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By Robert Lucke In case you haven't noticed, when you drive by the high school you will see kids out shooting bows and arrows at targets. Those same targets will be at the elementary school next week. It is a new physical education sport for Big Sandy said PE instructor Larry Brumwell. "It all started as a half joke," said Brumwell. "Brad Moore said that he had identified some grant money that could be used for an aspect of physical education and sent me to look at what we might be able to use...
Gees Louise, can you believe that this is already the fifth annual Church of God Brisket Cook Off! It is at the Church of God in Big Sandy on Sunday, October 2, 2016 and it starts at 1pm. Brisket Cook Off organizer and Sky Pilot for the Big Sandy Church of God Erik Sietsema said that last year there were ten entries for the Brisket Cook Off and he feels that there will be more this year. “I want to say that if you are interested in cooking a brisket for the barbeque, you need to get hold of me very soon,” said Sietsema. I need to get you the...
If you are interested in carrying a concealed weapon, circle the dates of Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29. For Big Sandy Adult Education is bringing Dr. David Simpson to Big Sandy to conduct a two day Concealed Weapon class. See Sherri Heppner at the high school for specific times for the two day class. The class will be held at the Big Sandy Gun Club Shooting range. Goals for the class are to provide basic knowledge, attitude (mind set) and skill set in knowing and using a firearm in a safe manner and to test that knowledge and skill...
At the regular City Council meeting held September 12 the pledge was recited, minutes were approved, guests were greeted and there was no correspondence. There were three visitors. There was no sheriff’s report. The Council talked about a new water project. It is in limbo now according to Mayor Stiles as it is waiting for Rural Development. He said that Big Sandy may not know the particulars of the project until December or January for a time frame. A water user talked to the Council, thinking that her water bill was too high. The Council a...
It seems like only yesterday that I was driving over Marias Pass on Highway 2 about this time last year and going up to the top of the pass, from the east, saw the most beautiful fall foliage I had ever seen. Coming back two days later, it was all gone due to a big wind that ripped through the pass. That is the way when you go seeking fall foliage in Glacier National Park. It is some of the best anywhere but it can be gone in the twinkling of an eye. This time of year the most beautiful fall foliage is on the east side of Glacier National...
There are no classes more popular for a good share of students in high school than history classes. And yet, there can be no more frustrating classes to teach or to attend than those same history classes. It is all a matter of time. Take United States history. When teachers in the Woodrow Wilson era taught that class, they had too much to teach. Imagine trying to teach it now. Some classes get to World War II if they are lucky and unless special attention is given to modern history, it sometimes isn’t even taught. That is why teachers have t...
Last week we gave you an overview of fall foliage areas that are close by where you live. Today, let’s get more specific about one area. That is the Bear Paw Mountains, a Mecca for fall foliage. First as to timing, it is everything. I have gone over Marias Pass to behold the most beautiful fall foliage ever, then come back through the next day only to find it all gone. A frost and a wind can take the foliage away in a few hours. As a rule but not hard and fast, around the first of October the foliage is thought to be prime in the Bear Paw Mount...
As a community we have come to expect Shaud Schwarzbach and his team at North West Farm Credit to step forward and help the Big Sandy community with projects that probably could not get completed without help. Well, according to Erik Sietsema and the Big Sandy Food Bank, the North West Farm Credit team has hit one out of the ball park this month. The Farm Credit organization has decreed September 21, 2016 as the day that the Chuck Wagon from the Montana Food Pantry in Missoula rolls into town to help with extra food for those in need in our...
People who love rustic art celebrated Grandma Moses birthday last week. Had she lived, she would be well over a hundred years in age. Matter of fact she did live to be over a hundred. Grandma Moses started painting when she was a very old lady and her paintings caught on for art lovers all over the world. At least one of her paintings is hanging in the White House. Like many of us, Grandma Moses did not learn much about her talents for many many years. Another person shared much the same story....
There are several places in and around Montana to see, simply glorious fall foliage starting right about now. Most fall foliage is in its prime around the first part of October, although it has been running later for the last couple of years. That does not count the dramatic tamarack or larch fall foliage when those evergreens have their needles turn gold then drop off until the following spring. That season can last all the way until Thanksgiving. Close to us, the best viewing for tamaracks is Marias Pass, the Swan Valley and the McDonald...
On August 16 the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announced the ninth class of inductees into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame. For those of us who live in Big Sandy, our district is District 4 which includes Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty Counties. This year only two inductees were chosen from this district which is puzzling because two legacy inductees and one living inductee can be chosen from each district. This year from District 4 were chosen the living award to Aaron "Duke" Pursley from...
When Steve Sibra was in Big Sandy last week, one thing he did was to read from his new poetry book to a group at Craig Edward's Gallery on Saturday night. The book is called "The Turtle is Not a Metaphor" and is some 35 dark and not so dark poems that he has written in the past few years. Sibra grew up on a farm 7 miles south east of Big Sandy and graduated from Big Sandy high school in 1974. Sibra went to the University of Montana and then the University of Puget Sound for law school. He loved...
James C. Howland IV is the new librarian at both the Big Sandy elementary school and the Big Sandy high school. In addition Howland is teaching seventh grade English. Howland was raised in Havre, graduating from Havre High School in 2000. He majored in English and History at MSU Bozeman and has taught for 7 years at Rosebud before moving to Big Sandy to take over the library position. Howland loves history and specializes in the Middle Ages. However English is a challenge to him as well as he...
