FCT35

Donnie Steen

Tarin DeGrand

Riley Davis

Marcos Gallegos

Tegan Miller

Jesse Brawley

Jaren Lingle

Entire Baker Boys Wrestling Team heading to State this weekend

Unused COVID funds put into city general fund Construction workers are busy making repairs next to the Fallon County Health Department office in Baker. The workers with T.W. Clark of Billings are repairing underground leaks which were discovered in 2020. PHOTOS/Brad Mosher

Construction continues on repairs to conduits near county health office

Staff Report Work is continuing on underground repairs to some of the drainage conduits next to the Fallon County Health Office in Baker. According to Fallon County Commissioner Steve Baldwin, the work is under the dietary building, just a short distance away from the health office.

Warmer weather is going to help the project along over the next few weeks, the commissioner said. The general timeline for finishing the project next to the health office will be in the next several weeks. “That is what we are hoping for,” Baldwin said. The county is using the same contractor, T. W. Clark of Billings, as on the nearby Parkview (1) repair project.

By Brad Mosher

bmosher@countrymedia.net The City of Baker has added approximately $170,000 in unused CARES Act COVID-19 funding to the city’s general fund, according to the city treasurer. However, the guidelines governing its uses and restrictions have not been announced yet, treasurer/clerk Kevin Dukart said. “We did get some CARES money and it went directly into the general fund,” he explained. “We haven’t heard anything from the state on what that can be spent for, but it is in our general fund as a revenue. “So, we’ll budget that until the upcoming year when we start our budgets in July or August.” The Federal CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) was passed in March 2020 as a way to provide economic assistance to American workers, families and small businesses, in addition to help preserve jobs throughout the country. “So far, we – the city – have received approximately $170,000.” he said. However,

Dukart has said there have been no guidelines supplied on what that money may be used for – from the state and other levels. “We’ll find out during the budget time. Because it is in our general fund, that to me says it can be spent for any general fund purpose. That is all I have to go on until I hear anything different. Obviously, that is not my decision anyway. That is the decision of the city council when they set the budget for next year,” he explained. Having unused CARES funding is not unique to Baker, he said. “I am sure that almost every other community and county (in the state) that has gotten money from them is in the same situation as we are.” “Each of those government agencies are deciding how to handle the CARES Act money in their own ways,” he said. Right now, Dukart is waiting for the state to come up with the guidelines on how to handle or use the money remaining from the CARES Act funding. “I doubt that it will go through the state legislature. I think it will be handled administratively through whatever administration that will be responsible for

the CARES money,” Dukart explained. COVID hours Another aspect of CARES related monies was focused on up to about 80 hours of paid leave tied to COVID-related services through December of 2020. “We are looking at the possibility of drafting a policy, since COVID is still prevalent, that any employee who has not used that 80 hours through the end of December 2020, that they could use any remaining ones (hours) into 2021,” he said. “It deals with employee leave, not overtime.” “That is just a local decision. It will be a policy decision from the city council. There is nothing that the state would have to be done, that we know of yet. We don’t know if the federal government is going to come out with anything fixed in that or something for that particular declaration,” he added. As of yet, Dukart said he has yet to see anything in the proposed bill going through Congress at present that will have or change the ways to handle the current COVID funding the city has. “I haven’t seen any of the details on that,” he added.

Warming trend expected to March Governor cites improving COVID-19 through Fallon County, region conditions in state County active count drops to zero Staff Report

Warmer temperatures and slightly below average precipitation are being predicted for the next few weeks in Fallon County and the surrounding areas, according to the National Weather Service Office in Billings. The highs around 60 degrees during the day will continue through the weekend before dropping into the low 50s and high 40s starting Monday. But after that cooling period, the temperatures are expected to warm again. According to the NWS Billings office, the average temperature in Baker during the month of February was 9.8 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, with a night-time average of -12 degrees. At its warmest in February, the city hit 58 degrees (Feb. 2). Almost two weeks later, the city hit a -34 degrees on Valentines Day. The city also

Staff Report

had an average wind speed of 10.5 miles per hour during the month. Although the month began with mild temperatures, it was soon hit by snow and a historic cold snap before finally getting back to near normal temperatures in the final days of February. From Feb. 6 through the 14, the region was hit with an extended period of very cold

temperatures when an arctic air mass dropped out of northern Canada into Montana. Billings at one point had five straight days of highs below zero. Other communities were hard hit by the extreme cold, with Ingomar hitting a -44, Roundup (-43) and Brandenberg (-40). Baker and Miles

See WARM WEATHER Page 2

The impact of COVID-19 cases in the Treasure State is continuing to improve, according to Gov. Greg Gianforte. The governor has announced that the state will be moving into a new phase in the battle against COVID-19 with now three available vaccines. Montana has access to the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and is getting the newer onedose Johnson and Johnson vaccine as well. Starting Monday, the state will open Phase 1B-plus when it comes to vaccinations, according to state health officials. The category will include people between 60 and 70 years of age, along with people 16 years or older with certain medical conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and liver disease. At his recent press conference, the governor said that he wanted everybody to be able to get vaccinated, the supplies are still in short supply. “The best thing we can do for our neighbors is to prioritize Montanans who are most at risk of serious complications and death from this serious virus,” he said at his press conference. “That is what Phase 1B and Phase 1B plus do.”

Under the Phase 1B plus designation, state officials have estimated that it will have an effect on approximately 100,000 Montanans. As of March 2, there have been more than 100,000 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the state, with 1,385 fatalities attributed to COVID-19. Currently, the state had listed 1,559 active cases and 83 hospitalized. Since the pandemic hit the state, 4,591 people have been hospitalized by the virus. Since the virus hit Montana about one year ago, the state also is listing 97,643 as having recovered. County count at zero As of March 1, Fallon County is at zero again in active cases. That follows a drop to one case reported online Feb. 23 by the local county health department. According to the Fallon County Health Department, between the Fallon County Public Health and Fallon Medical Complex combined, 483 people have full vaccinated with their COVID vaccine. In addition the health department also said that 283 people have recovered in the county and that there is no one currently hospitalized with

See COVID-19 CONDITIONS Page 2

March 5, 2021

Doug Shuck, 60, of Dickinson, ND, passed away on Feb. 21, 2021 at the Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck. Memorial Services for Doug will be on March 8 at 10 a.m. at the St. Charles Catholic Church. Fr. Paul Eberle will celebrate the Mass. There will be a Rosary and Vigil Service for Doug on Sunday, March 7, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the St. Charles Catholic Church. Douglas (Doug) Todd Shuck, 60, of Dickinson, ND, passed away Feb. 21, 2021 in Bismarck, ND. He will be forever in our hearts. Doug was born March 15, 1960 in Rhame, ND. He attended school in Rhame before furthering his education at North Dakota State University (NDSU). He went on to work for the oil rigs, the railroad, and spent many years in the bar/restaurant business. He became a regional trainer for Chili’s in Oklahoma and then moved to Denver. He loved fine food and could take you to a 5-star restaurant or the best ‘hole in the wall’ joint in town for scampi or a burger. In 2009, Doug moved to Dickinson, ND and worked for NALCO and Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing. In his working life, Doug never talked about the job. It was always about connecting with the people he met. His kindness and generosity were endless, and he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. Doug’s knack for storytell-

Doug Shuck, 60

ing and his love of people were passed down from his dad, Bob. Just like his dad, you would gravitate to him like a magnet. He made everyone feel like they were the only one in the room. Doug’s wit and gift for delivering a great joke matched any standup comedian. You might have heard the one about…. Two spark plugs walk into a bar and ask for a beer. The bartender says, “Yes, I will serve you but don’t start anything!” Along with his penchant for jokes, Doug was an excellent dancer and avid reader. His card playing and cribbage cunning were legendary. At the famous O’Donnell Reunion ‘Cribbage Tournament’, Doug and his niece, Megan, battled 80 cousins (and Bob Shuck) to take home the coveted Toilet Seat trophy. Doug had a special place in his heart for his nieces and nephews. He took great pride and joy in watching Karmen, Kyle, Megan, Rhys and Colby in their sporting pursuits. Karmen and Doug had a special bond and talked daily for many years.

