Gambling Tax Revenue Continues To Fund Government (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 09:13 PM)

Gambling tax revenue continues to provide a large supply of operating cash to state and local governments in Montana.

Numbers from the Montana Department of Justice show that in fiscal year 2004 the State of Montana has collected over 37,362,000 in gambling tax revenue. The fiscal year runs from July 1st of 2003 to June 30th of 2004.

These same numbers show that the City of Glasgow has collected $118,098 in this same period while the Town of Nashua has collected $4,030 and Opheim $1,762. Valley County has collected $83,950 in fiscal year 2004.

The taxes are collected by the State of Montana and then disbursed to local governments. The money comes from video gambling machine tax collections.

Through the first three quarters of fiscal year 2004, video gambling machine gross revenue is over $307 million in the State of Montana.

Two Glasgow Residents Face Felony Drug Charges (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 02:45 PM)

Two Glasgow residents currently face felony drug charges in District Court in Glasgow.

Misty Heringer and James Keller both are charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The two were arrested on May 7th in Glasgow and are set to be arraigned in District Court in July.
Court documents state that Heringer and Keller possessed and smoked methamphetamine at #3 Hilltop Court in Glasgow.

Heringer is being represented by court appointed attorney James Spangelo and Keller is represented by court appointed attorney David Irving.

Glasgow Man Reaches Plea Agreement On Assault And Endangerment Charges (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 02:43 PM)

Dale Walter Longtree has reached a plea agreement in two different cases that were pending against him in District Court.

Longtree has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor assault. These two charges are the result of an incident that occurred on July 10th of 2003. He's also pleaded guilty to the charge of felony criminal endangerment as the result of an incident that occurred on January 15th of 2004.

On the felony assault charge, Longtree will be sentenced to 6 years in the Montana State Prison will all but 6 months suspended. The agreement allows Longtree to serve the jail time in the Valley County Jail.

Longtree was sentenced to 6 months in the Valley County Jail will but 30 days suspended on the misdemeanor assault charge.

The plea agreement also has Longtree pleading guilty to the felony criminal endangerment charge and he was sentenced to 6 years in the Montana State Prison will all 6 years suspended.

Longtree will next appear before Judge John McKeon on July 23rd for sentencing.

Glasgow Man Reaches Plea Agreement On Sex Charge (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 10:04 AM)

Glasgow resident Drew Wetz has reached a plea bargain agreement with the Valley County Attorney and has agreed to plead guilty to the charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

Wetz was arrested earlier this year after an investigation revealed that he had sexual relations with a female under the age of 16. 

The plea agreement states that Wetz will be sentenced to the Montana State Prison for five years will all time suspended except 30 days. Wetz must also register as sex offender with the Montana Department of Justice and he must also serve 50 hours of community service.

Judge John McKeon will sentence Wetz on July 23rd and at that time he can make any changes to the plea agreement or leave it as is.

If the case had gone to trial and Wetz had been found guilty he could of been sentenced to life in prison.

Glasgow Woman Makes Plea Agreement (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 08:37 AM)

20-year old Glasgow resident Sarah Crater has entered into a plea agreement with the Valley County Attorney and will avoid prison time if she testifies against two men who were allegedly operating a clandestine drug lab in Glasgow.

Crater has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and will receive a three year deferred sentence. The agreement states that Crater must provide information to law enforcement authorities and testify against James Bush and David Erwin.

Crater, Bush and Erwin were arrested in March of this year when law enforcement officials raided a residence in Glasgow. Court documents state that three individuals were in the process of using chemicals to make methamphetamine.

James Bush of Wolf Point has pleaded not guilty to four felony drug charges while Erwin is facing two felony drug charges. Bush was convicted in Roosevelt County  in 2001 on the charge of criminal production or manufacture of dangerous drugs. He had his sentence reduced in 2003 and was free until his arrest on the current charges.

Sarah Crater will be sentenced by Judge John McKeon on August 16th.

Father And Son Killed In Paraglider Crash (Posted Wednesday, June 30, 2004 05:58 AM)

(AP) A father and son from Wolf Point have been killed in the crash of a paraglider. A McCone County sheriff's dispatcher says it happened about 8:30 Monday night.

Killed were 56-year-old Dean Dillon and his 23-year-old son, Dennis.

Dispatcher Bonnie Nelson says they took off from the family home, about 13 miles south of Wolf Point. It appears the engine failed, causing the powered glider to stall and crash. It's not known how high the two men were flying at the time. (Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Valley Event Center Open House A Big Success (Posted Monday, June 28, 2004 03:23 PM)

The open house for the Valley Event Center was a huge success according to the organizers of the event. It was estimated that over 1000 people toured the building throughout the day and over 600 people were served during the Big Valley Barbeque.

Events at the open house included a rummage sale, kids games, fiddlers jamboree, Flatland Cruisers Car Show and Shine and a dance that evening.

The winner of the Big Valley Barbeque Contest was the Grizzly Pit Pigs who won $500 for the best barbeque pork.

Organizers hope to make the event an annual affair.

Hi-Line Businessman Dies (Posted Monday, June 28, 2004 07:09 AM)

A well known Hi-Line businessman, Ezzie Ereaux, died at a Great Falls Hospital on June 25th.

Ereaux worked construction and drove truck before he purchased the Conoco Bulk Plant in Malta in 1967. He spent the next several years building his bulk dealership into Ezzie's Wholesale, which now consists of locations in Malta, Turner, Chinook, Harlem, Saco, Hinsdale, Havre, Big Sandy and Glasgow. He also owned and operated the West Side Convenience Store in Malta and the Kid Curry Lounge. He was a partner in Marian Hills Golf Course in Malta and the Tin Cup Restaurant.
Ereaux was born in 1943 and was raised in Malta and graduated from Malta High School in 1961. He is survived by his wife, Jane Ereaux of Malta and a son Robert Ereaux of Havre.

Cause of death is listed as pulmonary embolism. Ereaux was 61.

Corps Scrambles To Extend Boat Ramps (Posted Friday, June 25, 2004 04:01 PM)

Water levels on Fort Peck Lake continue to sit at record low water levels but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked diligently to provide access to the water by extending boat ramps on the lake.

This week the Corps extended the boat ramp at Flat Lake making this access point useable for the first time this summer.

They also extended the ramp at the Fort Peck Marina allowing for continued access at the marina.

Montana Walleyes Unlimited has compiled a detailed list of access points on Fort Peck Reservoir. You can access that list at this link:

http://www.walleyesunlimited.com/info/fortpeckboatramps.html

Michael Martin Murphey Concert Set for Aug 28 (Posted Thursday, June 24, 2004 02:37 PM)

The Northeast Montana Fair Board is bringing Michael Martin Murphey to Glasgow on August 28th.

Murphey will perform at the fairgrounds the evening of August 28th with ticket prices to be announced in the future. The Fair Board in a press release noted that Murphey will be performing inexpensively and ticket prices will be reasonable.

Michael Martin Murphey is best know for the hit "Wildfire" along with other hits such as "What's Forever For", and "Carolina in the Pines".

Tickets will be on sale during the Northeast Montana Fair on July 22-27.

Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament Getting Closer (Posted Thursday, June 24, 2004 02:35 PM)
Preparations continue for the 17th Annual Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Lake.

This year's tourney is slated for July 8th, 9th and 10th with a first place prize of $10,000 going to the first place team that catches the most walleye during the two day tourney.

As of June 23rd their were 120 teams registered for the tourney which is down considerably from the 183 teams that took part in the 2003 tournament.

Plans for the tourney continue with a Guys and Gals Tournament scheduled for July 8th at 8:00 AM and the Governor's Cup Rules Meeting and Barbeque planned for that evening.

The actual fishing begins on July 9th at 7:00 AM with the first day scores posted at 3:00 PM at Kiwanis Park. The famous Fish Fry begins at 5:00 pm and is open to the public with entertainment being provided by Kirbi Siewing plus the Ms. Walleye Contest and Minnow Races for the entire family.

