Virtual meeting stresses starting with small steps can revolutionize future for rural communities
Beth Epley of the Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation discusses some of the suggestions made Tuesday in the Fallon County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall after the second session of a Re-Imagining Rural virtual community gathering which connected Baker with other small towns in the region. PHOTO/ Brad Mosher
By Brad Mosher
bmosher@countrymedia.net
The second session of the Reimagining Rural Virtual Gathering Tuesday evening focused on ideas. For Becky McCray, the Idea Friendly method she promotes for helping to save small towns can be as simple as cleaning your own sidewalk. One of the two guest speakers in the distance meeting that was live-streamed into the Exhibit Hall on the Fallon County Fairgrounds, McCray uses something as simple as cleaning sidewalks as a way to make a difference in the rural communities. She even has a Youtube video stressing “Clean Your Own Sidewalk Day” as a method to promote a community and how to expand it from just one person. She recalled that the community started something with just one person announcing that she would clean her sidewalk. It was expanded and even became a “hashtag” locally. McCray admits and even stresses that the changes have to come in small steps. “You have to start with tiny, easy-to-do steps. That’s how we get things moving,” she explains in her online presentations. The “Idea Friendly” premise is to first gather a crowd, then build connections and then start taking small steps. According to McCray, the same things that make rural communities challenging can also be turned into positives. However, the communities need to be looking forward to spark a revolution of renewal locally, she explains. As part of her presentation Tuesday which was viewed not only in Baker but in other small rural communities, McCray stressed that there are communities of possibilities not of problems. “We are action takers. We are optimistic. It is not about what this town used to be,” she stressed during the meeting.
“We have people right now, assets right here and we can take action right away,” she explained. McCray also said that towns and communities don’t need another plan, another committee or another meeting. “We can do it now,” she added, stressing that people can also find additional information at a website (www.SaveYour.Town). The speaker also said the changes do not have to be permanent and that it can just be “moments” that show just what the town or community can be. According to Beth Epley of the Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation, the session was also recorded and can be found online. “There is a Reimagining Rural MT facebook group. If you go to that group, you will be able to see it (sessions) first hand. In addition, there will be a third session of the virtual seminar Oct. 13 starting at 6 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall. The meeting also publicized the availability of grants from the state that communities could apply for some financial help. In addition, the Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation also has a program called the Food and Egg Development Center. “One of our things is connecting local producers … with markets,” Epley said after the meeting concluded. “The overall concept (of the session) was to find an idea and test it out. It doesn’t have to be a revolutionary idea, but test it. See what kind of people are already thinking about that,” Epley said, noting that some might not be in a formal structure or committee. “Maybe you find them on Facebook. Maybe you find them in conversations at the coffee shop.... whereever it is. Try to look outside of traditional structures and work with people,” she said. In addition, Epley said one of the things she saw promoted in the session was to not overwhelm the people when getting started on an idea. “They can be a part and buy in … in some way that is meaningful and makes their community better.” Epley said that she hoped that the sessions are getting some people thinking about the possibilities, even in a small city like Baker. “It is very much about (taking) tangible steps. Things that are actionable for your community and how you can make those things right now.” “I think that has a lot of value. Take small steps. Small steps still lead somewhere,” she explained. “I really liked how we don’t necessarily do things to attract new people to your community... but to add value and to appreciate the people that are here. Make it better for the people that are here because we have really great neighbors.” It is simple, she added. “We deserve to have a really great town.” Among the suggestions provided by the local residents who attended the session included developing small pocket parks or green areas around town.
Plevna School District #55 Letter
September 29, 2020 Good Afternoon, Cougars. This afternoon, Fallon County surpassed four active cases of COVID-19. Thus, per Governor Bullock’s face-covering directive, the district will require All students, faculty, and staff to wear a face-covering while inside of our school building, on school grounds, or traveling in school district vehicles. This directive will go into place Wednesday, September 30th, 2020. To ensure everyone’s safety and mitigate the spread of this virus, our students and our adults simply must comply with this directive: •On August 12, Governor Bullock extended the July 15 Directive requiring face masks in certain indoor and outdoor settings to include public and private k-12 schools. The August 12 Directive requires students and staff to wear face coverings in all areas of the school. While children are encouraged to wear masks at all times, schools may allow children to remove their masks if they are seated and socially distanced in a classroom. This is a narrow allowance. Social distancing is defined as having 6 feet of spacing from any oth-
er person-in other words, this flexibility is permissible only where such spacing is strictly observed. Doing so may require reduced classroom capacity. The flexibility described here applies only to classrooms where social distancing can occur and when children are seated at their desks. If a teacher is working one on one with a student, both teacher and student must wear a mask. If students are working in small groups, they must be wearing masks. We do, at this time, have a number of students and staff who have been quarantined by public health. Public Health will be in contact if they believe your child to have exposure to the virus. The days ahead will be tense and trying. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and understanding. We will weather this storm. Please continue to check the District’s Facebook page and www.plevnacougars.com for the most updated information. Thank you. Nick Schumacher, Superintendent
General Election Voting in Fallon County - Ballots will be mailed October 9, 2020, to all Active voters. - Return voted ballot by mail OR deliver to Clerk & Recorder’s office. In person voting option – bring the ballot that was mailed to you along with all envelopes to Clerk & Recorder’s office. Mark the ballot in our office, place in signed affirmation envelope and deposit into the ballot box. ExpressVotes ballot marking device is available for use. Contact the Clerk & Recorder/Election Administrator at 778-7106.