FROM PAGE 1 Doug loved sports and one of his favorite memories was playing with his brother, Sid, on the winning team for the district 32 tournament his senior year of high school. Doug attended countless basketball, hockey and football games over the years and collected hats from many teams. His gift for remembering facts and sports statistics helped him win third place in a national Trivial Pursuit tournament. Doug was an adventurous soul and traveled the world. Cindy and Lisa shared many adventures with him, including sailing the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. He made friends everywhere he went and a journey with Doug was always unforgettable. He is preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth (Betty) O’Donnell Shuck. He is survived by his father, Robert (Bob) Shuck, Bowman, ND; siblings Cindy Sanford, Bismarck, ND; Lisa Shuck (Leo Canterri), Australia; Sid (Jules) Shuck, Windsor, CO; nieces and nephews Karmen (Billy) Wahl, Mandan, ND; Megan Sanford (Eric Miller), Fargo, ND; Kyle Sanford (Delaney Freer), Fargo, ND; Rhys Osborne (Jenn Druva), San Diego, CA; Colby Shuck, Windsor, CO; and greatniece/nephew, Scarlett and William Wahl, Mandan, ND. Doug was loved by everyone he touched and will be missed. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Bowman Regional Public Library or a school of your choice.

Maurice T. Overn, 98

Maurice T. Overn, 98, of Spearfish, formerly of Capitol, passed away Feb. 26, 2021 at Monument Health in Spearfish, SD. Services are pending with Stevenson Funeral Home

Fallon County Times

WARM WEATHER

OBITUARIES

Ekalaka and will take place in spring. Condolences may be shared with family at stevensonfuneralhome.com.

berg (-40). Baker and Miles City both recorded lows of -34 degrees. Later, near the end of February, strong winds blew through the state. Livingston Airport recorded a peak gust of 82 miles per hour – a February record. According to Nickolai Reimer, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Billings, the extreme cold of February will not be returning. “We might be a little bit cooler in the eight to 14-day range, but then beyond that the general trends look like warmer than normal – the eastern part of the state is well into the warmer outlook. “It will be nothing as cold as we just had by any means, but we might see temperatures be a little below normal for a couple of days.” he said Tuesday. The region had been hit by an arctic cold front several weeks ago, but it doesn’t look like it will be repeated, he said. That cold front happened when the jet stream was weakened. “The stronger the jet-stream, the more it can hold that Arctic air further north. We just had a weakness in the jet stream

COVID-19 CONDITIONS

FROM PAGE 1

that there is no one currently hospitalized with COVID-19. Fallon County has had 285 cases this year, most of them happening when there was a wave of cases in the fall that prompted activating a mask mandate in the county. While the general mask mandate has been lifted

that did allow that cold air creep south. It was weak enough that it creeped all the way south to the Gulf of Mexico eventually, Reimer said. Looking ahead, it might be not so much drier than normal in the eastern section of Montana, but for the next couple of weeks, most of Montana has equal chances of above normal, normal and below normal when it comes to precipitation, the meteorologist said. “The extended outlook for the next three to four weeks has some above normal precipitation chances just clipping Fallon County. So, there is a chance there could be a bit of moisture. It is not necessarily a super strong signal, one way or another.” The Fallon County region will still be in drought conditions. “Carter and Fallon, that tier right along the Dakotas, is in severe drought right now and the seasonal drought outlook has the drought persisting,” he said. “We are not really seeing anything that will be above normal enough to start reducing that lack of moisture that we have seen (in the area).” Because the winter has been somewhat drier than normal with less persistent snow cover, that condition may not be changing soon,” he said. “We certainly have seen less moisture being put into the ground than we would in a more normal (season).” by the state, the county health department is still recommending that people wear masks as much as possible when they are out in public. People wanting to inquire about getting vaccinated should call the health department at 406778-2824. “If you are wanting the COVID vaccine and have not called to get your name on one of our lists, please do so,” the health department posted on its Facebook page.

Red Butte Ramblers

By Sayge Barkley, Club Reporter

In the most recent meetings of the Red Butte Ramblers, many topics have been discussed. Greytak Calendar sales have

been completed and we thank everyone who purchased them. Many workshops took place in December, including a beading workshop and Christmas cookie workshop. Fruit sales have also come to a close and fruit will

come in on March 17. We hosted Foods Festival on Feb. 28, and had ten participants all of whom received blue ribbons. There is a sheep workshop on March 7, and on April 1 fairbook cover entries are due.

Harrison named NCO of the quarter and NCO of the Year

Air Force SSgt Dannie Harrison recently was named NCO of the quarter and NCO of the Year. Dannie is stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, CA. She is a NCOIC of Dental STR (dental assistant). She is the daughter of Sharon Harrison and the late Pat Harrison and a 2010 Baker High School graduate.

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Fallon County Times

March 5, 2021

FILES OF THE TIMES

Frances Sikorski, vice president; Alice Newell, secretary; and De Herbst, treasurer.

50 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 11, 1971 --

10 YEARS AGO Friday, March 11, 2011 --

Daylight Saving Time starts March 13. . .Jalyn Klauzer, junior at Baker High School, was selected as the number one player in the District 38 conference. . .Delmar Jensen will celebrate his 90th birthday March 19. . .Dale Leivestad has helped build a larger children’s center in Uganda. The building has space to accommodate, educate and care for orphans, fatherless children and children with special needs. The newly built center will honor Leivestad’s son, Brandon, who passed away. Dale, his wife Annette, daughter Marissa, daughter Brandi Randash and her husband Dennis traveled to Uganda in February to dedicate the new building. They also took along many supplies for the people there. . .Brandon Schmidt is the new president of the Eastern Montana Economic Development Authority and they will be working on developing a long term economic plan. . .National Girl Scout Week is March 6-12. Pierette Rambur is the Service Unit Manager. . .High temperature March 3 was 3 degrees. . .As of March 3, the Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture has 65 paid up members.

20 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 9, 2001 --

Teight Minarik Madler is Fallon County’s first baby of 2001. He was born Feb. 23 at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City to Rick Madler and the late Teresa Minarik of Baker. . .Scott Rieger is pictured with the Logan Coach trailer he won at the Tryan Productions winter series team roping as champion header. . .Baker and Plevna students will be attending the Academic Olympics March 12-13 in Miles City. . .Plevna Cougars placed third at the divisional tournament. . .Wells Fargo Bank has on display pictures painted by second year art student Joy Ho. She is a senior at Baker High School and the daughter of Ping and Louie Ho. . .Joseph Halmans, eight year old son of Joe and Louella Halmans, is the top popcorn salesman of the area. Joseph sold $2,175 worth of popcorn for the Baker Cub Scouts. . .O’Fallon Historical Society is planning to print another history book

of Fallon County. Information deadline for this book is July 1. . .Baker Volunteer Fire Department was called to the Fern Myhre ranch 12 miles southeast of Baker Feb. 28. A natural gas well fire was in progress.

30 YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 7, 1991 --

A fee will now be charged to visit Medicine Rocks State Park, according to the State Parks Division. . .Local winners of the District Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest were Gye Varner, Kamie Newell, Paul Schwartz and Kelli Schillinger of Baker; Guy Stickney and Roderick MacKay of Plevna. Kamie Newell hit 25 out of 25 shots. Their scores will now be forwarded for state competition. Kody Cline of Ekalaka hit 24 of 25. . .Julie’s Flowers and Gifts has a new name - Carousel Flowers and Gifts and a new owner - Pat LaCross. . .Baker Jaycees held a “Rock for Shamrock” fundraiser dance for youth. One hundred-thirty youth attended and contribute $150 for the MDA. Ryann Fradenburgh and Jennefer Pratt were elected king and queen of the Shamrock dance. . .Fifty-five butcher hogs weighing 242-267 lbs., bring $48.75. . .High temperature March 4 was 63 degrees.

Dick Knowles, in a poll taken by the Billings Gazette, was named to the all-conference team, and Herb Townsend was named to the second team at the eastern Class B divisional basketball tournament. . .A bomb scare empties Baker High School. No bomb could be found by the police department. . .Plevna cheerleaders pictured winning first place trophy at C tournament. They are Rita Wiseman, Trisha Travis, Leslie Hersrud and Lynette Bohle. . .Paul Hitchcock, a music major at Dickinson State, leaves Monday on an eight day tour with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

60 YEARS AGO

Thursday, March 9, 1961 --

Plevna heads to Wolf Point for the state basketball tournament. . .At the regular school board meeting, all high school teachers were re-hired with a salary increase pending the passage of the mill levy. . .Valley Motor has just opened a new business in Baker with Bernie Sands, who comes from Malta, as manager. . .Mr. and Mrs. Del Craft have leased the Kit Kat and are renaming it the Lake Shore Supper Club. . .Three juveniles are helping the City of Baker with small civic duties which include hauling scoria, painting and waxing floors in the City Hall and digging post holes. Their civic duties result from helping themselves to shoes at Russell’s Store. They were reported as not fitting any of them.

