McNiven Meanderings – Best Breaking News Story Award goes to our staff
Well Folks, last week was the Montana Newspaper Association’s annual convention (In Billings this year). This was the first time I’ve attended the annual convention since purchasing the Yellowstone County News, your hyper-local, weekly newspaper in the Yellowstone County area. I learned so much in mingling with other newspaper owners, publishers and editors throughout the […]
McNiven’s Meanderings: Post debate reflections and current happenings
Well, folks, I sigh a sense of relief now that the MT GOP Senate Primary Debate/forum is over that Yellowstone County News co-sponsored last night at the Elks Club in Billings. I learned a lot about each candidate and thought they all did a great job. If I counted correctly (and my common core math […]
McNiven Meanderings – Obituaries and the Billings Gazette
Well, folks, I’m writing to inform the masses and especially our valued, loyal readers and residents of Yellowstone County of our options for obituaries due to some of the comments, concerns and feedback we’ve gotten from funeral homes and the general consumers (You, the public) in regards to obituaries that are published in the Billings […]
Meanderings: 9/1/17 Teaching comes full cirle
Originally published in the 9/1/17 print edition of Yellowstone County News. Some 30 years later, I had an older gentleman passing by the Yellowstone County News’ booth at the MontanaFair when he was looking at the TV screen with a business card on it that had the name of Jonathan McNiven on it. He stopped […]
McNiven Meanderings 7-21-17
Well, folks, we are ready to announce a new addition to our weekly columnists. I’ve had a good number of readers ask me why there is no Democrat viewpoint in our paper each week, to which I’ve replied that I haven’t found the right person and fit for our publication. It’s not that I haven’t […]
McNiven Meanderings: media and fake news
Originally published in the 6/30/17 print edition of YCN. Well, folks, with so much happening at the mega news headquarters of Yellowstone County News (ok, that part might be stretching it a bit), I wanted to take this opportunity to opine a little bit and reflect on this week’s developments regarding our freedoms. This […]
Meanderings 6-16-17 Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood experience
Originally published in the 6/16/17 print edition of YCN. Well folks, there are many things going on right now that affect many of our local readers so stay tuned as we are on the big issues, whether it’s Homesteader Days coming up, or the new Lockwood High School that the local school board decided they […]
McNiven’s Meanderings 5-12-17
Well folks, I’m happy to return and report on what we’ve been working on for the last three months and the benchmark that we have now achieved. However, before I do that, I want to recognize this time of year when graduation time is on the radar and congratulate all the graduating seniors for the […]
McNiven’s Meanderings-Make lemonade out of lemons
So as the saying goes, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”, I feel like this week has been two steps forward and one step back. However, I’m determined to make lemonade out of the lemons that were offered. However, when I step back away from the […]
Meanderings 11-11-16
Well, Folks, what an election and upset that I did not even see coming until the evening before the election when I posted on my Facebook page. (See my Facebook posting on the eve of Election day to the right). And, in fact, I did not see really any HOPE until the evening before and […]