Tournament fishing continues on Saturday, July 10th at 7:00 AM and a Youth Fishing Tournament at Kiwanis Park at 7:45 AM.

Tournament winners will be announced at Kiwanis Park at 3:00 PM and prizes and cash will be awarded to the top fishermen and fisherwomen.

For more information on the Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament call the Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture at 406-228-2222.

T & R Employee Burned By Acid At Landfill (Posted Thursday, June 24, 2004 02:32 PM)

An employee of T & R Trucking was seriously hurt when he was burned on his face, chest and legs from a 5 gallon bucket of sulfuric acid recently.

According to a press release from T & R Trucking, someone innocently disposed of the hazardous waste into a garbage bin at the Glasgow Landfill Site. The employee opened the end gate to dump the load and the five gallon bucket hit the ground and splashed all over the front of the employee. Sulfuric acid burned his skin within seconds.

Quick action from landfill personnel mitigated the burning when they flushed the employee with water. The victim was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. According to T & R Trucking, had the employee not been wearing safety glasses he probably would have lost an eye instantly.

T & R Trucking reminds residents to not put hazardous waste in any refuse containers. Contact T & R Trucking or the Valley County Refuse District for your no cost hazardous waste disposal needs.

County Continues To Pursue Regional Jail Possibility (Posted Wednesday, June 23, 2004 11:34 PM)

Valley County continues to inquire into the possibility of constructing a regional jail in Glasgow.
On Tuesday, Valley County Sheriff Glen Meier and 12 members of the Valley County community traveled to Glendive to tour the Dawson County Correctional Facility.

The jail in Glendive was built in 1998 at a cost of $8.5 million dollars and was constructed to hold 144 prisoners from the State of Montana and 26 prisoners at the county level. Dawson County voters approved a bond issue to pay for 50% while the State of Montana paid the other 50%.
Montana currently pays Dawson County $46 a day to house the Montana prisoners and their are
currently 142 inmates at the jail who are Montana prisoners.

The county prisoners are kept separate from the Montana inmates and there are currently 38 county prisoners in the jail which was built to house 26 county inmates. Six years ago the Dawson County Jail averaged 10 prisoners a day in the jail and today the average is over 25 inmates per day.

The Dawson County Sheriff told the Valley County group that there are currently 55 employees working at the facility with an payroll over $2 million per year. The entire budget for the facility is $3.4 million.

The Valley County group was given a tour of the facility and had an opportunity to question the law enforcement officials from Dawson County who run jail. The officials told the group that they are running out of room in the county jail already and are starting to take over office space and converting the rooms into inmate cells.

Valley County Sheriff Meier has formed a committee to look into the possibility of building a regional jail in Valley County which would be used to house prisoners from across eastern Montana. Meier has stressed that if Valley County were to build a facility it would be a jail not a prison. The facility would be used to house county inmates and possibly federal prisoners who are awaiting trial or sentencing.

The federal government has run short of space for prisoners and is paying as much at $54 a day for jails or prisons to house their inmates. Meier noted that the Valley County Jail is obsolete and that Valley County could be open for a lawsuit in the coming years if changes aren't made to the current jail. Meier has a vision of building a regional jail with the financial support coming from grants and the federal government and at the same time would provide income for Valley County. The Dawson County facility currently is a profit making venture for Dawson County providing income to the counties general fund.

Meier told Kltz/Klan that the committee he has formed will work to provide a plan to the Valley County Commissioners as soon as possible. He noted that it took Dawson County twenty years to get their regional jail built and he hopes that it would take considerably less time for Valley County to act on a regional jail concept.

Judge Tells Corps Rules In Favor Of Corps Over Environmentalists (Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004)

(AP) -- A federal judge told the Army Corps of Engineers to operate the Missouri River without changes sought by environmentalists to save endangered fish and birds.

U-S District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled in favor of the corps on all counts. His ruling yesterday came nearly one year after a different federal judge ordered the changes.

Conservation groups say they're weighing whether to appeal the ruling to a higher court. Environmentalists have denounced the corps for giving preference to barge shipping downriver over creating an ebb and flow to protect dwindling fish and bird populations. The corps says the ruling shows the agency has balanced all the demands on Missouri River water from upstream recreation and wildlife to downstream shipping. (Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Poplar Resident Known As Wordsmith (Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004)

(AP) -- Belgrade resident Chrysti Smith is known as Chrysti the Wordsmith to radio listeners across the country. She's now adding writing to her career. Smith has a new book "Verbivore's Feast: A Banquet of Words and Phrase Origins." It's published by Farcountry Press of Helena.

Smith admits she reads dictionaries all the time, and says she hopes to write another book. Smith was born and raised in Poplar and graduated from Billings Senior High School. Her radio show is produced at K-G-L-T in Bozeman, and has aired in dozens of U-S markets and on Armed Forces Radio. (Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Nashua Among Cities To Receive Firefighter Grants (Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004)

(AP) -- Three Montana fire departments have received combined funds of more than 114-thousand dollars. The money comes from the latest round of Assistance to Firefighters grants from the U-S Department of Homeland Security.

The Bull Mountain Rural Fire Department, Dearborn Volunteer Fire Company in Cascade, and Nashua Volunteer Fire Department each received money.

The grants are for operations and firefighter safety. Federal authorities expect to award about eight-thousand grants worth almost 750 (m) million dollars to firefighting agencies over coming months. (Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

County Will Receive Less PILT Payments This Year (Posted Friday, June 18, 2004 01:17 PM)

Valley County is set to receive $33,000 less from the federal government under the Payment In Lieu of Taxes Program. The PILT figures were released on Thursday and for fiscal year 2004 the county will receive $491,924.00. This compares to $524,366
which the county received in fiscal year 2003.

The PILT program compensates nearly 1,900 local governments for tax revenue lost because of the federal land in their jurisdiction. Fiscal year 2004 payments increased $6.1 million from 2003 according to the U.S. Department of Interior. Montana local governments received an increase of just $7,000 overall with a total of $16,681,000 appropriated to Montana under the
PILT program.

PILT monies may be used for any governmental purpose.

Walleye Tournament Set For July 8-10 (Posted Friday, June 18, 2004 01:15 PM)

The 17th Annual Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament will be held on Fort Peck Lake July 8, 9, 10th.
Some of the activities include the Gals and Guys Tournament on Thursday, July 8th at 8:00am. Entry fee is $15 with prizes given for the largest Walleye and Northern Pike.

Fishing for the tournament gets underway on Friday, July 9th with the opening ceremony at 6:45am and the tournament starting at 7:00am.

Scores from the first day of fishing will be posted at Kiwanis Park starting at 3:00pm.

The Family Fish Fry will be held at Kiwanis Park on Friday, July 9th starting at 5pm with entertainment including the Ms. Walleye Contest, music by Kirbi Siewing and Minnow Races for the kids.

On Saturday the tourney fishing begins at 7:00am and a Youth Fishing Tournament will be held at Kiwanis Park.

The winners of the Montana Governors Cup Walleye Tournament will be announced on Saturday, July 10th at 3:00pm at Kiwanis Park with food and beverages available.

For more information on the Montana Governors Cup Walleye Tourney call 406-228-2222.

School Board Approves Administrative Increase, Purchases New Desks And Discusses Graduation Move (Posted Thursday, June 17, 2004 01:58 PM)

The Glasgow School Board has approved the purchase of 240 new student desks for the 2004-2005 school year. At a meeting on Tuesday the board agreed to a proposal that will have the district purchase 750 student desks over a three year period effectively replacing all student desks in the  three Glasgow school buildings.

The board also discussed the possibility of moving the graduation ceremonies from the traditional Memorial Day weekend to the weekend before the holiday. The school board put off any decision on moving graduation until they received more public comment. If you have any thoughts on the possibility of moving the date of the graduation ceremonies you are urged to contact a school board member.

The board approved increases in pay for the two Glasgow School Principals and the District Clerk. Kelly Doornek, Rachel Erickson and Marge Markle will all receive an increase in pay of 4%. Glasgow School Superintendent Glenn Hageman told Kltz/Klan that this pay increase is in line with what the Glasgow teachers received in their latest contract.