70 YEARS AGO

40 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 5, 1981 --

Thursday, March 8, 1951 --

A $1,000 reward has been offered by the Fallon County Commissioners for information leading to the arrests of those involved in the recent vandalism of county equipment at the county shop . .Pictured is Jodie Newell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russ Newell. She was named top seller in the recently completed Girl Scout cookies sale. Jodie sold 216 boxes of cookies. . .Sandra Kinsey, Fallon County Public Health Nurse, and Kathy Cornelius attended a two day genetics seminar in Miles City last week. . .Open house to be held March 7 for Dut and Deal Brown in honor of their 40th wedding anniversary. . .John Holger Wiman, 76, passed away Feb. 28; Iva Burghduff, 91, of Ismay, passed away Feb. 27. . .Lillian Jensen has been elected president of the Democratic Women’s Club for 1981. Other officers are

Mrs. Teresa Stark began her duties Monday as treasurer of Fallon County, the position to which she was elected last fall. The outgoing treasurer, Mrs. Christine Mengel, began work in the assessor’s office. Assisting Mrs. Stark will be Viola Lang and Evangeline Roesler. . .Joe Silvernagel of Mobridge, SD, arrived Thursday to assume managership of the Red Owl Store. . . Albert Stadel, seaman USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Stadel, is serving aboard the heavy cruiser USS St. Paul in the far east. Pvt. James Kirschten, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kirschten, is on a ten day furlough from Camp Crook, CA. Pvt. George Rakes is here on a ten day furlough visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanton Rakes. Pvt. Gene Skidmore, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Skidmore, is now on his way to Japan.

80 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 6, 1941 --

Terry, Ollie, Ekalaka, Mildred, Medora CCC, Golva and Marmarth will participate in Baker’s first annual independent basketball tournament March 20-22. . .The town choir will present “The Seven Last Words of Christ” Good Friday evening. . .The Union Construction Co. of Great Falls is moving in extensive road machinery this week and work on the new Baker- Ekalaka highway will be resumed. The construction will begin at Ekalaka. . . Lacy Speelmon, deputy sheriff for the last five years, resigned his position this week and expects to go back to his former business of dealing in livestock. . .Five men were inducted this week including Peter Sliper, Arthur Johnson, Leonard Cozad, Victor Berg and Henry Rambur. In case any are rejected, replacements will be filled by Merle J. Mikkelson, Gerald Smeltzer and Harry Pratt. . .Jack Lentz, son of Postmaster and Mrs. Karl Lentz, is the new post office clerk, replacing Grant Corey.

90 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 5, 1931 --

A special election to decide the question of whether or not Baker will have a new gymnasium and additional classrooms next year has been called for March 23. The bond issue will amount to $25,000 to construct the classrooms and gym. . .Fallon County Commissioners failed to renew for another two years the contract for county agent extension work in this county. J. E. Warren, chairman of the board, stated the action was taken in the interests of the economy. The present contract held by J. O. Hembre will expire July 1. . .The dwelling place and barn on the Christ Idecker place, two miles south of the 101 Ranch, were completely destroyed by fire last Friday night. Origin of the fire was not known.

100 YEARS AGO Thursday, March 10, 1921 --

Frank LaCross, father of Lewis and Leon LaCross, died Friday morning. . .While herding horses Sunday, Gus Crawford was thrown from his horse and was hurt quite badly. An early recovery is predicted. . .Conditions at the oil well being drilled south of Baker, the Beaver Creek Medicine Rocks Well, are considered favorable. . .In a deal with W. W. Beck, John Barger and Leo Burns became joint owners of a duplex house on the south side. . .James O’Connor returned Wednesday morning from Spirit Lake, IA, where he had been working during the winter. Jim will farm the Greisy farm south of Baker this summer.

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Fallon County courtroom; Knights of Columbus, 8 p.m., St. John’s Catholic Church basement. March 18 - Free Business Development, by appointment, call 406-748-2990. March 20 - First Day of Spring March 21 - Changed For Life Church services, 10 a.m., Good Life Center.

Fallon County

Times

For your Printing Needs •HOPE, do you feel alcohol is causing problems, we can help, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the American Lutheran Church. •District Court is in session the first Tuesday of the first full week of the month and as often as business warrants. Interested persons are welcome to check a specific schedule at the office of the Clerk of District Court. •O’Fallon Historical Museum: Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m-noon & 1-4 p.m. •Fallon County Library hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. •Driver Licensing Schedule, every Tuesday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m., courthouse.

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Published Every Friday in Baker, Montana

Tina Rost

March 4 - Baker Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, noon, Baker Bowling Center. March 7 - Changed For Life Church services, 10 a.m., Good Life Center. March 8 - Celebrate Recovery, 6-8 p.m., Assembly of God Church basement; American Legion Auxiliary, 6:30 p.m., American Legion; Hospital Helpers. March 9 - Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., American Lutheran Church; Friends of Library, 5 p.m., library basement; School Board, 6 p.m., high school boardroom; Grief Support Gathering, 6 p.m., Stevenson Funeral Home. March 10 - Baker CowBelles; City Council, 7 p.m., Fallon County courtroom. March 13 - Derry Diegel’s 80th Birthday Celebration, 11:30 a.m-1:30 p.m., Gunner’s Ridge Bar and Grill, Glendive. March 14 - Daylight Saving Time; Changed For Life Church services, 10 a.m., Good Life Center. March 15 - Celebrate Recovery, 6-8 p.m., Assembly of God Church basement; Fair Board meeting, 6 p.m., Fallon County Fairgrounds exhibit hall; Fallon County Water & Sewer District/Stanhope Addition, monthly meeting, 5:30 p.m., library basement. March 16 - Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., American Lutheran Church. March 17 - St. Patrick’s Day; City Council, 7 p.m.,

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March 5, 2021

Fallon County Times

SPARTAN

of the Month March

By Macy Varner

The following students were chosen as “Spartan of the Month” for this February. All students were chosen by their teachers for portraying admirable qualities as Baker Spartans.

High School

Kacee Moore was chosen as the High School Spartan of the Month by Mrs. Linda Rost. Mrs. Rost chose Kacee because of her eagerness to learn and kind heart.

Marcos Gallegos

Riley Davis

Boy’s divisional wrestling report By Jaelyn Quenzer and Erica Verke The boy’s divisional wrestling tournament took place over the weekend of Feb. 28 in Billings, MT. There were 19 states that entered the Divisional Tournament. Excitedly, everyone from the Baker wrestling team placed and will get to compete at the state competition this next week. Riley Davis, freshman got 1st in his weight class of 103 lbs. We asked Riley how he felt when he qualified for state and he said “I felt like I deserved to be there.” Marcos Gallegos, junior, placed 3rd in his weight class of 205 lbs. Marcos was asked if he was proud of his placement, his response was “With this being

the first time I’ve wrestled in divisionals, I am happy with my placing. It puts me in a good spot for state.” Jesse Brawley, freshman, got 4th place in his weight class of 160 lbs. Jesse said he plans on preparing for state by “not changing anything up that I’m used to. I want to enter the tournament as if it was another small meet. I am the only freshman at my weight class and knowing this gives me an underdog feel like I have nothing to lose.” Tegan Miller (132), junior, placed 5th, Tarin Degrand (152), sophomore, got 6th, Jaren Lingle (103), freshman, placed 6th place also, and Donnie Steen (132), junior, placed 7th. The State B-C Boy’s Wrestling Tournament will take place in Shelby, MT on March 5-6. Good luck to the Baker Boys Wrestling Team at State!

Middle School

Kyal Hadley was chosen by Mrs. Pam Beach as the Middle School Spartan of the Month. Kyal was chosen because of her kindness and willingness to lend a helping hand.

Longfellow Elementary School

First grade students write thank you notes to PTA

Saige Knipp was chosen as the Longfellow Spartan of the Month by Mrs. Denise Wang. Saige was chosen because of her hard work in the classroom. Mrs. Wang also stated that Saige is so kind and helps everyone.

Lincoln Elementary School

Westin Nelson was chosen as the Lincoln School Spartan of the Month by Mrs. Jill Shelhamer. Westin was chosen because of his willingness to go above and beyond. He is the first one to help anyone in need and his kindness does not go unnoticed.

On the 100th day of school, Mrs. Kari Strandbakke’s 1st grade class was able to celebrate the generous donation of books given to their class by the Baker Public School PTA. Last week, these students worked hard on writing thank you notes to the PTA for this awesome gift! They also were able to learn the process of making sure to underline the title of a book in their writing, which they practiced in their thank you notes.

Maddox Moser and Wade Halmans

Students read for relaxation Aside from all of the other holidays that exist in February, there is also one that encourages students to dive into a good book. February is “I Love to Read” month and this promotes a love of reading or being read to. Teachers at Longfellow School took this to the next level by creating a fun environment to promote reading for relaxation.

