COVID-19 has varied impact on different schools in the region
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Oct 20, 2020
With the increase of cases of COVID-19 around the state and in Hill, Chouteau, Blaine and Liberty counties, cases are being found in the schools as well, which is causing some to shift their plans. Havre Havre Public Schools last week to have school go to remote learning to next Wednesday, Oct. 28 and for extracurricular activities to continue with additional precautions. Monday night, the school board voted to cancel the next football game due to 33 football players being...
USDA offers low-interest loans for producers in impacted by wildfire
Updated Oct 14, 2020
Emergency support to producers in surrounding counties/border states also available BOZEMAN — Montana agricultural producers who lost property due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture physical loss loans. The Farm Service Agency offers the low-interest loans to agricultural producers in Gallatin County who incurred losses due to a wildfire that has occurred since Sept. 4. Approval is limited to applicants who suffered severe physical losses only, including the loss of buildings and l...
Harlem schools cancel activities, stay distanced, for week
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Oct 13, 2020
The Harlem School Board voted unanimously Monday to keep the schools in distanced learning and canceled extracurricular activities until Monday as the number of cases of COVID-19 continue to grow in Blaine County. Blaine County Health Department reported Monday night that the county has 74 active cases, with three hospitalizations and 146 total cases of COVID-19. The county reported its first two COVID-19-related deaths over the weekend. The school board Monday approved...Full story
The Nelson Furniture Company
Updated Oct 9, 2020
By Keith J. Doll Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission Earlier this year I was touching up and oiling my daughter's antique walnut desk. The desk was well cared for through the years, I can trace it back to two owners before my daughter got it. It has a serpentine front with claw feet. When I looked in the back, the shipping label read: Nelson Furniture Co. Havre, Montana, I did some research on it and this is what I found: In 1917, two brothers Robert and Curtis...
Hello, God. It's me, Mara.
Updated Oct 9, 2020
You know, Lord, the wind! Is it forever the wind? It’s hard to have an excess of praise as the windy air crisps the skin and cracks the lips. It’s not quite that bad right now, but one day it surely felt like the foehn wind that came right out of the book, “Wolf Willow’ by Wallace Stegner, which we quote: “The wind that hundreds of miles to the west started up the mountains warm and wet had dropped its moisture on the heights and then came down on our side, totally wrung dry … dry and gaining temperature at the rate of one...
Havre Amtrak still not selling tickets
Patrick Johnston|Updated Oct 5, 2020
The Amtrak station in Havre still has yet to reinstate traditional ticket agents for the Empire Builder despite Congress having ordered Amtrak to do so last year and members of Montana’s congressional delegation have since responded, as has Amtrak. Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said Amtrak will have customer service representatives who will help people purchase their tickets online, but will not be able to sell tickets directly. He said those representatives can book a passenger themselves if they lack the ability to d...
Kathleen Williams stumps in Havre for Congress
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Oct 5, 2020
Kathleen Williams campaigned in Havre Saturday as part of her six-day, 24-stop, 2,000-mile tour across the state of Montana Solutions Tour. Williams faces Republican State Auditor Matt Rosendale in the race for Republican Greg Gianforte's seat in the U.S. House of Represenatives Gianforte is leaving his office in a bid for Montana governor and faces Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney and Libertarian Lyman Bishop in that race. Havre was part of her Day 3 in the tour, followed by...
What is wrong with people?
Tim Leeds|Updated Oct 5, 2020
What is wrong with people? In one day this weekend, the state saw almost as many cases of COVID-19 confirmed as it saw in the first three months of its delclared medical emergency. Montana had its first cases of COVID-19 confirmed March 14 and its first COVID-19-related death March 26. By June 1, two-and-a-half months later, Montana had 519 confirmed cases, 17 COVID-19-related deaths and two hospitalizations at the time due to the disease. Sunday, the state had 14,635 confirmed cases, 4,851 active, 191 hospitalizations and...
