The Stevensville Police Department will be bringing back their chili cookoff for the third annual event, and according to Stevensville Police Chief John Boe, “it’s gonna be a great time!”
The cook-off will take place on Saturday, March 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the St. Mary’s Family Center, 400 Charlo Street, the same location it was held last time. The entrance fee is $5, and this year, children under seven years old enter free.
“We hope that draws more families,” said Boe. He suggested visitors hold onto their tickets for door prizes to be drawn at the end of the night. There will also be other options for food, not just chili; that way everyone is happy, he said.
There will be live music performed by “The Flood,” a band out of Missoula who specializes in 60s, 70s and 80s rock. There will be both live and
silent auctions, with auction items like firearms, sports collectibles, and much more. Chief Boe is even donating some of his own sports memorabilia to the event. There will also be a cash bar, though the department wants to keep the event family-friendly.
“I’m from the south; I love chili,” said Boe. He is interested in trying chili here. However, Boe said he will not be judging. For the cook-off, first place will earn $300, second place will get $200, and third place will get $100. The reigning chili cook-off champion from the last event will be returning, as well as many newcomers.
Boe also said the event is still accepting entries for cook-off competitors. Interested parties should come to Stevensville Town Hall and speak to Boe in the police department. There, they will receive an entry form and can pay their participation fee of $30. The cut-off date for signups will be March 10.
The event is primarily a fundraiser, and according to Boe, “it benefits public safety here in the town of Stevensville.” The funding raised will help the department purchase new equipment. “We’ve got equipment that’s outdated,” said Boe. He added that new gear would allow the department to operate at modern efficiency. However, he also said, “I want it to be an opportunity for the community to come together and have fun with their neighbors.”
This will be Boe’s first fundraiser here since taking over and he reports that he is “excited about it.” Boe said he wants people from all over town to come out and just enjoy themselves more than anything else. He said it is like a “full-circle type thing,” as he will be celebrating being here a year. Through working as the police chief, Bob said he has met nearly everyone in town. He hopes to meet any new faces that attend the event. “That’s how I’ll gauge my success,” said Boe,
adding that he’s not so concerned about raising money. “If I break even, I’ll be happy.”
Boe also wanted to express gratitude to the community, businesses and individuals that have already donated to the event and the department to make this event happen. For those still looking to donate, all funds will go to the Stevensville Reserve Officers Association, a nonprofit that handles donations to the department. Boe said all checks are to be written to them. “They handle all the funds.”
For more information about the department, interested parties can look on the town website, townofstevensville.com. Once there, searching under the “departments” tab will find the police department page. The page is currently being developed further, but will eventually include services available from the department as well as department history and officer contact information.
The Stevensville Police Department gets ready for a new chapter. Officer Christopher Pierce, Chief John Boe and Officer Kenneth Franklin. Photo courtesy Stevensville Police Department.
DOGE: USFS layoffs detrimental to Bitterrooters
condition of anonymity. Hannah Strobel, however, who until last week was an employee of the Forest Service in the Bitterroot Valley, did choose to share her thoughts.
“This past Friday I got a call from my supervisor saying that my name was on a probationary list and that they were required to terminate me,” said Strobel, who had been seasonally employed with USFS since 2021, but within the last year was happy to have accepted a permanent-seasonal position. The advancement relieved her of having to re-apply for the work every year, but did set her upon a probationary clock. Her work as a botanist was heavily involved with the Bitterroot Front Project which aims to reduce wildfire risk along the Wildland Urban Interface in the Bitterroot Valley.
In addition to her other work, Strobel had earned her Red Card, was a qualified fire-line EMT and routinely worked on wildfires as a part of the so called, ‘Militia.’ She says that she would consider applying to work fires this summer, but admits that being able to do so would be unlikely, since any future employer would have to be willing to accommodate her absence for two week stretches.
Strobel says that working for the Forest Service had been a dream of hers since she was a child and she loved using her skills to make a difference on public land. And while she said she would take her job back in “a heartbeat” if offered, she also expressed a painful reluctance that the firing has left her with.
“Would I even want to accept that because it could so easily just be taken away from me again?” Strobel pondered. “It’s like, why am I investing my career into a system that is just willing to throw me away and say that my performance is bad and that my interests don’t serve the public?”
Strobel’s emphasis on the manner in which she was cut loose was echoed by others. One former Forest Service employee, who asked to remain anonymous, echoed Strobel’s frustration by saying that to ostensibly remove someone from service based on “poor performance” was, “a really low blow because it’s illegitimate and it’s incorrect.”
The same individual added, “So I guess for me, this is difficult because I never received any poor performance in any job I’ve ever had, especially relating to [her field of work]. In fact, when I worked for the NRCS, I received an award for my good work.”
She went on to predict what the cuts will mean in western Montana. “Staff shortages are going to mean that trails and bathrooms and campgrounds won’t be maintained, and it means that rescue personnel, people that dig fire lines, park rangers— they’re all going to be cut short. They’re going to be at a bare minimum.”
“I mean, I got a job in the Forest Service and with the NRCS because I care about public lands,” she said. “I care about what’s going to happen. And making these lands available for the public to explore, recreate, just enjoy. And being terminated from my job, for illegitimate reasons, is— yeah, it hurts.”
When asked by the Bitterroot Star why she thought so many of the fired workers seemed reticent to speak with the press, she thoughtfully replied, “I guess the reason I waited a little bit longer was that I just wanted to organize my thoughts and get the facts. I didn’t want to speak out of anger or anything. I wanted to make sure that I was only providing what was true.”
Kara Bond was only three weeks shy of completing her probationary period when she got the news she’d been fired. With her probation period behind her, she would have moved up in pay scale to a GS11, received her long awaited relocation reimbursement, begun searching for a home in Hamilton, and finally realized a lifelong dream of being a permanent, full-time archeologist for the United States Forest Service. But Bond was dealing with a pressing concern— she’d been diagnosed with cancer in November and has been out of state receiving treatment when she got notice that her position had been terminated.
“I lose my medical insurance 31 days from the date that I was fired,” said Bond, adding that the letter was dated for February 13th and effective immediately. “So my insurance is going to end within a month here.”
Bond says that she had to fight with Blue
Cross/Blue Shield in order for them to certify that the cancer treatment was “medically necessary,” and had only secured final preauthorization for the treatment an hour before she was fired. Now, with two additional treatments for both gene therapy and chemotherapy still pending, Bond is facing approximately $180,000 in medical expenses.
“It feels like the rug has been pulled out from under me,” she said. “It feels like I’m being used as a pawn for political gain. It just feels terrible. It’s financially devastating and emotionally hard.”
A friend, concerned for Bond’s well-being, has set up a GoFundMe account, the link for which is: https:// www.gofundme.com/f/ support-kara-bonds-cancer-recovery.
Todd McKay, Public Affairs Officer at the Bitterroot National Forest, referred any questions about the layoffs to Region One Public Affairs Director Kim Pierson who, in turn, referred them to the National Press Desk. No one, however, responded in time for publication.
Many individuals affected by the layoffs did tell the Bitterroot Star they thought the public should know how the firings had taken place, and what the loss of services will mean for the valley. However, at the informal gathering in
one public employee shook her head in doubt that sharing information could make a difference.
“I just don’t think they’re going to care,” she said. “I just…” she didn’t finish the sentence, but instead looked away with an expression that might have turned to tears. “I don’t know.”
Valentines for veterans
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Hamilton,
Above, Hannah Strobel, who worked as a botanist for the USFS in the Bitterroot Valley, recently learned that she was one of hundreds of federal employees to lose their jobs. Photo provided by Hannah Strobel.
Below, Kara Bond was three weeks from completing her probationary period as a USFS Archeologist when she learned that she’d lost her job. She is currently undergoing treatment for cancer and will lose her medical insurance within a month on account of the USFS layoffs. Photo provided by Kara Bond.
