to the PDF file. - Lewistown News
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to the PDF file. - Lewistown News
MONTANA September 2015 A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better The chain gang Colorful hair styles cross generations Life after politics Invention a big help for farriers INSIDE Savvy Senior.............................................Page 3 Opinion.....................................................Page 4 Bookshelf..................................................Page 5 Volunteering..............................................Page 18 On the Menu.............................................Page 20 Calendar....................................................Page 21 Strange But True.......................................Page 22 News Lite Intruder takes shower, does laundry ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania State Police say a woman found an intruder taking a shower and doing his laundry at her home when she woke up. Troopers say the resident summoned police to her home in Greene Township, near Erie. Twenty-four-year-old Erie resident Casey James Shaffer was arrested on charges of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, public intoxication and loitering and prowling at night. Couple rushes marriage vows to beat the stork HOUSTON (AP) — It could have been the plot of a movie: A Houston couple improvises a hospital wedding in less than an hour after the bride goes into labor early. Stephanie Tallent was eight months pregnant and having an ultrasound when she went into labor at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Houston. Fortunately she and fiancé Jason Nese had gotten their marriage license the day before. Nese fetched the license from his car, along with a white sun dress Tallent meant to send to the cleaners. A chaplain was called and a party of doctors, nurses and clinic staff rounded up for the wedding. After the ceremony, Tallent was prepped for a cesarean section. Daughter Sophia arrived a few hours later at 6 pounds 3 ounces. Record store robbed of classic rock albums PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The thieves that have twice hit a Providence vintage record store took the “Stairway to Heaven” and made off with “Money.” The owners of What Cheer Records tell The Providence Journal a thief of more likely two people working as a team — classic rock fans apparently — stole their entire collections of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd vinyl albums. Co-owner Jennifer Daltry says the first theft took place around Easter with an entire 15-record stack of Pink Floyd LPs, both used originals and new reissues, were lifted while a clerk was distracted. Then, just recently, the entire stock of Led Zeppelin albums was taken, along with a few more Pink Floyd records bought to replace the stolen LPs. Choice Matters. New West Medicare offers plans that keep Montanans in mind. AT NEW WEST MEDICARE, WE ARE MONTANANS, JUST LIKE YOU. And we know you value the freedom of choice. So when it is time to start looking at Medicare coverage, remember, you have the right to choose a company and a Medicare Advantage plan that is right for YOU! We offer monthly premiums as low as $25 and an exercise and healthy aging program in every plan. And, as a Montana company, you can be assured we are looking out for your best interests. Let us make Medicare simple for you. New West Health Services is a PPO Plan with a Medicare Contract. Enrollment in New West Medicare depends on contract renewal. You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. Limitations, co-payments and restrictions may apply. The benefit information provided is a 888.873.8044 · TTY 711 brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact New newwestmedicare.com West Medicare. For accommodations of persons with special needs at a sales meeting call 1-888-873-8044, TTY 711. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Benefits may change on January 1 of each year. Find us on H2701_NW#2015_605_6-2015 Accepted September 2015 —2 15-NWM-01 New West M Senior Pub Montana Be 8.4.15 AD:MG 7.25x4.95 4-color Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated “Savvy Senior” information column, is a longtime advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in Time magazine; is author of “The Savvy Senior: The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens”; and is a regular contributor to the NBC “Today” show. Roadside assistance services for older drivers Dear Savvy Senior, I would like to get my wife and I set up with some type of roadside assistance service in case we get a flat tire or our battery conks out. Can you recommend some good and affordable services for retirees on a budget? — Too Old to Fix a Flat Dear Too Old, Getting set up with a roadside assistance service you can call on day or night if your vehicle breaks down is a smart idea, and can provide you and your wife some real peace of mind. Here are some different options to look into that help you find a plan. »Already » covered? For years, auto clubs like AAA were the only option drivers had when it came to roadside assistance, but today you have lots of choices. Most roadside assistance plans provide services like towing, flat-tire changes, jumpstarting a battery, lost-key or lockout services, fuel delivery and help with stuck vehicles. Before you start shopping for a roadside assistance plan, you first need to find out if you already have coverage, or have access to inexpensive coverage that you’re not aware of. For example, if you drive a vehicle that is still under warranty, there’s a good chance you’re already covered. Most auto manufacturers now include comprehensive roadside assistance coverage for free when you buy a new or certified used car. This typically lasts as long as the basic warranty, but not always. Be sure you check. Also check your auto insurance provider, your credit card issuers and cell phone service providers. Many of these services provide different variations of roadside assistance as add-on plans that cost only a few dollars per year, or they’re free. But be aware that many of these services are limited in what they cover. When investigating these options, find out the benefit details including: Who’s covered (individuals and vehicles); how many roadside-assistance calls are allowed each year (three or four is typical); the average response time per service call; and the towing rules on where they will tow (to the nearest repair shop, or one that you choose) and how far (about 5 miles for basic plan is common, although some plans might cap the amount they pay for a tow at $100 or less). »Auto » clubs If you find that you aren’t covered, or you want a better roadside plan than what’s currently available to you, you’ll want to check out auto/motor clubs. Most of these clubs offer two or more levels of membership depending on how much roadside assistance you want and are willing to pay for, and they often provide a variety of discounts on things like hotels, rental cars and other services. One of the best known and longest running clubs, AAA (aaa.com) offers comprehensive services and has an extensive network of more than 40,000 roadside assistance providers, which usually means fast response times. Costs vary widely from $48 to $162 per year depending on where you live and the plan you choose, plus an additional fee for adding a family member. Some other clubs to consider that may be a little less expensive include Allstate Motor Club (allstatemotorclub. com); AARP Roadside Assistance (aarproadside.com) for AARP members only; Better World Club (betterworldclub. com); BP Motor Club (www.bpmotorclub.com); Good Sam (goodsamroadside.com); and GM Motor Club (gmmotorclub.com). »On-demand » assistance Another new money saving option to consider is pay-ondemand roadside assistance services like Urgently (urgent. ly) and Honk (honkforhelp.com). If you use a smartphone and live in their service area, these non-membership appbased services will let you call for help via smartphone, and will only charge you for the assistance you need at a low price. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. September 2015 —3 Opinion Finally, at last, football season is here September 2015 —4 sota Vikings come back after being gone a year with legal troubles? Ah, yes, these questions and more will soon be answered. P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047 Tel. (406) 222-2000 Toll-free: (800) 345-8412 Fax: (406) 222-8580 MONTANA This month’s cover of Montana Best Times features a football “chain gang,” a trio of guys who keep the game moving for Dawson County High School in Glendive. It’s fitting they are on the cover, because football season, at long last, is finally here. We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time — through the numbing days right after the Super Bowl ended, where we wandered about for weeks in a stunned daze with no NFL football to watch; through the sodden days of a Montana spring with nothing to cheer our cold hearts; through the long, hot, dog days of summer, whose dreary baseball games, instead of at least giving us something to watch, just heightened our yearning for the game with the funny-shaped ball. “Football season is coming, football season is coming,” we kept repeating to ourselves in a hypnotic trance. And now, it is here at last: The first NFL game is set for Sept. 10. Thank goodness. Like caffeine entering the bloodstream on an early morning, life will return. And with it, answers to the questions that haunted us since the final whistle of Superbowl, questions like: • How many games, if any, will Tom Brady miss for “Deflategate”? • Can Peyton Manning physically get through the whole season? And could this be the year he goes All-The-Way — and wins? • Will Tim Tebow, currently a thirdstring quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, get a chance to finally shine? • Will the Seattle Seahawks defense continue being a powerhouse? • Will Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariotta, the first- and second-overall draft picks, become great quarterbacks — or will they fade? • Can Adrian Peterson of the Minne- Because football season is finally, finally here. – Dwight Harriman, Montana Best Times Editor A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better E-mail: [email protected] • Subscription rate: $25/yr. Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana Dwight Harriman, Editor • Cheyenne Crooker, Designer Bookshelf “Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980” By Andrew Patrick Nelson University of Oklahoma Press, August 2015 Softcover • 264 pages • $19.95 • 6 x 9 ISBN 13: 978-0-8061-4821-2 MSU film professor takes a new look at 1970s Westerns By Montana Best Times Staff Comes now a new book, published just last month, that ought to be of interest to any Montanan who likes the smell of horses and leather — and watching Westerns. By the end of the 1960s, the Hollywood West of Tom Mix, Randolph Scott and even John Wayne was passe — or so the story goes, according to a news release from University of Oklahoma Press, publisher of “Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980,” by Andrew Patrick Nelson. Many film historians and critics have argued that movies portraying a mythic American West gave way to revisionist films that influential filmmakers such as Sam Peckinpah and Robert Altman made as violent critiques of the Western’s “golden years.” Yet rumors surrounding the death of the Western have been greatly exaggerated, Nelson says in the release. Nelson is an assistant professor of Film History and Critical Studies in the School of Film and Photography at Montana State University-Bozeman and editor of “Contemporary Westerns: Film and Television” since 1990. Even as the Wild Bunch and John McCabe rode forth, John Wayne remained the Western’s number one box office draw. How, then, could there have been a revisionist reckoning at a time when the Duke was still in the saddle? In “Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980” Nelson offers readers a new history of the Hollywood Western in the 1970s, a time when filmmakers tried to revive the genre by appealing to a diverse audience that included a new generation of socially conscious viewers. Nelson considers a comprehensive filmography of releases from 1969 to 1980 in light of the visual tropes and narratives developed and reworked in the genre from the 1930s to the present. In so doing, he reveals the complexity of what is probably the most interesting period in Western movie history. His incisive reevaluations of such celebrated — or infamous — films as “The Wild Bunch” and “Heaven’s Gate” and examinations of dozens of forgotten and neglected Westerns, including the final films of John Wayne, demonstrate that there was more to the 1970s Western than simple revision, the release says. Instead, we see not only important connections between canonical and lesser-known films of the period, but also continuities between these and older Westerns. Nelson believes an ongoing, cyclical process of regeneration thus transcends established divisions in the genre’s history. Among the books currently challenging the prevailing “evolutionary” account of the Western, “Still in the Saddle” thoroughly revises our understanding of this exciting and misunderstood period in the Western’s history and adds innovatively and substantially to our knowledge of the genre as a whole. “Still in the Saddle” is available in bookstores, from online booksellers and directly from the University of Oklahoma Press (800-627-7377 or www.oupress.com). September 2015 —5 Workin’ on the Chain Gang Glendive trio keeps high school football games moving MT Best Times photos by Jason Stuart Above and on the cover: From left, Richard Berg and brothers Keith and Delon Boeckel pose for a photograph at Dawson County High School’s Perham Field, Aug. 13. By Jason Stuart Montana Best Times GLENDIVE — On fall Friday nights in Glendive, there’s one team that has kept the chains moving for years. Together, brothers Delon and Keith Boeckel along with longtime compatriot Richard Berg have been on duty for a couple of decades patrolling the sidelines of Dawson County High School’s home football games. The trio serve as the chain gang for Red Devils games, marking the down and distance to go. How long on the job? The three have been working the sidelines so long that just when they began has become a little fuzzy. “God, it seems like forever,” Berg said, adding he thinks he began working as a substitute during the 1993 season. Delon said he began working as a substitute around 1988, while Keith said he’s been doing it for about 30 years. In discussing the matter among themselves, the three began reminiscing about the standout players they remember over the years, many of whom they now know as grown men. “That’s the best way to time it, is by the kids, not the years,” Keith said. September 2015 —6 Working the game Over all those years together, the three have developed a seamless chemistry and unspoken communication in the discharge of their game day duties. “It seems like we’ve worked together so long we just instinctively know what the other guy’s doing,” Berg said. Having that level of communication is a valuable asset, since it helps the three remain alert and attentive to what’s going on out on the field. That’s important for more than just making sure they’ve marked the right spot and have the right down displayed. To a man, all three say being alert to their surroundings is paramount to their well-being. “You can’t forget what’s going on,” Keith said. “Even a little 150-pound kid running at you with a helmet, if he hits you, it could kill you,” Delon said. “We make sure we get out of the way pretty quick,” Berg added. Fortunately, none of the three have ever been walloped in an on-field collision. None of the three bother with any pre-season conditioning regimens or the like. They said the physical exertion doesn’t have too much affect on them, although Keith is less enamored of running out onto the field for measurements than he used to be. “I used to believe in measurements, but it seems like the measurement is always on the other side of the field,” he said. Delon joked that running doesn’t bother him and that he’d never need any conditioning thanks to his former career. “I’m retired UPS, I’ve been in shape all my life,” he quipped. Hoping for a win In fact, the only thing that really seems to bother the three has nothing to do with how many measurements they have to run out for or how cold it might be, or how wet. The only thing that weighs on their minds is that over all the years they’ve been working DCHS games, the on-the-field product hasn’t been much to write home about. Winning seasons for the Red Devils have come few and far in between over the last couple of decades. “In 20 years, we haven’t had a home playoff game,” Delon lamented. In fact, only one of the three — Keith — has ever gotten to work a playoff game, and that was one time over two decades ago. Like the rest of the Glendive community, all three are waiting, hoping for a winning season. “I’d like to see our football program built back into a power,” Keith said. Best seats in the house Despite the years of lousy win-loss records, the long-time chain gang keeps coming back year after year, largely out of the thrill, excitement and joy they get from being in the midst of the action under the Friday night lights. “It’s the best seats in the house,” Delon said. “Small town sports, there’s not much else (that beats it).” “You can’t enjoy football more than right there,” said Berg. “(The kids) get so hyped up and the adrenaline flowing, it’s just kind of a fun atmosphere,” added Keith. “It’s where the action is. I just like the intensity and the excitement. It’s just a good way to kick off a weekend.” The group also keeps coming back because they said working the games helps foster stronger ties to the community for them, largely by getting to know the panoply of players who have passed through the DCHS football program during their long tenure. “It’s kind of nice to follow the kids as they grow up,” Keith said. “It’s nice to see (former players) when they come back for their 10-year reunions, because you can relate to them,” Berg added. However, while altruism, aesthetics and thrills may keep them anchored to the sidelines for season after season, the hunger for a winner is palpable among the three, who, like every other longsuffering Red Devils fan, hope for a moment in the sun before their time on the chain gang is done. “I’d like to see a home championship game — that would be the ultimate goal,” Delon said. Reach Jason Stuart at [email protected] or (406) 377-3303. 55-year-old still competes in bareback riding SPOKANE, Wash. — Jed McKinlay can’t shake his love for the cowboy culture. It’s in his blood, a passion that’s deeper than just a pair of cowboy boots. So no surprise when the local equine veterinarian entered in the bareback riding at the Asotin Pro West rodeo. What’s surprising is McKinlay recently turned 55. That’s an old, old man in a sport known as the most physically demanding of all the rodeo events. Bull riding is dangerous, but the cowboys just hang on, they don’t have to spur. Bareback riders are searching for a rhythm, where they can gain control and rake their spurs from the horse’s neck all the way up its shoulder to the rigging. Half of their score depends on this spurring action — all the while their neck and back are whiplashed from the explosive force of these powerful broncs bred to buck hard and wild. Unlike in his younger days, bareback riders now wear a neck roll to protect their neck and spine from the whiplash. “That’s one thing I kinda had forgotten,” McKinlay said. “No matter how good it goes, something is going to be sore.” He nonchalantly notes that he may have cracked a rib at Newport, recently when his bronc fell. That didn’t stop him from winning. He also won the recent Clayton, rodeo and took second in Cheney on a horse he talked of like a long-lost love. Good Times, a mare owned by C5 Ranch in Alberta, has bucked herself to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev. In Cheney, she did her part to help McKinlay win $1,370. McKinlay isn’t old in mind, dreams or grit. He’s happy and healthy back on the broncs. To him, it’s a way to have some fun and — more importantly — mentor younger cowboys in an event that’s seeing fewer and fewer riders. Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review/TNS “There are not a lot of Jed McKinlay, a horse veterinarian in Colbert, young men craving it,” he Washington, who competes in bareback riding, is said. “That’s a lot of what shown here with a patient at his home. He won his I’m trying to do: pass on tradition. I want to encourage belt buckle at a recent rodeo in Clayton, Washington. the next generation to be his year-younger brother, Mark. involved and enjoy it.” “I think I won district bareback riding McKinlay grew up in Kimberly, Idaho, but not on a ranch or in a rodeo family. He finals in ‘78,” McKinlay said, not fully comfortable talking about his accomplishments. was surrounded by the lifestyle, working on ranches and riding bulls and bareback Continued on page 19 horses in high school rodeos along with September 2015 —7 Color me Wonderful Colorful hair styles cross generational barrier in Forsyth By Chaun Scott Montana Best Times FORSYTH — Many of us baby boomers remember, and even long for, the days of our youth — when the thought of conforming to a stereotypical mindset was met with utter disdain. We were the generation of colorful quaffs of hair, where “AquaRock” (AquaNet Extra Superhold) stood our hair straight and tall as we dove headlong into the slam pit of the underground subculture of the 1980s punk movement. We were the generation conservatives considered the “Decline of the Western Civilization.” Or were we simply decades ahead of our time? Today, the world seems more accepting of unusual fashion styles. What was once considered an act of rebellion is now considered normal. A colorful new world MT Best Times photos by Chaun Scott Eighty-four-year-old Lillian Richardson, left, is pictured with Sazzy Nothing could be truer than what is happing in Forsyth. Scissors owner Carin Larsen, recently. One might think a small, eastern Montana community would be resistant to change, especially when it comes to fashion and beauty, but each week, many of the women in “I showed up and started splashing color everywhere,” said Forsyth hold standing, weekly appointments at salons for a Jesse Jo. wash and set — but not just any wash and set. Carin liked what she saw and joined Jesse Jo in her excitement Women in Forsyth are embracing a new trend, and it happens about color. From there, the duo broke down the generational to be color, and lots of it. They are finding beauty in turquoise, sizzling reds, pinks and bright blues — not only that, some ladies barrier and began to color the town. Carin was soon coloring Jesse Jo’s hair turquoise, purple and pink with a natural color are using them all together. underneath. Carin allowed Jesse Jo to color her hair as well, with How did this happen? It is the creative styling of one of Forsyth’s freshest, colorfully eccentric stylists at Sazzy Scissors, and her talent is hitting the town by storm. Stylist Jesse Jo Johnson, 24, moved back to Forsyth a little over a year ago. She chose to come back to the place of her roots after studying as a cosmetologist in Anchorage, Alaska. She said she really enjoyed living in Alaska but her heart belonged to Anchor Island, the Montana ranch owned by her family for generations — so she packed up her station and brought the wonderful color stylings she had learned with her. After working several other jobs in town, Jesse Jo landed a – Stylist Jesse Jo Johnson station at Sazzy Scissors, introducing shop owner Carin Larsen, 66, to the color system, Elumen by Goldwell, that Jesse Jo learned while working under the northern lights. I showed up and started splashing color everywhere. September 2015 —8 granddaughter asked me to, but I wanted to try a washout for (my) first time.”Although Jesse Jo’s mom, Brenda Birky, didn’t hesitate to add color to her blond hair, convincing her grandmother Connie Moreland to give color a try took some time. “I had been trying to talk Grandma Connie into color for quite a while, and she finally did it,” Jesse Jo said. Connie, who is sporting a turquoise faceframe, is enjoying the reaction of others when they see her new style. “I like it — I think it looks alright,” Connie said. “It’s funny when other people see me. Their eyes get big but they won’t say anything negative; they just say, ‘I see Jesse Jo got ahold of you.’” Connie said her husband, Lance, was a little more resistant to change than she was. “My husband said I looked like I stuck my head in a vat while bobbing for apples,” Above: Jesse Jo Johnson, right, and Carin Larson, left, are pictured with Sazzy she explained with a smirk. “It’s OK — he Scissors colorful clients and hairdressers. will get over it.” Below: Jesse Jo applies a splash of color to her great-grandmother Ethelba Clark’s Carin and Jesse Jo find the greatest sense hair. of accomplishment by the reaction of the community to the bright new color trend. “It’s the most fun seeing the reaction you get out of people,” said Jesse Jo. “Some a pink and turquoise off-centered flower on her head, along with really love it.” a splash of color on the other side. From then on, the two ladies In today’s more fashion-tolerant society, women in every were hooked on color. generation have found the courage to step outside of the black “It’s like a tattoo,” said Jesse Jo. “Once you start, you have to and white box, and are adding color in many unique ways — do more.” finding a way to color themselves wonderful. The ladies’ excitement quickly spread. Women from virtually every generation can now be seen with brightly colored hair, Chaun Scott may be reached at [email protected] or including children as young as 6 to women 90 years old. Some go (406) 346-2149. for the gusto with a full head of color, while others prefer only hints of color — but everyone knows: They have been to see Jesse Jo. Breaking the generational barrier Eighty-four-year-old Lillian Richardson would agree. “I do that quite often,” said Lillian when asked if she gets bright colors added to her silver hair. Lillian, who owned and operated a ceramics shop near Virginia City for over 50 years, has been adding color to her hair for the past six months. “The first time Jesse Jo added color to my hair was just before I was going to Thanksgiving with my family,” said Lillian. “Jesse Jo asked if I wanted to add some pink and purple streaks. I had to show it off to all my family, you know.” Lillian really enjoys seeing bright color on all the generations, especially on those younger than her. “I like to see it on young people,” said Lillian. “It seems to be all the trend now.” Lillian is not alone with her love of color. Although it took Jesse Jo a long time to convince her 90-year-old greatgrandmother Ethelba Clark to accept the new trend, Ethelba allowed Jesse Jo to add some color before all four generations of women in the family took a rather colorful family photo. “I’m trying it,” Ethelba said. “I’m doing it because my September 2015 —9 Life After Politics Former state Senator Jim Peterson is back on the ranch but not out to pasture By Deb Hill Montana Best Times LEWISTOWN — “It’s a big change,” Jim Peterson said, describing how he spends his days after being term-limited out of the Montana State Senate in 2014. “Right now I’m cutting wheat.” Peterson, who ranches near Buffalo in central Montana, spent 12 years in the Legislature, first as a representative and later in the Senate representing District 15 in central Montana. Before that, he was a lobbyist at the Legislature for 10 years. After 22 years spending time with lawmakers in Helena, retirement came as a bit of a shock to Peterson. “It’s like all the lights got turned out at the same time,” Peterson said, describing how it felt to be out of the legislative scene. “You get used to the meetings, the phone calls, the emails, to people asking for advice or your point of view. Then, it just stops. It’s hard when you realize for some people your value was only in being a vote.” Reflections on years in public office Photo courtesy of Jim Peterson Since 1992, Montana state law limits legislators to Senator Jim Peterson, now retired, addresses lawmakers in Helena two terms in office. While he understands the reason wearing his cowboy tie. Peterson was term-limited out of the Legislamany support such limits, Peterson thinks there are ture at the end of 2014, and is now working his ranch and finding new unintended consequences. kinds of public service. “I think Montana is the only state with both term limits and a legislature that only meets every other relationships developed where you could disagree with someone, year,” Peterson said. “There’s a huge loss of institutional but at the end of the meeting, you could go out for a meal knowledge when someone is term limited out, and because of the together. Now, with electronic communication, people don’t meet large learning curve, a legislator is just getting to where they any more and too many think compromise is weakness. know how to get things done when they have to leave. Peterson speaks with pride about his accomplishments as a “Term limits make the Legislature the weakest of the three legislator. branches of government,” Peterson said. “No one has analyzed “When I was president of the Senate, we did something that the cost of that yet. It’s hard to watch people making the same hasn’t ever been done — we actually cut spending for the first mistakes we talked about 10 years ago.” time, because both sides of the aisle were working as a team. Peterson believes Montana politics have changed in the past 10 Now, with the hardline approach, no one dares work with the years, and not in a good way. other side. It’s hard to watch that happening.” “We’ve gone from a partisan system in which people tried to Peterson said his years in the Legislature allowed him to find bipartisan solutions to one in which partisanship is the end develop relationships all over the state. goal and solutions are very hard to find,” he said. “There’s no “It’s quite a network,” he said. “This year, though, for the first mentoring program in the Legislature, and there probably should time, I didn’t get invited to the annual gathering in the Flathead be. — made me feel empty. But, on the other hand, I talk to people I “When we used to meet face to face to hash things out, served with all the time, so it’s not completely void.” September 2015 — 10 Photo courtesy of Lorraine Peterson Jim Peterson and his wife, Lorraine, take a break from harvesting at the entrance to their ranch near Buffalo. What comes next Although he has a large ranch to run, and a feedlot enterprise he started with his son, Peterson is also enjoying doing things he has dreamed of for years. “I have a bucket list and I’m checking things off,” he said. “For example, this year my wife (Lorraine) and I went to the Kentucky Derby. We had great seats, three rows up from the track, and watched American Pharoah win.” Other things on Peterson’s bucket list include floating the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, fly-fishing and perhaps finding a warmer climate in which to spend the winter months. But if you think he’s given up public service, think again. Through his nonprofit bipartisan organization, One Montana, Peterson continues to be involved in rural issues, such as landowner/sportsman relations. He is chairman of a group working on adding value to Montana agricultural products, with a goal of bringing a meat processing plant to the state. Peterson is also working with Montana State University on farm and ranch management curriculum, in hopes of creating an endowed chair to work on solutions to the changing nature of agriculture. All of this is in addition to running the ranch, of course. “My wife keeps asking when we are going to retire,” Peterson said with a grin. “But I work from a couple of mantras. One of them is, ‘If you are not at the table, you may be on the menu.’ The other is, ‘The world is run by those who show up.’” Deb Hill may be reached at Deb Hill editor@lewistownnews. com or (406) 535-3401. Discover the advantages of the new REVERSE MORTGAGE Sometimes you just want to meet with an expert. Reverse Mortgage Lender, Debbi Royer, is available to meet with you to discuss your options. Call Today! 223-8941 NMLS #583044 Your local Montana Bank helping local Seniors. MEMBER: 1455 W. Oak Street, Bozeman, MT September 2015 — 11 Veterinarian’s invention helps farriers on the hoof By Alastair Baker Montana Best Times RED LODGE — Over the years, 43 all told, Red Lodge veterinarian John Beug has gone through his fair share of hoof clippers. So many clippers, in fact, that his patience finally snapped one day after seeing another pair fall at the first hurdle while working on a horse. A discussion ensued among Beug, his son Justin, who is a mechanical engineer based in Reno, Nevada, and Dr. Ellis G. Farstvedt, a board-certified equine surgeon, about developing a pair of nippers of hardened tool steel replaceable blades. “I thought, ‘Bingo,’ and I said, ‘Justin, you design them and we’ll build them,’” said Beug, who is semi-retired. It took Justin just 10 minutes to come up with a design that had outfoxed those who had tried to solve the issue before. ‘They can cut nails all day long’ That was two years ago. Today, the company — RAZR Hoof Nippers — founded from that conversation, can’t keep pace with the orders coming from farriers across the country, and John Beug inspects a number of disposable blades used for his RAZR Hoof Nippers. September 2015 — 12 MT Best Times photos by Alastair Baker Europe and Australia. “We have orders across the world and several companies who want to distribute them,” Beug said. “I have the top racetrack farrier in the country in Florida who uses them, and he works with horses from the Kentucky Derby to the World Champion Stakes. Also using the clippers are the International Podiatry Center in Kentucky. There are also farriers on the North American Farrier team using them.” Beug attributes the success of the RAZR Hoof Nippers to a fine quality he said you don’t get in most other clippers. The RAZR clippers are made of tool steel blades measured to 56 Rockwell hardness — an industry designation for especially high-quality steel — which means, said Beug, “They can cut nails all day long.” And because the blades are disposable, they can be removed simply with an Allen wrench. It means the clippers will last longer than the average pair, because if they break, they can be replaced. Should ordinary clippers break, farriers have no choice but to either buy another pair, which at an average price of $250 is expensive, or have it repaired, which at a one-time shot of $125 is also pricey. Beug’s clippers retail at $380 a pair, with a set of disposable blades costing $70 and a lifetime warranty on the handle and the rivet. For farriers across the world, this is a great benefit to their work, since they can often go through two to three clippers a year. “One farrier owns an original (RAZR) pair,” said Beug, “and has worked on over a 1,000 horses.” Beug will attend the International Hoof Care Summit in Cincinnati, Ohio, next year to seek out more interest and buyers. Machine, doing work for several people and businesses in the area. And this doesn’t include several patents he’s working on and making corrective horseshoes. Soft-spoken, probably a result of years of coaxing animals to relax, he suggests, in an understatement, his life has been an “interesting journey.” That it has been, especially now as he has several grandchildren to fit into his busy schedule. To contact John Beug at RAZR Hoof Nippers, call (406) 4252815. Reach Alastair Baker at Alastair Baker news@ carboncountynews.com or (406) 446-2222. Other interests Beug is busier than ever as he eases out of veterinary work and into his other love — machining and metalworking. Besides RAZR Hoof Nippers, he has also started another business called JB Fabrication and Use of an Allen wrench makes changing the RAZR disposable blades easy. News Lite Defense lawyer skips hearing so wife in labor won’t kill him PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh defense attorney got a hearing postponed at the last minute after convincing a judge that his wife’s labor was a matter of life — or his death. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Marc Daffner was granted a continuance after filing a blunt request with a Pittsburgh City Court magistrate. It read: “Defense counsel’s wife went into labor at approximately 11:15 a.m. today, and defense counsel will be killed by his wife if he does not get to the hospital immediately.” Daffner says the district attorney and judge agreed to the move. His client is charged with receiving stolen property. Daffner says, “I didn’t have a legal reason for the continuance, but that was the truth.” Dog’s warning tips family to house fire SPANISH SPRINGS, Nev. (AP) — A Spanish Springs family has been forced out of their home after a house fire, but authorities say no one was hurt thanks in part to a family pet. Officials for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District say one of the family’s dogs alerted them to the fire that started on the deck of the home in a neighborhood off the Pyramid Highway about 11:30 p.m. KRNV-TV reports two adults, a child and four dogs safely evacuated before firefighters arrived and the flames spread into the house and the attic. Officials say the fire damaged about 40 percent of the home north of Sparks near Rook Court and Nightingale Way. The Red Cross is helping them find a temporary residence. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. September 2015 — 13 Health & Wellness 14 secrets every health insurance company knows (and you should, too) By Sarah Klein Prevention magazine/TNS Calling your health-insurance provider is right up on the Most Dreaded List with getting a colonoscopy. But there will come a day when you can’t avoid calling that toll-free number, pushing 2 for English, 4 for Claims, keying in your 47-digit Group ID number, having your 47-digit Group ID number electronically read back to you, and then (finally!) being told your wait time is 50 minutes. But there is a better way. We actually got through to these insurance people (and other experts) and asked how to make this whole process more efficient. Here’s what they told us: 1. Don’t call on Monday This is like trying to get through to the Heavenly Ham store the week before Easter. You’ll be on hold forever, along with everyone else who had questions arise over the weekend, says Elisabeth Schuler Russell, founder and president of Patient Navigator, LLC. Try Wednesdays, Thursdays, or early Friday before people start wrapping up for the weekend, she says. 2. Be prepared before you call Have your insurance card and the document in question (medical bill or insurance company statement) handy. If you’re calling to see if an upcoming treatment will be covered, have the diagnostic and procedural codes from your doctor. Being prepared also means having something to do while on hold. Multi-tasking will ease your stress. 3. Sweet-talk ’em Even though your inclination may be to curse and scream when someone finally picks up the phone, remember that’s a human being and this isn’t her fault. “Be collaborative and never throw gasoline on a fire,” says registered nurse and patient advocate Teri Dreher, CEO of North Shore Patient Advocates in Chicago. “Be exceedingly polite; say ‘thank you.’ Use her name, and show the impact their assistance had, if you can.” Being nice makes it more likely they’ll go the extra yard for you. 4. Understand your plan Most people read the “101” version of their benefits, typically a pamphlet or PDF summarizing coverage. But if you’re contesting something, you’ll want to have the “201” version, says Russell. This is called the “evidence of coverage” or “certificate of insurance,” and it’s typically much heftier, sometimes up to 200 pages. It may be mailed to your home or posted online, but sometimes you have to request it. Then you can ask the rep, September 2015 — 14 “Could you please point me to the document you’re referencing?” says Dianne Savastano, founder of Massachusetts-based Healthassist, which helps patients navigate the insurance system. 5. Record everything The automated voice that says, “this call may be monitored...” is good advice for you, too. Note the date and time, the name of whomever you spoke with, and any details about what they said, so you have a documented version of the conversation just like the insurance company does. In fact, you can record the conversation as well. “Very few insurance-related calls are resolved in one phone call,” says Russell, so it’s likely you’ll need to reference this info when you call back. “If you can say, ‘I talked to Jasmine on June 6 at 3 o’clock, and she told me this,’ you may not have to explain the whole thing from scratch.” Another option is corresponding via email. You won’t have to take (as many) notes if everything is in writing. Ask the rep if you can follow-up via email and, if he agrees, ask if you can send a note summarizing your phone conversation, says Savastano. 