The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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The annual Science Fair for the Lincoln Public Schools is set for March 6-7, 2024. Students in grades 7-10 are required to participate, and the science fair counts for a large portion of their science grade. During this long-term project, which begins the day students return from winter break and runs through March 7, when judging takes place, students come up with a hypothesis and then test and experiment to prove or disprove their idea. They then write their results and pres...
We're all just "one away" from something. One day, one choice, one decision, one contact, one drink, one hit, one breath away from something different in our lives. Sometimes our "one-aways" are insignificant, or at least they seem so at the time. And other times, they are life-changing. For an addict or an alcoholic, that one drink or one hit and the decision to take it or not is the difference between sobriety and falling off the wagon. For the procrastinator (and yes, this...
On March 1 and 2, the Lincoln Public School's Outdoor Club will be having an overnight winter camping event for students grades 5-12. Activities during the campout include a Dutch oven dinner Friday evening, campfire, and a moonlight snowshoe hike. Saturday morning there will be a sourdough pancake breakfast and a fun survival olympic games exercise. Students are asked to bring warm layers of clothing, including hat, gloves, jackets and water-resistant pants, personal...
On May 1, 2023, the Montanan Steakhouse transferred ownership. New owners and siblings Stephanie Leonard, Tim Leonard, and David McGhee are bringing back the traditional classic steakhouse with a "scratch kitchen," new menu and welcoming feel to the old Garland's building. It's going to be all about the guest experience. "We want everyone to enjoy their time here and leave feeling satisfied with their meal and overall experience in the restaurant." said Stephanie. Each of the...
It's always amazing to me the people I meet while I'm traveling and teaching, and the lessons I learn from them along the way. This past weekend I was in Farmington, Utah teaching at the Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair. It's my second year teaching at this event, and it seems each year I'm there, I meet some of the most amazing people and reconnect with ones I see only at festivals. Some will say it's the teacher who is supposed to teach, but often I find I can learn as much from...
The Lincoln Putt Putt is quickly approaching. The annual fundraiser benefitting local community organizations returns for its 15th year Saturday, April 29. Not only is it a true community fundraiser, but one the Lincoln community supports both financially and with man hours. In the past, the event organized by Bonnie Christian has benefitted organizations such as the Lincoln Ambulance, the Lincoln Senior Center, and the historic Lincoln Community Hall. This year, they also...
We've all heard the phrase, "Practice Makes Perfect," and it's one that has impacted my life over the years. Recently, while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, I heard it in a different way. It's a quote by Art Williams, author of Pushing up People. It says: "Remember, before you can be great, you've got to be good. Before you can be good, you've got to be bad. But, before you can be bad, you've got to try." It's essentially saying the same thing as practice makes...
The Blackfoot River Ducks Unlimited Chapter will host its 23rd annual fundraising banquet Saturday, May 13at the Lincoln Community Hall. The committee has been hard at work planning, organizing and collecting donations to make this their best banquet to date. Letters went out to area individuals, businesses and organizations to solicit donations for the event. If you didn't receive a letter but would still like to donate, please reach out to one of the committee volunteers...
It all began with an idea at the Lincoln Community Hall meeting. Now, with more than 20 organizations, the Lincoln Community Social (a.k.a. Get to Know Your Community and Neighbors Social) event is well on its way. The event, hosted by the Lincoln Community Hall and the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce at the historic Lincoln Community Hall, is scheduled for Friday, April 14, from 4-8 p.m.. There are four main reasons the thought of a community social came about: First,...
There have been things happening at the Lewis & Clark Library - Lincoln Branch, and more are on the way in coming months. Please check back monthly here at the BVD for updates from the library and events being offered. On Saturday, April 1, the Lincoln Library, through the support of the Lewis & Clark Library Foundation, brought a free program called "Painting with a Twist" to the community. Ten participants painted a Montana wildflower scene and had a great time doing it....
As spring has finally made an appearance and the snow begins to melt, the roads we drove all winter are starting to become dryer and more wide open. Open roads make me want to get out, drive, see and do things. In the winter, especially if you drive Flesher pass, the snow is built up all around you. It's difficult to see out the window to the expanse the Blackfoot Valley has to offer. I feel so closed in, claustrophobic and trapped. It's when I can see for long distances from...
Is it just me, or has the world - and by world I mean everything - seemed really heavy? I'm not just talking about lately, I'm talking about in general for the last several years? I think I've noticed it before, but it's really hitting home for me even more lately. There always seems to be some sort of controversy, some tragedy or some new threat being thrown at us. When I visit with close friends and family, it continually feels like there is more illness, death and...