Big Valley Barbecue Contest And Valley Event Center Open House Set For June 26 (Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004 03:12 PM)

Sunny skies and a gentle wind from the west will be wonderful, says Sam as he makes plans for the Big Valley Barbecue Contest scheduled June 26 in conjunction with the open house at the Valley Event Center. Contestants will cook in the parking area and he’s sure the scent of barbecued pork wafting through town will be an incentive for many to come and enjoy the day.
Waters chairs the barbecue contest along with Gary Wageman and Jim Rector, all directors of the Valley County Community Foundation, which sponsors the contest.

“We’re looking for contestants for the barbecue,” Waters explained, adding that several barbecue teams have already signed up. For entry information and contest rules, contact Rector at 228-4385.

It will be served from 4 to 6 p.m., right in the middle of a day filled with activities for all ages. There will be a charge of $5 per person for the meal, which includes chances on door prizes. Events that day include a fiddler's jam session, games, a car show and shine, and an evening jam session and dance.

Fort Peck Faces Drug Charges (Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004 01:47 PM)

18-year old Fort Peck resident Devan Besette was arrested Sunday by the Valley County Sheriffs Department and charged with felony criminal distribution of dangerous drugs.

Besette appeared in Justice Court on Monday and his case was turned over to District Court and bond was set at $20,000.
Details are sketchy at this point but the citation issued to Besette states he allegedly distributed a dangerous drug to a 15 year old female. The Valley County Sheriffs Department has declined to officially name the drug that was allegedly distributed.

As of June 15th, Besette was still incarcerated in the Valley County Jail.

Glasgow Man Faces Misdemeanor Drug Charges (Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004 01:45 PM)

A 23-year old Glasgow resident, Casey Baker, has been cited for two misdemeanor drug offenses, according to the Glasgow Police Department.

Law enforcement authorities received information that drug activity was taking place at Baker's residence at 232 7th St.South in Glasgow. Authorities received a search warrant and searched the residence and found enough evidence to charge Baker with the two misdemeanors. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of dangerous drugs. According to the citation issued by the Glasgow Police Department, Baker had enough marijuana to warrant the misdemeanor citation.

The investigation was conducted by the Glasgow Police Department and the Valley County Sheriffs Department and is still continuing.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks News Releases (Posted Tuesday, June 15, 2004 03:31 PM)

Despite tough winter, tentative deer and elk quotas mostly increase

Last winter in northeastern Montana was hard on antelope and younger deer in many areas, but in several hunting districts deer and elk populations have actually increased from the previous year.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife managers have recommended increasing permit quotas in many hunting districts in Region 6 to bring populations down to the carrying capacity of the habitat and ensure that another tough winter doesn’t result in widespread mortality. The more liberal quotas also are intended to allow hunters to take advantage of the relative abundance and to proactively prevent or reduce big-game damage to crops and haystacks.

Tentative quotas for deer, elk and antelope were approved by Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission in May. The commission will finalize the quotas next month, and adjust permit numbers based on recent population surveys, habitat conditions and public comments.

In Region 6, tentative quotas for either-sex and antlerless elk, antlerless mule deer and antlerless white-tailed deer are generally higher than last year. With the exception of District 632, antlerless elk quotas throughout the Missouri Breaks portion of Region 6 have higher tentative permit quotas to bring elk populations down to established population objectives. In the western portion of the region, white-tailed deer numbers have rebounded from the EHD outbreak a few years ago, and the increased population regionwide has fueled the proposed increase in the antlerless quota.

Mule deer numbers in districts 630, 650 and 670 were above average during winter surveys and warrant an increase in antlerless permits despite the loss of the majority of the fawn crop this past winter, says FWP wildlife biologist Pat Gunderson. If it appears that production this summer is low, the proposed increases will not be recommended.

The following are tentative quotas for this fall’s hunting seasons. Proposed quotas did not change from last year in hunting districts not listed:

Hunting District 2003 Quota 2004 Tentative Quota
ELK
621-01 (antlerless - east) 100 150
621-02 (antlerless - west) 100 130
621-00 (youth antlerless) 15 25
622-00 (antlerless) 80 100
631-20 (either-sex) 20 30
631-00 (antlerless) 65 120
690-00 (antlerless) 75 100

WHITE-TAILED DEER
698-00 (non-res. antlerless) 750 1250
699-00 (resident antlerless) 750 1250

MULE DEER
630-00 (antlerless) 300 500
650-00 (antlerless) 200 400
652-50 (antlered buck) 100 125
670-00 (antlerless) 200 400

Generally, antelope in Region 6 didn’t fare as well as other big-game populations, and wildlife managers expect to recommend reductions in quotas after aerial surveys are flown in July. FWP commissioners will review final antelope quotas at their August meeting.

Home Run Pond clinics will focus on angling skills
Learn how to vertically jig for fish even if you’re confined to the shore. Get some practice making your own spoons and spinners. Try your hand at fly fishing.

Those are among the skills that will be taught to young anglers at four specialized clinics scheduled this summer at Glasgow’s Home Run Pond. The Thursday morning clinics will be conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks personnel and volunteer instructors and replace the every-Tuesday clinics held at the pond last summer. The clinics will run from 9 a.m. to noon.

The free clinics are open to all youth age 14 and younger; no fishing or Conservation licenses are required at the educational sessions, and all equipment will be provided. However, FWP requests that participants call in advance to ensure that sufficient tackle and assistance is available. Parents should plan to accompany kids under age 6. Dates of the clinics are:

June 24 Slip-bobber rigging
July 8 Spinner and spoon construction and angling tactics
July 22 Basic fly fishing
Aug. 12 Basic catfishing

Home Run Pond, located east of Glasgow on the Fort Peck Highway, is open to all youths age 14 and younger. Call FWP at 228-3700 to sign up for any of the clinics.

Fort Peck Tribes Chairman Removed From Office (Posted Tuesday, June 15, 2004 02:51 PM)

(Poplar-AP) -- The Fort Peck tribal council has voted to permanently remove Chairman John Morales from office. The council voted 11-1 yesterday. They needed eight votes to remove him.

The council had suspended Morales in May, after he refused the council's orders to sign a 50-year lease agreement with Northern Border Pipeline. The pipeline transports oil across 33 miles of the reservation.

The tribe sent a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, asking it to recognize the council's action. Former Vice Chairman Ray Eder was appointed chairman. (Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Glasgow Man Arrested On Mischief Charges (Posted Tuesday, June 15, 2004 02:48 PM)

Glasgow resident Spencer Lagree was arrested on June 11th after an incident involving a vehicle owned by his ex-wife.

The Glasgow Police Department told Kltz/Klan that Lagree has been charged with Felony Criminal Mischief as the result of the incident. Lagree reportedly vandalized his ex-wife's vehicle by breaking out the windows in the vehicle. After the vandalism occurred, the GPD searched for Lagree and found him at a residence located at 642 6th Avenue South. He was arrested without incident by the Glasgow Police Department with help from the Valley County Sheriffs Department and the Phillips County Sheriffs Department.

Lagree appeared in City Court on Monday and was charged with felony criminal mischief and bond was set at $15,000. As of Monday, Lagree was still incarcerated in the Valley County Jail.

Glasgow woman retires from National Republican Committee

(Big Sky-AP) -- Two stalwarts of the Montana Republican Party relinquished their seats on the Republican National Committee on Friday.

Former Governor Tim Babcock of Helena and Ione Brownson of Glasgow handed over the positions to Allen Kolstad of Ledger and Betti Hill of Helena.

Babcock has been on the R-N-C for a dozen years while Brownson has been a national committeewoman for 16 years.

Kolstad is a former state senator who served as lieutenant governor under Stan Stevens for two years. Betti Hill is the wife of former U-S Representative Rick Hill. They won the spots over Joe Briggs of Great Falls and Billie Love, a retired business owner from Bozeman.

