2015: A Year in Review Major governmental projects helped shape Blaine County's news stories in 2015

 

December 30, 2015

Major projects by local governments to a late July rain helped define the county's news stories for 2015. Activities to preserve native languages produced stories of local efforts to influence state policies and new efforts to preserve native cultures. And stories that reflected the close-knit nature of our communities on the prairie shaped the news for this year. Here are some of the news stories that shaped our lives during the past year.

Government actions at all levels

Late November Blaine County Commissioners completed the purchase of the National Guard Armory in Chinook for $385,000. The 5.1 acre site with two buildings will eventually house the county's road, bridge and weed control operations providing the departments more usable and efficient work space. Occupancy of the new space should begin in the spring of 2016.

In Harlem, a $4.8 million plan to upgrade the city's treated waste water disposal system was approved by the city council and engineers are completing plans. Construction should begin in 2016.

At Fort Belknap the long awaited Eagle Valley Development Project, a future housing area, began to take shape. A Naval Construction group began site preparation work in the summer.

Chinook received major grant funding for an upgrade to its water treatment plant and construction at the end of 2015 was more than 60 percent completed on the $6.7 million project. The city of Chinook also completed a remodel of its city hall and held an open house early in the year to showcase the improvements made there.

In May enrolled members of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation received their allocation from the "Salazar settlement" funds. The distribution was part of a $1 billion settlement awarded to 44 tribes for mismanaged assets and natural resources held in trust by the federal government for the tribes. The Fort Belknap tribes received about $12.5 million as their part of the settlement.

Mid-summer, county property owners received their new Classification and Appraisal notices. The prior state classification system had been in effect since 2008 and the new notices were the start of a two year cycle aimed at reducing major swings in assessed values and resulting property taxes.

Schools made news

In January a delegation of native students from Harlem and Hays/Lodge Pole High Schools, along with county educators, traveled to Helena to testify before a legislative committee considering extension of a pilot program that offered native language programs in schools. The students' efforts and those of other tribes were successful as the program was funded and several resulting programs continue at Fort Belknap, with language preservation programs for students and adults in the community. Montana tribes believe the preservation of native languages is key to preserving their culture.

In 2015 all county schools experienced some normal staff turnovers but the Chinook Schools experienced the retirement of the superintendent, elementary school principal and a larger than usual number of teachers. County-wide a survey of schoolhouses more than 50 years old and meeting other criteria was conducted resulting in "digital documentation" of nearly 150 schools that operated in Blaine County since the county was formed. The survey was part of the Montana Preservation Alliance's statewide effort to digitally document and map the state's endangered schoolhouses.

There were major 2015 sports stories from the schools (summarized in next week's sports section) and some notable accomplishments in other academic areas by students. Harlem High's 'Formula 1 in Schools Team' won the Grand Champion Trophy, in state competition, for its computer assisted design and manufactured entry. The competition was conducted to interest students in STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Aaniiih Nakoda College, at Fort Belknap, began efforts to offer an Associate of Science degree in Nursing. Currently the program is seeking approval from the Montana State Board of Nursing and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Once approved the nursing program will provide locals an opportunity to help fill the regional and national need for Registered Nurses.

Other 2015 events that

shaped the county's news

In late January it was announced the Jesuits would be leaving the Mission at Hays, ending 140+ years of spiritual guidance to Catholics in the region. Father Retzel, who served at Hays since the 1960's, said he had decided to retire to Spokane and added, "I have grown very attached to the people here."

Father Erickson, also a Jesuit on staff at the mission in Hays, will be leaving for additional training. A priest from another order is now leading the Hays Mission.

Several notables visited the county during the past year. In April U.S. Senator Jon Tester toured facilities at Fort Belknap and Montana Governor Steve Bullock visited and spoke to an assembly at Hays/Lodge Pole High School. Outside the political arena, Dr. Jeff Young was in the area conducting spay and neuter clinics for pets. Young has been doing the clinics for a number of years but recently became a reality TV series star of his own show that features his veterinary clinic in Denver.

In July Lloyd School held a 100th celebration for the building of the old school, which is still standing. It was an occasion for former students, teachers and neighbors to gather and reunite. There were a number of pow-wows and native celebrations, from the Mid-Winter Fair at Fort Belknap to the annual gathering in Mission Canyon. Community celebrations were held around the county on holidays and for special purposes. Reeling from a teen suicide on the Big Flat, the Turner Suicide Awareness/Prevention Walk drew more than 300 participants. In Chinook the annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life raised money for cancer research and cancer awareness.

Local politics also saw some changes. After the retirement of the Blaine County Treasurer and County Attorney, newly elected replacements were installed early in the year. Both Harlem and Chinook had city council elections with all incumbents reelected without opposition in the elections. At Fort Belknap, elections for Indian Community Council returned two incumbents and six newly elected members.

Weather is always news in ranch and farm country. Winter weather, according to most longtime residents, was one of the mildest in recent memory. A late July rain was heralded as a "mixed blessing." Spring wheat farmers liked some additional moisture to finish out their wheat. Winter wheat farmers, about to harvest their grain, worried about potential bleaching. And ranchers into hay, had both praise and condemnation of the late rain. The single two inch rain event was nearly double the average monthly July moisture.

Access issues continued to swirl around the Bullwhacker Road throughout the year. In what the owners of Anchor Ranch/Wilks Ranch Montana described as a good faith effort to keep the major land swap proposal alive, they temporarily opened access to public land for hunters that had been closed because of a private road issue. That land swap proposal is still in play, but not resolved at this point in time.

So, 2015 news ran the gamut from politics to religion and weather. While some of those topics may be avoided in polite company, they drive the news and this year was no different. As writer Kim Hubbard famously said, "If the weather didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation." If reporters didn't have the weather to write about occasionally, newspapers would likely be much thinner. Enjoy the New Year, and the new weather that will follow.

 
 

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