Hamilton Community Cinema (HCC), a community-led nonprofit organization working to restore a movie theater to downtown Hamilton, announced that it is under contract to purchase the historic Roxy Theater building on North Second Street.
The purchase, once fnalized, will mark a signifcant step toward reopening a permanent movie theater in the Bitterroot Valley, which has been without one since 2020. HCC’s vision is to transform the Roxy into a nonproft, community-supported cinema featuring a mix of frst- and second-run flms, along with live performances, educational programming, and community events.
Originally built in 1935, the Roxy Theater has long been part of Hamilton’s cultural landscape. While the building has served several purposes since the theater closed in 2012, HCC’s board identifed the Roxy as a natural home for a revived cinema due to its central downtown location, historical signifcance, and strong emotional connection within the community.
“This moment represents years of listening to the community and building momentum around a shared vision,” said Marisa Neyenhuis, Board Chair of Hamilton Community Cinema. “Being under contract brings us one step closer to reopening the doors of a theater that so many people remember fondly.”
HCC was formed to create accessible, community-centered arts experiences and to strengthen downtown Hamilton as a gathering place. In addition to flm screenings, the organization plans to use the space as a fexible venue that supports local artists, schools, nonprofts, and regional events.
With the building now under contract, HCC will move into the next phase of the project, which includes completing inspections, fnalizing renovation plans, and continuing fundraising eforts to support building acquisition, improvements, and future operations. Preserving the character and history of the Roxy while making the space functional and welcoming remains a central priority.
“Hamilton Community Cinema is built on the idea that flm and shared cultural experiences bring people together,” said Heather Barber, HCC Treasurer. “The Roxy gives us an opportunity to do that again, in a space that already holds meaning for this community.”
Since forming, Hamilton Community Cinema has already been actively bringing flm back to the community through a series of pop-up screening events hosted at local venues. To date,
HCC has organized 10 pop-up flm screenings, welcoming a total of 643 attendees. These events have served both as a preview of what a permanent community cinema could ofer and as an opportunity to build connections, gather feedback, and demonstrate strong local interest in accessible, shared movie-going experiences in the Bitterroot Valley. Their next movies will be January 23rd at Sapphire Lutheran Homes and February 14th at
the Bedford Building.
Community support continues to play a critical role in the project’s success. HCC is actively seeking donors, volunteers, and partners as the organization works toward reopening the theater and launching programming. More information about Hamilton Community Cinema, upcoming events, and ways to get involved can be found at www.hamiltoncommunitycinema. org.
AARP, MSU Extension ofer virtual estate planning workshop series
Montana State University (MSU) Extension is partnering once again with AARP Montana to ofer a free three-part virtual workshop series, “Wednesday Wisdom,” focused on helping Montanans navigate estate planning decisions in 2026. The popular series will be presented by Dr. Marsha Goetting, MSU Extension family economics specialist and professor at MSU.
“For some Montanans, estate planning can be one of the most important and confusing decisions they make in their lives,” said Dr. Goetting. “It raises essential questions of personal legacy and how to ensure the right people—or organizations—receive one’s property after death.”
“AARP Montana is proud to partner with Montana State University Extension once again to bring this valuable ‘Wednesday Wisdom’ estate planning series to Montanans,” said Tim Summers, AARP Montana State Director.
“These free virtual workshops are open to everyone—regardless of AARP membership status—and ofer practical, expert guidance to help individuals and families make informed decisions about their legacy and assets. We encourage all Montanans to take advantage of this no-cost opportunity to gain clarity on one of life’s most important topics.”
Over the past several years, Dr. Goetting has delivered more than 500 educational sessions, reaching over 15,000 Montanans with valuable fnancial and estate planning information. She has earned state, regional, and national awards for her programs and authored dozens of “MontGuide” fact sheets on estate planning topics.
Workshop Schedule and Topics:
Part 1: Families and Legacies — Decisions, Decisions, and More Decisions Wednesday, January 21, 2026
10:00–11:00 a.m. MT Free online via Zoom
Many people assume a will controls everything, but property titling, benefciary designations, and Montana’s intestacy laws often determine what happens without a plan. Dr. Goetting will highlight key decisions already made (or defaulted to by state law) and how to ensure your real and personal property goes to your intended heirs or nonprofts.
Part 2: To Have a Trust or a Will?
That Is the Question
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
10:00–11:00 a.m. MT
Free online via Zoom
Revocable living trusts have gained popularity through ads and seminars, but they aren’t right for everyone. Dr. Goetting will discuss the pros and cons of revocable trusts, testamentary trusts, QTIP trusts, and wills to help partic-
ipants choose the best tools for their situation.
Part 3: Tools for Avoiding Probate on Your Assets to Save Money for Your Benefciaries
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
10:00–11:00 a.m. MT Free online via Zoom Montana ofers several ways to bypass probate, including payable-ondeath (POD) designations, transferon-death (TOD) registrations, TOD deeds for real property, and benefciary designations for vehicles and vessels. Dr. Goetting will cover these tools, along with the income tax implications of gifting or inheriting assets and recent tax changes.
All sessions are free and open to anyone, but registration is required. To register and for more details, visit: aarp. org/WednesdayWisdom
HCC volunteers Arlo Rohrbach (left) and Jeremiah Casper (right), preparing to sell tickets ahead of our showing of Mighty Ducks on January 10th at the Elks Lodge. Photo courtesy Hamilton Community Cinema.
FWP fsheries update for the Bitterroot
by Michael Howell
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks fsheries biologist Jason Lindstrom recently gave Bitterroot Trout Unlimited members an update on the status of the fsheries in the Bitterroot River drainage. Lindstrom gave an account of the fsh populations by species found in various reaches of the river from Stevensville on up into the East and West Forks. On the whole, in terms of density and numbers, it appears that things are running a little below and a little above average for diferent species in diferent reaches “but not out of the range of variability” and for the most part “nothing alarming” in terms of levels, except perhaps the steady decline in the Bull Trout populations.
In the Stevensville section, both Rainbow and Brown Trout populations are holding steady, though at a little below average levels, perhaps due to drought and warmer temperatures. Mostly they are large adult trout and not a lot of juveniles in this part of the river.
In the Hamilton section, Rainbows were also showing a little lower population levels but within the range of variability compared to past years. Browns were also showing a little lower levels similar to the Stevensville section. Phenotypically pure Westslope Cutthroat Trout by count (not enough to average) are showing up at about 25 fsh per mile which is about average.
Just above Darby in the Hannon section, the Rainbows are estimated at just below average but in the range of variability compared to previous years. The Westslope Cutthroat Trout are right around the long-term average. Browns which have been showing an increasing trend in the area are dropping back down as they are in the Beaverhead and Ruby. But the Bitterroot population is not showing the signs of disease symptoms that are showing up in the other rivers. Lindstrom suggested that the drop in population here may be related more to drought and carrying capacity rather than any disease.
In the lower West Fork, Rainbow populations are down to half the average compared to long term data, perhaps due to drought and possibly some Whirling Disease. The Westslope Cutthroat Trout populations are holding steady, and this year are a bit above the average. Browns are also holding steady in terms of long-term trends, but up a little bit above average this year. A total of ten Bull Trout were counted in this section of the river, which Lindstrom called a “small bright spot” in the species status.
In the upper West Fork, at the Bonnie Blue section just below the dam, no Bull Trout were counted. “It was a little bit weird that we got 10 down below and none up here, but it’s not too odd, they are just getting harder and harder to fnd,” said Lindstrom. A stable trend is holding for both Rainbow and Brown Trout. Brown Trout numbers are higher here than in the lower part of the river with a lot of spawning activity. Westslope Cutthroat do not dominate here as they do in the lower section. It’s mostly a Rainbow/Brown fshery.
In the Maynard section on the East Fork, one mile below Sula, Rainbows and Browns dominate. The river is much warmer here than in the upper section. The Rainbows showed a lower than average population level, perhaps due to Whirling Disease, which has been documented in the past and/or to habitat disturbances. Brown trout are showing a very stable population, a little lower than the average.
Further up the East Fork, only 12 Cutthroat and three Bull Trout were counted.
There were several signifcant rain events that caused a great deal of erosion on the East Fork this past year, which left the river “running like
is under incredible sediment assault, he said.
In terms of tributary sampling, Lindstrom discussed annual data from Sleeping Child Creek, Skalkaho Creek and Daly Creek.
