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  • Grant Dollars Fund School Projects in Turner

    Donna Miller|Jul 22, 2020

    Superintendent of Turner Public Schools (TPS), Tony Warren, received notification last month that the school district is the recipient of five grant awards. These funds will not only fill educational gaps but enrich learning for students of this small, North Central Montana community. The first, a Humanities Montana Grant, will provide funds for Annishinaabe artist and cultural consultant Louise Ogemahgeshig Fischer to visit the school in September 2020. In her presentation, “Living with the Land,” Fischer will not only describe the Ame...

  • Pandemic Concerns Continue to Impact Local School Districts

    Donna Miller|Jul 22, 2020

    Turner Public School District is currently developing a school reopening plan. Revisions to that plan are occurring frequently based on changing recommendations from federal, state, and local officials. According to Turner Public School (TPS) Superintendent Tony Warren, their small class sizes provide a distinct advantage in reopening for the new school year because social distancing guidelines are more easily met. Therefore, he remains optimistic that Turner Schools will be able to welcome back students for in-person instruction beginning on...

  • 4H Program Holds Project Day

    Donna Miller|Jul 22, 2020

    Several Blaine County youth attended an afternoon of workshops on 4-H Project Day, which was held on July 15 at the Blaine County Fairgrounds. Blaine County Agriculture and 4-H Agent, Juli Snedigar reported that twenty-five 4-Hers joined her and fellow 4-H/ Family and Consumer Science Agent, Sarah Johnson to learn ideas from topics such as record keeping, demonstrations, and livestock quality assurance. MSU-Extension Administrative Assistant, Brenda Jones and other guest presenters also offered...

  • Friends of the Museum Group Forms

    Donna Miller|Jul 22, 2020

    There’s a new group in town! The Friends of the Museum is a volunteer group that will assist with Blaine County Museum outreach, fundraising, event organizing, and other projects. Museum Director Samantha French conducted three informational sessions last week at the museum in Chinook to introduce the idea and to generate enthusiasm for history. “We welcome diverse age groups and backgrounds, so consider joining us for future meetings,” French said. “Volunteer projects can range from outreach to assisting with cataloging the collection or perf...

  • Lodgepole Project Receives Beautification Funds

    Donna Miller|Jul 15, 2020

    Last month, Hillary Maxwell, MSU-Extension Agent at Fort Belknap, received notification that the Lodgepole Research Orchard Beautification project had been awarded funding from the Montana Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA). The MNLA Board of Directors awarded $250.00 toward the project to purchase a garden bench. Due to the number of applications received for this year’s Community Beautification Fund, the MNLA was not able to fund the MSU-Extension’s total request, but Maxwell expressed pleasure about receiving the monetary award. The Lod...

  • Hannum Shares School News

    Donna Miller|Jul 8, 2020

    On Monday night, June 29, and again on July 6, the Chinook Schools’ Reopening Committee met with local school board members to discuss the fall reopening strategies in response to COVID-19. Although no action was taken during either meeting, the group is developing a reopening plan for Chinook School District during the 2020-21 school year. This plan will be presented to the School Board in August. “We had a couple of good meetings and designed a tentative plan. It is a comprehensive one, so I don’t have the document complete yet,” Chinook Scho...

  • The Office of Consumer Protection Warns: Be Scammer Aware

    Donna Miller|Jul 8, 2020

    Several people in Blaine County reported receiving invitations to take the Montana Opinion Survey, with a $5 gift card offered as remuneration. The solicitation asks participants to respond by July 13 to have their voices included. The notice, sent through the United States Postal Service, indicates that responses are important and “will help us understand the views of people like you in Montana on a number of issues important in our community.” The Montana Opinion Survey claims to be a project of Sequoia Research, a limited liability corporati...

  • MSUN Foundation CEO Discusses the Beauty of Campus Green Spaces and the Benefits of Yoga

    Donna Miller|Jul 8, 2020

    The Northern Alumni Foundation invites Hi-Line residents to join them this summer for a fun and free outdoor event on the MSU-Northern (MSUN) campus. Every Wednesday from July 15 through August 12, a local yoga teacher will lead a free yoga class. An idea inspired by MSUN Foundation CEO Shantel Cronk, the more social-distancing-friendly outdoor yoga classes will serve as an alternative to the movie nights of previous summers held in the Pershing Hall Courtyard. Trading a sedentary activity for one that includes exercise is also in line with...

