The former Moo Juice Dairy was sold to the Bos family, Manhattan, in January. The business was called Bostana Dairy

After 26 years of providing general commercial photography to eastern Montana, Jim Schwartz, owner of Schwartz Photography, closed the doors.

The Boys & Girls Club of Richland County opened its doors in late January. Richland County was brought to a stand still by blizzard conditions in early February. County roads were closed when visibility was reduced to white-out conditions and didn't reopen until middle of the next day, delaying mail delivery, paper deliveries, the District 2-C girls basketball tournament and closed schools.

A dream became reality in Savage when the Sunrise Manor held its grand opening. The assisted-living facility featured eight apartments.

John and Marilyn Olson, Sidney, were selected in March to serve as honorary co-chairmen for the C.M. Russell Auction of Original Western Art in Great Falls.

VFW Post #4099, Sidney, added its first eligible female member, Adria Hinds, who was serving overseas in Iraq at the time.

Fairview High School's Mike Weber was voted assistant speech coach of the year. Fairview High School won the Eastern C divisional championship and placed third at state in drama for Class C schools in speech and drama.

"The Passion of the Christ" created a buzz in the Sidney area as well as all over the world since it opened in March. "The film ran in Sidney's Centre Theatre for a week and four days in April, bringing people who didn't normally go see a movie. The attendance was more than average.

Hiland Partners, L.L.C., based out of Enid, Okla., was in the early stages of building the Bakken Natural Gas Processing Plant, eight miles northwest of Sidney off Highway 16.

Lambert High School junior Gillette Vaira came home in May with a national championship from the Business Professionals of America's national conference held in Cincinnati.

The new tennis courts, located two blocks west of Sidney High School at Hansen Park, were opened in June.

Richland County native Wade Whiteman was hired as the new MSU Extension agent for Richland County. He is replaced longtime extension agent Fred Barkley.

The Gov. Donald Nutter statue was erected in Veterans Memorial Park and was dedicated during the Heritage Day celebration.

David Meehan was the featured artist for the Sunrise Festival of the Arts in July. Meehan throws clay on his pottery wheel creating unique pieces.

B&B Builders completed the $165,000 renovations of the Richland County Courthouse dome. Much of the renovation was paid for through oil and natural gas revenue.

A tornado struck down in Savage during a series of storms in eastern Montana. The tornado tore off a 20-foot section of roof at the Farmers Union Oil Agronomy Center in Savage.

OK Lanes opened in August at the former R and R Lanes location. The county was without a bowling center since May 2001.

Oil activity in Richland County enjoyed its biggest resurgence in about 20 years, but the oil business faced problems finding well-trained employees.

Drivers were hard to find for the beet harvest in September.

Five Richland County employees rode electric scooters to and from work during the summer. The women began riding the scooters to work in response to the increase in fuel costs.

$107,600 was raised for the grand stands at Sidney High School's Swanson Field, which was enough for the bleachers and the press box,

Harvey Shultz, Montana Army National Guard team leader, retired from the military after a 22-year career in October.

With the increase in oil activity, the hotel industry benefited from the in-flux of oil and pipeline workers.

After 26 years of serving the people in eastern Montana, Dr. Donald Cooper retired from practice in November.

Local National Guard soldiers were deployed to Fort Lenaerd Wood, Mo., Nov. 29. The Battery A and B, 1-190th Field Artillery Battalion, was ordered to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Nobel Eagle.

The Sidney School Board voted in December to house all elementary students at Westside Elementary School starting in the fall.

Trinity Lutheran Church congregation was back at home in their sanctuary after 12 weeks of Sunday services at Sidney Middle School where worship was held after the Sept. 17 church fire.

Footnote: Information provided by the MonDak Heritage Center's archives. Previous years can be found on the Herald Web site www.sidneyherald.com/herald_facts