In separate interviews, Babcock and Brownson say the resurgence of the Montana Republican party over the past 16 years happened because the party embraces the same ideals valued by most Montanans. (Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

No regular mail delivery or retail customer service at post office on Friday, June 11th in honor of former President Reagan.

There will be no regular mail delivery or retail customer service at post offices and postal facilities nationwide on June 11th. The U.S. Postal Service will honor the National Day of Mourning for former President Ronald Reagan.
Regular mail delivery service and postal customer service and retail operations will resume on Saturday, June 12th.

St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group keeps focus on $9.5 million federal appropriations

The monthly meeting of the St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group was held in Fort Belknap on Wednesday, May 26th. Senator Burns sent a letter to the Working Group discussing the status of the $9.5 million appropriations request. Senator Burns is the Chair of the Interior Subcommittee and a member of the Energy and Water Committee that has jurisdiction over the request. Senator Burns stated, "There is only a limited amount of money that can be divided between all of the thousands of requests that the Committee receives. You can be assured I will be fighting to see that Montana's developments come out at the top." However, Senator Burns cautioned the Working Group "It will be very difficult to obtain the $5 million in emergency funding. Regarding the $3 million dollars for the study funding, there is a better chance of getting a portion of that.

The Working Group also discussed the four state grant applications submitted to help pay for rehabilitation of St. Mary diversion facilities. A $500,000 Treasure State Endowment Grant application was submitted to fund a portion of the cost of building a new bridge crossing the St. Mary River, north of Babb. Glacier County submitted this application. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation submitted a $300,000 Reclamation and Development Grant application to provide funding for the Working Group to complete necessary engineering and investigations. And the Milk River Joint Board of Control submitted two $100,000 Renewable Resource Grant applications for repairs of Halls Coulee Siphons and Sherburne Dam outlet repairs.

The next meeting of the Working Group is June 23 and it will be held at Hook's Hideaway, near the St. Mary Siphons north of Babb. Meetings of the Working Group start at 10:00 am and are scheduled to end at 3:00 pm. On June 24th, the Working Group will tour the St. Mary Diversion Facilities.

For more information about the Working Group and the rehabilitation of the St. Mary Diversion Facilities please visit the St. Mary's Rehabilitation Web Site at http://www.dnrc.state.mt.us/stmarycover.htm

2004 Primary Election Results
Republican Primary

BC-MT-Dem-Gov-Sum,0032
(AP) 06-09-04 01:43,,

824 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

x-Brian Schweitzer 64,431 - 72 percent
John Vincent 24,571 - 28 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

AP-NY-06-09-04 0343EDT

BC-MT-GOP-Gov-Sum,0043
(AP) 06-09-04 01:43,,

824 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

x-Bob Brown 38,306 - 38 percent
Pat Davison 23,532 - 23 percent
Ken Miller 22,211 - 22 percent
Tom Keating 16,154 - 16 percent

BC-MT-Dem-Pres-Sum,0055
(AP) 06-09-04 01:33,,

820 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

x-John Kerry 59,374 - 68 percent
Dennis Kucinich 9,178 - 11 percent
John Edwards 7,936 - 9 percent
Uncommitted 6,247 - 7 percent
Wesley Clark 3,634 - 4 percent
Lyndon LaRouche 700 - 1 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

AP) 06-09-04 01:33,,

820 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

x-George W. Bush (i) 95,347 - 95 percent
Uncommitted 5,355 - 5 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

BC-MT-GOP-StHou-Contested,0543
(AP) 06-09-04 01:28,,
District 5 Flathead

2 of 5 precincts - 40 percent

Ivan Lorentzen 346 - 51 percent
George Everett (i) 328 - 49 percent

District 9 Flathead, Lake

5 of 7 precincts - 71 percent

David G Carlson 275 - 38 percent
William Junis Jones 243 - 33 percent
John S Dayton 209 - 29 percent

District 14 Mineral/Sanders/Missoula

17 of 17 precincts - 100 percent

x-Gordon R Hendrick 721 - 75 percent
HR Kenck 245 - 25 percent

District 29 JudithB/Chouteau/Fergus

10 of 15 precincts - 67 percent

Edward B Butcher 705 - 53 percent
Scott M Seilstad 622 - 47 percent

District 30 Petrol/Garf/McCon/Fergus

20 of 25 precincts - 80 percent

Dave Kasten (i) 944 - 52 percent
Jim Peterson (i) 859 - 48 percent

District 35 Phillips/Valley

14 of 14 precincts - 100 percent

x-Wayne Stahl 1,076 - 49 percent
George E Knudsen 923 - 42 percent
Frank Piocos 179 - 8 percent

District 39 Custer, Dawson et al

29 of 30 precincts - 97 percent

Carol Lambert (i) 1,190 - 55 percent
Ronald R. Devlin (i) 991 - 45 percent

District 56 Yellowstone

4 of 4 precincts - 100 percent

x-Don Roberts (i) 1,284 - 74 percent
Kassidy Olson 440 - 26 percent

District 63 Gallatin

6 of 6 precincts - 100 percent

x-Bill Warden 642 - 63 percent
James R Boorman 381 - 37 percent

District 70 Gallatin

6 of 6 precincts - 100 percent

x-Roger Koopman 916 - 73 percent
Neal Ainsworth 341 - 27 percent

District 71 Madison/Jefferson

11 of 11 precincts - 100 percent

x-Diane Rice (i) 1,381 - 71 percent
James P Hart 570 - 29 percent

District 81 Lewis and Clark

8 of 8 precincts - 100 percent

x-Robert Leach 272 - 52 percent
John Maurice Swanson 249 - 48 percent

District 83 GolV/Wheat/Mar/Bwter/LC

14 of 16 precincts - 88 percent

Harry W. Klock 682 - 52 percent
Daniel S. Hurwitz (i) 638 - 48 percent

District 84 Lewis-Clark, Powell

8 of 17 precincts - 47 percent

John Ward 220 - 65 percent
Joe Dooling 121 - 35 percent

District 85 Deer Lodge, Powell

14 of 14 precincts - 100 percent

x-Peggy Elizabeth Beck 582 - 71 percent
Robert Bonato 243 - 29 percent

District 87 Ravalli

9 of 9 precincts - 100 percent

x-Ron Stoker (i) 878 - 71 percent
Christopher Harner 365 - 29 percent

District 89 Ravalli

4 of 4 precincts - 100 percent

x-Gary MacLaren 661 - 48 percent
Arnie Polanchek 503 - 36 percent
Russell C. Vogel 227 - 16 percent

District 95 Missoula

12 of 12 precincts - 100 percent

x-Kevin Blackler 408 - 64 percent
Matthew-Jenkins Kandi 234 - 36 percent

District 99 Missoula

14 of 14 precincts - 100 percent

x-Gary Marbut 263 - 53 percent
Earle Reimer 233 - 47 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

BC-MT-Dem-StHou-Contested,0299
(AP) 06-09-04 01:28,,
District 12 Lake

6 of 6 precincts - 100 percent

x-Jeanne Windham 418 - 68 percent
David S Daniels 200 - 32 percent

District 19 Cascade

7 of 7 precincts - 100 percent

x-Brennan Ryan (i) 807 - 51 percent
Bradley Maxon Hamlett 767 - 49 percent

District 29 JudithB/Chouteau/Fergus

10 of 15 precincts - 67 percent

Hugo J Tureck 282 - 58 percent
Oscar Cantu 205 - 42 percent

District 51 Yellowstone

4 of 4 precincts - 100 percent

x-Robyn Driscoll 436 - 76 percent
James E Dick 141 - 24 percent

District 76 Silver Bow

8 of 9 precincts - 89 percent

Jon C Sesso 916 - 52 percent
Angela Pezdark 854 - 48 percent

District 80 Lewis and Clark

2 of 7 precincts - 29 percent

Mary Caferro 190 - 63 percent
Galen Hollenbaugh 110 - 37 percent

District 82 Lewis and Clark

5 of 7 precincts - 71 percent

x-Hal Jacobson (i) 922 - 94 percent
Glenn Ferren 64 - 6 percent

District 84 Lewis-Clark, Powell

11 of 17 precincts - 65 percent

Joe Pennington 99 - 66 percent
Larry Hanson 52 - 34 percent

District 86 Deer Lodge, Granite

12 of 12 precincts - 100 percent

x-Dan Villa 1,207 - 56 percent
Bea McCarthy 939 - 44 percent

District 91 Missoula

22 of 22 precincts - 100 percent

x-Kevin Timothy Furey 554 - 64 percent
Jim Dayton 316 - 36 percent

District 96 Missoula

15 of 15 precincts - 100 percent

x-Teresa K. Henry 609 - 77 percent
Daniel Pehan 179 - 23 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

