Shepherd School evacuated after Bomb Threat
by Jonathan McNiven- Yellowstone County News Shepherd School District was evacuated Monday evening after a bomb threat was reported. Yellowstone county sheriff’s officers ordered that all remaining students and faculty in the school evacuate. Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputies first cleared the Shepherd Elementary building and then the high school and surrounding buildings while sheriff […]
Irrigation district workers find dead body in canal off Mailbox Road
SHEPHERD — Irrigation district workers on Tuesday found a decomposed body in an irrigation canal near Mailbox Road. Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said Wednesday that authorities were still trying to identify the body and were checking missing persons reports to attempt to determine who it was and where it came from. “We are looking for […]
Last phase of Bench Boulevard begins, final phase before Billings Bypass
by Evelyn Pyburn-Originally published in the weekly edition of the Yellowstone County News on 3/4/16. BILLINGS — Construction to complete the modernization of Bench Boulevard began this week, reports Knife River of Billings, the general contractor for the project. Utility crews have been doing some preliminary work along Bench Boulevard over the past few weeks, […]
Voters to be asked to OK county jail addition loan
Originally published in the weekly print edition of the Yellowstone County News. BILLINGS — Following department head discussions on Thursday, Yellowstone County Commissioners on Tuesday, approved placing a Resolution of Intent on the agenda next week calling for a public hearing to place a request on the June 7 primary ballot to increase the county’s […]
Voters asked to support senior services mill levy
by Evelyn Pyburn-originally published in the weekly print edition 2-12-16 of the Yellowstone County News. BILLINGS — Yellowstone County Commissioners have set a hearing for Feb. 23 to gather public comment on a Resolution of Intent to place a request of voters to increase property taxes for senior services, on the June 7 primary ballot. […]
Jury: Deputies not criminally liable in Simpson’s death
by Judy Killen-originally published in the weekly Yellowstone County News BILLINGS — Loren Simpson was driving a stolen SUV, had a near-lethal blood level of methamphetamines and a bottle of whiskey in his coat sleeve when he was shot and killed by two Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputies in January 2015. After a two-day coroner’s inquest, […]
Pat Goggins remembered as business pioneer, generous friend
SHEPHERD — People across Yellowstone County this week remembered Pat Goggins as a shrewd businessman, livestock auction pioneer and friend who was always generous, especially to people who needed it most. Goggins, who owned PAYS and Billings Livestock auction companies and the Western Ag Reporter as well as several ranches and a real estate company, […]
Coroner’s inquest in Simpson case set for Feb. 2
BILLINGS — A coroner’s inquest into the shooting death of Loren Benjamin Simpson has been scheduled for Feb. 2. Two Yellowstone County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Simpson, a 28-year-old Lockwood man, as he drove a stolen SUV toward them on Buffalo Trail south of Huntley on Jan. 8. The deputies Jason Robinson and Christopher Rudolph, both […]
Proposed Lockwood roundabouts rile business owners
by Evelyn Pyburn-Originally published in the Yellowstone County News. LOCKWOOD — Proposed designs for roundabouts at the Johnson Lane Interchange and how they could impact Lockwood’s truck traffic was the primary topic of discussion at the Lockwood Business Group (LBG) meeting on Tuesday evening. Concern that roundabouts could negatively impact the lifeblood of about half of […]
Lockwood Fire Announces lower ISO rating which benefits homeowners
The Lockwood Fire Department received notification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) that the Lockwood Fire Department classification has been reduced from a 5/9 class to a 4/4Y classification. ISO is the organization that determines the response preparedness and water delivery capabilities for communities. This classification is then shared with insurance companies, so they can […]