The New Year started out on a good note with a new commissioner, Sandy Broesder, and a new sheriff, Tom Kuka being administered the oath of office.

A tsunami wave struck many South Asian countries bordering the Indian Ocean and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans immediately announced a $1 million grant and matching funds for relief. This triggered many local fund-raising efforts for the stricken area.

The towns of Brady and Dutton, on a second try, passed an issue to consolidate their schools, due to falling enrollments.

The entire area got a real blast of winter late in the month of January when temperatures tumbled to well below minus 30 degree readings.

On a warmer note, Riley Schackman, the daughter of Terry and Roxanne Schackman of Shelby came out to be the New Year Baby at the Pondera Medical Center. She was delivered by Shawn Nesbo, MD.

Pondera County was reporting seven cases of Whooping Cough and Rep. Denny Rehberg was coming to headline the Chamber of Commerce banquet.

In February, Kathleen Brownell was honored with the coveted Unsung Hero award at the annual CofC banquet.

President George Bush stopped by Great Falls and many Conrad residents had a part in his visit. Wally McHenry helped install over 120 phone lines at the Four Seasons Arena to fit the needs of Secret Service and media. CHS senior Eric Makelky, Montana Boys’ State Governor and a Montana Boys’ Nation Delegate was invited to sit on stage with the president.

Boy Scout Greg Yeager launched  his plan to put in a new concrete landing pad for Mercy Flights at the PMC, a project for his Eagle Scout badge.

The Cowboy wrestling squad won their fourth consecutive division title in a warm-up for the state meet in Billings.

The CHS Speech and Drama team had nine members at the state meet in Corvallis and two science teams from the high school competed at the Big Sky Science Bowl.

It was announced that Pondera County was one of only three counties nationwide to receive a grant to evaluate health care systems. Commissioner  Sandy Broesder and Health Nurse Cynthia Grubb worked on the grant.

The Cowboy wrestling team under Coach Steve Lockyer won their third consecutive state title in Billings.

Our basketball teams were off to the district tournament. Dr. Jay Taylor signed a contract to begin his medical career at the PMC. He is a CHS graduate and the son of Conrad Optometrist Dr. John Taylor and wife Marianne.

In March, the Cowgirl basketball team was off to the state meet after winning the divisional title in Glasgow on a pair of free throws by Katie Schlepp.

Bethany Grubb and Andrea Spicher won top overall projects at the UMS Science Fair.

Kelsey Bjelland was Senate Page at the state legislature and a FFA agronomy team of Erin Gernaat, Madison Knox and Alanna Schlosser took first place in the 21st annual Alumni Crops Seminar in Conrad.

Debbie Perry was named the Conrad Teacher of the Year and Tammy Jones was named the Outstanding Classified Employee. The county Spelling Bee attracted 52 students and Jaren VanDyke came out as the top speller for Pondera County.

Sylvia Bryce was presented with the prestigious Silver Spur award for community service and folks will recall that Kelly Allen Frank, a man charged with plotting to kidnap CBS talk show host David Letterman’s son, ended up in the Pondera County jail which caused major media to stake out our courthouse jail.

In April, it was announced at the Pondera County Republican Lincoln-Reagan dinner that ITB of Conrad had landed a potential $29 million deal with the Air Force to produce flight line tractors over a five year period.

Kevin Moritz was named runner-up for the American Legion Fire Fighter of the Year award. Talk about a dynasty, the UMS wrestlers under coaches Kevin Moritz and Ralph Diedrich captured their 16th consecutive divisional mat title.

Cowgirl pitcher Megan Sullivan opened the fast pitch season by tossing a no hitter.

Providing body workouts, Motivations, owned by Wendy Kasun and Barbie Killion opened their new business. UMS students excelled at the state science fair and the I-O, owned by Jack Lee, was getting ready to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary with a special edition.

Still in April, Mayor Byron Grubb announced at a city council meeting that a new furniture store would be opening in the vacant Arnot building on Main St.

The PMC was beginning construction of a new 2,000 square foot  Special Care Unit at the hospital and Gina Vanderbush was named new secretary at the CofC.

Trent Zempel, a junior at CHS, was presented with a silver medallion for community service and being one of two of Montana’s top two youth volunteers for 2005.

