Memories for Wednesday, October 27, 2021

10 years ago-

Wednesday,

October 26, 2011

The message: Don’t close our post office

The sentiment was clear and predictable. Residents of Loring and Whitewater don’t want to see their rural post offices close.

“Why are we going backward,” said one resident, who pointed out the “our ancestors” worked and fought to get mail service so they wouldn’t be so isolated.

The Loring and Whitewater post offices are among 83 in Montana the US Postal Service is proposing to close in a cost-cutting measure.

Public meetings were held Tuesday in both communities and a third will be held Thursday in Zortman at the old mine office.

Randal Schwartz, Havre postmaster, started both meetings by saying the postal service faces “serious financial challenges” and has lost roughly $8.5 billion each of the past two years.

He said mail volume reached a peak in 2006 of 213 billion pieces but has dropped 20 percent. By 2020, the postal service expects to lose half of its current daily volume.

He said the internet and cell phones have accounted for much of the volume loss.

“We no longer need or can afford 32,000 post offices,” Schwartz said.

MHS choir students named to Montana All-State Choir

Three Malta High School students were selected to participate in this year’s Montana All-State Choir held Oct. 20 and 21 in Billings.

Kelton Foster—Tenor I, Drew Nagy—Bass II, and Justin Paul—Tenor II joined the finest singers in the state for two days of rehearsals and a final concert at Skyview High School Gymnasium.

“It is a great honor to make the choir,” said Malta High School choir director Larry Swingen.

Each section in the choir is made up of the top twenty voices across the state. The choir is 160 voices strong.

Showing at the Villa

Contagion starring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow

-----------------------------------

25 years ago-

Wednesday,

October 23, 1996

TV district to try out Fox Network

Some things are changing for customers of the Phillips County TV District.

The first change customers should notice, probably sometime this week, is a different network on one of the four channels carried by the TV district.

According to District Chairman Tom DePuydt, the Fox network should begin airing this week in place of WGN, the Chicago station.

“We’re going to do it for a trial period,” emphasized DePuydt. The Fox network will give viewers access to the remaining games of the World Series, some NFL football games, plus the Super Bowl in addition to their regular coverage including the popular show, The “X” Files.

Local school trustee gets Speak-Up nod

During the recent Montana Conference of Education Leadership in Billings, Malta Board of Education Chairman Orvin Solberg won the third annual Speak-Up competition on the subject: “Public education in my school and in my state.”

He received the award and was invited to deliver his winning five-minute speech during the final joint luncheon of the conference.

Solberg placed second in the competition last year.

Showing at the Villa Theatre

Fly Away Home starring Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin

----------------------------------

50 years ago-

Thursday,

November 4, 1971

No Vandalism Was Reported On Halloween

Halloween was relatively quiet in Malta on Sunday night except for the enthusiastic youngsters trick or treating in the neighborhoods.

The Malta Police Department reports absolutely no vandalism except a few soaped windows. One policeman told the News reporter, “Write a real nice article about the kids, they should be commended for good behavior.”

Mayor E.L. Seel stated, “We are really proud of the exemplary conduct of the youth of this community as displayed Sunday when no vandalism or mischief was reported.” The young people have shown respect for their community, and we, in turn, respect them for it, he added.

Speech, Drama Team Won Helena Grand Sweepstakes

The Malta High School speech and drama team won the grand sweepstakes at the Helena Invitational meet held in the capital city last weekend.

Coach Ric Floren described the meet as “our biggest win ever” as the Malta team garnered 74 points to claim the grand sweepstakes trophy. Billings West High School was second with 57 points, and C.M. Russel of Great Falls came in third with 36 points.

The local team won the speech sweepstakes overwhelmingly and was second in standings in the drama competition.

Floren states this is the third consecutive year the MHS team has won the Helena tournament, and it is the 14th consecutive tournament win for the team.

Showing at the NEW Villa

Cold Turkey starring Dick Van Dyke and Pippa Scott

-------------------------------

75 years ago-

Thursday,

October 24, 1946

Mustangs In Title Tilt Next Saturday

With the district title at stake, the Malta Mustangs travel to Fort Benton Saturday afternoon to take on the Cowboys in what looks like the toughest game of the season. With Malta victorious, the district title will come home with the Mustangs, but if they lose, the crown will be thrown into a three-way tie with Fort Benton and St. Mary’s of Great Falls.

On the basis of comparative scores against the other teams in the district, the game looks like it may be pretty evenly contested. Both teams defeated St. Mary’s and both likewise defeated Chinook. Benton’s possible edge is that she defeated both teams by larger scores, but Malta offsets that by its improvement since those games were played, in the opinion of local fans.

The winner of this game will face Cut Bank at the Oiltown for the Northern Montana Class B title.

Traffic Fines

The following violators of highway traffic regulation paid fines during the past week, according to the report of Patrolman Jerry Johnson:

Lee Ellis of Glasgow, careless driving, $10; Roy Finley of Chinook, no clearance lights, $10; Ed Demerais, Malta, careless driving, $10; Malcolm Campbell, Harlem, failure to have plates, $10; Gordon Flom, Wagner, no clearance lights, $25; Frank Fox, Hays, fictitious plates, $100.

Showing at the Palace

The Gentleman Misbehaves starring Bob Haymes and Osa Massen

---------------------------------

100 Years Ago - 1921

- Mayor John Survant called upon Malta merchants to close their stares for a two-hour period and attend a local meeting devoted to the encouragement of better farming practices. Chester Davis was among the speakers scheduled to appear on the program.

- Mrs. G.L. Partridge had been made chaplain of the grand lodge of Rebekahs at a Helena meeting. She was a past noble grand of the Malta lodge.

- W.J. Tressler and Mac Shoop returned from a hunting trip in the Essex country. Tressler shot an exceptionally fine elk and planned to have the head mounted.

-----------------------------

118 Years Ago – 1903

- The editorial wisecracker on the Enterprise staff remarked in his column that a newly established school of dressmaking had caused "quite a bustle” around an eastern college.

- The Malta Masonic order had elected the following brethren to lodge offices: Hamilton Lee, L. Barnes, A.P. Ritchie, L.C. Edwards, R.M. Trafton, William Lowell, S.O. Bachues, Dr. George W. Clay, Andrew Davidson, and RCM Lehman.

- A spectacular killing was reported in the county as Constable W.L. Vasco of Saco shot and killed Ed Beaton. The officer was attempting to arrest Beaton on a horse-stealing charge. Beaton attempted to escape, reaching for his own gun as he ran. Constable Vasco plugged his man three times and Beaton failed to get over it. Beaton was described as a desperado who would have killed the officer had he not been killed first himself.

- There was more trouble at Oswego, where Dave Clare, a wagon boss for the DHS, and Morgan Wagner got into a fracas. Clare tried to run Wagner out of the loading pens. Roped him and dragged him off his horse. In the ensuing close-quarters struggle, Clare was said to have slid a knife into Wagner.