As the proud legislator for House District 88 (Stevensville/Florence), my legislative priorities are set by the people of Ravalli County. I was sent to Helena with the priorities of my constituents in mind. As your representative, I’ve heard the challenges that you face every day. And with these challeng es in mind, I arrived in Helena ready to promote conservative and fscally responsible legislation.
Throughout the 69th Legislative ses sion, I have sponsored a number of bills that have been transmitted to the Senate, and I wanted to highlight a couple of big wins for you:
House Bill 190 designates Ameri can rodeo as the ofcial state sport of Montana. HB 190 highlights the im portance of rodeo to the state’s history and cultural heritage. It emphasizes rodeo as an important event that show cases the Western roots of Montana and honors the tradition of rodeo as a key part of Montana’s identity. HB 190 was heavily supported by an impressive group of individuals who are deeply connected to Montana’s rodeo heritage. Notable people among the proponents were rodeo champions, ranchers, and community leaders who emphasized the cultural and economic importance of rodeo in Montana. The Indian rodeo community enthusiasti cally supported the bill. These passion ate testimonies helped show why rodeo deserves recognition as Montana’s ofcial state sport.
House Bill 602 is an important teacher retention bill. As amended, HB 602 mandates that school district personnel must inform their board of trustees about any planned reductions in force, such as layofs or position eliminations. This bill also mandates that teachers laid of due to the school district’s fnancial constraints are ex
ELLSWORTH: Senate in stalemate afer hearing
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the law would be an abuse of power. The Senate could visit those charges separately in another round of potential disciplinary actions.
Ellsworth, who had been absent from the Senate since late February, was on the floor Monday to vote on his fate with fellow lawmakers.
Early in the proceedings, the senator apologized, saying he was embarrassed for bringing shame to the Senate. He then sat at his desk quietly as the debate played out around him. Some of his fellow Republicans refused to call him senator as they discussed his removal.
“Let me be clear, I did not violate any Senate rules, state laws, or state regulations or procedures. I did not attempt to use my position for personal or private gain. And I received no personal or private gain,” Ellsworth said. “I do regret that I brought the appearance of impropriety into this body. And it may have undermined the public trust in it.
“I’m genuinely sorry and I accept whatever discipline this body deems appropriate,” he said.
It was the first time Ellsworth addressed the allegations against him since his ethics committee hear -
ing, at which he didn’t testify but was represented by his attorney. He voted against being expelled and for being censured.
“I don’t believe what I just heard from the person in seat 31,” said Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, referring to Ellsworth’s chair in the chamber.
“He is one of the best salesmen I have ever met in my life. He can sell you anything. And that’s exactly what he tried to get up to do.”
Hertz then expanded the debate beyond the ethics allegation, touching on Ellsworth’s $600,000 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over magazine sales more than a decade ago, in which Ellsworth was accused of signing people for magazines they didn’t agree to purchase. Hertz then recounted times the Hamilton lawmaker attempted to get out of traffic stops by claiming to be en route to legislative business. There was also an allegation of domestic abuse in Ellsworth’s not-too-distant past.
The Montana Republican Party on Sunday called for Ellsworth to resign. Hertz recalled that the Democratic Party had done the same over a different incident in the past.
11:00 - Montana Standard - Bozeman, MT 11:30 - Old Freight Road - Helena, MT
12:00 - Janelle Giralt / Star Chilson - Stevi, MT
12:30 - Horizon Bluegrass Band - Lemmon, SD 1:00 - Jolley Family - Corvallis, MT 1:30 - Darby Sireens
2:00 - Creekside Serenade - Florence, MT
2:30 - Blue Point - Missoula, MT 3:00 - 93 North - Salmon, ID
3:30 - Kentucky Sky - Idaho Falls, ID
4:00 - Mike & Tari Conroy - Conner, MT 4:30 - Foggy Mtn. Girls - Payson, UT
5:00 - Pinegrass - Missoula, MT
5:30 - Greg Boyd Band - Missoula, MT
6:00 - Muskrat Love - Missoula, MT
6:30 - A Well Beaten Path - Deer Lodge, MT
Admission
Non-members: $5
MRBA members: $3 Children under 12: FREE More Info 406-821-3777
mtbluegrass.com or check us out on Facebook
New pregnancy center serves Bitterroot Valley
Since Birthright’s closing in 2021, there has not been a pregnancy care center dedicated to serving the Bitterroot Valley. Now, a safe and compassionate, non-judgmental environment for pregnant women and new mothers seeking assistance and supplies has opened in Victor. Bitterroot Mommy & Me ofers support, education, and essential services to mothers and babies, as well as options for coun-
Jake ● Male ● 12yrs
Jake is a 12-yr-old husky that was returned to us because he does not do well with other animals. Jake does well around kids but really needs a home with no other animals as his prey drive is high. Jake is housebroken, does well in the car, and doesn’t have separations issues or resource guarding issues. Overall, Jake is a really good boy. Jake’s ADOPTION FEES have been PAID by Groom on the Vroom!
seling and post-
abortive healing. Material goods such as diapers, wipes, baby and maternity clothing are available free of charge.
A community of select providers that network with the center ofer prenatal, birthing, and post-natal care of moms and infants via a voucher program – also free to those in need. This in-
cludes pregnancy and STD/STI testing, as well as childbirth classes and lactation support.
All these goods and services are now available Mondays 3-6 p.m. and by appointment at The Neely Center, on the corner of 5th and A Streets in Victor. Moms in need are encouraged to drop in on Mondays from 3 to 6 p.m., or reach out to bitterrootloveslife@proton.me for an appointment.
BLUEGRASS: a quarter of a cen tury of music in the valley
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this year’s upcoming Hard Times Bluegrass Festival.
Conroy also wanted to highlight Janelle Giralt, who will be playing on stage for her frst time at 12 noon. The Jolley Family, from Corvallis, will be on at 1 p.m. “They’ve only been playing a couple of years and you can’t believe how good they play,” said Conroy. Closing the show will be the band, “A well Beaten Path,” at 6:30 p.m. Conroy described them as a new traditional bluegrass band from Deer Lodge that is becoming very popular.
non-members, $3 for MRBA members and free for youth 12 years-old and younger.
During the festival, there will be food for sale by MRBA, including chili, cornbread, vegetable soup and baked goods. Admission at the door is $5 for
The MRBA has over 200 members and does a couple other events, including a potluck in the summer. They have also just started a scholarship program for young people wanting to learn bluegrass music. Conroy said this seemed like a natural step, after being around so long. So far, they have 11 applicants, but only have fve openings. This year will be a trial run for the program, but Conroy is optimistic that they may open it up to more applicants next year. This time around, recipients will get $400 each for lessons. Next year, they may double the recipients and halve the value each receives. However, they are fguring this amount will pay for about two to four months of lessons.
When asked why they started the scholarship, Conroy said, “To preserve and promote bluegrass music,” and to give that start to young people. He has observed that there are “not as many young
The early days of spring have arrived with sunshine and warmer temperatures, and we are all itching to get back on our favorite trails now more than ever before. As excitement builds for opportunities to connect with nature, we need to remember that it takes all of us to maintain the health of our trails and the safety of its users.
First thing first, it is muddy out there! Runoff from spring showers and snowmelt leaves trails waterlogged and vulnerable. For horseback riders, consider alternative trails to sodden, single -track trails and consider exploring our valley’s multitude of old logging trails. For hikers and bicyclists, don't forget to stay on trail. Going off trail, especially in shoulder seasons, can lead to trail braiding which can harm native plant communities and greatly increases the need for trail maintenance.
Next, we can all agree that good trail etiquette is important year-round. Horses have the right -of-way on trails to bicyclists and hikers. Here’s a little refresher for trail protocol:
What to do when encountering horses on the trail: 1) Communicate, say “Hello!” If a horse sees you standing there and not saying anything, instinct tells it that you are a predator; 2) Stop or slow. If you are hiking, move to the side of the trail remaining within sight of the horse; 3) Ask the rider what you should do. Horses have individual personalities and the horse’s rider will know what is best for all parties involved; and 4) Take EXTRA care if approaching the horse from behind. Horses cannot see directly behind themselves, so approaching from behind can be dangerous for everyone.
