VOLUME 99
ISSUE 42
TIMES
FALLON County
fctimes@midrivers.com 406-778-3344
BAKER, MONTANA 59313
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015
Vogel joins Times staff as new reporter
Sherry Vogel
By Lori Kesinger The Fallon County Times welcomes Sherry (Phebus) Vogel as the new staff writer and general assignment reporter. Vogel, a fourth generation Baker native, was born with an adventurous spirit and has lived all over the United States including California, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington and Idaho. Through her nursing career, she has experienced what she said was the best of two worlds, hometown Baker and travel. In recent years, Vogel was based out of Baker and worked as a traveling nurse for a national medical staffing agency. She enjoyed working in varied medical settings including hospitals, state prisons, assisted living, corporate business, psychiatric hospitals and private duty nursing. Vogel retired from nursing two years ago to pursue other interests. She began substitute teaching in the Baker School District while working toward a degree in elementary education. “It has been a breath of fresh air working at the other
end of the spectrum of life instead of working in the arena of disease, pestilence and death,” Vogel said. “I’ve enjoyed bright, eager youth ready to experience life.” Vogel’s other interests include Fallon County history, old cars, antiques, historical buildings and old houses. She also enjoys reading, motorcycles, camping, going to concerts and movies, and taking mission trips to help the less fortunate. Vogel has four children, Joshua, a police investigator in Huntsville, Alabama; Jeremy, a business owner and welder in Boise, Idaho; Jennica, a registered nurse in a director of nursing and palliative care nurse position in Melbourne, Australia; and Jamila, recent BHS graduate working at Fallon Medical Complex in housekeeping. “I like to write and I’m looking forward to exploring the world of journalism as a ‘newbie’ reporter. I’ve always enjoyed reading the Fallon County Times and I’m proud to be part of it,” Vogel said.
Public meeting to discuss Baker Corridor Planning Study
Photo by Bohle Images
Sports Boosters first “Colorpalooza” By Sherry Vogel What a wonderful sight to behold! Two hundred eleven children all dressed in matching white T-shirts, accessorized in a kaleidoscope of bright colors, glided down First Street at a fast and steady pace. They were following colorful signs posted on the street corners to show them the way. It left the bystander to wonder if the children were uncertain what they would find at the end of the trail. It was the Baker Spartan Sports Boosters first ever “Colorpalooza” race. This fundraiser was in conjunction with BHS homecoming week. The race was open to all ages 5-105. The race began at the BHS parking lot and ended at the Youth Center on the corner of Montana Avenue and First Street. Students K-6 grades led the race which began at 3:30 p.m. They were closely followed by adults, many of them pushing strollers. Trophies were not the children’s goal, but instead something much more fun … a “color burst”. At the finish line, participants were rewarded a packet of colored pixie dust. When the signal was given, it was tossed into the air “sparkling” all those within range a “colorpalooza”.
Trick-or-Treat fun in downtown Baker By Lori Kesinger Downtown merchants will be scaring up a delightful array of treats for trick-or-treaters the day before Halloween. The Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is sponsoring the second annual “Downtown Trickor-Treat” Friday, Oct. 30, from 3-6 p.m. Several merchants from last year have registered to be involved again. Superior Care Villa and Fallon Medical Complex Long Term Care have also decided to receive trick-or-treaters during this time. Business owners not in the downtown area or in the shopping center are urged to be involved by having a table on Main Street. All businesses should register with the Chamber to be included on the list. Everyone is encouraged to dress up and join the fun! A list of participating businesses will be available at local stores. To register a business or further information, contact Nicole Schuler, Chamber Director, 406-7782266; or email: bakerchamber@midrivers.com
Times taking Halloween photos This year the Fallon County Times wants in on the action surrounding Halloween. Known as one of the most indulgent and frivolous events in American culture, the Times invites local residents to indulge themselves and grandma and grandpa a little more. For $7.50 per picture, the Times will print a photo spread of all the witches, monsters, super heroes, and princesses the area has to offer. Photos may be of a single child or a group of children. People may bring their costumed children in between 2:30-5:00 p.m. Friday, October 30, to have a photo taken. Treats will be available for all trick-or-treaters. It is sure to be a spook-tac-ular time!
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and in coordination with Fallon County and the City of Baker, is developing a corridor planning study that includes the City of Baker and surrounding vicinity. There will be a public meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m. in Baker at the Fallon County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall (3440 Montana 7) to discuss the corridor planning study. MDT has scheduled the meeting to present the recommended improvement options and request community feedback on the draft corridor planning study report. The study area includes U.S. Highway 12 from reference post 79 to reference post 88.1 and Montana Highway 7 from reference post 31.9 to reference post 37.6. The study area includes the City of Baker, the Baker Municipal Airport and a portion of BNSF Railway. The purpose of the study is to assess current and projected conditions in the Baker area and to develop a package of short- and long-term improvement options addressing the needs identified through the study process. The study will identify feasible improvement options to address safety, operations, and geometric concerns. Additionally, the study will analyze potential impacts of the improvements, identify constraint areas and gather public, resource agency and stakeholder input. This is a planning-level study and is not a design or construction project. SEE CORRIDOR, PAGE 6
Police arrest Baker man for sex with minor A Baker man is under arrest for having sex with a minor. Baker police received a tip on Oct. 5 that Jesse Talkington, 36, had sexual intercourse without consent with a minor female less than 16 years old on Oct. 3. Police began an investigation. After interviewing the victim and witnessess, Talkington was arrested. He was booked into the Fallon County jail on $50,000 bail on Oct. 6. He is charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent and two counts of endangering the welfare of children for supplying alcohol. Talkington faces up to life imprisonment and a $50,000 fine. Arraignment is set for Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Fallon County hires “on-call”contract planner By Lori Kesinger Fallon County recently hired Forrest Sanderson, a municipal planner with the engineering firm KLJ, as a contract planner. Sanderson will perform professional planning services on an “on-call” basis. Sanderson has more than 25 years of planning and community development experience.
He started his career in Lake County followed by a move to Flathead County. There Sanderson was the planning director for ten years before pursuing a new opportunity with the State of Montana. A move to Red Lodge last year eventually led him to temporarily retire before joining KLJ, an engineering, surveying and planning firm located in Billings.
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His expertise includes subdivisions, growth policies, zoning amendments, use permits, variances and design review. He is also a certified flood plain manager. One of Sanderson’s first projects for the County has been addressing zoning for Workforce Housing. The Workforce Housing Resolution recently reviewed by the Commission
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is designed to protect the public if Workforce Housing is implemented in the area. Sanderson and his wife, Tina, live in Roberts near Red Lodge. Their oldest son is currently in Army basic training at Fort Benton, and their youngest son is a sophomore attending Red Lodge High School.
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