living the life you love
COFFEE CULTURE 2015 WORD OF THE YEAR LOCAL JOE
“THEY”
YELLOWSTONE KELLY LEGACY LIVES ON
PLUS: ARTS & CULTURE SERIES: THEATER
CASA: CHILDREN IN NEED BE THEIR VOICE
Grandchildren:
This is where my heart is...
4 years in a row
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FEATURES
MARCH/APRIL 2016
87
COFFEE CULTURE LOCAL COFFEE HOUSES ARE COMMUNITIES
BY MICHELLE WILLIAMS
59
100TH ANNIVERSARY PULITZER PRIZE BY DANELL JONES
67
BISON MUSEUM
AMMOSEXUALS
91
DR. ALAN MUSKETT COLUMN ADVICE TO YOUNG WOMEN: FIND A REAL MAN
BY DR. ALAN MUSKETT
94
APRIL FOOL’S DAY
BY RUSSELL ROLAND
BEST PRANKS STORIES
79
CASA GROWING NEED IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
BY SHELLEY VAN ATTA
73
BY ROB ROGERS
“WORDS”
WORD OF YEAR – 2015 BY CHRYSTI SMITH
96
BILLINGS FIGURE SKATING CLUB BY KATHY HARRIS
101
ART SERIES #3 LIVE PERFORMANCES
BY ANNA PAIGE
97
MEET 9 AMAZING INDIVIDUALS
BY ALLYN HULTENG, BRITTANY CREMER & BRENDA MAAS
Cover Photo by Larry Mayer of The Billings Gazette
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 5
MARCH/APRIL 2016 I VOLUME 14 I ISSUE 1 MICHAEL GULLEDGE PUBLISHER 657-1225 EDITORIAL
BRENDA MAAS MANAGING EDITOR 657-1490 TARA CADY ASSISTANT EDITOR 657-1390 EVELYN NOENNING COMMUNITY LIASON / ASSISTANT EDITOR 657-1226 PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
LARRY MAYER, CASEY PAGE, HANNAH POTES AND BOB ZELLAR DESIGN
APRIL BURFORD COVER DESIGN
CHRISTINE CLEVELAND, KARA PETERSON ADVERTISING
DAVE WORSTELL GENERAL MANAGER 657-1352 RYAN BROSSEAU ADVERTISING DIRECTOR 657-1340 SHELLI RAE SCOTT ADVERTISING MANAGER 657-1202 LINSAY FOLEY ADVERSITING COORDINATOR 657-1254 MO LUCAS PRODUCTION/COORDINATOR 657-1204
Joe M. Kurkowski
SCOTT DEGNAN
Vice President, Commercial Lender Billings Branch 35 years in banking
Vice President, Agricultural Lender Billings Branch 20 years in banking
406.869.6734
406.869.6714
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
MARCY BAUMGARDNER, BROOKE BUCHANAN, BILL COLE, CHRIS DORR, JAMEY EISENBARTH, JEFF EWELT, KIM KAISER, NICHOLE MEHLING MILES, PAIGE SPALDING, HELEN TOLLIVER, LIZ WILMOUTH, JEREMIAH YOUNG CONTACT US: MAIL: 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 editor@magiccitymagazine.com FIND US ONLINE AT www.magiccitymagazine.com
FIND US AT VARIOUS RACK LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT BILLINGS: Billings area Albertsons I Billings Airport I Billings Clinic Billings Gazette Communications I Billings Hardware I Curves for Women Evergreen IGA I Gainan’s I Good Earth Market I Granite Fitness I Kmart McDonald’s I neecee’s I Paxson’s Flooring (Miles City) Pita Pit I Reese and Ray’s IGA (Laurel) I Stella’s I St. Vincent Healthcare The Y I Valley Federal Credit Union (Downtown location) Western Security Banks (Downtown location) Yellowstone County Museum Plus many other locations Subscriptions are available at the annual subscription rate of $29 (5 issues). Single copy rate $4.95. Mail subscription requests and changes to address above, ATTN: Circulation Magic City Magazine is published five times a year by Billings Gazette Communications Copyright© 2016 Magic City Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 7
BRENDA MAAS
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
8 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
During a conversation with Merry Lee Olson of YWCA Billings I learned about the plans for Gateway Vista, along with the women and children the YWCA serves. I knew that I had stumbled upon yet another situation of individuals who dared to be different – in a very real and physical manner. This issue is packed with stories of those who dare. In a different vein, I encourage you to learn about the American Dialect Society’s “Word of the Year” on page 73 and delve into the history of the prestigious Pulitzer Prizes. Then consider meeting a Pulitzer prize-winning poet, along with local poets during one of the many local Pulitzer Campfire Events outlined on page 63. Joseph Pulitzer was a brave man indeed. Looking at the tulip again, I think about all the beauty that surrounds it. I consider that just one little factor– color – makes that flower different from all the beauties around it. That simple bulb waited all winter to spring forth, to have the guts to grow. That one flower truly dared to be different – and now look at it. JAMES WOODCOCK
It’s a common-enough saying: Dare to be different. But what does that really mean? When I was a kid, a “dare” was something you did to prove yourself. Exactly what the “dare accept-er” was trying to “prove” was never really clear. Bravery? Knowledge? Oftentimes it the result was simply stupidity and guts. Not to be confused with courage or bravery, having “guts” is important – to kids and adults alike. It means digging in, carrying on and making the best of what you have, even knowing that you may not be in the best situation. You may get hurt. Or you may fail. At the very least, if you succeed, it is by a combination of guts and luck. When I came across this photo, it instantly hit a chord. That tulip has guts. While reading John Clayton’s synopsis on Yellowstone Kelly, I had to admit to a bit of shame. I have lived here 12 years, yet I did not know his full story. But I can tell you one thing: Yellowstone Kelly dared to be different. The CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Yellowstone County – and across our nation – also dare to be different, but in a subtle, reserved way. They re-direct their bravery and use it to bolster children who have no voice. By tackling child abuse and neglect one child, one family at a time, CASAs demonstrate their quiet “guts” to all.
Brenda Maas Managing Editor editor@magiccitymagazine.com
EVELYN NOENNIG
has spent most of her life in the Magic City. She’s passionate about the community and the people who make Billings a great place to live, work and play. As Community Liaison for Magic, Evelyn will be engaged in discovering the individuals and their stories that make Magic distinctly local. You just never know where you may find her, volunteering, attending or coordinating an event for the library...she’s everywhere.
TARA CADY
grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago but has since fallen in love with the mountainous West. After finishing a degree in psychology in Colorado, her love of travel and meeting unique people inspired her to pursue a more creative path in a city that celebrates art and music. With Billings as her muse, she hopes to unlock hidden talents.
CONTRIBUTORS
ROBERT JOHNSON is a Minnesota transplant who graduated from Commercial Art School and was immediately hired at the Billings Gazette as a graphic artist in 1981.He has been doing fine art and cartooning for 35 years with original art published in newspapers in Washington, D.C., Denver, Colorado, and in galleries in downtown Billings.
DANELL JONES’S poetry, fiction, essays, and reviews have appeared in a variety of publications. She is the author of The Virginia Woolf Writers’ Workshop and Desert Elegy and is a co-founder of the Big Sky Writing Workshops.
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is a writer and award-winning marketing and communications strategist with over 30 years of executive leadership experience. The owner of Van Atta Marketing and Communications, she has degrees in journalism and English from the University of Montana. Van Atta is a former marketing and public relations executive in the private sector, as well as the former university relations director for Montana State University Billings, and director of college relations and marketing for Rocky Mountain College. She and her husband, Larry
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Billings native has more than 35 years of experience as a reporter, photographer and editor for newspapers in Montana and Wyoming, including 29 years with The Billings Gazette. A graduate of the University of Montana, she enjoys sharing plants from her garden with others, volunteer activities and walking her rescue dogs.
CHRYSTI M. SMITH
is host of the radio series Chrysti the Wordsmith, aired locally on Yellowstone Public Radio, 91.7 FM, Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. Smith is author of Verbivore’s Feast and Verbivore’s Feast, Second Course, publications based on her radio series. A daily desk calendar of common expressions, Cliché-a-Day, will be released later this year. Smith, a Montana native, lives in Belgrade.
RUSSELL ROWLAND
is the author of two novels and co-editor of the anthology “West of 98: Living and Writing the New American West,” a collection that explores our identity as Westerners. His first novel, “In Open Spaces,” made the San Francisco Chronicle’s Bestseller list, and the sequel, “The Watershed Years,” was a finalist for the High Plains Book Award.
MICHELLE WILLIAMS
is a seasoned content creator across digital, print and social channels in such diverse areas as travel, healthcare, technology and business. In her current role as strategy and business development director at A.D. Creative Group, Michelle is directly involved in client projects specific to strategic planning, research, content development, consumer trending, and brand management.
DR. ALAN MUSKET
is a Montana native, born in Missoula, with an English degree from Montana State. From 1991-2003 he practiced cardiac surgery in Billings, then retrained in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Since 2005 he has been with Billings Plastic Surgery. A regular contributor to The Billings Gazette, and author of “Mostly True”, he has written and lectured on health, healing, and chainsaws. His wife Pam, and children Sally, Cathy, and Luke are frequent targets of his irreverent view of medicine and life.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 9
THE LIST
THE LIST
PERSON OF INTEREST
GIVING BACK
ARTIST LOFT
MEDIA ROOM
ELEMENTS
FUN, FASCINATING FINDS WE THINK ARE GREAT
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Made from a 100-year-old glass insulator, this bird feeder, aka: birdbath, will please both you and your feathered friends. Utilitarian garden art from upcycled parts – that’s just the cat’s meow. Available at Hipcycle.com $58
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…or not, “you got this!” Kiddos will love watching nature at work with their own indoor gardening set – all necessary pieces and seeds included. Just add H2O. Available at Greentoys.com $23
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Create your own juju by wearing re-purposed clothing— it’s green and economical. Ask about making customized garments from your fave items. Hats, scarves, skirts, hoods, shorts, pants or all the above will cover you and ensure all good comes your way. Available at jujugear.com Prices vary
10 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
PERSON OF INTEREST
BY ROB ROBERTS I PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY MAYER
BLAKE WARHLICH AMBITIOUS ADVENTURES
B lake Wahrlich moved around a lot as a child. He attended middle school in New Jersey and graduated from high school in California. He lived in England for a year before he started college and then 8 years ago, he moved to Billings. “It’s the longest place I’ve ever lived in,” he said. But that doesn’t mean he’s settled down. One of Wahrlich’s abiding passions is travel. Blake Wahrlich talks to his U-15 Billings Scorpions lacrosse team during a game at Amend Park in 2013
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Every year he and his wife Meglena spend time in Europe; she’s from Bulgaria and recently became a U.S. citizen. They hit tropical hotspots when the snow starts to fall in Billings and cultural hotspots when they’re not running from the weather. “I like visiting weather, I don’t like living in weather,” he said with a smile. Wahrlich knows his transient childhood likely formed his love of traveling. But there were other influences, too. Wahrlich’s father and uncle are in the hotel business and own a number of properties. Blake spent a lot of time around hotels and learned to really appreciate them. He currently works at the ClockTower Inn downtown, a family-owned property. When he introduces himself to people, he tells them he’s from California, “because the only other option is New Jersey.” When people ask him how he ended up in Billings he’s ready with his response. “I got lost,” he quips.
NEW SKILL SET
WHEN PEOPLE ASK HIM HOW HE ENDED UP IN BILLINGS HE’S READY WITH HIS RESPONSE. “I GOT LOST,” HE QUIPS.
Since living in Billings, Wahrlich has taken on an activity that melds well with his travel bug – he learned to scuba dive. He and Meglena first tried it on a trip to Hawaii and decided to get certified. For the first time, they will travel to a destination – Honduras – for the sole purpose of scuba diving. The itinerary includes ventures that most would by-pass. The couple will dive to watch sharks and explore the coast. When he’s not diving for sharks, Wahrlich dives at the YMCA. He volunteers to vacuum the pool, a task that requires him to suit up in his scuba gear and spend the evening underwater. “My wife can’t get me to vacuum the house, but I’ve got no problem vacuuming a pool,” he said.
INTENSE LOVE
Wahrlich is probably best known in Billings for lacrosse. He picked up the sport in New Jersey, taking his love for it along when he moved across the country. Wahrlich played competitively in high school, after starting a lacrosse league there, and attending college on a lacrosse scholarship. He claims his love of the sport is what got him through college. The “gentleman’s sport” eventually took Wahrlich to Australia as a competitor and to England as a coach before he arrived in Billings. After three years here Wahrlich joined forces with like-minded “lax lovers,” along with a rag-tag group of about 16 boys to form a lacrosse program. Billings Scorpions Lacrosse has since grown to six youth teams and two high school teams (one of which he coaches). Wahlrich sits on the Scorpions board and also on the Montana Lacrosse Association board. “It’s really exciting to be a part of those things,” he said. Next up? Wahrlich plans to recertify in skydiving and help Meglena get certified. The training means driving to Bozeman, but they don’t mind. Traveling the state is something they enjoy. “Just getting out of Billings for a weekend is good,” he said. After-all, there are few things Wahrlich won’t try, at least once.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I Z13
GIVING BACK
BY CHRIS RUBICH I PHOTOS COURTESY YWCA Billings
THE NEED FOR AVAILABLE HOUSING ccording to the YWCA, the A need for affordable housing in Billings and Yellowstone County is well-documented. Here are some statistics: 12.5 percent of
Yellowstone County residents – nearly a 10th of the area’s population – live below the poverty benchmark. 47 percent of Section 8 voucher holders cannot find affordable housing. There are approximately 2,400 people on the wait list with 1,300 waiting for one-bedroom units. Gateway provided 7,900 nights of shelter last year (fiscal year 2014), serving 123 women and 130 children. Domestic-violence victims often end up back with abusers or back on the street due to lack of housing.
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BUILDING NEW LIVES WITH GATEWAY VISTA T HE YWCA BILLINGS PLANS TO CONSTRUCT APARTMENTS TO HELP DOMESTIC-VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND OTHERS FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Mary* knew the pain of domestic violence, but she just couldn’t break away. “I tried to leave him a few times. It was hard. You have no place to go, no resources,” she recalled. In a courageous choice, she left her two young children with their father – he only abused her – and took the first step toward change. Mary found herself sleeping in parks until she saw a woman who pointed Mary to the HUB, a drop-in center that is run by the Mental Health Center. There, a worker referred Mary to the YWCA’s Gateway for domestic-violence victims and their children. After being interviewed by YWCA personnel, she was accepted into the program and given a room with a security code and a kit with shampoo and other toiletries, as well as bedding.
Gateway Vista will include 24 units and be located just west of the YWCA Billings playground.
Exterior amenities will include a play area, barbecue, car plug-ins “I was really thankful,” Mary said. “I had a job within a couple of and green space. The apartments will comply with the Americas with days. They really helped me get on my feet.” Disabilities Act. Help included finding appropriate work clothes and learning bus Cheryl and Michael Burke of HSFA Architects donated their time routes. and skill for the initial concepts and drawings for the $4.5 million At Gateway Mary had two beds, along with other necessities; she project. used a shared kitchen to cook. Olson, who came to the YWCA as CEO in After three months at Gateway, Mary now 2012, said, “It became evident that” an affordrents a four-bedroom home, is reunited with all able-housing project “would be the next level of of her children and is saving to buy a car. service that we should have.” Her 2-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter Gateway allows violence victims to remain participate in the school readiness program in up to 12 weeks on any given stay, and they can the YWCA Child Center. Now that Mary ended return later. But some need more assistance and her relationship with her abuser, she and her time to pull their lives together, or they may end teenaged daughter, who was living out of state, up back with their abusers simply because they have also reunited. Funds raised at Salute 2016 will go toward the Gateway Vista project and have no long-term housing or resources. “I felt like just giving up on life” before Gateother YWCA programs. The event starts “They can come up to a dozen times before way, she said. “I don’t know what I would have at 5:30 p.m. on April 8 at the Crowne they decide to break away from the violence,” Olson done – I didn’t even have a car to sleep in.” Plaza, with dinner at 6:15 p.m. mentioned. Breaking the cycle of abuse has now allowed Reservations and tickets are required. The Vista will have an employment trainMary and her children to live together safely as Tickets cost $1,500 for a table of eight ing center, case management and access to the a family unit. and are available at www.ywcabillings. YWCA Child Center. org or call 252-6303. As the women deal with the trauma in their Safe haven lives, many also are learning new skills for the first time – whether Mary sees a strong need for the YWCA’s planned Gateway Vista budgeting for a home or having their first jobs. affordable housing development. She noted that Section 8 (a subsi“They’re often starting from scratch,” Olson said. dized rent program) have a long waiting list and domestic-violence Gateway Vista will have 11 one-bedroom units with an open victims may need more time to rebuild their lives than Gateway can kitchen/living area and bathroom in 582 square feet. The 13 two-bedoffer. room units will cover 872 square feet each. Merry Lee Olson, YWCA CEO, said that those are two key Olson commented that architecture, engineering and permitting reasons that the organization opted to commence fundraising for the for the project have been completed, and construction could start this 24-unit Gateway Vista apartments. spring if funding is in place. The three-story building will go up on a one-block site at what The project, she says, is a regional one, as Gateway House serves would be 10th Street West and Yellowstone Avenue – just west of the Yellowstone and surrounding counties as well as Indian reservations. existing YWCA playground. * Editor’s note: Gateway operates with a confidentiality promise A subterranean area will hold mechanical equipment and storage, while the first floor will include offices, a computer room and laundry. therefore, Mary is a pseudo-name.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 15
ARTIST LOFT
By Allyn Hulteng I PHOTOGRAPHY by Larry Mayer
Karen Tanner Interpreting natural wonders with whimsical delight
Nature provides an infinite amount of inspiration for artist Karen Tanner. A native of Montana, Tanner grew up camping, fishing and exploring the wilds with her family. That affinity for the great outdoors continued to blossom into adulthood. In college, Tanner studied graphic arts before changing her major to education. But she couldn’t escape the lure of the paintbrush. Her passion led to a career as an art teacher, where she spent 30 years encouraging young artistic souls to explore their talent. Outside the classroom, Tanner continued to hone her art craft in her home studio. She also spent summers studying in Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyo., and at the Chicago Institute of Art. Over time, her talent evolved in two artistic realms. “I do illustration work using vibrant, highly saturated inks and an airbrush,” Tanner noted. That work has received impressive recognition, including winning the highly-competitive Sweet Pea Festival (Bozeman, Mont.) poster competition twice and receiving honorable mention the third. In addition to illustrations, Tanner paints fine art. Using birch instead of canvas, she primes the wood with gesso, then paints, adding texture to the piece and glaze to finish. “I like my paintings to have a translucent quality, the glaze adds that,” she said. Tanner finds inspiration in the Montana landscape and rivers. “For the past few years, I focused on rivers and fish,” she said. “I like to show layering with my work, such as featuring the bottom of a river, the water and the fish, exploring how each layer is different yet connected.” Though Tanner says she has never restricted herself to certain colors, she gravitates toward a brighter palette of natural colors, including deeper blues, turquoise and olive greens. Last summer, Tanner turned her attention from the land to the sky. “My husband and I spent many evenings sky watching, and I became enamored with the constellations,” she said.
