Susan Mae Jackson, Tatanga Ska Wiya (White Buffalo Woman), died Feb. 23, 2026. Born Feb. 13, 1941, in Oswego, she became the fifth of 11 children to parents Wilson and Josephine Jackson. She grew up in Frazer, where she attended school and obtained her GED. She worked numerous jobs, some of which she was fond of more than others. She was masterful at the many hobbies she enjoyed doing and to have a few which included sewing, baking and gardening. She kept the biggest yard within the community, teeming with an array of vibrant flowers and lush grass. She was tough like the ground she grew up on after all. More than anything, she loved spending time amongst family and seeing her grandchildren grow. A good portion of such times were spent on the powwow trail where she could be found front row cheering on her grandbabies as they danced or visiting with the many friends she made along the way. Fierce and tenacious, she was the bedrock of her family, the one who knew where

Myrna Jean Rauch, age 82, of Lewistown, entered into the presence of our Lord and Savior on Feb. 12, 2026. Myrna and her twin, Myron, were born on Aug. 11, 1943, to Vernon and Audrey Dull in St. Helena, Calif. The family moved to Meeker, Colo., where Myrna grew up and graduated from Meeker High School. She then attended two years at Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music in Grand Rapids, Mich., and was later employed at Mountain Bell Telephone Company in Denver, Colo. While in Denver, Myrna met Harry Rauch. They married in July 1972 and had three children, Nicholas, Brody and Cassidy. In 1979, the family moved to the farm that Harry grew up on north of Wolf Point, Mont. While in Montana their fourth child, Desiree, was born. Myrna did many things on the farm including crocheting, gardening, canning many foods and making food from scratch including bread, jam, butter and cottage cheese. The family attended Lustre EMB Church. Myrna and Harry also joined and helped with The Gideons International. In 1993, Harry, Myrna and Desiree moved to Lewistown where Harry took a job as court reporter. Myrna stayed busy once in Lewistown. She and Harry were involved at several churches including First Baptist, First Christian and then Central Baptist Church. She continued her involvement in The Gideons International, watched children for others, participated in a bell choir, sang and played guitar, volunteered at the Central Montana

John Albert “Bub” Howard, 95, of Cow Creek in McCone County died Feb. 25, 2026. He was born May 25, 1930, in Wolf Point to Murvale Eastman Howard and Flossie Fountain Howard. He got his nickname from his father when he was a little boy, when his father referred to him one time affectionately as Buster and Bub quickly quipped back, “My name isn’t Buster, it’s Bubba.” The name stuck and was eventually shortened to Bub. As a child, he attended school first at Hamblin, then Cow Creek, and one of his favorite childhood pastimes was riding pigs. After graduation from Circle High School in 1948, he returned to the family farm to grow wheat and raise cows for more than 70 years. His memory of farming and living on the farm is unprecedented. When asked, he’d talk about how he and his father used a CAT to pull a 30’ toolbar in the 1950s or that they were one of the first people on the scene of the B-52 crash just north of the Howard property in 1964. He was always happy to visit with friends over the phone or a cup of coffee at his kitchen table. He was a farmer through and through; however, he did have other hobbies. He was an avid photographer and a collector of cameras and photography equipment, as well as a gun collector. His life took a romantic turn when he married Julie Elverud July 4, 1993. He continued living at the farm, while Julie lived in Circle, but they always found time to spend together. In the spring of 2018, he moved to town permanently to live with Julie following an illness. He walked 12 blocks almost daily and people around town would often see him carrying his cane above his head, instead of using it to steady himself.

Average gasoline prices in Montana have risen 5.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.78/g on Monday, March 2, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 615 stations in Montana. Prices in Montana are 6.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 30.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 5.4 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.740 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Montana was priced at $2.52/g on Sunday, March 1, while the most expensive was $3.09/g, a difference of 57.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 5.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.94/g today. The national average is up 7.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 10.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy. “The national average price of gasoline has climbed for a fourth straight week, driven primarily by seasonal tightening and broader market dynamics,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Looking ahead, markets will now begin reacting to this weekend’s U.S.–Iran attacks.”