October 14 — A lawsuit spanning seven years, four judges, two city mayors and numberous city councilmen was finally settled last month. Tom and Pam Owens, owners of the Tavern Bar, reached a $200,000 settlement with the city of Baker. The couple sued the city, for emotional stress and defamation following an incident in 2009 when officers reported their bar had served alcohol after the legal closing hour. . .Picture: Montana Senator Steve Daines and Senator Eric Moore visit constituents in Baker Oct. 5. . .The Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture’s 1920’s Gatsby theme party and prime rib dinner, its annual fundraiser, held at Thee Garage Showroom on the evening of Oct. 8. . .Picture: Marc Rieger and the Thielen twins, from Plevna, MT pose with 140 pound male lion. . .The Baker Spartan football team traveled to Poplar on Oct. 7, and defeated them 42-6. . .The Plevna FFA members help with firemen’s supper on Oct. 6. . .Success Story of the week was Bohle Images. Bohle Images Photography Studio is physically located in a newly constructed studio, but the true location of the art studio is in the mind of a well-trained artist, Certified Professional Photographer Leslie Bohle.
October 21 — Pastors Kolasch say goodbye to Fallon County and United Trinity Lutheran Parish. . .The Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is sponsoring the third annual “Downtown Trick-or-Treat” Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. . .The Baker Tornado Relief fund dispersed over $90,000 to some 43 area recipients the first week of October. . .The Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture hosted the annual Moonlight Madness and Appreciation Dinner in graditude of their local customers on Oct. 12 at Thee Garage Showroom. . .This year Red Ribbon Week will be celebrated Oct. 23-29. This year’s theme is: “YOLO- Be Drug Free”. . .Miss Montana, Lauren Scofield, visited Plevna School Oct. 13. . .Picture: Zach Tysver, a senior at Baker High, clears the mega vert ramp at Iron Horse Park skateboard partk.
October 28 — A beautiful bench stands as a reminder of resilience, hope and new life following the June 11 tornado in Baker. Jerry Losing constructed with help from others from the community to make a bench from a beam from the Zinks’s former home. . .Fallon County 4-Hers joined youth from across the nation in observing National 4-H Week. One way they observed was to create window displays. Winner of the first place window display was the Country Pals 4-H Club. . .Baker is proud to host the 3B Volleyball Tournament Oct. 27-28. . .The Baker Spartans football team traveled to Colstrip on Oct. 21, and came up just short of the Colts 12-13. . .On Oct. 13, the Junior Class hosted the Plevna Golf Day at the Baker Lakeview Golf Course. . .Picture: Marilyn Wenz retires. . .For the eighth year, the Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church in Plevna will be a drop off site for gift filled shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
November 4 — The Baker School Music Department presented its annual fall concert on Oct. 26. Each musical performance was written by American composers and celebrated the American West. . .TransCanada Corporation, the Keystone XL Pipeline project developer, has awarded the Baker Fire Dept. a grant for $3,800. . . On Saturday, Oct. 29 the Spartan football team lost to the Missoula Loyola Rams 49-6. The Spartans finished the season with a record of six wins. . .Picture: Members of the Baker Torchlight Chapter of the National Honor Society read to the library classes at Lincoln Elementary the week of Oct. 24-28. They did this as community service to help the kids celebrate Halloween and to foster a love of reading. Pictured are Madison Reddick and Luke Gonsioroski reading to Mrs. Chaska’s first grade class. . .The Plevna Volunteer Fire Department served up another tasty supper at their 59th annual “All You Can Eat” Pancake and Sausage Supper on Oct. 8. The volunteer firefighters and members of the Plevna F.F.A Chapter worked together to make 2,000 pounds of sausage. The firefighters sold 1,700 pounds of the sausage to outside orders and served 300 pounds at the supper. Fire Chief Bill Lane estimated that there were 500 people in attendance.
November 11 — Roy Rost successful as Write-In. Rost chose to enter the General Election as a write-in candidate on the ballot. It proved successful, as he sealed the deal with a win. . .Donald J. Trump wins the Presidency. . .Picture: A magnificent, black granite monument honors the POW *MIA soldiers past – present. . .Picture: Fallon County Veterans Memorial wall an honorable tribute to the men and women who fought for our freedom. . .Holiday Inspiration Event launches the holiday season on Nov. 5. . .St. John’s Catholic Church fellowship hall was full on Nov. 6 as parish members and residents of the community gathered to share in a table of bounty after the annual harvest. . .Success Story of the week was Baker Ace Hardware. In 2014, Kyle and Emily Medearis purchased the Hardware Hank commercial property. The new owners soon decided to retire the Hardware Hank franchise and transition it to Ace Hardware.
