A cowboy stays on top of a bucking saddle bronc during the Bucking Horse Sale. Photo by Steve Allison

Thursday, May 23

CCDHS graduates receive diplomas Sunday

By Denise Hartse
The students in the Class of 2013 at Custer County District High School will walk across the stage Sunday, May 26, receive their diplomas and leave their high school days behind.
CCDHS Commencement will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday in the CCDHS gymnasium.
The processional will be played by the CCDHS Band members as the graduates enter the gym.
CCDHS principal Jamie Ogolin will present the honor students. Valedictorians Alexis Gruba and Jonathan Sutton will speak.
Tom Albers will present the Custer County Educational Foundation Scholarship awards. The CCDHS Band will then perform “The Cowboys.”
Ogolin will introduce this year’s graduation speaker, Michelle Miller, adjunct faculty member for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a former CCDHS student.
Following Miller’s speech, the CCDHS Choral Department seniors and Chorale will sing “Seasons of Love” and “Some Nights.”
Ogolin and Terry Annalora, assistant principal at CCDHS, will present the Class of 2013. Members of the Board of Trustees will award the diplomas. Trustees for 2012-2013 are: Carol Bartholomew, Jeff Donnelly, Eric Doeden, Dave Fiechtner, Ted Herzog, Donald Hofmann, Erin Hould, Monty Lesh, Jack McNamee, Scot Robinson and Bob Wagner.
The CCDHS Band will then play “Loyalty” and the Recessional.
Officers of the Senior Class are Elizabeth Williams, president; Savanah Leidholt, vice president; and Ellen Geary, secretary-treasurer.
The class motto is “It all seems impossible until the end.” Class colors are lime green, hot pink and zebra and the class flower is the Alstroemeria.
Students who will receive their diplomas Sunday are:
Andrew M. Abel, Magna Cum Laude (3.5+ grade point average); Austin Allery; Bryce A. Anderson, Summa Cum Laude (3.75+ GPA); Heather K. Anderson; Jesse James Anderson, Cum Laude (3.25+ GPA); Eleanor J. Armstrong, National Honor Society (gold neck braid) and Summa Cum Laude; Shelby L. Arnold, National Honor Society and Cum Laude.
Garrett V. Baldry; Riley D. Banta; Kenneth Beckman; Devin J. Begger, Cum Laude; Melissa L. Beyer; Brett Michael Birkeland, Honors (3.0+ GPA); Steven Boross; Anthony Brown; Camron Brown; Matthew Buford; Natalie A. Buness, Cum Laude.
Tasha A. Cain, Magna Cum Laude; Devin D. Chamberlin; Ariel M. Chapman, Magna Cum Laude; Brinne M. Chappell; Matthew Robyn Clark; Montana W. Clouse; Lane L. Clute; Chance R. Conley; Kurtus A. Cool.
Cynthia Louise DeCock; Joren N. Defries; Jared Y. DeVault; Chance M. Dickman; Brett D. Dobie; Josh L. Dunning; Dominic J.R. Emeline; Danielle J. Finn, Summa Cum Laude; Mathew Fleming.
Daniel Garza; Ellen F. Geary, Cum Laude; Allisa V. Graber; Kassidy M. Gran; Alexis LeeAnn Gruba, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude; Chase L. Gunther, Magna Cum Laude; Emma J. Haley, Magna Cum Laude; Trevor Lynn Harbaugh; Jordan David Harris, Cum Laude; Justice Dana Harris, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude.
Caleb J. Heidel; Olivia Irene Helland, National Honor Society and Magna Cum Laude; Presley Marie Herman, National Honor Society and Magna Cum Laude; Tulsa Marie Irene Herzog; Savannah Kay Hill; Whitney Hilliard, National Honor Society and Cum Laude; Quinn Hopkins; Ashlee Sue Hyatt, National Honor Society.
Robert Kenitzer; Brooke Nicole Kennedy; Laci J. Kirkland; Kimber W. Krausz; McKeelyn Shae Kron; Lane F. Krutzfeldt; Austin G. Laitinen; Taylor Lane, Magna Cum Laude; Ciera Kate Larsen, Magna Cum Laude; Savanah Lee Leidholt, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude; Shawn Robert Leidholt, Magna Cum Laude.
Jordan Leigh Lemelin; Kyle Lewis; Megan Marie Licht; Simone I. Loegager; Sydnee Marie Lohrke; Nathaniel Lee Lowry; Jordan D. Mackey; Ashley MaKay Merical; Katherine Elizabeth Monroe; Andersen Moody; Kelly Marie Muggli; Tanner Niklas Muggli, Magna Cum Laude; Alec Myhre.
Kyle V. Nelson; Heather J. O’Brien, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude; Payton O’Connor; Ashly A. Prete; Brooke M. Regan, National Honor Society and Cum Laude; William J. Reil; Raylee Renee Reinhart; Nicholas F. Reynolds; Haley D. Roberts; Braden Rolandson.
Koreena Dawn Schultes; Erik Alexander Schwarzkopf; Jalen E. Seminole; Drew J. Senger; Alex A. Silk; Marissa Nicole Singleton; Sydney Janine Slabodnik; Katelin McKenzie South; Jonathan Earl Sutton, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude; Shawnee M. Swanson, Honors.
Hanne Tiset; Shyler Torstenbo; Tanner N. Treu; Gavin K. Ueland; Jesse J. Van Hook; Elais Chavez Vera; Matthew Robert Warn, Summa Cum Laude; Zoe Whicker; Katlan R. White; and Elizabeth Kate Williams, National Honor Society and Summa Cum Laude.