It is time for a September recipe. Looking through the file of recipes I have tried lately, how about a recipe for a very good potato salad that will taste better in the fall than in the summer. Plus it is so very simple to make. This could be called Polish Potato Salad because it is best served at room temperature. You will need five medium potatoes, boiled but with skins on. Yukon gold works well for this dish ½ bottle Kraft oil and vinegar dressing with Italian herbs ¼ cup sugar Lots of salt and pepper ½ cup sliced green olives. ¼ cup malt v...
It was Superintendent Brad Moore’s idea first. He told “The Mountaineer” that a Big Sandy native, Scott Chauvet was the superintendent of his high school in Manhattan, Montana. Not only that but Moore is the superintendent of Chauvet’s home school system in Big Sandy. Now that probably does not happen very often. Not only that but neither claims to want the other’s job. Moore wants to stay in Big Sandy and Chauvet is happy in Manhattan, Montana style, as the old commercial for eating more beef used to say about Manhattan. We thought it would...
By the time these words are being read, Maddy Reichelt will have enrolled as an incoming freshman at the University of Montana. She is taking a four year course to get her pre med requirements over and then she wants to go to medical school. Part of what happened to Maddy this summer caused her to turn to medicine as a lifetime occupation. She went to the National Youth Science Camp in the mountains out of Bartow, West Virginia. Maddy thought the camp was great. There were 120 participants and only one other from Montana, a boy from Corvallis....
Once again Rod Hickman has become a PA at the Big Sandy Clinic. This is about the third time at least that he has moved back to Big Sandy to help out until another PA could be found. “The Mountaineer” asked if Hickman had written anything or could he write about getting a flu vaccination this fall. Luckily he said he had something and emailed it to us. We are using it this week. So, once again, Rod, you have saved our bacon. Thanks again and again for all that you do for this community! Why do I need a Flu vaccination? By Rodney Hickman PA-C Se...
Last week I had to wash my little dachshund, Fala. Fala needed washing badly and since he was going to be spending a lot of September at Lake McDonald it seemed like the right thing to do. Let’s get one thing straight at the outset. Getting washed is the second worst thing that a person could do to Fala. If you are interested in the first worst, it is shaving around his rear end. That sends him into a frenzy of depression until the fur has all grown back. So, giving Fala a bath is not as bad as that. When I fill up the kitchen sink with w...
The Big Sandy Booster Club is one of the most rewarding and fun organizations to be in--but few know anything about it. With only three fully active members, for them it is still a great organization to be in and even though none of the three have children in school any more it is still very rewarding--but few know anything about it. Current members are Barbie Martin, Maryetta Engle, and Dave Louvar. The Big Sandy Booster Club simply supports Big Sandy school children in extracurricular activities. They might provide snacks and a meal to the...
When you read these words, Big Sandy's beloved Patti Hannum will be less than a week away from retiring from her job at The Grocery Store, a job she has had since 1977. But, hold on, we are getting ahead of ourselves. Born and raised in Big Sandy and south-east of Big Sandy, Patti said that her grandfather homesteaded out there. At age 5 the family moved into Big Sandy. The farm was sold after the grandfather passed away and along with Patti's grandmother, her mother and father, Helen and Duane...
Fred Watstein works maintenance with the Big Sandy School System. Although he has not been in Big Sandy very long, he has made himself known at the school, on the City Council and bicycling around Big Sandy with his family. Fred asked "The Mountaineer" to write a story about him as, in his own words, "The Mountaineer" interviews everyone else, why not me? We agreed at "The Mountaineer" and first, found out that Watstein is his third last name. First, his last name was Thomas. From there it was...
By Robert Lucke There were two visitors present at the August 10th regular City Council Meeting. After the Pledge was recited and guests were welcomed, minutes were approved and public comments were called for. There were none. There was no Sheriff’s Report. Regarding the KLJ Water Project report, the City is getting close to knowing what kind of a financial package would be available from Rural Development for this project. The Mayor thinks that if some public meetings go well, the project could get started this spring and he thinks that t...
Before you know it Labor Day will be here and folks will pack up their belongs and put them in storage until next summer or batten down the hatches of the cabin and not even think of it until Memorial Day, when the next year’s summer season will officially begin. I learned one thing about all the seasons, wherever there were cabins and that is that spring, fall and winter can be just simply grand seasons to spend time in the motor home or at the cabin. I have written a lot about having a mulligan simmering away in the crock pot while taking a...
Special thanks to The Church of God for the wonderful lunch they provided for the staff during in service training. Reminder to students and parents, all handouts given out the first day of school must be turned in ASAP. If you are in an extra-curricular activity they need to be turned in before allowed to compete. Thursday, August 25 Booster Club Kickoff at the football field 6pm. Friday, August 26 junior high and varsity volleyball at Centerville. Saturday, August 27 junior high volleyball at Chester and varsity volleyball at Belt. Monday,...
It was like a scene out of “The Wizard of Oz”. Only in the Montana Education version Dorothy’s house did not land on the wicked witch of the north but instead landed on what was left of “No Child Left Behind” to everyone’s relief. Out of the ashes has sprung “Every Student Succeeds Act”. In Big Sandy, Superintendent Brad Moore was all smiles as he explained the new and streamlined education act that was signed into law by President Obama late in 2015. Superintendent Moore said, “The biggest thing for us is that we will be in charge of how we...
