Features

Livingston humanities gets a boost thanks to Montana non-profit

Published on Fri, 02/10/2017 - 2:05pm

Starting this fall, Hometown Humanities began offering programs for Livingston residents interested in expanding topics of interest, including cultural differences.

A Missoula-based organization through Humanities Montana, HH visits communities across the state offering lecture series, grants and opportunities for residents to be more in tune with history, the arts and hot news topics.

Livingston was chosen as the location for the nonprofit last spring after members of the community wrote letters about why they think the program would be important for locals.

Locals share comforts of home with children in need

Published on Wed, 02/08/2017 - 3:22pm
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Decorated with Dr. Seuss, pink characters or wild animals, local women quilt for children’s comfort after traumatic experiences.

Court Appointed Special Advocates or CASA, a national organization that assists kids who have been abused or neglected, is always looking for ways to help children and these local women helped contribute to the organization with their own unique quilts.

Ode to the Haggis: Livingston church celebrates years of the Celtic tradition

Published on Thu, 01/26/2017 - 3:43pm

For the past 10 years, Livingston’s St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church has held its Celtic Festival, and it isn’t complete without the haggis.

“Haggis” is a mixture of animal parts, onions, oatmeal, spices and fats cooked in a casing. It is a traditional dish served in Scotland and can also be found at St. Andrews’ Celtic Festival set for Saturday at Livingston’s Elk’s Lodge.

Every year since the festival began, the church has received the traditional dish from Pioneer Meats in Big Timber.

Shopping tips from vegans help navigate grocery stores

Published on Wed, 01/18/2017 - 2:38pm

Earlier this month, the Livingston vegan group showed locals how to scan the grocery aisles for vegan items as well as potentially healthy options for those looking to change their habits this new year.

Local vegan advocate Bonnie Goodman along with health coach Karen O’Connor led a group of 12 through Town & Country Foods Jan. 7 in search of foods that could be healthy and vegan. The outing was sponsored by the Live and Let Livingston Vegan Potluck group that hosts dinners once a month.

Yellowstone Museum exhibit presents communication through the ages

Published on Wed, 01/11/2017 - 3:00pm
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Communication between people is an ever-evolving aspect of life, and those in a certain Park High School class want to show people how.

The Yellowstone Gateway Museum on Thursday will present an exhibit and host a gala on “Communications: A Changing Conversation” created by students in the fall class called Community 360.

Community 360 teacher Hannah Rousch said her class, which discusses philanthropy and entrepreneurship through Shift Empowerment, became interested in the subject of showing how people have evolved their communications through the years.

Artists abroad: Local painters visit China for showcase, Ambassador Baucus visit

Published on Wed, 01/04/2017 - 2:49pm
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Two Livingston artists were chosen to attend a showcase with U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus in December, and they traveled to some parts of the country they had never experienced before.

Parks Reece and Joe Fay were given the opportunity because of their involvement in art tours and galleries within China over the last few years. Other Montana artists from Bozeman and in Missoula also attended the event on Dec. 14 in Beijing called the “Biscuit Basin” showcase, named after one of Fay’s Yellowstone lithographs.

After 26 years, restaurant owner sees local business' bittersweet end

Published on Wed, 12/28/2016 - 3:04pm
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For the past 26 years, Lois Mann has been serving food to Livingston residents, and now as she shuts down her restaurant, Bittersweet Bakery, she looks back over how she spent her time in the area.  

Mann, along with her daughter, Cynthia Down, will close Bittersweet — named after the flower, not the chocolate — on Friday.

Mann, 81, started the restaurant in 2004, only a few short months after she closed down her previous establishment, the Humble Heart Cafe.

Local woman provides colorful, Christmas confections to residents

Published on Fri, 12/23/2016 - 1:08pm
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Mushroom-shaped meringues, delicate chocolates and festive sugar cookies are just a few of the treats made by one local woman in celebration of Christmas for the last ten years.

Zank said she makes a dozen styles of cookies for the occasion and nearly a thousand overall, putting them out at the Community Closet the Friday before Christmas every year, where people of all walks of life can grab as they shop.

Other styles of cookies include two different styles of shortbread, several kinds  of nut-based sweets as well as a cream-cheese turnover and molasses spice cookies.

Calendars sell for a cause

Published on Wed, 12/21/2016 - 2:41pm
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A local photographer is ringing in 2017 with a new calendar, with all the proceeds from it going to a good cause.

Erik Petersen, of Shields Valley and owner Erik Petersen Photography, decided to do a calendar this year with his original photos, with proceeds from the calendar sales going to the Livingston Food Resource Center in Livingston.

“I really like what the Food Resource center does, and I would like to help them accomplish their mission,” Petersen said.

Family preserves a man’s legacy through bird houses

Published on Fri, 12/16/2016 - 3:51pm
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The legacy of Dr. Jerome “Jerry” LaValley, who died a few short months ago, will live on as his family continues the work on his iconic bird houses.

LaValley, a well-known dentist in the area and a longtime birdhouse builder, was commissioned to create many birdhouses for Livingston HealthCare along a trail surrounding the complex.

Unfortunately, he died in October before completing the task.

“Nobody quite makes them like my father does,” said Jerry’s daughter Holly LaValley.