Briefs for Dec. 19, 2018
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Mission, Arlee, Jocko holiday church service schedule
St. Ignatius Mission
— Dec. 24: Christmas Caroling, 11 p.m.
— Dec. 24: Midnight Mass, midnight
— Dec. 25: Christmas Day Mass, 10 a.m.
— Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Mass, 7 p.m.
— Dec. 31: New York (Safe and Sane) New Year’s Eve Party (Social Hall)
8-10 p.m.
Arlee, Sacred Heart Mission
— Dec. 24: Christmas caroling, 7:30 p.m.
— Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Mass, 8 p.m.
— Dec. 25: Christmas Day Mass, 10 a.m.
— Dec. 31: New Year’s Day Mass, 10 a.m.
St. John Berchman/Jocko Mission
— Dec. 23: Mass, 5 p.m.
— Dec. 30: Mass, 5 p.m.
— No Mass at Jocko on Christmas Day - Tuesday, Dec. 25, or New Year’s Day Tuesday, Jan. 1.
Lights sparkle at the fairgrounds
RONAN — Attend the Ronan Parade of Lights on Friday, Dec. 21, at 5:30 p.m. and then run, run reindeer to the fairgrounds where fun, food and music abound at Lights Under the Big Sky. Lights go on at 5 p.m., Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. with games and crafts in the Reindeer Barn, displays to visit, fire pits to warm your hands and lights to “ooh” and “aah” over. As a musical treat at 6:45 p.m. the children’s choir will present their Christmas concert. The Christmas Market will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. so shoppers can stroll through and pick up a last minute gift.
Tester secures $600 million investment to expand high-speed internet in rural America
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Jon Tester today applauded a $600 million investment to expand high-speed internet in rural communities across the country.
Tester helped secure the investment in a budget bill in March, and he was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to support the funding for this new initiative.
“Schools, families, and businesses all need reliable access to high-speed internet to thrive,” Tester said. “This funding will specifically help the country’s most rural areas close the communication gap and bring new opportunities to folks across our state.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will administer the new $600 million initiative, known as the “ReConnect Program,” through loans and grants to local telecommunication companies, tribes, and municipalities.
Communities with fewer than 20,000 residents will be eligible for the new funding to expand high-speed internet access. The first round of grants applications will be due to USDA by the end of April 2019.
Montanans can access assistance from USDA during the grant application process by visiting the ReConnect Program’s resource portal at: https://reconnect.usda.gov/.
Tester earlier this week led the charge to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that included development grants to expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas.
