. Awards | 5 In today’s paper! New Jr. High spelling champ crowned. Titans win rivalry games, page 10. COVERING CENTRAL MONTANA LIKE THE STARS $1.00 VOLUME 139 NUMBER 18 LEWISTOWNNEWS.COM SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 Quilters Community thrives during pandemic By MIRIAM CAMPAN | Reporter er and sharing with their neighbors. “We all help one another. We were all there and couldn’t do it During the pandemic one community in Central Montana has without support of the quilting community. Support is found in tak- thrived through the fellowship of common interests and goals. ing classes or attending retreats for nuances and techniques that According to Lewistown’s Sew Pieceful owner Tammy Eckhardt, improve your skill level,” said Eckhardt. “The quilting community is thriving because people are stuck at She added, “Quilting classes are smaller than before the pan- home and are looking to keep their minds and hands busy. We are demic, but they are also more intimate.” selling more sewing machines and receiving more requests for Gail Kurns is appreciative of the ability to still get together during classes.” the pandemic. Kurns, a quilter for 10 years, has two mentors that While quilters may work in isolation with their fabric, thread, and challenge her. They are also good at showing her how to achieve a sewing machine, it’s the camaraderie that stitches these craftspeople goal and how not to be “so particular.” and artists together into a community. Steeped in history, the craft Fellow quilter Jill Owens attributes her time with needle and Turning to her love of color and texture, of quilting traditionally brought together both men and women to thread and the company of fellow quilters as a lifeline to a healthy Tammy Eckhardt owner of Lewistown’s share information, techniques and to bridge the isolation during the mindset. western expansion on the prairie. For quilters, it’s more than creat- Sew Pieceful, heads up the quilter’s com- ing a fabric masterpiece, it’s also the support provided to one anoth- See Quilting | Page 5 munity and shares her love to create with fabric. Photo by Miriam Campan Getting the job done SMDC recognized for ongoing brownfields work By KATHERINE SEARS | Reporter Kathie Bailey and her team at Snowy Mountain Develop- ment Corporation have done it again. This time, the Depart- ment of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protec- tion Agency have recognized Bailey and the organization for their relentless work with brownfields projects in 11 counties across Montana. Representatives from DEQ presented Bailey a certificate I think of it as a of excellence at SMDC on holistic approach Tuesday with staff and family in attendance and other agen- to economic cy representatives attending virtually. development.” SMDC board chair Ross Butcher read a letter addressed - Kathie Bailey, to Bailey from EPA Region 8 Executive Director, Land, Chemicals and Redevel- opment Division Director SMDC Mark Smith and recognized her for her accomplishments. “In challenging times like these, it is important to recog- nize the individuals and organizations which vigorously pur- sued assessing, remediating, and getting Brownfield properties into productive reuse,” Smith wrote. “Your efforts to innovate and share your successes have been instrumental in pushing EPA’s Brownfield program to new heights.” EPA Project Officer Greg Davis commended her ability to accomplish tough projects. “You are leaders in everything you do,” said Davis, “Kathie has really demonstrated her ability to get the job done.” Butcher echoed the sentiment, commending Bailey for her work in bringing regulatory agencies like EPA and DEQ in as Kathie Bailey accepts a certificate of excellence from SMDC Chair Ross Butcher on behalf of the EPA for her partners on impactful projects. work on brownfield projects. Photo by Katherine Sears See SMDC | Page 5 Lewistown Memories brings history to life in photographs By MIRIAM CAMPAN | Reporter mission that best represent Lew- istown’s growth. The selected There is only one Lewistown, pictures with detailed captions COVID-19 UPDATE Montana and its history is will evoke memories for some As of Friday, the total number of Montana COVID-19 threaded through a new picture and an appreciation for how cases since March was 93,246, an increase of 2,197 from book that chronicles Lewis- Lewistown became the hub of last week. town’s growth and development Central Montana in others. There were 3,728 active cases across the state, and from the 1800s through the 88,291 people were listed as recovered. There were 103 decades that followed and into Three years in the making Montanans hospitalized with complications of COVID-19, the 1950s. and 1,227 have died. Shirley Barrick, who worked Vaccinations for COVID-19 