6. Insist they speak English Insurance-world jargon can be intimidating, so don’t be embarrassed to say to a rep, “Help me understand what that means,” says Scott Josephs, MD, national medical director for Cigna Health Insurance. Here are some common terms and their meaning (find more at Healthcare.gov/glossary): • Deductible: the amount you will pay before your plan kicks in at the rate outlined in your benefits summary • Out-of-pocket maximum: the most you will pay before your plan covers 100 percent of your charges • Copay: a fixed amount you’re charged for health care covered by your plan, for example $15 • Allowed amount: the maximum your plan allows a doctor to charge for payment on covered health-care services, for example, $100 for an in-office visit. This is sometimes also called the eligible expense, payment allowance, or negotiated rate. • Coinsurance: a percent you are charged of the allowed amount for health care covered by your plan, for example 20 percent • Medically necessary: the health care services that meet your insurance company’s standards of what medicine is truly needed for diagnosis and treatment 7. Get some respect Once you’ve mastered some insurance jargon of your own, use it. Using the proper terminology can communicate you mean business, Savastano says. “Could you please walk me through how this claim was processed?” is a good start. Or “Could you please detail how this claim was adjudicated according to the benefits?” You’ll get some satisfaction regardless of how the conversation turns out. 8. Ask to speak with a nurse That’s right, many case managers at insurance companies are registered nurses, explains Dreher, and they’re usually more knowledgeable and sometimes even more sympathetic to your cause. So if you need assistance with a medical question and your customer service rep isn’t being helpful, ask politely for an RN 9. Follow up If the insurance company promises to get back to you by a certain date, put a reminder in your calendar to follow up immediately after you hang up, says Savastano. 10. Always get it in writing If the insurance company is making an exception to coverage rules, get that agreement in writing. Dreher had a client in Illinois who needed a complicated surgery that no in-network, local provider could perform. The most experienced surgeon was outof-network in California. The patient’s insurance company verbally agreed to cover the procedure, but afterward he received a bill that didn’t line up with what had been promised. Fortunately, he had documented every detail, and Dreher helped him file an appeal. 11. Don’t pay until these numbers match After a medical appointment or procedure, you’ll receive an “explanation of benefits” from your insurance provider as well as a bill from your doctor. Both documents will specify how much money you owe the doctor. In a perfect world, these two numbers should match, says Russell. If they do, pay that amount. If there’s a big discrepancy, call the doctor’s office to make sure it billed the insurance company correctly. Just because $600 may be the average rate for that procedure, a doctor could charge $1,000 simply because she did it at a different hospital. While insurance companies generally won’t budge on discrepancies like this, hospitals and doctors might, says Dreher. Ask to speak with a medical advisor at the hospital or doctor’s office and explain any financial stress you’re under. But instead of asking for the entire bill to be waived, offer to pay a sizeable portion (say 50 to 60 percent). At the very least, you could get a more reasonable payment plan, says Savastano. 12. Set up a conference call There are strict rules protecting your privacy when it comes to health care and health insurance — and rightfully so. But things can get frustrating when you’re trying to help, say, an aging parent. Savastano suggests a conference call between you, your parent, and the insurance company so the rep can validate your parent’s information and get her okay to speak with you. If this is something you’ll be doing regularly on behalf of a parent, consider filing a power of attorney with the company. 13. Stop using out-of-network providers Obviously, in an emergency you go where you must. But when it’s not, using an out-of-network health-care provider is a sacrifice, Josephs says. “For out-of-network providers, your deductibles and coinsurance are often higher, and they haven’t gone through the rigorous quality criteria that we have for in-network providers,” he explains. All of which may add up to more expense and headaches for you. 14. Know what you’re buying Half of those surveyed by Cigna in a recent poll admitted to spending less than one hour deciding on their health insurance coverage. You wouldn’t buy a car or even plan a vacation with that little sweat. If you get your insurance through an employer, you’re probably guilty of this, says Savastano. “Spend the time to make the choices that are right for you,” says Josephs. Be aware that choosing the employer-offered plan with the lowest premium might not save you money. It depends on what kind of care you need, such as behavioral health services or prescription meds. Open enrollment season will start soon. Don’t blindly go with last year’s choice. Investigate the changes and any new options. Having the right plan — and knowing it — is the best way to remove this chore from your Most Dreaded List. For more great health tips, pick up a copy of Prevention magazine, visit www.prevention.com, or follow us @ PreventionMag. September 2015 — 15 Meet the women who rule the aisle By Deirdre Donahue AARP Media/TNS Meet the modern mavens of murder, who rule the bookshelf of death with humor — and hair-raising horror. Just how popular are murder mysteries? Well, the reigning queen of the genre, Mary Higgins Clark, has sold more than 100 million books in the U.S. alone — a number a little smaller than the population of Mexico. The reason is simple. While in real-life America some 35 percent of killings go unsolved, in fiction land you close the book with a thump, satisfied that through grit and guile, the good guys or gals have caught the killer and justice will be served, straight up and strong. Who doesn’t relish a 100 percent punishment rate for the wicked? It is also appropriate that the continent that created the modern mystery — thanks to Edgar Allan Poe and his C. Auguste Dupin detective stories — today has a slew of gifted daughters to rival those legends from across the pond, such as Agatha Christie and P. D. James. Meet the A-team of crime and punishment, XX-chromosome style. Though their settings may vary, our ladies always have crime on their minds. JANET EVANOVICH Alias: Jersey Girl Modus operandi: Combines comedy with occasional killing Background: Nobody does Jersey ’tude better than the Garden State’s Janet Evanovich, 72. Born in South River, she began with romance novels but by book 12 says she “ran out of sexual positions.” Crime solver: Bighaired bounty hunter Stephanie Plum rocked Evanovich onto the bestseller lists in 1994, and the series is going strong 25 books later. Evanovich says that although she’s not Plum, “I know where she lives.” Made her bones with: “One for the Money” — 21 years later, it’s still hilarious. Latest book: “Wicked Charms” September 2015 — 16 TESS GERRITSEN Alias: The Doctor Modus operandi: Medical suspense made scary Background: A graduate of Stanford University and the UCSF School of Medicine, Gerritsen, 62, has gone from doing no harm to terrifying readers with tales of grisly death and medical malfeasance. She started writing when she was on maternity leave. Crime solvers: Jane Rizzoli is a Boston homicide detective; Dr. Maura Isles is a medical examiner. Gerritsen’s most famous pair is played by Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander on TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles. Made her bones with: the 1996 medical thriller “Harvest,” about transplants. Latest book: “Die Again” LOUISE PENNY Alias: The Canadian Modus operandi: All about morals as well as murder Background: Penny, 57, is a former Canadian radio journalist who draws on her country’s culture and history to add heft and interest to books that are more whydunits than whodunits. Crime solver: Bilingual Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûrete du Quebec is Canada’s answer to Hercule Poirot, but sexier. The setting is imaginary Three Pines, just across the Vermont border. Made her bones with: “Still Life” and the enchanting artists, booksellers and eccentrics of “Three Pines.” Latest book: “The Nature of the Beast SARA PARETSKY Alias: The Crusader Modus operandi: Bullet-paced plots meet social injustice in Chicago Background: The Kansas-raised Paretsky, 68, holds an MBA and a history Ph.D. She founded Sisters in Crime to support women mystery writers and readers. Crime solver: V.I. Warshawski — “Vic” for Victoria, never victim or vamp — is an ex–public defender turned P.I. She’s smart, tough and, though often outraged, always in control. Made her bones with: “Indemnity Only.” Published in January 1982, the novel remains bracing in its depiction of a fearless female pathfinder in a rough job. Latest book: “Brush Back” SUE GRAFTON Alias: That Alphabet P.I. Modus operandi: Hardboiled but with a female twist Background: In 1982, a new kind of gumshoe who was nobody’s helpmeet hit the street running. A former screenwriter, Grafton is blasting through the letters; “X” will arrive in August. Crime solver: P.I. Kinsey Millhone is, says Grafton, the author herself but younger, smarter and thinner. Her fictional private eye is a twice-divorced loner; Grafton, 75, has been married over 20 years. Made her bones with ... “A Is for Alibi,” which introduced readers to the town of Santa Teresa, aka Santa Barbara, California. Latest Book: “X” MARY HIGGINS CLARK Alias: Queen of Suspense Modus operandi: Deftly teases readers into scaring themselves Background: It all started in 1975 when Clark, a widow with five young children, published her first mystery. Some 40 years and 49 books later, Clark, 87, remains the monarch of American mystery. Crime Solvers: Varied Made her bones with: the blockbuster “Where Are the Children?” Clark fictionalized the 1965 headline tale of Alice Crimmins, the Queens, New York, mother who was accused of killing her two children. Two publishers rejected the novel because it featured children in jeopardy. Latest book: “The Melody Lingers On” EDITOR’S NOTE: Deirdre Donahue is consulting book editor for AARP Media. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps people 50 and older improve the quality of their lives. News and information on health, money, politics, entertainment and more can be found at AARP.org. Great News for Seniors 62 yrs of Age & Older! COMFORTABLE & AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS Accepting Applications for Independent Seniors Call (406) 248-9117 • 1439 Main Street • Billings, MT Rent Based on Income, HUD 202 PRAC Live On-Site Community Administrator Free Laundry • On-Site Parking Mailboxes on Premises Electric, Gas, Water, Sewer, & Trash Included in Rent Community Room Available for Social Gatherings & Meetings September 2015 — 17 RSVP Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in communities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722; or log on to www. seniorcorps.org. Custer and Rosebud Counties: - AARP Tax Assistance program: Volunteers needed. - Clinic Ambassador: Need volunteers to greet patients and visitors, providing directions and more, two locations. - Custer County Food Bank: Volunteer assistants needed for 8 a.m. -1:30 p.m., MondayWednesday, to process donations, stock shelves, and more. - DAV van: Drivers need to provide transportation to veterans. - Historic Miles City Academy: Urgently need volunteers at the thrift store. - Miles City Soup Kitchen: Needs servers Monday Friday; pick a day of the week you would like to serve. - Popcorn popper: Needed one day per week, two hours in the morning, starting in September - St. Vincent DePaul: Volunteers to assist in several different capacities. - VA Activities: Urgent need for someone to help with activities. - WaterWorks Art Museum: Volunteer receptionists needed, 2 hour shifts Tuesday through Sunday; a volunteer also needed in cataloging the art collection, one to assist with historic research of the permanent art collection, and a volunteer to assist in summer kids classes. If you are interested in these or other volunteer opportunities please contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Winchester Ave. #225, Miles City, MT 59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: [email protected]. Fergus and Judith Basin Counties: - American Reads: Recruiting volunteers to read with elementary students. - Art Center: Volunteers on Saturday - Central Montana Museum: Seeking additional volunteers. - Community Cupboard (Food Bank): Volunteers are September 2015 — 18 needed to help any week mornings as well as with deliveries. - Council on Aging: Volunteers needed to assist at the daily Grubstakes meal and with clerical help during the busy lunch hour. - Library: Volunteer help always appreciated. - ROWL (Recycle Our Waste Lewistown): Looking for volunteers to join teams baling recyclables - Treasure Depot: Thrift store needs volunteers to sort, hang clothes and put other items on display for sale. - RSVP always has various needs for your skills and volunteer services in our community. - Current RSVP volunteers are encouraged to turn in your hours each month; your contribution to the community is greatly appreciated! Contact: RSVP Volunteer Coordinator Sara Wald, 404 W. Broadway, Wells Fargo Bank building, (upstairs), Lewistown, MT 59457; phone (406) 5350077; email: rsvplew@ midrivers.com. Gallatin County - American Cancer Society Road to Recovery: Drivers needed for patients receiving treatments from their home to the hospital - American Red Cross Blood Drive: Two volunteer opportunities available: an ambassador needed to welcome, greet, thank and provide overview for blood donors; and phone team volunteers needed to remind, recruit or thank blood donors. Excellent customer service skills needed, training will be provided, flexible schedule. - Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on a regular weekly basis. - Belgrade Senior Center: Meals on Wheels needs regular and substitute drivers Monday through Friday, to deliver meals to seniors before noon. - Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive role model for only a few hours each week. - Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift Stores: Need volunteers 2-3 hour shifts on any day, Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Volunteers needed for the information desks in the Atrium and the Perk, 8 a.m. through noon, noon through 4 p.m.. - Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic: Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgently needed, 2 days a month, either 4 or 8 hour shifts. - Galavan: Volunteer drivers needed Monday though Friday, 10 a.m. -2 p.m.. CDL required and Galavan will assist you in obtaining one. Volunteers also needed to make reminder calls and confirm rides for the following day. - Gallatin Rest Home: Volunteers wanted for visiting the residents, sharing your knowledge of a craft, playing cards or reading to a resident. - Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Volunteers needed to deliver commodities to seniors in their homes once a month. Deliveries in Belgrade are especially needed. - HRDC Housing Department Ready to Rent: Curriculum for families and individuals who have rental barriers such as lack of poor rental history, property upkeep, renter responsibilities, landlord/tenant communication and financial priorities. - Habitat for Humanity Restore: Belgrade store needs volunteers for general help, sorting donations and assisting customers. - Heart of The Valley: Compassionate volunteers especially needed to love, play with and cuddle cats. - Help Center: Computer literate volunteer interested in entering data into a social services database. Also volunteers needed to make phone calls to different agencies/programs to make sure database is up to date and make safety calls to home bound seniors. - Jessie Wilber Gallery at The Emerson: Volunteers needed on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to greet people at the main desk, answer questions and keep track of the number of visitors. - Museum of the Rockies: Variety of opportunities available such as helping in the gift shop and more. - RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to quilt, knit, crochet and embroider hats for chemo patients, baby blankets and other handmade goods once a week (can work from home). Items are on sale in our store in the RSVP office at the Senior Center or on Saturday Farmers Markets until Sept. 13. Note: Donated yarn needed for the quilting, knitting and crocheting projects. - Three Forks Food Bank: Volunteer needed on Monday and/or Thursday to help with administrative duties, including answer phones and questions, some paper and computer work. Will train. - Your unique skills and interests are needed, without making a long-term commitment, in a variety of ongoing, special, one-time events. Contact: Debi Casagranda, RSVP Program Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman, MT 59715; phone (406) 587-5444; fax (406) 582 8499; email: [email protected] Musselshell, Golden Valley, and Petroleum Counties - Food Bank: Distribute food commodities to seniors and others in the community; help unload the truck as needed. - Meals on Wheels Program: Deliver meals to the housebound in the community, just one day a week for an hour and a half, meal provided. - MVH Museum: Volunteers needed in many capacities such as guides, maintenance, yard work, historic preservation, board meetings, record keeping and fundraising. - Nursing Home: Piano players and singers needed on Friday to entertain See RSVP, Page 18 residents, also assistant needed in activities for residents to enrich supported lifestyle. - Senior Bus: Volunteers to pickup folks who are unable to drive themselves. - Senior Center: Volunteers are needed to provide meals, clean up in the dining room and/or keep records; meal provided. - RSVP offers maximum flexibility and choice to its volunteers as it matches the personal interests and skills of older Americans with opportunities to serve their communities. You choose how and where to serve. Volunteering is an opportunity to learn new skills, make friends and connect with your community. Contact: Shelley Halvorson, South Central MT RSVP, 315 1/2 Main St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072; phone (406) 3231403; fax (406) 323-4403; email: rdprsvp2@midrivers. com ; Facebook: South Central MT RSVP. Park County - Big Brothers Big Sisters: Mentor and positive role models to a boy or girl needed, 1 hour a week. - Fix-It-Brigade: Needs volunteers of all ages and skill levels for 2 hour tasks on your schedule to help seniors or veterans with small home repairs and chores, such as changing a light bulb, mending a fence, cleaning up a yard. - Livingston Depot: Needs volunteers with people skills as museum greeter and gift shop attendant with basic math skills through September 13. Training is provided, schedules are flexible. - Loaves and Fishes: Volunteers needed to prepare dinner meal on Wednesday nights. - Main Streeter Thrift Store: Someone who enjoys working with the public, greet customers, ring up purchases, label and hang clothes and accept donations. - Meals on Wheels: Always need substitute drivers to deliver meals to seniors in their home. - RSVP: Need compassionate companions to give caregivers a break in their home on a regular basis. - RSVP: Has many one-time events, including mailings and fundraising events that require volunteers. - RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to knit and crochet caps and scarves for each child at Head Start this winter, also as gifts for children of prenatal classes, baby hats, and afghan's for the hospital newborns; Sewers needed to make simple pillowcases for our soldiers overseas, Thursday, 1-2 p.m. at the Senior Center. - Senior Center: Need volunteers, Tuesday, 1 p.m., to cut unsold clothing into rags to be sold for proceeds to the center. - Stafford Animal Shelter: Kindhearted volunteers needed to socialize cats and kittens, and to walk the dogs. - Transportation: Drivers needed to help patients keep their doctor appointment in Livingston and Bozeman. Some gas reimbursement may be provided. Contact: Deb Downs, Program Coordinator, 111 So. 2nd St., Livingston, MT 59047; phone (406) 222-2281; email: [email protected] Continued from page 7 “I probably was the only one who stayed on and marked them out.” Out of high school, McKinlay served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Then he attended the College of Southern Idaho before transferring to the University of Wyoming, which has a