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S Above: Artist Karen Tanner with her dog Tilly in her home studio.
Those evenings inspired a series of paintings featuring the constellation Polaris, exploring “how the bright spots of starlight illuminate and fill our Big Sky.” After 30 years in the classroom, Tanner retired from Billings Senior High School at the end of the 2015 school year. Right: Heavenly “It’s been a transitional year,” she commented, adding that while Catch And she loved her career, she is now able to spend more time in her studio. Release Always a teacher, Tanner encourages aspiring artists of all age, LARRY MAYER “Discipline yourself – you must practice, practice practice,” she photos/Gazette said. “Know that your art will always be there for you, it will never Staff fail you.”
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www.chanceysevents.com MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I Z17
ELEMENTS
BY Tara Cady I PHOTOGRAPHY BY Angie Wagner
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COZY UP
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MEDIA ROOM
BY TARA CADY
BOOK
THE MONTANA GARDENER’S COMPANION
MUSIC
DAVID BOWIE’S BLACKSTAR
There’s a starman in the sky waiting for you to listen to his latest masterpiece. Reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, late pop/rock legend Bowie transcends music to beyond this world yet again in this jazzy and experimental new album featuring saxophone and insights into his last years on earth. His creative genius lives on in this grand finale and twenty-fifth studio album. Available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Spotify
DVD
THE LAST MAN ON EARTH
Now in its second season, FOX comedy The Last Man on Earth fantasizes what it might be like to be one of the few survivors to exist after a virus wipes out nearly all of the world’s population. Isolation, social awkwardness and pressures to procreate now plague the characters in this insanely funny TV series. Follow Phil Miller and the rest of the gang as they attempt to recreate civilization and move forward with their lives. Season One is available for purchase at Best Buy and Walmart
WEB ED
ARCHITECTURE OF RADIO Don’t let Montana’s arid climate deter you from cultivating a successful garden. Horticulture experts Cheryl Moore-Gough and Bob Gough ease the stresses of Montana gardening in this easy-to-understand book on Big Sky agriculture. You don’t have to be an expert or even have a green thumb to grow happy and healthy plants. The authors take you through all of the pertinent steps of gardening from laying the foundation with fertile soil to protecting your crop from pests. This season, pick up The Montana Gardener’s Companion and yield thriving harvest. Available at Target stores or Amazon.com
20 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
Our digital world, re-imagined. We now live in a world full of digital signals via cellphone towers, GPS satellites and Wi-Fi routers. Using the Architecture of Radio Android app you can now visualize the signals from wherever you are. Compare how digital your home is from your neighbors or check out how your city ranks in technology advancement relative to a more rural area. Available on Google Play
Elegant and Functional Functional Supplementary Supplementary seating was added at a spacious bar with glowing pendant lights overhead. Custom cabinetry, a glass subway tile backsplash and modern appliances transform the once dark and crowded kitchen.
“Jeremy and his team encouraged us to spend a lot of time planning. That was the key.”
AFTER
— Greg Luck
BEFORE
The Space Reimagined
FUNCTIONALITY & FLOW
Greg and Lynn Luck have lived in and loved their neighborhood for more than 10 years. Their home, built in 1969, however, was beginning to show its age. “The kitchen was dark green, had old counters and not a lot of space,” says Lynn. “It wasn’t functional.” Knowing they didn’t want to be the general contractors on their own project, the couple chose to work with Freyenhagen Construction based on the recommendations of friends.
Greg & Lynn Luck
New Floor Plan
The new design creates a more open feel between the living room, kitchen and dining area, with black quartz countertops creating a seamless transition from one space to the next. A small, red quartz-topped island has quickly become Lynn’s favorite piece, a perfect spot to rest a hot pan straight out of the oven. “It was a great experience, and we wouldn’t change a thing about the finished product.”
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MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 21
FINE LIVING
GREAT ESTATES
RV living is not just for retirees — many Americans enjoy the freedom of the road in coach-style motor homes.
Couples who enjoy a more simple lifestyle may prefer a smaller recreational vehicle — it still has all the necessary elements, all classically styled but minimalist in fashion.
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HOME IS WHERE YOU
PARK BY KAREN KINSER
Turn a luxury RV coach into your second home
A
dmit it. You have been tempted to purchase a vacation rental in some exotic locale. But the idea of returning to the same place every year? Not so appealing. And yet … that lure of adventure tugs at your soul. If this describes you, consider a luxury RV as a portable second home. Whether you’re looking for winter warmth, road-tripping to visit family or seeking the surprise of the new at the next exit, you’ll love unearthing the gems of travel in a luxury motorhome.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 23
FINE LIVING
GREAT ESTATES
Let’s Do the Numbers
You won’t be alone if you invest in a motor coach. Over nine million American households own an RV, and, according to Andy Piccioni at Pierce RV, the industry is as strong as it’s ever been. “There’s just something about taking your family and getting away together,” he says, “that is so appealing.” Dustin Bretz of Bretz RV & Marine concurs. “It’s the freedom to be able to have everything at home to take with you.” For that ability to be able to take everything with you in a Class A coach, expect to pay between $70,000 to $200,000 for a gasoline unit and $200,000 to $700,000 for a diesel.
Why – and How – to Choose a Luxury Motorhome
There’s no question a motorhome offers you the flexibility to pick up and go wherever you want, without the hassle of airport security. And Piccioni adds that that being able to travel the country and have all the amenities or a luxury hotel with you – well, that’s huge. Amenities in Class A’s include stylish interiors with fireplaces, leather sofas, large-screen TVs, clothes washers and dryers and chef-quality kitchens. Choosing the right Class A might take some time and research. Ease yourself into the driver’s seat of a 42-foot motorhome, and it can feel … intimidating. Bretz suggests that you spend time researching, and then enlist a professional to help you. That professional is trained to find out what’s important to you, considering your lifestyle and budget. Then they’ll “steer” you in the right direction, because the dealers don’t want to sell you something you won’t fall in love with. “We sell fun,” says Piccioni, and he takes that mission seriously. And after the sale, Pierce and Bretz RV offer follow-up support and frequently hold seminars on towing,
24 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
Looking to buy or sell the finest real estate that Billings has to offer?
CALL RON THOM. Your agent for the Magic City’s most beautiful homes.
Clockwise from top: In a unit like this, you won’t be missing any of the conveniences of home. This comes complete with a fireplace, large screen TV, roomy and stylish interior, residential sized kitchen appliances, and clothes washer and dryer; Understated dining room elegance, next to a fireplace and an outstanding view, sets the stage for serious relaxation or even a little romance; You’ll find sleek and stylish interiors in Class A motor homes, along with all the comforts of home, even two sitting areas as in this model.
406.860.1284
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 25
Let in the light.
FINE LIVING
GREAT ESTATES
Superior efficiency doors in styles you will love.
Pella offers you more choices. Our collection of doors is purposefully designed to help create a home that’s uniquely yours. No matter your personal taste, energy efficiency needs or budget, there’s a Pella door that’s just right.
Meet your Pella Expert at your local Pella Windows & Doors Showroom today. 2520 Grand Avenue., Billings, MT 406-656-1516 • pellaMT.com
26 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
Motor home interiors can be as lavish as the owner wishes.
satellites, winterization and other concerns unique to RV owners. Once you settle on a unit, walk through it with your family, envisioning yourselves on a trip. Are the kitchen cabinets large enough? Is there enough sleeping space for kids and grandkids? Is the bathroom as roomy as you’d like? Is storage adequate?
AFFORDABILITY
Because loans on RVs can extend 15 to 20 years, monthly payments can be surprisingly affordable. Another financial consideration is that the loan’s interest can be tax deductible as a second-home mortgage. The units require no special licensing, and they’re registered much the same as an auto. Save even more by purchasing a pre-owned unit. And, compared to a high-end resort vacation, using your RV can provide substantial savings.
Master bedrooms feature queen and king-sized beds with elegant styling. Bathrooms are large, roomy and stylish, too.
It’s your home, at last.
Learn the RV Lingo If you’re going to walk the walk, you’ve got to talk the talk. Try out this RV lingo: Basement: storage area underneath RV floor Boondocking: camping without electricity Chassis: metal frame
Once you find that perfect place to call home, the next important decision is the financing. So many mortgage options, so little time. We get that. Our goal is to partner with you to help guide you through the loan process and find the best financing to fit your needs. We’ve got the experience and mortgage products that will have you moving into your new home, at last. Call today, and put my knowledge to work for you.
Cockpit: where the driver sits Dinghy: vehicle being towed by your RV Dump station: where you can dump your water holding tanks Holding tanks: most RVs have three different types Black water tank: contains toilet water and waste
KIMBERLY MACDONALD Mortgage Loan Originator 6 24th Street West Billings MT 59102 Direct: 406.655.1699 Cell: 406.861.0052 kimberly.macdonald@usbank.com NMLS#: 470804
Fresh water tank: contains sink, shower and toilet fresh water Gray water tank: contains sink and shower water and waste Galley: kitchen Genset: the electric generator Puller: motorhome with diesel engine in front of the vehicle Pusher: motorhome with diesel engine in back of the vehicle Rig: another name for RV or motorhome
usbank.com/mortgage
Slideout: expanding portion of RV to create more room Source: motorhome.com
EQUAL HOUSING
Visit usbank.com to learn more about U.S. Bank products and services. Deposit Products are offered through U.S. Bank National Association, Member FDIC. Mortgage products offered by U.S. Bank National Association. ©2014 U.S. Bank Association. ©2014 U.S. Bank, Member FDIC.
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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Many homeowners’ associations have strict parking regulations, so unless you have space to store a bussized vehicle, you’ll have to look into storage rental options. Both Pierce and Bretz have storage, with Bretz offering it free at their new 42-acre facility to customers who purchase from them.
WHERE TO STAY
With more than 16,000 public and commercial campgrounds throughout the country, you’ll have plenty of campsite choices. Motorcoach country clubs are becoming popular with their waterfront locations, theater and exercise rooms, pools and golf courses. Consider a visit to Polson RV Motorcoach Resort on Flathead Lake – the state’s number one luxury RV resort. Note: Winnebago photos are “courtesy of Winnebago Industries, Inc. Unauthorized use not permitted.”
You’ll find all the comforts of home in the inside of a motor coach, including wood cabinets and residentialsized appliances.
RESOURCES
Many organizations cater to RVers, including Escapees, Good Sam, FMCA, KOA, Woodalls and www.rversonline.org. Don’t miss the Billings Recreational Showcase (February 26-28) or the Montana RV-Boat, and Powersports Show (March 18-20) at MetraPark.
HOME LOAN SOLUTIONS Purchasing • Refinancing g • Building • Remodelin ng •
Call Sam Van Dyke for your Real Estate Needs!
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248-1127
www.billingsfcu.org 760 Wicks Lane • 2522 4th Ave. N • 32nd & King Ave. W
28 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
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The moment you walk in, you know this place is special. Savory smells mingled with jovial conversation fill the artfully-appointed gastropub – and yet, there’s something more. Like stepping into your mother’s kitchen, you feel instantly at home – part of an evening waiting to unfold. Part of a family.
BY ALLYN HULTENG Photography by Larry Mayer, Casey Page and James Woodcock
30 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
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COMMUNITY-CENTERED
ommunity is at the core of everything we do,” said Travis Stimpson, executive chef at Local Kitchen & Bar. That notion took root when Stimpson and his business partners, John and Meagen Heenan and Brian Johnson, first began planning the community pub. More than simply serving great food, the partners wanted to create an inviting place for neighbors – a local gathering place. In keeping with that goal, they chose to renovate a vacant retail space tucked neatly into a West End neighborhood. Johnson, an architect with Collaborative Design Architects, applied an Eastern Montana modern aesthetic, infusing rustic finishes of metal, wood and concrete softened by a palette of soft green, burnt orange and bronze. Inside, the pub-style atmosphere and open kitchen exude a welcoming vibe.
“It’s an honest kitchen – people can sit at the bar and see how we’re preparing their food,” Stimpson said. Equal to the atmosphere is the exceptional service. Stimpson noted that servers handle only four tables at one time, allowing them to spend time with each diner. “Quite often before a guest realizes he needs something, it’s already been delivered,” Stimpson said. The menu at Local Kitchen & Bar is also a reflection of community. Stimpson uses locally-sourced food products, including beef from his family’s ranch near Lodge Grass, Mont. He chooses home-style dishes familiar to Montanans, such as pot roast, and then puts his twist on the preparation, ensuring that all of the components come together in a spectacular way. Since opening last fall, Local Kitchen & Bar has garnered a loyal following. Menu favorites include lamb shank with tomato jus, pizza baked in the wood-fired oven and the Local burger. Select microbrews and wine are available, as are Stimpson’s delectable desserts. While the menu changes seasonally, there’s one item that Stimpson says will never go away. “People love poutine,” he said, referring to the popular appetizer featuring hand-cut French fries covered in brown gravy and served with a poached egg and cheese curds. Acknowledging that people sometimes have their favorite dishes, Stimpson encourages guests to be adventuresome. “Come, try something new, be part of things and fall deeper in love with us.”
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MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 33
LEARN FROM THE CHEF
Once each month, executive chef Travis Stimpson offers a cooking class. Limited in size, classes are a “hands on” opportunity to learn different techniques for preparing Montana-inspired fare – and a chance to spend time with neighbors. For more information, see Local Kitchen & Bar on Facebook.
LOCALLY YOURS
C
ommunity is about sharing. And sharing food is perhaps the most intimate of community events. Here Travis Stimpson, partner and executive chef at Local Kitchen & Bar, offers Local’s unique recipes plus he peppers his personal culinary experience throughout the directions to help the DYI cook. Still intimidated? Stop in, pull up to the kitchen countertop and observe Stimpson in action. Inhale deeply as the garlic marries the rosemary and sage; bask in the kitchen’s heat as the onions fry; and absorb the staff ’s choreographed dance as they work in unison to prepare sumptuous meals. But above all – taste. Taste and savor.
Lamb Shank
Place all the ingredients in the pan you are using and place the lamb shank Yields 2 Hind Shank Portions over the top of the ingredients. Add stock to cover the shanks. If you are Coat two whole, bone-in lamb shanks roasting in the oven, make sure the pan with flour. In a saute pan, heat oil until is covered with a lid or with foil. If you hot and place the lamb shank in the pan to sear and crisp the outside. Once are cooking in a crock pot, make sure your lid is tightly sealed to the pot. one side has cooked to crisp, about Your oven should be heated to 350 two minutes, turn the shanks to the other side to properly sear them as well. degrees. Place the lamb in the oven and allow it to roast for three hours covered. Remove from the pan and set aside. The lamb will be falling-off-the-boneIn a roasting pan, Dutch oven or tender so if you prefer your lamb less crock pot, add the following: done you can cut back the cooking 2 carrots, roughly chopped time, but with a dish this rich and 1 onion, roughly chopped hearty, I strongly recommend allowing it 4 ribs of celery, roughly chopped the full cooking time. While the lamb is 1 head of garlic, cut in half roasting, you can do the prep work for 4 tomatoes, crushed the other components of the dish. 2 sprigs of rosemary Once they are finished cooking, 5 leaves of sage remove the shanks and strain off the 2 t. ground black pepper liquid from the braising into a sauce 1 T. salt
Lamb shank with mashed potoatoes and an onion ring garnish.
Upside-Down Cake
Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Mousse
pan. Remove the vegetables and either mash by hand or use a hand mixer or tabletop mixer until they are all mashed and incorporated. In the saucepan, reduce down the braising liquid by two thirds and set aside for the finish. To construct as the dish you see presented here, place mashed potatoes in the bowl, cover with mashed vegetables, place the shank, bone standing, on top of the potatoes and vegetables. Put the onion rings around the bone, and then drizzle with your reduced braising liquid.
water from the potatoes and allow them to dry for 5 minutes, this makes for a fluffier potato. Add the remaining ingredients and mash by hand or mix with a hand mixer. If you use a hand mixer the skins will catch up in the beater blades so I recommend hand mashing them. Once they are mashed, and all the butter has been melted and incorporated add milk to make the potatoes the consistency you desire. I prefer mine “on the stiffer side” but there is no shame in a soupy mashed potato.
Tempura Batter 1 c. flour (you can easily substitute rice flour if you are looking for a gluten free alternative and instead of beer you can use seltzer water) 2 t. salt 1 T. cornstarch 1 t. baking soda 1 c. beer, preferably a light beer
in size by half as they roast. After the cauliflower has roasted, allow it to cool before proceeding to the next step of battering. Use the tempura batter recipe to batter them and then fry them in hot oil until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow them to drip dry on paper towel. Toss the fried cauliflower in buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese mousse and chopped chives (recipes to follow).