Pastor's Corner: Outer garments
Updated Oct 2, 2020
I don’t know if your have noticed lately, but there seems to be a lot of division in the world today. We are great at finding ways to separate ourselves from one another. When we separate, we usually find reasons or ways to make the others less than ourselves if not downright evil so that we can justify the separation and validate our position. We are confronted daily with another group coming into being to help us separate ourselves from one another. Just for the fun of it lets name a few. Well, first there are Democrats a...
Hill, Steinmetz square off in race for House District 28: Ed Hill
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Sep 30, 2020
Republican Havre School Board Member Ed Hill is facing Democrat Krystal Steinmetz in the race to replace state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Mont, as the representative for House District 28 that encompasses most of Havre. Bachmeier, who is in his second term, did not run for re-election this year. Hill said he thinks Gov. Steve Bullock did what he thought was best in handing COVID-19. "I think the governor did what he felt was best," Hill said. "I think the governor and all of his...
Obituary - Michael 'Big Mike' Tilleman
Updated Sep 30, 2020
Michael "Big Mike" Tilleman was born on March 30, 1944, in Zurich, Montana, to Belgian immigrants Henry Tilleman and Irma D'Hooge, who taught all of their children the virtue of hard work. He acquired his sense of humor from his dad, Hank, who was known as a "World Class Bullshipper" and his business sense from Irma. Mike passed away at home in Havre surrounded by his loving family September 18, 2020. He grew up on a farm and ranch, and his father said he was as dumb as a...Full story
Does legal marijuana have unanticipated consequences?
Updated Sep 24, 2020
Here in Montana, we are granted the right to vote on ballot initiatives once they clear a number of hurdles, including having the related petition garner enough qualifying signatures. Not achieved, however, is the ability to hold public hearings on the proposed issue — such as is accomplished during legislative debate, fiscal review and the amendment process. Nov. 3, we will be voting on CI-118 which would legalize marijuana here in Montana. Aside from what the proponents and opponents argue in the press about public h...
Looking out my backdoor: The 'real' meaning of life and other silliness
Sondra Ashton|Updated Sep 24, 2020
When I sit at a blank page with no idea what I want to write, I go through who, what, when, where and how of the past several days to see what might pop up and out. My life is simple. I read a lot. A lot. I read the phrase, “explains the real meaning of life,” in a book blurb. Blurbs operate as the worm on the end of the line that is meant to hook me into choosing to read that book. “Real meaning?” I kid you not. Is there other meaning of life? Several meanings? Isn’t l...
Bear spray – carry it, know how to use it
Updated Sep 24, 2020
By Fish, Wildlife and Parks The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee recommends the use of bear spray and urges hunters to learn other bear-aware safety measures. Hunters in bear country need to: • stay alert and look for bear sign • carry bear spray and know how to use it, • hunt with a partner, leave detailed plans with someone and check-in periodically, • pay attention to fresh bear sign. Look for bear tracks, scat, and concentrations of natural foods, • use caution when hunting areas that have evidence of bear activity...
Chinook schools report confirmed case of COVID-19
Tim Leeds|Updated Sep 23, 2020
Chinook Public Schools now has reported a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the district. The district announced that Tuesday it was notified of a school-related case of COVID-19 in a student from the elementary school. “School officials are working closely and consistently with Blaine County Health Department to assess the risk to the rest of our school population,” the announcement said. “Through the case investigation, it was discovered that the school-associated case did not have any contact with anyone at the school during t...Full story
Every farmer counts: staying safe at railroad crossings
Updated Sep 23, 2020
Did you know that every three hours in the United States, a person or vehicle is hit by a train? My organization, the national rail safety education nonprofit Operation Lifesaver Inc. partners with the American Farm Bureau Federation and other groups to remind farm equipment operators to pay extra attention where field and farm access roads cross train tracks. To raise awareness of the dangers for drivers and pedestrians and share tips for avoiding these incidents, OLI and its safety partners are observing Rail Safety Week Se...
Northern Montana Care Center reports staff member with COVID-19
Tim Leeds|Updated Sep 17, 2020
Northern Montana Care Center reported Wednesday that a staff member at the care center has tested positive with COVID-19. "This person was identified quickly and has been quarantined per the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines," a release from the care center said. The release said no residents of the care center are showing symptoms of COVID-19 and the center will be testing all residents. Northern Montana Health Care Vice President of Regulatory and...