BC-MT-Dem-StSen-Contested,0119
(AP) 06-09-04 01:28,,
District 3 Flathead

8 of 13 precincts - 62 percent

Vince Woodhouse 202 - 56 percent
John de Neeve 158 - 44 percent

District 18 Dan/Phi/Ric/Roo/She/Val

39 of 39 precincts - 100 percent

x-Dean Harmon 1,049 - 71 percent
Thomas A. Taylor 432 - 29 percent

District 37 SilverBow

14 of 15 precincts - 93 percent

Steve Gallus 1,834 - 40 percent
Fritz Daily 1,736 - 38 percent
Larry Cyr 980 - 22 percent

District 50 Missoula

30 of 30 precincts - 100 percent

x-Greg Lind 972 - 63 percent
Cliff Larsen 566 - 37 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

BC-MT-GOP-StSen-Contested,0209
(AP) 06-09-04 01:28,,
District 2 Flathead

8 of 12 precincts - 67 percent

Donna R. Maddux 701 - 39 percent
Erik Dale Garberg 592 - 33 percent
Harm Toren 307 - 17 percent
Steve C. Crawford 190 - 11 percent

District 3 Flathead

8 of 13 precincts - 62 percent

Jerry O'Neil (i) 928 - 52 percent
Rod Bitney 856 - 48 percent

District 7 Missla, Mineral, Sanders

24 of 24 precincts - 100 percent

x-Fred G. Carl 1,015 - 57 percent
H. Rusty VanOverbeck 753 - 43 percent

District 10 Cascade

10 of 10 precincts - 100 percent

x-Jim Whitaker 699 - 55 percent
Robert E. Wynia 580 - 45 percent

District 18 Dan/Phi/Ric/Roo/She/Val

39 of 39 precincts - 100 percent

x-Sam Kitzenberg (i) 2,535 - 70 percent
Donald L. Hedges 1,082 - 30 percent

District 26 Yellowstone

9 of 9 precincts - 100 percent

x-Bruce Simon 1,043 - 68 percent
Robert L. Stephens 486 - 32 percent

District 46 Missoula

46 of 46 precincts - 100 percent

x-Rich Lane 779 - 54 percent
Thomas Opre 670 - 46 percent

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)

Supreme Court Justice5

824 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

Cindy Younkin 88,487 - 53 percent
James C. Nelson (i) 78,922 - 47 percent
2 to be nominated.

Supreme Court Justice 6

824 of 875 precincts - 94 percent

Brian Morris 82,788 - 55 percent
Edward P. McLean 67,205 - 45 percent
2 to be nominated.

Riggs and Schmidt win Rock Creek Walleye Tourney

Glasgow anglers Todd Riggs and Ken Schmidt had an excellent weekend fishing catching 77.16 pounds of walleye to win the Rock Creek Walleye Tournament on Fort Peck Lake.
The duo caught 37.4 pounds on Saturday and 39.76 pounds on Sunday to earn the $2000 first place prize. Close behind in second place was Scott Sundheim of Fairview and Rory Walters of White Earth who caught 73.86 pounds which earned them $1100.
The largest walleye caught during the tournament was caught by the team of Steve and Traci Harada and weighed in at 13.25 pounds.
A total of 60 teams competed in the tournament which was based out of the Fort Peck Marina on Fort Peck Lake.

Valley Event Center To Hold Barbecue Contest (Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 04:49 PM)

Do your guests always want second helpings of your barbecue pork?

Do they ask for your barbecue recipe every time you cook?

Proper meat, coals just right, sauce on at the right time. Is barbecuing your passion?

Well then, you may just want to do bring your skills to the Big Valley Barbecue Contest and take home some prize money. Judges will award $500 to first place, $300 to second and $100 to third.

The Barbecue Contest is scheduled June 26 in conjunction with the open house at the Valley Event Center in Glasgow. It is sponsored by the Valley County Community Foundation and directors Sam Waters, Gary Wageman and Jim Rector co-chair the contest. Proceeds will go to the Foundation’s endowment.

"We’re looking for contestants for the barbecue," Waters said. The entry fee for the contest is to provide a pig with a minimum dressed weight of 75 pounds. For entry information and contest rules, contact him at 228-8231, Wageman at 228-8261 or Rector at 228-4385. Interested contestants may also check the rules section of www.pnwba.com.

Barbecue contests are major events in many parts of the country, Waters explained, adding that contestants come with intensity and preparation worthy of Olympic athletes. With the good cooks in this area, he is confident a good meal will follow lots of good-natured competition.

Following the judging, the barbecued pork will be the centerpiece of a meal that will be served from 4 to 6 p.m. There will be a charge of $5 per person for the meal, which includes chances on door prizes. The contest and meal will take place in the midst of a day filled with activities for all ages in Glasgow’s newest building. A community rummage sale starts things off, followed by a fiddlers’ jam session, games, a car show and shine, and an evening jam session and dance.

Amtrak Empire Builder To Celebrate 75th Birthday Run In Three Montana Towns (Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 04:39 PM)

It’s been operated by the Great Northern Railway, Burlington Northern and now AMTRAK, but it’s always been known as the Empire Builder and it will celebrate its 75th year of operation Saturday, June 12, during stops in Havre, Shelby, and Whitefish.

Raffle drawings at all three stops will give lucky celebrants a free round-trip train ticket to Seattle.

The Empire Builder, named for James J. Hill, the founder of Great Northern Railway, began its runs across the northern tier of the U.S. in 1929 and is still carrying passengers every day across the Hi-Line and through Glacier National Park to Whitefish and Libby before heading to Spokane, Seattle and Portland.

Two pairs of round-trip tickets to Seattle will be awarded in drawings at each of the three Montana stops. The celebrations will begin in Havre at about 3:30 p.m. The train is scheduled to arrive at 3:45.

At each stop, officials and guests aboard the train, including Lt. Gov Karl Ohs and AMTRAK President David Gunn, will get off and join the depot celebration. Refreshments will be served and the raffle will be held. Tickets will cost $5 and be on sale at each celebration. The Havre Railroad Museum, the AMTRAK depot in Shelby and Stumptown Historical Society in Whitefish will display historical photos and memorabilia from the 75 years of the train. The Havre museum will run authentic model trains from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In Shelby, the festivities will get underway at 5 p.m. The train is due to arrive at 5:22. In Whitefish, the party begins at 9 p.m. and the train will arrive to the historic depot at about 9:15 p.m. Guests will be able to see history on display at Stumptown Historical Society, which is housed in the depot building and will be open.

The first trains on the route departed Chicago on June 10, 1929, and Seattle June 11, 1929. Other celebrations, with music and speeches, are scheduled for Chicago, St. Paul, Seattle and Portland.

Friends Of Pioneer Museum To Celebrate Senior Citizens Day June 10 (Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 04:35 PM)

On June 10th Friends Of The Pioneer Museum will be hosting Senior Citizens Day at the Pioneer Museum. Last year was so much fun we wanted to visit with our seniors again. All of you are invited to come visit the Museum and enjoy some coffee and refreshments while visiting with friends you may not have seen for awhile. This will also give you an opportunity to meet our new supervisor, Shelly Romo.

The Quast House, which was dedicated Memorial Day weekend will be available for tours. It is fantastic! You may also want to visit the Osterberg-Wesen Homestead Shack. It gives you a glimpse of how many of our Valley County families got their start. What an amazing group of people!