American Legion Fort Owen Post 94, Stevensville, coordinated a trip to the Fort Harrison Veterans Hospital in Helena on February 12. Fourteen students from the Stevensville Key Club toured the hospital handing out Valentines which had been prepared by Stevensville Elementary students. The Key Club students were accompanied by Legion & Auxiliary members, members of the Montana Bitterroot Valley Patriot Pin Up group and Key Club advisors. The students were well received by the hospital patients. Additionally, Valentine cards created by students at Lone Rock School were delivered to the Stevensville Living Centre for distribution to veterans and other residents. The members of Post 94 greatly appreciate the cooperation of the students and teachers at both schools for providing a little happiness for the recipients at both the hospital and Living Centre.
Montana Horse Sanctuary hopes to help horse owners
by John Dowd
After the success of last year’s course, Jane Heath and Leslie Nalls with Montana Horse Sanctuary are bringing their horse ownership basics class back again, with big plans. Heath is co-founder of the sanctuary and Nalls is a rancher and horsemanship educator who has partnered with the organization.
According to Heath, things went so well last year, they decided to offer more classes again this year.
“We actually had people come from as far away as Kalispell and Butte,” said Heath. She took it as a good sign that this kind of education was well-received by the area, and even beyond. Because of this interest and need, the Montana Horse Sanctuary plans to keep holding classes.
They just held a class last weekend, but registration is open for another class March 22 and 23. This year, the first class filled up right away, within just 10 days, according to Heath. The upcoming March class is already filling, with just a few spots left.
“We want to reach as many people as possible,” said Heath. She said if classes keep filling up, they will just keep offering more classes.
They are even looking to expand the class to online. In the process, they have been communicating with Homes for Horses Coalition, connecting them with sanctuaries and horse rescue programs across the country. Their hope is to partner with these other groups and do this same course online for their communities. According to Heath, sanctuaries across the nation are
seeing the same alarming need and interest.
According to Heath, getting started with horses can be overwhelming. “There is just so much to learn; horses are a lifetime of learning. I think that’s why I love it,” said Heath. She said the goal of this class is to address the fact that “people new to horses need resources to get rolling.” Without a family with a history in horses, it can be expensive to get started and difficult to even know where to start and how to do it right.
But with that said, Heath and Nalls do not really consider this class a beginners class. They see it more as a review of the fundamentals. In fact, a lot
of work went into deciding what those fundamentals are. Heath said this was difficult to decide, asking what really could be considered “the most important things you have to know at the beginning.”
Heath is confident they found that balance, and is extremely excited to have partnered with Nalls for this class. She believes Nalls is integral in what makes the class so effective. Heath wanted to highlight “how much the sanctuary admires Leslie’s teaching style.” Heath described her as open, a good listener and vastly knowledgeable on the subject. “We’re picky about our instructors,” added Heath.
The sanctuary has held hundreds of classes over the years, and the organization prides itself in choosing to keep on really good instructors, especially for such a foundational course. “She just has wonderful experience and a terrific teaching style,” said Heath.
Each class is limited to 11 spots so that “people have a chance to participate and get all their questions answered.” Admission is $50 for adults, and $25 for an accompanying youth. “We want parents to come as well, because they fund the operation,” said Heath. “Horses are such a fun way to get the whole family involved!”
For parties interested in learning more about Montana Horse Sanctuary, or to learn when the next course openings will become available, Heath suggests visiting the organization website, montanahorsesanctuary.org. There, interested parties can follow a link to class registration which includes more specific information about the classes.
Leslie Nalls, at center, teaching last weekend. Photo courtesy Sarah Nalls.
Commissioners approve road paving schedule
by Michael Howell
Ravalli County has approximately 1450 miles of public roadway, but only about 550 miles of those roads are maintained by the Ravalli County Road Department and of those 550 miles of roadway only about 300 miles are paved. The other 250 miles are graveled.
Just keeping up with the maintenance on the current 300 miles of pavement is a daunting task. The commissioners agreed a few years ago that just to maintain the status quo would require upgrading more than 16 miles of pavement annually. This coming season they are looking at a schedule to pave about 14 miles and in 2026 and the next year it’s down to 10 miles.
the profits off it would go into hauling it.” He said the road was in such bad shape, however, that if they wait too long it wouldn’t be worth saving and should just be ground up.
Road Department Administrator John Horat said, “I’m not certain that it’s ever going to get logged up there. It just seems like there’s just one lawsuit after another.“
“If you take a Google trip and go scrolling down the county roads, you can see that there’s no end to this,” said Commissioner Jeff Burrows at the latest scheduling meeting. “There’s just crappy pavement everywhere. If you take a look,” he said, “they are all over the place… We need to be paving 16 miles per year, not 11 to 13.”
This year the longest stretch of road on the tentative schedule list, four miles on Willow Creek Road east of Corvallis, got bumped off the list.
The decision to drop the Willow Creek paving project was tied to potential funding from the Bitterroot National Forest that may not be available for a while.
Burrows noted that the county was working with the Forest Service on a joint effort. “They were looking at a big hauling project and said they were going to contribute, participate and mitigate. Where’s that at?” he asked.
“As it stands right now,” said Road Department Shop Manager Jim Bryan, “it’s still being litigated and on top of this, right now, they don’t have anywhere to take the timber. And all
“There won’t be a lot of incentive for them to participate if it’s a brand new paved road,” said Burrows. “I guess I’d like to see us re-prioritize this. I’d rather push Willow Creek out and do some more miles somewhere else.” Willow Creek was dropped from the list and replaced by 2.34 miles of Sunnyside Cemetery Road and 1.5
miles of Ridge Road.
• That yielded a new priority list for 2025 that now includes:
• Ricketts Road (Grant-others) 2.53 mi.
• Cherry Orchard Loop 1.90 mi.
• Kootenai Creek Rd. 0.90 mi
• Grizzly Way 0.52 mi.
• Harvey Lane 0.50 mi.
• S. Sunset Bench Road (subcontract) 1.80 mi.
• Honeyhouse (Willow Ck to Quast, subcontract) 1.76 mi
• Sunnyside Cemetery 2.34 mi
•Ridge Road 1.50 mi.
On the list for paving in 2026 are Illinois Bench Road 2.50 mi.; Martin Ln. (US 93 to Sundance) 0.56 mi.; Oilwell Road 1.75 mi.; and Willow Creek Cross Road 1.51 mi.
On the list for 2027 were Chief Victor Camp Road 0.64 mi.; Blodgett Camp Road 1.83 mi.; Florence town streets and Victor town streets.
Roads listed to be ground up and removed from the paving list include Ben, Little Joe, Meadow Lark, Florence Subdivision, Rose, Grant and Upper Burnt Fork School roads.
DARBY: seeks public input
Continued from page 1
will need to hold more public meetings,” said Robbins. He expects there will be interest from the community in altering positions, titles and how they function, but not necessarily an overhaul in the way the government is organized.
“I don’t anticipate an actual change of government,” said Robbins.
The community may be interested in changing the way the Town of Darby is organized, rearranging it or adding new positions, such as a city manager, “which is common in larger communities,” added Robbins. However, he explained that it would be difficult to fill such a position. The need is there because it is already hard to find council members and a mayor with relevant experience. Additionally, funding for such a manager position would also be difficult to establish within the town budget.
In the end, Robbins believes it may come down to small changes, if anything. Concern and interest in changing the government was obviously on the mind of Darby’s community. However, the vote for review still barely passed, with 92 votes for and 91 against. Robbins said this interest could have arisen due to contention over management of the Superfund site and related construction projects.
“If voters want to see a change, then this is a way the state has set up for them to do that,” said Robbins. However, after experiencing the way study commissions work, it may or may not achieve what some people were looking for. In any case, Robbins and the study commission
decided, it will go on the next ballot in the fall. Any smaller changes will be given as recommendations to the town council.
The timeline for the Darby Study Commission is as follows:
The Darby Study Commission holds regular monthly meetings on the first Monday of each month at the Darby Town Hall at 5 p.m. All meetings of the Darby Study Commission are open to the public and community participation is encouraged. The first public hearing will be March 18 at the Darby Clubhouse at 5:30 p.m. to gather citizen input on the form, functions, powers, and problems of town government and the adequacy of town services. The Commission will adopt a tentative report on May 5. A second public hearing will be held on May 15 at the Darby Clubhouse at 5:30 p.m. to gather citizen response on the Commission’s report. A final report will be adopted on June 2. If the final report proposes an alteration of the local government, the timetable may be amended.