The I-O’s special 100th edition was a big hit, spanning a century of news from our immediate area.

In May, as the Conrad Lions Club was getting ready for Whoop-Up, they presented Lion member John Skipwith with a special presentation for 50 years of service.

Whoop-Up Queen candidates were Whitney Thayer, DeAnna Leys, Alanna Schlosser, Jacey Peters, Jessica Klette and Erin Gernaat. Thayer earned honors for Whoop-Up Queen.

Home and Garden, owned by Mitch Hauer, was a new business  opening their door on Main St.

UMS students under the direction of Dan Brown won 12 awards, the most ever, at a TSA conference. Taking part in the technological competition were Maggie Springer, Nikki Linn, Sydney Slezak, Breanna Knobel, Graham Grubb, Cameron Rodriguez, Alex Linn, Blake Pruttis, and Josiah Moerkerke brought home the hardware.

The CHS tennis team captured the divisional title and did it on the birthday of Coach Bill Johnson who is not quite as old as the I-O.

The 65th annual Whoop-Up Trail Days was on tap with perfect weather for a change. Don McClain was named Grand Marshall of the parade and rodeo.

With the consolidation of the Brady-Dutton schools, the Class of 2005, all six of the seniors would be  the last to walk across the stage for a diploma. All young women, the Brady Class of ‘05 included Raelee Bishop, Ashleigh Tranmer, Tera Tranmer, Jacque Roberts, Kelley Lee, and Angela Rouns.

Anita Vandolah submitted her resignation as Clerk of District Court Ninth Judicial District. She had been elected in November 2004.

Cowgirl pitcher Megan Sullivan closed the regular fast pitch season the way she opened it, with a no-hitter, this time in a 4-0 win over Cut Bank.

The Class of ‘05 at CHS graduated 48 seniors. The Class also pulled in $221,925 in scholarships and awards at a year-end assembly.

Heading down to Girls’ State in Helena were Emily Knobel and Brooke Johns. Christine Wetendorf was the alternate. For Boys’ State, also in Helena for the first time, it was Trent Zempel, Josh Philipps, Bryce Johns, Burns Brown and Logan Lee.

Conrad hosted the B-C state softball tournament again and this year didn’t need to shovel snow at the last minute to get the fields ready. At the state track meet, Shawn Brown won the state shot put title with a heave of 55-41/2.

In June, Conrad witnessed a drive by shooting at 418 3rd Ave. SW across the street from the high school. This type of incident was a first for Conrad, but not one the city really wanted. No one was injured.

The city council was getting a number of folks riled up when they passed a future plan to proceed with annexation.

The hospital was ready to put on their annual PMC Health Fair. Helen Johnson of Valier was named Senior of the Year (County).

Commissioner Johnson was elected as secretary of the State GOP Republican Party at their convention.

In June, it was announced that Marine Justin Toren had been awarded the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal for heroic action as a squad leader in Iraq. He is the son of Pam Judisch of Conrad and Duane Toren of Sun River.

The team of Chad Baker, Danny McFarland, Calvin Schlepp and Tyler Eisenzimer shot a 60 to win the PMC golf tourney. The women’s champs were Lourdes Russell, Kelly Orcutt, Vanessa Bucklin and Melissa VanDyke.

City crews were busy doing preventive maintenance on the streets, the city council was going to look into 24-hour gambling at the Money Pit. However, that all became a moot issue with the closing of Conrad’s Supper Club/Money Pit the next month.

Softball fields were named after Grease VanHeel and Kathleen Brownell in special ceremonies at the Sports Complex.

New flooring was installed in the ongoing museum project as it gets ever closer to opening. A terrific wind storm uprooted and blew down a 60-foot pine tree onto the garage of Byron and Heather Bokma.

A mock disaster involving DES, sheriff, police, PMC ambulance crews Search and Rescue, Public Health, and other entities was a big success.

Conrad was once again a bridesmaid at the five-year-old Tri-County golf tourney with Pondera, Toole and Glacier counties.

In July, it was announced that Elaina Zempel would be the manager of the Port Authority. Alex Papp, the son of Nancy and Albert Melby, was heading to India for missionary work.