Third grade students in Mrs. Denise Wang’s class have enjoyed relaxing in the “Books on the Beach” setting while spending some useful time appreciating their books! This creation proved to be quite a success for enticing students to read and a great way to increase student involvement in reading for this month long holiday!

Jackson Bartholomew and Kallie Schwindt

Adison Menger

Students create art after unique saying By Maria Moser

Last week Mrs. Palo and Mrs. Hastig’s 4th grade classes started doing art projects to commemorate the beginning of March. Their teachers discussed the saying, “In like a lion, out like a lamb” and had them create art for this theme. Students had the opportunity to create their very own lions using oil pastels. They then will use items like newspaper, scrapbook paper, and magazines to design a unique mane for their lion drawings. This was a fun project for students to put a visual to an everyday phrase.

Fallon County Times

Cougar Tracks

News from the Plevna School

Catapulting into the next unit By Dacy Buerkle Mrs. Schumacher’s physics class has been working on projectile motion. They have recently been focused on calculating vertical and horizontal components. In order to demonstrate their calculations, the students built miniature catapults out of popsicle sticks and rubber bands. The students then launched marshmallows in the hallway and recorded the distance and launch time. The farthest launch came from Dean Alford’s catapult with a whopping 1070 centimeters! The following week came with another task. Using their vertical calculations, students had to launch their marshmallows through a hoop attached to the ceiling. They cut their vertical height in half, and hung the

Dacy Buerkle launching her catapult, while Trinity Rieger and Ashley Sander record data. hoop from that distance. Then, they subtracted or added textbooks to make sure their launch height was correct. One by

one, the students launched their marshmallows through the hoop, securing their vertical component equation knowledge!

The students pulling hard!

Third grade physics By Chloe Tudor

Mrs. Benner’s third grade class has been learning about the fundamentals of force with friction. Their first hands-on lab involved an intense game of tug-of-war, with variables added. The boys pulled off their shoes and had to compete against the girls; who kept theirs on. The added friction of shoes, and pure strength, enabled the girls to win the game. The roles were swapped and the boys

slapped their shoes back on, beating the slippery socked girls. The students also tried out the force difference between pushing versus pulling. The final lab involved shooting bent cardboard pieces up into the air by using rubber bands. The potential energy was released, and the cardboard would go sailing. The third graders tested out different sizes of rubber bands, and analyzed which ones worked best. Overall, the class was excited to conduct Mrs. Benner’s involved force labs.

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Spirit week By Jenna Paul During the week of District Tournaments, athletic director Mrs. Spencer put together a week full of fun outfits to show spirit for our high school basketball teams. On Monday, students dressed Mathlete vs. Athlete. Tuesday came with Tacky Tourist, and we saw many Hawaiian shirts and fun hats! With both the high school boys’ and girls’ teams heading to tournaments on Wednesday, the school dressed in their Cougar Spirit gear. Would it really be a spirit week if we didn’t throw it back? Thursday brought the classic Throwback Thursday attire, with big hair and bright colors. The Plevna teams sure made an impression at Tournaments!

FFA Week

The girls measuring their hoppers.

March 5, 2021

The upperclassmen showing off their Mathlete vs. Athlete attire.

The grade school students wearing their Tacky Tourist outfits.

By Jenna Paul

Students at the Chapter Petting Zoo.

The Plevna FFA Chapter participated in the National FFA Week during the week of Feb. 22-26. When students and staff entered the school building Monday morning they were welcomed with blue and gold decorations! The officer team handed out FFA bingo cards for the week, with two numbers given during announcements. The winning students were: Hugo Thielen and Emory Rieger. On Tuesday, president Dacy Buerkle and treasurer Chloe Tudor traveled to classrooms to discuss how each student could be a part of Agricultural Advocacy. During the Parent/Teacher Conference on Thursday students and adults were invited to check out the Chapter Petting Zoo. Students found sheep, goats, lambs, horses, ducks, rabbits, and chickens to play with! To line up with the National FFA Week happenings, the students in Plevna wore blue and gold among other schools around the nation! The FFA Officer Team would like to thank everyone that participated in the week’s activities, and cannot wait to see how they spread agriculture throughout the year.

Dacy Buerkle and Chloe Tudor visiting with the fourth grade students.

February Harvest of the Month

By Chloe Tudor

The month of February holds beets as it’s Montana Harvest of the Month. Beets were cultivated and developed by the Romans, who were the first people to eat both the roots and leaves. The color of beets ranges from dark purple, bright red, yellow, or white. If cut transversely, the roots show light and dark rings; sometimes in alternating colors. A famous variety is the Chioggia beet, which is red and white striped, lending to it’s nickname the “candy cane” beet. Beets are a root vegetable of the Chenopodiaceae, or Goosefoot family; the deep, red color is due to a pigment called betacyanin. Beets have the highest sugar content of any vegetable but are packed with excellent nutrients. These vegetables play a very important part of Montana’s economy; nearly 1.5 million pounds were harvested in 2014 from 44,000 acres. Beets do well when planted after a pulse crop and can be grown with onions, cooking

Jaeda Paul handing out information on beets. greens, radishes, turnips, and garlic. When selecting beets in a store, one should choose those that have firm skins, those that are round with a slender taproot. The smaller the beet the more tender the root; as the size increases so does the toughness. Medium and large sized beets are best for cooking, anything over three inches in diameter are

normally too woody for eating. Fresh beets can be stored for months, making them a good winter vegetable. The versatile food can be eaten, roasted, raw, or pickled; making beets a perfect candidate for any meal. The Plevna FFA officer team enjoyed enlightening the students on beets and look forward to their next Harvest of the Month.

- Falecia Rader

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March 5, 2021

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED

FALLON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: We are seeking a Library Aide for our Public Library.

Love learning, books, and providing the highest level of customer service? This position may be for you! This position performs a variety of activities which promote and support the use of library resources. We offer an excellent benefit package including health insurance, retirement, a Monday – Friday schedule, and 10 paid holidays. Fallon County is an equal opportunity employer. We reserve the right to reject any and all applications. Closing Date: Monday, March 15, 2021. Applications and a complete job description are available at the Human Resources office, 10 W. Fallon Avenue, Baker, Montana or online at falloncounty.net. Submit applications and a copy of current nursing license (resumes optional) to: Human Resources Manager, PO Box 846, Baker, Montana, 59313. Questions may be directed to Stacey Moore 406-778-8175 or Julie Straub 406-778-8164.

Fallon County Times

The deadline to place classified advertising is 2 p.m. every Tuesday for that week’s publication. Call The Times today (406) 778-3344

MONTANA STATEWIDE CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE Teacher Certification offered through Montana Western. Programs designed for teachers seeking advancement and individuals interested in becoming a teacher. Accessible wherever you are. Call (406) 683-7537 or go to www.umwestern. edu/online for more information. _____________________________________________________________________ PRIVATE TREATY HEREFORD BULLS. MCMURRY CATTLE in BILLINGS. WEBSITE: mcmurrycattle.com. REASONABLY PRICED. PROVEN BALANCED TRAIT GENETICS. Delivery available. HP (406) 254 1247. CELL. (406) 697 4040 Email mcmurrycattle@gmail.com Jim Hurley Broker, Owner Home 406-778-3735

Indian Trail Ranch Realty, LLC

Judy Brown Sales Cell 406-891-0133

Call us for all your real estate needs. • 35 years experience • 406-778-2402

Call BoB HerBst 406-978-2233

Robbie Christiaens 978-2152

N or t hwes t Real Es t ate Bob Herbst Box 1511 • Baker, MT 59313 406-778-2995 www.bakermtrealestate.com

FALLON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: We are accepting applications for the position of Operator for our Road Department.

This full time, permanent position will primarily operate a motor grader in the construction, repair, and maintenance of roads in Fallon County. We offer competitive wages and excellent benefit package, including a Monday – Friday schedule, and 10 paid holidays. Closing Date: Friday, March 19, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.; applications and a complete job description are available at the Human Resources office, 10 W. Fallon Avenue, Baker, Montana or online at falloncounty.net. Submit applications (resumes optional) to: Human Resources Manager, PO Box 846, Baker, Montana, 59313. Questions may be directed to Bobby Wiedmer 406-978-2015 or Julie Straub 406-778-8164.

Fallon Medical Complex Employment Opportunities • Full-time Staff Coordinator

Nursing services is looking for RN, LPN and C.N.A positions.