About 10.2 miles up Sleeping Child Creek near the hot springs, he said the Westslope Cutthroat took a big hit after the 2000 fres but have since recovered. In 2020, they took another hit but the reasons remain sketchy and the population has mostly recovered from it. The Brown Trout (estimates) and Bull Trout (counts) are moving in opposite directions. More and more Browns are showing up with the second highest estimate in history this year. But the Bull Trout populations have been in decline for several years and this year the count was zero.
”That’s a little scary,” said Lindstrom.
Skalkaho Creek is still a pretty cold creek compared to Sleeping Child and the Cutthroat densities have been fairly stable since 1989. For many years there were no Browns to estimate in Skalkaho but now they are showing up, this year the most ever. The Bull Trout are showing a long term decline. Lindstrom said there isn’t anywhere in Region 1 or Region 2 showing increasing trends in Bull Trout populations.
“It’s scary to see this kind of decline in such a cold reach and see the Browns coming on so strong at the same time,” said Lindstrom.
“Daly Creek is arguably our best Bull Trout stream in the Bitterroot in terms of densities and temperature,” said Lindstrom. This creek also sufered a big debris fow from the Daly Fire a year or so ago. But the long term average for Cutthroat and Bull Trout remain strong and “even a lot of Brown trout knocking on the door,” he said.
In terms of fshing pressure the Bitterroot rates near the top in the state. Mail surveys show an increasing trend with a “ridiculous high” during the Covid years. The pressure shows a little bit of decline in the upper and lower Bitterroot since then but the West Fork is climbing.
In terms of hook scars, catch rates have risen to a high not seen in years. Cutthroats show up with higher rates than Browns and Rainbows in the Stevensville and Hamilton sections despite their lower densities because they are simply “more catchable.” Browns are probably the hardest fsh to catch, said Lindstrom.
cies show an increasing trend in catch rates. This year Cutthroats showed over 60% catch rates. Last year was even higher. Rainbows and Browns are above the long term average.
At Conner it was a very similar pattern.
According to Lindstrom, the Bitterroot River is showing quite a bit more pressure than other rivers in the region, with pretty high catch rates.
But is there any real biological impact on the fshery related to the catch rates? Length/weight ratios are generally used to determine such impacts. A classifcation of scars was created ranging from no scars, to temporary scars (quickly healing scars to perforated membrane), permanent hook scars (with missing pieces), eye damage (blind in one eye). When length/weight ratios of the various categories in the Cutthroat population were compared, it was determined that there was a little bit of diference between each class. But the overall diference was not enough to say there is any measurable biological impact on the fsh. Results from the Brown and Rainbows have not been analyzed yet.
Lindstrom said that the potential listing of Westslope Cutthroat Trout as endangered led the state to consider establishing a Conservation Plan for the species. The Bitterroot and Flathead have been a little slow in developing plans compared to the eastern regions of the state where Cutthroat populations are in dire straits, but they are now underway but still in the draft stage.
Lindstrom didn’t discuss the plans but did ofer an account of the current status of Cutthroat in the Bitterroot. He said Cutthroat historically were probably found in every drainage and still show up in most drainages. He said one interesting thing about the Bitterroot is that it has both Resident and Migratory Cutthroat populations. He said most places in the state don’t have any migratory populations. There is also an extensive stocking history in the Bitterroot in which
interbreed with Cutthroats, were introduced. Some of it took and some did not. He said we were lucky that it did not take hold in a lot of places and displayed a map showing streams that still contain genetically pure Cutthroat populations.
He noted that the upper West Fork had an incredibly extensive network of streams with unaltered populations of genetically pure Cutthroats. He said the mainstem West Fork and most of the tributaries were still genetically pure.
“This is the best thing we have going in the Region by far,” said Lindstrom. “We have 180 miles of genetically pure Cutthroat habitat with a very high degree of genetic diversity amongst them. This is a really, really important Cutthroat population. We are calling this a Mega Meta population, which means it’s just a giant connected population. This is something that we really want to take care of the best we can.”
He said isolated populations are very important to try and maintain, but so is the migratory population and this will all be part of the Conservation Plan they are working on. He said there is a lot to fnd out yet about both the genetically pure groups and the migratory populations. They are just now beginning to discuss priorities and targets in relation to the plan and have a lot of information to gather yet.
Tolan landslide a few years ago, the East Fork
Northern Pike is an invasive species known to be present in the lower Bitterroot River from Stevensville downstream. As the waters warm in the Bitterroot, species that prefer warmer water are gradually moving upstream. This pike was taken in the Hamilton section of the river this year just below the Corvallis Canal. It’s the frst time FWP has documented a pike this far upstream in the Bitterroot River. Photo courtesy of FWP.
Jason Lindstrom, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks fsheries biologist for the Bitterroot, gave a presentation on the state of the fsheries at a recent Trout Unlimited meeting. Photo by Michael Howell.
HISTORY: students compete in national history competition
cipate as part of their grade and curriculum. However, students from any grade, seventh through twelfth, could enter. Participants could enter individually or as a group, and in general groups were comprised of two to three students.
There were over 50 presentations, and about 90 students, according to Wes Wells, a Stevensville High School history teacher and one of the organizers of the event. Wells said Stevensville has one of the the longest and largest participations in the area, from Darby to Missoula. Stevensville Schools have been doing this since 2019 and have even sent several youth to state and beyond.
There are two divisions, senior and junior, which are high school and middle school, respectively.
Participants can enter in one of fve project categories, including historical papers, historical exhibits, websites, documentaries and performances. Wells said the district had students compete in all categories in both divisions.
Kowal was a judge this year, one of about a dozen from the community. According to her, they used a rubric given out to all judges that will be basically the same across the competition, from the basic introduction level, all the way up to nationals. Students are scored on the overall appearance of the presentation, their
bibliography and sources as well as how well they present and more. All of this revolves around whatever theme is decided that year.
The theme this year was “revolution, reaction and reform in history.” According to Kowal, the theme always revolves around turning points in history and students must create projects with subjects that fall within that theme and should be able to articulate how their subject fts with the theme.
Kowal said she saw presentations about everything from haunted houses and serial killers to Black people’s struggles and women’s sufrage, and a few blew her away.
The main thing they were looking for when judging was “how well did they prove that their topic addresses the theme,” said Kowal. One that stood out was a presentation done by two high school girls that presented on women’s sufrage. Kowal said, “They really knew their topic and how it ft the theme.” Another one she highlighted was done on rum runners and the beginning of NASCAR.
One of the more interesting ones she highlighted was a presentation by Ethne Cheek and Jada Zarate. Both eighth graders, the two did their presentation on a famous wildland fre crew that died in a fre. “Their board
stood out, for sure,” said Kowal. Cheek and Zarate talked about their presentation and where they got the idea. They covered the death and aftermath of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots near Yarnell, Arizona. According to Cheek, she watched the movie “Only The Brave,” which featured the tragedy, and the movie hit home with her. Cheek said her father worked with the Stevensville Fire Department and was also a volunteer wildland frefghter for many years. Zarate was also excited by the topic and said, “I thought it was interesting and really matched the theme.”
The students said the Granite Mountain incident involved the largest number of frefghters to have died since 9/11. This occurred in 2013, and 19 frefghters lost their lives. Only one of them survived. According to Cheek and Zarate, this created outcry and a big reaction across the U.S. and in that area. There were numerous legal changes and now all frefghters are required to have a GPS tracking device. Yarnell also had to spend a lot of money to improve their radio system and local communications, and several lawsuits were fled. “My dad works in fres,” said Cheek. “It has been something my brother and I have always admired about him.”
The Cheek/Zarate entry was one that will go on to regionals. Both
said they participated last year, when they were required to for a grade, but loved it so much that they decided to do it again. They are both big fans of history. Cheek said her favorite periods are WWII, Mesopotamia, 9/11 and the American revolution. Zarate said her interests are in prehistoric peoples, as well as 1960’s records and music throughout history.
“It was just so much fun, getting to be around people who love history as much as we do,” said Cheek.
Kowal said this happens a lot, and students often enter the competition several years in a row. “It’s just such a good opportunity for these kids to have their eyes opened to something they may not already be familiar with,” said Kowal. “It makes history come to life for these kids.”
Students are encouraged to cover topics diferent from the ones they are already covering in school, and often explore pieces of history they had never considered before.
Kowal’s son participated a couple of years ago, which was her frst introduction to the program. She also went with a group that competed at the state level in the past and said they even made a trip to a museum there and more. “These are the ones that really stick with them,” Kowal said, speaking on their lessons and what these youth will remember from when they look back at their time in school.
