Week of May 13, 2026
Week of May 13, 2026
Patients of Dr. Larry Obie, a local optometrist practicing in both Havre and Chinook, were likely surprised when they received a recent letter describing his plan to retire. Many patients, myself included, had heard Dr. Obie say, "I love what I am doing and hope I can continue doing it until I'm a hundred years old." He will leave both Havre and Chinook optometric practices on June 5, 2026. He noted in the letter to his patients that the decision did not come easily. But he felt with his age...
The Montana Seed Show has awarded two scholarships in the amount of $300 each for this year to Ty Kinyon and Xavier Young, both of Harlem High School. The scholarships are awarded to individuals who have shown excellence in scholastic achievement (C average or above), community involvement, extra-curricular sports or clubs and participation in the Montana Seed Show. All applicants must be high school seniors attending college or trade school next...
Havre Police Department Thursday, April 30, 2026 Atraeu Jacob Belcourt was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest and on two misdemeanor and one felony Justice or City court warrants by officers responding to calls at 11:06 p.m. from Second Street. Friday, May 1, 2026 Blair Stacy Chiefstick of Rocky Boy, homeless (transient),34, was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct by officers responding to a call from a business on the 700 Block of First Street Saturday, May 2, 2026 Joshua Lee Tincher of Fort Belknap, 43, was arrested on a charge...
Bill Bymaster, author of the memoir I Am Not Dead Yet (Page Publishing, 2026), writes not only to salute Montana and Montanans but to pay tribute to the power of prayer while also exploring the power of choice. Born in Choteau, raised in Havre, and currently a resident of Bountiful, Utah, Bymaster is a 1981 graduate of Havre High School. After graduation, he attended Montana Tech in Butte, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1985. Since then, his work has...
Havre's American Legion Riders Post 11 are again set to hold a poker run to help Montana combat-injured veterans. Legion Riders have set the Fifth Annual Havre Montana Wounded Warrior Poker Run and Fundraiser for Saturday, June 6. Legion Rider Road Captain Alice Hauge said they have been able to donate an average of $14,000 each year for the last three years to Montana Wounded Warriors, a non-profit out of Evergreen, Montana. "Any amount we can raise for them helps," Hauge said, adding that all...
Havre Middle School has named its Students of the Month for April. The honorees are sixth-grader Andrew Lorang, seventh-grader Paisley Blanchard, and eighth-grader Mathen Peters. Sixth Grade: Andrew Lorang Andrew is the son of Jacob and Lindsay Lorang and has one sister, Annabell Lorang. He plays trumpet in the middle school band and participates in track. Outside of school, he enjoys playing video games, computer coding, and spending time with family. At school, Andrew has an upbeat...
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Havre Middle School took a powerful stand to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), with over 450 students and staff participating in a remembrance walk. The event, organized by Kerry Shabi, Havre Public School's Indian Education for All Coordinator, brought the school together to raise awareness of the disproportionate number of Indigenous people affected by violence in Montana. May 5 is recognized nationally as the Day of Awareness for Missing and...
Work on a project that will more than double and upgrade the space Northern Montana Hospital has for Operating Rooms and Intensive Care Units took a significant step forward this month with the first concrete pour at the expansion site. The project, with Sletten Construction as the primary contractor, officially broke ground March 16, with work beginning the following day. Crews quickly got to work preparing the site, including demolishing the walkway that had connected the hospital to the...
HAVRE - On Friday, May 1, 75 people gathered in Havre to demand "Workers Over Billionaires." It was one of more than 4,000 May Day Strong events in the U.S. to protest Trump administration policies that workers say favor wealthy people and corporations. Across the country, unions and community groups organized to participate in a "No Work, No School, No Shopping" pledge to show unity behind an agenda that puts workers first. The local organizers, Indivisible Havre, took a slightly different...
mpact, sturdy look-- bright eyes, brush cut gray hair, Marine Corps tattoos on his upper arms. His name is Cal Burr, Junior. He turned one hundred a couple of months ago, and he remembers firing that old steam locomotive parked outside the Havre rail depot. Listening to the man recall his own early days some eighty years past, it is fascinating to think of the way the currents of a person's time carry a life forward. Cal didn't start out with plans for Havre and railroads. When he reached age...
HELENA, Mont.—At the request of Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, and Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Bozeman, the Senate Committee on Committees (COC) met today and removed Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, from his assigned interim committees and appointed replacement senators. COC appointed Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, D-Arlee, to fill Windy Boy’s seat on the State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee and Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, to assume his place on the Senate Finance & Claims and Section E Interim Budget Committees....
