VOLUME 99
ISSUE 47
TIMES
FALLON County
fctimes@midrivers.com 406-778-3344
BAKER, MONTANA 59313
$1.00
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015
Who Gets the Thanks . . . By Pastor Joel Noel Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church Reflecting back as a boy growing up in Portage, Michigan, I can recall many great memories of Thanksgiving. I can still distinctly remember our Thanksgiving drives that would take us 20 miles out in the country to our grandparents’ house. Looking out the window of the minivan, seeing the last of the leaves fall to the ground and, of course, watching for deer along the way, life was good. We would always get together at Grandma Betty’s. The tables were lined up in the garage where the spread of food was organized and the sounds of family filled the room. The family feuds were at a minimum, most of the conversations were filled with laughter, and, of course, all other cousins found some mischief. As the years come and go, the realities of Thanksgiving
grow much deeper. Somewhere along the way we have to face the question, who really gets the “thanks” behind the Thanksgiving? Family, food, and fun times are all important. However, if that is all there is to Thanksgiving and we leave out the “who”, we miss the big picture. We all asked someone the question, “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” But, now it is asked, “Who are you thanking this Thanksgiving?” Don’t leave God out of your Thanksgiving. Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him.” Friends, Thanksgiving began as a time of recognizing pro-
visions. God provided a salvation from sin for all mankind, through Jesus. Jesus’ death on the cross was God’s way of loving us into His family. And for all who believe, your greatest Thanksgiving feast is still to come! Honor Him as God and give Him thanks!
Christmas Wishes Help families in Fallon County who cannot afford gifts for their children this Christmas through the Christmas Wishes Program. The Christmas Wishes Program is sponsored by Fallon County Rec Department and Gamma Beta Sorority. Donations of any amount can be made to the Christmas Wishes account at the Bank of Baker, anytime before Christmas. Donations will be used to buy families clothing and toys so no child will wake up without a present Christmas morning. If you would like more information, please call 406-778-3152.
O’Fallon Community Choir Christmas Concert The O’Fallon Community Choir Christmas Concert will be held Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Baker. The Community Choir will also be in concert Monday, Nov. 30, at Fallon Medical Complex Long Term Care at 6 p.m.; and at Superior Care Villa Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.
Veterans honored
Times Office closed
The American Legion Club honored area veterans with a chili supper on Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11. Nine veterans were on hand to gather for a picture. They are: back row, l-r: Don Cheney, USAF Ret., and Ed Williams, Army. Middle row, l-r: Drury G. Phebus, USAF; Paul Jay Gregory, Marines; John Hecker, Navy; Robert Wood, Army; Bob Neumann, Marines; and Darryl Gatzke, Army. Seated: Lester A. Whitney, Army. Students from the After School Progam in Baker made the veterans a thankyou poster.
The Fallon County Times will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26. Deadline for the Friday, November 27, issue will be Monday, November 23, at 2:00 p.m. Fallon County Times will be delivered to the post office and local businesses Wednesday, November 25.
Taxpayers be aware of IRS telephone scams By Sherry Vogel In the past few weeks, local citizens in Baker have reported receiving calls from, who they believed at first to be, the IRS asking them for personal information. In a few instances the caller threatened to take them to court if they didn’t pay a certain amount of dollars which they claimed was past due taxes. One Baker resident was taken in by the personal info the caller shared about her. The caller stated the IRS would be taking her to court unless she paid her taxes from 20082013. She felt something was amiss so she responded that she would have to call her
accountant. The caller immediately hung up. The caller ID showed a prefix from Oregon state. This scenario has been repeated numerous times across the U.S. Scam artists have been around for a long time and their schemes have evolved into an array of deceitful tactics. These schemes, which can occur over the phone, via email or through letters with authentic looking letterhead, try to trick taxpayers into providing personal financial information or scare people into making a false tax payment that ends up with the criminal. Scammers posing as IRS agents first targeted
those they viewed as most vulnerable, such as older Americans, newly arrived immigrants, or those who speak English as a second language. These criminals have now expanded their net and are targeting virtually everyone. The scammer has become so sophisticated that he can alter what appears on your telephone caller ID to make it appear that the call is from the IRS or another agency such as the Department of Motor Vehicles. They use false names, titles, and badge numbers. They use online resources to get your personal information and other details about your life to make the call sound official. They even
go so far as to copy official IRS letterhead for use in email or regular mail. They try to gain the trust of their victims by providing their victims with directions to the nearest bank or business where they can obtain a means of payment such as a debit card. Another new variation of these scams - con artists may provide an actual IRS address where victims may email a receipt for the payment - all in an attempt to make the scheme look official. The most common theme seems to be fear. Con artists try to scare people into reacting immediately without taking a moment to think SEE IRS SCAMS, PAGE 2
Gaubs open Big Hill Dog Boarding By Sherry Vogel Traveling for the holiday and in a quandary about where to leave your four-legged best friend? Located on the Big Hill just 12 miles north of Baker is your pet’s home away from home. New to the area and just in time for the holidays is Big Hill Dog Boarding LLC. This fledgling business is licensed and owned by Greg and Christina Gaub. It is operated by the entire family which includes Kaytlynn - nine years old, and Austin - eight years old. The Gaubs are animal lovers. They own a wide array of pets. The extensive list includes: two dogs, six horses, five cows, three sheep, five cats, six chickens, and one rabbit. Gaubs’ family friends joke with them calling their home place the
“Funny Farm”, with a little of everything and not a lot of anything. “We came up with the idea about two years ago when we didn’t have a place to leave our animals,” said Christina. Besides offering clean, warm kennels with individual adjoining outside dog runs, the facility offers special programs including: one-on-one playtime, 24/7 background music to relieve stress, socialization time with other dogs and off leash adventures, as appropriate. The Gaubs also offer in-town pickup services. They will be constructing a larger building in the spring of 2016 which will offer kitty condos and separate areas for other small pets. For more information, you may contact them on Facebook, email the kennel at: bighillboarding@gmail.com, or call 406-891-1DOG (1364).
(l-r) Christina, Kaytlynn, Austin and Greg Gaub
Xi Alpha Nu’s Christmas Bazaar Baker High School •Sunday, November 22
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Lunch Served By Close-Up Students
Crafts • Goodies Clothing Candles • Books Western Wear Something For Everyone!
KIDS CORNER
Fallon County Rec Dept. will host a Free Craft & Game area to keep kids entertained while you enjoy the bazaar.
Visit Our Website at www.FallonCountyExtra.com