Mix all ingredients together to form a batter. Remove your onion rings from the buttermilk mix; dip Buffalo Sauce rings into flour first, next into 1 T. apple cider vinegar the tempura batter. Then drop ½ t. sugar Onion Rings them into a hot oil frying pan, fry 1 t. cayenne pepper (less if Yields enough for the two shank until lightly browned on one side you prefer a milder sauce) portions Mashed Potatoes and turn them to fi nish frying. ½ lb. butter 1 yellow onion Yields enough for the two shank Remove and allow them to drip 2 t. garlic powder 1 c. buttermilk portions dry on paper towel. 2 t. salt 4 white russet potatoes, Melt down your butter and add 2 t. pepper quartered the remaining ingredients. Stir 2 dashes of tabasco 1 clove garlic, crushed and Buffalo well to incorporate; add oil if you minced Cauliflower with intend to keep it for an extended Cut the onion into four slices, 1 T. salt Blue Cheese period of time so your butter and remove the center rings so Mousse 1 t. black pepper does not re-solidify. that only the three outer rings ¼ c. butter The first step is to roast remain. Pull those rings apart ¼ c. sour cream your cauliflower. A 350-degree Blue Cheese Mousse from each other and put them Milk, as needed oven for an hour should roast 1 c. heavy cream, whipped to Boil the garlic clove and the rus- in the buttermilk mixture. Soak the entire head to a tender, but stiff peak the onion rings for an hour in sets, skin on, until they are fork not mushy, consistency. Pick ½ c. blue cheese crumbles the buttermilk mix. While they tender; that is, until a fork can the florets off the head and cut 2 T. water are soaking, make your tempura them to any size you desire, be easily inserted and removed 1 sheet gelatin batter. with no resistance. Drain the keeping in mind they will reduce
Bake in a 375-degree oven for 35 minutes and check for doneness. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean of cake batter when the cake is done. If it is not finished after 35 minutes, allow another 8 minutes and then check it again.
In a stainless steel bowl over a double boiler, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk them together until fully blended. Add the vanilla bean and stir to incorporate then add the milk. I recommend bringing the milk to a scald in a separate pan before adding to the egg yolks but it is not required. It will speed up the Strawberry cooking process. Compote Either way, once the milk When fresh strawberries is added, stir over the double are unavailable I like to use boiler in a steady figure-8 the strawberries I was able motion until it begins to lightly to can at the end of the thicken. This will take about 5 to summer, and this cake is a 10 minutes. Don’t let it cook too perfect complement to utilizing long once it begins to thicken them. If you like canning, I as it will scramble the eggs. recommend using canned Once it cools, you will notice it peaches for this as well. The thickens considerably. Allow it soft canned peaches blend to chill in the refrigerator until top of this. well with the thick strawberry Once you have whipped the cold. Crème anglaise will keep The cake batter is as follows compote and the density of cream to stiff peak, bloom a for only a day or two before it (please note that all my baking the cake. If you don’t have sheet of gelatin in water. In should be discarded. is done by weight and not by access to canned peaches you a sauce pan melt your blue can buy peaches in the can cheese down to liquid, add the measure – there’s less room Maraschino for error): from the store and use those, bloomed gelatin, stir until the Cherry Chutney 9 oz. butter though it will slightly alter the sheet melts, and then allow This is in homage to the 12 oz. sugar taste and sweetness of your to cool for about three to five upside-down cakes of yore 8 oz. eggs (large Grade finished product. minutes. Add the melted blue when maraschino cherries were A eggs are usually two 1 lb. strawberries, cheese to the whipped cream considered the providence of the ounces apiece) quartered and fold in until well incorvery wealthy and affluent. How 15 oz. flour 1 c. sugar porated. Taste and add salt if else would one be able to obtain .62 oz baking powder ½ c. water necessary but remember blue such bright red cherries in the (about 4 t.) ½ lemon, juiced cheese is generally a very salty dead of winter if not by wealth 9 oz. milk 1 vanilla bean, seeded cheese. and business connections? .25 oz. vanilla extract The real truth is that they Boil the whole mix together until Upside-Down First, cream together the sugar it is thick and has the consisten- are bleached and then dyed Cake to maintain their color, but it and butter, then cy of jam. You can use any fruit also imparts a very unique variation you’d like on this cake. add the eggs one at a time and flavor profile that works well It does not hold up well to most mix until incorporated. Once all Vanilla Bean strong citrusy fruits like oranges, wet ingredients Crème Anglaise with the cake. 1 c. stemmed Maraschino are mixed, add the dry ingrelemons or limes, but any other This is the base of the cherries, chopped dients and mix by hand until fruit with firm flesh is good. plate and you will put your ½ shallot bulb, minced a nice smooth cake batter is My version uses peaches and upside-down cake into a pool ½ T. corn syrup formed. Pour the batter over strawberries. of rich crème anglaise. The ½ T. honey the fruit. In a 9 x 9 greased cake translation for crème anglaise 1 t. brown sugar I recommend putting a pan, add the following: is “English cream” and was so baking sheet on the lower rack named by the French because 1 c. peaches Bring all the ingredients to a low beneath this cake as the fruit 1 c. strawberry compote their joke was that it was so can sometimes boil over or the easy to make even an English- boil in a sauce pan and cook for ¼ c. brown sugar 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from cake will occasionally react to 1 lemon, juiced man could do it. the heat and store in a glass the lemon juice and bake over 6 egg yolks container. Once they are at room the sides. The mess is easier This mixture will be the base 1 c. sugar temperature they can be served of your upside-down cake, and to clean if you place a baking 1 c. whole milk you will add your batter over the sheet a rack below the cake. 1 vanilla bean, seeded as the garnish to your cake.
Yellowstone
Kelly BRISKLY VENTURE, BRISKLY ROAM BY JOHN CLAYTON
In
the 1870s, Montana’s main thoroughfare was the Missouri River. Steamboats headed up to Fort Benton and forts along the river protected them. But when Luther Kelly hung out at those posts, he was always talking about his exploits up the Yellowstone. He preferred the lesser-known, less-navigable river, and apparently someone—Kelly never said who or how—decided to make the river his name. Actually Kelly’s favorite country was north of the Yellowstone, especially the mountains surrounding the Judith Basin. He often operated out of Carroll, a now-abandoned Kelly during his government Missouri River crossing south of Zortman. He years, taken in Chicago frequently visited the Reed and Bowles Trad- between 1891-1896. ing Post near what is now Lewistown. And he COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY, WESTERN HISTORY always spoke highly of the terrain drained by COLLECTION the Musselshell River. He lived in a golden age for the northern plains. The bison herds were thinning but not yet eliminated, the army was pacifying but not yet victorious. And civilization was coming but not yet arrived. Q: What is the name of the ponderKelly’s life as a plainsman resembled that of osa-dotted high point of the Rimthe fur-trading mountain men a generation or rocks, which separates downtown two earlier: he hunted and trapped, migrating Billings and the Heights? at will. He often lived alone. In some ways he A: It’s Kelly Mountain was rootless and nomadic; in others he was deeply connected to the landscape. In many Q: Who it is named for? ways his lifestyle embodied an ideal of freeA: The trapper, guide and plainsman dom that has been much mourned since its Luther S. “Yellowstone” Kelly (1849– passing. And Kelly—daring, handsome, liter1928), who is buried there. ate and courteous—represented that lifestyle’s noble ideal. Q: Do you know how he received the nickname? A: No one really knows
A quick quiz:
A man of nerve
Raised in Geneva, New York, Kelly enlisted in the Army at age 15 as the Civil War was ending. He finished his three-year hitch on the Minnesota frontier, and then kept heading west, as Jerry Keenan explains in his outstanding biography Yellowstone Kelly. In February,
1869, while hanging out near Fort Buford, at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers near the Montana–North Dakota border, Kelly volunteered for an assignment so
COURTESY PHOTOS
risky that no active soldier had taken it on. He would carry mail to Fort Stevenson, more than 150 miles east, through territory filled with marauding Sioux renegades. And he made it. But on his way back, he ran into two men who wished him ill. Kelly was rounding a bend in the trail and saw the two men approaching him on horseback about 40 yards away. They dismounted and moved into the brush. One had a double-barreled shotgun. After a brief exchange of cautious words, the one with the gun shot and hit Kelly’s horse. Kelly jumped off the writhing animal while holding onto his Henry repeating rifle. But he hit the ground hard. As he started to rise, his opponent, now just a few feet away, charged and fired. The gun, however, failed to discharge. Kelly quickly fired his own gun and killed the man. The other warrior had by now hidden with his bow-and-arrows behind a small tree. Although lacking cover, Kelly had the advantage of the 16-shot repeating rifle and despite a
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 39
Yellowstone Kelly served during the Spanish-American War.
knee injury, won the duel. News traveled quickly, and the teenaged tenderfoot gained a reputation for nerve. At five-foot-ten, he had shoulder-length straight black hair and keen dark eyes. His nose was prominent, his cheekbones sharply cut. He had a quiet confidence and poise. The Gros Ventres called him “Little Man with the Strong Heart.”
Plainsman of character
Kelly spent the next several years ranging the Missouri/Yellowstone country. He cut timber to sell to passing steamboats. He poisoned wolves for their pelts—near the Musselshell he once saw 20 of the predators at a single bison carcass. He was quiet, even shy—known as Kelly the Sphinx. But he was cultured and noted for his conversational talents. He read Shakespeare and didn’t do much gambling, drinking, smoking or carousing. He thus became known as a man of character—a desirable companion, partner or employee. Kelly found increasing success guiding military expeditions. In 1873 he assisted the first steamboat up the Yellowstone, getting as far as the mouth of the Powder River. In 1876, when he heard about Custer’s debacle at the Little Bighorn, he drifted south from the Musselshell and met up with General Nelson Miles. Miles, who became a lifelong patron, appointed Kelly Chief Scout of the Yellowstone. During Miles’ 1876–77 campaigns against the Sioux, Miles was worried that Sitting Bull would return from his self-imposed exile in Canada. So Miles sent Kelly north to scout for the great warrior’s troops. Kelly was also scouting on Miles’ behalf during the 1877 Nez Perce engagement, when Miles surprised Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce band just a few dozen miles short of the Canadian border. Kelly’s scouting also included an 1878 sojourn in Yellowstone National Park to look for Bannocks that were feared to be on the warpath. Scouting expeditions sometimes required written reports. Kelly’s were not only thorough and useful, but also well-written. Observers seemed puzzled that the vocabulary of someone who spent so much time in untamed country included so few oaths. Thus Kelly also became known as a man of intelligence.
An active life
By 1880 the era of the plainsmen was ending. Kelly found the increasingly settled Montana far less wild and free than it had been ten years previously. He spent a few years bouncing around undeveloped northwest Colorado, especially in the Meeker area, but eventually moved on to a settled life himself. By 1885 he was married and farming in Parachute, on Colorado’s western slope. Later Kelly took government jobs in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. He participated in two explorations of Alaska. During the Spanish-American War in 1898 he gained a military
commission as a captain and spent three years as an administrator in the Philippines. He became an Indian agent in Arizona and then a justice of the peace in Nevada. In 1915 he retired to a 60-acre fruit orchard in Paradise, Calif., 90 miles north of Sacramento. There, although both he and his wife suffered from declining vision and limited income, he wrote his memoirs. Kelly died in 1928 at age 79. He had known it was coming, was weak and nearly blind. With his distinguished military service, he was eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, but he wasn’t sure that city life was what he wanted in the forever-after. In a letter to state officials, he said, “My body will rest better in Montana.”
A sign explains Yellowstone Kelly and his grave at Swords Park overlooking Billings and the Yellowstone Valley. LARRY MAYER/
ABOVE: Kelly during an exploration to Alaska. RIGHT: In letter to state officials, Kelly noted, “My body will rest better in Montana.” Kelly died in 1929 and was interned at the top of Kelly Mountain, in what is now Swords Park. COURTESY PHOTOS
A vivid legacy
taining the site at the level they’d promised. Lat- of Kelly’s life, his portrayals, like those of er, in the 1950s, the Rims in general became de- the 50s, tended to say more about the 20th century than about Kelly. Kelly’s story differs from that of contemporar- crepit and the grave itself was vandalized. ies such as William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody in that he was never a dime-novel hero. His exploits, little exaggerated during his lifetime, were confirmed when his memoir was published by the esteemed Meanwhile, Kelly’s story also became mudNow Kelly’s legacy is coming home. Yale University Press. Thus in 1929 when Billings dled. A 1957 novel and 1959 movie portrayed Using Kelly’s motto “briskly venture, briskgave Kelly a funeral parade and sendoff, it was him as a romantic cowboy hero, fighting Indi- ly roam” (a quote from Goethe), the Billings honoring a man who’d gained fame for his char- ans. Rumor has it that John Wayne was set to Chamber of Commerce seeks to develop Kelly acter rather than his showmanship. portray Kelly, with John Ford to direct, until an- Mountain into an interpretive site linked to the I. D. O’Donnell, a city father, donated other project lured them away. Instead starring beautiful trails in Swords Rimrock Park. With the land he named Kelly Mountain for the a heavily-pomaded Clint Walker, the movie is recent donations including $80,000 from Philgravesite—the idea being that solitude-lov- hard to watch today, with its native characters lips 66 and $50,000 from the City of Billings, the ing Kelly would prefer more elbow room than portrayed by black-haired white folks speaking plans are gaining momentum. he could get at the Boot Hill cemetery at the as woodenly as possible. From Kelly Mountain, you can look down mountain’s base. But, it kept Kelly’s name alive. So did the on the city of Billings and see all that it has beBut because Kelly’s exploits were at that point ribald 1980s and 90s novels by Livingston’s come since Kelly’s time. Or you can look up at so un-romanticized, they tended to fade from Peter Bowen, which the publisher describes the Beartooths, the Pryors and the plains—all memory. Within ten years Kelly’s widow was as “rip-roaring” and “told with an amoral the glory that it was while Kelly ventured and asking Billings officials why they weren’t main- panache.” Although Bowen used the bones roamed.
Hollywood portrayal
R.I.P. Yellowstone Kelly
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 41
LUTHER SAGE “YELLOWSTONE” KELLY
INTERPRETIVE SITE
L
ed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, an effort is underway to raise funds for constructing a new Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly Interpretive Site in Swords Rimrock Park. Kelly, a veteran of three wars and army scout, spent his youth exploring Montana and the American West. As the frontier gave way to progress, Kelly’s exploits took him elsewhere – but his affinity for Montana remained. In accordance with his wish to be buried in Montana, Kelly was interred atop the rims overlooking the Yellowstone Valley with full military honors in June 1929. Over time, the gravesite deteriorated – a victim of vandalism Please consider donating and inattention. to the Luther Sage “Almost 90 “Yellowstone” Kelly years ago the Interpretive site today. Donations can be made Billings Chamber by logging on to www. and the State of yellowstonekelly.org. Montana agreed Or, for more information to provide a ficontact the Billings nal resting place Chamber of Commerce at 406-255-4111. for Luther Sage ‘Yellowstone’ Kelly,” noted John Brewer, executive director of The Billings Chamber. “We made promises, and it’s time to bring dignity and honor to his legacy.” According to Brewer, the site will memorialize Kelly’s life in a series of interpretive panels. In addition, there will be companion panels honoring the region’s frontier heritage. “We see a few parallels between Yellowstone Kelly and Buffalo Bill Cody,” said Brewer. Though far less flamboyant than Cody, Kelly was acquainted with Cody and Teddy Roosevelt. As a
INFO
42 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
A photograph of Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly’s burial is displayed during a ceremony honoring Kelly at his grave site in Swords Park in 2013. The current site has deteriorated over time. CASEY PAGE
historical figure, Kelly resonates with Billings in the same way Buffalo Bill resonates with Cody, Wyo. That connection, Brewer asserts, is an important piece of the region’s history. Once completed, the interpretive site will give visitors an opportunity to explore that frontier heritage. The site will also connect to the city’s Heritage Trail System. “In the big picture, the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Center will not only be a wonderful stop along the trail, but it helps tell the story of who we are,” Brewer said. That story, he added, can help elevate Billings in the minds of visitors.
Your Donation Will Help
To date, slightly more than half of the $500,000 cost for the project has been raised. “We’ve had major donations, including $80,000 from Phillips 66, as well as many modest donations from individuals, which underscores the broad support for this project from the community,” Brewer said. The Chamber hopes to have 100 percent of the money raised in the next six months in order to break ground – and they would like your help.
Rendering of proposed Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly Interpretive Site
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 43
MON TANA PERSPECTIVES
PHOTO JOURNAL
DARE TO BE BIG
Jordan Martinez and his girlfriend Leatina Cardona walk on the bike trail and watch the sunset together as an airplane approaches the airport for landing at Swords Park. Sunrise as viewed through the Bruce Putnam memorial bison sculpture near the Billings Logan International Airport at sunrise. The sculpture, which is meant to be suggestive of pictograph art, was created by Joliet artist Charles Ringer with a stained-glass heart and heartline created by Billings’ artist Angela Babby. BOB ZELLAR/GAZETTE STAFF
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HANNAH POTES/GAZETTE STAFF
DAY IN & W
DAY OUT
e live under this Big Sky – day in and day out. Yet, there are few of us who cease to be amazed with the stunning natural palette our “place” gives us. It’s as though a great force urges us to hit the “pause” button and reflect – yes, we are busy; yes, there are things to do. But, we still need to take a moment to absorb all the beauty, all the good around us. Then carry on, and dare to be more. Here, Billings Gazette Communications photographers, Bob Zellar, Casey Page, Hannah Potes and Larry Mayer share their show-stopping images of this place we call home.
A sun pillar forms on the horizon during sunrise in Molt . Sun, or light, pillars form when a reflection of sunlight hits ice crystals in the atmosphere. They are most often seen during early sunrise or late sunset, when the sun is lowest on the horizon.
CASEY PAGE/GAZETTE STAFF
LEFT: The sunrise lights the eastern sky aflame as viewed from Aronson Avenue. RIGHT: Looking west from downtown Billings, Montana sunsets often reach east as though the fighting inevitable. PHOTOS BY BOB ZELLAR/GAZETTE STAFF
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 45
LARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff
Rainbows are common sights when summer storms move through the area, such as this sunrise prism over Billings’ West End.