Please contact Sue Lunde with any questions at 406-778-5385 Applications can be picked up from the FMC Business Office or Personnel Dept. Contact Theresa Myers, Personnel Manager at 406-778-5302 for additional information on any of the above jobs. All positions will remain open until filled. EOE.

HELP WANTED: Baker Furniture is looking for someone that is outgoing, enthusiastic, have great interpersonal skills, love people, and have a positive attitude. We need a professional full-time or part-time sales associate to join our family-owned company that loves to assist customers with their home furniture and appliance needs. The job requires the ability to greet customers in the showroom, complete training to master product knowledge, organizational skills and a working knowledge of computers. We offer employee discounts, health insurance, paid time off and a Simple IRA Plan. The work schedule is 9:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Applications may be picked up at the front desk, resume may be mailed to P.O. Box 1525, Baker, MT 59313, or emailed to bfurn@midrivers.com. 10-11c

POSITION OPENING Program Supervisor Carter County Public Health Department Posting Date: March 1, 2021 Hours: 32 – 40 hours/week, Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Department: County Public Health Department Salary: $15.00/hour starting Sixmonth probation plus full benefits APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 1 p.m. on March 22, 2021 FUNCTION: Position requires work with electronic billing systems, patient accounts, and reporting communicable disease; compliance with state and federal health programs and statutes and regulations; drafting, filing, and managing state, federal, and private grants relating to public health; supervision of state health programs; scheduling inoculations, medical testing, and reporting in compliance with Montana health programs; and performing secretarial and work-related administrative support, conducting phone and email communication, and pre-

paring schedules and appointments for the County Health Nurse and County Public Health Officer. Work requires a strong and dependable work ethic, organizational skills, reliability, and respect for patient privacy rights. REQUIRED: •Graduation from high school or GED; and •Office experience, including answering phone, computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat and other software programs concerning the position 2 years preferred DESIRED: •Proficiency with Microsoft applications. •Type 50 WPM Job Description available upon request. TO APPLY: 1 County Application 2. Resume 3. Names, addresses and phone numbers of three (3) employment-related references To: Carter County Clerk and Recorder or drop off at the office 214 Park Street, Ekalaka, MT P.O. Box 315 214 Park Street Ekalaka, MT 59324 10-12c ____________________________ HELP WANTED: Full-time and part-time positions open at The Box. To apply, call 406-778-3731 or send a Facebook message on The Box page. 8-11c ____________________________ HELP WANTED: Self motivated, mature and responsible individuals

FREE JUNK CAR REMOVAL

Fallon County Junk Vehicle Program Bruce Moore: 406-851-1280

Rich Menger: 406-978-4004

for seasonal positions working in many aspects of an aerial application business located at the Ekalaka Airport. Punctuality and dependability a MUST! Must be 18 years of age and have a clean driver’s license to commute in company vehicles. Season starts April 1, and runs through October with flexible hours, start dates and schedules. Can also be a perfect fit for teachers and students looking for an extra summer/ weekend hours. Starting wage depends on experience with seasonal bonuses paid based on performance and longevity. For further information contact Darrin Pluhar at Plu’s Flying Service, Inc. 406-853-0039. 7tfnc

2. Legal Description including County and Approximate Footages of Surface Location of Proposed Oil and Gas Well: (and projected bottom-hole location, if a directional or horizontal well) Coral Creek 24-33 Location: SESW, 660’ FSL & 1930’ FWL, Sec. 33 T7N-R60E, Fallon County, MT. 3. Source of fluids to be injected: Produced Water from Denbury Onshore, LLC Operations located in the Lookout Butte Field. 4. Zone or formation, including depth, into which fluid will be injected. Red River Formation at approximately 8658’ – 8930’. 5. Statement that an Aquifer Exemption will or will not be requested. An Aquifer Exemption will be requested. Notice is hereby given that an application for a Class II injection Well Permit at the surface location set forth above will be filed with the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation. Pursuant to Rules 36.22.1409, Administrative Rules of Montana, a public hearing will be held regarding said application. The hearing will be held at the Board of Oil & Gas in the Conservation Hearing Room, Billings, Montana on Thursday, April 8, 2021. An interested party may demand opportunity to be heard by the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation concerning said application. Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation 2535 St. Johns Avenue Billings MT 59102 Office: 406-656-0040 Fax: 406-655-6015 10c MNAXLP ____________________________ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the City Council of the City of Baker, Fallon County, MT, will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 7 p.m. in the

WANTED WANT TO PURCHASE: Minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: P.O. Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. 36-38p

CARD OF THANKS CARD OF THANKS: Thank you for the rose bowl that I won from Thee Garage on Valentine’s Day. It was a beautiful surprise. Shirley Sakelaris 10p

LEGALS BEFORE THE BOARD OF OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION OF THE STATE OF MONTANA NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLASS II INJECTION WELL PERMIT In the matter of the application of) Denbury Onshore, LLC) for a Permit to Convert an Existing Well to Water Injection Use.) 1. Name and address of Applicant: Denbury Onshore, LLC 5851 Legacy Circle, Suite 1200 Plano, TX 75024

courtroom of the Courthouse at 10 West Fallon Avenue in Baker, Fallon County, MT, for the purpose of consideration of an increase in rates for public garbage collection and disposal charges to its consumers. The cost of materials, labor, equipment, power and other operating expenses since the rates were established in 2014 are to the extent that present operating revenues are not sufficient to meet the requirements to properly operate, maintain and upgrade garbage collection and disposal service to the City of Baker consumers. The City Council, did, at their regular meeting of Feb. 3, 2021 pass Resolution of Intent No. 717, a resolution of intent of the Baker City Council to adopt a new rate schedule for garbage service, establish a date for a public hearing and creation of public comment period. Aforementioned resolution is on file in the Office of the City Clerk at 10 West Fallon Avenue, Room 120 in the Courthouse and available for public inspection. The proposal is to raise the monthly garbage collection and disposal rates or derivatives of those rates at approximately 15% as illustrated below: Category Current Rate Proposed Adjusted Rate Residential $21.00 $24.00 Small Business $37.00. $43.00 Medium Business $67.00 $77.00 Large Business $95.00 $109.00 Extra-Large Business $315.60 $363.00 Additional Garbage Tub $19.50 $22.50 Additional Apartment $17.50 $19.00 Motel-Overnight Room $3.87 $4.45 Motel-Kitchenette $8.40 9.60 Persons desirous of commenting upon the proposed rate adjustments may submit written comments prior to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 to: City of Baker Garbage Rate Schedule Comments P.O. Box 1512 10 West Fallon Avenue Baker, MT 59131 Further at the hearing, all persons, associations, corporations or companies affected or interested, including the Montana Consumer Counsel, may be present and heard and may be represented by counsel. The hearing may be continued from time to time by the City Council of the City of Baker. At the conclusion of the hearing, all interested parties must be allowed to make arguments that they may consider proper. Final decision will be made by the City Council within 30 days after the conclusion of hearing, which shall be final ten days after being filed with the City Clerk. The address of the person who may be contacted for further information regarding this notice is Kevin Dukart, City Clerk County-City Administration Building, 10 West Fallon Avenue, Room 120 – Baker, MT 59313, and his phone number at that address is 406-778-2692. BY ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAKER, MONTANA, this 18th Day of February 2021. s/s Kevin J. Dukart, City Clerk--City of Baker, Montana 59313 9-11c MNAXLP

March 5, 2021

Fallon County Times

OPINION Rep. Jerry Schillinger jerry.schillinger@mtleg.gov

Montana House of Representatives

P.O Box 200400 Helena, MT 59620 406-974-2478

Week 8 Legislative update

Working day 45 is fast approaching and the pace is picking up. It appears likely transmittal break will begin after session on Tuesday the 2nd. We will have the opportunity to dash home for a short break and be back in session March 8th. This past week we saw some good bills pass the House and unfortunately, some, not get across the finish line. HB 415 is an example of a good bill that died, on a 50 – 50 tie vote, largely I believe, because of some misinformation on The Floor.

