Thursday, May 6, 2021 | $1.00 Vol. 107 No. 18 ISSN (1041-3340) Independent-Press.com Telephone (406) 346-2149 Forsyth voters approve levies, put Doug Roberts on board Staff Report Passage of the high school with a market value of value of $100,000 and $10.77 don, 71. Rosebud, Kristan Buck, Joel levy results in an increase in $200,000 by approximately for a home with a market Sheldon Franzel ran unop- Woods and Yvonne Goodson Forsyth voters appear to local taxes to support the $10.23. value of $200,000. posed for the outlying dis- were elected to the board by have supported two school general fund in the amount The mill levy increase for Doug Roberts won the trict representative spot on acclimation. The Rosebud levies on the ballot in Tues- of $27,184.17 which is the Elementary General 4-way race for School Board the board. mill levy was canceled due to day’s election, according to approximately 3.79 mills for Fund is a permanent request Trustee in Forsyth to fill the In Lame Deer, voters state regulations governing unofficial results. the purpose of proper main- in local taxes to support seat of retiring Jerry Killen. elected three new board submission of mill levies. The Elementary General tenance and operation of the proper maintenance and Unofficial results were as members: Rae Peppers, Wil- No results were available Mill Levy passed by a vote of school programs in the dis- operation of the school pro- follows: liam Walksalong and Frank from Colstrip. A spokeswom- 390 for to 315 against. Like- trict. This proposal would grams of the district for 3.99 an there declined to release Doug Roberts , 253; Den- Headswift. wise, the High School Gener- increase taxes on a home val- mills which will increase them to the Independent nis Johnson, 201; Samantha There were no elections in al Mill Levy passed with a ued at $100,000 by approxi- taxes by approximately $5.39 Press until they were made Beyl, 149; and Stacey Hern- Hysham and Ashland, and in vote of 402 for to 327 against. mately $5.12 and on a home for a home with a market official. Annual Students of the Month Colstrip Dogie Bash owners May 12 sue state Staff Report Staff Report Plans are in the works for BILLINGS — The majority owners of a the 2nd Dogie Booster Club’s coal-fired power plant in Colstrip filed a fed- Booster Bash set for Wednes- eral lawsuit Tuesday alleging a bill signed by day May 12, in the exhibit Gov. Greg Gianforte unconstitutionally inter- hall at the Rosebud County feres with a private business contract that has Fairgrounds in Forsyth. governed the operation of the power plant for According to the club, the 40 years, the Associated Press reported Tues- year-end event is an opportu- day. nity to bring the community The wire service report continues below: together to show support for Gianforte, a Republican, described the new our kids and school to cele- law and a second measure affecting Colstrip brate their work and accom- as retaliation against Washington clean energy plishments. It will again fea- laws that have imposed an upcoming ban on ture updates from many of coal power in that state over climate change the school’s activity coaches/ concerns. Four owners of the Colstrip power sponsors as well as a free plant do business in Washington, where most (donations appreciated) din- of the plant's energy is consumed. In 2019, the ner and door prizes. Washington legislature passed a bill to ban the A new addition to the eve- use of coal-generated power in the state by the ning will include special end of 2025. guest speaker, Luke Weber. “Affordable power generated in Colstrip Submitted Photo Luke is a 2016 FHS graduate helped build Seattle’s big tech economy, but Forsyth Elementary School continues to embrace the Character Counts theme this year. Each month staff and and current NDSU wrestler now woke, overzealous regulators in Washing- students emphasize a different character trait. The teachers from each grade level choose a student that they who was recently crowned a ton state are punishing the people of Colstrip feel exemplifies the character trait for that month. The student receives a certificate, a tee shirt, and their picture 2021 Big 12 Champion. Luke with their anti-coal agenda,” Gianforte said in is displayed on a bulletin board in the lunchroom for a month. The character trait for April was “empathy.” The will join the event via video a statement after he signed the bills on Mon students that were nominated by their teachers for showing teamwork were Ainsley Sorenson, Echo Miller, Elise conferencing where he’ll Steiger, Braxton Woelich, Kinleigh Potts, Colton Woelich and Abigail Morris. share his experience and talk Continued on Page 7 