At the conclusion of last week, we were notified that Jade Miller had been contacted by Nonstop Local and selected as their Project Classroom Teacher of the Month, sponsored by Stockman Bank. The Nonstop Local newscast will be coming to Havre to celebrate with the students by hosting their ice cream party for the Tower of Books challenge. During their visit, Mrs. Miller will also be presented with a $500 award check. Please check out the link for more on the story! https://www.montanarightnow.com/project-classroom/ The school board voted to...
It was a big weekend for the Havre High softball team - in more ways then one. The Blue Ponies not only were making their final home stand of 2026, but, they were in need of conference wins before the postseason arrives. And the Ponies got those big wins Friday and Saturday at the Sixth Avenue Memorial Field in Havre. The Blue Ponies took Friday's game in dramatic fashion, with a 7-6 walk-off victory over Dawson County. The game was tied at six in the bottom of the eleventh when Kenzi Harwood...
The last week of the track and field regular season was a busy one for the likes of the Harlem Wildcats and Turner Tornadoes. Last Tuesday, both teams were in action at the Top 10 Meet in Sidney. In the boys meet, Harlem’s Cassius Clark placed third in the 400 meters, while Jayvon Big Knife won the 800. In the 1,600 Ethan Walker placed first for Harlem, while Donovan Archambault was third. Walker also won the 3,200, while Archambault was fourth and Orion Cuts the Rope took fifth. Harlem’s 4x400 relay team also placed fifth, while Clark...
The Havre High boys and girls tennis teams are getting extremely close to the postseason. So every match counts right now. And the Blue Ponies got plenty of matches in Billings last weekend at the Mayfair Invitational. The Ponies faced teams like Hardin, Billings Central, Glendive, Miles City and Livingston in a tournament format, and head coach Jeff Miller’s team did very well. In boys singles, Wyatt Jelly paced the Ponies with a third-place finish. Jelly edged teammate Jordan Heninger in the consolation match. In boys doubles, the duo of...
The Chinook boys and girls golf teams are now officially in the postseason. The Sugarbeeters played at the Northern B Divisional Meet on Monday and Tuesday, but before that, they wrapped up the regular season with the Poplar Invitational last weekend in Wolf Point. On the boys side, the Chinook boys finished eighth in Wolf Point, while the Harlem boys were sixth. The Chinook girls did not have enough players to garner a team score in Wolf Point. Individually, Chyler Standiford finished third for the Beeters with a 98. On the boys side,...
It’s early in the 2026 American Legion baseball season, but the Havre Northstars were really tested this past weekend in Helena. The Class A Northstars travelled to Helena last Sunday to play the Class AA Helena Senators in a doubleheader. And while the Northstars were swept by the Senators, they played well. In the first game, Havre fell to Helena, 4-0. Havre got solid pitching from Quinn Elliott, who surrendered just four hits, but, the Northstars couldn’t plate any runs. Teegan Solomon and Tyson Brandon collected a pair of hits for the...
What a week it was for the Havre High Track and Field teams. First, many Blue Ponies traveled to Sidney last Tuesday for the annual Norm Girard Top 10 Track Meet. On the boys side, Teegan Solomon finished fourth for Havre in the 100 meters, while Cooper Walton placed sixth in the high hurdles. Havre also placed third in the 4x100 relay on the track for the Pony boys. In the throws, a trio of Ponies placed in the shot put. Tommy Lewis was second, Aiden Sheppard was third and Brandon Healy was sixth. Lewis also placed fifth in the discus. In...
The Chinook boys and girls track and field teams had one last tune-up before the 2026 postseason begins this weekend. And the Sugarbeeters turned in some good performances in their last meet of the regular season. Last Friday, Chinook competed in the Fergus Invitational, where there was most Class A powers like Havre, Lewistown and Billings Central. The Chinook boys finished an outstanding fifth out of 19 teams with 29 points, while the Chinook girls tallied two team points. Owen Davies finished second in the 800 meters for the Chinook boys,...
Zurich School Zurich School has old basketball jerseys and cheer uniforms that we’d like to give to Zurich alumni that wore them. They will be given away on a first come, first served basis. Call the Zurich School at (406)357-4164 and ask for Brooke. The last day to claim a jersey or cheer uniform is May 22, 2026. Blaine County Library Monday: Home School Hour 1:00-2:00, Middle School Meet-up (Grades 6-8) 3:45-4:45. Tuesday: Story Time 10:30-11:00, Kid Zone 3:45-4:45 (Grades 3-5). Wednesday: Teen Scene 5:30-6:30. Thursday: LEGO Club...
Call To ORder Additions to Agenda Agenda Minutes • Financial • Public Comment Museum Director’s Report • Needs Assessment, “Our Montana Voices”, Nez Perce Exhibit, Museum County Budget Meeting, By-Laws, Resolution and Terms, Summer Staff, OMAP Progress, Building Updates, J.F. Williams Move, Collections Projects Collections Assistant’s Report Committee Reports ACTION ITEMS • Montana 250 Exhibit & Budget • POS System Upgrade/Bookstore Budget • Gifts • Deaccessions Discussion: • Donna Jean Smith Estate/Endowment...