 

 

Former CCDHS student becomes highly trained scientist, agent

From the Custer County District High School
Michelle Miller, a former student at Custer County District High School, is the graduation speaker at the CCDHS Commencement on Sunday afternoon, May 26.
Miller has had extensive experience in forensic science, criminal, counterterriorism and more in high-profile world events. She is a FBI special agent.
Miller, who attended CCDHS starting in 1986, relocated to Pendleton, Ore., during her senior year of high school in the fall of 1989 and graduated there in the spring of 1990.
Miller received her bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Portland in Oregon in 1995. In 1998, she began her studies in the field of anthropology at the University of Tennessee and worked as an autopsy technician for the state medical examiner at the UT Medical Center, regional Forensic Center.
Miller was accepted into the graduate program at UT in 1999. At that time, it was one of only two graduate programs in the United States specializing in forensic anthropology. During that time, Miller worked as a graduate research assistant under Dr. William Bass and Dr. Murray Marks, at the Anthropological Research Facility, known to most as the original Body Farm, located at Knoxville, Tenn. At this research facility, human decomposition in various settings is studied. In this setting, information from human remains can be extracted, including circumstances and time of death.
Miller worked as a Bio-Archaeology Field School supervisor in 2001 in northern Jordan. There she excavated early Byzantine tombs for Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan.
She was deployed to New York City following the attacks of 9/11. There she worked with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), identifying human remains of the victims of 9/11 and the American Airlines Flight No. 587 crash.
Miller received her master of arts degree in physical anthropology with a concentration in forensic anthropology in 2002. Her primary focus of research was on the effectiveness of using Ground Penetrating Radar in the search for and detection of human remains in clandestine burials.
She was accepted into and entered the doctoral program in forensic anthropology at UT in the fall of 2002. Her concentration was on the application of bio-systems engineering and three-dimensional imagery to forensic anthropology. During this time, she often instructed and/or gave presentations to groups, which included other anthropology students, medical personnel and members of the law enforcement community.
Throughout her years in academia, she appeared in several documentaries about forensic anthropology. Two of them were produced by National Geographic and focused on her specific research: “Anatomy of a Corpse” and “Biography of a Corpse.”
Regarding her academic research, publications by Miller appear in the “Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics” and the “Journal of Forensic Sciences.”
Miller joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2005 and since then has been a Special Agent assigned to the Washington Field Office in Washington, D.C. There she has worked counterterrorism, criminal and counterintelligence matters.
After she graduated from the FBI Academy, she was assigned to the National Capital Response Squad. NCRS prepares for and responds to national security threats to the National Capital Region.
Miller was assigned to work criminal and extraterritorial matters in 2007. These include violent crimes in the area of Washington, D.C., in addition to violent crimes committed against Americans in foreign countries, primarily Africa and the Middle East.
She is currently working counterintelligence and counterespionage matters.
Miller has several ancillary duties in addition to her investigative responsibilities.
She is a member of the FBI Washington Field Office Evidence Response Team, specializing in three-dimensional crime scene reconstruction. She has been deployed to many crime scenes and supported several high profile events around the world, including, but not limited to:
— 2005 — Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans;
—2006 — Operation OVERT, restricted liquids on planes (International Terrorism);
— 2007 — Virginia Tech shooting in Blacksburg, Va.; Presidential mansion in Monrovia, Liberia (Torture and War Crimes); and Bagram Air Force Base and Jalalabad FOB, Afghanistan (International Terrorism);
— 2008 — Plane crash at Mexico City, Mexico, in which the vice president of Mexico was killed;
— 2009 — Holocaust Museum shooting (Domestic Terrorism/Hate Crime); and D.C. Metro train crash;
