By WILBUR WOOD - For The Outpost

This is a “heads-up” story appearing one day before the last Friday and Saturday in May, when Montana high school track and field meets happen.

This year the Class A and Class C meets run concurrently in Laurel, while the Class B and AA meets do the same in Bozeman.

It is in Bozeman where a bunch of speedy young women will appear. They’ve been running really fast times this year, in races that we used to call the half-mile, the mile and the two-mile. And this weekend they could set some new state records.

Those three races are now the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters — and by rule of the Montana High School Association, state records can be set only at these season-ending state meets.

It’s an old rule, going back to an era of hand-held stopwatches on dirt tracks and the uncertainty of measuring time, space and motion in conditions like that vs. measurements in more refined conditions, like a college campus with a smoother track surface and more accurate measuring procedures.

Continue reading: Speedy young women threaten track records

By JANE WHITE - The Billings Outpost

The sound was “skin on wood,” the spank on which a palm inspired the sound of the African conga drum, which in turn gave birth to Latin dance called salsa.

Dance dominated two lecture slots on the Western Heritage Center’s schedule last month. At the WHC’s High Noon Lecture Series, Mark Matthews presented a pictorial and audio history of social dance ranging from about the turn of the century to now.

Writer and dancer Matthews, 42, from Missoula, said he was on his way to Bozeman to teach contra dance, which he said was just like walking in a line, only more fun.

Tall, slender, blond and dressed in black except for a gray tie, Mark Matthews delighted about 20 people in the audience, only a few of whom were male. Mr. Matthews focused on the qualities of social dance that contributed to social interaction between blacks and whites.

Iconic Latin star Desi Arnaz said he thought the best way for people to get to know each other was through music and dance. Performing “Babalu,” he featured a conga line that many said promoted community via its simple steps and line format.

Continue reading: Speaker asks why some can’t samba

By SHARIE PYKE - For The Outpost

“Oh my God! I’ve done the opera for 14 seasons!” said Doug Nagel, commenting on his decision to leave the Rimrock Opera.

“I cannot teach all day and sing all night,” he added. “It’s time in my life for me to move on and to focus my energies on my job here at MSU B. “I have 20 students and it’s intense, one on one.”

Professor Nagel first connected with the then Billings Opera Guild as a performer in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” in 1999. The guild then asked him to become the group’s artistic director. Over the years, he’s been a performer, a producer and the general manager as well.

His favorite operas are “Salome” by Richard Strauss and “Die Walküre” by Wagner. His favorite operetta is “The Merry Widow,” but he also enjoys Broadway tunes.

“My signature tune is ‘Ol’ Man River,’” he said. He’s a Helden baritone, a dramatic or heroic baritone.

Continue reading: Nagel looking forward to life after Rimrock Opera

Local Tea Party members plan to rally at the Billings Internal Revenue Service office, 2900 Fourth Ave. N., at noon Tuesday, May 21. 

A news release said, "Tea Party groups from across the country are planning to protest IRS offices Tuesday as details of inapropriate targeting by the agency continue to emerge.

 "On behalf of Tea Party, Patriot groups, 9/12, liberty activists, and the American people, we are calling for anyone and everyone to protest the IRS' complete abuse of power on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at noon local time. "

MSU News Service

BOZEMAN – Betsy Palmer, an associate professor of education at Montana State University, passed away Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a landslide while traveling in Nepal, university officials announced Monday.

Palmer was in Nepal leading a group of 16 students on a course offered through the University Honors Program at MSU. None of the students were injured in the landslide. The university is working with the U.S. Embassy, Senator Max Baucus' office and emergency transport services in Nepal to expedite the students' return to the United States.

Palmer and the students were on an extended trek to a remote village in the Arun River Valley in the Himalayas as part of  “Great Expeditions,” a University Honors Program course.

Continue reading: MSU professor dies on trip

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens are looking for information about an incident about a month ago when as many as 30 antelope were killed illegally southeast of Billings.

The state’s TIP-MONT program is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to a conviction in the case.

Game warden Nick Taylor said FWP received information that two males trespassed on private land west of Montana Highway 418 and south of Blue Creek. The two killed as many as 30 antelope in one field, then left them to waste. At least one perpetrator later drove into the field and removed some of the carcasses. Game wardens have retrieved several of the antelope carcasses.

Montana law makes it illegal to kill antelope without a license or out of season. It also is illegal to leave game animals to waste.

Taylor asked that anyone with information about the incident call him at (406) 247-2976 or (406) 697-3443. People also may call FWP’s 24-hour wildlife tip line at 1-800-TIP-MONT (800-847-6668). The TIP-MONT program is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to a conviction in the case.

Continue reading: Information sought on game kill

The RiverStone Health Clinic Board of Directors, which governs the activities of the federally qualified health center, is seeking applications for two Board members residing in either Yellowstone or Carbon Counties. RiverStone Health primary care clinics are located in Billings, Bridger, Joliet and Worden and residents of those communities are encouraged to apply.

RiverStone Health clinics are designated federally qualified health centers and as such, the Board of Directors must be representative of the communities they serve. In addition, the majority of board members must be users of health center services so patients of RiverStone Health clinics are especially encouraged to apply for board positions. Board members, in addition to governance of the health center, are also charged with governance of the RiverStone Health Dental Clinic and Health Care for the Homeless program.

Visit www.riverstonehealth.org or call Nancy Taylor, vice president of clinical operations at 247-3295 for information about the organization, the commitment required of RiverStone Health Clinic Board members, and the application / selection process.

Open burning is banned today (May 13) and Tuesday in Yellowstone County because of dry conditions along with near record temperatures and high winds, according to Duane Winslow, the county's emergency and general services director.

By WILBUR WOOD - For The Outpost

Last Tuesday’s annual Top Ten Track and Field meet was conducted in Laurel under a gray sky offering periodic sprinkles of rain flavored by a persistent cold breeze.

Nothing unusual about this, on the last day of April in Montana, and this weather did not seem to faze the 150 or more athletes competing in 17 running, jumping or throwing events.

Top Ten is my favorite high school meet of the year, although the excitement of the two-day state meets (on the last Friday and Saturday of May) can rival it. The local Top Ten sponsor, the Billings Roundtable, conducts this meet with brisk efficiency: Starting at 3:30 in the afternoon, it always is ending about four hours later.

My only critique is that, if you’re watching pole vault and high jump, there is no way to know the height of the bar that competitors are trying to propel themselves over. Why not follow what is done at most state meets I’ve attended and place a large sign that can be rotated to show spectators the height being contested?

Why not use the big electronic scoreboard at Laurel, across the field from the grandstand, to do more than list what competitors have done at the end of an event? Why not also use it to note current leaders in various events, particularly long jump, triple jump and the three throwing events? (But that may be asking too much.)

Continue reading: Small schools shine at Top Ten Meet

Rimrock Opera will be holding auditions for the summer festival by appointment.

The festival will be held June 15-23, ending with performances on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23. The festival will include musical theater and opera workshops as well as master classes.

Faculty for the festival will include two coaches from Dallas, Texas, James McQuillen and Jay Gardner, as well as voice teacher Kristee Haney and stage director Matthew Haney.

To audition, contact Matthew Haney at 1-816-872-5032.

Bring a resume, a headshot (if possible) and two contrasting pieces including an art song, arias or musical theater.

Continue reading: Rimrock Opera plans auditions