Beet harvest weather simply ideal

POWELL — Area sugar beet growers are pretty much all smiles as the 2021 harvest is all but over in the Western Sugar Cooperative’s Lovell Factory District. 

As of Monday, only 490 acres of beets remained to be delivered in the Lovell district, with roughly 270 acres still to be harvested in the Billings, Montana, Factory District. 

The first cause for celebration was absolutely ideal harvest weather. 

“If you believe in a harvest weather God, he did real well,” said Tod Stutzman, North End grower and a member of the cooperative’s board of beet growers. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather.” 

A year ago, growers dealt with difficult conditions and harvested frozen beets before shutting down in the second week of November. 

This harvest season, “weather maybe held us up for four days, with no loss to frost,” Stutzman noted. 

Some rain and snow muddied fields briefly, but he called it nothing more than a brush with bad weather, “a reality check.” 

Stutzman said final figures are not available, but the average tonnage of the harvested crop should come in right at the projected yield of 26 tons to the acre. Early results from the processing of the 2021 beets are favorable at the Lovell factory, he added. 

“Sugar content has been great,” he said. “We should average 18.4 percent sugar.”

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Miracle Baby plans own parade for 16th birthday

GREYBULL — Most residents of Greybull know Landon Scott Noble. 

On Friday, Nov. 5, he turns 16 and to celebrate, he will drive his tractor down Fourth Street just after noon. The route starts at TCT and will continue north to B Street and head to the schools.

“On Nov. 5, 2005, Landon Scott Noble came crashing into this world. From that point on he made it clear he would be doing things his way and defying all the odds,” said his mother, Randi Lynn. “At 5 ½ months he had open-heart surgery. We knew from the moment he arrived there were difficult days ahead." 

At 10 months old Landon was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and had to be on oxygen for three years.

At 5, it was discovered that Landon had a large chromosome deletion on his seventh chromosome.

“Landon is an overcomer and hasn’t let any of his challenges slow him down,” Lynn added. “He is a friend to all he meets. He fills a room with love and joy. His smile and fake high fives bring happiness to everyone he crosses paths with. He loves mowing, driving the tractor, riding his bike, and really anything outside. His family is so grateful for the 16 years they have been blessed to have him." 

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Felony case from bear spray-triggered standoff heads to jury trial

JACKSON — The case of Alvaro Mancia, who was arrested after a Sept. 14 standoff that began when police said Mancia bear sprayed two officers responding to a domestic call, is set for a jury trial Feb. 14. 

Mancia has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mancia is charged with three felonies: two counts of interfering with a police officer, and one of aggravated assault and battery. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. 

He remains in Teton County Jail, with his bail set at $50,000.

“The state has concerns for community safety,” Teton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Clay Kainer said during Mancia’s Sept. 16 in-custody hearing. “This is a violent matter. There are three separate victims involved in this case.”

Police initially showed up at Mancia’s home on the 500 block of East Hall to respond to a domestic disturbance. The 24-year-old Jackson resident then used bear spray on two officers and barricaded himself in the home, Jackson police Lt. Russ Ruschill said.

The two officers who were sprayed quickly recovered and returned to the scene, Lt. Ruschill said, where a large show of force gathered. There was one ambulance, one fire truck, two Teton County Sheriff’s Office deputies, 10 police officers and three Wyoming Highway Patrol on hand.

At around 7:05 p.m. police entered the home after receiving a court-issued search warrant and apprehended Mancia without incident.