—2010 — Shootings at the Pentagon and five other military installations;
— 2011 — Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Presidential Mandate);
— 2009 and 2013 Presidential inaugurations.
Miller also is an adjunct faculty member for the FBI, regularly conducting training to law enforcement personnel around the United States and internationally. She has taught classes in Niamey, Niger; Belize City, Belize; Accra, Ghana; Gaboromne, Botswana; and Moshi, Tanzania.
Throughout her career she has contributed to numerous high profile and high priority cases. Among the accolades and recognitions she has received for her efforts are:
— 2002 — Special recognition by Kenyon International for her contributions as a forensic anthropologist after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
— 2007 — Recipient of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association National Award for her contributions during the response and subsequent investigation of the Virginia Tech shooting.
— 2008 — Nominated for the FBI Director’s Award for her contributions during the investigation, trial and conviction of Charles Taylor Jr., Monrovia, Liberia. (First American to be convicted of Torture and War Crimes in another country).
— 2012 — Recipient of the Anti-Defamation League Shield Award for her contributions during the investigation, trial and conviction of Yonathan Melaku, who shot at several military installations in the Washington, D.C., Metro area; and recipient of the United States Attorney General Distinguished Service Award for her contributions during the investigation into the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.

 

 

Wednesday, May 22

Shear Passion: Man ends 54-year career as shearer, but family follows in his footsteps

By Steve Allison
Reaching the age of 72 and having spent most of his life as a working and competitive sheep shearer, Fred Wyatt decided the time had come to retire. But Wyatt also decided one more shearing contest was needed as a finale to his career. Wyatt chose the contest at this year’s Miles City Bucking Horse Sale.
Miles City is fairly close to his home in Oregon, and the contest has a good reputation for a high level of competition and running smoothly. With the reigning US champion set to be here, plus a four-time US champion, two New Zealand and one Australian champion signed up for the boards, six renowned instructors and three United States world shearing team members, the competition was guaranteed to be top notch. This was what Fred Wyatt was looking for.
As the emcee counted down Saturday, 3..2..1.., the crowd shouted “Shear!” After 54 years in the business, it’s a call that’s very familiar to Wyatt. He switched on his shears and his final round in a shearing contest was underway.
After you see one round of younger shearers in action, their bodies exhausted and covered with sweat after shearing just four sheep, you know this is a young man’s sport.
When Fred Wyatt takes to the boards, you notice the shift from strength to style and grace. With his feet always in the right place to easily maneuver the animal, few strokes are wasted as sheep and wool are gently separated and a few short or second cuts complete the job. Wyatt turns the act of shearing into a graceful dance. One look at the finished sheep, and you feel it has been to a stylist instead of a shearer.
Unfortunately, the level of competition kept Wyatt from moving to the championship rounds, so only four sheep got to experience this royal treatment. After he finished his round of shearing, all the other top professional-level shearers lined up to congratulate Fred Wyatt on his 54 years in the shearing business. All but one shook his hand, wished him luck in the future and complimented him on his style and technique. That one gave him a big hug and a kiss, an extra liberty granted to his daughter.
When Wyatt’s family heard about his decision to retire, four of them, a daughter and two grandsons, decided to come and share the experience with Fred. Coming from a shearing family, they are shearers also. Two are top-level, professional-class competitive shearers and one is just at the intermediate level, for now. This one man’s decision at 15 years of age has started three generations, and maybe more in the future, down the path of being professional shearers. Fred Wyatt’s example of hard work and competitive spirit has guided this family into a career path where both a good work ethic and sense of competition can provide one with a living and an adventure including world travel, if you want it to.

