Articles from the August 4, 2021 edition


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  • Big Sandy Schools have filled teaching positions, but still need help

    Erik Sietsema|Aug 4, 2021

    Big Sandy Schools has filled all of the open teaching positions for the upcoming school year. With businesses and other organizations struggling to fill open positions, the public school system isn’t immune from the labor shortage crunch. Kelly Haaland, the superintendent of Big Sandy Schools, replied to my question about how hiring is going with a simple, “We are done.” When I asked how the hiring process was this time around the reply wasn’t sugar-coated, “It was horrible.” Other school administrators I have spoken with around the state h...

  • New floors at the High School gym & annex

    Erik Sietsema|Aug 4, 2021

    The Big Sandy School gym received a facelift this summer, which has resulted in a longer closure of the facility to students and the public. During the lockdowns of last spring and summer, school administrators were inundated with questions about when the gym would be reopening. This week, I found out that though there is not a start date for the public using the facility again, the time closed has been used well. The floors in both the main gym and the annex have been redone entirely and some...

  • Gregory and Demontiney finally get to play volleyball in Hawaii

    Zoe Merrill|Aug 4, 2021

    Lainey Gregory and Seanna Demontiney had planned to go to Hawaii to play volleyball last summer, but with Covid-19, the opportunity was canceled until this summer. So both Lainey and Senna traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii July 6th and stayed there for a week. They played in the Nokaoi Volleyball Tournament. Seanna said, "Hawaii was absolutely amazing! It was something I have never experienced before. It felt so great to finally be able to travel and see more of the world." Lainey said, "It was well...

  • Green Acres

    Tyler Lane|Aug 4, 2021

    Horticultural Tips for August Below are some rules of thumb when tending vegetables, lawns, flowers and trees during the month of August. • Renovate strawberries by mowing a minimum of every three years. Some people mow their strawberries every year following fruit production. Be sure to set the mower high enough to mow the leaves. Mowing to low may damage the crowns and kill the plant. • Topdress strawberries after harvest with a complete fertilizer like 16-16-16. • Pinch the tops of indeterminate tomatoes and reduce watering to promote ripen...

  • Big Sandy School hires Maddie Jenkins for English Teacher

    Zoe Merrill|Aug 4, 2021

    I was going to attend the Big Sandy School Board meeting on the internet but could not connect. I visited with Kelly Haaland in his office about the last school board meeting. Maddie Jenkins was hired as an English teacher for the Big Sandy High School. She has three years to get her English endorsement with a Class Five license, or she will be in an internship for three years. Maddie has a history endorsement currently but can teach English according to Montana law while working towards her English endorsement. She has taught English before...

  • Renee Hansen and Karen Reinertson compile Old-Timers Column

    Zoe Merrill|Aug 4, 2021

    I met Renee Hansen and Karen Reinertson at the Montana Room at the Big Sandy Library. This is where you will find all the old Mountaineers bound and available to the public to read. They use them to do their research for the Old-Timers column. So many people were asking who we got to recompile the column, I thought it would be interesting to visit with them about it. Why did they decide to write the column? Karen said, "I hated to see the column disappear." It was too important to her. Renee...

  • Getting By

    Aug 4, 2021

    This week’s article is provided by Marsha Goetting, Montana State University Extension Montana State University Extension has updated its MontGuide “Montana Medical Care Savings Accounts (MSAs) for the 2021 Tax Year.” The revised guide is available at https://store.msuextension.org, and paper copies are available from county or reservation Extension offices. A medical care savings account is an account used to reduce the cost of saving for medical expenses and long-term health care. According to Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family econo...

  • Senior Center News

    Aug 4, 2021

    Menu Thursday, August 5-Penne with ham, veggies, garlic toast, Carrot salad, and dessert. Friday, August 6- breakfast casserole, bacon, toast, fruit, and juice. Monday, August 9- Meatball subs, fruit salad, and dessert. Tuesday, August 10- Birthday Dinner- Pork chops, mashed potoates, veggies, Green salad, Pineapple Upside down cake. Wednesday, August 11- Chicken & Rice casserole, veggies, Cucumber Onion salad, and dessert. Recipe of the week: Spicy Dorito® Taco Salad Ingredients 1 pound ground beef ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon chili po...

  • Patching Cracks

    Erik Sietsema|Aug 4, 2021

    In his fictional book, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote a collection of letters from a senior demon to a novice tempter. The book explores the various ways people are led astray, tempted, tricked, and manipulated from their faith in God. The opening chapter describes the most powerful tool the devil uses to keep people from ever asking themselves important questions in life: the ordinary. Everyday life and the boring details that occupy our attention keep us from looking at our lives and dealing with issues that matter in the long term....

  • Barracudas Place Fifth at State

    Melanie Schwarzbach|Aug 4, 2021

    The Big Sandy Swim Team knew they'd have their work cut out for them when they were placed in the AA division for the state meet. Despite the stiff competition, the team scored 277 points. Sidney was this years big winner, scoring 828 points. Leading the scoring for the Barracudas was Cam Schwarzbach, who scored 42 points to earn the first place high point award in the senior boys division. He won all three freestyle races and set a new pool record in the 400 meters. Daisy Labuda grabbed a...