In the Museum itself, you will see the new Kitzenberg political button collection along with other political artifacts. Come see "Yesterday's Music" display. It will make you smile and remember. Also you will find that alot of things have been rejuvenated and added in the church exhibit. It is beautiful. This is just a few of the things you will see.

Doing family history research? Have a visit with the people who manage the Archives at the Museum. They will be able to tell you what is available in their collections or they may be able to steer you in the right direction for more material. There is a wide range of information in the Archives which is fast becoming one of the best collections in the state. They receive calls from people all over the country who are seeking information. They also get calls from schools, colleges, government agencies, etc. who are looking for particular information about our area. They are creating a fantastic service available to all of us.

If you make a trip to the Gift Shop you will find a number of interesting items. We have a number of locally made items that are very nice; hardanger by Judy Saindon, memorbilia by Lonnie Stratton, wonderfully heavy crocheted pot holder/hot pads by Bernice Barrett, the Wall Agate Jewerly, Marie's Scrubber just to name a few. We also have commercial items available. There are beautiful nested wooden figures from Russia, unusual perfume bottles, a new line of western theme greeting cards with matching mugs, music boxes, fragrant candles, Indian items and so on. Looking for a book? We have a nice selection with many different subjects from Indian history, cookbooks, old time stories for children and adults, as well as Lewis & Clark books to name a few. We also have locally produced books; "Footprints In The Valley", the all class reunion book plus supplement, local history books, cowboy poetry by Jim Nelson. Many of you have "Our Pioneer Heritage" cookbook but we want you to know the supply is now limited and will probably be out of print by the end of the year. The historical afghans ar also beginning to be in short supply. So if you have put off buying either one of these you may want to reconsider.

We hope you will stop in for a visit. You may see friends you have not seen in awhile and catch up on some visiting. And the coffee and refreshments will help make it more enjoyable. Plus the exhibits themselves are wonderful conversation pieces because of the memories they stir up. So please come join us for an enjoyable afternoon. We'd love to see you.

--

In August 1994 the first Heritage Wall photo plaque went up at the courthouse. Since that time the program has grown to the point where we presently have 188 of them. We now have 120 displayed at the courthouse and 68 at the Pioneer Museum. All of the plaques are made by Albert Franzen. Not only is the collection a beauty to see but it also has done a tremendous job of collecting and preserving the histories of these families and that is what the Museum is about.

All the funds raised through this program have gone to improve the Pioneer Museum. To date the sum is $165,814.10. That translates into a new addition, hi-tech security equipment, new heating-cooling-humidity control system, remodeled bathrooms, an office (never had one before), a new roof on the older sections and miscellanious smaller projects. So in ten years it has truly worked miracles for the Museum. The present project is to be able to put a finish of dryvit around the entire building (like the Civic Center). The dryvit has a very high insulating factor and will improve the appearance of the facility.

Besides photo plaques the Heritage Wall Collection includes the "Caring & Sharing" book. These are donations from $1.00 to $99.00. There are also large county shaped plaques; donations $100 up to $299 are recognized here. There is a minimum donation of $300 involved with the photo plaques. The small county shaped plaques represent businesses, organizations, clubs etc. Wherever you see a star on a plaque (photo or small county) it stands for $1000. As you can see there are many stars. People have participated in this program to honor and memorialize loved ones. They also do it to make sure their own histories are preserved. They also do it because they love the Pioneer Museum.

We invite you to also take part in the collection. There are informational pamphlets at both the courthouse and museum. If you have questions or would like to become involved with Friends Of The Pioneer Museum, please contact Doris Franzen (228-2082), Brenda Leckie (228-4246 evenings) or Sherri Turner (228-6274, Monday - Friday).

We invite you to come to the Museum and the courthouse to view everything. To make it easier for you to find the plaque that you may be looking for a directory has been created. Also when you see your commissioners thank them for making this possible.

Glasgow Looking For A New Boys Basketball Coach (Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 04:25 PM)

Glasgow High School is looking for a new Head Boys Basketball Coach after Ryan Rebsom announced that he is taking a job at Rockford University in Rockford, Illinois.

June Obituaries

William E. (Bill) Carlson

William E. (Bill) Carlson, age 82, passed away at his home in Glasgow, MT on June 25, 2004. Cremation has taken place and, at his request, no services are planned. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and one brother.

He was born to Ernest and Verna (McKean) Carlson March 9th, 1922, in Circle, Montana and received his formal education in seven terms at the Prairie Elk Schoo/. He then engaged in ranching and farming in that community until he retired to Glasgow, Montana in 1985. At age five he learned to play the fiddle and at age eight played for his first dance. He continued fiddlingfor dances regularly over an eight county area for the next 48 years. In 1968 he joined the Montana State Old Time Fiddlers Association and participated in their jam sessions on a regular basis. He entered several fiddling contests and collected nearly 20 trophies through the years. He served as state President of Montana Fiddlers for two years in 1986 and 1987. He also was a judge at the state contest. The trophy, he was the most proud of was the Best Liked Fiddler trophy he received in 1992. The person who receives it is determined by popular vote of the musicians at the state contest each year. He married Pearl Fisher July 5, 1953 at Sidney, Montana and they had three sons. They were divorced in 1968. April 5, 1980 he married Irene Bouchard at Glasgow, Montana and aquired two step sons and a step daughter and became very devoted to them and the eight step grandchildren. Irene passed away December 20, 1990. After retiring he began going to Cowboy Poetry Gatherings and reciting the nearly 200 hundred poems about the olden days that he had written and also helped with the musical part of the entertainment. These functions took him to as far away as Canada and Nebraska. He also wrote his parents biographies and several essays about topics ranging from Missouri River Ferry Boats to Range horses and Moonshiners and many other subjects. He served on the ASC. Committee, was Judge of Election and a School Board Member for many years and after retiring was a board member of the Valley County Historical society for several years. Starting as a young boy he made Cowboy gear from rawhide and progressed into saddle making, making many of them before retirement. He helped gather the last range horses and made many trips horseback to the railroad with trail herds of range cows or horses. For the first 15 years of his ranching:farming career he used horses for practically all the farming, haying and feeding work. He ran a threshing rig for several years and was knowledgeable about forge black-smithing, Battit bearings and motor overhaul, and in later years was a fairly good welder. He was quite expert at livestock doctoring and Artificially inseminated his own cows for a few years and Pregnancy tested his own and most of the neighbors cows for many years . After retirement he took up fiddle repair of which he was familiar and also made several new fiddles. He also helped a few students with lessons and made music several times a day in his home. Through the years he seldom charged for giving lessons and donated his music for many School, 4H club and other organizations dances. Mr. Carlson's philosophy of life can best be summed up with the last stanza of his poem, "Cowboy~ Religion". "Now often I've wondered as one approaches deaths bed, How many people can be proud of the life that they led? You may have had wealth, went to church and had charm, But can you honestly say, I never did anyone harm".

Survivors Include Sons - Ernest Carlson of Circle, Montana, Robin Carlson of Pella, Iowa, Bradley Carlson of Owattona, Minnesota: Step sons Dave Renner of Nashua Montana, Larry Renner of Laurel, Montana. and a Step daughter Donna Petersen of Glasgow, Montana, and numerous Grandchildren and Great Grand children. Surviving is a sister Bessie Garoutte of Circle, Montana. and long time Special friend Emma Boysun and her family.

Aileen S. Rusher

Aileen S. Rusher, age 91, passed away on Monday - June 28, 2004 at the Valley View Nursing Home in Glasgow, Montana of natural causes. Funeral services are planned for Friday - July 2, 2004 at 10:00 A.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Glasgow, MT with Rev. Dave Hodsdon officiating. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. She was preceded in death by husband John C. Rusher.