Your community’s views

Law Enforcement

We want to hear from you. Send your Letters to the Editor via email to fctimes@midrivers.com

415 would protect citizens from being discriminated against in the workplace, schools, travel and more, based on vaccination status. We saw a familiar group of Republicans join all 33 Democrats to defeat this important bill. Rather than offering amendments on the floor to address any concerns opponents may have had, this important bill died, with the consolation of, maybe next time. Opponents of 415 have referred to “boogeymen”, I can assure you the dangers are real, as evidenced by recent proposals by Microsoft and the California Department of Education promoting vaccination passports that would “allow” children to participate in educational opportunities. Some good bills that passed allowed prevailing wage rates to be calculated based on Miles City or Sidney. This is important because any government funded construction jobs have to be bid using prevailing wage rates that are currently calculated using Billings rates that can inflate the costs of projects in Eastern Montana by hundreds of thousands of dollars. This bill needs some help in the Senate to help the more outlying areas of the district. Currently, as you get away from Miles City or Sidney, the prevailing wage rate goes up. We also further clarified the is-

Your Boots On The Hill

sue of bison being livestock vs. “wild and/or free roaming.” An important bill gaining approval is HB277, which is intended to introduce performance standards on state agencies. This bill is modeled after laws in neighboring states that is reportedly successful in helping taxpayers get more bang for our buck. Similarly, there have been a number of bills passed to reform the Department of Health and Human Services, especially in areas of child separation from families. A bill I carried, HB 300, passed the House this week. This bill will allow school districts the opportunity to choose whether- or- not to use 8-15 passenger vans to transport students to activities. This is important because often times, especially in small schools like most of ours, there are small numbers traveling long distances in large busses. This gives local districts another tool to manage scarce resources. Several bills have been passed that will reign in some recently unchecked executive abuses in regards to emergency powers. We have also passed a number of good bills that will make local health officials more accountable to local elected officials. This has been an interesting session, in large part, because

of issues related to The Virus. There have certainly been some sad and unfortunate outcomes blamed on The Virus. It really doesn’t help to argue over a lot of the numbers, many of which don’t add up. There is one undeniable fact, and that is that about 99.7 % of all reported virus cases don’t result in death or even serious illness. Another indisputable fact is, many other serious health issues have gone untreated in a timely manner because of our preoccupation with The Virus. An additional casualty is freedom. Several bills have passed to limit liability potential for businesses, schools, medical facilities, and others, to hopefully encourage people to get back to normal daily lives. Finally, on Saturday the 27th, we passed SB 140 that eliminates the judicial nominating commission process. Rather, the Governor will choose and appoint judges to fill vacancies, similar to the federal process. The Senate will then either confirm or reject the nominee. As always, I appreciate you sharing your ideas with me to help make a better, more responsive State government. I am looking forward to jumping in my pickup for a quick trip home, hope to see some of you then!

Protecting meat processing capacity and private property rights in Helena By Nicole Rolf and Rachel Cone, Montana Farm Bureau Federation Montana Legislators have heard more than 400 bills this week, which shows the staggering pace that comes on the eve of transmittal deadline. We’ll cut straight to the chase here in week eight of the Montana Legislative Session, with a focus on meat processing bills and private property rights. House Bill 336: Interstate cooperative meatpacking compact, sponsored by Rep. Brandon Ler (R), HD 35. Montana Farm Bureau member policy opposes. The Interstate Compacting Bill sets up a framework to allow Montana to enter into agreement with other states to share our state-inspected meat across state lines. This bill aims to open up new markets for Montana ranchers, but unfortunately, the method it uses will actually do more harm than good for Montana’s farmers, ranchers and meat processors.

First, some background: In Montana, we have 24 United States Department of Agriculture-Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS)-inspected meat processing facilities. These plants are allowed to process meat for intrastate and interstate commerce (selling within the state and across the nation). Montana also has its own state meat inspection program, which operates under the authority of USDA-FSIS. Under that program, Montana regulates and inspects state and custom exempt facilities. There are 35 state-inspected plants that are allowed to process meat for intrastate commerce. Only 27 states have state-inspection programs. Montana also has more than 100 custom exempt processing plants, which are allowed to process meat for the owner of the animal. While our state meat inspection program must abide by “at least equal to” standards for safety and sanitation, the state maintains control of the state-inspected programs, and the process for becoming a

state-inspected or custom exempt plant is more easily attained than a USDA-inspected plant. All three types of processors are very important to our state and they each serve a different but significant purpose. A state inspection program greatly increases Montana’s meat processing capacity. Back to House Bill 336. Its intent is to allow Montana to sell state-inspected meat across state lines (interstate commerce). The FSIS branch chief stated in a letter to Montana’s Department of Livestock, shared with legislators, that enactment of this legislation would violate federal law and jeopardize the “at least equal to” status of the Montana Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) program. Losing Montana’s MPI program’s “at least equal to” status would jeopardize state and custom exempt meat processors across the state, resulting in fewer outlets for Montana grown and raised livestock. Enactment of House Bill 336

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would also make Montana ineligible for the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program, a FSIS-approve framework that already exists to allow states with an “at least equal to” designation to ship meat in interstate commerce, providing market opportunities for local producers. Montana Farm Bureau urged legislators to consider using the existing framework rather than inventing a new one that risks putting us in violation of federal law. After the hearing, HB 336 was amended with a contingent effective date based on a couple qualifiers, meaning it would not be implemented until one of the following happens: Congress ratifies the Interstate Cooperative Meatpacking Compact or a court determines the Inter-

See OPINION Page 3

Baker Police Department

•proactive patrols of schools, businesses and residential areas. Anyone with any information on any area crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 406-778-2222.

From the Bench

Justice Court

•Brittan J. Schell, Baker, speeding on non-interstate, exceed night limit of 65 MPH, 80/65, bond forfeited $70, ticket issued 02/04/2021.

•Tawna Lynn Quiroz, Broadus, owner permitting operation of vehicle without liability insurance, 1st offense, bond forfeited $285, ticket issued 02/08/2021.

Legal Tip of the Week Did you know … what the law in Montana says about stalking? Stalking is illegal and stalkers can be held accountable. Stalking can include following, harassing, and/or intimidating someone in person, by phone, mail, online, or in other ways. Stalking is a “course of conduct” or pattern of behavior directed at the victim. It’s not a single act. The stalker must know that their actions scare and/or cause the victim substantial emotional distress. Evidence that the stalker was told that the victim does not want to be contacted can be used against them in a court case. If you are in danger, call 911. Contact your local domestic violence program for free and confidential resources. To learn more, check out our article “What is the Law onStalking in Montana?” on MontanaLawHelp.org. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, try our smart search bar. Or call the Montana Legal Services Association HelpLine at 1 (800) 666-6899. Support free legal information for all Montanans at mtlsa.org/donate/. For more information, please visit the Taxes section of www. MontanaLawHelp.org. If you can’t find the information you want, click on the LiveHelp button. Or call the Montana Legal Services Association HelpLine at 1-800-666-6899.

Baker Activity Center news

On Feb. 17 the Senior Citizens Organization met at the Center. The search for a leader for Tray Favors day is on-going. Volunteers have been making tray favors for 22 years under the guidance of Lolita Cameron who has resigned. Thank you Lolita for all your dedication. Favors have gone out to all nursing home residents in Baker and Ekalaka plus our assisted living home monthly and we’d like to see it continue. Members will be hosting “Coffee & Cookies” at the center on the first and third Tuesdays twice monthly from 1 to 3 p.m. starting March 2 and March 16. February 25 members gathered for creativity and crafts. Several different kinds of arts were exhibited and shared. Join us for the next meeting March 10 at 2 p.m. with ideas for how you would like to see the center used.

It is time to purchase your 2021 hunting license

Hunting and fishing licenses are now on sale online, at any license provider or FWP office. Information & worksheets for the 2021 special deer and elk permits are now available online. Hunters can also start applying for moose, sheep, goat, bison, deer B, elk B, and antelope. Remember to purchase your pre-requisite licenses, i.e. conservation, base hunting, general deer, and/or general elk, depending on the permits or licenses you are applying for.

Fallon County Times Business Directory Tri-State Chiropractic Center Dr. Charles F. Whitney 111 4th St. NW PO Box 176 Bowman, ND 58623

701-523-3239 Guns N Things LLC 305 N. Merrill Ave. Glendive, MT

406-377-3969 Ernie Huether e-mail: eh7mm@mcn.net

Guns & Reloading Equipment

Fallon County Times 115 S. Main 406-778-3344

If you are being emotionally or physically hurt, call 406-978-9262 for free and confidential help 24 hours a day.

Thee Body Shop 406-778-2263

Auto Body Repair & Refinishing Windshield Repair & Replacement Reflex Spray-In Bedliners Mobile Soda Blasting

24 Hour Towing • 406-853-6722 111 Pleisner St. (1/4 mile east of Baker)

We hold a regular weekly cattle and feeder cattle sale every Wednesday.

Special Sales as advertised. Give us a call to visit about your marketing plans.

C & D Yards • Baker, Montana

Open between 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday. Your cattle will be delivered to Lemmon Livestock on Tuesday evening and will be sold on Wednesday.