This week I'll be traveling, and for the first time in a very long time (three years to be exact), I'll be "heading home." I'm excited for the trip and the opportunity to spend some quality time with my mom, and in the sunshine. She says it's been cool there but let's be honest, her cool is Lincoln's spring, heading towards summer. I was going to bring my swimsuit, but instead she said I should bring a sweater. I'll bring both, just in case... This trip will take me back to...
Well, we’re a week into 2023. I’m happy to report I haven’t broken any New Year’s resolutions, but that’s mostly because I didn’t make any this year. Instead, I opted to follow the quote I found on Facebook from Victoria Erickson, author of Rhythms & Roads. It reads: “Just a reminder that you don’t have to make resolutions. Or huge decisions. Or big proclamations. You can just set some sweet intentions and take each day as it comes.” I like this approach to the new year much...
It’s been almost a month since I’ve written a column. I’ve had a lot come at me in these last few weeks. Some good, some bad, a lot scary, some that’s tested me and I know there is more coming with the new year. Some of the things over the last couple of weeks have made me realize there are things we need to be strong and do on our own, and then there are the things that, if we’re lucky, we can rely on the strength of others to help us through. Sometimes that strength...
There are jokes about it everywhere. There are memes on social media, conversations at the bars, and everywhere in-between. Wonder what I'm talking about this time? Well, it's decorating for Christmas too early and the timelines we "should" be following when it comes to this sort of thing....thing. There seem to be very strong opinions one way or the other. There are those decorators who love this time of year and can't wait for the Christmas lights, trees, and hoopla. Then,...
It's October, almost November, and what that means for most of the country is fall, autumn. Pretty leaves changing colors and a briskness in the air. For those of us in Lincoln, Montana, and surrounding areas, what it really means is that Old Man Winter is knocking at our door. We were all reminded of it last week when we had our first "official" snowfall of the season. I happened to be traveling for my annual North Carolina trip and teaching at the Southeastern Animal Fiber...
As I’ve been talking and reconnecting with people these past two weeks, there seems to be a common theme among the conversations. Things are changing. Well, of course things are changing. It’s the way life works, and everything is always changing. But what I find interesting about this change that’s been coming up in conversation is that we’re bouncing back. We’re coming back to things we knew. We’re choosing differently and many are starting to come together, rather than...
We all have this notion that things are black and white, right or wrong, or ‘my way is better and your way can’t possibly be right.’ But, what if I told you just because your way works, doesn’t make it, or you, right or wrong? Simply put, it’s what has and does work for you. People have ways of cooking, parenting, cleaning house and even stacking wood. Everyone believes their way is right, the be-all-end-all. And it might be - for them. But not everyone’s way is the right w...
This is sort of a surreal column for me to write this week. While it’s not my last column ever, it is the last one to be in print…for now. If you would have asked me, almost three years ago, I never would have thought I’d have been writing for a newspaper at all. I never went to school for journalism and didn’t have a ton of experience writing for the public. Sure, I wrote a lot, but it wasn’t always for everyone else’s eyes to see. Roger and Erin needed help, and they took a...
There’s been a lot of talk about student loan relief lately. There are those who are for it, those who are against it, and some who haven’t totally weighed in on the subject. I do have my own beliefs about it - and an opinion - of course. President Biden has come up with a plan that would forgive $10,000 of student debt, which is great for those who still hold student loans. Who it’s not great for are those who have never gone to college, those who have paid their stude...
Life is changing, there’s no way around it. It changes each day. Sometimes those changes are small and incremental, while other times, they are a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, knock you off your feet, welcome to your new reality kind of change. Sometimes, you’ve known the change is going to happen. You know you’re starting a new job, a new venture, moving to a new place, starting school or finishing school. Sometimes, it comes without warning. A new boss has arrived and is...
Let’s face it, we’re always trying to live up to someone’s expectations. Some of those expectations are our own, some of them are from others and still other expectations are those imposed by the society in which we live. There are expectations that are realistic, those that are not and those that fall somewhere in-between. If you think about it, we’ve been trying to live up to someone’s expectations, somewhere, since we were very young. Some of us even try to live up to the...
Last weekend was my annual trip to Whitehall for the Copper K Fiber Festival. This festival holds a spot near and dear to my heart for many reasons. The first is that it is the festival that began my career as a fiber arts instructor. Six years ago, they gave me a shot at teaching a felting class, and as they say, the rest is history. It’s considered a destination fiber festival at the historic Copper K Barn. The grounds are beautiful. The barn, a perfect venue, and they e...
There’s been a lot of uncertainty in my life as of late. A lot of things going on with family, other things going on with friends, and even in my business. There are things I can control, and those I can’t, and still those I wish I could. In this uncertainty, I’ve actually been able to gain some clarity, though. I’ve gained clarity about some of the people, some of the “things,” and some about myself. In gaining the clarity about myself, it occurred to me that there are s...