What NOT to do:
1) Don’t stand silently or stand behind a tree or bush. The horse might spook, spin or bolt; 2) Don’t speed past by the horse. This is almost certain to startle the horse which puts the rider and YOU in danger; 3) Don’t do anything that might startle the horse. This includes yelling or making your bike brakes squeal; 4) If wearing headphones, keep volume low. Remove headphones if coming around a blind corner/switchback. If you can’t hear a horse approaching, you are putting everyone at risk and reducing the ability to communicate.
In the Bitterroot, we ’re lucky to have incredible opportunities for cross -users to recreate together. As long as we re recreating responsibly, our shared trails will continue to be enjoyed by all. To learn about upcoming summer projects for 2025, please join us for trail talk” and refreshments at the SPWBCH monthly meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Forest Service Building located at 1801 N. 1st Street, Hamilton, MT. Entry is at the back of the building. For additional information, contact Kathy Hundley at 406-363-8230. Visit our website at bchmt.org/spwbch or follow us on Facebook & Instagram.
people getting out and doing this stuf,” not just in bluegrass, but a lot of things in general. The MRBA hopes to get the next generation out and experiencing good music.
Applicants must qualify by being a member of the MRBA and having an interest in learning bluegrass. Conroy said, “After two months of lessons, you’re gonna have a pretty good idea if you want to do it or not.” He also said that a lot of teachers have instruments students can borrow, before they get their own. That way, there really are not a lot of barriers to giving bluegrass a try.
Conroy, himself, started playing bluegrass at around 14 years old. He said it was hearing the famous Stanley Brothers that got him into it, after he got hold of one of their records in Missoula. When asked specifcally what it was that drew him into bluegrass, Conroy said it was probably, “the raw simplicity, and Ralph Stanley’s banjo playing, oh Lordy!” According to Conroy, Stanley’s playing had “that mountain, up-the-creek sound to it,” and it is something that kept people coming back for more.
For more information on the event, interested parties can call (406) 821-3777 or visit their website, at mtbluegrass.com. On the website, there is also more information on the scholarships and how to get involved with the MRBA. The group is also active on Facebook.
RML deserves your support
Rocky Mountain Labs is a stateof-the-art biomedical research facility, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) nestled in the heart of the Bitterroot valley in Montana. The primary focus of the lab is basic research on dangerous infectious diseases such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Ebola virus and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, coronaviruses (like COVID-19), prion diseases (like mad cow disease and chronic wasting disease), Lyme disease, and others. Newly confrmed Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants the NIH to concentrate less on infectious diseases and more on chronic diseases. In November of 2024, he stated to an anti-vaccine group, “I’m gonna say to NIH scientists, ‘God bless you all. Thank you for public service. We’re going to give infectious disease a break for about eight years.’” He confrmed this stance during his confrmation hearings saying, “We’ve devoted all of these dollars to infectious disease and to drug development and very little to chronic disease.” While this rhetoric may appeal at a political level, it makes little or no sense to the scientists studying infectious diseases and/ or chronic diseases, because in many cases the two are inextricably linked. It is important to note some examples of these links to illustrate that taking a break on studying infectious diseases not only puts Americans at higher risk of pathogenic infections, possibly on a pandemic scale, but also damages our ability to understand, prevent, and treat chronic diseases.
Approximately 90% of Americans become infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) at some time in their lives. EBV is a member of the herpesvirus family, notorious for causing lifelong chronic infections. This nasty little pathogen has been associated with numerous chronic diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and most recently, multiple sclerosis. Congenital infection of babies with Cytomegalovirus (CMV… another herpesvirus) is the most common cause of birth defects in the US, and can result in deafness, blindness, epileptic seizures and brain damage. Like EBV, CMV infections remain in an infected person for life, and if that person becomes immunocompromised, such as for treatment of cancer or kidney transplantation, the virus can reactivate and produce serious complications such as vision loss, brain damage, liver infammation, and even death. It can take up to 2 years to resolve infections with human pappilomavirus (HPV) and sometimes the infections never resolve but progress to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, mouth, tonsils and throat. HPV infections can also be spread from a pregnant mother to her baby.
Everyone has probably noticed that there is currently an outbreak of measles in the US, an infection that can cause deafness, blindness, and permanent brain damage. Frighteningly, some children infected with measles will develop a chronic degenerative and fatal neurological disease an average of seven years after they contract the disease. Furthermore, measles infections can wipe out immunological memory cells, making individuals susceptible to infections for which they previously had immune protection. By this point, most Americans have
Opinion
had COVID-19, and most recovered well. However, a signifcant proportion of infected persons (over 10% for some SARS-CoV-2 variants) develop “long COVID”, a diverse set of chronic health problems afecting multiple systems including the gut, cardiovascular system, and brain. NIH is spending more than 1.75 billion dollars in the “Recover” project to research long COVID, develop an understanding of the pathophysiology, and create and test new therapies. Another important virus that still causes chronic health issues is HIV. There are currently over one million people in the US living with HIV, and they are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Even more Americans (over 5 million) are chronically infected with either Hepatitis B or C viruses. These infections can cause infammation and damage to the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Furthermore, Hepatitis C virus, in combination with H. pylori infections, has recently been linked to Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that afects nearly one million Americans.
The mention of Parkinson’s disease can be used to illustrate how studying infectious diseases can lead to breakthroughs in chronic disease. NIH investigators at Rocky Mountain Labs were studying the biology of prion diseases, one of which famously caused an outbreak of “Mad Cow Disease” in humans, and another that is spreading in the form of chronic wasting disease in deer and elk populations in the US. The scientists developed a unique diagnostic test and realized that a similar test could be devised to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, for which there was no simple and defnitive diagnostic. The result was a highly accurate and quick assay for Parkinson’s that could diferentiate it from other neurological disorders. There is a general misconception that when scientists are studying a particular pathogen, then that is all that they are studying. Not so. The large majority of NIH scientists are performing basic research to uncover the mysteries of how biology works to create healthy life, what goes wrong when life becomes diseased, and how to prevent disease from happening or treat it when it happens. The study of how infectious agents disrupt normal physiological processes provides us a tremendous amount of insight into the complex mechanisms that govern life itself.
It is probably obvious to most scientists and lay persons as well, that there are vaccines for some of the infectious diseases mentioned above. COVID-19 vaccines are not only highly efective in preventing serious disease and hospitalization but also reduce the incidence of long COVID. The HPV vaccine is associated with a marked reduction in cervical cancer. As of this writing, of 257 measles cases reported in Texas, all but 2 are in the unvaccinated. The child who died was unvaccinated. As Matthew Herper recently reported in STAT, secretary RFK Jr. continues to spread falsehoods and misinformation about the safety and efcacy of the measles vaccine. Dozens of well-controlled studies on hundreds of thousands of children have repeatedly demonstrated that the measles vaccine is highly efcacious and extremely safe. The vaccine does not, as Kennedy stated, cause the same illnesses that the virus causes. It prevents those illnesses. It does not routinely cause deaths. It prevents deaths. Kennedy has written
that he would work to “return our health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science”. It is not our agencies that have left that tradition, but rather Kennedy himself. The health agencies of the United States lead the world in cutting edge science, and the ongoing eforts of the administration to paralyze them with involuntary terminations, spending freezes, travel restrictions and communications restrictions puts Americans’ health at risk and weakens our national security. I can think of no bigger waste of taxpayer dollars than Mr. Kennedy’s plan for the CDC to relitigate the already disproven link between measles vaccines and autism. It is settled science. There is no link, which the secretary is either unwilling or incapable of accepting because of his lack of authoritative scientifc training, his preconceived notions, or his vested interests. Mr. Kennedy is doing a tremendous disservice to the American people by spreading falsehoods, conspiracy theories and disinformation about vaccines on behalf of the federal government. And President Trump has done Americans a tremendous disservice by appointing such an incompetent person as the secretary of Health and Human Services. Many people view the tax money spent by NIH as far removed from any personal beneft. Think about this though. Completely aside from the health benefts provided to the general public, Rocky Mountain Labs (RML) is a major driver of the Bitterroot economy. For every person employed at the lab, there are two full time jobs outside the lab accounting for $89.2 million per year in after-tax, expendable salaries. Montana business and non-business entities receive $231.8 million in additional yearly income from the presence of RML. And for every dollar invested in the NIH, an average of $2.46 in economic activity is generated. Furthermore, the next generations of scientists are taught and trained at RML, beginning with the middle schoolers in the valley who beneft from BRASS (the volunteer outreach program taught by numerous RML Ph.D.s), and reaching to college students who train at RML during summer internships, college graduates doing 2 year fellowships, Ph.D. students from universities including Montana’s, and post-doctoral fellows training to do independent research or work in industry. The federal workers and contractors at RML add multidimensional value to the Bitterroot valley community that is not possible to replace. They deserve your support and that of the city, county, state, and federal governments that they rely on to continue their important work.
