Page 6
Going to Miles City alone can booe scary
Hello. was from n Park, but hadn't
Hat Tips
By Dean Meyer
Well, I made it. You would have
been proud of me. I told you last
week that we were heading for the
bucking horse sell in Miles. We
were to have a pickup load. Shirley
and I, ShMey's sistc and her hus-
band, and my Dtd. Dad is 86 and
had missed the last few sales so he
was pretty excited.
Then Lynn cancelled out. Then
his wife wouldn't go. Then Shirley
wouldn't go without her sister. Then
Dad wouldn't go cause 1 might stay
up late and play cards. So Sunday
morning, I packed up the sleeper
pickup and headed west.
Now the sleeper pickup is an
older Dodge that has a DOT
approved sleeper on it. I mean it is a
cool deal. Door on the side. Back
seat makes into a bed. So I assured
Shirley that all I would need is my
pillow and a blanket. I could party
up like crazy, play cards all night,
crawl in that sleeper and be home
flr harvest!
Anyway, I'm on my west. Just
past Glendive I see these two fellas
walking pretty slow headed west.
They are carrying big packs and
steps are pretty short. There are not
many outfits that have room for two
guys with hundred pound packs and
a German Shepard dog. But I did.
So I pulled over. told them to throw
their bags in back, one guy jump in
I could party up
like crazy, play
cards all night,
crawl in that sleep-
er and be home for
harvest!
the sleeper, and the other in the
front seat with me, Dog could go in
the sleeper too. There's been worse
in there.
They load up and I have to crack
the window a little. They haven't
had much of a chance to clean up
the last couple years. They have
been on the road. The guy with the
crooked face is covered with tat-
toos. Well, all the skin I could see
had tattoos. I didn't check him com-
pletely out: But his hands and wrists
were completely tattooed. From his
fingers to above his wrists. He had
purple spots all over his lace. Like
pox, only it was tattoos. I hope. He
had a big CM, like a cattle brand on
one cheek. I think it was a tarantula,
or possibly a huge wood tick, on his
neck. Kind of slurred his words, but
seemed like an alright guy. Said he
been back since he had gotten in
trouble as a kid. I kept nay eyes to
the road and nodded. ! didn't really
want to know' about the trouble.
The guy and the dog in the sleep-
er kept digging around in his bag. 1
figured he was looking ['or his knife
or his gun. I sat the mirror so 1 could
watch him. The dog growled at me.
1 quickly put the mirror back in
place. I don't like mad dogs.
They said they were heading for
Billings, then north to Butte, and
finally to Helena. I asked if they had
worked in the oil fields. The guy in
the sleeper said he had years ago.
But he said that was no life. You
spent all your money on pickups
and houses and when the boom
went bust. you would have all those
payments to make and no job. I
guess there is nothing like being a
free man on the road. Except you
get a little hungry, and hot, or cold,
and your feet get sore. They were
going to put cardboard in their
shoes when they got to Miles City.
One of them wondered out loud
how Montana got the name "Big
Sky Country". I assured them that
when I let them out in Miles City.
by the time they walked to Billings.
they would have it figured out.
Oh, yeah, and l made it home by
dark. It's scary out there alone.
Later. Dean
Deadline approaching for farm programs
Agricultural producers who
want to participate in Farm
Service Agency's Direct and
Counter Cyclical Program,
Average Crop Revenue Election
Program, or Supplemental
Revenue Assistance Program dur-
ing the 2012 crop year must sub-
mit their applications by June I to
be eligible for the programs.
Aaron Krauter, North Dakota
State executive director for FSA,
said he can't stress the importance
of the deadline enough. "This is
a deadline that program partici-
pants can't miss," Krauter said,
"We saw some confusion in the
past where people thought they
had signed up, didn't realize they
had to apply each year, and missed
out on the program."
Producers who choose to par-
,ticipte in either the5k£genue-,
ibase-ACRE sety t;"[" the !
pr,celbased DCP:5£}I:" must
:; :" ,z . :,.
Jamestown to
Jamestown VFW Post 760 and
Ladies Auxiliary are hosting.the 91 st
Annual Convention of the N.D.
Veterans of Foreign Wars and the
76th Annual Convention of the
Ladies Auxiliary to the N.D.
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The convention will be held at
apply for the program each year.
All owners and operators who will
share in the DCP or ACRE pay-
ments on the farm must sign the
enrollment form (CCC-509) by
June 1. If a producer does not get
the Signed form in to their local
office by June 1, they will not be
enrolled in the program for the
current year and will not receive
benefits.
Producers 'who choose to par-
ticipate in DCP or ACRE were
allowed to choose between the
two programs in 2009. A produc-
er who initiallychose to remain in
DCP does have the option to
switch to the ACRE program when
they apply for the program before
the June 1 deadline. However,
producers who elected to enroll
their farm in ACRE cannot switch
bac k to I Additional!y, if a
produce if#tin t-hat is
enr611edi buys anoth-
er farm that is enrolled in DCP, the
two farms cannot be combined
unless the DCP farm is changed to
ACRE.
