Review 2021
The following are highlights from the previous year in the pages of the
Community News.
January
Roosevelt County Commissioner Gordon Oelkers received the oath of office from Justice of the Peace Penny Hendrickson in Culbertson Tuesday, Dec. 29.
The Town of Culbertson hosted a retirement party for David Dean Dec. 30. Dean addressed attendees, describing his time on the job as “nothing but fun.” He thanked Gordon Oelkers for hiring him and the town council for supporting him. He also expressed appreciation to public works director Bob Jasper for teaching him the ins and outs of the job.
Jim Wix was the first frontline staff member at Roosevelt Medical Center to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 31.
According to the National Weather Service in Glasgow, 2020 had the fourth warmest December in history for the area. The only warmer Decembers occurred in 1957, 1954 and 1999.
On Jan. 11, Moderna, the company that produced the COVID-19 vaccine being used in Roosevelt County and on the Fort Peck Reservation, announced that protection from its vaccine should last a year. It will take a year for the statement to be proven, but this is welcome news as vaccination continues in our area and around the world.
Fred and Della Wix of Culbertson are recipients of the National Weather Service Thomas Jefferson Award for their decades of service to the cooperative weather observing program. Only five of these awards are given annually to honor weather observers across the nation who have dedicated their time to capturing the weather and climate records of their local area.
During public comment period at the Jan. 19 Bainville Town Council meeting, an explanation was requested about a “Trump 2020” sign and graffiti painted on leftover culvert material on a private lot in town.
February
Roosevelt County Health Department held a vaccination clinic at the Culbertson Armory Feb. 2, where approximately 100 people received their first doses, and provided second dose vaccinations to Faith Lutheran Home residents and staff on Feb. 3.
Former Roosevelt County clerk of court employee Erika Fyfe was hired Feb. 9 to replace Donna Reum from the county attorney’s office.
One hundred fifteen students from Culbertson School grades K-8 participated in the science fair that was held on Thursday, Feb. 11. Kindergarten through third grade participation was optional. Participation was required for grades four through eight.
District Court Judge David Cybulski ruled on cross motions for summary judgment Feb. 18, that the Town of Culbertson and Thomas Mann Post 81 of the American Legion may now resume ad- ministering easement-based access to the 40-acre Legion Park near the Missouri River. The town and legion filed the lawsuit in 2016.
Leif Handran, sales and marketing manager for Nemont, said customers will receive a letter from the company regarding their decision to stop providing TV services. The letters were being printed on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
March
Roosevelt County’s employees will receive a one-time stipend from federal CARES funds after a decision by Roosevelt County commissioners on Tuesday, March 2. Commissioners unanimously approved giving each full-time employee a $1,000 stipend and half-time employees a $500 stipend. Commissioners noted that individuals have dealt with added expenses such as day care during the COVID pandemic.
The National Weather Service Glasgow Reported Feb. 28 that the period from December 2020 through February 2021 has brought the least amount of snow for a Meteorological Winter in the Glasgow area with only 1.5 inches. The normal amount of precipitation for the period is 20.4 inches. The Bainville Town Council met Monday, March 8. Matt Giese was sworn in as the newest member of the council. Following the swearing in and approval of February meeting minutes, a resignation letter from councilmember Travis Wills was discussed. The council decided to keep Wills on the council until his term expires or a replacement can be found.
An individual with strong experience in school administration has been hired to be the new superintendent of schools in Bainville. “My wife, Melissa, and I are both small town people,” Darin Hannum said about accepting the position. “It’s all about people. Small towns have fantastic people. We’re excited.”
During a special assembly, Bainville School officials announced that Jessica Berwick is the Paraprofessional of the Year for Region 1 in Montana. “I was pretty surprised,” Berwick said. “I had no idea they were working on putting this together.”
Culbertson’s Jeri Gustafson was selected Class C Drama Coach of the Year following the conclusion of a season marked by a global pandemic. “I have coached for 28 years and this has most certainly been the most difficult season ever,” said Gustafson in a March 13 social media post. “But, with the grit and determination of all of the coaches and teams across the state, we had a season!”
Culbertson’s Aiden Perkins won the Maurice Hilleman Inspiration Prize for his business plan entry titled “Aiden’s Custom Kicks.” He received a $500 award.
April
Two Culbertson students earned honors at the high school Academic Olympics competition held in Glasgow on Wednesday, March 24. Autumn Bergum led the way as she tied for first in science, placed fourth in social studies and tied for 10th in English. Colter Romo placed fifth in math.
The Bainville School hosted their 2021 prom Saturday, March 27, at the high school. Family members and friends packed the school gym for the annual presentation of Bainville royalty and prom attendees. The theme for the evening was “Night of Neon.” Couples took to an impromptu runway before presenting the evening’s king, queen and court. Kaden Hansen and Donna Butikofer were voted king and queen respectively. The school voted Kaige Bratcher and Micah Anderson prince and princess.