MISSOULA – When Liam Edwards graduates with honors May 9 from the University of Montana, it will be a minor miracle. Not because Edwards was overly challenged by college – quite the contrary for Mr. Summa Cum Laude – but because he packed so much into his time at UM and still managed to finish in only four years. You see, Edwards is sort of the energetic Teddy Roosevelt of UM – if Teddy was good at math, accounting and finance and got himself elected business manager of student...
As spring turns toward early summer, many Blaine County and Hi-Line residents are ready to get their gardens in the ground. Gardening in our area of Montana comes with its own set of challenges, such as short growing seasons, cool nights, and variable moisture. Gardening can be a daunting task, but with a little planning, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Timing is one of the most important factors for success. In north central Montana, it’s important to pay attention to frost risk before planting warm-season crops like tomatoes,...
Hello From the Chinook Senior Center We have been richly blessed by people who come alongside us to provide activities, knowledge and so much more! A HUGE thank you to Lisa Brachwitz, who traveled all of the way from Bozeman to represent MSU Extension's Mobile Memory Café......all for the benefit of our little community! Hooray! Yes, we all matter. By now, we have hosted our 3rd Annual Mother's Day Brunch and we couldn't be more delighted than to provide an outreach to our community by...
John 14:1-6, 27 Have you ever thought about what you really want out of life? To some that may sound like a strange question, because of course everyone knows what they want from life. The good old American Dream, a house, a nice family, a car, and enough money to live a comfortable life. But is that what you really want out of life? John 14:1-6,27 gives an answer to that question about what do I really want out of life. Jesus says: “And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going;...
On May 14-16 and again from May 21-23, Tom and Caroline Patrick will present the Montana Actors’ Theatre (MAT) production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. These shows will open at 7:30 p.m. in the Havre High School Auditorium. Matinee performances will see the curtain rise at 2:00 p.m. on May 16 and 23. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and the Disney film originally developed by Disney Theatrical Productions, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a musical with a score by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen...
Blaine County Library Adds Life-Saving AED May 20, 2026 Chinook, MT Blaine County Library is the beating heart of our community. We want everyone to know that they are welcome and safe when visiting their library. It’s for this reason that Blaine County Library is excited to announce that it is adding an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to its meeting room. Additionally, because medical emergencies often combine several problems, the AED comes with a Stop-the Bleed Kit and nasally...
We don’t have a lot of new library news at the moment, so please allow me to share some of the services we provide that you may not know about. MontanaLibrary2Go is the Montana State Library’s platform to access ebooks and audiobooks on your device for free using your library card. Simply download the app called “Libby,” enter your library card number, and start reading/listening! If you need your library card number, please don’t hesitate to call us, 353-2712. We also have notary...
Gary Martin Meland, a proud third-generation farmer and rancher, passed away peacefully under hospice care in Yuma, Arizona where he and his wife enjoyed spending winters. Born on September 20, 1948, to Sigurd and Mary Meland, Gary grew up with his roots firmly planted in the family farm north of Havre. After attending Cottonwood and Havre High School, he served his country in the National Guard from 1967-1973. Gary's life was defined by his stewardship of the land and his devotion to his...
Thank you, Keith and Keri Hanson, owners and publishers of the Blaine County Journal and the Havre Weekly Record, for saving our local Havre newspaper. We are grateful for Havre friends to step up at a perfect time of need, to keep our community connected and informed. Your willingness speaks to your passion and to your understanding the value of local newspapers in our rural communities. Local newspapers, as you well know, are very important to our daily lives. They are the key to the social and cultural fabric of our towns. Local papers...
I’m a decently good cook using simple, good ingredients. I am not a gourmet cook. I leave that to Kathy, an honor she deserves. I like to have guests to share meals. I’m past cooking for large groups. I’ll leave that to Nancie; that’s her forte. Some things I won’t attempt, much as I love them. Lani makes the most delicious chicken livers, which I savor. A long, long time ago I learned to leave specialties to special people. Rose made raised doughnuts that floated off the plate. I watched her make them, took notes, followed precise...
You know, Lord, Mother’s Day has been around like ‘forever’; it’s celebrated worldwide, a ‘salute’ to our mothers. In the U.S.A. motherhood is celebrated and recognized the second Sunday in May. Our Mom never spoke much about that day or what she and her siblings did to ‘honor’ their Mom but she told us that it began in the USA before 1915. She told how they, as a family, always went to church and that carnations were given to all mothers. Even when we were little kids that tradition held true and, in some churches, even so...