Cattle will be on feed & water and a brand inspector on site

Wed. Mar. 10- Regular Sale w/ All Breed Calf Sale Wed. Mar. 31- Regular Sale w/ All Breed Calf Sale Wed. Mar. 17- Regular Sale w/ All Breed Calf Sale Wed. Apr. 7- Regular Sale w/ Feeder Sale & Special Bred HFR/Stock Cow Sale Wed. Apr. 14- Regular Sale w/ Feeder Sale Thurs. Mar. 18- Evenson Angus Bull Sale Wed. Apr. 21- Regular Sale w/ Feeder Sale Wed. Mar. 24- Regular Sale w/ All Breed Calf Sale Wed. Apr. 28- Regular Sale w/ Feeder Sale You can now reach us on the Internet at www.lemmonlivestock.com If you have livestock to consign or would like us to stop at your ranch, please call Lemmon Livestock at 605-374-3877 or 800-822-8853 Paul Huffman Owner/Manager 605-374-5675 or cell 605-645-2493 C & D Yards Baker, Montana 406-778-3282 Curt Williams Baker Field Rep. 406-978-2520

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March 5, 2021

Fallon County Times

Crop insurance deadline nears in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming Producers need to make insurance decisions soon USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming that the final date to purchase or make changes to crop insurance on spring-planted crops in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming is March 15 for the 2021 crop year. Farmers also need to notify their agent if they have planted winter wheat in a county with only spring wheat coverage by this date. Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Producers may select from several coverage options, including yield

coverage, revenue protection, and area risk policies. Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2021 crop year. Agents can help producers determine what policy works best for their operation and review existing coverage to ensure the policy meets their needs. RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail, and electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for producers.

Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus. rop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma. usda.gov.

Tester secures more than $20 million to help 68 Montana airports keep up with costs during Coronavirus Pandemic Senator announces funding distributions for 68 Montana airports as part of December’s yearend COVID relief package As part of his continued efforts to ensure that Montana’s airports are able to continue serving the state throughout the coronavirus pandemic and beyond, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that 68 airports across the state will receive a total of $20,034,965 in grant funding to keep up with costs and continue projects amid the COVID-19 crisis. Tester secured the funding as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act that was signed into law in late December of last year. The grants are provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program to provide economic relief to airports across the United States. “Communities across Montana rely on airports to support their local economies and keep folks connected,” said Tester. “The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in air travel for the last year, making it harder for our local airports to keep up with costs and continue critical infrastructure projects. I’m proud to have helped secure funding that will allow airports across the state to continue serving their communities long after this crisis is over.” Tester announced that the fol-

lowing airports will receive funding as part of the FAA Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport – $4,186,388 Billings Logan International Airport – $3,643,376 Missoula International Airport – $3,390,850 Glacier International Airport (Kalispell) – $2,830,997 Great Falls International Airport – $1,853,393 Helena Regional Airport – $1,461,939 Bert Mooney Airport (Butte) – $1,014,371 Sidney-Richland Regional Airport – $1,005,651 Baker Municipal Airport – $13,000 Conrad Airport – $13,000 Cut Bank International Airport – $13,000 Dawson Community Airport – $13,000 Deer Lodge-City-County Airport – $13,000 Dillon Airport – $13,000 Ennis - Big Sky Airport – $13,000 Eureka Airport – $13,000 Fort Benton Airport – $13,000 Frank Wiley Field Airport – $13,000 Havre City-County Airport – $13,000 Kalispell City Airport – $13,000 L M Clayton Airport – $13,000 Laurel Municipal Airport –

$13,000 Lewistown Municipal Airport – $13,000 Libby Airport – $13,000 Polson Airport – $13,000 Ravalli County Airport – $13,000 Ronan Airport – $13,000 Roundup Airport – $13,000 Shelby Airport – $13,000 Stevensville Airport – $13,000 Three Forks Airport – $13,000 Tillitt Field Airport – $13,000 Townsend Airport – $13,000 Wokal Field/Glasgow-Valley County Airport – $13,000 Woltermann Memorial Airport – $13,000 Big Horn County Airport – $9,000 Big Sandy Airport – $9,000 Big Sky Field Airport – $9,000 Big Timber Airport – $9,000 Bowman Field Airport – $9,000 Broadus Airport – $9,000 Choteau Airport – $9,000 Circle Town County Airport – $9,000 Colstrip Airport – $9,000 Edgar G Obie Airport – $9,000 Ekalaka Airport – $9,000 Gardiner Airport – $9,000 Geraldine Airport – $9,000 Harlem Airport – $9,000 Jordan Airport – $9,000 Liberty County Airport – $9,000 Lincoln Airport – $9,000 Malta Airport – $9,000 Mission Field Airport – $9,000 Plains Airport – $9,000

Poplar Municipal Airport – $9,000 Red Lodge Airport – $9,000 Riddick Field Airport – $9,000 Scobey Airport – $9,000 Sher-Wood Airport – $9,000 Stanford/Biggerstaff Field Airport – $9,000 Terry Airport – $9,000 Thompson Falls Airport – $9,000 Turner Airport – $9,000 Twin Bridges Airport – $9,000 Wheatland County at Harlowton Airport – $9,000 White Sulphur Springs Airport – $9,000 Winifred Airport – $9,000 Tester has been working diligently to ensure that Montana airports are able to keep folks connected throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this year, he secured a commitment from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to prioritize rural America in his new role as leader of the Department of Transportation. He also secured more than $11 million for Glacier International Airport last fall, and he urged the Trump Administration to provide robust assistance to the FAA Airport Improvement Program in any new coronavirus relief packages. Last summer, he secured nearly $74 million for more than 70 airports across Montana to cover operational expenses and development projects during the crisis.

DEQ announces spring and summer open burning season

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What you need in order to burn starting March 1 The Montana spring and summer open burning season opens March 1. While burning is allowed year-round, there are different restrictions and requirements throughout the seasons. The Department of Environmental Quality reminds people to comply with air quality rules and use good judgment to prevent wildfires. To burn March 1 through Aug. 31, please follow the below steps: 1. Obtain a permit from your local fire control authority. 2. Check with your local air quality program for restrictions in Missoula, Cascade, Yellowstone, Lincoln and Flathead counties. 3. On the day of your burn, activate your county permit. 4. Be aware of local conditions and burn smart. 5. Check back on Sept. 1 for fall burning restrictions. To obtain a permit, go to: burnpermits.mt.gov. If your county is not

listed on the website, call your local fire control authority to obtain one. While DEQ air quality approval is not required during this burn season, contact local fire control authorities prior to burning to get permission and information on local fire safety-related requirements. DEQ also recommends contacting county health departments to determine whether any county level air quality requirements exist and to follow local regulations. Only clean, untreated wood and plant material can be burned. Do not burn: food wastes, plastics, wood that has been coated, painted, stained, or treated, dead animals or animal droppings, rubber materials, chemicals, asphalt shingles, tar paper, hazardous wastes or structures containing these materials. A full list of prohibited materials can be found on DEQ’s open burning website: http://deq.mt.gov/Air/SF/SummerBurn The spring/summer open burning season will end on Aug. 31. For more information on air quality related open burning rules, prohibited materials, frequently asked questions and state permit requirements, please visit DEQ’s open burning webpage at burnclosures.mt.gov or call 406-444-3490.

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state Cooperative Meatpacking Compact is not preempted by federal law. With that amendment, the bill was passed out of the House Agriculture Committee and will be heard on the House floor before the transmittal deadline. Senate Bill 279: Revise laws related to meatpacking exemptions. Sponsored by Sen. Kenneth Bogner (R), SD 19. Montana Farm Bureau member policy opposes. This bill concerns the third type of meat processing facility in Montana: custom exempt. As previously stated, these processing facilities are allowed to process meat for the owner of the animal. Montana is fortunate to have 128 of these custom-exempt plants operating in our state. Senate Bill 279 proposes allowing custom-exempt processors to sell meat commercially. Montana Farm Bureau members passed specific policy against this idea at our November convention, with good reason. First, our farming and ranching members care about protecting consumer safety and public health. Custom exempt plants are only inspected twice a year, and while many are just as sanitary and safe as any other state or USDA-inspected plant, there is a slightly elevated risk for pathogens or food-borne illness in these facilities. Our next concern deals with displacing the purpose of these plants: to process animals for the owner of the livestock. We’ve all experienced the challenge of getting on a processor’s calendar for harvest dates. Opening these plants up for commercial sales only makes it harder for ranchers to get their own beef processed. These plants are a vital part of a rancher’s business. Finally, the bottom line of this bill is that it, too, stands in violation of federal law and puts Montanans at risk of losing our state inspection program. House Bill 554: Require legislative approval of national heritage areas, historic trails, sponsored by Rep. Joshua Kassmier (R), HD 27. Montana Farm Bureau member policy supports. This bill holds special importance to our Farm Bureau members in Cascade and Chouteau Counties, but it carried implications for all private property owners across Montana. House Bill 554 aims to require legislative approval of any National Heritage Areas before they are designated. A National Heritage Area is “designated by Congress for its unique nationally significant qualities and resources.” When designated, these areas operate under a partnership with the National Parks Service. Montana Farm Bureau members also passed specific policy on this subject, opposing the establishment of National Heritage Areas at our 2020 convention, with pointed opposition to the proposed Big Sky Country National Heritage Area, which would designate over 2 millions acres of privately owned property in Cascade and Chouteau Counties. Management of the proposed