Ayla Charlesworth and Zane Deering competing in the senior division. Photo courtesy Wes Wells.
In the senior division, Tyler Lewis with her historical exhibit entry. Photo courtesy Wes Wells.
Tolerance for wolves increasing, study shows
by Robert Chaney, Mountain Journal Montana Free Press
People’s tolerance for wolves goes up when they see one. It also goes up when they don’t.
That apparent contradiction explains why attitudes toward wolves have grown consistently friendlier over the past decade, according to a new study in the journal “Conservation Science and Practice.”
The study, released Dec. 12, was co-authored by husband-wife duo Alexander and Elizabeth Metcalf of the University of Montana School of Forestry, Justin Gude and Michael Lewis of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and John Baldridge of UM’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research. It compared a 2023 wolf-tolerance survey to results from the same questions asked in 2012 and 2017, reaching a total of 7,607 Montanans over that decade.
“The surveys show overwhelming positive trends and declining negative trends,” Alexander Metcalf told Mountain Journal. Those saying they were “tolerant” or “very tolerant” of wolves made up 41% of respondents in 2012. That share rose to 50% in 2017. When the researchers ran the same survey in 2023, 74% held that attitude.
In the same period, tolerance for wolf hunting moved in the opposite direction. In 2012, 71% of Montanans were tolerant or very tolerant of wolf hunting. That fell to 61% in 2017, and 58% in 2023. Wolf trapping slipped from 40% tolerant or very tolerant in 2012 to 36% in 2023.
The research crew went looking for what drove wolf tolerance upward. They found several somewhat unexpected factors. For example, Montana’s overall population has grown considerably over the decade. Most of those newcomers have landed in the state’s urban centers, and identify as politically conservative by a 2:1 margin, Metcalf said. The researchers hypothesized that could lead to less love for wolves, since conservative politicians have led most of the campaigns to remove Endangered Species Act protections.
“But we don’t see an urban/rural divide that you might expect,” he said. “And [newcomer] migration isn’t having much efect on tolerance. It’s that widespread.”
Instead, the way people encounter wild wolves makes most of the diference. And most of those encounters take place on a visit to somewhere like Yellowstone National Park, where seeing a wolf ranks among the top-sought experiences among tourists.
Paradoxically, the next important factor is not seeing a wolf — anywhere.
“The lack of anything happening serves to bolster your tolerance,” Metcalf said. “No news means good attitude, and bad experiences are extremely rare. Most people’s wolf experiences are positive. That seems to be what’s really driving this increase in tolerance over time.”
Although gray wolves had been naturally repopulating northern Montana since the 1980s, the release of transplanted Canadian gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park in 1995 brought the animal to nationwide attention. The study noted that “wolves have expanded their range and population size while being the subject of myriad lawsuits, stories, conspiracy theories, political maneuvers and persecution.” Attitudes were widely mixed, with few people having any direct wolf experience on which to base an opinion.
Instead, many relied on “Big Bad Wolf” tropes based on Little Red Riding Hood or Three Little Pigs, according to literature scholar S.K. Robisch. In his 2009 book, Wolves and the Wolf Myth In American Literature, Robisch compared his visits with wolf-watchers in Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley with the extensive bookshelves of folklore, fantasy, romance and warrior tales built around wolf characters.
“I was concerned with the study of mythic and scientifc approaches in literature that have put imaginary wolves into the minds of the most
Tolerance of wolves increased signifcantly from 2012 to 2023. Tolerance of wolf hunting and of wolf trapping decreased signifcantly from 2012 and 2017 to 2023, respectively. Chart courtesy Conservation Science and Practice.
seasoned, clinical thinkers,” Robisch wrote. “Many of these images are possessed of a power equal to the scapegoat, the minotaur, or the phoenix, and some are as ancient. They prompt the most and least responsible actions human beings take toward predatory animals, preservation eforts and the politics of habitat.”
That thinking continues to play out in today’s wolf management debates, Metcalf says. Observed from the judge’s bench or legislative lectern, wolves are a hot controversy in need of immediate control. They met their federal recovery goals of 300 animals and 15 breeding pairs in 2002, prompting lawsuits demanding and resisting their removal from Endan-
Republican U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, and Wyoming Republican U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, won House approval on Dec. 18. If passed by the Senate, it would remove gray wolves from ESA protection throughout the lower 48 states, overturning a 2022 federal court order that kept wolves protected.
“As written, the ESA makes the gray wolf out to be a liability to avoid, not a resource to be protected,” Downing said in a Dec. 18 statement. “It is critical that we trust the science and look towards a more precise conservation approach when dealing with unique populations.”
More locally, a Wyoming man accused of torturing a captive wolf in
or other wildlife in any manner not otherwise prohibited by law.” Roberts was initially fned $250 in 2024 for possession of warm-blooded wildlife before being indicted by a grand jury for the felony cruelty to animals charge, as reported by WyoFile. For Metcalf, this points up a paradox in human-wolf relations: The people who don’t like wolves play a disproportionate rule in their management.
“Almost every other hunter loves their prey,” Metcalf said, noting how mountain lion hunters advocate for increased cat populations as do organizations like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Mule Deer Foundation. “But wolf hunters hate wolves.
gered Species Act protection. In 2011, Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester attached a rider to a must-pass budget bill delisting gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains and blocking further judicial review. Montana, Idaho and Wyoming promptly opened wolf hunting seasons, followed by trapping and snaring provisions.
This December has been a busy month in wolf policy news. Colorado Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s “Pet and Livestock Protection Act,” co-sponsored by Montana Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Downing, Idaho
a bar has contested his felony criminal charges. Cody Roberts claims the state’s animal cruelty laws didn’t apply to predators such as wolves. His lawyer on Dec. 19 submitted a seven-page brief quoting the law that “nothing in this article may be construed to prohibit … the hunting, capture, killing or destruction of any predatory animal, pest,
And they’re a really small percentage of overall pop — about 1.2%. But they show exceedingly negative attitudes and outsized control and efect on wolves.”
Chaos
If you think President Trump‘s frst term was chaotic, you ain’t seen nothing yet! There have been a number of Trump-sponsored events this week that have managed to push the Epstein Files way of the front page.
1. Minneapolis: A woman was shot Wednesday by an ICE Agent who said he thought she was going to run him over. This same Agent (Ross) had been dragged by another car in the recent past when he busted the driver’s side window. The driver was spooked and stepped on the gas. The ofcer was dragged along by the car with his arm stuck in the window. The FBI is investigating Wednesday’s incident. How is it that ICE Agents can keep their faces covered and are not required to wear body cameras?
2. Venezuela: “They cut of the head (Maduro), but left the body (his administration),” thus providing no relief for the people of Venezuela. Trump told the oil companies that if they gave $1 billion to his campaign, he would give them Venezuela and its oil. They did and he did!
3. Minnesota: Somali refugees have been called “garbage” by our president. He has cut of childcare funds to Minnesota while the Feds investigate fraud. While he was at it, the president cut of funds to fve other Democratic states just for the heck of it!
4. Portland: US Border Patrol agents shot and wounded two people in a car. They were suspected of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang. How did the agents know they were members of this gang while they were in a car?
5. Zinke: our US Representative, Ryan Zinke, embarrassed himself during an interview on PBS on Thursday night by unashamedly defending the actions of the president on all matters of importance. Time for a new Representative from Montana…as well as a new Senator!
6. Greenland: in a backhanded attempt to destroy NATO, our president has threatened to take Greenland from Denmark, another NATO country. If he succeeds, the US will be thrown out of NATO. Our president likes Greenland because he thinks they have “greenbacks” growing on the trees! Stephen Miller will have to set him straight!
7. The Epstein fles: see how far Mr. Trump has managed to push the Epstein fles of the front page! Ms. Bondi says there are still over 1 million Epstein communiques to be “redacted.” How can she and her staf possibly get to them with all of this other stuf going on?
8. AND what about the ACA Supplementals, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Nigeria, and the elusive Peace Prize? January 20 represents the end of President Trump‘s frst year in ofce. Whew…I’m looking forward to it.
SEE YOU ON THE CORNER!
Tom Tunny Hamilton
Major subdivision on 3 Mile Creek Road
The Ravalli County planning board had a meeting on the 7th to talk about a major subdivision of 29 new houses on 31 acres. The location is 629 3 Mile Creek Road between Tripp Lane and Illinois Bench Road. What a joke! This planning board consists of developers, real estate agents, and builders. Where are the community members that don’t potentially beneft from a develop-
Opinion
ment?