Update from the House
Friction between the three branches of government is a feature baked into our constitutional order by our nation’s Founders. One way this inherent tension has manifested itself here in Montana is in calls by some legislators for the partisan election of judges.
Those favoring this move assert that several rulings made by district courts and by the Montana Supreme Court reveal the courts to in fact be partisan bodies that “legislate from the bench,” thus encroaching on the Legislature’s constitutional prerogatives. They argue that going to partisan judicial elections would simply acknowledge what is already the case and will allow voters to make better informed decisions. They expect that Montana’s increasingly right-leaning electorate will choose “originalist” judges who reject the notion of a “living constitution” and take a more restrained view of a judge’s role.
by David Bedey
Those opposing partisan judicial elections reject the contention that the courts are partisan and argue that partisan judicial elections are at odds with the Founders vision of an independent judiciary. Some also take the view that the judiciary is a proper venue for achieving policy objectives. As advocates of “judicial pragmatism,” they see the constitution as a living document that requires judges to take an active role in reinterpreting the constitution to fit present circumstances.
Both of these two camps are preoccupied with the results of specific court decisions. Both seek to advance one of two competing general judicial philosophies, on one hand “originalism” and on the other “pragma-
tism.” Both have a political interest in the outcome of this debate. And both are missing the point. It is the process, not the outcomes, that is at the heart of this matter. The critical question is: How can we make reasoned decisions concerning the temperament, impartiality, and judicial philosophy of judicial candidates? The Founders’ solution was to select judges through a process of presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. This provides for public vetting of prospective judges. But in Montana, our constitution requires that judges be elected. Although Montanans treasure their right to vote for judges, it is well known that most of us, especially regarding Supreme Court elections, know very little about judicial candidates and what we do know comes from manipulative advertising by well-financed special interests. So what is the solution to this problem?
I believe the best approach would be to emulate the nomination and confirmation process used at the federal level. But the likelihood of changing the Montana Constitution to that effect is practically nil. Alternatively, partisan judicial elections would provide voters some information on a candidate’s judicial philosophy. But the problem I see with this approach is that both political parties are increasingly controlled by their activist fringes. In the GOP, this has resulted in calls for candidates to swear allegiance to the party platform and to treat the platform as “our Bible.” I suspect that Democrat party bosses have similar expectations. Demanding that judicial candidates toe the party line is antithetical to the hope of achieving an impartial judiciary that can command the respect of all Montanans.
So where does that leave me as a legislator? For reasons given above, I am wary of partisan judicial elections. Therefore, I will not support partisan elections for justices of the peace or district court judges because I believe that the jurisdictions in question are small enough for voters to inform themselves about the candidates. Being that its elections are statewide, the Supreme Court poses a thornier problem. Because judicial philosophy is at least roughly aligned with party affiliation, I am inclined to support allowing (but not requiring) a candidate to declare party affiliation. But I will oppose attempts to move away from an open primary for Supreme Court elections. This moderate—dare I say conservative—approach would provide voters a bit more information on Supreme Court candidates while limiting the influence of partisan politics on Montana’s judiciary. I’m not entirely happy with where my reasoning has led me, but I believe it represents a reasonable compromise.
David Bedey is a representative with the Montana House, District 86, R-Hamilton.
City of Hamilton begins Marcus Street safety improvement project
WGM Group, Inc. is excited to announce its partnership with the City of Hamilton on the Marcus Street
Shared-Use Path project, which aims to design a safe, non-motorized route connecting schools, residences, and businesses on both sides of Highway 93. The project will provide a safer path for children walking or biking to Daly Elementary School and Hamilton Middle School.
Marcus Street is the City’s primary east-west corridor, linking residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, employment centers, and schools across Highway 93. Currently, the street lacks sidewalks and only features an intermittent bike lane, making it unsafe and unwelcoming for pedestrians and cyclists. Despite the challenges, people of all ages use Marcus Street daily due to a lack of alternatives.
The project will design a shared-use path on the south side of Marcus Street, extending from Highway 93 to Silverberry Street. This will provide a safer route for non-motorized users, especially school-aged children. Key improvements will include:
• A 10-foot-wide asphalt path
• Curb and gutter installation for better separation from traffic
• Enhanced vehicle approaches, including improvements near the Safeway
grocery store
The shared-use path will also improve east-west connectivity across Highway 93, linking residential areas with schools and downtown Hamilton. The project will be completed within the existing right-of-way and will include stormwater management, minor utility relocations, and traffic control during construction.
Currently in the preliminary planning and environmental analysis phase, the project is slated for final development through 2025, with construction expected to begin in 2026. As the project moves forward, more information will be shared about its progress.
This design project is funded by the Montana Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives program. Partnering with the community is an important part of properly planning for future projects. The project team welcomes the public to provide ideas and comments on the proposed project.
The public is encouraged to contact Stephen McDaniel, Project Manager at WGM Group, via phone at 406-7284611 or email at smcdaniel@ wgmgroup.com or Donny Ramer, City of Hamilton Director of Public Works, is also available via phone at 406-363-6717 or email at dpw@cityofhamilton.net with questions or comments about the project.
Funding for RML is critical
Confession time: I have a weakness for bad movies. Movies that get played at midnight theaters. Movies where the audience is expected to yell back at the screen. Movies that A-list actors avoid like the plague. But occasionally, A-listers accidentally star in bad movies, which makes them even more fun.
One of my guilty pleasures of the latter type is the 1995 film “Outbreak.” This film presents an account of an Ebola-like virus spilling over from a monkey to a pre-Gray’s Anatomy Patrick Dempsey and then his entire hometown. It is campy and full of overthe-top acting. But it is also accurate in terms of the phenomena of spillover
In medicine, when a virus or bacteria moves from one species into another, spillover has occurred. This occurs frequently in nature and is the type of thing that keeps scientists and healthcare providers awake at night. We are watching a spillover event right now, as the bird influenza virus, known as Avian Influenza subtype H5N1, spills over from the bird population to the cattle population. The virus has also shown up in the cat population. And as of February 14, 2025, there have been 68 human cases, with one death in the United States.
This is not the first time we have seen this virus show up in the human population and it will not likely be the last. How serious a human epidemic, or pandemic, of H5N1 might be can only be predicted at this time. But what we do know is that we do not want to be caught unprepared. The more information we have on this virus, how it affects the human body, what vaccines decrease the virulence of the disease, and what treatments help us get better, the more likely we will avoid unnecessary suffering or death due to the virus. Medical research, done in universities, medical schools, private and government funded facilities, like our own Rocky Mountain Lab here in Hamilton, help give us the information to answer these questions.
The approach the current presidential administration is taking to trimming the federal budget is ham-handed at best. They are being sold to the American people as cutting waste, but they are cutting vital scientific programs that keep us healthy and give us access to life saving therapies and interventions. These cuts will decimate medical research in this country. This in turn will lead to a “brain-drain” as the best of the best in science and medicine choose to go to other countries rather than stay in the US. The ramifications of this will be felt for much longer than this administration and, truth be told, will be felt more by those on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. If the next big medication to control diabetes is made in a country other than the US, a country upon which we have placed tariffs, its cost to our citizens will likely put it out of range for those in the average middle class
I run my own business and have sat on the school board of one of our county schools for years. I understand the value, to all of us, that responsible spending can have for the future of our country. However, cutting this type of funding, while promising tax cuts to the wealthy, is unbelievably short-sighted and we should not tolerate this madness. We need to stand up to our elected officials and tell them we expect responsible governance. The United States already suffers from lower quality health care measures in large part because of the unwarranted value placed on for-profit health care. These cuts in medical research will help drive our
Opinion
outcomes lower. We deserve better!
