Livingston Buy Local

Montana author Judy Blunt will travel to Livingston to read for Elk River Books’ first birthday party on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m. in the Blue Slipper Theatre, 113 E. Callender St.

Blunt is well known for her best-selling memoir, Breaking Clean, which was published by A.A. Knopf in 2002 and met with wide critical acclaim. She spent more than 30 years on wheat and cattle ranches in northeastern Montana, before leaving that life to attend the University of Montana. Her book of poems, Not Quite Stone, won the Merriam-Frontier Award, and was published in 1991.

Recognition of Blunt’s work includes a PEN/Jerard Fund Award for nonfiction, the Whiting Writers’ Award, Mountains and Plains Bookseller’s Award, Willa Award for Nonfiction Book of the Year, and a National Endowment for the Arts writer’s fellowship. Blunt received a Guggenheim fellowship in 2005. She’s the director of the creative writing program and teaches creative nonfiction at the University of Montana, Missoula.

Tickets for the event are $10, and will be available at the store beginning May 1. The price includes admission to the reading, as well as a reception and book signing by Blunt at Elk River Books after the event.

This year’s Stafford Animal Shelter May 18 Fur Ball auction includes a wide selection of miniature art originals with the theme: Small Art/Big Impact. Most of the work can be seen at a special Preview Art Show at the Drawing Room 117 East Callender Street, Livingston through May 16, 2012. The work there will have a special “buy now” price for those who’d like the purchase it and are unable to attend the Fur Ball. Artists include: Parks Reece, John Garre, DG House, Bob Spannring, Christine Sutton, Suzanne Schneider, Lynn Chan, Stacey Herries, Lindsay Pichaske, Kelsey McDonnell, Linda Barnsley, Sarah Angst, Stephanie Cochran, Laurie Yarnell, Betsey Hurd, Gwen Strachan, Kammie Roberts and more.
If you are unable to attend the event, you can buy tickets to the Luxury Raffle – only one hundred $50 tickets will be sold – and let an attendee know which auction item you would like if you are the lucky winner.
To learn more and purchase event and raffle tickets, phone 222-1313 or click here (http://staffordanimalshelter NULL.org/category/events/). See auction items on the website or Shelter’s Facebook page (http://www NULL.facebook NULL.com/TheStaffordAnimalShelter).

We have alot going on for Cinco De Mayo! Sink a basketball and get a free domestic beer or well drink-starting at noon. Tequila Tasting from 4-6 PM. Taste 5 different types of Tequila for only $5.00! Purchase a Bucket of 6 Carta Blanca Beers for only $10 and enjoy the Kentucky Derby!

With the help of many generous individuals, foundations, and over 75 local businesses, the Northside Park and Soccer Fields Project (NSPSF) Capital Campaign has raised over 80% of the funds needed for Phase 2 and is now pushing forward on summer construction. Recently, the Livingston Youth Soccer Association (LYSA) Board of Directors and the City of Livingston accepted a bid from Rabel Logging of Belgrade for Phase 2 construction of the Park. The $298,684 bid includes only the construction costs for Phase 2 to convert approximately 7 acres of city property into green park space and two new parking lots. LYSA will need to raise an additional $55,000 – $60,000 to purchase and install trees and park benches and pathway surfacing with concrete.

Once construction is complete, Phase 2 will be open for public use 12 months after seeding to properly allow the grass to grow in.

Area residents are encouraged to visit the Park and see for themselves the huge transformation! The park is easily accessible at the corner of North 14th and Summit.