Kara Thompson was sworn in as the new Clerk of District Court, taking over for Anita Vandolah who has earlier resigned.

The race for city council was on! Incumbent Mayor Byron Grubb was being challenged by John Shevlin.

For the council positions, Jamie Brownell filed against Wally McHenry who had been appointed earlier when alderman Llew Jones  resigned. Gary Brown would challenge 24-year veteran Peter Hauer and Wendy Judisch and Brad Berthelson would go head-to-head when Bryan Jones decided not to seek re-election.

The famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales horse team made a visit to Conrad and needless to say were a huge hit. They also stopped at the PMC for the Nursing Home residents.

While the city prefers to call it an assessment, a tax was passed in anticipation of NorthWestern Energy raising their utility rates. It would appear later in the year when first half of property taxes were due in November and listed on your Real Property Tax Statement. And, as mentioned earlier, the Conrad Supper Club/Money Pit closed their Main St. operation.

The new furniture store owners, Bob and Dawn Pearson of Choteau were introduced by the mayor at a CofC meeting. They would open their business before the end of the month.

A BNSF train carrying corn had three engines and 13 cars derail just behind the residence of Dick Kinyon off of the Frontage Rd.

A federal highway bill poised to pass in Congress contained a $4 million provision to reconstruct the I-15 interchange at Conrad.

Llew Jones (R-HD-27), serving in his first term in the State House, was ranked in the Top 10 of State Legislators. He was the only rookie to be named.

Construction of the deep pool water project for the city at Lake Frances was moving right along. An advisory board was set up to study the future of the Community (Senior) Center.

In August, work was progressing nicely on the Mercy Flight landing pad-Eagle Scout project of Greg Yeager.

The Conrad Study Commission found no savings in the consolidation of the Sheriff’s Department and city police.

School trustees approved budgets and a $6.3 million preliminary budget was presented at the city council. A counterfeit $20 bill showed up from a night deposit, but was spotted by a Stockman Bank teller.

LaVern and Vivian Keil celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.

Dave Howard and Jerry Naylor won the “TJ” golf tourney which used a Stableford modified scoring system. They had a round of +13. Late in the month, schools opened their doors for a new year of education.

September saw Kay, Jerry and Mike Naylor, of K’s Auto celebrate 50 years of being in business. The PMC trustees passed a motion to raise Nursing Home rates $20, effective Jan. 1.

The ITB prototype flight line tractor for the Air Force was ready to roll.  Prices at the gas pumps were just beginning to get ugly at $2.99 a gallon.

In a story broke by the I-O, it was revealed that new astronomical garbage rates were going to be passed by the Northern Montana Joint Refuse Disposal District. Just one example was the PMC, having their rates go from $2,375 to $8,930 all at once. Thirty-five percent of the increase was to cover $374,576 in pay raises to 14 employees

The NMJRDD board did move to pass the new rates, later backed away and rescinded them and a area Task Force was formed to study the situation.

Hurricane Katrina wrecked New Orleans and other Gulf of Mexico port cities and the Conrad FFA was organizing hurricane relief drives.

Pondera County was ready to adopt a budget of $6.4 million. Cheryl Sawyer took over as president of the CofC when Bill Jimmerson resigned and moved to Bozeman. Misty Redlin was hired as the new executive secretary for the CofC.

Crafty Flowers celebrated the opening of their business on Main St., but later closed up shop.

Officer Mike Galloway was a new city police officer. Greg Yeager saw his Mercy Flight landing pad at the PMC come to completion and as a result achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor from the Boy Scouts of America.

Car thieves were apprehended and new parole officer Jodi Risman along with Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Suta made a meth drug bust.

The Sheriff’s office held in-house schooling on new Taser gun techniques.

The city received a plaque and a $1,000 grant for Urban Forestry. It was one of two cities in Montana to be honored. City councilmen moved to sweeten the pot and add another $6,000 in funds for an engineering review for the proposed I-15 overpass project.

Christine Wetendorf, a CHS senior, was going to Bozeman to play the violin at an All-State Festival. Superintendent of Schools Kurt Hilyard was honored as Superintendent of the Year. The CHS football and volleyball teams were gearing up for tournaments.