  • Two Area Youth Earn Scholarships

    Donna Miller|Jul 8, 2020

    Triangle Communications recently announced the names of twenty-seven area youth who won 2020 $1,000 Triangle Communication Scholarships. Among those recipients are two Blaine County residents: Raynee Hasler of Chinook and Tashon Scheaffer of Harlem. To win the scholarship committee's vote, the two young women had to provide evidence of academic achievement, community and school activity participation and leadership, and volunteer service and employment. A recommendation from an unrelated third...

  • Chinook Veterinarian Employs a Veterinary Student for the Summer

    Donna Miller|Jul 1, 2020

    inic (CVC) since 1986, and for the past nine years, Melanie Skoyen has been his administrative assistant. While some things remain fairly constant; others change. On June 18, for the first time that Maureen Schmitt could remember, there were two vet students in the CVC building at 327 Missouri Street: Tylynn Rettig and Tianna Cronk. With experience that traces back to the late seventies when she was helping 4-H club members with their horse projects and currently as she facilitates embryo...

  • State Task Force Makes Recommendations for 2020-2021 School Year

    Donna Miller|Jul 1, 2020

    Early last month, the Montana Flex2020 Task Force and the Montana Learn Task Force reported having completed their work and thanked Education Northwest for assisting in the compilation of their final reports. In a letter to Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen dated June 17, the Task Force members shared their recommendations and guidelines for reopening K-12 schools for the 2020-2021 school year. Superintendent Arntzen has consistently communicated her view that the “new normal” in Montana’s K-12 schools will look diffe...

  • College Radio Station Hosts Songwriting Challenge: Quarantunes

    Donna Miller|Jul 1, 2020

    Founded in 1954 and identifying as the "oldest college station in Montana," KNMC, broadcasting from MSU-Northern in Havre on 90.1 FM, is hosting Quarantunes: KNMC Songwriting Challenge 2020. Several songwriters are submitting their parodies or original songs each month for the competition, hoping to win this year's grand prize: a custom made leather guitar strap. For the Songwriting Challenge, Dave Martens, who manages the radio station at the college, is posting a different challenge each...

  • Big Winners Announced

    Donna Miller|Jul 1, 2020

    On June 24, from a room rented at Vine 19, Board Members of the Plant a Seed . . . READ organization announced the names of thirty-three lucky winners who purchased raffle tickets in their recent fundraising effort. The Grand Prize winner of $1500 was Hi-Line Rental. In second place, Lorraine Verploegen won $500, while Sandy Wilson secured the third place prize of $250. Shaylan Verploegen, who serves on the Board of Directors as the group’s treasurer, uploaded a live video to the organization’s Facebook Page during which the top three win...

  • Alyssa Gruszie Wins Star Farmer Finalist Status

    Donna Miller|Jun 24, 2020

    Multiple competitions took place during the 90th Montana FFA Convention held late last month, and one of the winners was Alyssa Gruszie from the Chinook FFA. Gruszie emerged as a Star Farmer Finalist, making it in the top four among 175 competitors. In other competition, the Chinook FFA Chapter Conduct of Meeting team comprised of Bree Swanson, Morgan Friede, Ryley Hofeldt, Torin Cecrle, and Aislinn Handy placed fifth. Madilyn Gruszie also competed in Livestock. Because the 90th Annual Montana...

  • Blaine County Beacon: Doctor Pursues His Goals in One of the Best Places in the World

    Donna Miller|Jun 24, 2020

    Lane Schmitt is a new doctor in town- a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM). And he enjoys the rewards of being around his clients and forming friendships with livestock growers who raise the "best beef in the world," in his estimation. "I get to work in the best places-outdoors, under the big sky. On the job, I have seen some of the best places in the world!" Schmitt exclaimed. After graduating from Chinook High School in 2011, Schmitt enrolled in the Animal Science program at Montana State Uni...

  • COVID-19 Crisis Has Prompted Interest in Homeschooling

    Donna Miller|Jun 24, 2020

    Blaine County Superintendent of Schools, Valerie White, reported that her office has recently been receiving an increase in the number of calls regarding homeschooling. White wants Blaine County residents to know that families considering homeschooling should not only understand Montana’s homeschool requirements but know the laws governing this academic option and the significant commitment required. The coronavirus pandemic, which thrust the country into a mass homeschooling experiment, may be the cause of that uptick in calls and may even h...

