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 have moved to Polson where we still strive to connect Montana’s thriving arts & entertainment community and, as we claimed in our very first issue, “banish boredom.”
Our Staff
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Kristi Niemeyer
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Kristi is owner, publisher and editor (which means she bosses words around, writes stories and oversees other aspects of the business). As of 2020, she also became business manager.
She also provides editorial services for State of the Arts, a quarterly newspaper we produce for the Montana Arts Council.
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Sue Bearse
Sue is co-founder and publisher emeritus, and served as business manager until January 2020. Now fully retired (except when we really need her expertise!), she's free to be an avid traveler and devoted grandma!
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Brenda Steiner
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Brenda, who has been a mainstay of our little crew for more than 20 years, continues to design and sell online advertising, and deftly manage our social media presence.
Other Important People
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Mariss McTucker
With us since our very first issue, Mariss has been a stalwart friend and consummate proofreader. She's also a fine musician and writes all of our CD reviews.