Adam Totdahl and Blair Bliss were named Homecoming King and Queen. Junior candidates were Bryce Johns and Christine Wetendorf, Freshman candidates were Josh Philipps and Emily Knobel, Sophomore candidates were Jordan Cobb and Amber Schoenrock.

Past VFW Post Commander Merrill Hawley presented Rick Moss with an Education award. Moss was the runner-up for the state VFW Teacher of the Year.

November saw Kurt Dyer, already chairman of the Dutton-Brady school board, also become president of the Montana School Boards Association.

The Conrad Kiwanis Club was disbanding and one of their final acts for community service was to purchase and install four cement picnic tables at the the Swimming Pool Park, which was soon to be renamed as the Lions Club Pool Park.

The municipal election was coming and was being conducted by mail-in ballots. A week before the Nov. 8 voting deadline, the returns were at 61 percent.

Jason Silvernale organized a fund-raiser for the Food Pantry with a movie at the Orpheum Theatre-Wiegand Auditorium. Eighty pounds of food and $15 were raised.

A TV crew was staying at the Super 8 Motel and videographing a segment on hunting that will air on the Outdoor Life Network in 2006.

When all the ballots of municipal election were counted, city voters made a clean sweep of the council,

Mayor Byron Grubb, seeking his third term as mayor and already a 16 year council veteran was unseated by John Shevlin. Winning council seats were Wendy Judisch (first woman elected to city council) defeating Brad Berthelson, Gary Brown over 24-year council veteran Pete Hauer. Wally McHenry won over Jamie Brownell. The election was not close, all candidates won by big margins with two winning by better than a 2-1 margin.

Kip Judisch was named to a seat on the school board, taking over for Steve Moes who had resigned and moved to Kalispell.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer made a whistle stop in Conrad. Ruby Bouma was recognized as the 4-H Leader of the Year and Pondera County Attorney Chris Christensen submitted his resignation to take a position in Helena in the State Attorney General’s office.

Second grade students at Meadowlark School gave special appreciation to two members of the 163rd Infantry Battalion, Frosty DeBoo and Sgt. Ron Becker, both who recently retuned from duty in Iraq.

A big wind storm uprooted several trees and ripped off the roof of a trailer house owned by Dorothy Hock on the east side of town.

In December, county commissioners appointed Mary Ann Ries as the new Pondera County Attorney.

A large crowd of folks braved below zero weather to come out for the annual CofC Christmas Stroll.

The first flight line tractor on a big contract for the Air Force was completed at ITB, one of 243 to be delivered in the first year of the contact. The tractor was to go to a base in Arkansas.

A proposed power transmission line that may come through a part of  Pondera County from Alberta, Canada to Great Falls has sparked a lot of interest. Several farmers are dead-set against it crossing their land.

A one-vehicle accident claimed the life of Valier resident Mary G. Pepion, age 77. It was just in November that her daughter died from injuries when a car fell on her while she was working on it at the family farm.

The CHS Drama team captured first place in an invitational tourney hosted by Conrad.

City council members passed an increase in water and sewer rates at the last council meeting for the council members. The Cowgirl basketball team is undefeated, 4-0, going into the Christmas break while the Cowboy team has just one loss, 6-1.

Janice Kastner, RN, was named the PMC Employee of the Year. Wylie (Gustafson) and the Wild West will be playing at the Orpheum Theatre/Wiegand Auditorium in January. Mike Lylte won the gigantic CofC Christmas Stocking in a raffle.

Bringing us to the end of the month, Bonnie Breding, a kitchen employee at Meadowlark School for 29-1/2 years retired. She and her husband Don have a motorhome and plan to head south where it’s warm.

Pondera County will take part in a regional mock disaster in February in a scenario that calls for an Influenza Pandemic. Other counties to participate include Teton, Toole, Glacier and Liberty. In a surprise to no one, the Cowboy wrestling team is ranked number one in the state B-C power poll. Ron and Debbie Ries installed new Fight Site panels at Whoop-Up Plaza.

This was just a sampling of the events that made up the news in Pondera County during 2005.

All of us at the I-O hope everyone has a blessed and Happy New Year for 2006!