T IMES
September 13, 2019
BAKER, MONTANA
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Saturday, September 14 Downtown Baker
$1.00
Remembering 9/11
By Shannon Johnson
On September 11, the nation remembered the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Although it has been eighteen years since the horrific attacks, many Americans can still recall that morning as though it was yesterday. “I was working taking care of natural gas wells when I heard it on the radio,” recalled Baker Fire Chief Tom Bruha. On 9/11, 2,997 victims lost their lives and 412 of those victims were emergency responders. Of those 412 there were 343
firefighters, 37 police officers from PAPD, 23 police officers of the NYPD, one patrolman from the New York Fire Patrol and eight emergency medical technicians and paramedics. There were 2,606 people in the World Trade Centers that lost their lives, as well as 125 in the Pentagon and 265 individuals from the four planes. There were more than 6,000 others injured. “It was an impact to the country,” said Bruha. “Firefighters died. Police officers died. The public died.” Today many of the emergency responders who arrived on
the scene that day are suffering from long term physical and emotional ailments. The Baker Fire Department remembers 9/11 and those who were impacted by flying the American flag high on one of their trucks in front of the Fire Station. They will also have a training that night that will include remembrance of 9/11. “That’s how we remember it,” Bruha said. “I hope the country stands diligent against terrorism and it doesn’t happen again,”
Shumaker named new head girl’s Little Beaver Conservation basketball coach
By Shannon Johnson
This November the Baker Lady Spartan basketball team will kick off their season with a new head coach, Jay Shumaker. Coach Shumaker is a long-time Fallon County resident, having gone to high school in Plevna. Shumaker graduated college in 1992 with a teaching degree after spending a lot of time trying to decide if he wanted to major in teaching or engineering. “I think I was probably leaning towards it [teaching] at different times,” he said. “I
kept bouncing back and forth.” Shumaker student taught the last semester of his senior year and knew that he would love it. “I just had a great experience,” he added. “At that point I was almost four years into it, but that sold it.” Shumaker has always had a love for sports, and during his senior year of high school he grew an interest in coaching while he was the manager for the girls’ basketball team when the coach allowed him to help with drills. “I never really considered it up until that point,” he explained. “Then you’d show somebody something and they’d pick up on it and you’d see them do it in a game and you’re like ‘hey, I helped her with that skill!’ So that was pretty neat.” After graduating he returned to his Plevna roots and began his career. Along with teaching, he began coaching in the fall of 1992 as the assistant girls’ basketball coach for two years before becoming the head girls’ coach in 1994. Between the boys’ and the girls’ basketball teams, Shumaker coached eleven varsity seasons there. Shumaker decided it was time for
something new and moved to Billings with his new wife, Michelle. “I got burned out and overwhelmed. I was coaching three sports and it seemed like I was in charge of anything and everything at the school,” he admitted. “I just thought I needed a change.” They lived in Billings for a year, where Shumaker worked in financial advising and investments. “I hated it completely. I missed being around the kids,” he continued. “Baker had an opening so back we came, and that was in 2002.” In 2003 he became the head boys’ basketball coach. He coached the Baker Spartan basketball team for fifteen years before resigning. “2017 was my last boys’ season,” Shumaker said. “I did everything that I felt I was capable of with the program. I thought they needed new blood in here and new ideas.” “It was a tough decision. I knew I’d miss it,” he added. The next season there was an opening for the girls’ basketball team, coaching under Sheila O’Connor as the assistant
See COACH Page 5
District denies Pennel Creek dam By Shannon Johnson
On Sept. 4 a public meeting was held at the Senior Citizens Center at 4:10 p.m. to review a 310 application that was submitted with the purpose of putting a dam in Pennel Creek with a spillway that would go across a field and into a natural drainage area, as well as a pipeline with a diversion with the purpose of harvesting and collecting the water that runs by in the spring for use in June and July. Several families that live on Pennel Creek as well as some business owners gathered, to voice their concerns about this project to the
Little Beaver Conservation District. Some of the concerns that were discussed, included the ecosystems in Pennel Creek, the silting, the concern of the reservoir busting, and other people’s use of the creek. After roughly thirty minutes of deliberation and discussion, a motion to deny the project application was made. That motion was seconded, and the Little Beaver Conservation District unanimously was in favor of the motion. The applying party is welcome at this time to appeal the conservation district’s decision through the state.
Sidney and Glendive high school rodeos Over the Labor Day weekend, high school rodeo contestants from the Baker area participated in rodeos in Sidney and Glendive. The Sidney rodeo was Aug. 30-31 and the contestants who participated were Brennan Graham, Kyler Afrank, McKenzie Davis, Mattie Mastel, Colton Turbiville and Jacob Wang. On Friday the 30th, McKenzie Davis placed 16th in the barrel racing with a time of 20.020. Mattie Mastel
Jacob Wang & Colton Turbiville
See RODEO Page 4
TODAY’S FORECAST High: 74 Low: 49
Files of the Times..............2 Spartan Scroll.................. 7 Obituaries.........................3 Cougar Tracks....................6 Upcoming Events..............5 Classifieds.........................9
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Tuesday September 17 5 - 7 p.m. Fallon County Exhibit Hall
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