ABOVE: The sun rises at the Yellowstone River Parks Association’s Dover Memorial Park off of Mary Street in Billings Heights. L ARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff RIGHT: A full moon paints pastel skies over the prairie near Molt. BOB ZELLAR/Gazette Staff
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LEFT: The full moon sets over the Beartooth Mountains and a foggy Yellowstone River Valley in this view from Zimmerman Park. LARRY MAYER/GAZETTE STAFF BELOW: Winter often reveal surprises like this sunrise, which illuminates steam from the Western Sugar Plant with the Pryor Mountains in the distance. BOB ZELLAR/GAZETTE STAFF
ABOVE: West-facing Sacrifice Cliff along the Yellowstone River glows at sunset. BOB ZELLAR/GAZETTE STAFF
LEFT: Sunrise beams streak the sky near Centennial Arena in Billings Heights. BOB ZELLAR/ GAZETTE STAFF
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 47
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406.254.1550 | 1550 Poly Drive, Billings | 444 N 9th St. Suite 5, Columbus | 111 S Broadway Suite C, Red Lodge © 2016 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchise of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathway HomeServices and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
48 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
MON TANA PERSPECTIVES
I’M JUST SAYIN’
A LUCKY DRAW
JOHN AND ELIZABETH I
BY GENE COLLING I ILLUSTRATION BY ROB JOHNSON
the mid- to late-1800s Luxembourg was a good n place to leave. The country had scarce housing, high-priced farm land and an oppressive social system. A few of the first emigrants made their way to northwestern Iowa. As farmers, they knew good soil and there they found a deep, rich layer of black earth. My paternal grandmother’s family was one of the early arrivals.
Soon the word went back to Luxembourg that this was a fertile place that offered the chance of a new life. Relatives and friends began to arrive. Some had a grub-stake large enough to buy acreage. Others worked for established farmers until they could get a place of their own. That was the case for my great grandfather who, in 1884, brought his family over including my 3-year-old grandfather. Later when my
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 49
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MEANWHILE, JOHN LEFT SCHOOL AFTER THE EIGHTH GRADE AND BEGAN TO WORK ON THE FARM. ... WHEN JOHN AND ELIZABETH BEGAN DATING, HIS SISTERS WONDERED IF HE WAS REACHING ABOVE HIS SOCIAL STATION. AFTER ALL, ELIZABETH WAS AN INDEPENDENT, EDUCATED WOMAN WHO OWNED A CAR — A RARITY FOR THOSE TIMES. grandfather married my grandmother, they moved to her family’s farm. They would raise seven children including John, the oldest son. John did chores as soon as he was able and at 16 took over the farm. Horses provided the power, and workdays went from dark to dark. Each was filled with hard manual labor. But John was a born farmer, and he had the native intelligence and work ethic to be successful. On a nearby farm lived a family of 14 children—three boys and 11 girls, including Elizabeth. Her family’s ancestry is a mystery and they had an exotic look. Photos of Elizabeth and her ten sisters display attractive women with dark complexions and high cheekbones. When Elizabeth was 15, her mother died leaving behind children ranging from young adult to 2-years-old. The older children took over the care of the younger ones. Elizabeth finished high school and attended a nearby teacher’s college. At the same time she was the legal guardian for five of her younger sisters. When her father became ill, she cared for him. Elizabeth was also the local school teacher, which gave her a prominent position in the community. She taught in rural one-room schools for 13 years. It took a command presence to teach eight grades in one room. Meanwhile, John left school after the eighth grade and began to work on the farm. One of John’s sisters was also a teacher and got to know and like Elizabeth and told John about her. When John and Elizabeth began dating, his sisters wondered if he was reaching above his social station. After all, Elizabeth was an independent, educated woman who owned a car—a rarity for those times. John and Elizabeth married in 1942 and took over my grandmother’s farm. John had always wanted a place of his own and had saved up a good nest egg. He began casting about for a farm near a town with a Catholic school. He found what he was looking for in southeastern South Dakota, 150 miles away. He rented it out for ten years before making the decision in 1954 to move. It had to have been a daunting decision. Our family of seven left a tight circle of friends and relatives. Compared to the Iowa farm with its surrounding garden and mature orchard, the South Dakota place was a mess. Pig weed choked the yard, and the house and outbuildings all needed extensive renovations. Most of this was done before we moved but there were still had plenty of rough edges when we arrived. The farm buildings stood in the middle of a treeless expanse. A shelter belt of trees was soon planted but it would take years to reap the benefits. In South Dakota, the wheels of life began to wobble. Although the neighbors were welcoming and the town was at its zenith, our mother’s health began to deteriorate. Within four years, she would succumb to cancer. I was nine and too young to fully process it, but I will always remember that day with crystal clarity. Other memories are more fragmented. I remember watching her
and one of her younger sisters dancing a spirited Charleston. And I remember that she had to sit on two thick catalogs to see over the steering wheel. Right after she died, there was talk of divvying us kids among relatives, but Dad insisted on keeping the family together. He hired help, my older sister took over some of the domestic work and we all took on more chores. We followed Dad’s lead of quiet resolve. Dad had a low key but gregarious personality mixed with a wry sense of humor. Even when he was provoked by machinery, livestock or kids, his most vexed response was to say, “Oh, Pshaw!” He was curious about other cultures that surrounded us, and instead of retreating inward, he continued to be an active member of the community. His curiosity and sociability were aided by an accidental side business. When he renovated the farm he put in a deep well that produced the only soft water in the county. The word quickly spread, and people began asking for some of that water because it was far superior to hard water for washing clothes. Dad found himself in the business of selling soft water; my first paying job was filling the thousand gallon tank and going along on the deliveries. It took us outside the boundaries of our normal social circle. Two prominent neighboring groups were Norwegians and Hutterites. Dad got to know many of these people, and he was invited to their social events. Around Christmas, the Norwegian church sponsored a lutefisk feed. That first encounter with fish soaked in lye thoroughly satisfied my curiosity. The Luxembourg revenge was blood sausage. The community helped temper the trauma of Mom’s death. Dad never remarried but neither did he become a hermit. I was swept up into the sports culture of the town and found my refuge in sports, hunting and fishing. My siblings blazed through school while I coasted. Academic success was something our mother would have expected. Eventually, my three sisters and I headed off to college and my older brother stayed to help on the farm. Ten years after my Mom’s death, Dad, who had never had a sick day in his life, became ill. In the middle of my junior year, my brother called to tell me that he had died in his sleep. Over 50 years have passed, and I find myself thinking about my parents more these days. Maybe that is because family and friends are now caring for their elderly parents. While my time with John and Elizabeth was brief, I still feel I got a lucky draw. Gene Colling claims dual residency in both Billings and Missoula. He retired after a career with the U.S. Forest Service. Fro 25 of those years, he produced video programs, including one on such Billings area topics as the Beartooth Highway, Pryor Mountain wild horses, Lewis and Clark expedition, Hebgen Lake earthquake and Nez Perce Trail.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 51
52 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
Roozengaarde windmill with Christmas lights, Skagit Valley, Washington.
A CURE FOR
CABIN FEVER D
by karen kinser
oes a trip to Holland to see blooming tulips hold a special place on your bucket list? If so, why not stay a little closer and plan a trip to the
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in northwest Washington? No passport is required, but you’ll feel as if you’re in a different country – one with elaborate patchworks of tulip fields, the slow-mo poetry of snow geese lifting into cloudy mists and the squeaky-tinged voices of seagulls soaring against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains. All of this is set in an alluring rural area filled with farmers markets, marinas and magnificent views in every direction. MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 53
PHOTO BY BROOKE SANDT, SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL COLUMBIA BANK PHOTO CONTEST
Nothing says spring like the rainbow tapestry of flowers in bloom at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival THE TULIPS
Situated between Seattle and Vancouver, the Skagit Valley and its beautiful blooms are found in a 15 mile triangle – a kind of alluvial delta. Start at the two bulb growers’ locations – Roozengarde and Tulip Town – and get GETTING oriented there. Roozengarde has acres of tulip displays THERE & and a Dutch windmill. At Tulip Town, RESOURCES: you’ll also enjoy the stunning murals, indoor flower shows and trolley rides. The Fly to Seattle (Delta, rest of the tulip fields are a self-guided Alaska or United) and rent a car. Skagit tour, but you might let someone else do Valley is about an the driving and schedule a bus trip. Or, hour north. For bloom for a bird’s eye view, book an aerial tour – reports, check the airplane, helicopter or hot air balloon. Tulip Festival’s website Timing is everything with blooming – www.tulipfestival. org – and like them tulips, and while the festival runs the on Facebook. For month of April, “It’s all according to everything else, go to Mother Nature,” says Cindy Verge, execskagitvisitor.com. utive director of the event. Some years, blooming is right on time. Other years, though, flowers might unfold in March and be done by mid-April. If you’re too early for tulips, you’ll be treated to acres and acres of lemony-tinged daffodils.
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PHOTO BY ANDREA NICOLAY, SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL COLUMBIA BANK PHOTO CONTEST
Families can view fields and fields of tulips at the Festival.
Relax on the desk of the Majestic Inn after a day of touring.
COURTESY PHOTO
MORE THAN FLOWERS
You’re in the Pacific Northwest, after all, so you’re surrounded by charming coastal towns and villages with a wide array of activities. Consider a whale-watching trip or lighthouse tour out of Anacortes, watch the trumpeter swans and snow geese, peruse the exhibits at the Museum of Northwest Art or tour heritage barns. Drive north to the picturesque town of Bellingham or take the ferry to Whidbey Island and explore its 55-mile length, including the coastal paths and incredible views at Deception Pass State Park.
CULINARY COOL
As an alternative tour, try a balloon ride over the Skagit River Valley.
When hunger beckons, you’ll find everything from casual cafes to five-star dining, but one thing’s for sure – fresh local food, most notably seafood, will star on the menu. Try the cioppino or Badass Burger (topped with fried oysters) at Adrift. You’ll swoon over the truffle fries and shrimp etouffe at A’Town Bistro. Love tequila? Then stop at Frida’s Gourmet Mexican Cuisine for over 400 kinds of the spirit, Frida Kahlo artwork and gourmet Mexican fare. Plan a romantic high tea date at the Old Towne Grainery Tea Room and Galleria. Stop at the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue (only during tulip season) for alder-grilled salmon or drop by Neil Thorn’s Waterfront Bistro & Bar for amazing views and locally sourced cuisine.
TIPS: With over 400,000 visitors from every state and 93 countries, the area can be packed with people – especially on weekends. So, if possible, plan a mid-week visit. The weather this time of year can be cool and wet and the fields muddy, so dress appropriately. And finally, be aware that parking and speed limits are strictly enforced.
The front porch of Katy’s Inn is made for meeting new friends or catching up with long-time pals while enjoying the temperate climate of Skagit County.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 55
Just before bloom -- Lesley Shum took this shot for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Columbia Bank Photo Contest.
HISTORY OF SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL
PHOTO BY JO JONES, SKAGIT VALLEY TULIP FESTIVAL COLUMBIA BANK PHOTO CONTEST
The Skagit Valley in bloom gives picturesque charm to northwestern Washington.
It’s crazy to think the Tulip Festival was only three days long back in 1984 when the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce inaugurated it. Since then, the festival has split off from the Chamber of Commerce and spans 30 days to ensure visitors would see the blooming of the tulips. The festival features an array of events outside of flower viewing, including art shows, gala celebrations, concerts and tours.
FLOWERING PHENOMENA Several events have grown with the festival throughout the years. The Downtown Mount Vernon Street Fair and Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue take advantage of the busy bloom season and fundraise for their respective organizations. 20-, 40- and 60-mile bike rides and a youth basketball tournament also bring in the crowds.
Wide-shot photo by Michael Brannan for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Columbia Bank Photo Contest.
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Shelia Heilman snapped this photo of a double variety tulip for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Columbia Bank Photo Contest.
Visit the festival tulip growers’ gardens at Roozengarde and Tulip Town for a history lesson, shopping occasion and opportunity to take magnificent photos. Check out Tulip Town’s Veterans Memorial Garden and learn why the tulip symbolizes world peace.
The Majestic Inn in Anacoretes lives up to its name. A room at Angelsong Retreat Center is great place to relax at the end of a pleasant day exploring in the Skagit Valley.
LODGING
A wealth of rooms with views that include inns, B&Bs and hotels are available. Enjoy the romantic elegance at the Wild Iris Inn or the luxurious boutique hotel experience at the Majestic Inn & Spa, complete with a rooftop lounge overlooking the San Juan Islands. Savor the elegance and waterfront balconies at La Conner Channel Lodge & Country Inn, stay in a lighthouse at Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham or feel like a royal at Manresa Castle. You’ll love the quaint accommodations and sweeping views at the Ship Harbor Inn, the history and charm of Hotel Planter and the farm and mountain views at the Armstrong House B&B.
COURTESY PHOTOS
ancy SIAN
IA SUSH
N
FUSIO
We have THAI ENTREES (such as Pad Thai & Thai Curry) We have JAPANESE ENTREES (such as Teriyaki & Tempura) and wonderful CHINESE ENTREE selections too!
“We just love the wait staff here.”
Jessica looks forward to seeing Willard and Marilyn every evening.
EVENTS at WESTPARK Looking forward to our Annual Purse, Scarf and Jewelry Sale in March! Call for a tour today. Our charity this year is Meals on Wheels. Now is a great time to start collecting your gently used purses, scarves and jewelry. Just drop them off at Westpark Village anytime and help us raise money for this great charity! Check out our new menu with new items at: www.fancysushius.com 1313 Grand Avenue, Suite 3 Billings, MT 59102 • 406.245.6888 Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm • Friday & Saturday 11:00 am-10:30pm
2351 Solomon Ave. Billings, MT 59102 406-652-4886 www.westparksenior.com
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 57
Phillips 66 is proud to donate $80,000 towards the Yellowstone Kelly’s grave at Swords Rimrock Park and would like to encourage others to donate as well. This donation came about because Phillips 66 values preserving history and improving the landscape and the safety in the communities in which they operate. Luther Sage Yellowstone Kelly — a veteran of three wars and a friend to notables including President Theodore Roosevelt — was a man of honor and commitment. These are qualities that match Phillips 66’s core values. Learn more about the project — or make a donation — by visiting www.yellowstonekelly.org
Billings Refinery Providing Energy. Improving Lives
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FEATURE
Pulitzer Prizes
Pulitzer Prizes BY DANELL JONES
Portrait of Joseph Pulitzer, 1905 By John Singer Sargent Oil on canvas 38 1/2 x 28 in.; Framed: 42 1/2 x 32 1/2 in. Private collection
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THE AMERICAN DREAM LIVES ON
T
here is something magical about sitting by a campfire that inspires conversation. Perhaps it is the alluring dance of the flames or the lurking sense of danger in the surrounding darkness, but circling together around a fire has a way of provoking heartfelt revelations about the things that matter most. It is this kind of deep conversation that the Pulitzer Prize Board hopes to ignite throughout the country as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize with its Campfire Initiative. One hundred years ago, the indomitable Hungarian-American journalist and newspaper editor Joseph Pulitzer left a legacy to Columbia University to establish a journalism school and a prize in his name. Since then, the Pulitzer Prize has come to mean the very best in American journalism, letters, photography and music. Throughout 2016 the Pulitzer Board in partnership with Humanities Montana, Montana State University Billings, Arts Without Boundaries, the Big Sky Writing Workshops and the High
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Plains BookFest will bring Pulitzer-Prize winning poetry to Billings in order to foster conversations about the journalistic, literary and artistic values the Pulitzer’s legacy represents. The yearlong series of events will include a keynote reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Vijay Seshadri who will be interviewed by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Matt Brown as well as lectures, multimedia performances, a reading by Montana poet laureates, community readings, a writing workshop, school visits and programs, and a video discussion series. The story of Pulitzer’s life reads like a blue print for the American Dream. Born in Hungary, he planned to pursue a military career, but was rejected by several European armies before meeting an American recruiter in Hamburg who enlisted him in the Lincoln Calvary, a largely German unit fighting in the Civil War. When he arrived in America, he spoke no English. After the War, Pulitzer became a naturalized citizen and made his way to St. Louis where he worked a string of low-wage jobs
while dedicating every spare minute to the study of law and English. One afternoon, while reading in the Mercantile Library, a serendipitous encounter transformed his life. As he watched two men play chess, the astute observations he made about their moves impressed the players and they struck up a conversation. As it turned out, the young man had been giving chess advice to the two editors of a prominent St. Louis German-language paper. Seeing something in him he probably didn’t yet see in himself, they hired Pulitzer as a reporter. Journalism proved to be a perfect fit for his talents. Not only did he show himself a tireless and capable journalist, ten years later the industrious young man owned the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Five years after that, he bought The New York World. Despite poor health most of his life, Pulitzer was a fierce crusader against injustice, often working long hours to oversee the publication of investigative reports revealing insurance frauds, tax evasions, gambling rings and government corruption. “Accuracy! Terseness! Accuracy!” was the motto he kept posted in his newsroom to remind his reporters of their obligation to find and tell the truth.
In 1909, his fearless pursuit of a story of fraudulent payments by the United States government to the Panama Canal Company led to a criminal indictment against Pulitzer for libeling President Theodore Roosevelt. Fearlessly committed to the freedom of the press, he refused to halt the investigation. When the charges against him were dismissed, he was hailed as a champion of journalistic integrity. For Pulitzer, a free press served as a cornerstone for democracy, and journalists held the power to shape the future of a nation. “Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together,” he wrote in an article for The North American Review. “An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which popular government is a sham and a mockery. A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.” His dedication to the pursuit of truth shapes the meaning and significance of the Pulitzer Prize and the Pulitzer-winning work that will be featured in Billings in 2016.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 61
PULITZER EVENTS: CAMPFIRE INITIATIVE March 11: Poetry Out Loud, MoAv Coffee House—7:00 p.m. April 13: Strong Is Your Hold: An Evening of the Poetry of A diverse cast of community members share Pulitzer-Prize win- Galway Kinnell at 209 (209 Montana Avenue)—7:00 p.m.
ning poems in a kick-off event for the spring Pulitzer events. Event Dave Caserio presents a multi-media collaboration of poetry, muhosted by Slam Poet Champions Anna Paige and Pete Tolton, with sic, dance and reminiscence with Parker Brown and Krista Leigh-Paspecials guests. sini on the work of the late, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning poet, Galway Kinnell.
March 16: Video interview with Pulitzer-winning poet Gary Snyder at the Public Library—7:00 p.m.
Poet Cara Chamberlain will play a Lannan film interview of Pulitzer-winning poet Gary Snyder and lead a discussion.
March 24: Vijay Seshadri reading followed by interview with Matt Brown, Cisel Hall, MSUB—7:00 p.m.
