Our Story
Lively Times was created in 1993 by co-publishers Susan Bearse and Kristi Niemeyer as a way of finding out what was happening beyond our hometown of Charlo. Since both of us had spent many years in the weekly newspaper business, we decided to build our own paper and forge our own business. We launched the online version in 2001, with its newest iteration appearing in 2015.
For more than 24 years (292 issues to be exact), we gathered information, sold ads and constructed the most comprehensive arts and entertainment paper in the state – all from our headquarters near the tiny town of Charlo. Although our last print edition went out the door in August 2017, we continue to fuel this robust website and its online events calendar, and offer subscriptions to our events data to organizations and businesses, including the Montana Arts Council and Montana Public Radio.
Our headquarters remain in the Mission Valley where we still strive to connect Montana’s thriving arts & entertainment community and, as we claimed in our very first issue, “banish boredom.”
As of June 1, 2025, a new owner, Varada Veum, took the helm. She’s well-versed in the intricacies of Lively Times, having joined us in 2022 as Calendar Maven and bookkeeper. Varada is passionate about supporting the arts and keeping Montanans connected in this ongoing celebration of our unique place and culture!
Our Staff
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Kristi Niemeyer
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Kristi is the former owner, publisher and editor, who stepped away in June 2025 to smell the roses (plus peonies, lilacs and apple blossoms) in her own backyard, and savor our lovely planet.
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Sue Bearse
Sue is co-founder and publisher emeritus, and served as business manager until January 2020. Now fully retired), she's free to be an avid traveler and devoted grandma!
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Brenda Steiner
Brenda, who has been a mainstay of our little crew for more than 25 years, is pursuing a well-deserved retirement with her husband, Jim, that will no doubt include music, gardening, and grandma-dom. We wish her all the best in her new endeavors!
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Varada Veum
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Varada joined LT in 2022 as our calendar maven and quickly proved very adept at lassoing arts events far and near. She soon added bookkeeper to her roles, and on June 1, 2025, became the owner of Lively Times, adding ad sales and design to her ever-expanding resume. She brings expertise, passion and a deep love for the arts to the company – may it continue to thrive under her leadership!
Other Important People
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Bridget the Lively Horse
Yep. Every Lively Business needs a horse, and now we've got one!!