Kim J. Hasenkrug Retired RML employee NIH Scientist Emeritus
Cowardly clowns
The opening of the Veteran’s Clinic in Hamilton was celebrated, twice in one week, by large crowds of citizens appreciating Jon Tester’s commitment to veterans.
Each of those gatherings was spoiled by the presence once of Senator Daines and again by Congressman Zinke.
Neither of those elected ofcials had one bit of interaction with their constituents there to meet with them.
Zinke, in his Montecito Cowboy costume (big black hat, high water wranglers showing high polish boots) did (cowboy style) dof his hat as he hurriedly entered and left the clinic.
High theater pomposity. Nothing more.
Daines was never actually sighted at the public ribbon cutting.
Confusing, these two clowns show up amid the circus that is DOGE, celebrating the opening of the clinic as they support the slashing of 80,000 jobs at Veterans Afairs that will result in the clinic being understafed if it remains open at all.
I was not aware that sycophancy causes the erosion of one’s spine. Federal Employees = our Neighbors Elon……..GET OUT!!!!
John Grant Hamilton
Trump Efect 5
Amid everything else, amid the chaos of Trump attacks and his illegal uproars, now it’s the libraries. The agency that supports public libraries nationwide is being threatened by DOGE. Millions and millions of Americans use the libraries regularly for books, newspapers, tapes, children’s programs, access to internet and more. All you have to do is visit our excellent local libraries to see what an asset they are to all of us. Libraries are funded locally but are supplemented by federal grants to update technology and train staf. Who among us has not needed technology assistance? The demands on libraries nationwide are constant, predictable and their services are worth protecting. Do you think this use of taxpayer dollars is fraud, waste or abuse? If you think not, contact the Montana delegation to Washington and tell them so. Most Montanans, I believe, would like to continue to enjoy the sunlight they shed on knowledge, information and connectivity.
Linda Schmitt Corvallis
Perceptions
In response to Tony Hudson’s letter, March 19th, the accusations toward part of our Republican Central Committee astounds me. “Vicious and soul wounding attacks… demeaning and dehumanizing and ultimately incite violence against those we disagree with” causes me to pause and consider what I’m not seeing here.
For two plus years I’ve been a precinct captain with the Central Committee and present at the meetings and involved with our Republican Fair booth, Farmers Market and events. As part of the “other faction,” I have not witnessed that kind of provocation from us.
My take is that Tony’s perception is the reason for his feelings. Maybe instead of the accusations, it’s time for him to take a good look through the lenses of God’s love.
Dana Gentry Corvallis
Dark day for American democracy
The Trump/Vance ongoing seminar on inept leadership techniques was center stage in the Oval Ofce Feb. 28 when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met to discuss the future of American support for the ongoing war with Russia.
A “bone-spurred” draft dodger ambushed Ukraine’s wartime president who has led his underdog nation with courage and skill, denying Moscow’s predicted three-day conquest and
Selway-Pintler Back Country Horsemen
The Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen meet the 2nd Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Forest Service ofce in Hamilton (enter through the rear door). Come enjoy refreshments and conversation. For additional information contact Kathy Hundley at 406-363-8230. Visit the website at bchmt.org/ wp/spwbch/ or their Facebook page for more information.
A Course of Love study group
Fridays 10:00 a.m.12:00 noon. Center for Spiritual Life, Hamilton Call: 406-381-6480
MS Support Group
Bitterroot MS Support Group meets every 3rd Thursday of the month in the Gallery room at the Cofee Cup Cafe in Hamilton, 500 S 1st Street, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Have a slice of pie, dinner, or just come to chat with others about living with Multiple Sclerosis. This is a positive and uplifting group that holds open discussions, and the occasional guest speaker. Find more information at www.nationalmssociety.org or contact Jackie Peterson, (970)518-293, jackierpeterson@gmail.com
Republican
Central Committee
The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee regular monthly meetings are held the frst Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at The Place Church, 273 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. All are welcome to attend.
Bitterroot Health Auxiliary
The Bitterroot Health Auxiliary meets the 3rd Monday every month in the Blodgett Conference Roomof the hospital. New volunteers are always welcome. Contact Mark Robinson, Auxiliary VP, (901) 517-8554.
Bitterroot Celtic Society
The Bitterroot Celtic Society meets every 3rd Thursday at 6 p.m. at BJ’s restaurant in Hamilton. The Bitterroot Celtic Society is a passionate group of volunteers, dedicated to keeping the Celtic culture, heritage, and history alive in the Bitterroot Valley. Their biggest event is the Bitterroot Celtic Games and Gathering, held every third weekend in August at the Historic Daly Mansion. They also host a Burns’ Night supper, St. Andrew’s, St. Patrick’s, and Tartan day events. The BCS is a non-proft organization. The public, new members, and the curious are always welcome to attend. For any time changes or additional committee meeting info, follow their Facebook page for updates.
Knotty Knitters Guild
Knotty Knitters Guild meets the 4th Tuesday of every month except June, July, August and December at 6 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie Lane, Hamilton.
You can also bring your knitting project to visit and knit with friends or get help with questions on Fridays from 12:00 to 5:00.
AARP tax assistance
AARP Tax-Aide will be ofering free tax preparation services for low to moderate income taxpayers of all ages. Tax preparation began on February 8 and will be at the Stevensville Senior Center on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The Senior Center WILL NOT schedule those appointments. Call 406201-5734, leave your name and phone number, and a volunteer will call back to
schedule your appointment.
Bitterroot Tango Argentine tango lessons each Wednesday evening at 4039 US 93 N, Stevensville. Learn to dance the tango each Wednesday with beginner classes from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., intermediate classes from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. followed by practice and social time to close. Classes are free. For more information about dance parties and guest teachers, fnd them on facebook at Bitterroot tango.
Vet-to-Vet
Veterans looking for a laid-back setting in which to visit with veterans from any period and any branch of service are in luck. Every Friday morning from 6 to 8 a.m., the VVA Chapter 938 sponsors a no-host breakfast at BJ’s Family Restaurant (back room). Come and mingle with those who know where you’re coming from.
Grief Share
Grief Share program to help process grief ofered at Florence Carlton Community Church, 20075 Old Highway 93, Florence, from February 15 to May 10, 2025. Saturdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Contact Colleen, (206) 930-2519
North Valley Library
Protect Your Brain: What Everyone Should Know About Strokes — Thurs, Mar 27 at 6pm
Are you protecting your most important asset—your brain? A stroke changes the lives of not only the person who experiences one but also their family. This is a program you don’t want to miss, with important information for everyone: Those who think they may be at risk of a stroke, those who have experienced one, as well as friends, family members, and the public. Lead by Kristal M. Blanchard with the Montana Stroke Initiative, Providence St. Patrick Hospital, you will learn about the following topics and go home with plenty of resources. For more info and to register go to tinyurl.com/nvplbrain
Lunchtime Writing Retreat — Mon, Mar 31 from 12-2pm Carve out time to write or work on a creative project without the distractions at home. This is the perfect opportunity to commit to your writing practice, fnish that lingering project, or follow wherever your imagination leads. There will be no instructor or requirements. Come by for the entire 2 hours or anytime between 12-2pm. Held on the last Monday of every month in the community room.