 

 

Tuesday, May 21

Council updated on dike

By Elaine Forman
The study of possible solutions to fix or replace the dike, thereby lowering flood insurance requirements for residents, is moving slowly until grant money is received.
Flood Plain Adminstrator Samantha Malenovsky and Public Utilities Director Allen Kelm explained where the city is on dike issues at the May 14 Miles City Council meeting.
Malenovsky said if some of the work is started earlier, the city takes the risk of not getting a grant.
Kelm said the city had a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers about doing some studies on the dike.
The city wants to incorporate a contract it has with engineers Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson (KLJ) with what the Corps is going to require.
For the study, Malenovsky said there will be a 50-50 match with the Corps, and the city’s match can include in-kind services.
The study can cost anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000.
Both the Corps and the city/KLJ are doing a study.
The Corps study is more of a technical study, Malenovsky said. The city’s study with KLJ is also a technical study but will have a lot of public involvement.
The city’s study cannot begin until the grants begin to open up.
Councilman Dwayne Andrews said there is no money available until mid to late August.
He expressed frustration that nothing will be done until then.
Mayor Butch Grenz said if KLJ does its study sooner, it will not count as part of an in-kind match.
Malenovsky said that is true of the Community Development Block Grant, which is one of the funding sources.
Kelm said if the city has “all its ducks in a row,” it can use all the grant dollars and in-kind services. If the Corps decides it is a worthwhile project, the Corps will pay 65 percent of the project costs (which has to be approved by Congress), and the city will have to come up with 35 percent.
The Corps and Federal Emergency Management Agency work hand in hand on these types of projects.
The Corps and Carl Jackson of KLJ are working together.
Malenovsky added that Jackson has done some work free of charge up to this point.
“That’s been very generous of him to do that,” she said.
Also at the meeting:
— Linda Wildman announced she will retire from the city clerk’s office on June 14 after 38 years in the department. She had previously retired but came back to work part time to help out the city.
Wildman also welcomed the new city clerk, Lorrie Pearce, in her comments.
“Thank you very much, Linda, for your service,” Andrews said during the council comment period, which was met with applause.
— Jean Stewart and Spencer Haynes were appointed to the Planning Board.
— Jerry Smith, Carol Hardesty Cherry, Sandy Hays and Mike Schmitz were appointed to the Miles City Housing Authority.
— The Safety Culture Committee had existed in the past, and the council voted to start it up again with a $1,000 budget.
Miles City Fire and Rescue Chief Dale Berg said the Montana Municipal Insurance Authority requires the city to have the committee.
The committee’s role is to promote a safe work environment for city employees and to put together and review the safety policy handbook, promote training, review accident claims, determine how the claims could have been prevented and try to keep the number of claims down.
Berg said 2010 was the last time the city had a safety culture committee.
Kelm said the committee is required by the Montana Department of Labor, and every department has a representative on the committee.
Councilwoman Susanne Galbraith was elected to serve on the committee.
— Work on Strevell Avenue is moving along well, Kelm said.
Engineer for the project, Andy Marum, said the subgrade (dirt base) of the street was much worse than expected, so more dirt had to be removed to build it back up again. The condition of the subgrade helped explain why the street had so many problems over the years.
That problem increased the costs about $34,000, which was considered minor for the $2.4 million project.
Marum said the rest of the water main work was going along according to schedule and sometimes ahead of schedule. He added that he thought Jackson Contractors had been overly optimistic when they submitted the expected time line.
— Kelm reported the new roof trusses are up on the city’s pool house and Seabolt Construction expects all the improvements to be completed by the end of the month.
June 3 is the tentative opening date for the pool.
— The new Haynes Avenue lift station is completed and is working.
Kelm said Anderson Construction did “a super job.”
The station is located on Valley Drive East and Haynes Avenue.
Grenz said the city received a letter from Mac’s Frontierland, which has land adjacent to the lift station, saying the crew was very professional and were appreciated for how the workers conducted themselves.
Work continues on the influent building at the waste water treatment plant and is expected to be done in July or August.
Williams Brothers Construction is working on that project.
Both projects are part of the waste water treatment plant upgrade.
Grenz said the city received a $500,000 construction grant from the Transportation State Endowment Program for the waste water treatment plant upgrades.
— Councilman Jerry Partridge said it appears nothing is being done with the site of the former Miles City Ready Mix.
The site has been discussed before and safety concerns were voiced.
Grenz said the police chief sent out a letter two or three days ago. If the landowner does not comply, it could become a court issue.
— Galbraith commended Kelm for wearing so many hats and getting so much done for the city.
— Councilman John Uden said dirt is being hauled in for problem areas on the dike.
— The council unanimously approved changing the words on the “jake brakes” signs to “un-muffled compression brakes prohibited,” and placement of the signs in town, if the Montana Department of Transportation has no objection.
— The council unanimously approved moving a no parking sign in front of 121 S. Center Ave. to the other side of the driveway. Currently people are parking in a way that is blocking the driveway.