The community members that live in close proximity got up and spoke to their concerns about this major development only to have them brushed of by the board. They had a guy that drills wells and a hydrologist talking about the in-depth water study done in 2006, saying there is nothing to worry about with water. Twenty years later, how many people have moved into the area and put in new wells? How many years have we been in a major drought stage since then? This proposal is to build a small city surrounded by farmland and 2+ acre residential houses. They are planning to put 29 new houses plus a private park on a 31-acre lot that already has two homes. It also means 29 new wells and 29 new septic systems.
I understand that growth and change are inevitable, and that this lot is going to be developed. However, it could be done in a much more sustainable manner. The other subdivisions in this area are 2- to 10-acre lots. That seems like a more reasonable housing development plan for a rural area. All I see here is greed and how much money the subdivider can make. There has been little thought into how this development would negatively afect this entire community and its resources.
I farm less than a 1/4 mile from this proposed development, and can’t even imagine the efects of water usage, light pollution, noise and additional trafc this would have! Trafc from so many other developments in the area is unyielding already, and Illinois Bench Road has become a major thoroughfare for all construction vehicles.
Yes, I am upset about this, and you should be too, especially if you live rurally. Because your small tight knit farming neighborhood could be next. H. Susie Rosett Stevensville
Thanks to Harris Himes
I noticed that the number of “homeless” people in our valley took an encouraging and dramatic turn for the better with the numbers signifcantly lower. I am sad to see that the person responsible for that decline receives little recognition and a lot of political guf from the Health Board and faces potential grief from the county attorney.
As many may remember, Harris Himes and I worked together for years to raise the community standards across the state concerning pornography and sexually oriented businesses (SOBs). One of our great successes was to get the Child Pornography Section of the Abuse of Children statutes in place and signed by Governor Racicot in 1995. Up until that time Child Pornography was legal in Montana.
One time on one of my journeys across the state I had an appendicitis attack in the Kalispell area. I went to the hospital there and was immediately sent to surgery. Because my work meant working on a very small budget, I did not have insurance at the time.
A little later the hospital notifed me that they were going to sue to collect what I owed and I faced losing my home which would have made our family homeless. Harris found out about it and unbeknownst to me he gathered some friends together (I still don’t know who all was involved) and went to Kalispell and somehow took care of the several thousand dollars bill I owed.
What a blessing that was to us and now as I see him ofering homes to
people from all walks of life and fnancial situations it makes me so thankful for him and for caring for the least of these; those that sufer fnancially for whatever reason. Although it is contrary to the makeup of government in Ravalli County, I hope to see the authorities appreciate his work and instead of giving him grief, working with him on this issue we should all care about, adjusting things that may need to be adjusted. But please do it with the peace that the Savior brought us instead of threats and government force.
Thank you, Harris, for caring for all those men, women and children that need your help.
Dallas D. Erickson Stevensville
You’re not being protected
So far this year Ravalli County has the Sheep Creek mine invading an undisturbed productive forest ultimately killing fsh and lifestyles. Minneapolis has ICE invading undisturbed productive immigrant neighborhoods killing neighbors. Ravalli County voters, state and county ofce holders assumed they would be unafected and protected from a lawless federal government.
The diferences are Minneapolis’s ofce holders and residents know what’s at risk and it takes longer to kill fsh and people with a mine. Montana’s ofce holders think protecting a naked king will protect them and their communities. Germany’s government ofce holders felt the same way in 1933. Archie L Thomas & Merry Schrumpf Corvallis
Political bullies must be stopped
Most folks I know don’t like bullies or being bullied. Bullies feel important when they can induce fear in the vulnerable. This is the case from the schoolyard to the halls of political power. Political bullies have titles (king, cabinet secretary, agency directors, etc.) which, if they choose to misuse them, can allow abuse of power to go unchecked for a time.
Two hundred and ffty years ago, our country was born after a bitter revolution against a king. The colonist rebels who fought for independence against this authoritarian rule had grown tired of being bullied, so they fought to build a country which would no longer be ruled by political bullies. Citizens without power fought and died in a bloody war and founded a new country with a constitution to check the power of those who would bully the less powerful and which granted power to the citizens of the new republic. Our country has fourished under this form of government, and our constitution has provided a check on abuses of power since its founding.
But lawless bullies are now in power. They abuse power and openly, shamelessly disregard laws and the constitution
daily. Constitutional checks on tyranny are not functioning. The US Supreme Court has given the president almost complete immunity from prosecution. The US Congress has shown very little ability to check the lawlessness of the executive branch. Our elected US congressmen took an oath to protect and defend the constitution. They are not exercising their duties to provide a check on this lawless and corrupt president and his administration. Call your elected representatives and demand that they do their constitutional duty.
Donald Gardner Corvallis
Don’t worry, be happy
Benjamin Franklin said, “A republic, if you can keep it.” The balance of power, the rule of law and federalism worked to keep a malignant demagogue out of power for a while, but all good things must end sometime. The Democrat response to all this is to focus on “afordability.” This would be like the opposition to Mussolini in 1922 focusing on making the trains run on time. What if Trump gets the prices down through imperialism? You know, bullying or taking over countries for their resources. When that happens, our opposition might have to pivot to another “kitchen table” issue. How about this one: Trump now has $30 billion to continue to build a private army (ICE) in order to subdue Blue States. But Montana’s not a Blue State so I guess this is not a Montana kitchen table issue. Item: Republican support for the attack on Venezuela two weeks ago was 43%, now it’s 74%, and even higher with self-described MAGA Republicans. This change was due to skeptical Republicans being shown conclusive proof of its legality and advisability, and I have a real estate deal for you too.
Republicans are now very good at seeing the truth according to Trump. I was at the anti-ICE demonstration this weekend and several of his supporters said that Ms. Good shouldn’t have tried to run over, or did run over, an ICE agent. The post-truth world is here when you can’t bother to watch more than one video and believe whatever Kristi Noem and her toadies in the MAGA media tell you. Or maybe you saw the videos showing conclusively that the poor woman was simply trying to slowly drive away when she was
executed. But that’s your lying eyes again.
History does not exactly repeat itself, but patterns do. We now have a new spin on fascism. Let’s call it Atlantic City fascism. John
Schneeberger Hamilton Insurrectionists
I write this letter as the insurrection riots are taking place in Minneapolis. Through this article I hope to provide information to help readers understand what is happening and why this situation difers from the January 6, 2021, riot which the Democrats have been pushing as an insurrection ever since.
First, the January 6, 2021, incident was a spontaneous result of what Republicans believed was an unfair Presidential election. Most of participants – those who actually entered the U.S. Capital – were totally peaceful and simply wandered through the building. A very few, and it is still unclear how they were organized, if in fact if they were organized, did damage doors and contents of some rooms.
Contrary to the scenario that the Democrats have tried to perpetuate ever since, only one death happened during this incident – Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, was unlawfully ambushed, shot and killed by then Capital Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd. This stated scenario was validated in that the Estate of Ashli Babbitt was awarded nearly $5 million by the United States of America to settle a wrongful death lawsuit on July 2, 2025. Oh, and Lieutenant Byrd was never investigated or charged, to the best of my knowledge.
So, the recent death of the woman in Minneapolis difers in many ways. Her presence was not spontaneous but deliberate as she was a member of a group already formed and trained (who is paying for all this?) to resist and harass federal immigration agents. She was in fact directly impacting the work of the federal agents by blocking trafc and verbally harassing their work. This harassment had reached the level that she was going to be arrested, and she was ordered to exit the vehicle. Instead of obeying this lawful order, she tried to fee the area in a reckless and threatening manner which resulted in her striking an ofcer who shot her. A needless death but much diferent scenario.
So, what’s going on in Minneapolis? Why would anyone be against the federal agents tracking down, arresting and extracting hardcore criminals from their city? I have to believe that what is happening is motivated by state and local ofcials trying to hide crime. It has already come out that criminal fraud associated with daycare and other welfare-type programs is probably going to set an all-time record, and that the Governor, Mayor of Minneapolis and other state ofcials are likely involved.
I hope that our President takes action to stop this ridiculous situation. If my mother was still alive, I’m sure she would suggest that each rioter, to include the Governor and Mayor, should have their mouths washed out with soapy water as they spew a continuous stream of profanity which only portrays verbal stupidity.