Kathleen Harder-Brouwer, MD Ravalli Family Medicine
Keep on questioning
I have called my three representatives in Congress repeatedly in the past few weeks to ask specific questions about the Elon Musk DOGEbag hacker team of flying monkeys and what they’re up to. Have they hacked into the IRS computer systems? Is my 2024 tax filing safe from Elon Musk? Which of the VA’s three branches – health care, benefits or cemetery services – will bear the brunt of the 1,000 job cuts demanded by co-chancellors Trump and Musk? How does the richest man in the world feel about taking food and medicine from the poorest children in the world? What role did Rep. Zinke and Sens. Daines and Sheehy play in the decision to abolish USAID? Will there be funds for wildland firefighters this year? How much funding is being cut from the National Park Service? How is the Rocky Mountain Lab affected by deep funding cuts to its parent agency, the National Institutes of Health? Why are elected members of Congress allowing an unelected ketamine-using neo-Nazi billionaire to do their jobs? Do they have plans to take their jobs back? What private financial and health data have the DOGEhackers stolen from American citizens after ransacking federal government agency computer systems? What are they planning to do with it? Calls to Daines go to voicemail; no staffers ever answer his phones because he’s a coward, running from his constituents like he did several years go in Hamilton when he ran out the back door of a local snowmobile dealer and into the safety of his SUV to avoid his constituents waiting for him out front. Occasionally, I get actual staffers for Zinke and Sheehy on the phone. My questions are both valid and panicked. I get no answers.
From Daines: Radio silence.
From Zinke: “I don’t know.”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t know.”
From Sheehy: “Ma’am, I’m just a junior staffer here.”
I did receive an email response from Daines following my emailed question to him about his abdication of responsibility to his constituents, and his willingness to allow Elon Musk and the musketeers to cut federal funds and abolish entire agencies created by Congress. He was shocked – shocked! – at the federal debt, he said, and something needed to be done to rein it in, as if it’s not Congress’s job. As if he, an elected member of the Senate, had nothing to do with the federal debt. As if he never voted to adopt a federal budget. As if space aliens landed on earth for the express purpose of passing a budget to make Americans spend more money than we have. The shock and outrage of it!
There are only two questions left to ask. With Elon Musk in charge, strolling into the Oval Office in ball cap and T-shirt, exploiting his four-year-old son, X, by draping him on his shoulders like a political prop, the questions are these: What role does Congress play in the political life of the United States anymore? What is Musk planning to do with the treasure trove of data that he mined, illegally and unconstitutionally, from government computers?
I will continue to pressure my reps, waste of time though it is since all three seem to be fellow travelers cheering on the destruction of the rule of law and Article 1 of the US Constitution, but what else can a voting citizen do?
Here are their numbers: Ryan Zinke 202-225-5628
Tim Sheehy 202-224-2644
Steve Daines 202-224-2651
Call them. Tell them you want your power back. Tell them if they don’t give it back you’re just going to take it.
Carlotta Grandstaff Hamilton
Why ‘Spamalot’?
The Hamilton Players have made the unfortunate decision to perform the show “Spamalot” which purports to be “irreverent.” Why would someone wish to produce or take part in something irreverent? This musical mocks God, the Jewish people, homosexuals, and the very vessel which held the Blood of Christ the night before his death. If you can sit through this foolishness and still call yourself a follower of Jesus, you have seriously gone off the rails.
Teresa Larsen Victor
Stark reality
The Republican administration is delivering on his campaign promises locally.
If all federal funds are stopped. Ricketts Road paving will be stopped.
If the buy outs and cuts to NIH are successful, Rocky Mountain Labs and the 425 local employees are facing unemployment.
360 US Forest Service employees statewide have been terminated, more locally unemployed neighbors.
Federal funds in Montana paused by executive order equals $628,973,798.59 through the Broadband Deployment (BEAD) program.
$8 million in facilities funding for Montana State University and University of Montana.
$43 million to Montana for interstate and highway infrastructure.
$355 million to improve water infrastructure.
$143 million for Montana’s airports for infrastructure development. Montana agriculture negatively affected by tariffs and shuttering of USAID wheat and grain purchases have yet to have a dollar determined.
Where are Senators Daines and Sheehy and Ryan Zinke’s justification or explanation for these cuts? Where is congressional power of the purse?
Just maybe, The Republican administration will save this country for President Musk.
Ravalli County and Montana, not so much!
Archie Thomas & Merry Schrumpf Corvallis
A Trojan horse
I think we got sold a bill of goods in November, a Trojan horse, if you will, a strategic tactic built upon deceit… a hidden coup disguised as a MAGA agenda.
Last summer I talked to lots of Bitterrooters at the DEM booth at the Hamilton Farmers Market. I heard much about the border, inflation and the price of eggs. What I did not hear was interest in acquiring Greenland, Canada or the Panama Canal. Nor did I hear a peep about “unitary executive” theory.
So here we are, a little over a month into the Trump 2.0 administration. Here’s what I notice:
• Lowering prices and inflation was quickly deemed too hard and “not my fault.”
• Troops have been sent to the southern border but no work on immigration policy has begun.
• Extra-legal impoundment and civil service firing has begun without any serious cost-benefit analysis. And here in the valley too!
• All action is being undertaken by
executive orders, suggesting they would not be accepted legislatively.
President Trump and his administration have all but ignored the topics on which he campaigned and seventy plus million people voted for him. It is looking likely to me that “what we were sold” was an imperialist dictator, meaning a president above the law, superior to the Congress and Constitution and uninterested in the opinion of voters.
Time and truth may prove me wrong; so be it. But in the interim, I recommend we all stay very watchful. If my fears come true, it will take all of us together to stop it.
David Leslie Corvallis
Are there any Reagan Republicans left?
Well, it took less than a month in office for Mr. Trump to throw the President of Ukraine under the bus. It came after our President conferred with Russia’s President and promptly blamed Ukraine for Russia’s 2022 invasion. So, what did Mr. Zelensky do to upset our fearless leader while Agent Orange was probably watching his favorite old movie “The Manchurian Candidate”? All he said was Trump was living in a “Russian disinformation space,” and that set President Bone Spurs off.
Trump called Zelensky a ‘dictator’ and said he better secure peace with Putin or risk losing his country. So, when did the Republicans become the Party of Appeasement with Communist Dictators? Former President Ronald Reagan gave a famous speech in 1987 at the Brandenburg Gate where he said “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Apparently, our Putin Puppet thought it meant “and let me build a better one!” Jim Hamilton Florence
To young voters
I understand that you don’t read newspapers very much anymore, but I hope somehow this message gets to you through social media or word of mouth. The recent election in which Donald Trump was declared President of the United States is proving to be the disaster that he promised it would be.
I bet many of you chose him because you were tired of the same old system and the same old politicians running the country. Well, you got your wish!
But, Donald Trump is no ordinary politician. He is a destroyer, an anarchistic hustler, who has no interest in the democratic process, but only wants to be Ruler.
I see in the most recent polls that young people are becoming disillusioned and having second thoughts with what they see happening under Mr. Trump‘s Rule (he is a ruler, not a leader!)
I can’t say that he didn’t warn us. He made it very clear through Project 2025 what he was going to do if he came to power… again…and he is doing it!
Our only hope now for your future in a free and open society is to stand up to this bully.
It is your future that we are talking about. I am an old guy with not that many years left, but I worry about you and I worry about my kids and grandkids after Donald Trump gets through dismantling the government of the United States and our way of life. Help yourselves… and help us. I only hope it is not too late.
Thomas P. Tunny Hamilton
Lone Rock Community Network Times for Lone Rock Community Network meetings are changing to an “as requested, as needed” basis. The group will meet periodically for classes, having to do with sustainable and independent living, that are highly relevant to the community. Members will receive email notices of meetings, and they will be posted on Next Door and Facebook. If you’d like to be included, contact Rick Nelson at 406-3811466. Feel free to call or text to suggest topics or hands-on classes. Or, you may just want to get involved with this active, existing network of neighbors that are currently working on projects together.
Montanans for Life
Montanans for Life holds their monthly meeting on the first Thursday of every month at 6PM at More to Come Fellowship, 330 3rd Ave., Victor. For more information call (406) 407-1254.
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 office 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.