BORN: August 24, 1910 in Glasgow, Montana PARENTS: Mr. and Mrs. Otto M. Christinson Aileen S. Rusher has lived in Glasgow her entire life. She belonged to the Home Demonstration Club, United Methodist Women's Club, Birthday Club, Rebecca's, and Glasgow Ridgerunners. Aileen married John C. Rusher in Glasgow on April 7, 1931. He passed away in 1996. She enjoyed embroidering, playing the organ and piano, and gardening. She also worked at the Fair Store and was a Nurses Aid at the Hospital for many years.

SURVIVORS: Sons: Dean Rusher (Kitty Lou) of Glasgow, MT Jack Rusher (Judy) of Valley, Washington Daughters: Mary Ann Ellsworth of Glasgow, MT Donna Reinhardt of Glasgow, MT Pauline Jasper of Culbertson, MT, Helen & William Grant of Lebanon, OR and Beverly & Vernon Copenhaver of Hinsdale, MT. 18 Grandchildren 38 Great Grandchildren 13 Great Great Grandchildren.

Claude Ezra Ereaux

Claude Ezra Ereaux, age 61, passed away from a pulmonary embolism at Benefis East Hospital in Great Falls on Friday, June 25, 2004. A wake will be held on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 at 7:00 P.M. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Malta. Services are planned for Thursday - July 1, 2004 at 2:00 P.M. at the Malta High School Gymnasium in Malta, Montana. Burial will be at the Malta Cemetery in Malta, MT with Fr. Jim O'Neil and Fr. Writzel officiating. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. A reception will be following the funeral at the Tin Cup. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Ilene (Burlingame) Ereaux; a granddaughter, Emily Rose; and sister La Donna Itciana.

Ezzie was born on May 29, 1943 and raised in South Wagner and Malta. He graduated from Malta High School in 1961. Ezzie stayed and worked at the Nicholson Ranch in Dodson from the 6th grade through most of high school. After high school he worked for the Larry O'Rourke Ranch, hauled mail on the Dodson Route, worked construction for his Uncle Bill Burlingame in Missoula, and drove truck for Waggoner Trucking out of Livingston. Ezzie worked for Petrolane for several years in Malta and in 1967 went into partnership with CK Hanson in the Conoco Bulk Plant. After purchasing the bulk plant a number years later, Ezzie began building his bulk dealership into Ezzie's Wholesale, which now consists of locations in Malta, Turner, Chinook, Harlem, Saco, Hinsdale, Havre, Big Sandy, and Glasgow. Ezzie also owned and operated the West Side Service of Malta, the Kid Curry, and a partnership in Marian Hills and the Tin Cup in Malta. Ezzie employs over 100 employees throughout the Hi-Line area. Ezzie loved people! He loved hunting and fishing and enjoyed entertaining and having friends with him. He was concerned for people and enriched the lives of all that came in contact with him. He had an excellent memory and was a superb businessman who was respected by his peers, customers, and employees alike. He also helped a lot of people, the local community and Hi-Line without fanfare or recognition. He will be missed by all. Memorials in Ezzie's name may be made to any local charity of your choice or the Malta Fire Department.

Survivors include his wife, Jane Ereaux of Malta, a son Robert Ereaux of Havre, brothers and sisters: Roger Ereaux, Saco; June and Jim Fitzpatrick, Helena; Claris Darrah, Malta; Phyllis Harrington, Helena; Carrol and Jean Ereaux, Roy and Marian Ereaux, and Byron and Lynnette Ereaux, all of Malta; Stella and John Murray, Great Falls; and Darla and Leo Barthelmess, Malta. He has numerous nieces and nephews.

Florence P. Walker

Florence P. Walker. age 81, passed away on Sunday - June 20, 2004 of natural causes. Services are planned for Saturday -June 26, 2004 at 11:00 A.M. at the St. Raphael's Catholic Church with Thad Kozikowski officiating. Burial will be in the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, Montana. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Florence Patricia Walker was born in Glasgow July 6, 1922 to pioneer residents William and Anna Bretzke. She attended Glasgow schools and graduated from Glasgow High Florence Patricia Walker was born in Glasgow July 6, 1922 to pioneer residents School with the class of 1940. Florence married Willard W. Walker on April 14, 1941. Willard entered the Army in October of 1943, and while he trained in the states, Florence was employed in various government offices where Willard was stationed. After being discharged from the service, they moved back to the Walker farm south of Glasgow and continued Walker's Gardens. In 1959, the farm house was lost due to fire and the family moved into Glasgow on 3rd Ave So. At that time, Florence started working in the Valley County Assessor's office. She was Deputy Assessor for 10 years and in 1968, was elected Valley County's first woman County Assessor. When Willard retired in 1981 from Mountain Bell, they sold their home in Glasgow and moved to Athol, Idaho. After losing Willard in 1997, sharing each other for 56 years, Florence moved back to Glasgow and resided for 5 years at Nemont Manor. She then lived with her daughter, Pamela, until having to move to Valley View Home in January of 2004. Florence enjoyed canning, freezing and preserving vegetables and fruits, was a wonderful seamstress and embroiderer, enjoyed reading and crossword puzzles, and had a definite passion for the game of cribbage. She loved to travel and enjoyed many family fishing and camping trips to Glacier Park and points in Canada.

She is survived by her sister, Anna Heikens of Kalispell (daughters Patricia J. Foote(Larry), Twinsburg, Ohio, Pamela J. Pisarick, Glasgow, Mary Sugg(Bill), Glasgow, and sons Willard S. Walker, Couer D' Alene, Idaho, Charles R. Walker(Judy), Athol, Idaho; grandchildren Brian Bohach, Darin Bohach, Edward Sugg, Levi Sugg, Pamela Zakraysek, Tricia Teribery and Christine Pisarick; and great-grandchildren Courtney Zakraysek and Andrew and Abbey Teribery.

Lena May Bulock

Lena May Bulock, age 57, passed away from complications due to pneumonia on Thursday, June 17, 2004 in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Services are planned for Thursday - June 24, 004 at 1:00 P.M. at the Fort Peck Community Church in Fort Peck, Montana with Rev. Dave Hodsdon officiating. Burial will be at the Fort Peck Cemetery in Fort Peck, MT. Bell mortuary in Glasgow in charge of arrangements. Lena was preceded in death by her loving husband Harry (Eddie) Bulock, her brother Ernest Blucienne Maurer, and a sister Mary Lee.

BORN: August 18, 1946 in Glasgow, MT PARENTS: Ernest and Lucienne (Bellanger) Mauer She graduated from Glasgow High School in 1964. On September 22, 1967. Lena married Harry Edison Bulock in Glasgow. Lena's lifetime love was being out at Fort Peck Lake fishing. She loved to be around her family. She also loved to read, crochet, and play cards with her friends.

SURVIVORS: 4 children: William "Bill" Bulock of Spangdahlem, Germany Melissa Bulock of Klamath Falls, Oregon Darin Bulock and his wife Tara of Sheridan, Wyoming Brenda Bulock of Glasgow, MT 10 and ½ Grandchildren: Devin Rasmusan, Dillen Rasmusan, Kelsi Schultz, Maklay Bulock, Brock Bulock, Jessica Bulock, Ryne Bulock, Datin Bulock, Kyleigh Bulock, Tatilin Bulock.

Marie Alice (Brookie) Carlson

Marie Alice (Brookie) Carlson, age 40, passed away on Monday, June 14, 2004 in Great Falls, Montana with her family at her side. Services are planned for Friday - June 18, 2004 at 2:00 P.M. at the First Lutheran Church in Hinsdale, Montana. Internment will be at Hillview Cemetery in Hinsdale, Montana. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Palbearers: Roger Brookie, Hugh Brookie, Jay Brookie, Kenny Ketchum, Anthony Boldt, Ryan Storkson. Marie was preceded in death by her father - John K. Brookie, step-father Kenneth "Sam" Ketchum, and father-in-law Gordon Carlson.

BORN: April 8, 1964 in Glasgow, Montana PARENTS: John K and Mary Jane (Kaasa) Brookie. She married Morris Carlson on June 8, 1984 in Hinsdale, MT She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Hinsdale, Montana and Women of the Moose in Helena, Montana. She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Hinsdale, MT . She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends along with doing crafts and being an avid reader.