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet Seshadri reads from his work and answers questions from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Matt Brown. Reception to follow.
March 30: Video interview with Pulitzer-winning poet Sharon Olds at the Public Library—7:00 p.m.
Poet Cara Chamberlain will play an interview with a Pulitzerwinning poet Sharon Olds and lead a discussion.
April 6: Video interview with a Pulitzer-winning poet Maxine Kumin at the Public Library—7:00 p.m.
Poet Cara Chamberlain will play an interview with a Pulitzerwinning poet Maxine Kumin and lead a discussion.
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April 20: Lowell Jaeger: The Art of Meaningful Conversation, “Good Fences, Good Neighbors” at the Public Library—7:00 p.m.
Using Robert Frost’s poem “The Mending Wall,” Poet Lowell Jaeger will facilitate an engaging conversation with audience members about topics important to their lives.
April 23: Poetry Workshop Inspired by the Work of Pulitzer Prize Winning Poetry Kay Ryan at the Western Heritage Center—10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Hands-on community-based workshop appropriate for writers of all levels. Registration includes a copy of Ryan’s The Best of It: New and Selected Poems. Limited to 15 participants. Email danell@bigskywritingworkshops.com to register.
May 2: Favorite Pulitzer Poems: Community Reading at the Art House Cinema & Pub—7:00 p.m.
Members of the Big Sky Writing Workshops will be reading poems by Pulitzer Prize-winning poets and inviting community members to share their favorite Pulitzer poems.
All events are free and open to the public.
A POETIC PARTY HONORING EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AND THE ARTS
T
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Vijay Seshardri. Seshardri was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for his book of poetry entitled “3 Sections.”
he keynote event in the spring will be a reading and interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Vijay Seshadri at Cisel Hall on the Montana State University Campus on March 24th. One of this country’s most respected poets, American novelist Jonathan Franzen calls Seshadri’s poetry “exhilarating.” He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for his book of poetry entitled 3 Sections, which is at once philosophically deep, yet sly and funny. The committee which awarded him the Pulitzer especially admired Seshadri’s powerful exploration of “human consciousness, from birth to dementia, in a voice that is by turns witty and grave, compassionate and remorseless.” An Indian-American poet who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, Seshadri believes that the work of the poet is to “make people see the world as the astonishing mystery—either splendid or excruciating—that it is.” His poems are famous for challenging, engaging, and delighting readers. Seshadri will be interviewed by Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Matt Brown. Brown was awarded with two Pulitzer Prizes, one in breaking news and the other in community service, for his coverage of Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans in 2005. He now works as the Associated Press correspondent in Billings. Throughout the year local and regional educators and poets will be bringing a wide array of events to Billings. Festivities will kick on in March with Slam Poet Champions Anna Paige and Pete Tolton hosting Poetry Out Loud, featuring specials guests reading their favorite Pulitzer-Prize winning poems. Every Wednesday at the Billings Public Library, poet Cara Chamberlain will share a video interview with a Pulitzer-winning poet and lead the audience in a discussion. Arts without Boundaries will bring professional writers and curriculum featuring
Pulitzer-Prize winning poetry into the schools. Art House Cinema & Pub will host a gathering of Montana Poet Laureates including Michael Earl Craig, Tami Haaland and Henry Real Bird as well as a lecture by Kalispell poet Lowell Jaeger lecturing on Robert Frost’s “The Mending Wall.” Poet and performance artist Dave Caserio will present an original multimedia performance, Strong Is Your Hold: An Evening of the Poetry Of Galway Kinnell, a collaboration of poetry, music, dance and reminiscence inspired by the Pulitzer-winner’s work. For aspiring poets, writer Danell Jones will be will lead a day-long workshop using the poems of Pulitzer-Prize winning poet Kay Ryan as inspiration. The spring events will wrap up with a Community Reading with the members of the Big Sky Writing Workshops inviting community members to share their own favorite poems by Pulitzer winners.
PULITZER CENTENNIAL YEAR
This year marks the 100th awarding of the Pulitzer Prizes. We’re celebrating by telling stories on the prize winners, finalists and their work, and by partnering with individuals and organizations to host events across the country. To learn more about Pulitzer Prizes or any events, see www.pulitzer.org
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BISON One man’s vision to educate all on the icon of the American West
BY RUSSELL ROWLAND
Don “Doc” Woerner CASEY PAGE
W
hen Don ‘Doc’ Woerner gets excited about something, his whole body talks. His arms wave, and his head wags, and he uses his hands a lot. But mostly it’s in his eyes, which are bright blue and already pretty twinkly behind his wire-rimmed glasses. And the thing that Woerner is most excited about lately, just a few years after retiring from his very successful veterinary practice in Laurel, is a bison museum. Not one that exists now. But the one he is planning to build. Woerner bought a building just south of ZooMontana, and next to that sits an unused pasture that’s fairly good-sized, owned by the zoo. Woerner’s dream is to convert this building and the property next to it into a place where people can come and learn about an animal for which he has immense admiration. “You know, the thing about bison is that you can get them to do whatever they want to do,” he jokes. That’s his way of saying that one of the things that distinguishes the bison from other large animals is that they do not adapt to the wishes of those who own them. It has to be the opposite.
WOERNER’S VISION
Woerner developed an interest in animals at a very young age, although he didn’t grow up around them in any direct way. Woerner was raised in Arvada, Colo., a town just about the size of Laurel, and his father worked as a parts man for the local Chevy garage. But he
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back, I think it was because it’s remembers loving so close to the same size as Aranimals of all kinds vada. I always felt very much at from the time he was home in a town this size.” small, although he For years, Woerner was didn’t imagine himhappy with the simple pracself working with tice of tending to the animals them until later. of his community, and as he When he finished likes to say, “It was often high school, his plan harder dealing with the was to become an humans than it was the airplane mechanic. animals. It didn’t take He and his father long for me to notice that shared a love of flythe most well-behaved ing, and he would animals usually had good eventually go on to become a licensed pilot and own owners, much like the a couple of small airplanes. But somewhere along the way parents treat their line, Woerner’s obsession with animals caught his atchildren.” tention once again, and when he found out that ColIn the early 90s, Woorado State University, just 65 miles from his homeerner saw the need for town, had a veterinary school, Woerner decided to a kennel in the area and apply. built The AnimaLodge He was accepted, and that’s what sent Woerner on Pet Resort, just off I-90 his way to become a country vet. Woerner landed his near Laurel. The kennel first veterinary job working for Gus Zancanella, who ran Billings Veterinary Service out by the stockyards. But a few years was successful and spurred another branch of the business called later, Woerner got the chance to buy some land near Laurel, and he Faithful Friend: Animal Memories, which is a crematorium for pets. “You’d be surprised how many people would rather cremate their jumped on it. He soon had his own practice, which he started in 1973. “I was very pleased to be able to find a place by Laurel, and looking pets than bury them,” he said. “We even get quite a few horses!”
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About eight years ago, Woerner’s son Russ started working for him, although he is not a veterinarian. But he has a good head for business, and Woerner hired on a full-time and a couple of part-time vets so that he could devote more time to his passion. Which leads to the question: how did Woerner’s interest in the bison became such an obsession? “Well it started about twenty-five years ago, when they were having so many issues with the bison in Yellowstone Park,” Woerner explains, referring to a period when there was controversy over whether the bison from the Park were transmitting disease to nearby cattle ranches. “If it wasn’t for the Lacey Act (a 1900 act that prohibits the trade of animals that are illegally taken), these animals could have very well gone extinct” he noted. There were only about two dozen bison left in Yellowstone Park when this act was instituted. Since then, the herd in Yellowstone has slowly grown to become one of the biggest in the country. “What we did to the bison is very much the same as what we did to the Native Americans, and I think we are still paying the price for both of these things,” Woerner commented. I think the more we can adopt the way of life that was natural to this region, which worked for centuries before we came along, the better our chances of creating a sustainable system.” So a big part of Woerner’s motivation for opening this museum is to educate the public, both about the history of bison and also about how these animals need to be treated now. In his experience as a vet, he has watched many ranchers try to raise bison with the same methodology that they applied to cattle, and it just doesn’t work.
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Clockwise from top: Using the skeleton display he made, Don Woerner talks about bison. He shares his educational exhibit across the region; A bison exhibit and signage from the American Museum of the Bison, which is being opened by Woerner; Woerner wheels his bison exhibit into the building he is turning into the Museum of the American Bison.
Woerner is friends with Temple Grandin, the woman who has revolutionized the approach to raising large animals, and he has learned a lot from her and other like-minded people about how to design corrals and raise bison. As one simple example, “When a bison gets
scared, they always try to return to wherever it was they just came from. So, they have put a lot of thought into designing corral systems for bison that will lead them to believe, when they try to run, that they are going back to where they came from, when in fact that corral is directing them toward where you want them to go,” explained Woerner.
them. When we ranch with nature, we have to consider one of the most productive grazing operations ever in the history of our continent. This operation was incredibly productive before there were fences or barns or such a thing as harvested feed. I’m talking about our great natural grasslands, the Northern Great Plains, stocked with wild free-roaming bison. There was no expensive infrastructure and no man-made capital costs. Overhead was non-existent. Breeding season was short and concentrated plus a strict, uncompromising culling policy was always adhered to.
BISON-SIZED DREAMS
Another example he gave is moving bison from one pasture to another. The standard practice with cattle of opening the gate and having a couple of cowboys push them through on horseback, or in today’s ranch world, with four-wheelers, doesn’t work with bison. They will simply go the other way or even charge the rider if they’re angry enough. Woerner sums up his philosophy: So you just open the gate and let them figure it out for themselves...maybe plant a few pellets to entice
If all goes as planned, Woerner’s dream includes a company called Natural Animal Services, which will provide information and services to ranchers who are interested in raising bison, a co-op for cattle and bison ranches that are interested in adopting his approach, a slaughter and processing plant (called From Prairie To Plate) for bison and cattle raised in the region and retail outlets for the resulting products. This might sound like an ambitious goal, but to Woerner, the driving force is much bigger than a business. It is an avocation that is inspired by his belief that much of what is happening in the livestock industry is harmful to the land and to the animals. And to our economy. Woerner has already started with the educational part of the program. A few years ago, he unexpectedly became the owner of a couple of bison that had escaped from a large animal sanctuary that had closed after funding ran out. Cowboys were attempting to round up the bison to move them when they escaped. Woerner, who was trained to use a tranquilizer, was called. The plan was to relocate the bison to ZooMontana, but that didn’t work out. So Woerner ended up caring for the animals, which he called Bert and Ernie, for a year and a half. When Woerner had to put the animals down, he had an idea inspired by an exhibit he had viewed at the Museum of the Rockies. So once he butchered the animals (“I shed a few tears, I have to admit”), he boiled the bones and got in touch with a taxidermist friend in Cody, Ray Hatfield, about using the hides and the skeletons of these two animals to form a full-sized exhibit showing how their skeletal structure fits within their bodies. Hatfield was excited about the idea, and Ernie now resides in the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, while Woerner uses Bert as part of a traveling museum. He converted an RV into a showcase, where he displays Bert as well as several poster boards that give a history of the animal in the region. Woerner has toured much of the state with his traveling bison show, giving talks at schools and at various conferences and gatherings like the annual Buffalo Summit, which meets on the Fort Peck Reservation. Woerner is currently remodeling the building near ZooMontana in order to have a permanent home for the exhibit – which he plans to open later this year.
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AMMOSEXUALS Watching our Language Do What it Does BY CHRYSTI SMITH
Sure, it lacks the adrenaline thrust of the World Cup and the sex appeal of the Academy Awards. But when the American Dialect Society (ADS) prepares to announce its Word of the Year, we verbivores experience a secret frisson of anticipation.
E
very January since 1990, members of the American Dialect Society, a cadre of writers, grammarians, teachers, independent scholars and lexicographers, have gathered to discuss words that have risen to prominence over the prior twelve months. From a grouping of nominated terms, ADS members then select a Word of the Year. Some years it might be a cheeky, newly-minted term in American English (metrosexual, 2003); in others, it
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 73
could be inspired by important social issues (#blacklivesmatter, 2014). The American Dialect Society’s most recent Word of the Year is the ordinary, workaday pronoun they. Prosaic as the word may seem, they nevertheless caught the attention of the ADS because lately it’s escaped its traditional function as a third person plural pronoun, as in the children couldn’t find room on the bleachers so they sat on the floor. Increasingly, it is embracing a new role as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun. An example: Everyone wants their child to be safe. This shift might cause grammar geeks—who know that sentence should read everyone wants his or her child to be safe—to rend their tunics in dismay. But this morphing pronoun represents an important social change. “In the past year, new expressions of gender identity have generated a deal of discussion,” explained linguist Ben Zimmer, chair of the ADS New Words committee, “and singular they has become a…significant element of that conversation.” In other words, the singular they can keep gender out of the question as gender fluidity becomes more culturally acceptable. It can also turn a clumsy sentence into a sleeker one: when I greet a friend I hug him or her vs. when I greet a friend I hug them. Even the Washington Post style guide has officially adopted this stance. The singular they is “the only sensible solution to English’s lack of a gender-neutral third-person singular personal pronoun,” said Post copy editor Bill Walsh.
T
TRENDING…
he sassy metrosexual was Word of the Year for 2003. Explained as a “fashion-conscious heterosexual male,” it clearly was a template for one of the 2015 nominees for Word of the Year, ammosexual, “someone with a near-fetishistic love of firearms.” Spotted in the twittersphere in 2012, ammosexual has become both a term of abuse and one of pride. Though ridiculed by the likes of Bill Maher as having “unnatural love relationships with their guns,” some “ammosexuals” embrace the moniker. Cold Dead Hands is a Second Amendment Advocacy group. On its website, colddeadhands.us, a contributor proclaims, “We’ve all heard the phrase by now... Ammosexual! I’m here to say: ‘I’m out of the closet! I am an Ammosexual, and I’m proud!’ Stand united… and stand proud.”
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Well. Not all Word of the Year nominees are so controversial. ADS members also keep an eye on youth slang, which is as ephemeral as hair trends and phone styles. In 2014-15, on fleek floated to the surface, which, if measured in Youth Slang Years, means that it’s about to drift into obscurity. On fleek can mean any of these things: “on point, perfectly groomed (especially of women’s eyebrows), stylish, awesome, sweet, smooth.” Fleek has a slippery history. Most sources track its first appearance to a 2003 Urban Dictionary contribution
W hat was that word again?
W
ord of the Year is interpreted in its broader sense as “vocabulary item”— not just words but phrases. The words or phrases do not have to be brand-new, but they hav e to be newly prominent or notable in the past year. The vote is the longest-running suc h vote anywhere, the only one not tied to commercial interests and the wor d-ofthe-year event up to which all othe rs lead. It is fully informed by the mem bers’ expertise in the study of words, but it is far from a solemn occasion. Members in the 125-year-old organization include linguists, lexicographers, etymologists, grammarians, historians, research ers, writers, editors, students and independent scholars. In conduc ting the vote, they act in fun and do not pret end to be officially inducting words into the English language. Instead, they are highlighting that language change is normal, ongoing and entertaining.
2014 #blacklivesmatter: hashtag used as protest over blacks killed at the hands of police (esp. Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in Staten Island). 2013 because: introducing a noun, adjective, or other part of speech (e.g., “because reasons,” “becau se awesome”).
AMMOSEXUAL:\\ SOMEONE WITH A NEAR-FETISHISTICC LOVE OF FIREARMS
2012 #hashtag: a word or phrase preceded by a hash symbol (#), use d on Twitter to mark a topic or mak ea commentary. 2011 occupy: verb, noun, and combining form referring to the Occ upy protest movement. 82/174 2010 App: an application program for computer or phone operating syst em. As in “there’s an app for that,” an adv ertising slogan for the iPhone.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 75
by one Dan Blue: “fleek: smooth, nice, sweet [Example:] ‘That was a fleek move you pulled on that chick.’” No explanation of its origin. And so the term incubated underground for over a decade. Enter Chicago teenager Peaches Monroee. In June of 2014, sitting in the car while her mom shopped, she made a selfie video and posted it on Vine, a video-sharing service. In the six-second clip, Monroee points to her newly-groomed eyebrows and says, among a string of phrases, “eyebrows on fleek,” meaning that her eyebrows look fabulous. The video was viewed millions of times on Vine, and then looped over and over in rap rhyme style and re-posted on YouTube. On fleek went viral, so viral that in October of 2014, IHOP Restaurants tweeted that their pancakes were on fleek. Taco
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Bell tweeted the same thing about its restaurant franchise. Word watchers predict its demise, noting that trendy youth slang terms lose their cachet the day they go corporate. Yet the phrase persisted long enough to catch the attention of the American Dialect Society in 2015, and on fleek may generate more light and heat before it goes dark. American English speakers play catch and release with the language. Some lexical specimens, however, are so useful that they’re landed and consumed. At the dawn of the millennium, few of us had heard the word blog, yet a decade and a half later, most of us can use it with confidence. Ditto Sudoku, cyber bully and carbon footprint. The same may be said for the American Dialect Society’s Word of the Year nominees and winners for 2015. Or not. And that’s how language rolls.