Yoga for Veterans
FREE to veterans, first responders, and their families! Tuesdays, 1-2pm at the American Legion Post 94 in Stevensville Register at: redwillowlearning.org OR call 406-530-7175. Come see us on 1st Friday in May ‘bout 1800 for more info! We’ll be in front of Active Care Wellness on Main in Stevensville
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 Coffee 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 first 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-profit 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.
Grief support programs
Stevensville
Ongoing: 1:1 and Group Support
Virtual/Statewide
Ongoing: 1:1 Support / Counseling
Visit tamarackgrc.org to explore Grief Support opportunities, check the calendar for upcoming programs, or contact TGRC about receiving support for yourself or a loved one: Missoula/Stevensville: 406-541-8472 or info@tamarackgrc.org
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.
The next meeting will be February 25 at 6 p.m.
Any questions call 406381-5123 or just show up on Friday!
AARP tax assistance
AARP Tax-Aide will be offering 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.
Grief Share
Grief Share program to help process grief offered 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
Stay Home & Hygge— Thurs, Feb 27 at 6:30pm
You officially have permission to slow down, stay home, and be cozy. Let’s take a cue from nature, which goes dormant this time of year, and inspiration from cultures elsewhere that traditionally embrace the home and hearth in the winter. You may have heard of the Danish hygge, which embodies the joy of simply being, enjoying small and simple luxuries, hand-making, sharing, and being content. The goal of this program is to inspire you to view the winter months from a different perspective and to embrace hygge in your own way. You’ll receive plenty of recipes, craft instructions, and other resources.
Fiber Arts Club—Thurs, Mar 6 from 12-1:30pm
Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting, embroidery, hand sewing, or quilting? Bring your work-in-progress, problem piece, or brand-new pattern and enjoy the company of like-minded crafters during this informal Fiber Arts Club. There will be no presenter or expert teacher but rather a cozy place to
gather, tea, and a community of yarn and fiber artists like yourself. All experience levels welcome. Club is held the first Thursday of every month from 12-1:30pm in the Community Room. Free Range Arts & Crafts—Thurs, Mar 6 from 6-8pm
The craft vault is open and everything from needle felting to clay sculpting awaits. Enjoy a coloring book, practice with pastels, or bring your own project to finally finish, it’s up to you.
Mature driver course
Bitterroot Health (formerly Marcus Daly Hospital), Located at 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton, is hosting an ALL NEW 2025 AARP Driver Safety Course on Friday, February 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This all new safe driving course is designed for drivers age 50 and over all drivers are welcome. The new program features laws and up-dates specific to Montana, Defensive Driving, Winter Driving, new Vehicle Technologies to name a few. Class size is limited; pre-registration is advised. There are no tests or written exams and, Montana mandates insurance discounts for qualified drivers. Certificates are now good for 3 years! Class fee: $20.00 for AARP members; $25.00 for non-members. For class sign up, call: Hamilton Insurance at 406-363-6583. For further information call Thom Ainsworth, Instructor, at 406369-0149.
Rummage sale donations wanted
Three Mile Community Center is having a books, puzzles and games Rummage Sale on March 8th. Donations of these items in good condition will be accepted during the community coffee hours on March 3, 5 ,7 (7:30 to 8:30 a.m.) and
from 9-11 a.m. on March 8. All proceeds will go to the Parking Lot Improvement Program. For more information email reservations@3milecc.org
Garden Club Stevensville Garden Club’s monthly meeting will be Wednesday, March 5 at 1 p.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 184 Pine Hollow Rd. Guest speaker from Missoula County Extension, Sarah Perrin, will present
Calendar postings are free to non-profit groups. Submit by emailing to: editor@bitterrootstar.com
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Corvallis coach finalist for national award
Corvallis’s assistant track and field coach Garrett Middleton was among 10 Montana coaches who have been selected as a finalist for national coach of the year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA).
Middleton was nominated by the Montana High School Association (MHSA) under the Boys Assistant Coach category. Finalists will be honored during the national coach of the year awards banquet during the NHSACA national convention in Rapid City, S.D. on June 25.
“This is quite the honor,” said Middleton. “My goals in life have tended to be somewhat personal, like improving myself in sports based activities, but this one is different. There have been so many people over the years that have been a part of my coaching life and have helped me, like the
volunteers, the other coaches, all the athletes, and the supporters. This is an honor that I’m sharing with all of them.”
Middleton has coached at Corvallis for the last 20 years as the throws coach, which includes the shot put, discus and javelin. Middleton’s throwers have collected a lot of hardware over the years. He has coached 20 state champions, 20 state runners up, and 50 throwers finishing in 3rd through 6th place at state. Additionally, he has also coached 40 total divisional throwing champions.
“I really enjoy working with all the athletes and getting to know them as people,” said Middleton. “It’s very rewarding to be a positive influence in the lives of these kids.”
Middleton is an Industrial Technology teacher at Corvallis. He also helps with strength and conditioning
for all sports and helped with high school football this year. Middleton was an accomplished thrower before coaching; in high school he set the Illinois state record in the discus and then threw for Murray State in college.
“One of the things I most enjoy about coaching is seeing the personal growth of students,” said Middleton. “I really like it when we get kids who haven’t had success in other sports. They try track and field and when they work hard they start seeing results. Seeing them become successful when they didn’t think it was possible is very rewarding.”
It’s hard to be a good high school coach and not everyone can do it, let alone excel at it. “One of the most important things that it takes to be a good coach is patience and adaptability,” said Middleton. “You’ve got
to relate to the kids, and be able to change your own philosophy.”
Like most successful teachers and coaches, Middleton is a lifelong learner. He’s just as excited about the coaching clinics at the NHSACA national convention as he is with the awards banquet.
“This may sound weird, but when I go to the coaching clinics I make myself learn techniques that I disagree with,” said Middleton. “If I don’t like a technique and don’t think it works, then that’s the thing I’m going to make myself learn more about. And over the years, some of my best coaching techniques have been those things that I didn’t think would work, that I initially disagreed with. To be a good coach you need to be open-minded, you need to be open to new knowledge and open to change.”
A valuable lesson for all of us.
Florence, Darby advance to divisionals
The boys and girls basketball teams from Darby and Florence competed in the 6B District boy and girls basketball tournament in Anaconda on February 21-22. The Florence boys and girls both took 2nd place, the Darby girls took 4th place, and the Darby boys lost out.
Florence’s girls and boys teams had mirroring results: both teams took second place; both teams were defeated by nemesis Missoula Loyola in the championship game, and both teams advanced to the Western B Divisionals to play Eureka in Hamilton on Feb. 27. For Darby, the girls took 4th at districts, which qualified them for divisionals. The Darby boys lost both of their games and ended their season.
Florence Girls
The Florence girls, ranked #4 in the latest 406mtsports.com poll, and the #3 Missoula Loyola girls went 1-1 against each other in the regular season. They played again in the 6B District championship in Anaconda on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Florence had an uncharacteristic off night and was defeated handily by Loyola 39-73. The Lady Falcons got down early, trailing 10-20 after the first quarter and 17-40 at halftime, and couldn’t find a way back in the second half.
“It was our poorest performance of the season,” said Florence head coach Shane Meinhold. “We struggled to shoot from the field and we had foul trouble amongst our core players,
which played a big role with having continuity on the floor. We weren’t able to get into any rhythm offensively and defensively, and we had a few key players battling sicknesses which didn’t help either. All in all, it was a rough game for us.”
Meinhold was quick to praise his competition. “But kudos to Loyola, they came out and executed their game plan and got the W,” said Meinhold. “We will hopefully see them again this Saturday at Divisionals.”
For Florence in the championship game, Jaden Fisher and Kenzy Pickering led the scoring with 8 points each. Emory Ralston had 6, Maggie Schneiter had 4, Alex Nelson and Shelby Crocker each had 2, and Taylor Pyette and Kendyl Meinhold each added 1. The Florence girls played Anaconda in the first round of the tournament on Friday, Feb. 21. The Lady Falcons jumped out to a 36-12 halftime lead and rolled to a 66-23 victory.