November 18 — Mayor Hornung receives posthumous award. The Lifetime Service Award given annually by the Montana League of Cities and Towns was awarded to Mayor Clayton Hornung this year at the 85th annual convention held in Missoula in October. Darlene Hornung accepted the award in honor of her husband who passed away on September 12, 2016. . .The Community Cupboard is generously stocked for the holidays. For the first time in approximately five years, the Community Cupboard is not going into the season with empty shelves. . .The local American Legion Club was decorated in red, white, and blue as 26 veterans and their families gathered to enjoy a wonderful meal to honor local area vets on Veterans Day. . .The Community Church that is 108 years old this year, held its annual fall dinner and bazaar on Nov. 12. The event, which marks its 46 anniversary, was well attended. . .In honor of Veteran’s Day, Plevna Student Council members showed the student body how to properly fold a flag and what each fold represents.
November 25 — Fallon Medical Complex welcomes traveling doctor. Doctor Brian Sullivan, M.D. began his traveling career at FMC in July 2016. Sullivan is a resident of Costa Rica. . .Baker Lake Restoration Project receives $100,000. Out of 94 grant proposals submitted to Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for 2016, the Baker Lake Restoration Project ranked 35th and DNRC has recommended funding of the project in the amount of $100,000. . .The BHS Student Council held their annual food drive from Nov. 14-18. The 7th grade class won the food drive with 932 items. . .Plevna FFA attends John Deere Ag Expo. . .Picture: AWANA Club from Lakeview Baptist Church in Baker packed a grand total of 195 shoeboxes at their annual packing party.
December 2 — The 13th annual Wild Game Feed held on Nov. 19, at the fairgrounds exhibit hall, got off with a huge bang as 600 hungry area residents formed a long line to be served a feast of wild meat dishes. . .The community table was full at Heiser’s Bar this year as some 100 people gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving together. This community Thanksgiving gathering is closing in on its 50 year anniversary. . .The Community Holiday Bazaar was well attended. The gym floor was crowded as 74 vendors from as far away as Bismarck and Billings displayed their goods. . .A procession of forty-one determined fourth graders were on a mission to clean up one area of the Baker community. The grove behind Baker High School is a winter home to many animals and it needed to be cleaned up before the snow fell. . .November 11, history came alive at the Plevna School with the Miner Pickers, Suzie and Gary Solomon. The students were treated to an interactive educational program with songs and stories of Native Americans, mountain men, miners and early pioneers who settled in the West.
December 9 — The O’Fallon Community Choir presented their 38th annual Christmas Concert on Dec. 4 at the First Baptist Church in Baker. Christmas in Song was dedicated to Ruth Wang, who accompanied the choir on the piano for 37 years. The Wang family was presented a commemorative plaque honoring her many years of dedication. Ruth, passed away on Mother’s Day this year. . .Fallon County has free T.V. This service is partially federally funded in conjuction with Fallon County taxpayers’ dollars. . .The American Lutheran Church presented “Manger’s Tales” as the children’s ministry Christmas program this year. . .Mid-Rivers Communications is proud to announce its annual holiday donation to Action for Eastern Montana. The funds are distributed to needy families. This year’s $2,500 donation was again matched by CoBank. . .Success Story of the week was Reynolds Market. Reynolds Market has been the main retail anchor in the busy Schell’s Lake City Shopping Center in Baker for over five decades.
December 16 — The winners of the Baker Chamber Christmas Light Decorating Contest were 1st place – Allan and Trish Barth, 2nd place – John and Karla O’Connor, 3rd place – Mark and Jutta Sieler. . .The Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas Stoll held on Dec. 7 was challenged by cold, blustery winter weather. Although the Parade of Lights was cancelled, the community chili feed took place as usual. . .The Baker High Choir braved the sub zero temperatures on Dec. 7, as they performed their annual Christmas Concert in the lobby of the Bank of Baker. . .On Dec. 5, Baker High School hosted Regionals for BPA (Business Professionals of America). . .The BHS Speech and Drama Team competed in an A, B, and C meet on Dec. 10. The Speech Team took 1st place overall and the Drama Team 2nd. . .On Dec. 9, the Plevna FCCLA hosted a Polar Express Night for students K-6 grade. The children made crafts, drank hot chocolate, listened to the story of the Polar Express and watched the movie.
December 23 — Picture: Santa visits the children in Baker. . .David Graham depicts an “honest” real life through western artwork. He displayed his artwork at Products of the Prairie market place in Baker in early September. . .The final winner of the Be A Winner! Shop in Baker! promotion sponsored by the Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, was Rod Wipperling. He received $100 in Baker Bucks. . .Spartan of the week was Maryssa Rusley. . .Plevna 4th and 5th grade worked together to make gingerbread houses from graham crackers and frosting.