Ravalli Democrats
The Ravalli Democrats invite you to join them at the Backyard Taphouse in Florence every other Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 for what they call Burgers and Beers. April 1, 15, 29, May 13, 27 etc. 281 Rodeo Drive, east of the trafc light. Questions? 406-880 6823.
Garden Club
Stevensville Garden Club’s monthly meeting will be Wednesday, April 2 at 1 p.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 184 Pine Hollow Rd. Cold Cellars & Green Houses program will be presented by Dalton Brown, ABC Acres, Hamilton.
Pachyderm Club
The Bitterroot North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, April 4 at 12 noon at the Frontier Cafe, Hwy 93 in Stevenville. Guest speaker will be Susie Hedalen, Superintendent of Public Instruction, via video conference. The Bitterroot North Valley Pachyderm Club is an educational arm of the Republican Party. All are welcome.
Life saving class
Come learn life saving skills at this Red Cross CPR, AED, First Aid class
on Friday, April 4th from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at St Francis, 411 S. 5th in Hamilton. The class will cover Adult, Child and Infant CPR, AED and First Aid to include bleeding and choking management and more.
The Red Cross fee is $45 (cash or check). There will be snacks and water (free for “refresher” students).
Please wear something comfortable as participants will be practicing on manikins on the foor. After class completion, the Red Cross will email you a certifcate and a link to their complete CPR/First Aid manual.
RSVP to Nancy at stfrancishwm@gmail.com.
Humane Assn.
Slumber Pawty
Join Bitter Root Humane Association for its 24-hour Slumber Pawty on April 5th! Help them reach their goal of $25,000 to provide critical medical care, foster support, and enrichment for their shelter pets. Spend a day and night flled with fun, laughter, and furry cuddles. Last year was a blast, and this year promises to be even better! Donate online at: https://www.shelterslumberpawty.com/event/ Yhareg or contact: pookiecat17@hotmail. com. Follow on Facebook for live updates!
Lone Rock Park Board
Lone Rock Park Board will meet Wednesday, April 9th at 7:30 p.m. at 4433 Sunnyside Cemetery Road. Public welcome.
Victor Cemetery meeting
Victor Cemetery will hold its semi-annual meeting on April 9 at the Victor Museum at 5:30 p.m. For more information contact Maxine Krowen, 541-892-6715.
Pint Night to beneft library
A Brews for Books pint night is planned for April 9, 6 to 8 p.m., at Blacksmith Brewery, 114 Main St., Stevensville. During this event, a portion of the sales and any donations will beneft the North Valley Public Library in Stevensville and go toward building a new facility to serve the community. This fundraiser is a joint efort between the brewery and the NVPL Foundation and Friends of the Library. For more information, contact Julie Eberlein at julianne. solberg@gmail.com.
Computer skills call for veterans
Bitterroot Valley Community College will ofer a free computer skills course for veterans beginning Saturday April 12. US Veterans, and their spouses, are welcome to register for the course, which runs Saturdays from April 12 through May 17, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Computers are provided for the course, which takes place at Veterans Victory Alliance headquarters at Moon Eagle River Ranch, 2846 East Fork Road (mile marker 14), Sula. The veteran-taught course covers basic computer skills to increase success in college, work and life. The course is ofered in partnership with Veterans Victory Alliance and Veterans Upward Bound. Details are available at bvcommunitycollege.org. For more information or to register, call 406-272-6492.
Pie Breakfast beneft
Pie Breakfast 2025 will be held Saturday, April 12 from 8-10:30am at the Rocky Mountain Grange #116, 1436 S. 1st, Hamilton. $15 suggested donation at the door gets you all you can eat until the pie runs out! Music by the Flaming Suzettes, rafe and silent auction. 100% of the proceeds go to the ADA ramp and bathroom project at the Rocky Mountain Grange #116. Email piebreakfastmt@gmail.com for
questions or to donate pies or rafe items.
Corvallis United Methodist Church
The Corvallis United Methodist Church is having Good Friday service on April 18 at 4 p.m. Easter Service will be on Sunday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome!
Three Mile
Irrigation
Three Mile Irrigation sub district meeting will be held Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at Three Mile Community Center, 4433 Sunnyside Cemetery Road.
Grief workshops
Poetry & Grief Workshop Series
April 1st, April 22nd, May 6th, May 27th @ 5:156:15pm, Stevensville
Poetry can be a compelling tool for processing the wide range of emotions we experience during grief. This workshop series will explore the transformative power of reading and writing poetry to
help make sense of our experience. No cost to attend, donations welcome. Register or email us to RSVP. Grief Matters Adult Support Group
Wednesdays April 9thMay 14th @ 5:30 - 6:30pm, Stevensville
This support group is for adults (age 18 and above) who have had a family member or loved one die and will center on honoring individual experiences and gathering with understanding others in a safe, supportive environment. Register to join us for this 6-week group. Please reach out if you have any questions to aubreyh@tamarackgrc.org or call at (406)541-8472.
Knotty Knitters
Fashion Show
Join the Knotty Knitters Guild of the Bitterroot for their 27th Annual Wild Western Fashion Show and Luncheon on Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 275 Hattie Lane, Hamilton. Tickets: $15/Member,
$20/Non-Member. For tickets call Marilyn at 234-380-2637 or Trish at 949-690-0672.
Library Spring Soiree
Tickets are now on sale for the second-annual Spring Soiree, a beneft for the North Valley Public Library in Stevensville. This year’s event will be May 3, 5:307:30 pm, at St. Mary’s Parish Family Center, 333 Charlos St., Stevensville. It will feature local authors, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction.
Tickets are $25 and may be purchased in advance at the library, 208 Main St., Stevensville. Cash, checks, and Venmo will be accepted. All proceeds will go toward building a new, expanded library for the Stevensville community. The Spring Soiree is presented by the North Valley Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Library. For more information, contact Celeste Statler at (269) 569-4723 or celeste.statler@gmail.com.
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Blue Devil & Frenchtown track meets
The Bitterroot Valley high school track teams had two meets last week. They were in Corvallis for the Blue Devil invitational on Tuesday, March 22 and at the Frenchtown Invite on Saturday, March 29.
Blue Devil Invitational
The Blue Devil Invitational was set for Saturday, March 22, but Corvallis had to move the meet to Tuesday, March 25 because of a Saturday snow storm. Everything went to plan on Tuesday.
In the girls team results, Hamilton took 1st, Corvallis took 3rd, Florence took 5th, Stevensville took 8th and Victor took 11th.
In the boys team results, Corvallis took 1st place, Hamilton took 2nd, Florence took 3rd, Stevensville took 6th and Victor took 12th.
Individual boys winners from the Bitterroot Valley were:
100 M - Morgan, Solomon, Corvallis (11.17). 200 M - Spencer, Ayden, Corvallis (23.25). 400 M - Bennett, Evan, Hamilton (51.05). 800 M - Lanser, Brayden, Hamilton (2:06.57). 1600 M - Harris, Kyler, Florence-Car (4:34.27). 3200 M - Harris, Kyler, Florence-Car (10:05.10). 110 M Hurdles - Brennan, Stuart, Corvallis (15.13). High Jump - Conner, Ledge, Corvallis (6-04). Long Jump - Smith, Marshall, Hamilton (20-06.50). Shot Put - Alexander, Bridger,
Frenchtown hosted 25 area high school track teams, including Hamilton, Victor, Darby, Corvallis, and Stevensville on Saturday, March 29 at the Frenchtown Invite.