For Florence, Kenzy Pickering led the way with 13 points. Madigan Hurlbert had 11, Ali Meinhold had 10, Maggie Schneiter had 9, Taylor Pyette had 8, Jaden Fisher had 6, Kendyl Meinhold had 4, Emory Ralston had 3, and Alyx Monaco added 2. “For Divisionals we think we are in a good spot,” said Meinhold. “We are looking at refocusing on us and the things we do well and having a great week of practice. I’m proud of our girls and the effort they’ve put in this season to get us to this point. I’m looking forward to this week and seeing them reach their goals of getting to state.”
The Florence girls play the #3 seed out of 7B, Eureka, in the first round of the Western B Divisionals at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 in Hamilton.
Florence boys
The Florence boys played Anaconda in the first round of the District 6B tournament on Friday, Feb. 21. It was a close matchup, and the Falcons controlled the game throughout. In the final minutes of the game, Anaconda made a comeback bid, but Florence held strong and won 53-51.
This win sent Florence to face top-seeded Missoula Loyola on Saturday. Florence didn’t have any answers for the high powered Rams, falling behind 22-60 by halftime and losing 51-91. The Florence boys play Eureka, the 3rd seed out of 7B, at the Western B Divisionals on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 1:15 p.m. in Hamilton.
Darby Girls
The Darby girls took 4th at the 6B District tournament and qualified for the Western B Divisionals in Hamilton where they will play 7B’s top seed, St. Ignatius, on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 8 a.m. According to Darby head coach Hoop Reed, this is the first time the Darby girls have made it to divisionals in eight years.
The Darby girls played Arlee on Tuesday, February 18, in the District 6B play-in game. The winner moved on to Districts, the loser went home. The two teams played three days earlier in Arlee, a game that Darby narrowly won in overtime.
But the Darby girls weren’t ready for the season to end, and dominated Arlee in this game. Darby jumped out to a 30-9 halftime lead and held on in the second half to win the game 54-29.
For Darby, Natalie Anderson had one of her best games of the season, scoring 20 points. Georgia Fisher had 14, Hadley Heiland had 10, Austin Hackel had 4, and Lilly Bennett and Nyna Reasor each added 3.
This win sent them to the first round of the 6B tournament where they faced top-seeded Missoula Loyola and were defeated 21-84. For Darby, Hadley Heiland led with 9 points. Austin Hackel had 5, Lilly Bennett had 3, and Georgia Fisher and Ella Bush each added 2. This loss sent them to the consolation game where they met Anaconda and lost 49-57 and took 4th place in Districts.
Darby Boys The Darby boys played Anaconda in their first game of the District 6B tournament and lost 39-60. This sent them to the loser-out bracket where they faced Arlee on Saturday morning. The Tigers fought hard but were defeated 46-54. The loss ended the season for the Tigers, but this young team is full of talented players and we expect them to come back strong next year.
Corvallis’s assistant track and field coach Garrett Middleton, shown here (on the far right) at divisionals last year with his throwers, was selected as a finalist for national coach of the year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA). Photo courtesy of Garrett Middleton.
Florence’s Brody Duchien and the Falcons took 2nd at the 6B District tournament on Feb. 22. They play Eureka in the 1st round of the Western B Divisionals in Hamilton on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 1:15 p.m. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Sports
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Class A basketball postseason
Corvallis, Hamilton and Stevensville are in the Southwestern A conference for basketball. The top three boys and girls teams automatically qualify for Divisionals, while the bottom three teams have playin games to determine the #4 seed.
The top three boys teams are Dillon, Frenchtown and Butte Central. The top three girls teams are Dillon, Frenchtown and Hamiton. The Western A Divisional tournament will be held in Whitefish on March 6-8.
Corvallis’s Ella Varner (#2) and the Lady Blue Devils will host the winner of the Stevensville/Butte Central game in a divisional play-in game on Saturday, March 1. The winner of that game will be the #4 seed in the Western A Divisionals in Whitefish on March 6-8. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Victor at the 13C Districts
The Victor boys and girls basketball teams were in Frenchtown on February 19-22 for the 13C District tournament. There are 12 teams in 13C, and for the district tournament, the top four seeds got first round byes, while the bottom eight seeds had play-in games to advance to the 8-team bracket.
Victor Girls
The Victor girls were the 7th seed and played Two Eagle River in a play-in game in Frenchtown on Wednesday, February 19. The two teams were evenly matched and split their regular season games. This game was just as close as Victor eked out a 43-42 victory. Victor led 14-6 after the first quarter, then Two Eagle River came back to take a 25-19 halftime lead. The two teams traded the lead in the second half, and Victor’s Chloe Pollan made two free throws with 1:04 left in the game to give Victor a 43-42 lead. The Lady Pirates held on in the last minute to get the hard fought victory.
With this win the Victor girls played top seed Seeley-Swan on Thursday. Victor was defeated 11-62. This loss sent them to the loser’s bracket where they played Hot Springs, a team that beat them 35-61 on February 1. The game highlighted how much the Victor girls improved over the season as they took a 21-18 lead going into halftime. It was tied 29-29 after three quarters, then Victor ran out of steam and faltered in the 4th, and lost 39-50. The Victor girls fought hard, but fell short and this loss ended their season.
Victor Boys
The Victor boys played Seeley-Swan in a playin game on Wednesday, February 18. The Pirates ran into a talented Seeley team and were defeat ed 11-81, thus ending the season for the Victor boys.
Boys play-in games
The Corvallis boys host Stevensville in the first divisional play-in game on Thursday, Feb. 27. The winner will play at Hamilton on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m. The winner of that game will be the #4 seed in Divisionals.
Girls play-in games
The Butte Central girls host Stevensville on Thursday, Feb. 27 in the first play-in game. The winner will play at Corvallis on Saturday, March 1. The winner of that game will be the #4 seed in Divisionals.
Hamilton
The Hamilton boys and girls hosted Stevensville on Thursday, February 20. In the boys game, Hamilton jumped out to a 26-6 first quarter lead, and kept their foot on the gas and won 79-28.
For Hamilton, Canaan Magness had a big game with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. Magness had a perfect shooting night, going 2 for 2 on three pointers, 9 for 9 on two pointers and 2 for 2 from the free throw line. Tyler Jette had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, Jake McCarthy had a solid game with 11 points, Landon Wetzel had 7 points, Trevyn Bakken had 6, Cash Lockhart had 4, Gage Bierer and Cartier Ferguson each had 3, Kaden Gum and Cooper Weston each had 2, and Reece Fowler added 1.
In the girls game, Hamilton got up early and never relinquished the lead and defeated Stevensville 62-20. For Hamilton, Ashlynn McKern led the scoring with 21 points, Ella Grif-
fin had 12, Loretta Hanson had 7, Mariah Domingo had 5, Tricia Wilson had 4, and Meryn Leonardi and Bryn Cianflone each added 3.
The Hamilton boys and girls went to Dillon on Friday, Feb. 21. The Hamilton girls were defeated by #2 Dillon 29-66. The Hamilton boys were defeated by #1 Dillon 35-60. For Hamilton, Landen Wetzel led the scoring with 16 points. Canaan Magness had 7 points and 7 rebounds, Tyler Jette had 1 point, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and freshman Cash Lockhart had 6 points.
The last game of the regular season for both Hamilton teams was on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at Frenchtown.
Corvallis
The Corvallis boys and girls hosted Frenchtown on Thursday, Feb. 20. The Corvallis boys played a solid game against a good Frenchtown team but were undone by a cold 2nd quarter where they were outscored 5-24 by the visiting Broncs. Despite that quarter, the game was mostly even, but the Blue Devils couldn’t overcome the deficit and lost 64-84.
The Corvallis girls had their hands full with #5 Frenchtown. Corvallis played well but didn’t have the firepower to stay with Frenchtown, falling behind 18-39 at halftime and losing 35-62.
The Corvallis girls traveled to Butte Central on Saturday, Feb. 22 for their final game of the regular season. The Lady Blue Devils played an excellent game and defeated the Maroons 34-30. For Corvallis, Ava Loran and Ella Varner each had 9 points, and Taryn Hochhalter added 8.
The Corvallis boys hosted Butte Central on Saturday, Feb. 22 in their final game of the regular season. Corvallis led 18-17 after the 1st quarter, then it was all Butte as the Maroons took control and Corvallis lost 50-80.