are currently being given to With a clear “Table of Con- alongside local historian Nancy tents” highlighting everything those in Phase 1B: age 70 and up or 16-69 with underlying Watts and members of the Lew- medical conditions. If you live in Fergus County, call the from Lewistown’s early days, istown Historic Resources Com- when carts lined its streets, to In the courthouse archives, Shirley Barrick County Nurse’s office (535-7433) for updates on the avail- mission, said from initial discus- ability of vaccine; as of press time Friday no appointments the hospitals that were repur- sion to publication the book points to an aerial map of Lewistown while posed as apartment buildings, are available at this time. If you live in Judith Basin, Petro- took about three years to com- holding a copy of “Lewistown Memories.” The leum, Musselshell, Wheatland or Golden Valley County, over 500 photographs were jur- plete and publish. pictorial book showcases images of Lewistown ied and condensed by the Lewis- call the Central Montana Health District (535-3984) for from the 1880s through the 1950s from a closer updates on their next vaccination clinic. town Historic Resources Com- See History | Page 5 view. Photo by Miriam Campan SPECIAL DEAL During February, Buy One Full Page ad, Get a Second Full Page ad FREE! DON’T Call the News-Argus Advertising Staff at 535-3401 MISS BOGO * Both ads must run during February 2021. * OUT! . USPS 311-120 406-535-3401 OBITUARIES: R. HANSON, W. KINSLEY, E. KRILLENBERGER, J. O’LEARY, R. PAPP, M. PAUGH, L. PHILP . PAGE 2LEWISTOWN NEWS-ARGUS SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 State working to 20 Years of Service increase vaccine availability By DEB HILL the local jurisdiction’s esti- cine available, DPHHS does News-Argus Managing Editor mated population of those its best to allocate vaccine eligible to receive the vaccine shipments to local jurisdic- According to the state’s in each phase, previous allo- tions as evenly as possible,” COVID-19 website, as of cations to each specific pro- Ebelt said. “However, if a local Thursday, 705 people in Fer- vider, and the amount of vac- jurisdiction receives a lower gus County have received at cine that provider has left to than expected amount one least one dose of the COVID administer.” week, we do our best to vaccine, and 117 have received increase their allocation the two doses and are fully immu- Deciding how much following week. We are work- nized. That is out of an eligi- vaccine is delivered ing to be as fair as possible to ble population of 9,036, Ebelt explained how vac- all providers.” according to the cine doses are state. allocated across Waiting for the feds Both the Coun- the state. According to Ebelt, DPHHS ty Nurses Office “DPHHS finds was notified Jan. 19 by the and the Central out early in the federal government that the Montana Health week from the state would receive 13,500 District are report- federal govern- first doses and 6,400 second ing high demand ment how many doses. These doses were dis- for the vaccine in new doses the tributed this week. Central Montana. state will receive,” “On Jan. 26, DPHHS was U n f o r t u n a t e l y, Ebelt told the notified it would receive that demand is News-Argus in an 15,625 first doses and 6,300 outstripping the email on Thurs- second doses. These doses supply. day. “DPHHS will be distributed the week “It’s a problem then notifies local of Feb. 1,” Ebelt said. across the state,” jurisdictions at As more vaccine becomes said County Direc- the end of each available, more providers will tor of Nursing Heather Thom. week how many doses they be able to give vaccinations. “We are certainly not unique can expect to receive.” Ebelt said over 260 providers with the struggle of limited The state is currently across the state have been vaccine.” working on vaccinating the enrolled, but the state only According to Jon Ebelt, Phase 1B group, which has enough vaccine for about spokesperson for the Mon- includes Montanans 70 years half of them. Fergus County commissioners Ross Butcher (left) and Carl Seilstad (right) tana Department of Public of age and older, those 16 to Echoing local concerns, present a plaque of appreciation to former Fergus County Coroner Dick Health and Human Services, 69 years of age with certain Ebelt said the limiting factor in the state’s efforts is vaccine Brown (center) in recognition of Brown’s service to the County. allocations available vary high-risk medical conditions, Photo courtesy of Carl Seilstad from one week to another and American Indians and supply. “due to a number of factors, other persons of color who “Governor Gianforte con- including the federal govern- may be at elevated risk for tinues to urge President Biden ment’s low supply of vaccine COVID-19 complications.