In the boys team standings, Corvallis took 1st place, Hamilton took 2nd place, Darby took 6th place, and Stevi took 24th.
In the girls team standings, Hamilton took 4th, Corvallis took 8th, Stevensville took 9th, and Darby took 11th.
Individually for Stevensville, freshman Reagan
Johnstone took 1st in the triple jump (35’), 1st in the high jump (5’0”) and 5th in the long jump (16’ 5.5”). Benjamin White took 3rd in the 300m hurdles (45.05).
Individually for Darby, freshman Gavin Miller took 1st in the 400m (53.03). Lily Adair took 2nd in the 3200m (12:52.14). Eli Jones took 3rd in the long jump (20’ 5”). Natalie Anderson took 4th in the 100m hurdles (17.48) and the 300m hurdles (51.76).
Individually for Corvallis, Hunter Loesch took 1st in the javelin (186’ 8”). Ledge Conner took 1st in the high jump (6’ 2”). Stuart Brennan took 1st in the long jump (21’ 4”). Ella Varner took 2nd in the long jump (17’ 6”). Reese Tucker took 3rd in the triple jump (41’ 9”) and 4th in the 110m hurdles (17.04). Drew Lewis took 3rd in the javelin (158’) and the discus (150’ 1.5”). Marrek Jessop took 3rd in the 1600m (4:42.05). Jillian Huls took 3rd in the 200m (27.09).
Individually for Hamilton, Evan Bennett took 1st in the 800m (1:58.90). Annalise Lewis took 1st in the 400m (1:01.22) and the 800m (2:20.48). Aubrey Korst took 1st in the pole vault (11’ 6”). The boys 4x400m relay team took 1st (Brayden Lanser, Bryson Poulsen, Taylor Doleac, Evan Bennett) with a time of 3:34.93. Taylor Doleac took 2nd in the 800m (2:04.75) and the discus (150 ‘10”). Gracie Werst took 3rd in the shot put (36’ 7”).
Yellowjacket tennis plays Polson/Ronan
The Stevensville tennis team got the season started in Polson on Thursday, March 27. The ‘Jackets played matches against Ronan frst, then they played Polson afterwards. In the Ronan matches, the Stevensville boys won four matches and lost three. The Stevensville girls won two matches and lost three. In girls singles, Jackie Reed, Stevi def. Chevy Reum, Ronan 6-1, 6-2. Chevy Reum, Ronan, def. Kirrah Anderson, Stevi 6-1, 6-1. Loren Olson, Ronan, def. Lilian Hays, Stevi 6-7, 7-5, 6-3. Kate Johnson, Ronan def. Gracelyn Godfrey, Stevi 6-0, 6-0. In girls doubles, Stevensville’s Nika Hulling/Avery Sacry def.
Ronan’s Hosanna Wilson/Emily Skara 6-1, 6-3. In boys singles, Jeremy Madruga, Stevi def. Tristan Buckallew, Ronan 6-2, 6-3. Riccardo Slanzi, Stevi def. Tobias Cantlon, Ronan 6-0, 6-0. Rowan Parks, Ronan, def. Drake Tully, Stevi 6-4, 7-5. Gordon Stewart, Ronan, def. Jeremiah St. Germain, Stevi 6-4, 4-6, 10-4. In boys doubles, Jeremy Madruga/Riccardo Slanzi, Stevi, def. Kaden Buck/Mason Parks, Ronan 6-0, 6-1. Brady Hout/Kode King, Ronan, def. Spencer Moore/Drake Tully 6-4, 6-3. Jeremiah St. Germain/Edward Breussov, Stevi, def. Tobias Wilson/ Hayden Fussel, Ronan 6-1, 6-1.
In the Polson matches, the Stevensville boys won four matches and lost 3. The Stevensville girls won one match and lost fve.
6-1, 6-1. In boys singles, Riccardo Slanzi, Stevi, def. Rugar Ellis, Polson 6-1, 1-6, 10-7. Jeremy Madruga, Stevi, def. Branson Moss, Polson 6-7, 6-4, 10-7. Truman Sawyer, Polson, def. Spencer Moore, Stevi 6-3, 6-1. Parker Hendrickson, Polson, def. Edward Breussov, Stevi 3-6, 6-2, 10-3. In boys doubles, Jeremy Madruga/Riccardo Slanzi, Stevi, def. Max Violett/ Marcus Lucas, Polson 6-3, 6-0. Strider Gage/Aristo Cannon, Polson def. Spencer Moore/Drake Tully, Stevi 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. Edward Breussov/Jeremiah St. Germain, Stevi, def. Cade McConnell/Connor Turner, Polson 6-1, 6-3.
Corvallis’ Farah Wyche, center, leads a group of girls in the 100m dash at the Blue Devil Invitationals on March 25. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Hamilton’s Evan Bennett leads a group of runners in the 400m dash at the Blue Devil Invitational in Corvallis on Tuesday, March 25. Bennett won the event with a time of 51.05. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Corvallis
Bitterroot Valley softball
The Corvallis girls went to Missoula on Thursday, March 27 and played a double header against Class AA Missoula Big Sky. The Blue Devils lost 0-15 in the first game and 0-21 in the second game.
Florence
The Florence girls hosted Anaconda in their season opener on Saturday, March 29 and defeated the Copperheads 16-1 in three innings. The Lady Falcons led 6-1 going into the bottom of the 3rd where they scored 10 runs to take a 15-point lead and end the game.
Florence pitcher Kenzy Pickering struck out 7 of the 11 batters she faced and got the win on her 18th birth -
day. At the plate for Florence, Ava Philbrick went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Florence also got RBIs from Maggie Schneiter, Kaylee Crawford, Lily Bender, Jayden Fisher, Morghan Adams, and Gemma Bouma.
Stevensville
The Stevensville girls hosted Ronan on Tuesday, March 25 and defeated the Maidens 13-9.
Stevensville trailed 0-6 heading into the bottom of the 5th, when the Lady ‘Jackets erupted for 12 runs, highlighted by a Morgan
Bitterroot baseball roundup
Corvallis 16, MAC 0
The Corvallis Blue Devil baseball team hosted Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) on Tuesday, March 25 and defeated the Bulldogs 16-0 in 4 innings. Corvallis pitcher Adrian Cardullo struck out 9 of the 10 batters he faced in the win. At the plate, Reese Earp went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs, Maurice Craun went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Joe Hixon went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs, and Adrian Sears went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Florence 6, Butte 12
The defending state champion Florence Falcons hosted Butte on Monday, March 24 and fell to the Bulldogs 6-12. Florence gave up four runs in both the 1st and 5th inning and weren’t able to recover. For Florence, Wes Potter went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs, Levi Winters went 2 for 3, and Mason Arlington, Caleb Katen and Isaiah Testerman all had RBIs.
Florence 1, Frenchtown 4
Florence hosted Frenchtown on Friday, March 28 and lost 1-4 despite only allowing 2 total hits. Florence pitcher Mason Arlington struck out 5 batters and didn’t allow a hit over fve
innings. At the plate for Florence, Caleb Katen drove in a run on a double, and Drew Wagner, Isaiah Testerman, Calan Rocco all had hits.
Hamilton 15, Missoula Sentinel 0 Hamilton, last year’s state runnerup, hosted Missoula Sentinel on Tuesday, March 25 and blanked the Spartans 15-0 in three innings. Hamilton’s Jude Widmer took a sad song and made it better by going 2 for 2 with 2 doubles and 5 RBIs, Cooper Weston went 3 for 3, scored 3 runs and had 3 RBIs, and Landon Ekin went 2 for 2 with 3 RBIs. On the mound, Cash Lawrence struck out fve and Jackson Lubke struck out three.