to the younger Dogies about what it takes to accomplish your goals. Club president Jennifer Anderson notes, “we hope the event will encourage and pro- Hysham remodeling work to continue once school is out mote support for our school’s activities and sports pro- By Pamela Ash Staff Writer chain link fence up as part of new bathrooms. the school and enjoy lunch started to rain. grams while also encouraging their school projects. The students are currently with them. It is a good way Children will be encour- booster club membership. School is coming to a close According to School completing the Smarter Bal- to keep community involve- aged to read and do learning Our future lies with our on May 21, in Hysham for the Superintendent John Bott, ance State testing required ment and interest in the local activities with their parents youth and our school is the summer months, and plans to the upgrades to the school at the end of the school year. school. Tuesday, the students through the summer months heartbeat of our community. continue upgrades to the will cost over $550,000 and Grades three through eight invited their parents to join to make the return to school Our hope is that this event, school will continue. include a full remodel of the are testing in English/lan- them for lunch on the play- easier and more successful. and more like them in the The roof has been bathrooms to meet ADA guage arts and math. The ground as part of the Ag Day Reading skills are an impor- future, will grow Dogie pride replaced, and most of the requirements. Step Two of fifth and eighth grade stu- celebration. The youngest tant part of all academics, community wide.” fence around the playground the construction plan is to dents are also testing in sci- kids and their parents were and children that read with The event is free and open has been completed. The replace the air conditioning ence. served first and then the their parents enjoy the one- to the public. Come enjoy a school purchased the fencing in the building, and Step 3 Students are encouraged older kids with their parents to-one activity as well as burger, join the booster club materials and the Ag and will be a remodeling of the to invite their parents one had to finish up the lunch keep their skills up through and show your support for Shop students are putting the locker rooms and will include time each month to come to activity in the school when it the summer months. our school and our kids! Livia Francisco Rebecca Brester Zavier Allison and Chase Nelson Echo Miller and Jesse Stevens Karissa Fraker Students opine on innovative effort to create a ‘community of readers’ By Pamela Ash Staff Writer and Beth Hall, the book “Rescue and interesting enough to be cap- in the reading of the book, and on the Oregon Trail,” written by tivating and stimulating for older each day, the children were invit- The Forsyth Public Elementa- Kate Messner, was sent home students. ed to answer trivia questions 1 School, ry School just completed a new with each student in the kinder- Reading aloud at home pre- about the book during class. program, “One School, One garten through sixth grades with pares children to be more effec- They were rewarded for atten- Book” with contests and group a letter to the parents asking tive readers and encourages tive listening with prizes. The discussions. The program books them to share one chapter family activity time. The pro- students explored the book were purchased through Title together each evening with their gram is geared to build a “Com- through activities, lessons, and 1 Book Funds and were used to encour- child. All grade levels were munity of Readers” at Forsyth discussion. age reading time between stu- given the same book and the Elementary School. The stu- Each grade packed their dents and their families. book chosen was understandable dents, parents, teachers, and Coordinated by Kayla Stevens and fun for younger students, administrative staff participated Continued on Page 10 PAGE 2 / Thursday, May 6, 2021 Independent Press Obituaries Dorothy White, 93 Norris “Mack” Cole, 84 homemaker and raising their of Sundance, WY and Flor- Norris “Mack” Cole joined watching their grandchil- now five boys. ence Shipley of New Mexico; his beloved wife, Judy, in dren’s sporting events and In 1963, the family bought sons, Dr. Melvin (Kathy) of heaven on April 20, 2021. He visiting family and friends. an 800 acre ranch on the Salines, CA, Joe (Kathy) of was born on the banks of the They eventually moved to Greybull River near Burling- Lovell, WY, Ronald Dale Yellowstone River on June 4, Billings in 2014 where they ton, WY, where hay and cat- (Kay) of Newcastle, WY, Wal- 1936.