Ismay gets cameo role in streaming television series, “Doom Patrol”
Staff Report
The small Montana town of Ismay made national news years ago when local officials agreed to change its name to Joe in a publicity push for a National Football League quarterback changing teams. Ismay has just gotten a little more publicity when a television series called “Doom Patrol” used it as part of a running gag in its second episode. The series is available with the DC Universe and Amazon Prime Video services. The second episode, called Donkey Patrol, had a character called Larry (Negative Man) trying to get a bus out of the town he was living in with the rest of the group. About 13 minutes into the show, the character asks the bus station cashier “what is the sin-
gle most remote place I can get to from the next bus?” She answered Ismay, Montana, adding “a great sky country.” He responded, “great. I have been wanting to work on my tan.” The Larry character is wrapped completely in bandages. “That was a joke meant to make you feel more comfortable about my appearance,” he added. The next scene shows a bus arrive with Ismay on the front as a destination. When he got up to take the bus, he fell back onto the seat, unconscious. He woke up and went back inside to switch the ticket for new location. The pattern repeated when buses arrived going to Hillsville, Jenkins (“Great Brewery”), Kernville (Nice... Good tubing),
….. and went through a series of more tickets being returned, “Does it even matter...” the bus station cashier finally told him. A young girl even added to the character’s problem when she said, “Mommy, the mummy’s awake.” The Negative Man character had been a test pilot that somehow had merged with a energy being during a test flight which crashed. The series is about a group of misfits with lots of problems and special abilities and is based on a DC comic book from the 1960s. It has Timothy Dalton as the leader of the group, Professor Niles Caulder, along with Brendan Fraser (Robotman), Matt Boomer (Negative Man), April Bowlby (Rita Farr) and Diane Guerrero (Crazy Jane).
George Avenue block slated to close for repairs Staff Report
The City of Baker will be closing one block of George Avenue for about three weeks to make repairs and handle drainage from the north end of the football field to nearby Lincoln School property. According to Mayor Steve Zachmann, the work will be done on the block between Second Street West and First Street West and be finished by early to mid-November. “We will be starting in mid-October,” the mayor said Tuesday. “It (the block) will be probably (be affected) about three weeks. “The excavation will be on the south side of the street,” he added. “We plan to cover the trench each day as much as possible so we don’t have any large open excavations. “We will dig and place the drainpipe, then cover that as we go,” he said. During that time, the residents and other may be affected by the project. “There will be disruption of traffic for dropping off kids at the school,” the mayor explained. The city will be working with
the school to mitigate the impact of the work, he added. “There will be rerouting for the drop off and pick up of students....,” he said, stressing that it will affect both buses and how parents can pick up the students. “We have just two houses with driveways that enter onto that street. It will affect them directly. It won’t be during the full three week stretch, It will just be as we cross in front of their driveways. “The only place we are tearing up the sidewalk will be just where the drainage enters the south side of the Lincoln School property. That will occur the first week of the project,” the mayor explained. The city will be coordinating with the property owners that have driveways accessing the street. The project will not be starting immediately because there are still some things to do before beginning. “We have a fire hydrant to replace and two stand pipes to replace … which is the water valves,” the mayor explained. “There are sections of town which have to be done first.”
Baker Public Schools Announcement
Effective Wednesday, Sept. 30, Baker Public Schools will adhere to the mask directive issued by Governor Bullock requiring that masks be worn in all K-12 schools that reside in a county with four (4) or more active COVID 19 cases. Students and staff will need to wear face coverings while on school property. The exceptions to the requirement are as follows: children under the age of five, individuals consuming food or drinks, individuals engaged in strenuous physical exercise (recess, PE, band), individuals giving a speech or engaging in an artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical performance for an audience provided the audience is separated by at least six (6) feet of distance, persons who have a medical condition precluding the safe wearing of face coverings (medical documentation must be provided). Additionally; teachers may remove their face covering when providing instruction in the front of a classroom provided the teacher is separated by at least six (6) feet distance from any other individuals in the classroom. Teachers may remove their face covering when they are in their respective classrooms and where there are no students present. Teachers may allow students to remove their face coverings if students are seated at their desks in a classroom and six (6) feet of distance is strictly maintained between each of the students. If a teacher is working one-on-one with a student both the teacher and the student need to be wearing a face covering. If students are working in small groups, the students must be wearing face coverings. Students may also remove their face covering when giving a presentation to the class and where socially distancing is maintained by at least six (6) feet from others. We thank you for your continuous support and working with us to help maintain a safe and healthy, learning environment for our students.