Jerry Esmay
Stevensville
Be for good
To Senators Daines and Sheehy, Congressman Zinke:
The president declared his willingness to use American force to support anti-government protesters in Iran, in spite of the Iranian government’s promise that if he follows through they will target US armed forces and/ or civilians. Meanwhile, his own private army of armed, masked thugs is deployed to quash anti-government protesters on American soil. He is willing to risk American soldiers’ lives in defense of Iranian freedoms, but then deploy armed troops against US civilians exercising their constitutional freedoms at home.
The president asserted that “we’re not afraid of boots on the ground” (his words) to enforce his will in Venezuela after the capture of Maduro (while failing to call for free elections or restoration of human rights and leaving the remainder of Maduro’s
government in ofce). Meanwhile, he promised hesitant and nervous oil company CEOs “total safety, total security” (his words) for their hoped-for investments in the unstable country. He is willing to risk American soldiers’ lives in defense of oil company profts in Venezuela.
He declared that the money the US earns from that oil will go into a special fund that he controls, a slush fund from which he can dole out money as he alone sees ft, which fies in the face of Congress’ constitutional power of the purse, among many other concerns.
He has invaded an American city, with armed, masked secret police stopping citizens on their own streets and demanding their ID, illegally entering homes without a judicial warrant, pulling people from their homes and cars, using illegal chokeholds . . . and worse.
Congressmen, and MAGA world more generally: how many American lives are you willing to sacrifce to this president’s cruel whims and fantasies? How far are you willing to go in subverting the Constitution? What will it take to get you to fnally exercise the powers of your ofce for good, instead of evil?
Russ Lawrence Hamilton
Insurrection Act
It’s fascinating that our leader did not bring up the Insurrection Act when his buddies stormed and wrecked the Congress building!? His behavior of late makes Joe Biden look like an excellent speaker. Hang on tight, it could get more strange before the next election. I won’t need a quarter to decide who to vote for this time!
Joe Petrusaitis Hamilton
Response to Bedey
I’m writing in response to Rep. David Bedey’s recent column titled: “Another Big Lie.” He certainly got the title correct; everything after that, not so much.
All one has to do is read the short title of his HB402 bill (emphasis added):
“A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING ELECTOR REGISTRATION LAWS; REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO VERIFY THE CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF NEW APPLICANTS; REQUIRING THE MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO ASSIST IN VERIFICATION WHEN AN APPLICANT PROVIDES A DRIVER’S LICENSE IN THE APPLICATION; REQUIRING THAT A PERSON WHOSE CITIZENSHIP STATUS IS NOT YET VERIFIED BE ALLOWED TO VOTE; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY; AMENDING SECTION 13-2-109, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.’
This bill, which he sponsored, not only allowed non-citizens to register but vote before their status was verifed. Bedey fails to recognize several states issue driver’s licenses to non-citizens, including illegal aliens. I requested Rep. Bedey accept a friendly amendment to his bill that would have at least made the ballots provisional until status was confrmed. His response: a resounding “No.” Upon further discussion he stated: “It doesn’t matter, they’re voting anyway.” With this logic, rape and murder should be legal because they’re already doing that. These actions indicate Rep. Bedey is willing to give non-citizens superior rights to American citizens - you. How, you ask? If any of your voter information isn’t verifed, your ballots are considered provisional.
He not only sponsored HB402, he doubled down and voted for HB275 in 2025 which would have given driver licenses to non-citizens. I for one believe actions speak louder than words. His actions say he wants non-citizens voting in our elections and driving on our roads.
Rep. Bedey’s letter, in my humble opinion, proves a couple of things: he thinks you’re gullible enough to buy his Big Lie and he’ll continue to deceive you about his voting record and intentions in order to get elected. Lyn Hellegaard
former Rep. HD97 Missoula
Montana Medicaid: Why hasn’t AFP attacked Gianforte and Trump?
Across the state, Montanans have been treated to yet another mailer from Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a right-wing special interest group. This one attacks Republican legislators who voted for HB 245, a bill that reauthorized Montana’s Medicaid expansion program and enhanced its work/training requirement provisions. The bill passed with bipartisan support, including 37% of Republican legislators.
family of three).
• Of these enrolled in the program, 72% are working (two-thirds of them full time), 10% are disabled, 7% work at home as primary caregivers, and 4% are in school, according to the latest report from Montana’s Department of Labor & Industry.
by Rep. David Bedey HD 86
AFP misleads voters by insinuating that supporting this bill is akin to fully supporting “Obamacare,” which is a multipart federal program that Congress passed into law 15 years ago. This is obvious nonsense.
But if support for Medicaid expansion merits censure, then why hasn’t AFP attacked Governor Gianforte—who is on record since as early as 2020 opposing cancellation of the program?
And why hasn’t AFP called out President Trump? Neither the frst nor the second Trump administration ended Medicaid expansion. In fact, the president—joined by Montana’s entire congressional delegation—recently reauthorized the federal program with the welcome inclusion of work requirements for those not in school but who are able to work. (Montana’s program has called for work requirements since 2019, but up to now the federal government has not approved them.)
I’ll leave it to you to guess what drives AFP’s hypocrisy. But its propaganda campaign recklessly detracts from thoughtful consideration of this important issue.
For those serious about healthcare policy in Montana, consider the following facts:
• To be eligible for Montana Medicaid expansion, one must be very poor, e.g., a single person earning less than about $21,000 annually or under $36,000 for a
• Montana Medicaid expansion funds treatment for mental health problems and for substance abuse disorders, both of which are on the rise in our state. Since the program brings in nine federal dollars for every one dollar of state spending, its elimination would either put a severe strain on the state budget or leave mentally ill addicts on the streets to fend for themselves.
• In the absence of the program, poor people would receive treatment in hospital emergency rooms. Hospitals have a moral and legal obligation to provide this care but are not compensated for it. This in turn threatens the fnancial stability of our rural hospitals—likely reducing the availability and quality of healthcare for most Montanans.
The long-term fscal viability of the entire federal Medicaid program is in question, which is an urgent matter that Congress must address. But in the meantime here at home, Montana Medicaid expansion provides a safety net for the working poor, helps combat the mental health and substance abuse crisis, and protects our rural hospitals.
Abruptly ending the program would be an act of legislative malpractice inconsistent with prudent conservative governance. It is incumbent upon those seeking to terminate Montana Medicaid expansion to honestly acknowledge the consequences and ofer serious alternatives. But don’t expect any help from ideologues like those at AFP.
by Mike Dennision, MT FOI Coalition President
The Montana Freedom of Information Coalition stands with the Society of Professional Journalists to strongly condemn the FBI’s Jan. 14 execution of a search warrant at the home of Hannah Natanson, a reporter for The Washington Post, calling the action an extraordinary and dangerous escalation in the federal government’s recent treatment of journalists.
The SPJ has released the following statement:
Federal agents searched Natanson’s home and seized both personal and work-issued devices even though she was told she is not the target of the investigation. This kind of aggressive law enforcement action against a journalist particularly one engaged in reporting on the federal workforce has a chilling efect not only on reporters, but on the sources who rely on them to expose wrongdoing and inform the public.
Let’s be clear: Congress has already spoken on this issue. The Privacy Protection Act of 1980, passed by Congress in the wake of earlier abuses, was designed specifcally to sharply limit law enforcement searches of journalists’ homes or seizures of their work product, permitting them only under narrowly defned and extraordinary circumstances. The law exists to protect the public’s right to know not to shield the government from embarrassment or scrutiny.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice must explain how this action complies
with both the letter and the spirit of the Privacy Protection Act and why less intrusive alternatives were not exhausted before resorting to such an extreme measure.
This is not just about one reporter, one newsroom, or one investigation. This is about whether journalists can promise confdentiality to sources without fear that federal agents will show up at their door. It is about whether investigative reporting can survive in an environment where lawful newsgathering is treated as suspect.
A democracy does not grow stronger by intimidating the press. It grows weaker.
The Montana Freedom of Information Coalition supports government transparency and public participation in its government. Through its Montana FOI Hotline, the coalition provides guidance to journalists and members of the public who are blocked from viewing public documents or accessing public meetings. These rights guaranteed by the First Amendment and by the Montana Constitution must be exercised without fear of retribution. Montana has especially strong protections for journalists. The Media Confdentiality Act protects reporters from having to disclose information or reveal their sources in news gathering.