 

 

Monday, May 20

Record rain on BHS Saturday

By Amorette Allison and Elaine Forman
People got in nearly three days of Bucking Horse Sale festivities before a torrential downpour early Saturday evening put a little wrench in things.
A new record for precipitation for that date was set with 1.32 inches. Of that, nearly one inch, .96 of an inch, fell in just 20 minutes, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record for May 18 was set two years ago when .51 inches of rain fell in one day.
The rain started shortly before 6 p.m., just as Saturday’s activities were close to wrapping up at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds.
The r ain caused the last horse race, the feature race, and all of Sunday’s horse races to be postponed until next Saturday, according to Don Richard of the Bucking Horse Sale Board of Governors. The Wild Horse Race was still held in the sloppy conditions.
“The horse races went really good,” Richard said. “The pari-mutuel handle (total amount people bet) was a little over $35,000 and was headed for a record.”
Richard believes that if the last race on Saturday had been run, they would have broken the record of $43,000 for a day.
Before the rains hit Saturday, one race horse unfortunately broke its leg and had to be put down.
There will be no admission charged for Saturday’s rescheduled races, but programs will be for sale. Saturday will have a number of thoroughbred races, which are always popular.
“The Bucking Horse Sale futurity had really good horses - top breeding,” Richard said, referring to the event introduced this year.
There were 36 horses featured in a sanctioned futurity through the World Class Bucking Horse Association showcasing top breeding stock.
The weather also affected activities elsewhere around town. The Main Street underpass was closed early Saturday evening, flooding with water nearly up to the sidewalks, making it difficult to navigate the downtown area. Several intersections were flooded briefly.
The moisture woes have decided to stay past Bucking Horse Sale weekend. There are flash flood and high water warnings throughout southeastern Montana for today and tonight, particularly in areas burned by wildfires last year.
Although the rivers in the area have already reached their maximum flows, the National Weather Service expects some smaller creeks and streams to experience rises.
Rain fall is expected to continue throughout the day, but clearing weather will begin on Tuesday.
For more results on Bucking Horse Sale, see today’s Sports section, and continue to watch for coverage in this week’s editions of the Miles City Star.

