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Winter has arrived in Great Falls

Seems that over the past few months we here in Montana have experienced what I like to call an extended Chinook.

High temps for the most part averaged around 50 degrees for quite a while up until a few days ago.

The national weather service has predicted a low temp for Friday night to be right around 36 degrees below zero and a high temp for Saturday to be around 14 degrees below zero.

Though some folks here might hunker down during the bad weather, most of us just go on about our day, including most of our schools.

Our schools are fairly proactive as a rule and upon after seeing that our weather was about to turn, the Great Falls Public Schools put out this notice:

“Assume that school will be in session and buses will be running as scheduled unless there is official notification from the Superintendent to the contrary.

The Superintendent may order the cancellation of some or all bus routes; the delay of some or all bus routes; the closure of school; the delay of school start; and/or the early dismissal of school.

Parents should seek out information but try not to call the school. Notification may be made or accessed in the following ways:

• *Mass phone and/or voicemail notification from the GFPS automated attendance system (Remind)
• GFPS Twitter: @GFPublicSchools
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreatFallsPublicSchools
• GFPS Website: https://www.gfps.k12.mt.us
• Media Twitter and websites: @KRTV, www.krtv.com, @KFBB. www.kfbb.com, @GFTribune,
www.greatfallstribune.com
• Radio Stations: FM: 92.9, 94.5, 97.9, 98.9, 101.7, 102.7, 104.9, and 106.1
AM: 560 and 1450 (Please be aware that GFPS has no control over media or radio station announcements.)
• Call 406-268-6444 for a recorded message (you may reach a busy signal depending on caller volume)

Be sure to access the Crisis Manager App on your phone for additional directions.

*Remind notifications will only be made when large groups of parents need to do something (i.e. keep students home, pick students up, etc.).

Mass phone and voicemail notifications are not sent for announcements that do not require parents to take action of some kind.

Information about Remind and Crisis Manager can be found at this website:
https://www.gfps.k12.mt.us/cms/lib/MT50000605/Centricity/Domain/108/Parent-Notification-Crisis Manager-Notice-2020.pdf

Please note: If the decision is to operate as usual, there will NOT be postings or announcements.

Parents have the right and responsibility to make attendance decisions for your children based on your individual circumstances.”

This most current stretch of below zero weather is looking to stay with us for 3 or 4 days. On Tuesday, when temps finally warm up to the mid 20’s it’s going to feel like a heatwave.

Though our kids aren’t going to get a snow-day out of this latest round of weather, there are some kids around the state that will.

Lewistown schools (along with various after school activities) will be closed on Friday, along with schools in Power, Flathead County, Noxon, Thompson Falls, and Trout Creek.

Winter has definitely arrived in Great Falls, and around the state.

Grilled Bourbon Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1/4 cup bourbon or unsweetened apple juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick and 8 ounces each)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, mix bourbon, brown sugar, mustard and garlic; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Mix onion powder, salt and pepper; sprinkle over pork chops.
Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 3-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with sauce.

Building the Montana State Capitol

No Labels party

Corruption, scandal, and controversy tainted all stages of planning and design of Montana’s Capitol building. – Ellen Baumler (Former Interpretive Historian at Montana Historical Society)

A design competition for the building was conducted in 1896. The commission selected a design by George R. Mann as the winner. In 1897, after it was found that the Commission was planning to scam money from the building project, it was disbanded and a second Capitol Commission was convened. The new Commission abandoned Mann’s plan as being too costly, and had a second design competition, won by Charles Emlen Bell and John Hackett Kent, of Bell and Kent of Council Bluffs, Iowa. In order to have their design built, Bell and Kent relocated their office to Helena.

While Mann’s building was never built in Montana, it was selected later as the basic design for the Arkansas State Capitol.

Showdown: the oldest ski area in Montana

Seems that Montana hasn’t been getting a whole lot of snow this year and it’s sort of put some Montana ski season pass holders in a bind — That is — Until Showdown stepped up to lend a hand.

Showdown ended up getting enough snow this year to open up (a little late) around Christmas time.

As is the case here in Montana, we are usually always looking out for our neighbors and with some Montana ski areas still closed due to a lack of snow, Showdown is offering free lift tickets for season pass holders of several other ski areas.

The tickets will be given to any current season pass holder of Montana Snowbowl, Blacktail Mountain Ski Area, Maverick, Turner, and Teton Pass.

Also, The Edith Hotel in White Sulphur Springs is offering a 15% discount to all season ticket holders whose ski area is not open yet so out-of-town skiers can overnite for less if they want to.

Showdown boasts one triple chair, two double chairs and a “magic carpet” conveyor for beginners and is only about 60 miles south of Great Falls.

Call or write Showdown to learn more:

Call: 406-236-5522
Snow Phone: 406-771-1300
Email: info@showdownmontana.com

Visit Showdown online at:

https://www.showdownmontana.com/

Showdown Mountain Cams are live and online:

https://www.showdownmontana.com/mountain-cams

Learn more about The Edith Hotel: https://www.showdownmontana.com/theedithhotel

Showdown Montana began as Kings Hill ski area in 1936 — the first to open in Montana — but little information exists about its early formation near the mining community of Neihart. Back then, like most ski areas being formed, skiing was a social activity organized by a club. For Kings Hill the club was located in Great Falls.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 (8 ounce) container strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Place strawberries in medium freezer proof bowl and sprinkle sugar over the top.
Let stand for 15 minutes, then drain off the juice and place juice in small saucepan.
Add unflavored gelatin to juice and let stand for 2 minutes.
Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until gelatin is dissolved and mixture is smooth.
Pour juice mixture over strawberries in bowl and add yogurt, buttermilk, and lemon juice.
Mix well, then cover and freeze for 2 hours.
Remove mixture from freezer and beat on medium speed until smooth.
Cover bowl and return to freezer.
Freeze yogurt for 6 hours.
Remove from freezer 15-20 minutes before serving.