The Montana FOI Coalition is supported by its member organizations: the Montana Broadcasters Association, the Montana Newspaper Association and the Montana Transparency Project and the University of Montana School of Journalism.
Montana FOI Coalition condemns search of reporter’s home &
Sports
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Bitterroot basketball bonanza
Darby 24, Anaconda 57
The Darby boys played in Anaconda on Friday, January 16. Darby had trouble scoring against a tough Anaconda team and lost 24-57. For Darby, Jordan Browning led with 8 points and 3 rebounds. Abe Atkins had 6 points. Leif Nelson had 5 points and 3 assists. Oliver Long had 3 points and 2 assists. Gavin Anderson had 2 points and 5 rebounds.
Darby 8, Anaconda 59
The Darby girls went to Anaconda on Friday, January 16. The Darby girls fought hard, but they fell behind early and couldn’t get back into the game and lost 8-59.
Darby 50, Deer Lodge 53
On Saturday, January 17, the Darby boys hosted Deer Lodge. Darby was in control of the game for the frst three quarters, as they led 33-27 at halftime and 43-40 after the third quarter. Then Darby went cold in the fourth and lost to the Wardens 50-53. For Darby, Leif Nelson had 20 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds. McCoy Townsend had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Oliver Long had 9 points and 2 assists. Gavin Anderson had 7 points and 7 rebounds. Jordan Browning has 2 points, 3 assists and 2 steals.
Darby 33, Deer Lodge 52
On Saturday, January 17, the Darby girls hosted Deer Lodge. Darby had only six girls available to play, but they showed grit and played tough. Darby trailed 10-19 at halftime and lost 33-52.
Corvallis 65, Stevensville 58
The Corvallis boys went to Stevensville on Friday, January 16 in a matchup of two young improving teams. Corvallis led 17-16 after an even frst quarter and 28-23 at halftime. Corvallis extended their lead in the second half and led 60-49 late in the fourth quarter.
Stevensville went on a 8-0 run late in the fourth quarter to get within three points, 57-60, but Corvallis closed the game on a strong note and defeated Stevensville 65-58.
For Stevensville, McCoy Endres had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Kaden Wyant had 20 points and 4 assists. Jake Tschida had 11 points and 3 rebounds. Gage Bierer had 7 points and 8 rebounds.
Corvallis 63, Stevensville 30
The Corvallis girls hosted Stevensville on Thursday, January 15. Corvallis led 13-9 after an even frst quarter and 29-17 at halftime. Corvallis stretched the lead in the second half and the Blue Devils won 63-30.
For Corvallis, Ella Varner had 15 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and a whopping 13 steals. Lauryn Holmberg had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Kaia Benson had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Ava Loran had 10 points and 9 rebounds. Kate Allen had 8 points and 9 rebounds. Ellie Knapp had 2 points and 2 steals. Briella Epling had 2 points and 2 steals.
For Stevensville, Addie Drye had 18 points, 7 steals and 4 rebounds. Amy Donaldson had 5 points. Kayden Tolley had 2 points and 2 assists. Harley Gilleard had 2 points and 5 rebounds. Josie Randles had 1 point and 7 rebounds. Talyn Bean had 2 points.
Stevensville 28, Frenchtown 70
The Stevensville boys hosted Frenchtown on Saturday, January 17. The Stevi boys had a hard time stopping Frenchtown’s ofense and lost 28-80. For Stevensville, McCoy Endres had 7 points and 2 steals. Kaden Wyant had 7 points and 3 assists. Jake Tschida had 6 points. Gage Bierer had 4 points. Taeshawn Luster and Luis Eberhardt each had 2 points and 3 rebounds.
Corvallis 40, Dillon 72
The Corvallis boys hosted Dillon on Saturday, January 17. The Blue Devils couldn’t contain the Beavers as they trailed 12-37 at halftime and lost 40-72.
Corvallis 25, Dillon 61
The Corvallis girls traveled to #4 Dillon on Saturday, January 17. Corvallis got down early and trailed 2-16 after the frst quarter. The Blue Devils outscored the Beavers 11-7 in the second quarter and trailed 13-23 at halftime. But Dillon was too much in the second half and Corvallis lost 25-61.
For Corvallis, Kate Allen had 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Ava Loran had 9 points. Lauryn Holmberg had 6 points and 4 steals. Ella Varner had 1 point and 5 rebounds.
Florence 68, Deer Lodge 16
The Florence girls are 8-1 on the season and ranked #4 in the latest 406mtsports.com poll. Florence’s only loss was to #1 Baker. Besides the Baker game, Florence has been rolling through the competition. Florence will face a real test this week as they play their nemesis and #2 ranked Missoula Loyola in Florence on Saturday, January 24.
The Florence girls went to Deer Lodge on Friday, January 16 to wrangle with the Wardens. Florence jumped out to a 38-8 halftime lead and “mercy ruled” their way to a 68-16 victory.
For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the scoring with 14 points, Kendyl Meinhold had 12, Maggie Schneiter had 10, Madigan Hurlbert had 9, Shelby Crocker and Taylor Pyette each had 6, Jaden Fisher and Emory Ralston each had 5, and Alex Nelson added 1.
Florence 74, Deer Lodge 62
The Florence boys went to Deer Lodge on Friday, January 16. Florence trailed 13-18 after the frst quarter, and 34-35 at halftime. Then Florence took control in the third quarter, outscoring Deer Lodge 23-9 to lead 57-44 going into the fnal quarter where Florence kept their advantage and won 74-62.
For Florence, Brennan Mienhold led the scoring with 18 points, Brody Duchien scored 17, Koa Laasch had 12, Bridger Alexander had 9, Wes Potter had 8, Donnie Brooks had 6, and Levi Winters added 1.
Florence 72, Arlee 62
The Florence boys hosted Arlee on Saturday, January 17. Florence played a strong game and defeated Arlee, then ranked #8, 72-62.
For Florence, Brody Duchien had a big game and led the Falcons with 25 points. Brennan Mienhold had 20, Koa Laasch had 11, Donnie Brooks had 7, Levi Winters had 5, and Bridger Alexander and Lorenzo Calderon each added 2.
Florence 65, Arlee 5
The #4 Florence girls hosted Arlee on Saturday, January 17. Florence made quick work of the overmatched Scarlets, as the Falcons led 40-3 at halftime and won 65-5.
For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the on-
slaught with 16 points. Taylor Pyette had 11, Kendyl Meinhold had 10, Madigan Hurlbert, Jaden Fisher and Emory Ralston each had 6, Shelby Crocker and Maggie Schneiter each had 4, and Alex Nelson added 2.
Hamilton 36, Butte Central 48
The Hamilton boys hosted Butte Central on Saturday, January 17. Hamilton played well against the #3 ranked Maroons but lost 36-48. Hamilton was strong defensively against Butte but struggled with shooting as they only made 14 of their 46 shots (30%).
For Hamilton, Trevyn Bakken had 12 points and 4 rebounds. Cartier Ferguson had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Cash Lockhart had 6 points and 6 rebounds. Taylor Doleac had 3 points and 6 rebounds. Jake McCarthy had 2 points and 5 rebounds. Easton Hollis added 2 points.
Hamilton 35, Butte Central 31
The Hamilton girls hosted Butte Central on Saturday, January 17. Hamilton jumped out to an early 2210 halftime lead and held on as Butte made a second half comeback. The Broncs held strong and won 35-31.
Victor 35, Lincoln 93
The Victor boys went to Lincoln on Thursday, January 15. Victor struggled against the #4 ranked Lynx and lost 35-93. For Victor, Koen Nuttall led the Pirates with 19 points, Kordel Martin had 9, Colin Lewis had 3, and Hayes Likes and Ben Neider each added 2.
Victor 32, Lincoln 56
The Victor girls went to Lincoln on Thursday, January 15. Victor trailed 18-34 at halftime and lost 32-56. For Victor, Brooklyn Cary led with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals. Nichole Bugli had 5 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Claira Jordan had 5 points and 5 steals. VeAyla Chavez had 4 points and 3 steals. Whitney Bugli and Asia Parks each had two points, and Lili Buchanan added 1 point.
Victor 35, Troy 88
On Saturday, January 17, the Victor boys went to Troy to tangle with the Trojans. In the boys game Victor fell behind early and couldn’t make a comeback and lost 35-88.