SURVIVORS: Husband: Morris W. Carlson of Great Falls, MT Son: Kurtis B. Carlson Daughter: Angela (Angie) N. Carlson Mother : Mary Jane Ketchum Brothers: Roger (Barb) Brookie Hugh (Janeen) Brookie Jay (Marcy) Brookie Kenny Ketchum Sisters: Katherine G. Boldt Linda (Rick) Birkoski Many uncles, aunts, numerous nieces, nephews, grand nephews and grand nieces. Mother-in-law Betty Carlson Sister-in-law Pam (Del) Grote Brothers-in-law: Dave (Gail) Carlson Tom (Rose) Carlson.

Ivy Leonard Knight

Ivy Leonard Knight, age 84, passed away on June 14, 2004, from natural causes at Valley View Nursing Home. Funeral services with full military rites are scheduled at First Lutheran Church of Glasgow on Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at 2 p.m. with Pastor Martin Mock, officiating. Internment will be at the Highland Cemetery of Glasgow. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. His parents and two brothers preceded him in death.

He was born on Groundhog I s Day, February 2, 1920, in Wolf Point, Montana, the third son of railroader father Leonard and Norwegian mother Lucia Ellingsen Knight. He was raised with six brothers, a favorite dog named Rover, and a bunch of rabbits. At the age of six, he moved with his family to Glasgow. Ivy graduated from Glasgow High School in 1938 and four years later began his military service in the 66th Infantry Division during World War II. He manned an antiaircraft gun position on the coast of New Jersey before being sent overseas to England. He did his part to liberate southern France from the Germans. He was honorably discharged in 1946. On June 2, 1949, Ivy married Mildred Rosemary Sonsteng of Lustre, Montana. Four daughters were born to this union: Laura Lee (Hal) Haefer, elementary librarian in Poplar; Julie Ann (Charles) Swanson, mathematics teacher/farmer's wife in Corvallis; Sharleen Rae Arnold, billing clerk in Glasgow; and Doris Mildred (Rick) Leader, Certified Public Accountant in Glasgow. Years of loyal service were given to the Glasgow Courier. His employment began as a paperboy at the age of six. He retired from the Glasgow Courier at the age of 65, but continued to work until 1994. He was a pressman for many years, working as the Heidelberg operator and then, for ten years beginning in 1966, he was co-owner of Courier Printing, located in the Courier building. He was a confirmed member of the First Lutheran Church of Glasgow. He served on the church council and was an active member of the Lutheran Brotherhood. He was a charter member of Kogudus, a Christian outreach ministry. Ivy became a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3107 in 1974. He held the commander I s post at both the district (District 5) and local (Post #3107) levels in the V.F.W. He served as a city council alderman, a member of the local police commission, and as president of the Valley County Senior Citizens. His favorite pastimes included hunting, travel, reading the newspapers, and the card game, whist. Ivy is grandfather to Odena Rae Arnold Dopp, Charla Marie and Lukas Knight Swanson, RaeLynn Ivy Arnold, and Russell Jon, Curtis Leonard, and Nicholas Aaron Leader.

Survivors include Ivy's wife of 55 years, Mildred Rosemary, of Glasgow, as well as his daughters, their husbands, and children. Ivy has four surviving brothers: Jasper (Helen) of Libby, Montana; John (Marge) of Perham, Minnesota; Richard (Norma) of Bremerton, Washington; and Carl (JoAnn) of San Francisco, California. Numerous cousins, nieces and nephews also survive him.

Jack D. Nelson Sr.

Jack D. Nelson Sr., age 67, passed away on Friday, June 11, 2004 of cancer at the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Montana. Thursday - June 17, 2004 at 11:00 A.M. at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow, MT with Lee Ann Machosky officiating. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Jack was preceded in death by his parents and one granddaughter.

Jack was born September 4, 1936 in Plentywood, Montana to Palvin and Sadie (Pederson) Nelson. He attended schools in Medicine Lake, Reserve, Flaxville, and high school in Scobey, Montana. Jack entered the U.S. Air Force in 1954 and was Honorably Discharged in 1957. He was with the Air Force Reserve until 1962. Jack married Joan Barkie on July 25, 1959 in Scobey. They had three children Jack Jr., Jo Ellen, and Jeri. He worked for Eddy's Bread, Vita Rich, did truckdriving. He had a shoe shop in Scobey before joining the City of Scobey as a night policeman and eventually became Scobey's Chief of Police. In 1972, Jack came to Glasgow joining the Montana Highway Patrol. He was with the Montana Highway Patrol until retiring in 1993. Since then, he was involved with Powder River Transportation with the railroad for seven years. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, farming, making bullets, and was active in both the Elks and VFW.

SURVIVORS: Wife: Joan Nelson of Glasgow, MT Son: Jack Nelson Jr. of Wolf Point, MT Daughters: Jo Ellen MacLean of Chinook, MT Jeri Neumiller of Glasgow, MT 5 Grandchildren: Jocelynn and Britany Maclean Jessica, Joshua, and Nora Jo Neumiller Brothers: Roger Nelson of Scobey, MT Gordon Nelson of Homestead, MT Sister: Hope Fugere of Scobey, MT.

Sharon Lee Anderson

Sharon Lee Anderson, age 63, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Wednesday, June 9, 2004, at St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Washington. Services will take place on Monday, June 14, 2004 at the First United Methodist Church at 1pm in Washington. GRAVESIDE SERVICE: Thursday - June 17, 2004 at 10:00 AM at the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, MT. BELL Mortuary in charge of arrangements. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers George & Buddy and sisters Julie & Helen, granddaughter Sara and great-granddaughter Jayda.

Sharon was born on January 28, 1941 in Glasgow, Montana to Bud and Mabel Ione (Humphries) Nelson. She attended local Glasgow schools and went on to Northern Montana College for her education in Nursing. As a Registered Nurse she enjoyed caring for others, and still managed to raise four amazing daughters. For some time Sharon was very active in the Nursing Association and also the SIDS foundation. Retiring in 2000 as a registered nurse from American Lake Veterans Hospital, she moved on to her favorite thing to do - spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Surviving Sharon is her long time companion, Lee Whittaker. Daughters: Theresa (Roy) Moe, Dawn (Tony) Collins, Brenda Whittaker Barb(Gary)Merritt. Brothers and Sisters, Marie, Marsha, Donna, Ralph & Brent. Grandchildren, Chris, Jennie, Cindy, Becky, Julie, Sean, Shelby & Krista. Great-grandchildren, Kody, Josh, Bobby, Angelina, Max, Abigail & Mya.

Owen Dale Funk, Sr.

Owen Dale Funk, Sr., age 76, died at his home surrounded by family on Thursday, June 10, 2004. a Rosary will be 7pm Sunday, June 13 at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Burial with military honors will be in the Malta Cemetary. Memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice. Adams Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements. Preceded in death by his grandduaghter, Julia Funk; his brother, Maurice Funk; his sister-in-law, Clarice Funk; and his parents, Sid and Francis.

Owen Began his life July 20, 1927 in Malta, MT, the son of Sid and Francis Funk. Owen attended schools in Malta, graduating from Malta High School in 1945. He attended Montana State University in Bozeman where he played basketball for one year. Owen then enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and served as a medic in Korea for 22 months where he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with Letter "V" for heroic achievement in connection with military operations against an armed emeny near Kungmal, Korea, in January 1952. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant First Class. He returned to the family ranch norht of Hindsale and began his ranching career with wife Patricia (Brady) whom he married on January 16, 1954. During his ranching tenure Owen was member of the American Hereford Association and a committee member of the Farmer Home Administration. Owen was active in civic groups serving on the Hindsale School Board for many years. Owen was recognized for his service and contribution to the Valley County Livestock Association and was elected an honorary member of the Future Farmers of America. Owen remained a constant presence at many area sporting events follwing his children and grandchildren in their many activities.