Just My Opinion - by Mary Kilen
Here We Go Again
It has been an interesting few months at the Promoter to say the least when it comes to printing the paper. In May we were having issues with the CTP at the printing plant. That meant that our printing times had fluctuated frequently as we were having our plates burned in Garrison. Sometimes, like Memorial Day week, it meant we had to be done even earlier. We were fortunate, though, that the plant in Garrison was able to handle our plates.
It was inconvenient for the newspapers, but more so for our plant manager Bob Kastner and the employees at the plant. It meant different hours and for Bob it frequently meant driving between Minot and Garrison, adding even more hours to his day.
We were all very happy when the CTP was fixed at the start of June. It allowed us to go back to normal after three or four weeks of finding out either on Friday or Monday what time we needed to upload our pages to the plant. For us at the Promoter, we finish up our pages when we leave on Monday and then do final changes and spell checks on Tuesday before we start uploading by 9:30. We had a couple of normal weeks and then we had to adjust our schedule for the July 5 issue because of the holiday last week.
Unfortunately, on Monday of last week, one day after the 30-day warranty, the CTP went down again. On a week Bob was supposed to be on vacation, instead he was back at it, having Garrison burn plates and make the drive back and forth. Last Thursday, I opened my email to find a notice that we would be adjusting our uploading schedule again for this week. Instead of Tuesday, we needed to have our pages uploaded on Monday so the process could continue.
The repair person is supposed to be here on Wednesday, July 12. Hopefully, they can figure out the problem this time. After running smoothly for that month, it is doing the same thing as before. We also have a backup that is supposed to be set up in August. Between those two things, we can hope that we can all settle back into our regular schedules. Otherwise, we’ll all be working around whatever schedule is needed to make sure the plates get burned and the papers get printed. While it is tough for us to change our routine, it can often be even harder for those trying to put something in the paper. We are all creatures of habit and change isn’t always easy.
This week, it means that Christina and I were set to hang around the office a little longer on Monday to get the pages done and uploaded. It also means that Tuesday morning will be spent with me sitting at my desk doing a few things I normally do on Tuesday, but I’ll have extra time on my hands. That might be helpful, though, because Dale and I are spending next weekend in Medora with Amanda, Zach and the kids!
Rib Riot Returns
The fourth annual Rib Riot returns to Stanley this Saturday. With construction on the new pool in the park, the event moves to the Prairie Rose Golf Course this year.
Teams will start cooking early in the day with serving to the public starting at 4:00 p.m. There will be inflatable bounce houses and a huge slide for the kids to play on, as well as free sno-cones.
The annual event has become very popular over the last three years with teams coming out looking to claim the best ribs. I’ll be having someone step in for me this year to run the judging because we will be in Medora. I’m going to miss being there, but the trip was part of our Christmas present from the kids, and we are looking forward to this trip.
Be sure to check it out! Proceeds from the event this year will go to the Stanley Rural Fire Department, the SACK Program, and the Mountrail County Food Pantry.
It Was Fun Even If It Was Cool
The 4th of July has come and gone in Stanley and as usual it was lots of fun! We got to spend Monday, July 3 with many of Dale’s classmates as they celebrated their 50th class reunion. They were just one of many classes that got together over the holiday.
Watching the weather forecast, I knew it was going to be cool on Tuesday, but I’m not sure I was even really prepared for it. It was a bit of a pleasant change to not be standing on the corner in front of the Promoter taking pictures in the blazing hot sun, but I admit I wouldn’t have minded about ten more degrees. It was not the coldest 4th of July in my memory, though.
The parades were wonderful with lots of fun entries. The car show at Flickertail Village was great as well. We got to check out the cars and enjoyed some fresh popcorn from the newest donation to the village.
Fireworks are always my favorite part of the day. Unfortunately, this year, neither Dale nor I were feeling the best. That, coupled with our dog Buddy’s fear of fireworks, led us to stay home. We were not cheated out of fireworks, though, because there were lots of them going off all over town. I’m sorry I missed the annual display. The Stanley Fire Department and Commercial Club combine to put on an awesome display each year. I’ll be there next year!