Victor 32, Troy 57
On Saturday, January 17, the Victor girls went to Troy. Victor fell behind 3-23 after the frst quarter, then they righted the ship in the second quarter and outscored Troy 10-8, but Victor was unable to make up the diference in the second half and lost 32-57.
For Victor, Asia Parks led with 11 points, Brooklynn Cary had 9, Nichole Bugli had 6, VeAyla Chavez had 3, and Claira Jordan added 2.
The Darby girls line up for an inbound play during the Tigers game against Deer Lodge on Saturday, January 17. From L to R: Brooklyn Rogers (#22), Austin Hackel (#3), Annabell Bailey (#30), and Hadley Heiland (#5). Darby lost 33-52. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Darby’s Leif Nelson (#3) drives to the basket in Darby’s game against Deer Lodge on Saturday, January 17. Nelson had 20 points as Darby lost 50-53 in a close contest. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Sports
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Bitterroot wrestling roundup
Jug Beck Rocky M ountain Classic
O n Friday, January 16 and Saturday, January 17, Missoula Sentinel hosted the annual Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic. Over 30 teams from Montana, Idaho and Washington schools competed. Wrestlers from Hamilton, Stevensville and Corvallis were among the participants.
As would be expected with so many wrestlers, placing in the Jug Beck is an impressive accomplishment.
Corvallis had four wrestlers place: Jesse James took 2nd place at heavyweight, Colton Snyder took 5th at 175, Kahle Hill took 6th at 126, and Chase Davis took 7th at 110.
Stevensville had two wrestlers place: Benjamin White took 7th at 138, and Todd Whitescarver took 8th at 144.
Choteau Classic
Th e wrestling teams from Florence and Darby joined roughly 30 other schools in the Choteau Classic on Friday, January 16 and Saturday, January 17
in Choteau. Individually for the Darby boys , Eli Spross took 3rd at 215 and Drextin Evers took 5th at 118. For the Darby girls, Halana May took 6th at 155. Individually for the Florence boys, Caleb Scussel took 1st place at 103, Christian Englund took 4th at 190, Landon Sirevag took 5th at 132, Max Rosenthal took 5th at 138, and Brett Riley took 6th at 157.
Hellgate Girls Wrestling I nvitational
T he girls wrestlers from Stevensville, Florence, Corvallis and Hamilton were in Missoula on Friday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17 for the Hellgate Girls Wrestling Invitational.
Over 30 regional high schools competed, so a top individual finish in this event is impressive. Only two Bitterroot Valley girls wrestlers placed: Hamilton’s Marley Olsen took 3rd at 155, and Corvallis’s Kaelynn Vanderpool took 5th at 110.
Florence’s Caleb Scussel (top left) took 1st place at 103 in the Choteau Classic in Choteau on Saturday, January 17. Photo by Florence School Activities.
Thomas George Wothe
Stevensville - Thomas George Wothe, 79 of Stevensville passed away at home on Saturday, January 10, 2026. He was born May 15, 1946 in Becker, Minnesota to William and Faith Hope Wothe. He spent most of his childhood in Minnesota before moving to California.
Thomas graduated from Anderson Union High School where he played football. Right out of high school he worked at the U.S. Plywood Corp. for ten years. Leaving California, he came to Montana to work for the Stimpson Mill in Bonner for twenty- five years.
He married local artist Ella Buckallew, a fifth generation Montana farm girl, on September 17, 2006. He and his wife enjoyed going bowling, Griz football, water dowsing, picking huckleberries, yard sales, pets, raising chickens, landscaping and canning. He designed and helped build their home. He helped and supported his wife with her
art work and it was his idea to add glitter to the holiday ornaments Ella creates. He was her biggest fan and made painting joyful.
He was preceded in death by his sister Pam Hanson in Chico, California and his step-son Jerramy Stroud of Stevensville.
Thomas is survived by his wife Ella of Stevensville; sister Kathy Wothe of Chico, California; son Jeff Wothe of Chico, California; daughter Nichole Van Horn of Missoula; daughter Starr McIaac of New Mexico; son Travis Wothe of Missoula and six grandchildren, and step-sons Johnny Stroud of Missoula and Elliott Stroud of Stevensville.
Thomas was a very loving husband, father and a very hard worker. He and Ella were joined at the hip and he was a blessing to her. He will be deeply missed. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.
Geary ‘Zip’ L. Lemon
Corvallis - Geary “Zip” L. Lemon of Corvallis passed away Friday, January 2, 2026, at his home, surrounded by family, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born on March 10, 1952, in Hamilton, Montana, to Gerald and Louise Lemon. He spent his life rooted in Montana, building strong connections through hard work, loyalty, and a genuine love for people.
Geary was raised in Corvallis alongside his brothers, Barry and Larry Lemon. Growing up, he participated in Boy Scouts, band and excelled in basketball, where he earned the nickname “Zip.” After graduating from Corvallis High School in 1970, Geary attended Dawson College in Glendive on a full ride basketball scholarship, where he studied business.
He later returned to the Bitterroot Valley and began working for Dairygold hauling milk, following in his father’s footsteps. Geary hauled milk for many years, a job that refected his steady work ethic and reliability.
Above all, Geary loved showing up for those he cared about. Family and friends could always count on him. He found joy in simple pleasures—
Helen Hackett Buker
Bitter Root Valley native, Helen Hackett Buker, passed away at 97 years of age on January 15, 2026 in Hamilton, Montana. Helen was born on February 22, 1928 in Hamilton, to two pioneer families of the Bitterroot, Hazel Kain Hackett (Stevensville) and Edward Hackett (Victor). The family resided in Hamilton Heights until a tragic car accident took her father’s life. The family moved to Victor where Helen was the oldest of the Hackett cousins. Helen attended school in Victor graduating in 1946. She married Emery O. Buker (another pioneer family), a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne. After Emery was discharged, the couple attended the University of Montana and spent the summer as lookouts on Antrim Point for the USFS. They moved to Hamilton in 1954 where Emery worked at the Rocky Mountain Lab and was commander of the local National Guard Unit.
Helen was a typical mother of the 50’s. She sewed the kids’ clothes, volunteered at school, ran a tight ship at home, and developed a compulsive habit of recycling. After Emery passed away unexpectedly and the kids were of exploring their options, Helen worked as a legal secretary until returning to UM, receiving a degree in History in 1987. It was then that she found her passion for genealogy, tracking down family roots near and far. She also traveled to all the continents, only missing out on Antarctica. Throughout her life, Helen participated in many activities: Girl Scout Leader. Rainbow Girls, OES Naomi #19 PM, PEO Chapter BC, American Legion Auxiliary #47, Friendship Force of Western Montana, Keep/MELDA travel group 6, Bitterroot Genealogy, UMAB Federated Church (71 years), Election Judge for the city and county and rabbit judge for the Ravalli County Fair. Helen took up skiing after the kids left home using their old equipment. She traveled the west testing out various ski areas. She also hiked in the of season with her best friend Jo Ann Whitlock as they managed to explore most of the Bitterroot drainages where she identifed fowers and plants. Helen was the cook’s helper for John and Dorothy Buker’s pack trips into the Pintler Wilderness and also to Bear Creek to Big Sand Lake and over Packbox Pass to Big Creek. Helen’s love of history and genealogy led to helping create the “Bitter Root Trails II Victor Connection”, an achievement to which she was most proud.
Wanting to instill a love of the outdoors in her family, Helen acquired her aunt’s land near Gibbonsville, Idaho on which the family cabin was built for the enjoyment of many generations to come. She was able to see her great-grandchildren hiking, rafting, and enjoying the campfre.
Preceding her in death are husband, Emery O. Buker and son-in-law Mark Sherrill. Helen leaves behind three children: Marian Buker, Hamilton, Barbara Sherrill, Butte, and George (Tania) Buker, Hamilton and Brazil; grandchildren: Cassandra Lewis, London, Kris (Janna) Sherrill, Butte, Ashley (Jef) Nikoliasen, Butte, Jimmy (Jenica) Buker, Boise, and Tracy (Brandon) Gatlin, Bozeman. Also surviving are great-grandchildren Aria and Kian Sherrill, Jens and Lex Nikoliasen, Kallie, Abby, and Colin Buker, and Emery and Hattie Gatlin. Helen is also survived by her cousins and families of Barbara Jean Stephani, Prescott Hackett, and Harvey Hackett as well as the Buker and Townsend clans.
Many thanks go out to West Hills Assisted Living for their loving care these past few months.
Services will be held this spring. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel. com
Donations are suggested to the Bitter Root Land Trust or the American Baptist/United Methodist Church.
