Community

About 450 Montana FFA and 4-H students competed in the 48th annual Ruby Valley Invitational at the Morse Land Co. Arena in Sheridan Sept. 24. 

The American Red Cross awarded Parker Walter, 6, with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action from their National Lifesaving Award Program in the Sheridan School gym Sept. 26.

It was the first time in at least 20 years that a Montanan has been awarded a Lifesaving Award.

The longest tributary to the largest river in the North America starts in southwest Montana, an area that is seeing new pressures from climate, people and animals. Where the Jefferson River, Madison River and Gallatin River meet, the Missouri River begins. 

In case this was not already on your calendar, we are in the midst of National Dog Week. Most residents of Gallatin and Madison county do not need an extra excuse to celebrate their dogs, but it never hurts to shamelessly post large quantities of pictures of your pup on social media. 

In a world that values individualism and independence almost to an extreme, people like Dottie Fossel are instrumental in promoting community values. Fossel is hardworking and self-reliant, but also community-minded, selfless and devoted.

Every three years people line Broadway Street in Pony, Montana to celebrate Pony Days with a parade. Local businesses, cowboys and cowgirls throw out candy and wave to spectators as they parade through the town’s center. 

This year’s judges were Dr. Andrea Cady, Martin Shepaherd and Hannah Kearse.

Since Pony was first settled, numerous articles have been written about how the Town of Pony got its name. Almost all the articles claim a miner, Tecumseh Smith, with a nickname of Pony due to his diminutive size, found gold in a tributary to North Willow Creek circa 1867.

Jim Murphy thought he’d be working at R.L. Winston Rod Company for at least five more years. He moved to Sheridan, Montana in 2016, adopted a dog named Beau from the Beaverhead County Animal Shelter, rented a white house along Mill Creek and took his place as the Director of Exports at the warehouse in Twin Bridges, Montana.