File
J.D. Pyfer walked the street with an advertising barrel during Sidney's sidewalk bazaar.
A record year was marked for Holly Sugar on Jan. 15 when the two millionth 100-pound bag of sugar slid down the chute at the factory in Sidney. It was a corporate record for one season in Sidney and the corporation's seven other operations in Texas, California and Wyoming. At the time of the record the corporation was in the process of merging with Imperial Sugar Company.
The Sidney Herald and the Richland County Leader merged on Feb. 10 and published for the first time on the 14th as the Sidney Herald-Leader. The merger was initiated by Wick Newspaper, owner of the Herald, and Leader owners Russ and Linda Wells to better serve the Sidney trade area.
Scobey native Don Rush was named chief administrator of Community Memorial Hospital, he replaced Peter Wise. Rush was CMH's chief financial officer for the previous eight years.
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Four Richland County departments moved into the old post office the first week in April. They included the MSU Extension Service, County Weed Department, County Planning Department and the Justice of the Peace office. The city made plains for City Judge Kris Weltikol to move into the building as well.
Yvonne Houle, Culbertson, was named Miss Northeastern Montana at the pageant held at the Sidney Middle School auditorium.
Prom cost in 1988 were $15 for tickets, $75 to $200 for a dress, $60 for shoes and accessories, tuxedo rental for $50 to $100, and dinner and miscellaneous up to $120, averaging $250 per person.
In early May, the Greater Richland County Economic Development Corp. was formed to provide aid and support to local businesses and boost the community. Lynnette Hintze was hired as the executive director and George Swenson was named its board chairman.
Less than an inch of moisture fell in April and May, which combined with high temperatures set up the tinder-dry conditions that turned sparks into an uncontrollable range fire that swept over Sidney fireman John Seitz and consumed several farmsteads the second week in June. Seitz was hospitalized after being trapped by flames blown by 45-mile-per-hour winds, while he battled a blaze along North Dakota 27.
The extreme dry conditions led to the ban of fireworks over the Fourth of July and delayed the fall hunting season.
Doris Taylor, Fairview, was the first woman to be honored on the Old Timer's Festival button.
Three-time Grammy award winner Ricky Skaggs headlined the Richland County Fair in August. Tickets were $10, and Skaggs was guaranteed $25,000 for two performances.
About 25 rural Fairview families were evacuated in September from an oil well blowout, which emitted a cloud of deadly hydrogen sulfite gas. People exposed to 500 parts per million of H-2-S gas can lose their sense of balance and suffer lung damage. One thousand parts could kill; at one point the blow-out was emitting up to 300,000 parts per million.
University of Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight visited the Sidney Senior High School while on a hunting trip.
The spectacle of professional wrestling came to Fairview in October. The show was sponsored by the Fairview Jaycees to benefit St Jude's Hospital.
The biggest upset of the election in November was Republican Conrad Burns defeating incumbent Democrat John Melcher for the U.S. Senate seat. Democrat Don Steppler won the state District 21 house race over Republican Henry Nollmeyer. In the county commissioner race, County Treasurer Gloria Paladichuk beat incumbent Republican Dave McMillen.
The Sidney Eagles crushed the Glendive Red Devils 37-9 to win the state Class A football title for the fourth time in the decade.
Area ranchers committed 100 Richland County cattle to run in the Centennial Cattle Drive in 1989. Alvin and Keith Franzen were selected as the county's cowhand representatives to help handle the 10,000-head herd.
Richland County Sheriff Ole Grinolds died of a heart attack in December.
Lambert youth had a new community center; they nicknamed it the Lion's Den, after the school mascot. The center in the old Carter's Bar opened after a Lambert-Richey basketball game in December.
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.
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