BSCNHA would be vested in a private organization whose directors are not elected by or accountable to property owners within the boundaries. If a private citizen is unhappy with their decisions, he or she has no ability to vote them out. Establishing an NHA would add an unnecessary and duplicative layer of federal oversight through the National Park Service, on top of the local, state and federal regulations and programs already in place to promote the economy and preserve the history and heritage of Central Montana. This bill would add a level of accountability through our elected state legislators before a National Heritage Area could be designated, and that’s a win for our local communities and property owners. To learn more about this issue, visit www. mfbf.org and sign the Action Alert urging against the establishment of the Big Sky Country National Heritage Area. Senate Bill 338: Revise civil liability laws, sponsored by Sen. Mike Lang (R), SD 17. Montana Farm Bureau member policy supports. This straightforward bill clarifies that if someone is trespassing on private property, the landowner holds no liability in the case of injury, except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct. It’s almost shocking this isn’t already law, but the bill offers important clarification moving forward. The bill notes that, “a landowners owes a trespasser no duty of care with respect to the condition of the property,” and, “A trespasser enters or remains on the trespassed property without any assurance that the property is safe for any purpose.” This is a good and important bill for all property owners, especially farmers and ranchers, to support. Senate Bill 307: Revise liability limits for irrigation operators, sponsored by Sen. Mike Lang (R), SD 17. Montana Farm Bureau member policy supports. Senate Bill 307 also offers important clarification on landowner liabilities, focused specifically on duties relating to irrigation ditches and structures. While irrigation districts and private owners are required to keep irrigation structures and infrastructure in good repair, Montana law already limits the liability of private ditch owners or irrigation districts in the case of personal injury or property damage concerning these water conveyances. However, the current legal language may be interpreted to indicate that these liability limitations only apply to irrigation ditches, as the legal language only includes iterations of the word “ditch.” This bill clarifies and specifically names all forms of conveyances, including diversions, aqueducts, canals, ditches, drains, flumes, headgates, siphons or other water conveyance structures or infrastructure connected to irrigation ditches. This ensures all irrigators are protected. For more legislative updates and details on these issues, follow our Live with Your Lobbyist broadcast each Friday at noon on our Montana Farm Bureau Facebook page.

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March 5, 2021

Fallon County Times

ppenings a H a l l i V

Superior Care Villa residents celebrated Valentine’s Day in style with an afternoon party. Pictured are Superior Care Villa residents Arlene Gatzke, Elsie Turbiville and Laura Bruha.

~• Singing bass •~ By Daris Howard My wife is a music major, and most of our children have taken after her. Their extracurricular activities have been in band, choir, and theatre, so I have spent many hours attending concerts. One concert was quite memorable. It had been a cold winter. Attendance had dropped at school because of illness, with talk of a short shutdown for everyone to get well. Colds were most common, and flu wasn’t far behind. At this time, our daughter came home and informed us that she and three other girls had formed a Sweet Adeline group. They were going to be performing at a barbershop concert. Not only would it be fun, but they got extra credit for doing it. The girls started practicing after school and on weekends because the concert was only a couple of weeks away. They were doing well until one of the girls got a nasty cold. It wasn’t long before all four of them had it. They debated pulling out of the concert. But the performance was only a day away, they had worked so hard, and some of the girls desperately needed the extra credit. They only had to sing one song, and they felt they could keep their distance from the other performers, perform their music, and leave. But which song should they perform? They had practiced quite a few, but none of them sounded right. With their colds, the girls were no longer ranging from near tenor to soprano but were more like baritone to high tenor. They tried a few songs and then ended up settling on one that was more in a medium men’s range. They felt awkward doing

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that, but they had to admit to themselves that it was what they needed to do. The night of the concert came, and I could imagine our daughter, along with the rest of her group, nervously waiting backstage, feeling trepidation about singing a song meant for men. But as the announcer stepped to the microphone and started to speak, I had to smile. I had sung with him in a choir and knew he had a beautiful tenor voice. But as he spoke, his voice was a rough but solid bass. He announced the songs the men’s group would sing and then stepped back to join the other twenty-three group members. The men’s group was the sponsor for this barbershop festival, and I had heard them sing many times. They had a nice, even balance between the bass, baritone, second tenor, and first tenor sections. But that was not the case this time. There was an overwhelming bass section. Apparently, they had the same problem as our daughter’s group and had to have some of their members sing lower than usual. As the concert progressed, almost every group had a similar problem. When our daughter’s group sang their deeper-than-usual song, they fit in with everyone else. But the humorous clincher was the song the men’s choir chose as their final number. They announced it was going to differ from what was listed in the program. Then they sang Mr. Bass Man. And when they ended, even the highest tenors hit the low notes on the ending. “Oh, Mr. Bass Man, now I’m a bass man too. Ba-ba-ba-bah.” And the audience broke into thunderous applause for everyone who came and sang, even if they had to sing a little lower than usual.

2020 IRA Deadlines Are Approaching Here is what you need to know. Superior Care Villa residents Harold Pratt and Ruth Deviney enjoyed the festivities of the afternoon.

Pictured is Superior Care Villa resident Dude Veroye who joined all of the Valentine’s fun.

Montana Science Olympiad virtual tournament set for April 7 Registration is now open for the Montana Science Olympiad, one of the state’s largest and longest-running science competitions for youth. The event, which typically takes place in November on the Montana State University campus, will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 7. In the Montana Science Olympiad, middle and high school teams from across the state compete against other schools in rigorous, standards-based challenges across a range of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) topics. Teams can choose from more than a dozen events in topics such as astronomy, engineering and the life sciences that test a broad range of skills, from communication to critical thinking. Changes for this year include a focus on digital design and a rubber-band powered helicopter build that can easily be accomplished at home. A software platform designed specifically for the organization will allow duos to communicate and answer questions simultaneously. Students have been disheartened as other events and activities are canceled due to COVID-19, according to Suzi Taylor, director of the MSU Science Math Resource Center, which hosts the event. The virtual format will allow students to compete from anywhere. “We’re really excited that we

can hold a tournament for the students,” Taylor said. “Even though it’s not exactly what they’re used to, the students count on it, the teachers count on it and they’re fired up to do it.” Students compete as teams, not individuals, and teams must be affiliated with a school. Coaches can be teachers, parents or community members. New teams are encouraged to join. Team fees have been lowered

for the virtual competition. The deadline to register is March 15. An awards ceremony will broadcast online after the event. Top teams go on to compete at the national Science Olympiad, which will be hosted virtually by Arizona State University this May. For more information and to register, visit montana.edu/smrc/ mtso.

By Jim Cusimano, Big Sky Financial Planning Group

Financially, many of us associate April with taxes – but we should also associate December with important IRA deadlines. December 31, 2021 is the deadline to take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from certain individual retirement accounts. April 15, 2021 is the deadline for making annual contributions to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and certain other retirement accounts. 1 Some people may not realize when they can make their IRA contribution. You can make a yearly IRA contribution between January 1 of the current year and April 15 of the next year. Accordingly, you can make your IRA contribution for 2020 any time from January 1, 2020 to April 15, 2021. 2 Thanks to the SECURE Act,

Fallon County Times For your Printing Needs

traditional IRA owners can now contribute to their IRAs past age 72 as long as they have taxable income. If you are making a 2020 IRA contribution in early 2021, you must tell the investment company hosting the IRA account for which year you are contributing. If you fail to indicate the tax year that the contribution applies to, the custodian firm may make a default assumption that the contribution is for the current year

(and note exactly that to the I.R.S.). So, write “2021 IRA contribution” or “2020 IRA contribution,” as applicable, in the memo area of your check, plainly and simply. Be sure to write your account number on the check. If you make your contribution electronically, double-check that these details are communicated. Citations 1. irs.gov, November 23, 2020 2. irs.gov, November 10, 2020

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March 5, 2021

Fallon County Times

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