DEATHS:
Greg Alesna, 63, Dec. 16,
2015
Elsie Huether, 97, Jan. 2
Linda Ferrell, 77, Jan. 8
Alvina Allerdings, 95, Jan. 16
Delores Irvine, 81, Jan. 21
Esther Meidinger, 88, Jan. 30
Randy Hoeger, 46, Feb. 3
Bradley Shepherd, 61, Feb. 6
Jackie Gappa Overstreet, 79, Feb. 13
Darla Wang, 58, Feb. 18
Leslie Crow, 73, Feb. 20
Jeanette Dye, 81, Feb. 23
Donna Thibault, 62, Mar. 2
Delmar Jensen, 94, Mar. 3
Lawrence Boggs, 82, Mar. 13
Virginia Hoenke, 65, Mar. 15
Ione McKnight, 91, Mar. 16
Lola Thielen, 79, Mar. 22
R. Fay Beach, 88, Mar. 23
Clyde Burns, 85, Mar. 26
Doris Benner, 81, Mar. 31
Ruth O’Connor, Apr. 17
Ruth Wang, 78, May 8
Rusty Hartse, 27, May 8
Burnett Liming, 86, May 16
Betty Buerkle, 85, May 16
Alexandra Shepherd, 81, May 20
Ellen Rustad, 95, May 20
Evelyn Austin, 80, May 22
Eugene Fisk, 90, June 11
Gary “Boise” Wildish, 78, June 30
Lester Allen Whitney, 86, July 5
Victor Buerkle, 76, July 18
James “Jim” Lee Reetz Sr., 67, July 25
Marion Hartse, 92, August 18
Gordon Victor Strong, Jr., 79, August 18
Nadine Everson Steen, 83, August 20
Robert (Bob) Sidney Loveless Sr., 84, August 22
Darla Mae Carlson, 75, August 25
Richard John Bruffey, 62, August 25
Dorothy Neary, 76, August 26
Thomas Wayne Green, 78, August 27
Shirley Ann Schillinger, 87, Sept. 5
Donald “Don” Rieger, 71, Sept. 7
Tom Patterson, 23, Sept. 10
Harriet Wellenstein, 82, Sept. 11
Clayton Hornung, 69, Sept. 12
Elizabeth “Betty” Schoenbeck, 91, Sept. 13
Cathy Gorder, 76, Sept. 17
James “Jim” Franklin Fost, 81, Sept. 19
Regina M. Bruha, 80, Sept. 19
Wilma Rusley, 71, Sept. 21
Michael “Mike” S. Jenks, 65, September 25
Donald Dean Lamb, 77, October 11
Verleen Hoppe (Follmer), 57, October 17
Viola Abrams, 88, October 17
F. W. “Bob” Dahlman, 101, October 25
Agnes “Aggie” Collins, 98, October 28
Virginia V. Shepherd, 88, November 1
Lloyd “Fuzz” Ehret, 83, November 5
Floyd “Glenn” Moore, 87, November 9
Barbara Knapp, 67, November 13
Arnold “Bud” Hoenke, 88, November 17
Jorcelene Betty Lang, 82, November 18
Adrene Gay Griffin Ness, 83, November 19
Evelyn Bernice (Myhre) Noftsker, 97, November 23
Randall (Randy) Wade Miller, 51, November 29
Theresa M. Brewer, 53, December 1
Steven R. Stroppel, 65, December 17
Kayleigh Scheetz, 16, December 20
Ellis Edwin Williams, 80, December 23
BIRTHS:
Zoe Jane Sestrich, daughter of Julie and Jonathan Sestrich, July 31, 2015
Joshua Tyler Herbst, son of Brandon and Stephanie Herbst, Dec. 13, 2015
Devin Carter Thilmony, son of Justin and Loni Thilmony, Dec. 14, 2015
Treyson Delane Kono, son of Lance and Katlyn Kono, Jan. 7
Erika Rayne Rost, daughter of Jay and Linda Rost, Jan. 16
Jace Anthony and Tyler Daniel Ehret, sons of Kenrick and Kristin Ehret, April 7
Halen August Fugere, son of April and Travis Fugere, June 8
Kylie RaeAnn, daughter of Travis and Tania Bailey, Aug. 8
Eli Thomas Ferrel, son of Grant and Kim Ferrel, Aug. 29
Eli Dawson Stortz, son of Nathan and Kourtney Stortz, Sept. 19