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Wednesday, 07 March 2007 |
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By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
A packed Norley Hall at Blue Sky Villa on Tuesday was the place to be for the 42nd annual Conrad Area Chamber of Commerce meeting and banquet.
Debbie Hicks, outgoing CofC president, gave a short welcome and review of the Chamber year.
The flag was present and posted by the local Boy Scout troop who led the Pledge of Allegiance and Pastor Jeff Redlin from the Pondera Valley Lutheran Church did the invocation. Coaches Corner catered the meal.
 TOP HONOREE -- John McFarland (on the left) presents the coveted Unsung Hero award to Stockman Bank President Dan Majerus. Majerus is Mr. Whoop-Up in helping to make the two-day rodeo come together, works behind the scenes with the Orpheum Theatre, has helped raise funds for computer touch pads for the swim team and conducts a Bible study class each Wednesday at the CCC. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
Gerald Miller of Gerald Miller Farms will be the CofC president; Everett Breding of Conrad Building Center is the 1st VP; and Jamey Byrnes of Gary and Leo’s IGA is the 2nd VP.
Directors include Mike Brownell of Mountain View Coop, Terry Diedrich of the Branding Iron Lanes and Lounge, D. Hicks of Pure Bliss Cycle Sales, Joan Jensen of Stockman Bank, Laurie Morris of Courtesy Ford, Doug Moritz of G & D Hardware, Cheryl Sawyer of 3 Rivers Communications, and George Tornga of the Pondera Arts Council/Orpheum Theatre.
The Chamber, when turned down by Gov. Brian Schweitzer when he was asked if he would like to be the keynote speaker, departed from their traditional political keynote speaker and went outside the box to get Flint Rasmussen.
Rasmussen, from Choteau, is the number one rodeo clown and bullfighter in North America.
Before he got to the podium, there were a number of short reports.
Conrad Mayor John Shelvin jokingly said, “The new thing is, come to the islands. You can go out to the lagoons and see the islands.”
County Commissioner Sandy Broesder, fighting off a bad cold, reported that 800 miles of county roads have been our top priority.
She praised the local road crew, noting, “They set a standard that others follow.”
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Wednesday, 07 March 2007 |
During their fiscal year 2006, running for Oct. 1, 2005 to Sept. 30, 2006, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) made more than $318.6 million in program payments and loans to Montana farmers and ranchers.
Program payments to counties totaled $281,477, 793 which does not include farm loans.
Pondera County ranked fourth in program payments with farmers and ranchers receiving $12,672,805.
The top three counties were Choteau $22,676,636, Hill $20,535,576, Sheridan $13,609,628 and right behind us in fifth is Valley with $12,233,843.
Just as a sideline, Lincoln County received the smallest payment of $53.
The USDA’s single largest environmental improvements program as well as the most effective is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
It is a voluntary program, which provides financial incentives to producers who convert highly erodible cropland to long-term vegetative cover.
The FSA made $112,473,713 in CRP payments in Montana in FY-2005-06.
For the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), $41,327 was paid out. This is a voluntary conservation program that helps private landowners and operators restore or protect grassland.
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides emergency funding for the rehabilitation of farmland damaged by natural disasters. It also includes funds for emergency water conservation measurers in periods of severe drought. Payments of $235,611 were made in the fiscal year.
Another voluntary program, Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) had payments of $757,307.
This program is administered by the FSA along with the NRCS and provides financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal Ag-land.
Production and compliance programs saw producers receive $110,677,093.
DCP or Direct and Counter-cyclical Program payments amounted to $110,214,026.
Counter-cyclical payments are made when the effective price for eligible commodities is less than the target price.
The Hard White Wheat Incentives Program made $20 million available for incentive payments based on production and certified seed planting for 2003-05 crops.
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Wednesday, 07 March 2007 |
Conrad opened up a run for a state title with Missoula Loyola on Thursday in Hamilton but fell short.
The sixth ranked Cowgirls with a 20-4 record were hoping to stop a 52 game win streak by Loyola.
Conrad started out with a 2-0 lead right away but after that Sacred Heart went on a 15-6 run with the Cowgirls going 1-7 from the field.
Both teams struggled in the second period, with each squad putting up eight points and Loyola maintaining a 23-14 lead.
After the intermission Amber Keil kick started the Cowgirl offense with a three pointer. Courtney Ellefsen hit a short shot, then hit again and was fouled and completed the three-point play.
Katie Schlepp scored her first point of the evening from the line and added a bucket with Julie Brown getting a lay up, and all of sudden with a 21-14 run, the Cowgirls were within two points, 35-37, heading to the final eight minutes.
With a little over six minutes to go, the Cowgirls were still only two points down, 40-38, but Loyola came on to outscore the Cowgirls 10-2 down the stretch. Brown popped home the final bucket of the night, but it was Loyola taking the opening contest 52-43 and putting another notch in their win streak at 53.
 CONNECTING -- Cowgirl senior Julie Brown makes a shot over Loyola’s Caitlin Hall for two of her 11 points in the first game of the tournament. Photo for the I-O by Jean Schuman-Bitteroot Star
Schlepp, Serena Johnson and Keil all pumped in six points.
The Cowgirls had some trouble handling the ball; they had five steals on the night while Loyola doubled that with 10. Conrad also had 18 turnovers to 10 for Loyola.
Loyola got 13 points off of turnovers to just three for the Cowgirls. They also had six points off the bench while the Cowgirls didn’t get any.
Conrad scored on 15-44 shots from the floor for 34 percent shooting and went 10-17 at the line for 46 percent shooting.
Loyola hit on 21-53 shots from the field for 39 percent and were 6-13 from the stripe for 46 percent,
The loss put Conrad into loser out action with Big Timber in the 2 p.m. contest on Friday.
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