News

Law Enforcement Blotter

Article Image Alt Text

The Columbus Police Department, Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol responded to 240 calls for service during the seven days listed below. The following is a representation of some of those calls:

MONDAY – OCT. 21

•At 10:01 a.m., a law enforcement escort taking a fallen Gallatin County Sheriff’s deputy body from Bozeman to the state medical examiner’s office in Billings entered Stillwater County. Two deputies joined the escort.

Monday morning I-90 chase ends in Billings

Article Image Alt Text

An early morning chase that started in Columbus ended in Billings involving multiple law enforcement agencies and one arrest.

At 7:07 a.m., Columbus Police Officer Gary Timm attempted to stop a vehicle on Ninth Avenue for displaying the wrong license plate. The vehicle was being driven by 21-year-old Billings resident Cody Lyons.

Instead of pulling over, Lyons allegedly drove to the eastbound onramp on I-90 and headed toward Billings, traveling between 94 and 100 mph, according to Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office dispatch records.

Tournament Time

Article Image Alt Text

Absarokee senior Breezy Williams goes low for a dig last week. The Huskies, Park City Panthers, RPR Renegades and Columbus Cougars all begin post-season play this week with the start of district tournaments. Absarokee will host the Class B District tournament while the Cougars head to Shepherd . See page 7 for brackets.

Winter comes calling, yet again

Article Image Alt Text

Last Friday’s high of 71 degrees in Columbus came with a price.

A 42-degree temperature drop that same night, along with 3.8 inches of snow.

At Mystic Lake, the numbers were similar — a high of 52, a low of 18 and 4 inches of snow. Rapelje followed suit as well with a high of 70, a low of 27, 5.4 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

By Sunday, the numbers dove further. Columbus saw a high of 31 and a low of 11. Mystic Lake recorded 20 and 2 degrees below zero. And Rapelje came in with a high of 29 and a low of 9.

Case Closed

Article Image Alt Text

Fired Columbus Police Officer Paul Caraway has not filed an appeal in district court following the Columbus Police Commission ruling that upheld the Columbus Police Commission’s decision.

The 4-year case is now closed, with Caraway losing a federal wrongful termination lawsuit, an appeal of that ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Columbus Police Commission.

Attorneys for either side did not comment on the final outcome.

Absarokee’s Homestead Lodge getting $3.84 million for building rehab

Article Image Alt Text

The Homestead Lodge in Absarokee is one of six communities designated by Gov. Steve Bullock to receive a share of more than $31.6 million in federal housing tax credits to preserve or build new affordable homes.

The announcement was made Monday by Bullock.

Homestead Lodge will receive $3.84 million to rehabilitate and preserve 32 homes for seniors. The total project cost is $4.28 million and will create an estimated 56 Montana jobs earning $2.5 million in wages, according to a press release from the governor’s office. The developer is listed as Syringa Housing.

Where the buffalo roam...

Article Image Alt Text

A private bison herd roams near Rapelje.

One mother steps up to save soccer season

Article Image Alt Text

Bright Spots

Bright Spots is written by the Columbus Community Foundation as it recognizes “Bright Spots” in Stillwater County

It was late spring when AYSO regretfully announced that the soccer program would be skipping the 2019 season.

Between facing a very disappointed daughter and seeing a need to keep the local program alive, Rachel Miller and her team at Perceptions Salon, made a shot gun decision to make the 2019 season happen.

Want peace at your holiday table? There’s a workshop for that!

With holidays on the horizon, family and friends will be gathering for festivities. But what happens when Uncle Arnie spouts off at the dinner table and the cousins take sides? If your get-togethers fall short of the Norman Rockwell ideal, please join Stillwater Rising for a workshop aimed at fostering civility while talking “beyond the weather”.

County Business

The Stillwater County Commission handled the following matters at its regularly held Tuesday morning agenda meeting:

BID AWARD TO 406 EXCAVATING

406 Excavating was awarded the bids for both the FEMA-funded road repairs to Spring Creek and Valley Creek Roads that were damaged in the spring’s flooding.

The Valley Creek bid was for $110,903.60, which commissioners noted was $18,000 below what the engineering firm had estimated. The Spring Creek Road project bid of $68,159.11 came in at approximately $4,000 under the estimate.