  • NESSP Offers Opportunity for Montana Teachers

    Donna Miller|Jun 24, 2020

    The Northwest Earth & Space Science Pipeline (NESSP) grant will be providing registration funding for fifty Montana teachers to attend distance learning through the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) that supports students’ sense-making. The topic of this summer’s NSTA virtual program is distance learning strategies and assessment. NESSP partners, the Montana Office of Public Instruction and Montana Tech, understand that given the current teaching environment, teachers will be more likely to reach the goals of the NASA-funded gra...

  • Getting into the Theme of Things

    Donna Miller|Jun 17, 2020

    The staff and residents of the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home celebrated National Skilled Nursing Care Week with themed days from May 10-16 to commemorate the sharing of wisdom offered by some of our oldest community members. On Monday, which was declared Pajama Day with Ice Cream Sundaes marking the day as extra "sweet," many of those living and working at the SMNH wore their pjs, showed their silly sides, and enjoyed three flavors of ice cream topped according to individual sweet tooth demands. T...

  • Theater Opportunities Coming to Chinook

    Donna Miller|Jun 17, 2020

    Montana Actor’s Theater is back, and the crew have been busy. Earlier this month, they held auditions, announced theater camp schedules, and hired interns. On June 9 and 10, Montana Actor’s Theater (MAT) hosted auditions for their upcoming theatrical production of The Wizard of Oz. Auditions were conducted from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Creative Leisure Building located at 417 First Street in Havre. Roles were available for middle and high school youth in this classic show in which Dorothy is swept to Oz on a cyclone. There, she joins the Scarecrow...

  • Perspectives from Blaine County Primary School Teachers: Their Challenges and Joys

    Donna Miller|Jun 10, 2020

    The past couple of weeks, the Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion has been celebrating area teachers who have faced the school closure challenge with a level of professionalism and dedication to their students. This installment, which captures the perspectives of primary school teachers-those teaching kindergarten through grade three-represents the final installment in this three-part series. To celebrate their efforts and to share their perspectives, we asked teachers to reveal not only the...

  • Thirty-three Chances to Win

    Donna Miller|Jun 3, 2020

    Tickets are currently being sold for the Third Annual Plant a Seed... READ Cash Raffle. Only 500 tickets will be sold, and there are 33 chances to win! The drawing will be held on June 24, but not at Triple Dog Brewing, as was originally planned. The Plant a Seed . . . READ Program is an educational community impact project that not only advocates for literacy but supports children in North Central Montana with readiness skills prior to kindergarten. This proactive nonprofit encourages and educates communities and families about the importance...

  • Jurassic World and Mythical Creatures Descend on Harlem

    Donna Miller|Jun 3, 2020

    In these social distancing times, Shiloh Seymour, Principal at Harlem Elementary School, and Evelyn Bigby, Elementary Assistant Principal, took the wearing of masks and gloves to an entirely different level to celebrate their students' attendance. Because Seymour and Bigby wanted to honor their students for their attendance this past school year, while also bringing some humor and fun to the achievement, they travelled to the homes of their students on Wednesday, May 20, to hand out attendance...

  • A Good Position to Inherit

    Donna Miller|Jun 3, 2020

    Samantha (Sam) French has been on the job as Director of the Blaine County Museum for a little over a year, and she recently shared details of her preparation for the position, a progress report on her role and vision, and a few of her goals for the museum. French grew up in Havre, and after graduating from Havre High School, she attended Carroll College, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. While in Helena as an undergraduate, French held a couple of internships with the Montana...

  • Blaine County Museum Hosts Its First-Ever Intern

    Donna Miller|Jun 3, 2020

    Blaine County Museum Director, Samantha French talked excitedly recently, about bringing summer assistants and student interns into the facility. In the spirit of fulfilling that goal, she wishes to introduce readers of the Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion to Brandon Long Fox-Blaine County Museum's first-ever student intern. Expressing aspirations to advance with the Island Mountain Development Group, Long Fox reenrolled at Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC), where he is currently a business...

  • Overcast, Who Anticipates a Late Summer Album Release, Will Play at Upcoming Benefit

    Donna Miller|Jun 3, 2020

    On Saturday, June 13 at the Bear Paws Saloon, the Tj Overcast Band will be performing at the Amber Miller Benefit. This is a community fundraiser and dance to help Miller with her medical expenses as she receives treatment for cancer. The event will take place from 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. at 213 Indiana Street in Chinook. It follows on the heels of a May 16 fundraiser for Miller, sponsored by Bikini Coffee, Shores Floral, Finley's Food Farm, Patty's Greenhouse, and Gary & Leo's IGA. Miller...

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