All the fears of the Y2K problems that were to happen with the New Year didn't materialize. The country worried about power failures, banking problems and technical problems for hospitals. The country and county was prepared for the change, and nothing happened. It was later debated if Y2K was an over hyped product of the modern media or if the world simply did an excellent job of avoiding disaster?

Producers of the grassland fire that devastated homes and pasture land in the Squaw Gap area on Halloween night 1999 received fencing material in January. About 2,375 wood post and 567 wire rolls from the Orphan Grain Train and 7,115 steel fence posts were purchased with a grant from the North Dakota Rural Rehabilitation Corporation to give to the ranchers.

Sidney's head football coach Mike Gear was nominated for national football coach of the year in February. State Sen. Walt McNutt announced that he would run for a second term.

Melby's Maulers won its fourth state wrestling championship. The last championship was won in 1993.

The Richland Youth Hockey Association hosted the 10-team North Dakota Junior Gold State Tournament in March. Montana Lt. Gov. Judy Martz was on hand to welcome the teams.

The price for a barrel of oil topped $30 after OPEC cut production. Diesel fuel was running $1.50 a gallon and had the trucking and farming industries worried.

An explosion destroyed the trailer home and shop of Fairview Mayor Bryan Cummins, damaged nearby houses and broke windows for blocks in the town. The explosion was caused by a propane tank in the bed of a pickup parked in the shop.

A rash of grass fires in late March kept local officials and firefighters busy. Five fires broke out in the area on one day alone. Two blazes combined to destroy 600 acres of pasture and farmland and threatened Dave and Ethel Albin's home.

The Fairview School Board hired Jim Germann in April as Fairview's new superintendent of schools. Germann was the superintendent and high school principal in Fromberg since 1998.

Richland Economic Development hired Don E. Decker as its new executive director in May. Decker had been an executive for Boy Scouts of America in Lincoln, Neb., for the previous five years. Bill Barr, the organization's first full-time executive director, resigned from the position in January to take a job in Bozeman.

The Lodge at Lone Tree Creek opened its doors in May and had seven residents. Cost for living at the Lodge ranged from $1,800 to $3,000 per month depending on the level of care needed.

Lana Baisch, Jessica Casey, Kyla Fisher and Rachel Steinbeisser competed for the Miss Northeastern Montana pageant in June. Steinbeisser was named Miss Northeastern Montana 2001.

Mike and Jill Degn, Sidney, opened Box Canyon Guest Ranch and held its grand opening in June. The ranch took its name from the beautiful canyons that surround the area, including Devils Canyon and Box Canyon.

Reunion 2000, Sidney's all class reunion, was held in July with barbecues, dances, parade, carnival, programs, church service, picnic and old-fashioned ice cream social to entertain the attendees.

Moo Juice kept increasing its number of cows, starting with 50 in June. By the middle of July they were up to 200 cows. The herd was made up of a combination of Holstein, Brown Swiss and Jersey cows.

Holly Sugar celebrated 75 years in the community.

Sharon Rau, executive director of the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. announced in August that the Montana High School Rodeo Association state finals would be held in Sidney in June 2001. Sidney would host the event for three years.

The Sidney Herald-Leader started a Newspaper in Education program, directed by Tina Rehbein, Lambert.

Sidney High School Principal Dan Farr was selected the Principal of the Year for the Montana Association of Secondary School Principals in Region IV in September; it covered most of eastern Montana and consists of high schools in all classes.

Community leaders held a meeting in October about what to do with the Lalonde Hotel. The landmark was severely damaged by an electrical fire April 1, 1999. The hotel has remained un-repaired and unoccupied. Attempts to contact owner Duane Leidholt, Miles City, had been unsuccessful.

Don Steinbeisser and Don Steppler were the winners in the local elections in November. Steinbeisser, a Republican, won the District 100 state representative race over John Redman. Steppler earned a place on the Richland County Commission with a victory over Hugo Asbeck.

Richland County 4-H won four of the top five places at the Montana Stockgrowers Association's steer American awards in December, held in Great Falls. Sidney's Lane Hall took first place for the second year in a row, Chase Denowh placed third, Kayla Block fourth, and Jarvis Klempel took fifth.

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