor, who has been pastor to the four congregations since March of 2023. Grimes will be officially installed at a joint worship of the MRC congregations on March 3 at the United Methodist Church in Chinook. The four congregations of the MRC include the Chinook and Havre Presbyterian Churches and the American Lutheran and United...

On February 13, twenty-seven spellers from across Blaine County converged on Chinook High School's Lloyd Sweet Auditorium for the Blaine County Spelling Bee. After six rounds, Samson Sanders, an eighth grader at Chinook Junior High School (CJHS), was declared the champion, and Quin Billmayer, another CJHS eighth grader, had taken second place, designating her as the alternate. Students from Chinook, Zurich, Harlem, Hays/Lodgepole, and Turner participated in Tuesday's competition. The Bee went...
February is Black History Month, and the museum will be hosting Chinook’s Austin Haney to give us a special presentation on the Buffalo Soldiers in Montana. The Buffalo Soldiers were a United States Army Regiment that primarily comprised of African Americans. Please join us for “No Better Troops in Service: Buffalo Soldiers in Montana” on February 17th at 12:00pm, here at the Museum. This is a free event open to the public. Fort Belknap hosted their Mid-Winter fair last week. The museum set up an outreach table and sold some of our books...
American Garage in Chinook is well known for their professional automotive repairs as well as their community support over the years. Their commitment to area youth is absolutely no different. Owners, Scott and Heather DePriest, believe in the value of serving their communities and they are proud to once again offer two $500 Scholarships to Blaine County students who are going into an Automotive Trade. American Garage opened in 2006 and right away, they knew they wanted to give back to their communities. Several years later, they started a...

On February 1st, Harlem Elementary 5th and 6th grade students participated in the annual school spelling bee. The top spellers will participate in the Blaine County Spelling Bee to be held on Tuesday, February 13th, at 10:00 a.m. in the Chinook High School Auditorium. Harlem Elementary will be sending the 1st through 5th place winners to the competition. Two alternates were also chosen in the event any of the participants cannot attend. The top spellers are as follows: 1st place – Gabby D...
PRESS RELEASE The 2024 Montana Seed Show is approaching. The Montana Seed Show will be held March 7 – 9, 2024 at Harlem High School. The Montana Seed Show would like invite everyone to participate in this year’s show. The purpose of the Montana Seed Show Seed and Forage Contest is to promote the production and use of good quality seed and feed. All growers are encouraged to exhibit the feed and seed they have for sale or are using on their farms. It is the desire of the Montana Seed Show Committee to provide a system for entry that is sim...
Aaniiih Nakoda College The Aaniiih Nakoda Community Foundation (ANCF) improves the quality of life for the Aaniiih and Nakoda people through grants and higher education scholarships. The foundation fills gaps in tribal services for the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC). Historically, the Aaniiih and Nakoda have been communal people. COVID-19 disrupted the community’s traditional way of life by isolating community members. The foundation aims to rebuild and support connections between culture and community. The mission is to serve, s...
On Tuesday, February 6, several schools from across the Judith Basin District sent their FFA Chapter members to FFA Spring Districts in Havre. The event was held in part at the Fifth Avenue Church from 9:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Among those attending were members of the Chinook Chapter seeking to qualify a team for Agricultural Sales. Kohen Sullivan, Wylee Simenson, Brockton Elliot, and Ben Hofeldt served on that team, and their results are still pending. Selling Miller welders and equipment, the team of four was judged not only on an...