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FOR THE CHILDREN CASA VOLUNTEERS | BY SHELLEY VAN ATTA
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They fearlessly navigate the cacophony of overburdened legal and social-work systems, ensuring abused and neglected children’s voices are heard. Imagine crying out in the night, and rather than the warm arms of parental reassurance enveloping you in a protective mantle of love and safety, your needs evaporate into an excruciating void that echoes with previous laments. It’s a terrifying place of distorted reality, where hopelessness and fear are the norm. Those whose responsibility it is to nurture you, to see that you thrive, are the ones who have created this nightmarish existence. Your thin, teary cries receive no comfort. Your only hope is rescue by a stranger. 80 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
ationwide, there are 600,000 child victims of abuse-and-neglect and nearly 450 in Yellowstone County. Sadly, the number of cases are increasing exponentially. It’s a never-ceasing battle that these children fight every day as they navigate the horrors of homegrown minefields described by one as a “long war for survival.” The war heroes fighting this battle are everyday people, just like you. Called CASAs, for Court Appointed Special Advocates, they are volunteers whose mission is to represent the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. The child’s case, until it is closed, is their sole priority, and the CASA often is the only consistent adult the child sees within the overburdened legal and social-work system. The CASA works to provide a protective buffer in the child’s world of grown-up inconsistency, working with diligence and care to ensure the child is not languishing in unsuitable foster homes, and strategizing on the child’s behalf for an end-goal of placement in a safe, permanent home.
from the bench
“From the judicial perspective,” said Yellowstone District Court Judge Mary Jane Knisely, who handled nearly 70 of these cases in 2015, “CASA’s dedicated volunteers are the only eyes and ears into the home that the court has. They’re the only voice the child has back to the court. You can’t
District Court Judge Mary Jane Knisely oversees many family court proceedings and highly values CASA’s input. LARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff
From the judicial perspective, CASA’s dedicated volunteers are the only eyes and ears into the home that the court has. You can’t underestimate the child’s voice.
underestimate the child’s voice. CASA’s only agenda is the child’s best interest and to have the child’s voice heard. We’re really fortunate to have CASAs.” Knisely, who, for five years, has sat on the DisMary Jane Knisely, Yellowstone trict Court bench where District Court Judge who abuse-neglect cases are handled nearly 70 of these cases in 2015 presented, contends, “These are some of the most time- and labor-intensive cases judges hear. The report filed by the CASA is very important because it gives a nutshell glimpse into what’s going on in foster care, how the parents are doing and how the child is responding. That is huge.” The children, Knisely emphasizes, often credit their CASA as the only consistent voice they had. “Some of these children are moved often. The goal is to find permanency for them, and the CASA who sticks with the case and is tenacious is the only permanency the children have as they navigate that system. Their CASA is constant,” she said. “Kids who come out of the foster-care system with positive outcomes are very, very complementary to their CASA.” CASA volunteers span the life-spectrum of caring citizens, comprising people in their 20s on up the age ladder, from professionals working inside and outside the home, to retirees.
not on sidelines
Holly and Ryan Cremer, husband and wife of Billings, are both in their late 20s and work full-time jobs. They tackle one case together as a team, in order to juggle the time required to effectively meet the needs of the child and family involved. They are there, Holly says, because “innocent children have been put in a place where they need somebody to give them their voice in the system. We are there as the voice of the child.” Ryan adds that he and Holly could not “stand on the sidelines knowing the mistreatment and heartbreak these children go through on a daily basis. Someone needs to take a stand and be the voice for those who cannot be heard. CASAs do just that.” Having worked in social services, Ryan knows the toll the legal and social-work system can take on these kids. “I would feel remiss if I stood idly by and did nothing when I know what the realities of abuse and neglect are,” he added. Currently working for the Montana Rescue Mission, Ryan sees on a daily basis the adult versions of what happens when the cycle of abuse and neglect in children is not broken. This, he says, is a motivator for his service with CASA. “The goal of breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect is extremely lofty. It’s something that’s going to take an entire community and nation to do,” Ryan said.
help wanted
Because the number of children entering the system increases daily, CASA needs additional advocates to take a stand and be the voice of the child.
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“That voice can be mine, it can be yours, it can be a 29-year-old and it can be a retiree,” said Ryan. The sad reality is that Yellowstone County has more children in foster care than any other county in the state. Judge Knisely reports that over 60 percent are drug-related removals and 40 percent are related to domestic violence. She believes the reason for the escalation “is an increase in use of methamphetamines, which is prevalent. It is the most available, the cheapest and in the purest form it’s ever been in Yellowstone County.” The majority of the drug, she notes, is being imported from Mexico. “Billings is a pass-through on the way to the Bakken; and, with the decreases in the oil business, some of those who were laid off are moving out of the Bakken to Yellowstone County because we have housing and jobs,” said Knisely. The results of the drug infestation in our community are devastating. “That is one of the huge reasons I see as an increase in need for volunteers locally,” she enjoined, a plea echoed by Ryan, who emphasizes that if anyone has ever thought of becoming a CASA, the time is absolutely now. “Every child deserves to be heard. These kids didn’t ask to be put in the situation they’re in. They are great kids who can grow up to be great adults, but they first need our help,” said Ryan. Without a CASA, he predicts, the children could become part of the cycle where they’re 13 today and, because they didn’t get the chance they needed, become an 18-year-old who might have a kid, and, by not knowing what could have been, be abusive and neglectful, continuing the cycle.
busting the pattern
Cass Staton, executive director of CASA of Yellowstone County, has high praise for the 100 CASA volunteers. Last year, these volunteers served 329, the highest number of kids Yellowstone County has served, up from 283 the previous year. “Our goal is to be able to provide a CASA volunteer to every child who needs one in the Yellowstone County foster-care system,” says Staton. “We have continued to grow our program, but with the rising numbers of
Cass Stanton serves children coming into care, we’re in danger of as executive director serving an ever-smaller percentage. We need of CASA of Yellowstone to close that gap.” County. And that gap continues to grow. More BOB ZELLAR/Gazette Staff than half the children in the system last year struggled through the morass without a CASA. “Research has shown that abused and neglected children who have a CASA volunteer are more likely to be placed in a permanent home,” reports Staton. “They spend an average of eight months less in foster care and are half as likely to re-enter foster care after their case closes.” Staton also wants to disabuse the myth that neglected and abused children come only from poorer neighborhoods. “I am not sure people realize how many kids are abused and neglected in our community, and that they come from all socio-economic backgrounds,” she said. “They are the kids who are going to school with our kids; they are in every single school in this town.”
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406-245-3238
Ryan and Holly Cremer have been CASA volunteers since 2014. LARRY MAYER/GAZETTE STAFF
therapy. We also did a lot of stuff on the backside that they didn’t see – calling and talking to others involved in the case, like teachers, social workers and attorneys.” Somewhere along the time line, though, that began to change.
pivot point
love A LABOR OF
PROVIDING POCKETS OF WARMTH WITHIN A COLD SYSTEM
B
ringing consistency and stability into a case of child abuse and neglect, as it winds its way through the legal- and social-work system, are important components the CASA volunteer conveys to the child. The CASA has been trained thoroughly for this job, but, more often than not, is surprised to find that a hug and a smile from the child turns what the CASA thought was supposed to be a job, into a labor of love. After training hard to become CASA of Yellowstone County volunteers, Ryan and Holly Cremer asked to be assigned one of the “toughest cases.” Because they had each other to rely on for support, in addition to the CASA staff, they felt confident they could handle it. The Cremers were determined to view their CASA role as a job, but, Ryan said, his heart melted “the first time I got a hug from the littlest one.” “She gave Holly a big hug and said goodbye, and then turned around and gave me a big hug, too,” Ryan reported. “I wasn’t expecting that.” Holly, too, smiles at the memory. She doesn’t remember when she stopped thinking of it as a case rather than as “my family.” Putting human faces onto the sterile, impersonal words in the case files transported the family from the file folder into the living room. “At first,” Holly recalls, “we were just visiting them, and were simply more people involved in their case, talking with them, writing reports, making sure they were in
The older children, Holly said, typical of teenagers, didn’t display affection for her and Ryan, which she understood. Then, Holly visited the youngest one in school. She recalls: “I knew she liked me, but there had been no affection towards us. As soon as I walked into the classroom, she ran up to me and gave me a huge hug. She turned to the class and said, ‘This is my CASA!’ and was so proud to show me off. “When I left, I broke down and started crying – I reThe goal of alized I am making a difference. I hadn’t breaking the experienced that becycle of abuse fore and it was really heartwarming to and neglect is know that we mean extremely lofty. something to them. “When Ryan It’s something and I started with that’s going to CASA, I was intimidated. I don’t feel take an entire that anymore. I want community and what’s best for these children. At first, I nation to do. thought I needed to Ryan Cremer who, along step back. I reminded with his wife Holly, works myself that I am here as a CASA team to do a job; but, then, you form a bond. You can’t help it – you want to make their lives better. It’s a different aspect from what I expected. You form a bond with the child’s family members as well. Their lives change and grow along with the child’s. You’re going through that journey with them.” This past Thanksgiving, Holly and Ryan received a text from the children’s guardian, with whom the children now live, thanking Holly and Ryan for everything they have done. “That meant a lot to us,” Ryan says softly. He also notes the warmth of comradery among the Advocates. Becoming a CASA “opens a new chapter in your life,” he said. “Once you’re sworn in, it becomes a big piece of who you are. The people we’ve met and gone through the training and swearing-in with have become really close to us because it’s a journey we’re taking together. It’s the same for Holly and me. What we’re doing we hope benefits others, but it means even more that we’re doing it together.”
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 83
THE INSIDE CASA TRAINING IS THOROUGH, SUPPORT CONTINUES IN THE FIELD
C
Volunteers receive more than ass Staton, ex30 hours of training before being ecutive direcassigned a case, and even then, tor of CASA their supervisor is only a phoneof Yellowcall away. “We remind volunstone County, teers that the judge makes the is proud that final decision in every case, with the retention the CASA volunteer being one of rate of their the many people who provides local CASA volunteers is higher input and information.” than the national average. Part of it could be that we have an exceptionally caring community, but it also could be attributed to the excellent training given to the local volunteers, she noted. If you think you might be inIf you’re concerned about terested in becoming a CASA of taking on a type of case that Yellowstone County volunteer, makes you feel uncomfortable, but question whether you’re the Staton says not to worry: “We BOB ZELLAR/GAZETTE STAFF right fit, Staton has the answer. don’t tell our volunteers what Cass Stanton serves as executive director of CASA of Yellowstone County. It’s a simple one: “The ideal cases they must take. We all have CASA volunteer cares about kids, is able to be objective and is good at things in our lives that we feel we cannot handle.” communicating.” Volunteers let the CASA staff know what kinds of cases they’re most One need not be an expert in areas of the law or social work. interested in, and whether there are types of cases they don’t feel they “That’s what the training is for,” she added. can handle.
within the comfort zone
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Nancy Molin
JoAnn Hiring
“Some people don’t want to do sexual abuse cases because they don’t feel they can be objective; so, we have a priority list of cases based on our Memorandum of Understanding with county courts. When a volunteer is ready to take a new case, we pull a number of cases for them to choose from, which fit their areas of interest, and avoid those cases that make them uncomfortable,” said Stanton. “Some people want to work with really young kids, some people’s hearts are in working with teenagers. The volunteers get to choose the cases they feel they can handle.” Several CASA volunteers work with more than one case, but Staton stresses that it depends on each volunteer. “We all have different stages of our lives when we can give more of our time. It’s not a life sentence to become a CASA volunteer, though some people do stay with us for many, many years,” which is testimony to how easy it is to become emotionally invested in the work they do.
tri-fold approach
Volunteers become the expert on the child and are the child’s leading advocate, serving, Staton says, in three ways: 1) As the one constant adult in the child’s life. Abused and neglected children typically experience multiple foster-home placements and multiple case workers. 2) As the eyes and ears of the court. CASA vol-
Bill McRae
unteers report on the wellbeing of the child, making sure the judge and attorneys have the knowledge they need about the child. 3) As the child’s voice in court. CASA volunteers speak up for children who can’t speak up for themselves, advocating for a safe and permanent home.
learn from peers
In response to National CASA’s implementation of standards that outline how many volunteers a local office’s staff can supervise, which, in effect, limits how many volunteers each office can have, based on the number of supervising staff the local office can afford, CASA of Yellowstone County recently switched its training focus to the volunteer peer-coordinator model. The peer-coordinators, Staton says, are seasoned volunteers who go through additional training to work with new advocates. “They are amazing people who are volunteering even more of their time because this is such an important cause for them. Some keep their own cases, and others, once their cases close, don’t take on a new one. About 60 percent of our volunteers now work directly with one of our 10 For more information about peer coordinators.” CASA of Yellowstone County Staton, the CASA of Yellowstone County and its information/training sesstaff , and board of directors, underscores the sions, visit their website at www. need for additional CASAs. To attract new talent yellowstonecasa.org or call the
to learn more office at 406-259-1233.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 85
they have implemented additional training sessions. Beginning March 30, a daytime training session will be added. “Daytime training is something new for us,” Staton says. “We typically do our training from 6:00-900 p.m., one night a week; however, we realized this doesn’t work for a lot of people, so we will include daytime training in March and April.” There also is a one-hour information session at the CASA office nearly every week. “It’s a nice way for people to decide if – yes, this is for me – or, no, it’s not,” says Staton. “There is absolutely no obligation for people to become a volunteer after attending one of the sessions.” The new CASA training is 30 hours and spans six weeks. After training, Staton says, the commitment typically is 5-15 hours per month to work on the case. “CASA does a phenomenal job of training their advocates prior to their swearing-in and appointment. They do their very best to prepare you for your casework. Even though every CASA will experience something in their case that they do not know the answer to, they have the support of their peer coordinators, program coordinators, social worker and every CASA staff member,” said CASA Ryan Cremer. “It is a little scary at first to stand up in court and speak on behalf of your child, but the judges in Yellowstone County truly appreciate
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casa pledge
what we do and are more than interested to hear what we have to say.” Accolades also go to the businesses and organizations that see the importance of having their employees be CASAs, such as the Montana Rescue Mission, employer of Ryan Cremer and Leavitt Great West Insurance, employer of Holly Cremer. For more information about CASA of Yellowstone County and its information/training sessions, visit their website at www.yellowstonecasa.org or call the office at 406-259-1233.
Cass Staton says the next swearing-in before the court for CASA volunteers will be at the end of February. Here is the Oath of Office they will take. As a Court Appointed Special Advocate, I am appointed by a Judge to serve as the investigative arm of the court and the voice of the child, therefore, I PLEDGE to see my CASA child a minimum of once per month; I PLEDGE to conduct a thorough investigation and provide a child-centered, fact-based Report every month, advocating for the child’s permanence, safety, and well-being; I PLEDGE to actively participate in court hearings and meetings for the child; I PLEDGE to maintain monthly contact with my CASA Coordinator and submit my reports and hours by the 5th of each month; I PLEDGE to complete 12 hours of training annually to develop my professional knowledge to better serve the child; I PLEDGE to serve as the “one constant” for the child, assisting with all transitions until the child achieves permanency.
COFFEE CULTURE
FEATURE
Baristas at Rock Creek Coffee Roasters specialize in the perfect latte.
STORY BY MICHELLE WILLIAMS ° PHOTOS BY CASEY PAGE Have you ever considered why you like the places you do? Why you enjoy eating at a specific restaurant or why you only shop at certain stores? If you take the actual product out of the equation, you’ll probably get to an answer that resembles something you might read on an online dating profile – describing the personality, the mood and feelings you experience when you walk through the doors. That’s because our surroundings affect us on a profound level. They impact mood and wellbeing and can even influence our purchase decisions. The colors of the walls, the style of the furniture, the smell in the air, the sounds inside and people in-
volved all affects our happiness and our desire to return (or not) to a certain space. Complicating this are peoples’ expectations and schedules, which are increasingly being shaped by modern technologies. From the ever-connected roving office to the 24-hour news carousel, the demands of grid living can be energy-sapping. When our minds are overwhelmed by what life throws our way, we can find ourselves in desperate need of calming. But, if we cannot find peace from within us, our only option is to look outside of us for answers, for direction and possibly. Simply head to your favorite local coffee shop.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 87
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Big Sky Coffee Roasters attracts neighbors and commuters who like the intimate atmosphere.
Off the Leaf, a popular coffee venue, is frequented by students from nearby Billings Senior High, Montana State UniversityBillings and Rocky Mountain College.
PERSONALITY CHOICES From the kiosks of Mountain Mudd to the drive-thrus of City Brews, coffee shops in Billings all serve quality coffee. But it takes something else to be the “go-to” shop among the giants of the industry. The atmosphere is different, there’s a tangible energy, a personality, an entire ecosystem that lives and breathes inside its walls. Envisioned by the owners, encouraged by the location and adapted by the customers that frequent it, a coffee shop’s culture becomes tangible. Off the Leaf on Grand Avenue is one such place. With its large, high-top tables, trendy ambience and live music, Off the Leaf has become more lifestyle destination than store, inviting devotees to linger beyond their usual single cup and stay for lunch or perhaps a board game. “We like to come here because its quiet, the lighting is low and they have big tables so we can spread out and play a game,” said two patrons as they moved pieces around on their board. “It’s centrally-located between our
houses, and the service is really good.” The coffee shop, decorated in rich reds, oranges and yellows, serves a diverse crowd. From the early morning commuters to the evening gatherers looking for a place to meet with friends, Off the Leaf welcomes. “The friendly atmosphere at Off the Leaf is the reason I came to work here. Regardless of your age, gender, religion or sexual preference, you just feel welcome when you walk in and I wanted to be part of it” said one employee. Located adjacent to a residential area lends to the company’s large customer base of high school and college kids, who come to the coffee shop because it’s a mostly-quiet reprieve from their home and school. Strategically located between the Heights, downtown and West End, it’s also a perfect meeting place for friends opting to go out for a cup of coffee rather than a whole meal, saving money while still having a social experience. Farther west on Grand Avenue, Big Sky Coffee Roasters creates a more intimate, neighborhood vibe in its smaller coffee shop.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 89
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Kelli Kovash, owner of Big Sky Coffee Roasters, roasts beans on-site at the neighborhood coffeehouse. Located beneath Skypoint in downtown Billings, Rock Creek Coffee Roasters feeds the downtown-urban vibe. A downtown mainstay for more than 10 years, Rock Creek Coffee Roasters attracts a blend of patrons, including business professionals, retirees and downtown residents, giving the coffee house an eclectic atmosphere.
“I consider us to be a boutique coffee shop,” said owner Kelli Kovash, who spends just as much time getting to know her customers as she does making their coffee. “We know our customers by name and are often starting their drink before they pull into the drive-through or walk up to the counter.” It could be considered the coffee shop equivalent to the neighborhood bar, Cheers of TV sitcom fame.
DOWNTOWN BEAT At Rock Creek Coffee Roasters, located in the heart of downtown Billings, brings the energy and life of the city indoors through its large windows, high ceilings and 100-year-old architecture. Complementing the experience is wood furniture that can be moved around to accommodate large gatherings, a roasting machine in the center of the room and a small sitting area. The owners, Peggy and Joel Gargano have been serving customers downtown for 11 years. From bank presidents to nearby residents, these two have created a community within a community where professionals can meet, drink and do business. “We’re unique because of our customers in this downtown area. You have lawyers working on cases and talking about plea bargains, you have another group talking about oil and you have a committee meeting or a book club happening in the back corner” said Peggy. “The atmosphere and what we create is based on the customers we serve. The coffee is completely separate from the environment. It’s incredible to watch the connections that develop within this space.”
