The 405 Aired Feb 17th, 2026
I wanna again welcome you to The 405 Coffee Break. Get your cup of coffee, glass iced tea, glass of milk, maybe today. Get a glass of milk. And let's see what's happening.
OK Solberg:Spring wheat $5.37 a bushel. 550lb steer calf, I'm gonna quote right square up, $5 on the nose per pound. No kidding. Butcher hog in Iowa 61ยข a pound, and a 100lb fat lamb in Billings $2.74 a pound. But, guys, there's more, much more.
OK Solberg:Tell me where. Where does a fool go when there's no one left to listen to a story without meaning that nobody wants to hear? You know, guys, I ask that question all the time. And I just keep coming right back here and telling the same old stories. So today, I'll be sharing a true life story from my junior high years right here in Malta, Montana. You may have heard it before, but you haven't heard it this way.
OK Solberg:My stories always end on the same punchline, but the fluff to start with can be different. So since they're all true stories, the facts always remain the same. So understand it's the fall of 1970. It was a time when many roughnecks grieved heavily because Sugar Sugar by the Archies had fallen off the chart and now the pop charts were dominated by Edwin Star singing War and Neil Diamond singing Crackling Rosy. And the roughnecks felt there was still some hope when the Partridge family came out with I think I love you.
OK Solberg:In the field of country western music, we had these songs playing. Merle Haggard was singing the Fighten Side of Me, and Loretta Lynn. Loretta Lynn's number 1 hit Coal daughter was on every jukebox in North Central Montana. That fall was marked by continued anti war sentiment following the springtime Kent State shootings and the Baltimore Orioles. And the Cincinnati Reds were meeting up in the World Series.
OK Solberg:And, of course, the Baltimore Orioles won it in 5 games, and Montana's own Dave McNally was a pitcher for the Orioles and and a pitcher that hit a grand slam home run-in the world series, the only pitcher ever to do that. Now don't let me get sidetracked on baseball for I'm telling the story of a Phillips County happening in the fall of 1970 in the junior high of the old school where Mrs. Hendrickson's office is at the head of the study hall and Mr. Douglas's geography class was the 1st door on the North Side coming from Mrs. Hendrickson's office.
OK Solberg:Well, Mr. Douglas, he had a segment of his class designated for current events. And thinking back, that was a very educational idea in a way to keep junior high students involved in the happenings around our nation. It really was a good idea. So he asked, does anyone have a current event? And Carrie Totman willingly raised her hand and reports Janice Joplin died last night.
OK Solberg:Guys, I remember feeling like such a numbskull. I didn't have a current event. I probably didn't even know that the Orioles were playing the Reds, but Carrie said, Janice Joplin died last night. I'm in shock thinking how could one of my own students right here in Malta, Montana have her pulse on America like Carrie did. And then my 2nd thought was, I wonder who Janice Joplin was.
OK Solberg:It's all true. It happened just that way and Janice died on Sunday night, October 4th 1970 And on Monday, October 5 in Mr. Douglas's class, Carrie reported that earth shaking news. But guys, since it's over 55 years ago, you might wanna write it down. Remember that Janice died on Sunday the 4th, Carrie reported her death on Monday the 5th, and the world series started only 5 days later on October 10, and Dave McNally from Billings, Montana hit his grand slam on October 13. So it really was a historically packed 10 days of history.
OK Solberg:So until next time, as you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.