The 2010 SURE program,
which provides benefits for farm
revenue losses, also has a June 1,
2012 deadline. Losses due to nat-
ural disasters that occurred during
the 2010 crop year may be eligible
for this sign up. SURE is avail-
able to eligible producers on farms
in counties with secretarial disas-
ter declarations, including con-
tiguous counties, that have
incurred crop production or quali-
ty losses of at least 10 percent, or
both. and includes all crops grown
by a producer nationwide, except
grazed crops; or any farm in
which, for the crop year, the actu-
al production on the farm because
of disaster-related conditions is 50
prcdnt m" "f6.s thih normal pro-
ducnon of the fm'm.
host VFW State Convention
the Gladstone Inn starting Thursday National VFW and Auxiliary
evening, June 7 and concluding Headquarters are Past National
Sunday, Jtt-fie!:lO. ........... .. Commander-in-Chief. John Gwizdak
Leading the convention will be from Georgia: 'National Auxiliary
N.D. VFW State Commander Hospital and VNVS Director Sandi
Robert Bird, Bismarck and Ladies Kriebel of Maryland; and National
Auxiliary President Peggy Headrick. Auxiliary Council Member Sandra
Minot. Special guests representing Pedersen of Wyoming.
North Dakota is tops in national credit ranking
North Dakota ranks #1 national -
ly in credit quality among all U.S.
states, according to a report by
Conning, a Connecticut-based
money management firm with $87
billion in assets. North Dakota rated
highest on a measure created from
13 indicators including state rev-
enue growth, year-over-year
employment gains and foreclosure
rates. North Dakota rose one spot
from November, when Wyoming
held the top place.
"This report is more evidence
that our efforts are getting results,"
North Dakota Commerce
Commissioner AI Anderson said.
"These rankings show that North
Dakota has experienced statewide
growth in a number of industries
while maintaining one of the lowest
foreclosure rates in the nation."
The Conning report also noted
that North Dakota has the lowest
unemployment rate in the nation
and that North Dakota's economy
outpaced every other state in 2011.
with the fastest growth in personal
income, jobs and home prices.
The North Dakota Department of
Commerce works "to improve the
quality of life for North Dakota citi-
zens by leading efforts to attract
retain and expand wealth.
Commerce serves businesses and
communities statewide through
committed people and partners who
offer valuable programs and dynam-
ic services.
USDA seeking applications to improve housing
USDA Rural Development State
Director Jasper Schneider says that
applications for grants are being
accepted to provide assistance to
low income rural residents to repair
their homes.
"This funding opportunity helps
homeowners make necessary prop-
erty improvements which are
important to building strong, vibrant
communities," Schneider said.
"Upgrades may include anything
from replacing a roof to installing
energy efficient technology."
Housing Preservation Grants are
available to intermediaries Such as
town or county governments, public
agencies, federally recognized
Indian Tribes, and non-profit and
faith-based organizations. The
grants are then distributed to quali-
fied homeowners, owners of multi-
family rental properties or coopera-
tive dwellings who rent to low
income residents.
Grants can be used to weatherize
and repair existing structures, install
Put Your Money
Where Your House Zsl
lOCal independetlt : strer OUr
bustrtesses are commut
your best value coo our economy
or improve plumbing or provide
access to people with disabilities.
Housing Preservations Grants help
bring job growth and stability to
communities while improving liv-
ing conditions.
For fiscal year 2012, USDA may
award up to $4.1 million in compet-
itive grants through the Housing
Preservation Grant program.
Applications are due June 25, 2012.
For more int`ormation on how to
apply, please contact the USDA
Rural Development office in
Bismarck at (701) 530-2037 or visit
www.rurdev.usda.gov/nd.
Clarin - In loving memory of our father,
Bob, who passed away on May 26, 2003.
It's all the simple things you did,
That made made our lives worthwhile.
It's all the years you shared with us,
And how you made us smile.
It's how you brought us laughter,
Each time that we were down.
Life was so much easier,
Just having you around.
Remember "Dad" with a smile today,
He was not one for tears.
Reflect instead on memories,
Of all the happy years.
~ Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by Joyce and
Tom Ray and Bev and Jerry Noll and families.
May 24, 2012
The Beach Area Chamber
of Commerce and its
members are:
Open for Business:
Upcoming Chamber events:
City Wide Rummage Sale: June 23
Rummage in the Badlands: September
Annual Meeting & Awards: October
Holiday Extravaganza: Nov 30- Dec 1
In recognition of Chamber-member
businesses during National Small
Business Week:
Agri Insurance, Inc. Home on the Range
American Legion James J. Wosepka
Auxilliary LaPlaya Restaurant
Bank of the West Legion Club
° Beach Cooperative Mackoff Kellogg
Grain Co Law Firm
Beach Medical Clinic Midstate
.i Bech Sohoot-£)istrict Communications
Beach vet Clinic MDU
Bijou Show House Nodak Mutual
Boss Office & Insurance
Computers Page Two
° Buckboard Inn ° Prairie Lumber Co.
Business Buddy Prairie West
Chesapeake Development
Operations Foundation
City of Beach Rohan's Hardware
CT Electric ° SallyAbernethy
Dakota Farm Silvernale-Silha
Equipment Funeral Home
Dakota Insurance Sip 'n Sew &
Dakota Lights Flowers To Go
Eido Connect ° West Plains, Inc.
Farmers Union ° Western Cooperative
Oil Co. Credit Union
First State Bank of Zachmann Auction
Golva Service
Golden Valley Manor
Golden Valley News
Golden Valley
Outfitters
Harvey Peterson
Heart River Hearing
Holkup Chiropractic
For more information about the chamber or to
become a member please call 701-872-3125.
This ad sponsored by the Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