MORE SELECTIVE Coffee consumers today are smarter about the coffee they drink. They’ve developed a more sophisticated palette and seek out opportunities to indulge their senses. Mind and body experiences redefine understanding of our senses, providing a means to relax, an escape from busyness and an opportunity to
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Since 1998, City Brew has been roasting and serving coffee in Billings, often becoming the neighborhood hangout.
experiment. This is the essence of what MoAV wants to bring to the Billings coffee community. Scheduled to open in April of 2016, MoAV hopes to serve those who appreciate quality and experience. Owners, Jeff Hosa, Adam Feldner and Matt Pipinich agree. “We don’t want to be corporate coffee. We want to be unique and deliver a product you can’t find at a corporate coffee shop because it can’t be replicated in scale,” said Pipinich “You’re going to see this ‘craft’ style across all facets of our company, because that’s the heart and sole of our business.” In the coffee category, consumers have more choices than ever. They’re being more selective about what drinks they consume and where they choose to consume them. Unlike the large corporate models built on efficiencies and speed, local coffee bars take their vibe very seriously—giving Billings locals the opportunity to meet, savor and spend time together.
WHAT IS A MAN? W
BY DR. ALAN MUSKETT I ILLUSTRATION BY BOB TAMBO
as this the fifth or sixth time? I am consoling my younger daughter Cathy, she having decided, once again, that UB (Unsatisfactory Boyfriend) had to go. Her tone on the phone was flat and sad. I hate that.
“Honey, this guy is a wuss. You need to find a man.” “OK Daddy, what is a man?” “Well, uh, you know…..” What IS a man? MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 91
POOR SPORTS NEED NOT APPLY
EGO ALERT
UB had failed a couple of man tests last summer when he joined us at the lake. Our family likes tubing behind the boat, with some friendly interplay between the riders of the two tubes. My son had picked up UB unceremoniously and chucked him off the tube. UB emerged from the deep spluttering and howling about a “cracked rib.” My older daughter Sally helpfully pointed out that rib fractures are rarely displaced, nothing to be done about them, get back on the tube. UB chose to huddle in a towel. During a family basketball game, my hockey-playing brother guarded him, and UB had the temerity to call a foul. Our family doesn’t call fouls. Ambulances occasionally. Not fouls. “Does your family interact in some manner besides combat?” UB asked. We had to think about that.
One moment early on sunk UB. My surgical partner Steve Grosso and I attended a meeting in Chicago. We spent an evening with UB and Cathy. For UB it was sort of like having a tête-á-tête with the Gestapo and the KGB. UB was sparkling and charming, intelligent and engaging. Steve then asked Cathy about her work, and it was absolutely remarkable how quickly UB checked out. He picked up his phone, turned to the game on an overhead TV and waited for the attention to turn back to him. In another era he would have been on his way to Siberia. The essential man IS charming and engaging, intelligent and confident, powerful and strong. But when his partner, his kid or his coworker is having a moment, he is the picture of rapt and quiet support. All that raw masculine energy quietly enfolds that person like a goose-down sleeping bag. A real man always wants to be a better man. One way of saying “I love you” is by putting a better product on the field. The essential man is very proud, but not silly or huffy, he just gets done what needs doing. If she changes the tire faster or makes more money, then he is either cool with it or gets better. He doesn’t get stupid. At first, while trying to answer this question for my daughter, I thought about the attributes of a man relative to a woman. That turns out to be incorrect. What defines a man is not what makes him different from a woman. Those differences are magical and chemical and hormonal. The mystery and beauty of life can be contaminated by over analysis. A man uses all his resources – his strength, his power, his ambition and his intellect – exercising them judiciously and subverting them liberally. Loving but cool, sharing but not maudlin, tongue firmly in cheek, he just doesn’t make a fuss. Why, what do you know? That sounds like me! So far no one agrees with me. Women. What do they know?
MODERN MANHOOD In answering the man question, traditional definitions have to be discarded. Women are surgeons and astronauts and Rangers and Supreme Court Justices. Men raise children and change diapers and cook and clean and all that. (Maybe not all that often, but still…) So the essence of Man has to be differentiated from cultural context and retro roles. Some women have suggested to me that what remains is a crumpled up beer can. But here goes anyway. The bedrock of masculinity is strength and power. Interestingly, it is not the exercise of strength and power that defines masculinity. It is the 300-pound lineman who holds a six-pound baby. It is the high-wattage intellect that remains quiet while lesser poseurs bloviate endlessly in the boardroom. It is the partner, possessed of extremely insightful advice, offering none while his beloved relates the hurt and treachery of the day. It is the brilliant willing to let someone else do it pretty well and take the credit. Power may not be directly expressed but it does emanate. You may not read about it or see it on the scoreboard, but you can feel it. A man is a lover, but not a user of women. The essential man loves women for their emotional dexterity and intuitive intelligence. He doesn’t necessarily desire those qualities, because subtlety gets in the way of shooting from the hip, but appreciates them nonetheless. It is possible to love something or someone you believe to be utterly crazy, and at the same time be able to reserve judgment, and more importantly, reserve comment.
KRISTIN JEAN P HO TOG R AP HE R
kristinjeanphotographer.com
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Dr. Alan Muskett is a Montana native, born in Missoula with an English degree from Montana State. From 1991-2003 he practiced cardiac surgery in Billings, then retrained in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Since 2005 he has been with Billings Plastic Surgery. A contributor to The Billings Gazette, and author, he has written and lectured on health, healing and chain saws. His wife Pam, and three children are frequent targets of his irreverent view of medicine and life.
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APRIL FOOLS’ DAY
Montana Style STORY BY ROB ROGERS
pril Fool’s Day in Montana has a long and proud tradition of A prank-pulling. From nail polish-wielding moms who pull shenanigans on their kids before school to a radio DJ who ended up with a visit from government heavies after his on-air joke went array, Montana gets it done right. The following stories are some of the more memorable April Fool’s Day pranks pulled across the state. You may even find an idea or two.
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The Montana Mint pulled a now-famous prank in 2014 that played perfectly to Millennials’ love of self-promotion and everyone’s desire for 15 minutes of fame.
Bozeman, home to Montana State University, was the perfect target. The Mint, by the way, is a Bozeman-based website that promotes Montana through original stories, posts and
photos and with aggregated online content. At around 8:30 p.m. on April 1, 2014, the site posted a fake news story about MTV’s venerable reality show, “Real World” filming its 30th season in Bozeman. Plenty of the Mint’s online followers bought the story, hook, line and sinker. They lit up Twitter minutes after the story went live. “OMG the Real World is coming to Bozeman, MT. I may be a griz but expect to see me over there trying to get my 15 minutes of fame,” wrote Twitter user @ sheridandelzer. Twitter user @TurnBurn78 wasn’t as impressed. “Apparently real world is coming to bozeman. @MTV if I see one camera in this beautiful town I will do anything to stop the filming.” The Mint’s original story hit all the right notes, which included a link to a fake press release with MTV’s letterhead. “MTV’s ‘The Real World’ is coming to Bozeman. Let that sink in. Never in our wildest dreams (nightmares?) did we imagine writing that sentence. Or reading this press release. Montana has officially jumped the shark. “To be fair, we probably should have seen this coming. We had heard rumblings MTV was in town, and one reader tipped us off that it was a scout team (not a film crew). Bozeman is by far the smallest, and maybe the coldest, city to host the show. But MTV has gone off the beach and bikini path before, with seasons in Denver, Austin, and recently Portland.” As posted at montana-mint.com on April 1, 2014. Not all of the Mint’s readers, including the Livingston Chamber of Commerce, fell for the ruse. A few readers sniffed out a prank or expressed a heap of skepticism. “This is an April Fool’s joke I hope?!?! I almost barfed on my phone,” tweeted @ Zach_w4it_Nell. “MTV Montana Real World is coming to Bozeman... It was hard to tell if this was a joke because the press release...,” tweeted the Livingston Chamber of Commerce. The Mint later confessed to the prank and wrote a post that included the best Twitter reactions from its readers. It was deemed a success and most folks seemed to enjoy the joke. Billings DJ Casey Paul wasn’t so lucky.
PRANKS GONE BAD
It’s all fun and games until the Department of Environmental Quality calls. Early on April 1, 2008, radio DJ Casey Paul told listeners on their morning commute that Billings residents would need to boil their water. A nasty bug he called the “orgur virus” had gotten into the city’s water supply and that the “Tribunal Urban Rural Drinking Association” had issued the boil order. The association’s initials, of course, were TURDA. Paul had hoped that would be enough to clue listeners into the joke. No such luck. In the Billings office of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation two employees had been listening and commented to each other that neither of them had been feeling well lately. Their talk spread downstairs to the office of the Department of Environmental Quality, the state agency responsible for issuing boil orders. Employees there quickly noted that they’d issued no such orders and wondered what was going on. After making a few calls, department officials quickly learned it was joke. DEQ’s environmental science specialist John Weikel immediately called the radio station. “They thought it was very comical. I elaborated that it was not funny,” Weikel told The Billings Gazette that afternoon. “It is a very serious accusation to make, especially on radio that is licensed by the (Federal Communications Commission) to issue public health warnings.”
Paul was a little surprised the prank took off. “We just thought it was a joke that nobody was going to buy for more than two minutes,” he told the Gazette. “So yeah, we had to visit with a couple of officials.” Even eight years later, Paul, who’s now program director at Planet 106.7 and one half of the station’s morning show, expressed some embarrassment about how it all played out. Then he politely turned down an interview request.
BRIGHT RED TOENAILS & CREAM PIES
Audrey McClure, the mother of three boys loves a good joke. When her sons were still in elementary school, she snuck into their room before the sun was up one April Fool’s Day and painted each of the boy’s toe nails with fire-engine red nail polish. She heard the shouts from the boys as soon as they got up. The three had plans to go fishing that day with their father and grandfather. Instead, the youngest son snuck into Audrey’s room where she was pretending to sleep and silently laid a rubber snake at the foot of her bed. She instantly screamed the moment she saw it, and the boys got the reaction they wanted. Across town Charlene Grass, who had five children at home, had a flair for the practical. Along the front walk of her home were a line of bushes that hid pedestrians from sight. As her youngest son walked home from school one April Fool’s Day, Charlene sprang from the bushes and launched a cream pie at his face. It was a prank she repeated for three more years, moving the location from the bushes to the alleyway to the hallway in her home to keep her son on his toes. Many of these stories of moms having fun with their kids on April Fool’s Day were collected by now- retired reporter Mary Pickett for The Billings Gazette.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 95
AT HOME ON THE ICE
I
still remember that day… My mom took me to an outdoor rink in Chicago. I was struggling my way around the rink grabbing onto the boards when a skater came whizzing past me doing a split jump and gave me a little wink. That was it. I was hooked. Cathy Goettel was five when her mother took her skating for the first time, and she remembers it as if it were yesterday. These days, Cathy is still skating, but at the indoor Centennial Ice Arena in Billings—with three of her own children in tow. Goettel is president of the Yellowstone Valley Figure Skating Club, and after all these years, remains passionate about the sport. Photos by Bob Zellar “Skating teaches a lot of life skills. Not only does it require a strong work ethic, but skating is also a mental sport. Positive attitude is everything. You learn very quickly that if you fall down, there is no other option but to get back up. If you don’t you will get run over,” she said. “I think that is true for real-life as well… you can’t just sit there.”
BY KATHLEEN HARRIS
Amelia Messman
Elena Vandersloot
Common love
Yellowstone Valley Figure Skating Club and the Figure Skating Club of Billings both offer the opportunity for Billings residents to get out on the ice and skate, from August to April, that is. And the more than 80 participants in those clubs, who range from age 3 to over 70, share a love of skating that extends far beyond the ice. Laura Blatz is a grandmother who has been skating for the last seven years. “There is a tremendous sense of family and community within the group – parents, grandparents, children – we all skate together.” Through skating Blatz has been able to learn something new, make new friends and form her own support group. This year, she performed a routine with her 8-year-old granddaughter Amelia Messman. Both grandma and For more information on granddaughter agree that overthe Figure Skating Club of coming the fear of falling is the Billings visit their website most difficult aspect of learning at www.figureskatingto skate, but that the rewards are clubofbillings.org. worth the risk. For more information on “The first time it was really the Yellowstone Valley scary, ” said Messman, “but now it’s Figure Skating Club, visit their page on Facebook. not scary anymore.” Skaters agree that the primary benefit of skating with a club is companionship – and coaching. “Clubs and coaching are essential,” says 60-year-old attorney and solo ice-dancer Sol Lovas. “Skating is not a natural thing to do, it is not instinctive. The club provides a coach, time on the ice, camaraderie and access to local and regional competitions. And it is just not a lot of fun when you are by yourself.” Adult and youth skaters in both clubs skate both recreationally and competitively, with competitions including the Big Sky State Games in April and other regional and national competitions.
INFO
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Cathy Goettel
Cathy and Lily Goettel, mother-daughter duet
Sharing skate time
Both the YVFS Club and the FSC of Billings schedule ice time at Centennial Ice Arena for their members, as well providing the expertise of seasoned coaches. It is challenging to find enough hours to practice, explains FSC of Billings coach Alex McCready. “Our skaters lead busy lives and skating is very demanding. With schedule limitation students have to choose what they really want to pursue and know that they will be sacrificing sleep. If you figure skate it is just a given that you are up at the crack of dawn,” she said. YVFS Club coach Leslie Albright finds time to coach club members whenever she can – early mornings before school, after school and on weekends. “I coach to be able to share my knowledge and experiences Lily Goettel to others,” she said, “to inspire the next generation of skaters—and hopefully to give them the passion and excitement that I have had for the past 41 years for such a beautiful and challenging sport.” It takes a concentrated group effort to keep a skating club on ice, especially in Billings where skating is seasonal. Both figure skating clubs are non-profit organizations governed by volunteer boards and supported by dedicated parents and skaters. McCready explains, “Our skaters learn to set goals and utilize
Sol Lovas
what little time they do have to achieve those goals. It takes a great deal of cooperation and commitment from coaches, skaters helping on the ice and parents organizing the program.” But she feels the sacrifice is worth it for both the skaters and the coaches. “I enjoy young people and their eagerness to learn something and, in that creative way, make it their own,” McCready said. “I have seen so many students start skating who are very shy, but start to master their skills and gain confidence and then just blossom.” Goettel claims that each of her children left the ice after their first time cursing her and promising they would never come back. But Lily, the daughter who drew Cathy back to the ice eight years ago did come back. Lily is now 14 and spends two to four LILY GOETTEL, 14-YEARhours training each OLD FIGURE SKATER week. She finds skating a stress-reliever that builds core strength and confidence. “With skating you have to have fun, be confident and stay positive – if not you won’t improve. You have to skate in front of spectators and judges and if you aren’t confident, it shows,” she said. “People think that in skating falling is the worst thing that can happen, but the great thing about skating is that falling isn’t failure – it just shows that you are trying harder.”
“People think that in skating falling is the worst thing that can happen, but the great thing about skating is that falling isn’t failure – it just shows that you are trying harder.”
Nickolas Goettel
DUST OFF THOSE BLADES!
Opportunities to learn, or re-learn, to skate abound in Billings. The figure skating clubs and Centennial Ice Arena work together to offer ‘Learn to Skate’ – a six-week program held on Sunday afternoons that teaches beginners young and old alike to find their ice legs. More experienced skaters looking to improve their skills are welcome at Learn to Skate as well. Skaters are encouraged to wear helmets, hats or mittens and to dress in layers. For more information on Learn to Skate, call Centennial Ice Area at 256-1192 or visit www.centennialicearena.com. For information on skating or the Learn to Skate program in Red Lodge, visit the Red Lodge Ice Rink Facebook page.
FIGURE SKATING: NOT JUST FOR KIDS
While figure skating was once considered the sport of the young, more and more adult skaters are trying skating for the first time, or coming back to a sport they once loved as a child. Figure skating clubs are a big part of that movement. Cathy Goettel, President of the YVFS Club, grew up skating and competed through her college years, but hadn’t skated in years when she decided to teach her daughter how to skate. “I realized how much I still loved this sport and really missed it. It gives such a feeling of freedom and I can really just focus on me while I am on the ice.” Adults can now pursue personal goals at their own level, without having to worry about being competitive, or competing against children. 60-year old skater Sol Lovas encourages other adults to try out figure skating. “Figure skating is empowering,” she explained. “It improves coordination, movement, concentration and balance and it is a tremendous stress reliever. After a stressful day at work, an hour on the ice is transformative. I come filled with stress, and leave in a great mood.”
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 99
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100 I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE
ENTER, STAGE LEFT Billings has a lot going for it – a major art museum, symphony, opera, performing arts center and independent movie house. History prevails in organizations like the Western Heritage Center, Moss Mansion and The Billings Depot. The region supports the large-venue Alberta Bair Theater, two community theaters and two independent theatrical companies that produce original and new works. Stages are popping up around town in places like MoAv, a new coffee shop on Montana Avenue, and Wild Ginger, a sprawling Asian fusion restaurant downtown. There is no doubt, the theatrical community here thrives. “Billings is the biggest little town in America,” said William Wood, executive director of Alberta Bair Theater. “There is such good stuff going on in this town.”