Stevensville
The boys and girls from Stevensville went to Hamilton on Thursday, Feb. 20. In the boys game, Stevensville was defeated 28-79. In the girls game, Stevensville was defeated 20-62.
The Stevensville boys played their final game of the regular season at #1 Dillon on Saturday, Feb. 22 and were defeated 20-70. The Stevensville girls hosted #2 Dillon in their final game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 22 and were defeated 1774.
Obituaries
Augusta Joy ‘Joy’ Clarke
Augusta Joy “Joy” Clarke (née Brown) passed away on February 19, 2025, in Hamilton, Montana, at the age of 94.
Born November 30, 1930, in Hamilton, Montana, Joy dedicated 35 years to Victor School, where she played a meaningful role in the lives of countless students. Her commitment to education left a lasting impact on generations within the community.
Death Notices
David T. Markette
Hamilton - David T. Markette, 68 of Hamilton passed away Thursday, January 20, 2025 at his home in Corvallis. Arrangements are under the care of the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
Joy is survived by her children, Deborah Clarke Pederslie, Rodney Clarke, and Edward Clarke, as well as numerous grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Dwane Dowd Clarke.
She will be interred at Victor Cemetery.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.
Kathryn Marie ‘Kathi’ Neeley
Missoula - Kathryn Marie
“Kathi” (Monroe) Neeley, 74, passed away in the afternoon, Sunday, February 9, 2025, at the Beehive in Missoula. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family
Ronald Hopwood
Hamilton - Ronald Hopwood, 79, passed away February 18, 2025 with his loving family by his side following an extended battle with cancer. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.
Sharon Koch Missoula - Sharon Koch, 79, passed away peacefully overnight today, February 19, 2025, surrounded by her loving children. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com.
Klaus Beckmann
Missoula - Klaus Beckmann, 82, of Stevensville, passed away in the early morning hours of February 18, 2025 at St. Patrick Hospital after a brief illness. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com
An affection for bamboo fly rods
My
fly rod was a gift from my older brother when I was twelve years old. He was much older, a teenager when I was born and the hero I looked up to through my growing-up years. That twelfth summer my family made a cross-country trip to visit relatives. He lived in Ohio then, and my family lived on the edge of the Southern California desert. Somehow, surrounded with all that sand and very little water, I was obsessed with fishing.
I had no fly rod of my own but had been tying flies since I was eight.
by Chuck Stranahan
Dad, Bud and I were out for a drive one afternoon. That’s what I thought, anyway, at the outset.
Bud commanded my father, “Stop here!” in front of a hardware and sporting goods store in his small home town. He jumped out of the car; dad said nothing when I asked, “What’s he doing?”
Within minutes Bud emerged carrying something I hadn’t seen, save for pictures in outdoor magazines but nonetheless recognized: three pieces of glistening amber-shaded bamboo, about three feet long, one thicker than the others with a cork grip and shiny metal reel seat at one end.
“It’s a fly rod!” I gushed out-loud. Bud had been to the store earlier and had the day planned ahead.
‘This is for you, kid – this is your new fly rod.”
At that moment I don’t think any twelve-year-old boy on the planet was happier or more excited than I was.
Beside me on the car seat was a gray box with a single-action Ocean City aluminum fly reel, wound with an HCH nylon line and leader. I looked at it briefly but didn’t let go of the fly rod.
The rod was a South Bend three-piece economy model bamboo. Big companies in those days would put lower-priced fittings on their lower-priced models. The blanks underneath the fittings might be the same as the top-end rods.
For me in that moment there was no difference at all. Our next stop was Bud’s favorite smallmouth bass stretch of nearby Conneaut Creek, an idyllic tree-lined flowage over limestone shelves with chubs, dace, rock bass and smallmouths along the rock crevices of the slow-moving main current.
Bud gave me a very brief casting lesson and went downstream to catch a batch of smallmouths while I cast as well as I could and got skunked, but that didn’t matter. I was fishing with my big brother, watching him catch fish after fish in what seemed like a dream that I’d stepped out of into real life.
My lifelong affection for bamboo fly rods started when Bud handed it to me as I sat in the passenger middle seat of dad’s Buick.
I put my earning from the flies I tied for a small local sporting goods store toward a 7’ solid glass rod that weighed about the same as the longer bamboo, but was more suitable for fishing the Sierra streams where my family vacationed. Glass was in its infancy, then, and tubular hollow glass rods were replacing bamboo in the middle end of the market.
Still, if you a serious fly fisher and wanted a
better fly rod, you got bamboo made by Heddon or Monague – or, if you could afford it, a rod made one-at-a-time by a custom builder such as Winston or Powell.
Flash forward: I continued to learn all I could about bamboo - the famous makers and their histories - and in my teens acquired several. Two of them were hand-labeled “Fish Pole Set” in a second-hand store, where the owner had strung a length of braided fishing line, a snelled hook and bobber off the rod’s tip guides, and stuck the hooks in the cork handles. They cost me $2 apiece.
A few years later Walton Powell looked at the joinery and identified them as made by H.L. Leonard, the famous Catskill rodmaker who refined the six-strip bamboo rod into its present form during the late 19th century. Those early Leonards, today, bring hefty prices – that is, if they’re intact.
Mine don’t qualify. The ferrules are loose or missing and the tips are broken. I still have them, and may finish them as wall-hangers, but don’t mind so much not being able to fish them.
For that I have a collection of valuable Powell bamboos but they’re not for sale – to me they’re priceless. And how I got them is another story.
Stock image of Powell bamboo fly rod.
Sharpies in the Blackfoot Valley
If you are referring to a raptor a “sharpie” is slang for a Sharp-shinned Hawk. In this article I’m referring to another “sharpie” the Sharp-tailed Grouse.
I was at McDonald’s the other day and a rancher from the Helmville area asked if I had seen the “sharpies” out around his area. You might think, wow, I didn’t know they were in that area. I’ll get to that story later.
I said I hadn’t. After going home, I looked on my computer and realized I didn’t have that species as one of my 236 species in Powell County. So, on January 27 I went to Helmville. I drove all over town as that was where the rancher said he had seen them. No luck. I then drove the backroads for two hours and 35 miles and again no luck. When I got back to town, I thought about making the loop again, and decided on driving what I thought was the best habitat areas only. About a half mile out of town on Old Helmville Road I saw three “sharpies” in a tree ahead of me, but too far for a photo. I hoped they would hold. I changed from a 300 mm lens to a 500 mm lens, turned the camera on, rolled down the window and crept forward slowly (your vehicle makes a good blind). One bird flew, two held and I snapped off about 150 frames at 7 frames per second. Powell county species number 237!
Sharp-tailed Grouse are distinguished from other grouse by being smaller than the familiar Dusky Grouse (2.3 pounds) compared to 1.9 pounds for the Sharpie. Sharpies are patterned brown and white with a pale pointed tail, which is especially noticeable in flight. The breast has black chevrons (spots) decreasing in number on the belly. The head is lightly crested, though not always visible.
Here is the back story. Sharpies need extensive connected parcels of land with a bunchgrass/shrub ecosystem. They were once abundant across Western Montana and documenbted by Lewis and Clark as they traveled across Montana in 1804. Sharpies have continued to decline since then, probably due to habitat loss from farming, ranching, land development, and other unknown factors. In 1948 the hunting season was closed in Western Montana. The last Sharptailed Grouse was seen in Western Montana in 2000 in the Upper Blackfoot Valley.
After years of plannng with U of M and FWP researchers and the cooperation of land owners the first transplants from Eastern Montana took place in 2021. Three areas where selected, the Upper Blackfoot Valley, MPG Ranch in the Bitterroot, and a site in the
Flint Creek Range. The initial relocation was 25 males and 60 females at each site. Five additional releases will be made over the next ten years.
Each bird was banded and some equiped with radio tranmitters. The hope is to develop three self-sustaining populations. A sustainable population would be one that maintains its population without additional transplants.
