Ten years ago in the West Yellowstone News

In December of 1998, snowmobiles and bison policy topped the news, the editor of the West Yellowstone News was Jamie Radovich and the reporter was Deb Morrow and Yellowstone Park opened for the winter season on Dec. 16.

On Dec. 14, the Forest Service released an environmental assessment (EA) on a proposal that would allow the Montana Department of Livestock to operate a bison capture and testing facility on Horse Butte from Feb.1 through April 30 for a period of up to ten years.

A rally was staged on that day by Buffalo Nations, now known as the Buffalo Field Campaign, in front of the Hebgen Lake Ranger District office on Highway 191 to protest the capture facility. The peaceful rally drew about 25 protesters, West Yellowstone residents, various law enforcement officials and local media.

Also on Dec. 14, in the early morning hours, two Minnesota men were traveling on a snowmobile at a high rate of speed down Madison Avenue when the snowmobile flipped, ejecting both riders. One of the men drove the sled back to the bar to call 911, leaving his friend in the roadway and then running over him when he returned to the scene. The man died of his injuries the following day in the Idaho Falls hospital, where he had been taken by helicopter.

Five days earlier, a man and a woman on a snowmobile were struck by a pickup truck on the corner of Grizzly Ave. and Electric and were thrown from the sled. They both sustained multiple broken bones and were taken by ambulance to Idaho Falls.

Seven harvested marijuana plants were seized by the West Yellowstone Police Department at a residence in town on Dec. 9, along with about a pound of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, growing equipment, money and instruction manuals on growing marijuana and mushrooms. No arrests were made at the time.

Four times in two weeks in December of 1998, the West Park Mall was the target of burglaries or attempted burglaries. Windows were broken to gain entry. Owner Jerry Johnson installed bars on the back windows to prevent further losses.

On a lighter note, it was announced that three Lady Wolverine basketball players were named to the All-Conference team, they were, juniors Kris Schmeir and Emily Smith, and sophomore Brooke Forsythe. Smith had the added honor of being named to the All-State Class C team.

A 20-acre parcel of land southwest of town was being considered by the town council for a proposed mobile home/modular subdivision. At a council meeting attended by over 30 approving citizens, the acquisition of the Forest Service land was discussed and a committee of citizens and town employees was planned to help the process along.

At the same council meeting, there was discussion of constructing a BMX course/skate park in town and/or a paved bike path/perimeter path around the Madison Addition.

The Burger King ad in December of '98 included the weekly weather report, which noted that the low temp on Dec. 19 was 14 below zero and the record for that date was 59 below, which still stands, set in 1924. On Dec.20 it was minus 30, compared to minus 57 in 1924, and on the Dec. 21 it was 45 below zero, compared to 46 below in 1990.

The Economart ad on Dec. 24 offered a bit of holiday humor. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? Frostbite! If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get? Missle toe! What do elves learn in school? The elf-abet!

The winter schedule at the Yellowstone IMAX Theatre included "Everest" and "Star Trek Insurrection." The Bears Den Cinema was showing the movie "A Bug's Life" starting Dec. 25.

For diners on Christmas Day and New Years Eve, the Stage Coach Inn Restaurant was offering a Filet Mignon dinner for $18.25, Fresh Salmon for $17.25 and Baked Lobster Tail for $25.

The Food Roundup Supermarket advertised T-bone steaks at $3.99 per pound, large tomatoes for 99 cents a pound, a half gallon of Dryers ice cream for $2.99, and $1.09 for a 12 oz. package of Cool Whip.

The West Yellowstone Post Office was open on Saturdays in 1998, and on the Saturday before Christmas extended their hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

And ten years ago, Marge Wanner put down her comb and scissors and retired from Salon West, her business of twenty years. Her shop was a town institution and she was den mother for many people over the years. Of course, she's still a West Yellowstone institution as far as snowmobiling, and promoting the sport, is concerned.

On the real estate page at the end of 1998, the most expensive home was a 5 bedroom, 2 bath house in town at $189,000.

Happy New Year!

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