BY ANNA PAIGE MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 101
I
f Shakespeare had it right, all the world’s a stage. In Billings, that rings true for many, including Sacrifice Cliff Theatre Company co-founders Patrick Wilson and Shad Scott, who let their actors be the guide – creating artist-responsive theater without a specific physical home. Sacrifice Cliff troupes have staged performances in garages and warehouses, in parks, in conjunction with the brick-and-mortar theaters in town, and, once in a bank lobby. Without the associated costs of maintaining a building, the theater company is quite nimble. “We are self-starters,” said Wilson. “We had a need, and we had enough skills and tools and interested people to make DIY theater and create art.” Sacrifice Cliff emerged in 2012 and began staging artist workshops to give actors and playwrights instant feedback on the performances they were attempting to stage. Theater in Billings at that time was in a bit of turmoil, as the independent veteran Venture Theater Company was in financial difficulties. Wilson and Scott noted that creating Sacrifice was independent of what was happening with Venture. “Sacrifice Cliff was already staring to be known as that place where an artist could challenge themselves and play,” Wilson added. “There was a huge need in myself, in other artists to be able to create work on our terms.” That was the mentality of Wanda Morales, Amanda Megasi McCave and Chaslee Schweitzer, who came together to create Backyard Theater in the summer of 2013, literally held in the McCave’s backyard. Billed as “theatre anywhere, anytime, for everyone,” the company has produced shows such as The Little Prince, The Other Size of Oz and the Greek tragedy Medea. Right: Dina Brophy, top, and Sarah Hatfield star in Sacrifice Cliff Theatre’s production of “Gidion’s Knot” at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts. CASEY PAGE/ Gazette Staff. Above: Sacrifice Cliff recently presented the drama Emilie at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts. HANNAH POTES/Gazette Staff
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The Laker Girls dance around their Lady of the Lake, middle, played by Susan Kennedy Summerfeld, during Spamalot at the Billings Studio Theatre. HANNAH POTES/
Gazette Staff
FIERCELY INDEPENDENT
“THEATER IS ABOUT PEOPLE. IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE AND GIVING PEOPLE A PLACE TO BE SAFE AND FREE.” DODIE RIFE, MANAGING PRODUCER OF NOVA CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS, DESCRIBES THEATER AS “A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO A PLACE WHERE COMMUNITY IS BUILT.”
With such independent pop-ups, Billings’ audiences now have an array choice when it comes to theater productions. In the brick-and-mortar world, Billings boasts two community theater companies, Billings Studio Theatre and NOVA Center for the Performing Arts (formerly Venture Theatre). Billings Studio Theatre recently announced its 64th season in Billings. Being the oldest theater company in Billings has its advantages. They have established patrons, a base of actors and a dedicated play reading committee that selects each season’s performances. “We are a bunch of hunter-gatherers,” said A.J. Kalanick, executive director of Billings Studio Theatre. “We read everything we can get our hands on.” The company stages eight productions a year, balancing between musicals and plays. They also open their doors to Rocky Mountain College’s theater department for their yearly production (Billings Studio Theatre leases the land that the building is on from RMC). Billings Studio Theatre supports a youth program called Growing Stage Players and stages a production each year for actors under age 18.
Seja Foster, Kevin Cates, Stuart Ross, Elizabeth Alexander (back L-R) William Shields, Pam Havig, Kyle Trott and Alli Neyhart (front L-R) performed in The Adams Family at Billings Studio Theatre.
Bottom right: Daniel Zent Shad Scott, Richard Leeds (standing) and Gustavo Belotta starred in Billings Studio Theatre’s Is He Dead? BOB ZELLAR/Gazette Staff.
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 103
ON MONTANA AVENUE
It’s been about three years since Venture Theater dissolved. A 20-year institution for locally-produced theater and youth productions, the idea of Venture lives on in NOVA, which arose from the merger of Venture and Rimrock Opera in early 2013. Venture, saddled with debt, and Rimrock Opera, needing a physical home, blended into a local performing arts center. “Just like anything, there have been some growing pains,” said Dodie Rife, managing producer at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts. “Venture was a bit on the rebellious side, and opera is a bit more buttoned up.” NOVA finds its footing by continuing youth outreach and bringing together the powerful performances of Rimrock Opera with the community-focused productions of local theater. Venture’s programs that provide youth an opportunity to learn and explore theater, such as its youth conservatory and Venture Into Schools, continue, as does Rimrock Opera’s main-stage operatic performance each year at the Alberta Bair Theater. Rimrock Opera Chorus for Kids youth program and educational outreach now take place in the NOVA building. Rife and crew are passionate about providing youth programming and bringing more people to the arts. “Theater is about people. It’s about people and giving people a place to be safe and free.” Rife describes theater as “a service to the community, but also a place where community is built.”
The Wizard of Oz at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts. HANNAH POTES/Gazette Staff
On any given day, NOVA is bustling with actors in rehearsal, children in youth camps, stagehands working on set dressing. “Theater is doing something you love,” said Rife. “That camaraderie that you build, you have this bond with people. You can’t be in a play and not have some kind of connection.” Rife isn’t ready to disclose the 2016 season, but she said it has a bit of everything. “You have to strike a balance between recognition and risk.”
BIG STAGE
This balance is something William Wood is intimately familiar with. As the largest performing arts center in Montana, Albert Bair Theater programs 120 public performances a year. Wood came to Billings from Michigan nine years ago to take on the role of executive director of ABT.
When it comes to programming, it’s all about location. Billings can be a difficult area to attract major acts, but it also means ABT’s season is responsive to the availability of artists. “Where we are can be an asset or a curse,” said Wood. Billings is a mid-sized market and a mid-week stop. Large touring performances want to spend their weekends in major markets, but Billings is located in the geographic alley between Denver and Calgary. Billings is also a logical stop for performances headed south out of Seattle, Spokane or Boise. “We are getting more calls from agents when they know they will be in this region,” said Wood. This is how Blue Man Group ended up in Montana—Wood knew the promoter, and it seemed like a logical stop for the group. ABT was the smallest venue they played on that tour. “That agent, when they needed that stop they could have called Rapid City or a few other places, but they called us,” Wood said. “When you get down to it, it’s who you know, how you’ve treated them and how they’ve treated you in the past.” Wood programs ABT’s season with a balance of performance arts, including four to six major Broadway productions and at least one significant dance artist. He also looks for acrobatic, Cirque-du-Soleil-style performances, as well as highly visual “spectacle” performances (artists such as Blue Man Group.) The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)[Revised] was recently produced at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts. HANNAH POTES/Gazette Staff
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CATCH A PERFORMANCE FEBRUARY Members of the Dallas Children’s Theater act in the play The True Story of the Three Little Pigs during a special performance at the Alberta Bair Theater. Here, the Big Bad Wolf dances during a court room scene.
Muskie Love, a hilarious musical that tells the fish-slapping tale of two rival fishing guides (Feb. 26—March 13, Billings Studio Theatre)
JAMES WOODCOCK/Gazette Staff
Rimrock Opera presents Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot (Feb. 27, NOVA)
MARCH
Roots and Wings, a new work by Demetra Perros on using art to heal from trauma— produced by Sacrifice Cliff (March 3 – 5 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church) In collaboration with Missoula’s Red Willow Collective, a therapeutic wellness center, Sacrifice Cliff Theater Co. are developing a new work to be staged (March 3 – 5, location TBA). “I love being able to offer that variety,” Wood said. “I am a very eclectic person, I like eclectic things.” ABT doesn’t stage much traditional theater programming outside of Montana Repertory, the professional theatre-in-residence at the University of Montana, which comes to Billings once a year. They instead leave those performances to NOVA and Billings Studio Theater. “We try to focus on the things we do well, and let them focus on what they do well,” Wood said. Shows with marquee recognition are bound to do better than acts without much name recognition. Billings patrons are taking more risks, but they still gravitate to what’s familiar to them. There are only so many en-
tertainment dollars available. “It makes it a challenge for all of us in this business, but we all communicate and work together,” Wood said. The community theaters also work in tandem to support one another. “You don’t really want to go head to head,” said Rife. “You have to work together. We do share not just the actors but the backstage help and community support.” As volunteer-based community theaters, both Billings Studio Theatre and NOVA rely heavily on volunteers. Each organization has only three to four paid staff; directors and actors are typically not paid, and if there is a stipend, it’s minimal. “Theater is a community,” Rife said. “It’s a place where you find love.”
MUMMENSCHANZ, The Musicians of Silence (March 4, ABT) The Big Friendly Giant (March 8, ABT) Veteran performers of Cirque de la Symphonie perform choreographed movements while Billings Symphony Orchestra performs Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, among other works (March 12, ABT) Mama Mia returns to Billings (March 23, ABT) Dry Streak, a tale of a burning hot summer on a Saskatchewan farm (March 25 – April 9, Billings Studio Theatre)
APRIL
Creatures created by actors wearing light suits perform DINO-LIGHT at the Alberta Bair Theater.
All Together Now, a movement piece featuring Dav e Caserio, Dina Brophy, Krista Marshall, and Carly Green about death and family dynamics—produced by Sacrifice Cliff (date and location TBA).
JAMES WOODCOCK/ BILLINGS GAZETTE
Rita (April 15-24, NOVA)
LEARN MORE ABOUT LOCAL THEATER:
Alberta Bair Theater: 256-6052 or albertabairtheater.org Billings Studio Theatre: 248-1141 or billingsstudiotheatre.com NOVA Center for the Performing Arts: 591-9535 or novabillings.org Sacrifice Cliff Theatre Company: 672-9291 or Facebook.com/GoTheArtistsWorkshop
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 105
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SEEN SCENE AT THE
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ZooMontana’s Noon Year’s Eve
16] Ann & Gemma Mickunas Scoles 17] Anna & Evelyn York 18] Kristen, Alden, Raddick & Krysti Scott 19] Ann, Madison & Alyson Drew
Fly Fishing Film Tour 2016
20] John Hermstad, Zac & Kit Seaton 21] Lindsei May, Mallory Hatfield & Wayne Hexum
Winterfair 2015 22] Jane Urbaska & Cassie 23] Kathie & Steve Shandera 24] Korra Poitra & Zarria Dennis 25] Mel Young & Jo Duncan 26] Remie, Ellie, Tiffany & Jaxson O’Brien 27] Tobee, Jude & Mia Keutla
Chasing Shadows 28] Cash & Wes Danskin 29] Mary & Steve Pattonn 30] Preston & Dabney Gingrich
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ArtWalk at the YAM
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31] Aaron Nathan 32] Bowen Brown & Dana Gro 33] Kathleen Cooper & Charlie Peterson 34] David Cleaves & Michelle Dyk 35] Zoe Elyada & John Stover
Soweto Gospel Choir
36] Mr. and Mrs. Howard Shane 37] Robert & Eva Srygley
Paint n Sip with Ben Pease at YAM
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38] Ben Pease & Kevin Stenberg 39] Heather Soelter & Debbie Green 40] Nathan & Monica Marston, Nancy Lea Jacobson & Merle Frank 41] Jeremy & Tara Wolf 42] Ben Pease & Virginia Bryan
Darlene Love Christmas
43] Dallas & Bridgett Gardner 44] Stella Daskalakas & Darlene Love 45] Tim Harmon, Darlene Love & Lori Harmon
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Heritage Playapalooza!
FEBRUARY
Western Heritage Center March 26
In their seventh year running, the Western Heritage Center (WHC) offers an opportunity for families to play with the historic and vintage games cherished by parents and grandparents. Featuring marbles, pick-up-sticks, hop scotch and more, a bundle of tickets for $10 goes a long way to keep kids entertained and off screens. Play time runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Proceeds from the event go toward future WHC education programs. Visit ywhc.org for more information.
Exhibition is ongoing Boundless Visions: Selections from the Permanent Collection Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org February 17 Railroad Earth Babcock Theatre babcocktheater.com February 18-20 MATE Show Home and Health Expo Expo Center and Montana Pavilion at MetraPark themateshow.com February 19 MMA Fights Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark metrapark.com February 20 International Guitar Night Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org Billings Wolves Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark billingswolves.com ZONTA Club of Billings 19th annual Trivia Night St. Bernard’s Church billingszonta. org February 24 Lake County Wines from Napa’s Northern Neighbor MSUB Student Union Banquet Rooms winefoodfestival.com February 25 Billings Public Schools 5th Grade Exhibition Reception Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
CASEY PAGE
Aiden Martin, 5, plays a ring and stick game at the Western Heritage Center’s Playapalooza on Saturday, Mar. 2, 2013.
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February 25-27 Eastern A Divisional Boys & Girls Basketball Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark metrapark.com February 25-28 RV and Boat Show Expo Center at MetraPark metrapark.com February 26-March 12 Muskie Love Billings Studio Theatre billingsstudiotheatre.com February 26 Art & Craft film screening Babcock Theatre artmuseum.org February 27 Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot Alberta Bair Theater rimrockopera foundation.org IRATION & PEPPER: Hawaiian Punch Winter Tour 2 Babcock Theatre babcocktheater.com February 28 Wedding Preview Moss Mansion mossmansion.com
March 11 Relay for Life Reception MetraPark Montana Pavilion relay.acsevents.org March 11-20 Charlotte’s Web NOVA Center for the Performing Arts novabillings.org Garrison Keillor
MARCH March 2 Garrison Keillor Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org March 4 MUMMENSCHANZ Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org March 4-5 Southern B Divisional Basketball Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark metrapark.com March 4-6 Home Improvement Show Expo Center and Montana Pavilion at MetraPark billingshomeimprovementshow. com Until March 5 Exhibit: Art Auction 48 Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org March 5 Art Auction 48 Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org March 9 Jobs Jamboree Montana Pavilion at MetraPark metrapark.com YAM Teens Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
March 12 Docent 2nd Saturday: Art for Kids Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org Cirque de la Symphonie Alberta Bair Theater billingssymphony.org Billings Wolves Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark billingswolves.com Trunks & Treasures Moss Mansion mossmansion.com Junior League of Billings Bingo Night Yellowstone Country Club juniorleagueofbillings.org March 16 Black Otter District Scout Show Montana Pavilion at MetraPark metrapark.com March 17 Lyle Lovett & Robert Earl Keen Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org High Noon Lecture Series Cities of the Dead: A History of Billings’ Early Cemeteries Western Heritage Center ywhc.org March 18 Central Andes Workshop Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
Yellowstone Art Museum Sukay Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org FAM at the YAM Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org March 18-20 Montana RV, Boat & Powersports Show Expo Center at MetraPark metrapark.com March 19 Look Draw Look Draw with Robin Earles Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org Black Otter District Scout Show MetraPark Montana Pavilion metrapark.com St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Celtic Street Fair Downtown Billings downtownbillings.com
March 20 Yellowstone Rimrunners Shamrock Run Pioneer Park rimrunners.org
Exhibit: The Falcon’s Eye: Natural Photographs by Michael Sample Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
March 23 MAMMA MIA! Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 25-April 9 Dry Streak Billings Studio Theatre billingsstudiotheatre.com
Wines of New Zealand and Australia in the Southern Hemisphere MSUB Student Union Banquet Rooms winefoodfestival.com
March 26 Barrage 8 Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 24 Motion Workshop Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org March 24-June 30 Exhibit: Harold Schlotzhauer: The Shape of Motion Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
Billings Wolves Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark billingswolves.com Easter EggstravaganZOO ZooMontana zoomontana.org Heritage Playapalooza! Western Heritage Center ywhc.org
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April 10 Billings Community Band spring concert Alberta Bair Theater facebook.com/ billingscommunityband April 13 YAM Teens Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org April 15-17 PBR Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark pbr.com April 15-24 Rita NOVA Center for the Performing Arts novabillings.org April 16 Pinhole and Other Photography with Edward Barta Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org March 28 Let It Be Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org March 31 Head Start Exhibition Reception Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
Rescued and Reclaimed MetraPark Montana Pavilion facebook.com/ rescuedandreclaimed
April 5 Home Free Babcock Theatre babcocktheater.com
April 3 Purple 5K Downtown Billings downtownbillings.org
April 8 Christie Conover “Women of the West� Event Moss Mansion mossmansion.com
APRIL
YWCA Salute Crowne Plaza Hotel ywcabillings.org
Resurrection Alberta Bair Theater billingssymphony.org
April 9 Trunks & Treasures Moss Mansion mossmansion.com
April 17 Million Dollar Quartet Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org April 21 High Noon Lecture Series Chinese in Montana: Our Forgotten Pioneers Western Heritage Center ywhc.org
April 1 A Wild Affair Bighorn Resort zoomontana.org
April 22 Midori in Recital Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 1-16 Five Women Wearing the Same Dress NOVA Center for the Performing Arts novabillings.org April 2 First Saturday $1 Day Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org Yellowstone Art Museum
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Docent 2nd Saturday: Art for Kids Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
April 23 Drawing Comics with Jason Jam Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 24 Billings Wolves Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark billingswolves.com
2016 YWCA Salute Celebration Event Crown Plaza Hotel April 8
Pay tribute to the winners of the Prestigious Salute Awards with YWCA this spring to honor locals who believe in women’s success. Ladies, organizations and individuals who empower, mentor and inspire other females will be honored for their contributions to the community on April 8 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Reserved seating and advanced tickets are required. See ywcabillings.org for details.
Home Free Babcock Theatre babcocktheater.com April 8 Christie Conover “Women of the West” Event Moss Mansion mossmansion.com YWCA Salute Crowne Plaza Hotel ywcabillings.org April 9 Trunks & Treasures Moss Mansion
mossmansion.com Docent 2nd Saturday: Art for Kids Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org April 10 Billings Community Band spring concert Alberta Bair Theater facebook.com/ billingscommunityband
April 13 YAM Teens Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org April 15-17 PBR Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark pbr.com April 15-24 Rita NOVA Center for the Performing Arts novabillings.org
The Best Place in Billings for
Historical Downtown Billings, Montana Avenue www.montanaavenue.com
April 16 Pinhole and Other Photography with Edward Barta Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
Chinese in Montana: Our Forgotten Pioneers Western Heritage Center ywhc.org
Resurrection Alberta Bair Theater billingssymphony.org
April 22 Midori in Recital Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 17 Million Dollar Quartet Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 23 Drawing Comics with Jason Jam Yellowstone Art Museum artmuseum.org
April 21 High Noon Lecture Series
April 24 Billings Wolves
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MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 113
OPEN NEW DOORS
“ A man practices the art of adventure when he heroically faces up to life. When he has the daring to open doors to new experiences. When he is unafraid of new ideas, new theories and new philosophies. When he has the curiosity to experiment. When he breaks the chain of routine.” ~ Wilfred Peterson The Art of Living (1961)
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BIG R EAST
BIG R SHERIDAN
2600 GABEL ROAD (406) 652-9118
www.shiptonsbigr.com
216 N. 14TH STREET (406) 252-0503
1908 MAIN STREET (406) 384-0099
2049 SUGARLAND DRIVE (307) 674-6471
MAGIC CITY MAGAZINE I MARCH/APRIL 2016 I 115