Hamilton 15, MAC 0
On Friday, March 28 Hamilton hosted Mission-Arlee-Charlo (MAC) and won 15-0 in three innings. Hamilton pitcher Jude Widmer didn’t allow a hit and struck out 7 of the 11 batters he faced to get the win. At the plate for Hamilton, Landon Ekin went 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs, Elijah McNair-Neal hit a 2-run home run, Brady DeMoss went 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs, and Hunter Harrness went 3 for 3 and scored 3 runs.
Yeager grand slam. Yeager was 3 for 4 at the plate and struck out 7 batters on the
mound. Also for Stevensville, Lilly Newsom went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs, Emma Tan went
2 for 3 with a home run, and Jaidan Oyler and Maddix Yeager each had RBIs.
Florence pitcher Kenzy Pickering struck out 7 of the 11 batters she faced and got the win in Florence’s 16-1 victory over Anaconda on March 29.
Photo by Scott Sacry.
Florence’s Gemma Bouma slides in safely to score a run in Florence’s 16-1 victory over Anaconda on Saturday, March 29. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Bitterroot Valley frst responder spotlight
by John Dowd
“I always think cops should have a selfess reason and a selfsh reason for being in law enforcement,” said Deputy Thomas Hsu. Hsu has been with the Ravalli County Sherif’s Ofce for four-and-a-half years, and said he loves what he does. He is a Patrol Corporal, a Field Training Ofcer (FTO), a member of the Missoula County/Ravalli County SWAT Team, a Ravalli County Sherif’s Ofce Mounted Patrolman and a hostage negotiator. Even though he loves his job, he says some days can be difcult, and this goes back to his reasoning for staying on the job, and it is something he teaches to new deputies.
Hsu said in his profession, law enforcement is often about catching people on their bad days. Even though he also says, “For most people it really is true that it feels good, helping someone else, and we’re
lucky enough to do that every day,” there are still days it wears on a person. Not everyone is happy to see a member of law enfacement show up, and ofcers are generally responding to bad situations.
However, there is another side that drew Hsu into the career. He originally went to school to pursue higher education, and earned degrees in both English Literature and Psychology. He even
attended grad school In Idaho. Eventually, he dropped out, saying he was feeling burnt out on academia. After deciding to try something else, he got into farming and ranching, taking a job with no experience, but added, “I was teachable.” He learned from the ground up, and enjoyed farming, but found that he really preferred the cattle side of agriculture.
When describing the work, he said there is just nothing like it, riding and working on a horse in the open country. “It brings a person closer to God,” said Hsu. He said most of the places he would work were pretty remote, on big operations that covered thousands of miles. He fell in love with that feeling of openness and always being surrounded by nature and animals. In these spaces that were “unadultered
by human plans,” Hsu said it was “sublime.”
He also resonated with the work ethic the job taught. “It’s all about being out there, getting your job done,” said Hsu. Without a lot of oversight, a lot of times the job, done right or wrong, would not hinder the ranch from operating. Hsu said it was usually just up to the person doing the work to know if they did it right, and when it was done right, it always helped the operation. Ranching taught him a lot about having a moral compass, honesty and knowing a person has done the job right for their own self. That really stuck with him and is something he carries into his job, now.
However, the nature of working as a ranch hand being what it is, Hsu found that he needed something more sustainable and reliable than traveling around working on big cattle operations. This led to the experience that drove Hsu to law enforcement. He was in South Dakota at that time, and was driving back from somewhere. He saw a deputy stopping trafc, and the reason became clear
‘Hands Of’ rally planned for Saturday
On Saturday, April 5, Bitterroot Indivisible will host a rally in Hamilton to protest the actions of the Trump Administration, from mass frings of federal employees without cause to the dismantling of critical agencies to closing agency ofces in rural communities and slashing vital funding.
Organizers say this will be a peaceful rally and march, with speakers addressing topics from agriculture, veterans, science, infectious disease and legal issues to local impact. The presentations will be at River Street Dance Theater starting at 1 p.m. All those that are concerned, including elected ofcials, are invited to attend. Becky Peters, co-host and chair of
Bitterroot Indivisible, says, “Marches matter. Freedom of speech matters. The world has an apprehensive eye on our country. Others are wondering if we will stand up for our country or if we will be silent and complacent. Our almost 250 year old democracy is under attack. Our constitution is not only being ignored, it is being trampled on by unelected hackers. Gathering together and showing our government that we disagree is our duty as Americans. Join us!”
Dr. J. William Peters said, “This march is not about which party is in power at any certain time, it is about protecting the people of our valley from what is happening now and
from what could happen. It is about working on saving lost jobs, lost fre protection, loss of public lands, lost health care. It’s about losing citizens, who are necessary to our future, as they move to other places. The people of our valley certainly don’t agree on everything, but we all can agree it is a special place to live and that means we all must work together for the health and well-being of all our citizens.”
Kierstin Schmitt, co-organizer, says, “Every single Montana industry, business and service will be afected and our elected representatives denying and minimizing the impacts. We will not stand for it. We will stand up for our rights every single. day.”
Jill Davies, co-host of the rally states, “I feel like we’re actors in a dystopian movie watching the Trump/ Musk regime as they dismantle our democracy. I hope we can wake up the people.”
Calendar of events: 10am Poster making by City Hall park
11am-12pm Rally at Hwy 93 & Main Street
12-1pm March along Hwy 93 to River Street
1-2pm Speakers at River Street Dance Theater at 2nd & River Street. Speakers include Monica Tranel, Kim Hasenkrug, Saundra Amsden and Jason Boeshore.
Wildfre and smoke workshop scheduled
*NOTE: If you miss this regular registration deadline, you may still register for the election by showing up at the Ravalli County Election Office up to and including on Election Day. Between noon and the close of business on the day before Election Day, you can complete and submit a voter registration form, but you will need to return to the Ravalli County Election Office on Election Day to pick up and vote a ballot.
All qualified active and inactive registered electors of each district are entitled to vote in said elections.
All electors, as defined in Title 7-33-2106(4), who hold title to lands within a Rural Fire District are eligible to vote in a fire district election.
The above listed elections are being conducted solely by mail ballot. Ballots will automatically be mailed to Active Electors only. If you are a registered voter and do not receive a ballot, contact the county election office to update your information as necessary and receive a ballot.
Persons who wish to register and who are not presently registered may do so by requesting a form for registration by mail or by appearing at the Ravalli County Election Office, 215 South 4th Street, Suite C, Hamilton, Montana. If you have moved, please update your registration information by filling out a new voter registration card and submitting it to the Ravalli County Election Office.
Dated this 12th day of March, 2025 Regina Plettenberg, Ravalli County Election Administrator 215 South 4th Street, Suite C; Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 375-6550
Fire In the Root Council and Ravalli County Public Health are hosting a free Wildfre and Smoke Preparedness Workshop on Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Victor Fire Department. This informative event will provide valuable insights on how local residents can better prepare their homes and properties for the growing risk of wildfres in the Bitterroot Valley.
Attendees will hear from expert Dr. Peter Kolb, an accredited forestry research scientist from Montana State University, as well as local professionals in wildfre evacuation management, burn permitting, wildfre smoke, public health, and home ignition zone preparedness.
Why attend? Because each year, wildland fres consume hundreds of homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface—the area where homes and wildlands meet. Studies show that up to 80% of these homes could have been saved if their owners had taken a few simple fre-safe steps. This is why it’s more important than ever for families to take proactive measures and educate themselves about wildfre preparedness.
“Wildfres ignite without warn-
ing, so preparation is key,” said Ella Langer, co-chair of Fire In the Root Council. “By taking the time to assess your home and lifestyle, you can signifcantly reduce the risk of your home being damaged or destroyed by wildfre, and mitigate the dangerous health impacts of smoke.”
Whether you’re new to wildfre preparedness or want to strengthen your household’s current plan, this workshop is an essential opportunity for all homeowners and community members. Come and enjoy a free lunch while you learn, and enter to win a complimentary HEPA air purifer or 72-hour emergency kit for your home’s indoor air quality.