competitive college rodeo program. By the time he graduated with an animal science degree, he was married and had two daughters and was riding lots of broncs. He graduated with a doctorate of veterinary medicine from Washington State University in 1990 and worked in Alberta before opening a clinic from his Colbert garage in 1993. He was still riding bareback horses and had four children. Today, McKinlay & Peters Equine Hospital employs five veterinarians and has two clinics, including a state-of-the-art equine hospital in Newman Lake. McKinlay, whose specialty is reproduction, jokes that he’s everything from an ER doctor to a gynecologist and dentist. The evening interview was cut short when his pager went off calling him back to work. So how does a man in his 50s decide to rekindle his passion for riding bareback horses, where he uses one hand to grip the rigging, which is a heavy piece of leather with basically a suitcase handle? First, he must persuade his wife. “Part of it was just my love for it,” he said. “Passion is maybe an appropriate word. My uncle mentioned the word addiction but maybe that’s too strong. I really just love the sport.” McKinlay had a soft start three years ago when he rode two rodeos. He tore his tendon off his bicep muscle during a ride in Sandpoint. “I had a little surgery and had it put back together,” he said. “It got me excited I guess. Ever since I think I’ve been thinking about it.” Besides building the strength in his arm, McKinlay trains hard to stay fit and agile. At first he ran a lot. Then his brother encouraged him to do wind sprints, a logical training method because bareback riding is ultimately a sprinters’ sport. He’s embarrassed admitting he tore a hamstring muscle. Now he bikes, lifts weights and does a lot of pull-ups and core exercises. He’s lost 15 pounds. “It’s an event you don’t want to be packing extra weight especially when I’m physically too old to be doing it,” he said. A devout LDS church member, McKinlay also thanks God for his return to the bucking chutes, saying “I feel it keenly as I settle down on the back of a bucker.” There aren’t a lot of guys riding at 55. A quick look at the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association, which doesn’t have sanctioned rodeos in the Northwest, shows there were no cowboys in the 60 plus or 68 plus bracket who qualified as national finals average champions. That was the same for bull riding and saddle bronc. Only the roping events had older competitors. Competitors must be 40 to compete in senior rodeos. Jimmy Nugent, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the bareback event director for the National Senior Pro Rodeo Association. He made his comeback in 2014 at age 49, but it was more of a “live like you’re dying” influence. According to a recent article in Rodeo News, Nugent received a kidney transplant from his twin brother in 2011. After three years of recovery and working out, friends encouraged him to ride broncs again. “I did miss the camaraderie and friendships, so I came back in 2014 and had a great time,” he said. “I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had.” McKinlay is having fun too, looking forward to riding in Coeur d’Alene and at the Spokane County Interstate Fair Rodeo in September. He said most everyone is supportive and that he’s blessed to have so much encouragement. “There are the worry warts too,” he laughed. “But that is just a way of saying I love you.” September 2015 — 19 On The Menu Warm day / cool day recipes With Jim Durfey September is a Jekyll & Hyde month in Montana. An early morning frost will make you reach for that wool jacket that’s been buried in the far reaches of your closet all summer. The next day might bring summer heat that will make you wish you were at the swimming pool. The recipes below will work regardless of the weather. Venison burgers can be grilled outside or in a skillet on top of the stove. The flavor is greatly enhanced, of course, if the meat is cooked over coals or on a propane grill. The secret to cooking any burger is to cook it thoroughly but just long enough so that it’s still juicy. My fatherin-law used to order his burgers rare. He always enjoyed a juicy burger, but I always wondered if it stayed on the grill long enough to kill the bad stuff in the meat. I like my burgers pink — not red — in the middle. Burgers can be thoroughly cooked and still be juicy, even if there isn’t any pink left in the burger. Grilled Venison Burgers 1 1/2 lbs. ground venison 1/2 c. onion, chopped fine 5 shakes Worcestershire sauce Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste Combine all ingredients and form into four patties. Place on the grill that has been oiled. Flip so both sides have grill marks. Remove when just cooked through but still juicy. Toast buns on the grill. No Bake Smores Bars 1 c. graham cracker crumbs 1 c. powdered sugar 1/2 c. butter, melted 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 c. Nutella 7 oz. marshmallow creme 1 c. mini marshmallows, toasted 2 chocolate bars, chopped 2 tbsp. butter 3 c. mini marshmallows 3 c. crispy rice cereal Mix together graham crackers crumbs, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to make a thick dough. Press the dough into the bottom of an 8” x 8” pan that is lined with foil and greased. Spoon marshmallow creme on top of bottom layer. Grease spatula with cooking spray. Gently spread marshmallow creme out. For top layer, toast one cup mini marshmallows with kitchen torch or under broiler on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. While toasted marshmallows cool, melt butter in microwave in large bowl. Add three cups mini marshmallows and stir to coat. Return to microwave for 45 seconds. Stir until smooth. Add crispy rice cereal September 2015 — 20 and stir to coat. Stir in toasted mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces. Use greased spatula to spread crispy rice mixture over marshmallow creme. Gently press into marshmallow creme. Cover pan and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Cut into slices and watch marshmallow cream slowly start to ooze out to the center. These No Bake Smores Bars are perfect to serve grandkids. Peachy Keen Margaritas 1 c. fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, halved 1/2 c. peach nectar 2 oz. tequila 2 oz. peach liqueur 1 c. ice Peach wedge for garnish Mint sprigs for garnish Combine first five ingredients in blender. Blend until ice is broken into small pieces. Pour into large glass with ice. Garnish with peach wedge and mint sprig. If it’s a real hot day, put glass into the freezer for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish glass rims with salt if desired. Ice Cream with Liqueur (The ice cream is cold, but the liqueur will take the chill off of the dessert). Vanilla ice cream Your favorite liqueur (hazelnut, coffee, almond, cranberry — to name a few). Put modest size proportion of ice cream in a bowl. Pour two tablespoons liqueur over the top of ice cream. Serve immediately. September 2015 Calendar — Wednesday, Sept. 2 Wednesday, Sept. 9 • Farmers Market, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Livingston • Farmers Market, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Livingston — Thursday, Sept. 10 • Beaverhead County Fair, through Sept. 6, Dillon • The Brewery Follies, through Sept. 26, Virginia City — Thursday, Sept. 3 • Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Red Lodge, every other Thursday 5-6 p.m., through Sept. 17, Red Lodge — Friday, Sept. 4 • Labor Day Weekend Kickoff, Dillon • Festival of the Thread, through Sept. 6, Shane Center, Livingston •Farmers Market, Fridays through Sept. 25, Red Lodge — Saturday, Sept. 5 • Farmers Market, Absarokee • Jaycee Labor Day Rodeo and Concert, through Sept. 7, Dillon • Farmers Market, Saturdays through Oct. 10, Glendive • Last Best Fest through Sept. 6, downtown, Livingston • Nevada City Living History Weekends, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., through Sept. 27, Lantern Tours start at 9:30 p.m., Nevada City — Sunday, Sept. 6 • Labor Day Rodeo, through Sept. 7, White Sulphur Springs — Monday, Sept. 7 • An Evening with Terry Bradshaw, MSU, Billings — Friday, Sept. 11 • Wild and Scenic Film Festival, 7 p.m., Yellowstone Association building, Gardiner — Friday, Sept. 18 • Bozeman Maze, through Oct. 31, Mandeville Lane, Bozeman • Community Whole-Hog BBQ, VFW Club, Glendive • Glendive Gun Show, through Sept. 20, Glendive — Saturday, Sept. 12 • Miles City Bluegrass Festival, through Sept. 20, Eastern Montana Fairgrounds, Miles City • Big Bear 5K and 8K Stampede Trail Run, 9 a.m., Eagle Creek Campground, Gardiner • Black Knights Rising, 8 p.m., Retro Theatre, Glendive • Regional Ranch Rodeo Finals, Fairgrounds, Glendive • Retro Reboot Vintage Market fundraiser, 9 a.m., Big Horn County Fairgrounds, Hardin • Charlie Russell Chew Choo Dinner Train, 4 p.m., Hanover Boarding Station, Lewistown • 26th Annual Chokecherry Festival and Run, 9 a.m., downtown Lewistown • High Plains Classics Car Show, 11 a.m., Riverside Park, Miles City • The Nitty Gritty Climb, Red Lodge • Absaroka Winds, Bozeman Symphony Far Afield, 7 p.m., Elling House, Virginia City — Sunday, Sept. 13 • Bridge Day, Eyer Park, Glendive • Montana Bale Trail What the Hay, Highway 239, Hobson • Labor Day Arts Fair, Red Lodge • 40th Annual Utica Day Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Utica Women's Clubhouse, Hobson — Tuesday, Sept. 8 — Wednesday, Sept. 16 • Farmers Market, Tuesdays through Sept. 22, Bogert Park, Bozeman — Thursday, Sept. 17 • Farmers Market, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Livingston — Saturday, Sept. 19 • Demolition Derby, Fairgrounds, Glendive • Charlie Russell Chew Choo Dinner Train, 4 p.m., Hanover Boarding Station, Lewistown — Wednesday, Sept. 23 • Farmers Market, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Livingston — Thursday, Sept. 24 • Montana History Conference: Hit the Trail to Bozeman, through Sept. 26, Hilton Garden Inn, Bozeman • Archaeological Research in Yellowstone National Park, 7 p.m., Carbon County Historical Society and Museum, Red Lodge — Friday, Sept. 25 • Livingston Art Walk, downtown Livingston • 40th Annual Art Auction, 7:30 p.m. WaterWorks Art Museum, Miles City — Sunday, Sept. 27 • Pleasant Valley Homemakers fundraiser (full turkey meal, silent auction), 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monarch/ Neihart Community Senior Center in Neihart September 2015 — 21 By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D. Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at [email protected] NASCAR pit crews must be top athletes Q. They don’t need to be athletes, just behave like them. Then they might be part of a winning team as they chase the checkered flag. Who are they? A. A pit crew at a NASCAR race, says Gemma McLuckie in Ohio State University’s “Inspire” magazine. When former pit crew member Ryan Patton looks at a six-man NASCAR crew, he sees a set of athletic body types: A tirechanger is lean like a defensive back, tirecarriers are more like running backs and safety linebackers, a chassis-changer jackman is more a defensive-end-type guy. Previously, “drivers with the best cars won, and teams with the most sponsors had the best equipment...,” Patton says. But once NASCAR leveled the playing field, today the human element is critical, since for every one-and-a-half second delay in the pit, cars still on the track gain a 150-yard lead. The goal for the crew: refuel, retire, repair and readjust in under 12 seconds. As a tire carrier for six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, the 6’2”, 205-pound Patton “hefts 30-80 pound, handmade Goodyear Eagles over the wall in a down-to-the-second routine to replace the worn ones.” To stay in shape for the 36 Spring Cup events, the pit crew works out with trainers almost year round, doing strength conditioning four times a week. The crew also practices under conditions simulating the idiosyncrasies of the next track, for example, whether it’s rough or smooth. Cars go faster on new tires, Patton explains, so pit stops can make or break a race, since even having to change only two tires instead of all four saves about six seconds. As Patton concludes: “In NASCAR, only one car out of 43 gets the checkered flag. You have to have a perfect storm to win.” September 2015 — 22 Q. You’ve read palindromes such as “do geese see god,” “step not on pets,” “pull up if i pull up,” “madam i’m adam,” “a santa lived as a devil at nasa.” These sentences read the same in both directions. Now what’s unusual about the following: “Sator arepo tenet opera rotas”? of tiny bubbles that then burst. As they burst, the bubbles then release chemicals from the soil — a kind of “aromatic fizz.” A. It’s a Latin palindromic sentence from the 2nd century CE which commonly translates to “Arepo the sower (farmer) holds the wheels with effort.” It gave rise to the so-called “Templar magic square” — after the Order of the Templars — with the letters placed in a five-by-five square arrangement. Amazingly, you can read the sentence in all directions — back and forth and up and down! Q. How did a demonstration on the moon, of all places, confirm a scientific theory posed over four centuries ago? S A T O A R E P T E N E O P E R R O T A R O T A S This magic square is very old — “it’s been found in excavations of the Roman city of Pompeii, which had been buried in the ashes of Vesuvius. In medieval times, people attributed magic properties to it and used it as a spell to protect against witchcraft.” In 1937, five examples were discovered in Mesopotamia, and others in Britain, Egypt, Cappadocia and Hungary. Q. Why does rain falling after a dry spell offer up such an earthy aroma, almost like a perfume? Scientists seem to have just sniffed this one out. A. The earthy smell, called “petrichor,” seems to spring from chemicals in the soil, but the actual mechanism remained a mystery, says Andrew Grant in “Science News” magazine. Now a new study by MIT mechanical engineers Cullen Buie and Youngsoo Joung, using high-speed cameras on water droplets, suggests that each droplet on contact releases a cascade It all lives up to its name “petrichor,” from the Greek “petros” for “stone” and “ichor” for “flowing like blood in the veins of the gods.” A. In 1589, it is said, Galileo Galilei simultaneously released both a heavy ball and a light one from atop the Leaning Tower of Pisa and — air resistance being negligible compared to the balls’ weights — they landed on the ground below at the same time. Thus, the famed Italian astronomer demonstrated the equivalence principle at the heart of general relativity, stating that “bodies ‘fall’ at the same rate through a gravitational field regardless of their mass or structure,” says Adam Hadhazy in “Discover” magazine. This principle also holds that the same results should obtain regardless of where and when in the universe the experiments take place. Fast forward to the moon in 1971 when Apollo 15 astronaut Dave Scott let a hammer and a feather fall at the same time and with no air present to flutter the feather, the objects struck the lunar surface simultaneously. Before returning home, Apollo astronauts left behind fancy mirrors capable of bouncing lasers off the moon to measure its position relative to Earth — precise to fourhundredths of an inch! “These readings have offered a rigorous test of the ‘falling equivalently’ concept, as well as its related notion that nature’s laws must apply equally everywhere. To date, decades of data from these lunar laser ranging experiments have agreed with general relativity down to trillionths of a percent.” Q. When can baseball be “a real drag”? A. Make that aerodynamic drag in the sense of air friction slowing the ball as it moves through the Earth’s atmosphere, says Aaron Santos in “Ballparking: Practical Math for Impractical Sports Questions.” When we hear about a top pitching prospect lighting up the radar gun, we should all wonder where the measurement was taken. “Because of air friction, the speed of DARNIELLE INSURANCE AGENCY Managing Your Insurance Moves Article Series 1320 28th Street West Billings, MT 59101 call us: (406) 652-4180 visit us online: darnielle.com “Occurrence vs. Claims Made… & Switching!” “Negligent Entrustment” “A Serious Gap in Homeowners Insurance Coverage” “Claims Made…..and Reported” By guest blogger Dennis P. Gambill, Insurance Litigation Consultant. Read More at darnielle.com the pitch drops during the 0.4 second or so the ball is in flight. A measurement taken when the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand will give a faster reading than one taken when the same ball crosses the plate.” According to baseball stats, the 2010 record-breaking fastball of Aroldis Chapman was measured at 105 mph, but with air drag, the ball must have been moving much faster when it left the pitcher’s hand. Taking into account the density of the air, plus the mass and cross-sectional area of the ball, a pitch starting out at 105 mph arrives at the plate traveling only 92 mph. A more common 95-mph fastball drops to 84.5 mph. “The results are even more startling if you assume Aroldis Chapman’s pitch arrived at the plate traveling 105 mph. This means that it would need to have left his hand traveling 140 mph!” Q. You probably like the aroma of fresh-cut grass on a summer day. How do you think the grass likes it? A. Grass naturally emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that increase significantly when cut, reports “American Scientist” magazine. Also known as “green leaf volatiles,” they are mostly a mix of aldehyde and alcohol. The main VOC giving cut grass its smell is (Z)-3-hexenal, readily picked up by the human nose and detected as low as 0.25 parts per billion. Why are these compounds formed? Perhaps, scientists suggest, their release induces defense responses in other neighboring plants. Also, they may “stimulate formation of new cells at the site of the wound, while some act as antibiotics, preventing infection.” What’s not to like? Crossword Across 1 “60 Minutes” symbol 10 “Private Practice” star Kate 15 “Whatever!” 16 Its southeasternmost county is Bear Lake 17 For the time being 18 Centrifuge component 19 Effectiveness 20 Positive 22 Purpose 24 Castle and others 25 “Live Well” retail chain 28 Steering system parts 32 Special treatment 33 Parent 35 Smooth coat 36 Current: Pref. 37 When Tony sings “Maria” 38 Muppet rat named for a movie character 39 With 2-Down, twice-monthly phenomenon 40 It investigates RR accidents 41 __ Era: old name for Earth’s pre-life period 42 Goalie’s goal 43 Who __ Nation: New Orleans Saints fans 44 Eye 46 French possessive 47 It became the TV Guide Channel in 1999 49 Big mouth 51 Mythological boundary 55 Like some French vowels 59 Sluggish 60 Underlying layers 62 Where Rudolf of Ruritania was imprisoned 63 Get around bigtime 64 Lake Placid’s county 65 Large, to some Southwesterners 6 Whiz 7 Johnny’s partner in the 2014 Olympic figure skating telecasts 8 Nursery item 9 Circulation prefix 10 Circuit creators 11 Napping 12 Thermodynamics topic 13 Liberty 14 Charts featuring houses 21 Picture taker 23 Moves periodically 25 Winner’s reward 26 Peach mutations 27 “Moonshadow” singer 29 Broadway role for Julie 30 Cutting device 31 Former White Sox manager Guillén 34 Needle 36 ER workers 44 Unpopular Vietnam War-financing vehicle 45 Nice relatives 48 Mesa __ National Park 50 Partner of all? 52 USAF E-6 53 Festive time 54 Wii alternative 56 Indian wrap 57 All-inclusive 58 Behind 61 Entrepreneur-aiding org. Down 1 Blind piece 2 See 39-Across 3 Dust Bowl victim 4 Gram leadin 5 Hip September 2015 — 23 Wanted Miracle-Ear Hearing Centers are looking for qualified people to test their latest product,The Miracle-Ear® Genius for FREE*! Here’s the catch: You must have difficulty hearing and understanding in background noise, and your hearing must fall in the range of the hearing aid. People that are selected will evaluate Miracle-Ear’s latest advanced digital hearing solution - the Miracle-Ear Genius. You will be able to walk in to our office and walk out knowing how much help there is for you. Candidates will be asked to evaluate our instruments for 30 days (risk free*). At the end of the 30 days, if you are satisfied with the improvement in your hearing and wish to keep the instrument, you may do so at tremendous savings. But this is for a limited time only! You must make your appointment before 9/30/15! Don’t wait! SOME FEDERAL WORKERS AND RETIREES MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR HEARING AIDS AT NO COST! 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These are not medical exams or diagnoses, nor are they intended to replace a physician’s care. If you suspect a medical problem, please seek treatment from your doctor. Offer Expires 9/30/2015