A lot of things could go wrong. Is there enough connected lands of proper habitat to feed and shelter birds (especially in the winter). Are brood hens healthy enough to nest? Are leks (dancing and mating grounds) still available? Sharpies tend to be in small groups of five to ten birds, and don’t easily take flight like some upland bird species. Thus they are vulnerabe to predation by coyotes, fox, and Golden Eagles. Nests are also vulnerable to skunks. Biologically this vulnerability is compensated for with a cluch size of 9- 12 eggs, compared to 4 – 7 in the Dusky Grouse.
by Gary Swant
I was encouraged that I did not see any leg bands on the three that I observed. It would be a positive sign if these 3 birds hatched in the Blackfoot Valley. I hope the transplant is successful, at least a decade will be necessary to begin to see if that is true. In the meantime if you want to see a Sharp-tailed Grouse in Western Montana, drive the backroads of Helmville. Hunting of “sharpies” in Western Montana is decades away.
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Legal Notices
SOFT ROCK SCOPING NOTICE
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservations Southwestern Land Office Hamilton Unit is in the preliminary process of developing a hazardous fuels reduction east of Corvallis off Soft Rock Road near Coal Pit Creek. The purpose of the project is to mitigate fuels within the Wildland Urban Interface. The proposal would treat approximately 86 acres. Trees would be individually selected for removal to increase crown spacing to a minimum of 10 feet for trees less than 8 inches in diameter. Larger overstory trees will not be removed. Slash would be masticated or piled and burned.
The legal description is: T7N, R20W, Sec. 36. The land is State Trust land with high recreational use and traffic. The Department is seeking comments from interested parties. Please direct written comments/questions to:
Dan McConnell DNRC Hamilton Unit
P.O. Box 713 Hamilton, MT 59840
Or: daniel.mcconnell@ mt.gov
BS 2-5, 2-12, 2-19, 2-26-25.
MNAXLP
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BENNIE GLEN ESSARY, Deceased.
Probate No.: DP-2025-14
Dept. No.: 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lisa Wineke has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed estate. All persons having claims against the said Decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Lisa Wineke, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Montana Legacy Law, PLLC, 178 South 2nd St., Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.
BS 2-12, 2-19, 2-26-25.
MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID EQUIPMENT RENTAL
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2025 EQUIPMENT RENTAL. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM MST on Friday, March 07,
2025. The proposals received will be publicly opened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 and read aloud at 11:30 AM MST by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT. Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840.
Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 3632733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500. No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 11:30 AM MST on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County.
Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-19, 2-26-25. MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2025 Magnesium Chloride Supply. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM MST on Friday, March 07, 2025. The proposals received will be publicly opened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 and read aloud at 11:15 AM MST by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT. Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 3632733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500.
No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 11:15 AM MST on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County.
Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-19, 2-26-25. MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID
HOT PLANT ASPHALT SUPPLY
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2025 HOT PLANT ASPHALT SUPPLY. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM. MST on Friday, March 07, 2025.
The proposals received will be publicly opened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 and read aloud at 11:00 AM MST by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT.
Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840.
Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 3632733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500.
No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. MST on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County.
Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-19, 2-26-25.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
The Darby Study Commission, created by the Town of Darby, will hold their First Public Hearing to receive comments oral or written on the review of Darby’s form of government. From this meeting a tentative report will be written and presented at a future date according to the published Timetable. The Public Hearing will be held March18, 2025, 5:30 pm at the Darby Clubhouse, 106 N Main Street, Darby, Montana. BS 2-19, 3-5-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey, Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000066-NC
Dept. 2
NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a name change from Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey to Ty Evaristo Armijo-Olsen.
The hearing will be on March 27, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County. DATED this 18th day of February, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court
By: Michelle Goldman Deputy Clerk of Court
BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12, 3-19-25.
MNAXLP
OG-25-02-069
Legal Notice
The Ravalli County Planning Department is inviting public comment on floodplain application (FA-24-21) for work proposed within the FEMA regulated floodplain of the Bitterroot River. The applicant is Joe Parsons of Ravalli Electric Co-op. The project is proposing to replace overhead power with underground power. The project includes a total of 4,500 feet of new underground power line. The project is located at 1182 US-93 S, Hamilton, MT 59840 and 2050 Wild Hare Lane, Hamilton, MT 59840 in Section 13, Township 05 North, Range 21 West, Ravalli County. All construction will be completed in accordance with the Ravalli County Floodplain Regulations. Detailed information regarding this application is available for review at the Ravalli County Planning Department at 215 S 4th St, Suite F in Hamilton. Written comments may be mailed, hand-delivered or emailed (planning@rc.mt. gov) and must be received by March 12th, 2025 (Reference Application #FA-24-21).
BS 2-26-25.
MNAXLP
Kevin S. Jones Jones & Houston, PLLC 2625 Dearborn Ave., Ste. 102 Missoula, MT 59804 (406) 541-3333 kevin@jonesmtlaw.com
Attorneys for Personal Representative Mary Lamley MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: DARREN S. BRANNING, Deceased. Cause No. DP-41-202519 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Mary Lamley has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed estate. All persons having claims against the Deceased are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice, or their claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Jones & Houston, PLLC, Attorneys for the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at 2625 Dearborn Avenue, Suite 102, Missoula, Montana 59804, or filed with the Clerk of the above Court.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana the foregoing is true and correct. Dated this 24th day of February, 2025.
/s/ Mary Lamley, Personal Representative of the Estate of Darren S. Branning /s/ Kevin S. Jones, Attorney for Personal Representative BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12-25.
MNAXLP
Kevin S. Jones
Joseph D. Houston Remy J. Orrantia Jones & Houston, PLLC 2625 Dearborn Ave., Ste. 102 Missoula, MT 59804 (406) 541-3333 kevin@jonesmtlaw.com joe@jonesmtlaw.com
Attorneys for Plaintiffs MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY ERIC THEOBALD, individually, and as Successor Trustee of the Allan E Theobald Trust, dated October 26, 2007, as amended, Plaintiff, v. ALLAN THEOBALD TRUST 1970, ALLAN THEOBALD, DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF ALLAN THEOBALD, AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS, UNKNOWN HEIRS, OR ANY UNKNOWN DEVISEES OF ANY DECEASED PERSON, AND ALL OTHER PERSONS, UNKNOWN, CLAIMING OR WHO MIGHT
CLAIM ANY RIGHT, TITLE, ESTATE OR INTEREST IN OR LIEN OR ENCUMBRANCE UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT ADVERSE TO PLAINTIFF’S OWNERSHIP OR ANY CLOUD UPON PLAINTIFF’S TITLE THERETO, WHETHER SUCH CLAIM OR POSSIBLE CLAIM BE PRESENT OR CONTINGENT, Defendants. Dept. 2 Cause No. DV-41-202570 SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION THE STATE OF MONTANA TO THE ABOVENAMED DEFENDANTS, GREETINGS:
You are hereby SUMMONED to answer the Complaint to Quiet Title in this Action which is filed with the above-named Court, a copy of which is served upon you, and to file your written answer with the Court and serve a copy thereof upon Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after service of this SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION, or such other period as may be specified by law, exclusive of the day of service. Your failure to appear or answer will result in judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. A filing fee must accompany the answer. This action is brought for the purpose of quieting title to the real property located in Ravalli County, Montana, and described as follows: Lot 31, Amended Subdivision Plat No. 1001, being a portion of Foxfield, a Planned Townhome Community, a platted subdivision, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the official recorded plat thereof, as as set forth in the Bylaws of Foxfield Homeowners Association, Inc. recorded in Book 203 of Deeds, Page 459 and Amended in Book 223, Deeds, page 911, and as Instrument No. 548008.
TOGETHER WITH the right to the use of the common properties as provided in By-Laws and the Declaration of Condominium recorded in Book 203 of Deeds, Page 458 and Page 459, and as Amended in Book 223, Deeds, Page 911, Instrument No. 548008, Instrument No. 466406, Instrument No, 584007, Instrument No. 622367, Instrument No. 652245 and Instrument No. 680015. DATED this 24th day of February, 2025. /s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Sarah Sargent, Deputy Clerk BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12-25. MNAXLP