 

 

Friday, May 17

Futurity added to BHS Saturday

By Josh Samuelson
While there are plenty of other rodeo activities involved in the World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, the sale itself remains the bedrock of activities on Saturday at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds.
More than 75 horses will take their turn in the arena before the action is done. Some are untried stock, some have bucked out a few times, and others are spoiled saddle horses. The sale will be the proving ground to see if they have potential in the rodeo world. It’s also a chance for cowboys to get on a lot of horses and see if they have what it takes to advance in the sport.
Immediately after the rides, the horses are auctioned and the cowboys are scored for their efforts.
This year, the Bucking Horse Sale will feature a sanctioned Futurity for the World Class Bucking Horse Association. That event will feature 36 horses and is a qualifier for the finals. According to the WCBHA website, the futurities “are an incredible avenue initiated to give breeders and contractors, large and small, a remarkable option to showcase their top-of-the-line bucking horses and the breeding programs they came from.”
Following the Futurity will be the open Bucking Horse Sale.
There will be around 40 horses bucked out in the open sale. Those horses are coming from Canada, North Dakota and around Montana.
The World Class Bucking Horse Futurity is set to begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Bucking Horse Sale.
Action gets started at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. with the first horse race. The rodeo grand entry will be held at 1:15 p.m., followed by the first Wild Horse Race.
The second Wild Horse Race will be held following the open Bucking Horse Sale.

 

 

Wild Horse Race bigger and better this year

By Josh Samuelson
For years the Wild Horse Race has been one of the more popular events at the World Famous Bucking Horse Sale. This year, the Wild Horse Race is bigger and better.
The field has expanded to 16 teams, and there will be a total of five Wild Horse Races on the weekend.
Friday and Saturday will feature two races, one to start the action and one to end the action, at the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds.
Each of the 16 teams will be guaranteed two races, one each on Friday and Saturday. The top eight teams from the four races will advance to the finals on Sunday, where they will compete for the Casper Schaefer Championship Buckles.
The Wild Horse Race is simple in its idea, but difficult in execution. Each team consists of three members, who have to saddle and ride the horse around the track and back into the arena. But several other teams are trying to do the same thing at the same time, and the horses seldom cooperate.
Contestants in the Wild Horse Race come from all over the West, including teams from Nebraska, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado and South Dakota.
Teams from Montana include: Glasgow, Wolf Point, two from Frazer, Brusett, Forsyth and Jordan.
The first Wild Horse Race will be held tonight at 5:45, with the second starting after the second round of Mutton Bustin.
On Saturday, the first Wild Horse Race is set for 1:30 p.m., and will end the day’s action at 6:30 p.m.
The finals is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday evening.

 

 

Honor Flight vets to serve as parade marshals

By Denise Hartse
When the annual Bucking Horse Sale Parade heads down Main Street on Saturday morning, there will be a change in the lineup at the beginning of the parade.
This year, instead of only one grand marshal of the parade, there will be several. Each is a Miles City or area resident who served in the armed forces during World War II and had the opportunity to participate in one of the three Big Sky Honor Flights. These flights have transported WWII veterans from Montana to Washington, D.C., to view the World War II Memorial on the National Mall. This monument is the newest memorial on the mall.
The local and area veterans who have participated in the honor flights and who have been invited to serve as grand marshals of the 2013 BHS Parade are Dennis Scranton, Lawrence Shipp, Ruben Oberlander, Paul “Casey” Stengel, Tom Hanel, Pete Mangen, Paul Ringling, Robert Tillery, Theo Norgaard and Robert Frankforter.
The Big Sky Honor Flight program’s mission is to recognize American veterans for their military sacrifices and achievement by flying them, at no cost, to Washington, D.C., so they can view their memorial. Veterans receiving top priority are those who served in World War II and veterans from all wars who are terminally ill.
The veterans who will ride in the parade will gather on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Iron Horse Restaurant to board their float, which will be pulled by the Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home Clydesdales, driven by Chet Holmes.