Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
The Sidney Herald · Sidney, MT
Nearby: Sidney, MTSIDNEY — The Sidney Public School Board of Trustees approved a package of policy updates, including changes addressing the use of artificial intelligence in schools, at its meeting Monday evening. Superintendent Thom Barnhart described the AI-related policy as a way to set expectations for both staff and students while protecting student privacy and retaining human oversight. According to an informational packet provided to trustees, the proposed policy stated staff could use AI for tasks such as instructional planning and differentiated learning, but the framework cautions against “delegating professional judgment entirely to AI-generated materials.” The policy, developed by the Montana School Boards Association’s legal team using a framework from the Office of Public Instruction, establishes guidelines for monitoring which AI programs are used and how they are used.
The Sidney Herald · Sidney, MT
Nearby: Sidney, MTSIDNEY — What happens when you bring back three Ranger alumni players to battle it out on the ice? Some of the best hockey action to come to the Ranger Arena. Please join us on Friday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Nov. 14 as we welcome back to the rink Garrett Youngquist, Shayne Smith and Jarret Averett as the Yellowstone Quake takes on the Great Falls Americans. Smith and Youngquist graduated from Sidney in 2024 and joined the Quake that fall. Averett graduated from Sidney in 2025 but has been playing for the Americans since 2024. All three of these young men knew that after they finished playing for the Richland Rangers they wanted to continue playing, so naturally the next step was junior hockey — playing at the NA3HL level. In the 2025‑26 NA3HL season, Averett played 9 games for the Great Falls Americans, recording one goal, zero assists and one point with no penalty minutes.
The Sidney Herald · Sidney, MT
Nearby: Sidney, MTSIDNEY — Sidney Health Center is now offering in-house PET/CT scans, expanding access to advanced cancer imaging for patients throughout eastern Montana and western North Dakota. According to a Nov. 5 press release from Sidney Health Center, the new Canon Cartesion Prime Digital PET/CT scanner was made possible through a $2.3 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The grant application was written and submitted by the Foundation for Community Care. The permanent scanner, located in the hospital's Cancer Care Department, replaces the mobile PET/CT service previously available one day a week. Patients can now schedule scans on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, providing greater flexibility and allowing for better coordination with other aspects of their care. "It's exciting to see this project become a reality and know that patients are now benefiting from this technology," said Jennifer Doty, CEO of Sidney Health Center.
The Sidney Herald · Sidney, MT
Nearby: Sidney, MTSIDNEY — The Northeastern Arts Network will present vocalist and tap dancer Solomon Jaye in his “Tap Into Soul” performance Thursday, Nov. 19, at the MonDak Heritage Center in Sidney. The performance combines Jaye’s multi-octave vocals, tap dancing and live instrumentation in a musical setlist spanning several decades, a press release from the Northeastern Arts Network said. Songs include classics such as James Brown’s “I Feel Good,” Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” along with contemporary hits such as Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control.” Jaye, billed as “America’s Premier Tap Dancing Soul Singer,” studied voice at Oklahoma City University and trained with tap artists Heather Cornell and the late Robert L. Reed. He has collaborated with Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated artists, including Pentatonix, Jessie J, Robin Thicke, Mindi Abair, Katharine McPhee and Shoshana Bean.