This event is free to attend, but attendees are asked to RSVP in advance by flling out the Google form linked here (RSVP Form) and found at Fireintheroot.org.
For questions and more information, contact Fire In the Root at freintheroot@gmail.com or call 406802-0980.
This workshop is hosted by the Fire In the Root Council, a local community group dedicated to the longterm reduction of risk from wildfre throughout Ravalli County.
Photo by Kristie Kahns
Bird Squawk
Being prepared is essential
How many times have you gone fshing, and forgotten your pole?
Maybe you went gopher hunting, took the gun but forgot the shells. I’ve done that. I did it again a few weeks ago on a birding trip. I forgot my camera.
I have two pairs of binoculars; one is in the truck and one in the house. I don’t need the spotting scope in the house so it’s in the truck as well.
If I get a good photo for a bird article, I bring the camera to the house and edit photos on my computer. The camera is now in the house. If someone calls and says, “rare bird,
you better get out here,” I have been known to rush out the door without the camera.
On January 4th, I was out birding and found two Varied Thrush, an exciting winter bird for Southwest Montana. It was a life bird for Deer Lodge County, number 253. I reached for my camera, it wasn’t there! It was on my desk at home.
I quickly set up my spotting scope on the truck window. I held my phone to the eye piece and hoped for a few good pictures. Unfortunately, if you have the phone slightly tilted to the eye piece, you only get a half frame picture. I took a few shots, and then they few. The result is the picture with this article. If I had had my Nixon I
would have had outstanding photos.
So how have I solved my tendency to forget my camera? I only take the memory card to the house. My Nixon camera has two memory card slots. If I forget the card in the house, I still have one in the camera. Problem solved, I think. I will never be birding without my camera again. My wife read this article and said, “We’ll see, I’ve lived with you for 58 years and you have never been organized.” That made me even more determined.
Why was I excited about the Varied Thrush? It is a species of Northwest Montana, especially in old-growth mixed coniferous forest, which is typical of the forest in Glacier Park.
Varied Thrush is not unheard of in winter, but there have only been 34 observations in January and none in Deer Lodge, Powell, or Granite Counties, with only a few sightings in northern Ravalli County.
by Gary Swant
Fortunately, my photo shows the feld marks. Adult birds show grayish blue nape, and back, orange eyebrow, underparts orange, with a black breast band, and black bar through the eye. Females show the orange color but lack the grayish blue back and nape. Recently, a Northern Shrike landed in a tree just fve feet from our kitchen window. Laura yelled, “Shrike!” I went for my camera; it was in the truck! Have a great time birding this spring. Be sure and take your camera, you might just need it.
The dinner and auction are fundraisers for the painting of our historic Stevensville church building, an architectural landmark on the National Register of
Places, which means it is deemed worthy of preservation for its historical significance or great artistic value. Scan the QR code to read its history at steviumc.org/history/
We accept items for our
Varied Thrush. Photo by Gary Swant
Photo courtesy National Audubon Society.
BAER SALMON-Prospect/Elkhorn Rush Skeletonweed
(Herbicide Application)
The Ravalli County Weed District is soliciting Bids for weed control work – Description of work:
This project is in a very remote area of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, located in Idaho County, Idaho. The mission is to grid the existing rush skeletonweed inventory polygons and treat any rush skeletonweed found with herbicide and identify any rush skeletonweed found outside of the existing polygons with a waypoint and brief description of fndings (number of plants found, and size of infestation). The terrain is very steep and rocky with limited accessible water, and the trails may not be cut for clear passage.
Bid packet with details can be picked up at the Ravalli County Weed District 121 Tudor Street South Victor, MT 59875.
Bids must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, (Second Floor) Hamilton, MT. 59840 by 4:00 PM on Friday, April 11, 2025. PLEASE mark the outside sealed bid envelope BAER Salmon-Prospect/Elkhorn Rush Skeletonweed AND YOUR COMPANY NAME.
Bids will be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners at 9:45 AM on Monday, April 14, 2025 in the Commissioners Conference Room (Third Floor) at 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton, MT.
An intended bid award is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 10:45 AM (Commissioners’ Meeting Room).
For questions concerning the Request for Proposal process, contact Chris Taggart at the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce –406-375-6500.
More specifc direction will be provided upon award of this contract.
Chris Taggart
Commissioners Administrative Assistant
BS 3-26, 4-2-25.
MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR BIDS
Weed Control Work
Description of work: BAER Johnson-Daly (Herbicide Application)
The Ravalli County Weed District is soliciting Bids for weed control work – Description of work:
BAER Johnson –Daly - Backpack Herbicide Application
This weed spraying project is in two separate areas. The frst area is the Johnson Fire, located in the East Fork of the Bitterroot River that burned about 8,500 acres. The second area is the Daly Fire, located in Skalkaho Creek drainage that burned about 8,000 acres. Tools for completing this project include backpack sprayers and or stock mounted sprayers. The terrain is steep and rocky with hazards due to being in post fre areas. Bid packet with details can be picked up at the Ravalli County Weed District 121 Tudor Street South, Victor, MT 59875. Bids must be received by the
Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder, 215 S. 4 th Street, Suite C, (Second Floor) Hamilton, MT. 59840 by 4:00 PM on Friday April 11, 2025. PLEASE mark the outside sealed bid envelope BAER Johnson-Daly AND YOUR COMPANY NAME.
Bids will be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners at 9:30 AM on Monday, April 14, 2025 in the Commissioners Conference Room (Third Floor) at 215 S. 4 th Street, Hamilton, MT.
An intended bid award is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 10:30 AM (Commissioners’ Meeting Room).
For questions concerning the Request for Proposal process, contact Chris Taggart at the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce –406-375-6500.
More specifc direction will be provided upon award of this contract.
Daniel Browder, Esq. Browder Law, PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840
Telephone: (406) 361-3677
Facsimile: (406) 361-2999
Email: browderlawmont@ gmail.com
Attorney for Michelene A. Lee
MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF NORMAN HOWARD LEE, Deceased Cause No. DP-2025-32
Dept. No. 2
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to the Personal Representative, Michelene A. Lee, return receipt requested, c/o: Browder Law, PLLC, 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.
DATED this 21st day of March, 2025.
BROWDER LAW, PLLC
/s/Daniel Browder
Attorney for Personal Representative
BS 3-26, 4-2, 4-9-25.
MNAXLP
PUBLIC NOTICE
This is to notify all interested parties that BitterRoot Bus is applying for $ 168,635.00 under the Section 5311 Program for the Federal Transit Administration entitled “Financial Assistance for Other than Urbanized Areas,” administered by the Montana Department of Transportation. Funding will be used for operating expenses associated with providing transportation services to the general public within Ravalli County, Montana. BitterRoot Bus will also be receiv-
ing $ 74,248 in matching TransAde funding. MRTMA of Missoula is also applying for $195,60.00 section 5311 as well as $113,974.00 in CMAQ funds and $49,999.00 in Capital funding for one replacement van. Anyone wishing to comment on this proposal should send comments within 30 days to: BitterRoot Bus, 310 Old Corvallis Rd., Hamilton, MT 59840.
BS 4-2, 4-9-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County
In the Matter of the Name Change of Leland Morrisson, Leland Morrisson, Petitioner.
Cause No.: DV-25-79
Dept. 2
AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a name change from Leland Morris Morrisson to Leland Morris Jessop.
The hearing will be on May 15, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 26th day of March, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein
Clerk of District Court
/s/ Catherine di Gleria
Deputy Clerk of Court
BS 4-2, 4-9, 4-16, 4-23-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County
In the Matter of the Name Change of Gay Esther Wilson, Gay Esther Wilson, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000123-NC
Dept. 1
NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a name change from Gay Esther Wilson to Gayle Esther Wilson.
The hearing will be on May 14, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 26th day of March, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein
Clerk of District Court
/s/ Sarah Sargent
Deputy Clerk of Court
BS 4-2, 4-9, 4-16, 4-23-25.