Community Alliance Church holds food giveaways
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Sep 15, 2020
Havre Community Alliance Church is hosting a free food giveaway series on Wednesdays. It is on a first-come, first-serve basis Wednesdays from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on 925 Eighth Street in the back parking lot. "The food giveaway is an opportunity for Community Alliance Church to be an extension of God's hands and feet to the Havre community and beyond by helping support those in our community that may benefit from the food," said Lori Takawira, wife of Community Alliance Church...
Hill County confirms third COVID-19-related death
Tim Leeds|Updated Sep 14, 2020
Hill County now has confirmed its third COVID-19-related death. Hill County Health Department reported in a release Sunday that the death was confirmed over the weekend. The release asked people to do their part to reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, and reminded people a directive enacted by Gov. Steve Bullock requires people to wear masks when in a public place if the county has four or more active cases. People are asked to wear a mask when they can’t socially distance at least six feet away from people n...
Northern chancellor reports opening going well so far
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Sep 14, 2020
Montana State University-Northern has started school back on campus and Chancellor Greg Kegel said things went well. “We had a very what appeared to be a normal come back,” Kegel said. Northern returned back to campus by doing face-to-face interactions, but with safety precautions and caution. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state last March, right as the system went into spring break, the university system ordered campuses to shut down and finish the spring semester using distanced learning. Northern spent the summer set...
View from the North 40: Four-legged family is still family
Pam Burke|Updated Sep 11, 2020
According to current popular standards, I should be referring to my animals as “fur-babies,” but we don’t share that kind of relationship. My critters aren’t my children and I’m not their mother. I think I would remembered having a puppy in a birthing room 15 years ago. I’m equally certain everyone else would remember that, too. Surely a photo would still be circling the internet of things showing a fuzzy newborn puppy, already sporting a full beard and old-man eyebrows, lying...
Looking out my backdoor: Topsy and turvy
Sondra Ashton|Updated Sep 10, 2020
Last week, Crin wrote that she saw two full moons. I shrugged. That fits. The earth is flat, thank you, Pam. And the sun gallops around the earth at an unprecedented rate. The world and all its people have gone topsy turvy. Karen in England says, “What a bunch of miserable.” Restless, irritable and discontent. I rarely have these kind of days. Tomorrow will be different. Today is sniffles and sneezes and low-level weariness. A mild summer cold. And sadness. All will be differe...
City Council approves street closures for vendor, band events
Tim Leeds|Updated Sep 10, 2020
Editor’s note: This adds comment from Hill County Health Director Kim Larson about the proposed street dance. Havre City Council unanimously approved Tuesday closing streets for a vendor event and for a band concert and dance over Festival Days weekend, which has had most events canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and conditionally approved on a split vote another vendor street closure. The meeting also included the opening of the public hearing on the city’s budget, which was recessed until tonight, and the council hea...
Havre schools discuss re-opening, fans at activities
Rachel Jamieson|Updated Sep 9, 2020
The Havre Public Schools re-opening plan was discussed with some updates as well as the return-to-play guidelines and procedures Tuesday at the Havre School Board of Trustees meeting. Havre Public Schools Interim Superintendent Craig Mueller gave an update of areas in the re-opening plan. He said that the technology language mentioned in the plan is the distribution of Chromebooks to occur to the students to engage in learning on their off days. The district ordered 500...
The Postscript: Gladiolas
Carrie Classon|Updated Sep 9, 2020
Yesterday, I bought gladiolas. They are nearly three feet tall and bright fuchsia. It is safe to say they are the most exciting thing to appear at my desk in ages. When I walked in the front door, my husband, Peter, said, “Oh my gosh.” Translated, that means: “You have gone overboard on the flowers.” But Peter is too nice to say that. I always have flowers on my desk. I used to feel guilty, spending good money on flowers every week. It seemed to me it was a little frivolo...
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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