Three Culbertson High School students came away with honors from the state Business Professionals of America contest. Tige Purvis took third place in the Linux Operating Systems competition. Makena Hauge, a sophomore, placed fourth in Network Adminis- tration Using Cisco and Server Ad- ministration Using Microsoft. Cody Larsen and Purvis earned fourth-place honors for Presentation Management Team.
The U.S. National Weather Service, Glasgow, said extreme drought has come to eastern parts of the area including Plentywood, Culbertson, Sidney, Glendive and Wibaux. Towns and cities designated in the severe drought areas included Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, Opheim, Terry and Circle.
Wolf Point resident Bill Juve told Roosevelt County Commissioners that they acted illegally when they decided to give each full-time county employee a $1,000 stipend with CARES funds during a meeting on March 2. “The item was not on the agenda for public discussion,” Juve said during the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, April 13.
Joy Owens with Bainville Dollars for Scholars said this year’s Spring Fling event at the Bainville Firehall grossed approximately $6,500 all together with ticket sales and auction items. Sixty-seven diners attended the evening meal. Owens said Bainville firefighters were happy to see some rain at the end of the evening after fighting area fires for three days.
The Montana Public Service Commission has announced that Montanans will need to start using the “406” area code more than ever starting in 2021.
Junior class advisor Keri Hauenstein told the Community News that attendance at the 2021 Culbertson High School prom was up from 2019, at least according to her students. No prom was held in 2020. Abbey Granbois and Michael Pederson were voted queen and king, with freshmen Destiny Thompson and Carson Folem, sophomores Megan Granbois and Kobe Nick- oloff and juniors Autumn Ber- gum and Kyler Kempton filling out the rest of the court. The event was hosted at the old armory.
Roosevelt County started working on a culvert by the railroad crossing on County Road 1013 on Monday, April 19. Three individuals have died in crashes at the crossing since August 2019.
Lanette Bidegaray and Shelby Lebsock with the Culbertson Women’s Club helped serve breakfast at the town hall in Culbertson April 24. The event was a fundraiser for the community pool and bathhouse.
May
Roosevelt County Fire Warden Mike Olson told the Northern Plains Independent that agencies and resources from across the state were deployed to fight a large fire originating east of Poplar April 30. The fire jumped the Missouri River
near Brockton Friday. Fire containment efforts in Roosevelt and Richland counties continued over the weekend. Approximately 4,997 acres burned.
A jury found Clovis Geno, 55, guilty of the deliberate homicide of Ramona Naramore in Roosevelt County District Court in Wolf Point Wednesday, May 5. District judge David Cybulski presided. Naramore was found dead in Culbertson in January 2020 and an autopsy revealed she was killed by strangulation. The trial lasted three days. Jury members deliberated for about an hour before returning with a verdict.
Language for a chicken ordinance was approved at the Bainville Town Council meeting. The ordinance designates female chickens as the only birds permitted in town.
Results for Culbertson School board’s three-year term election included Mark Colvin, 186 votes; Paul Finnicum, 154 votes; Gretchen Wagner, 153 votes. The top two were elected to the positions.
Nine seniors graduated in Bainville May 15. A ceremony was held at the school starting at 1 p.m. The Class of 2021 included Gianna Boyd, Donna Butikofer, Kaden Hansen, Andy Powell, Russell Riegler, Cody Skor, Logan Ullmer, Britten VanGorder and Matti Woodward. Boyd earned salutatorian honors. Hansen was named valedictorian.
Froid School held their 2021 graduation ceremony May 15. Festivities began at 10 a.m. Sydney Dethman, daughter of Andrew Dethman and Jamie Wichman, earned valedictorian honors. Jason Eylander, son of Michael Eylander and Fran Eylander, was salutatiorian. The Class of 2021 included Kaya Parenteau, Jaxon Stangeland, Sydney Dethman, Colt Miller and Jason Eylander.
Culbertson High School honored 16 graduates at a ceremony in the school gym Saturday, May 22. The event was well attended and broadcast live on social media. Graduates included Anissa Bengochea, Faith Bowland, Kole Formanek, Abbey Granbois, Mckinsey Justice, Zack Kirby, Cody Larsen, Sabastian Lemay, Hunter Lucas, Gavin Marion, Isabella O’Neill, Colby Olson, Michael Pederson, Kylie Portra, Colter Romo and Madisyn Spacht.
Jobs for Montana Graduates held their annual Color Run May 23. This year’s race winners were James Kirkaldie with Bridger Salvevold right on his heels.
Culbertson Jobs for Montana Graduates students were unable to attend the state conference this year due to the pandemic, but JMG Southwest District program manager Christopher Facundo sent Culbertson’s Mary Machart a video of the virtual awards ceremony May 13, fol- lowed by a shipment of new awards. Staff and teachers spoke at the ceremony and Governor Greg Gianforte delivered a short message.