MNAXLP
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Burnt Fork Water Commission will hold its frst meeting of the 2025 irrigation season on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall at the corner of Meyer Lane and Middle Burnt Fork Road, Stevensville. If you have agenda items for the meeting, please call Jean Comer at 406-360-5304 before the meeting date.
BS 4-2, 4-9-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County
In the Matter of the Name Change of Jaden A. Lundquist, Jaden A. Lundquist, Petitioner.
Cause No.: DV-25-119
Dept. 1
NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a name change from Jaden Alexander Lundquist to Jaden Alexander Shrader.
The hearing will be on April 30, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 19th day of March, 2025. /s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court /s/ Sarah Sargent
BS 4-2, 4-9, 4-16, 4-23-25.
MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR BIDS (RFB)
Tin Cup and Indian Trees Hazardous Fire Fuels Reduction Projects
The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners is soliciting a Request for Bids (RFB’s) for the Tin Cup and Indian Trees hazardous fuels reduction projects.
All Tin Cup Units are located west of Darby, and the Indian Trees job site is located Southwest of Sula, Montana. These projects aim to enhance forest health on 300 acres of forest land, by thinning smaller trees to retain an average spacing between trees. Slash management includes compact piling of all cut materials under six inches in diameter, and scattering logs above six inches in diameter for course debris retention.
For a copy of the Full Treatment Plans (Scope of Work) and location maps, contact the Ravalli County Forester, Gary-Allen Oram a t #406-375-6511during regular business hours. A jobsite walk through will occur Friday, April 18, 2025. Interested contractors will meet at the Darby Forest Service Ranger Station, 712 N Main St, Darby, MT 59829. The group will move out from there at 10:00 AM, to view all job locations.
Bids must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, (Second foor) Hamilton, Montana 59840 by Friday, April 25, 2025 by 4:00 PM.
Bids will be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 9:30 AM. in the Commissioner’s Conference Room (Third Floor) at 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton, Montana, followed by possible award(s).
For questions concerning the Request for Bids or Contract Process, please contact Chris Taggart at the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce - 406-375-6500. Chris Taggart Commissioners Administrative Assistant BS 4-2, 4-9-25. MNAXLP
Public Hearing-Ravalli County TAX ABATEMENT (Benefts)
REQUEST: Maztech Industries
The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM in the Ravalli County Administrative Center at 215 S.4th Street, Third Floor Commissioners Conference Room, Hamilton, MT. The purpose for this public hearing is to take public comment on the Tax Abatement Application, per MCA 15-6-138, for the property located at 3945 Maz-
tech Way, Stevensville, Montana, 59870 (Tax ID #274550), and to make a decision by Resolution to grant or deny said tax abatement (beneft) request. If you would like more information contact the Commissioner’s Ofce at 375-6500. If you are unable to attend and would like to make comment you can do so by contacting the Commissioners at the above phone number, or by email at commissioners@rc.mt.gov
Chris Taggart Commissioners’ Administrative Assistant BS 4-2, 4-9-25. MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
MOLD REMEDIATION
The Ravalli County Board of Commissioners are soliciting Request for Proposals for mold remediation for the Forest Service building located at the Ravalli County Airport, 533 Airport Road, Hamilton, Montana 59840. Proposals must be submitted to the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, (Second Floor) Hamilton, MT 59840 NO LATER THAN 4:00 PM., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Proposals will be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners at 11:00 AM. on Thursday, May 01, 2025 in the Commissioners Conference Room (Third Floor) at 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton, MT.
For a copy of the Full Request for Proposal and Specifcations for the Mold Remediation, please contact the Ravalli County Commissioners Administrative Assistant Chris Taggart at 215 S. 4th Street Suite A, Hamilton, MT during regular business hours or by calling 406-375-6500. For questions concerning the Request for Proposal process, contact Chris Taggart at the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce –406-375-6500. Chris Taggart Commissioners Administrative Assistant BS 4-2, 4-9-25. MNAXLP
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF THADIOUS DELANO WALL, Deceased. Probate No.: DP-2025-30 Dept. No.: 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Carole Wall has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the said Decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Carole Wall, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Montana Legacy Law, PLLC, 178 South 2nd St., Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court. BS 4-2, 4-9, 4-16-25. MNAXLP
FOR SALE: NEBROO
HEARING AIDS. New and they work. Sell for $198.00. Asking $100. or ft your budget. 1-406-369-2509.
FRESH EGGS from Howell’s Happy Hens are back! $5.00/doz. Pick up at Bitterroot Star ofce, 115 W. 3rd, Suite 108, Stevensville.
SPRING FLING SALE, SATURDAY - Sunday, April 5-6, 9 am - 5 pm. Ravalli Co. Fairgrounds Art Bldg. (next to the Events Center), Hamilton, MT. Montana/ Kids’ Books, Western Memorabilia, Antiques, Vintage, Household, Toys, Adult Clothes, Model Trains.
FARM & RANCH
HAND wanted full-time, near Peerless, Montana. Housing available. Call 406-724-7099.
K-8 teacher, 2025-2026 school year. Mountain View Elementary. Starting bonus, competitive salary. Call 406-336-2638 or email jerryhofer73@gmail.com.
THE ELKS LODGE is looking for a part time cook! Part time on Wednesdays and Fridays. Come work in a fun and friendly environment. Up to $17/hr. For information call (406)363-3031.
BITTERROOT CONSERVATION DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
Job Announcement
1709 North First Street Hamilton, MT 59840
POSITION: Full Time Administrative Assistant.
WAGE: Starting at $21.23 per hour. Benefts include annual, holiday, and sick leave, along with a monthly health savings stipend and retirement.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS: Education and Experience:
--High School diploma/ GED.
--One year’s experience in an ofce setting.
Knowledge: This position requires a knowledge of basic conservation practices and resources; basic grant management; profcient in preparing quarterly taxes and reports, basic accounting procedures, profcient in the use of software and ofce equipment. Preferred Knowledge:
--Profcient in the use of QuickBooks.
--Profcient in the use of WordPress website design.
--Profcient in the use of Microsoft Ofce Suite.
--Accounting experience.
Skills: Work efectively with the general public ofering positive customer service; establish efective working relationships with fellow employees; ability to work from the ofce; assist in the feld; be organized; be self-motivated; prioritize tasks; maintain confdentiality; maintain accurate records; communicate efectively orally and in writing; follow verbal and written instructions; apply bookkeeping skills; efectively use ofce and feld equipment; profcient in the use of software programs; must keep accurate timesheets; have the ability to work after business hours every second and last Tuesday of the month; ability to attend local and state meetings; must have an automobile, proof of auto insurance, and a current Montana driver’s license; be able to lift 40 pounds. .
APPLICATION PROCESS: Submit a cover letter and resume addressed to the Bitterroot Conservation District Board 1709 N. 1st Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.
WANTED TO BUY: Old Car, Truck, Motorcycle, also old signs and license plates, gas station items or dealership items. Call 406270-8630 any time.
SWITCH AND SAVE UP TO $250/YEAR ON YOUR TALK, TEXT AND DATA. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with fexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time ofer - get $50 of on any new account. Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-877324-0193.
Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On- Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-855- 995-3572
CONNECT TO THE BEST WIRELESS HOME INTERNET WITH EARTHLINK. Enjoy speeds from 5Gand 4G LTE networks, no contracts, easy installation,
and data plans up to 300 GB. Call 855-419-7978.
GET YOUR DEDUCTION AHEAD OF THE YEAR-END! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous year-end tax credit. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855- 901-2620 today!
PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-7621508
SAFE STEP. NORTH AMERICA’S #1 WALK-IN TUB. Comprehensive lifetime warranty.Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Of for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-6012865.
GERMAN BOOKS FOR FREE! Deutsche Buecher abzugeben! Several used books of German literature
(Brecht, Fontane, Goethe, Hesse, Hofmann, Mann, Storm) will be given away for free. Text (406) 2186268.
