Experimental Plane Stops in St. Marie

Quite a few of our residents had noticed St. Marie had a visitor most recently from Boeing Aircraft Co. The dark gray plane that was here for a few days was a Boeing KC-46 Tanker and was recently completing aerial refueling initial airworthiness tests, the latest step on the road to full air refueling capability. Series of flight tests were validating the plane's initial airworthiness to conduct aerial refueling operations according to Boeing spokesman Charles Ramey as he told Defense News.

The KC-46 is replacing the old KC-135 Tanker which was a joy to ride in and was an old workhorse for the Air to Air Refueling operations.

The KC-46 plane is a Boeing 767 model and is the same type of plane used in the 9/11 Trade Center attack in New York.

This past Saturday, we met a fairly newcomer to Saint Marie while shopping at Shopko in Glasgow. Nicholas Brooks and his wife and three children moved here about six months ago from Las Vegas. Welcome to our community!

Also, the BLM office in Glasgow is the place to get your cutting permits for Christmas trees. This is such a wonderful opportunity to create special moments with your family and friends that will be cherished for a lifetime. Permits are still available for $5 to anyone who would like to harvest a Christmas tree on BLM public lands. Also, under the Every Kid in a Park Initiative, fourth graders who present a valid fourth grade pass will receive a free permit. Here is the online site for more information:

http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/info/newsroom/2015/november/christmas_tree_permits.html.

Our family is going out to Zortman next weekend to get ours: hot chocolate, cookies and watch our son-in-law cut the trees. Well, we will help.

Thanksgiving was the main topic last week with good tidings from the residents of our small community. The people I talked to were mainly thankful for being able to be with their loved ones this Thanksgiving. Some had to travel a good distance but returned safely. The great deals the local stores in Glasgow produced made the holiday that much better. The weather was rather cold but not as severe as it has been. We hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Friday, Dec. 18, the Glasgow Senior Center is hosting a prime rib Christmas dinner for the fantastic price of only $10 with all the trimmings. However, there are only 100 tickets, so call Miss Vicky Wetz at the Senior Center at 228-9500 or 746-3370, to see if you can still purchase a ticket for this grand event. It will be a good one.

With Christmas Day getting closer, you should plan on early package mailing. Our wonderful postal gals, Nancy and Thelma, always do a great job with mail distribution, but they also take your packages, cards and letters, so plan to get your items in the mail as soon as possible to ensure they get to your loved ones on time. It is already beginning to get a might crowded at the main post office in Glasgow. Plan ahead.

Some of you have asked about the streetlights being out. Well, we took a drive around the area and it seemed to us that St. Marie was well lit with the streetlights as well as the starting of Christmas lights on the homes. Just be cautious and think safety first. Do not end up injured by not using the proper equipment to string your lights, such as a chair instead of a ladder. Also, remember that it is cold outside and our St. Marie Fire Department will have a more difficult time getting to your home if an emergency arises. Keep the streets clear for snow removal and emergency vehicles. Safety first. Zero defects.

There is a big concern with speeding vehicles. We have received several phone calls identifying the vehicles and we have directed the callers to the Sheriff's Department. The law enforcement officers will tell you the same thing: Get a description of the vehicle with the license number and they will respond. Do not try to stop these vehicles as you may not know what they have in them and they may harm you.

Also, we would like to take this time to add our heartfelt condolences to those victims killed in Colorado and most recently in San Bernardino, Calif. Having been in the law enforcement arena ourselves, we must make it clear that this type of heinous situation may never happen here or in a near area. However, it could. As we have mentioned earlier in our articles, be observant. "See something, Say something." Our local law enforcement are trained professionals and can handle these situations. Notify them, do not take it upon yourself to stop individuals who are acting suspiciously.

Our hearts are heavy for former St. Marie residents, Carl and Anna Moody, for their having to put down two of their dogs due to illness. One was a K-9 dog Carl used while in the military overseas. Carl was on a job assignment when Anna called us on her birthday the other evening and told us that she had to have Dutch put down. Dutch was a white German shepherd that Anna and Carl would walk around the St. Marie neighborhood. So sorry to hear about this.

On a good news note, while on the doggy subject. Angela France Austin, our wonderful Department of Motor Vehicles agent, rushed her two dogs to the vet, one of them to Wolf Point, for treatment when the two dogs became very ill from unknown causes. Both dogs lost mobility in their hind quarters and it did not look very well for Angela. Her husband was out of town, so she had to rush her little pup to Wolf Point this past week. The dogs are recuperating nicely, but it is still unknown as to what caused their illness. Both dogs are still being monitored closely. Angela just lost her dad, a short while ago, long time resident Bob Dunseth, and her best friend, Brenda Cook, so we are very happy for her that she has had good news with her pups. We feel for you, Angela.

That about wraps it up from here. Stay safe.