MontanaWithKids.com

Two Rivers Regional Detention Center in Hardin, Montana

Shirley Adams is the wife of Ron Adams, the mayor of Hardin, Montana, and answered questions for this article about the privatizing of the Hardin police. Shirley said that no such thing had occurred and that the Big Horn County Sheriff Lawrence “Pete” Big Hair and his deputies are still patrolling their city of about 3,500 residents, a town about 45 miles southeast of Billings. (more…)

The promise of the authentic Terry Badlands look and feel hits you as soon as you enter the Badlands Café and Scoop Shoppe located in downtown Terry, Montana. (more…)

Dateline: Terry, Montana
September 20, 2009 5:30 PM MDT

You will soon be paying under $2 per gallon again for gasoline and diesel fuel In Montana and elsewhere. The crude oil price will go back down into the 40’s. So make plans for that trip to see the grandparents for the holidays as well as give the economy a much needed boost. (more…)

Inger and Arline Koppenhaver cutting the ribbon to officially open their Badlands Cafe and Scoop Shoppe for business on 9-5-09

Dateline: Terry, Montana
Article by: Bob van der Valk
Pictures by: Kay Braddock of the Terry Tribune

Arline and Inger Koppenhaver officially opened their new cafe in Terry, Montana on Saturday, September 5, 2009. Their families and Terry residents were in attendance to watch the ribbon cutting ceremony that went off with great fan fare. (more…)

The Calypso Peak is just one of the spectacular sights to be seen in the Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area

Dateline: Terry, Montana
By: Bob van der Valk
September 16, 2009

For hiking, photography, sightseeing and wildlife viewing the Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area cannot be missed. It is located three miles northwest of Terry, Montana, north of the Yellowstone River, with access to the scenic overlook by a westbound dirt road directly off “The Big Sky Backcountry Byway” Highway 253 currently closed due to a dispute between the private property owner and Prairie County. (more…)

The scary part is the one as you drive up the building where you are greeted by a giant T-Rex that seems to be bursting fright through the wall of the building into the parking lot.

The Koppenhaver and van der Valk families traveled to Glendive, Montana last June to view the exhibits on display at their just recently opened Dinosaur and Fossil museum. (more…)

Honor Guard pausing in front of parade viewers during the playing of the National Anthem

Dateline: Fallon, Montana
September 7, 2009
By: Bob van der Valk

When the good folks on the Fallon Village Council made plans at their meeting last June, to have their popular harvest festival on September 6, 2009, they knew in advance that it would probably be one of the hottest days of the year. And they were not disappointed with temperatures on the parade and event route reaching almost 100 degrees. (more…)

The van der Valk Gas Price Advisory for September 7, 2009

Dateline: Terry, Montana

We have had some dog days here in Terry, Montana this summer and the price of gasoline has been scorching upward right along with the heat. The spot market for gasoline and diesel prices dropped like a rock Monday, but Tuesday morning brought new hope and both of them are both back up. Gasoline is heading the pack but the price of crude oil is back down some more to $68.86 up 89 cents a barrel on this holiday. (more…)

From left to right: Jerry holding baby Samuel, Paul, Inger, Nathan, Emily, Kayla, Arline Koppenhaver, Bob and Tammy van der Valk

Co-owners Arline and Inger Koppenhaver named their 50’s style diner, located in downtown Terry, Montana, after the Badlands located just across the nearby Yellowstone River. (more…)

Boy oh boy, if there’s one thing I can tell you, having driven 4,000 miles back and forth across the great state of Montana, it’s that the number of lousy people in the state just about approaches zero. There were some places where we got poor service, or were made to feel like “less than VIPs”, but they were few and far between… one such place, however, is in the miserable town of Anaconda.
(more…)

Dateline: Terry, Montana
August 31, 2009 6:00 PM MDT

On Saturday, September 5, 2009 “The King of Rock N’ Roll” will make his appearance at the grand opening of the Badlands Café and Scoop Shoppe on Logan Avenue in Terry, Montana. (more…)