Death Notices
Winnie ‘Faye’ Hansen
Pinesdale - Winnie
“Faye” Hansen, 90, of Pinesdale passed away Saturday, January 10, 2026, at her home. Services will be held in the Pinesdale Chapel on January 23 at 11:00 am. Winnie’s full obituary will be posted on www.dalyleachchapel. com.
Milo R. Zimmerman
Stevensville - Milo R. Zimmerman, 80, passed away early in the morning, Sunday, January 12, 2026, at the St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com
fshing, playing poker, men’s league basketball team and spending time with the people who mattered most. On July 24, 1986, he married Pamela Lemon, and together they welcomed their daughter, Sara Lemon, in 1997. He was especially proud of his daughter, Sara, who was the center of his world.
Geary is survived by his daughter, Sara Lemon; his former wife, Pam Lemon; his brothers, Barry Lemon (Tammy) and Larry Lemon; and his partner, Vicky Rodriguez, nieces and nephews, Cassie Hackel Lemon (Ben), Jessie Lemon, Kelsey Lemon Bourne (Justin), Cody Owen (Ricci), and several great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gearald and Louise Lemon.
A celebration of life is being planned and is tentatively scheduled for March 14, 2026. Additional details will be shared at a later time. condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel. com
Geary will be remembered for his dependability, his quiet generosity, and the way he made room for others in his life. His presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
LeRoy S. Peterson
Hamilton - LeRoy S. Peterson, 87, of Hamilton (formerly of Orem, UT) passed away Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at The Valley Health & Rehab. Services will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will be announced at a later date. Condolences may be left for the family at www. dalyleachchapel.com.
Corey W. Sisson
Hamilton - Corey W. Sisson, 61, of Hamilton passed away Thursday, January 8, 2026 at his home. A Celebration of Life will be held later this summer. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel. com.
Gregory ‘Greg’ A. Burke
Salmon, IdahoGregory “Greg” A. Burke, 62, passed away early in the morning, Sunday, January 11, 2026, with his wife by his side at St. Patricks Hospital in Missoula. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com
Brianna Sharon
Bowen
Brianna Sharon Bowen, 31, of Victor passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2026, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. There will be no formal services. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel. com.
Looking for the Bitterroot Star? It’s FREE on more than 100 newsstands from Lolo to Conner. Or call us at 777-3928 and we’ll let you know where the closest stand is.
Before you buy your frst (or another) fy rod…
There I was: Standing beside the guide’s truck with a broken rod before we got the boat in the water and made a cast.
Jan and I were on the Blackfoot for our annual anniversary foat with our friend, outftter Tony Reinhart. Never mind how I broke the rod, but it had to do with getting ready in too big a hurry the night before and pulling the rod out of the rod-reel case too quickly that morning.
line speed casts I was anticipating with those big salmonfy dries.
A six-weight rod like Tony’s would have done a better all-round job with the steamers and double fy rigs.
It’s no surprise that Tony, like most of the better professional guides I know, fshes a 9’ 6 wt as his go-to river rod.
Most of today’s nine foot fve weight rods will handle a six weight line, and in some cases, will feel better with a six weight line on it. It’s a matter of preference for the individual caster.
length, nine foot, or if that’s difcult to handle, don’t hesitate to go shorter with an 8 ½ footer.
Single dry fy work, with not much wind, fve weight – lengths as above.
Smaller rivers and streams, four or fve weight lines on seven to eight foot rods.
That’s ballpark – not written in stone.
Where to start? Noelle Coley at Blackfoot River Outftters in Missoula says, “We try to gauge a person’s experience and how much they’re willing to spend before making a recommendation. There are a lot of rods and complete outfts out there for $300 to $500.”
by Chuck Stranahan
The rod was a sentimental favorite. I felt my stomach sink, an immediate pang of that certain kind of heartbreak where unexpected loss meets stupidity. Fortunately, the rod came with two tips. The damage was not terminal.
Unfortunately, the other tip was back in Hamilton.
Tony took one look, passed on the opportunity to give me a hard time, and said, “Here – you can fsh mine.”
His rod was a high-end 9’ 6 wt. The rod I left in the case was a 9’ 5 wt., rigged with a six weight line.
We were in time that late July day to catch the tail end of the salmonfy hatch. When the afternoon wind took hold, I threw a streamer for a while. When shadows lengthened I switched to a dry-dropper or double-dry rig to fnish the day. Most of the time we were casting downstream into an upstream wind.
The breezes that became an afternoon would have made life difcult if we fshing lighter fveweight lines. For the fshing we encountered a sixweight line was the right choice – and for some of it a seven might have been better.
Tony’s go-to rod for the rivers he fshes is that nine foot six weight. A six weight line has enough mass to overcome the air resistance of bigger fies or double fy rigs and slice through the wind.
A 9’ 6 wt., if it’s a good one, will combine the oomph to handle big bugs with the delicacy to strike big fsh rolling on small dries and light tippet.
My preferred rod for the day’s fshing, the one I broke, was a tip-acting fve weight with a powerful butt that felt plenty at home with a six line on it. It would have done well for the tight loop, high
My best advice to someone just getting started in the sport is to consider the kind of fshing you want to do most, then choose the right line weight (maybe with some expert advice from somebody behind a tackle counter) for that kind of fshing – and then choose rod that feels best to you with that line on it.
Here’s the rundown, according to me – not a tackle sales rep:
All-purpose western river trout fshing, i.e.
Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Rock Creek, Madison, Missouri, (you get the idea) six weight line. Rod
“We also try to head them toward barbless hooks and catch-and-release fshing,” Noelle adds. Done right, fy fshing generates conservation.
Taking care of safety and comfort issues before making the fnancial commitment for tackle is a must. At a bare minimum, good polarized and UV protected sunglasses and safe traction afoot with wading boots or sandals are essentials.
Noelle’s go-to rod for our local rivers? A nine foot six weight.
METERS: public works experiment with next-generation meters
cell and radio meter reading signals. Those readings are returned to Town Hall where Case takes the fgures from the cellular meters to enter them. With only fve meters, that is not a problem. However, she added that when they start having to manually enter 50 to 100 meter readings, that could become difcult. However, Case said she will “continue doing that until there are too many for it to be feasible.”
Another con is that every cellular meter the town reads costs 95 cents per month. Stevensville has nearly 930 meters scattered around town, including town property, businesses and residential. With just about 900 of them being regular customers, that monthly service fee would be expensive and may need to be passed on to the customer down the
One of the most innovative pros is the customer portal capability. This is a program attached to these cellular meters that would allow customers to download an application onto their devices to monitor water use day to day. Though it is not quite instant, Lassiter said it can “allow someone to know how many gallons they are using when they run their sprinklers and maybe turn them down, or tell their kids to stop taking such long showers. This is going to allow the customer more control over their water usage,” meaning superior transparency and complete access to their usage fgures. For Lassiter, that would be a powerful tool he would love the community to take advantage of.
The con attached to that would involve the town needing to pay a one-time start-up fee of $10,890 for the system and program setup. And according to Lassiter, that is no matter how many people get the application and take advantage of the customer portal program.
Another pro for the new meters is how they can notify the town of potential leaks immediately. This is especially important, as the town has struggled over the years to rein in the numerous leaks. The current radio meters only read and notify for leaks once a month, which Case said can be too late. The new ones would notify about a leak immediately, the day of, which could save both the town, and customers, a lot of money.
As part of a promotional program, the Town of Stevensville received all fve of these meters for free for a trial period. Stevensville had 90 days to install them after receiving them, which was around October 14. The town installed them in early January, and had 30 days to order more if interested. If the town decides to order more, it will be able to keep the original fve, which Lassiter equated to nearly $1,500 of equipment.
“I don’t see any reason not to add more,” said Lassiter. Case added, “even if it’s just to fx the problem meters.” Also, fortunately, there seems to be no minimum order volume, so Lassiter plans to get these new meters as various ones in town go out, and replace them with the cellular meters.
This all depends on the end of the month, when they will get the actual fgures. As part of this promotional program, the town also received a two-hour training on the meters a couple weeks ago, including how to enter them into their billing system. This will be the frst time they enter the numbers. However, Lassiter foresees no issue, and they are curious to see what the water usage will be for those various problem areas. This is all part of a long term plan, and Lassiter hopes as they slowly change over to these new meters, it will help remedy some of the confusion and unknowns behind town water use.
Speaking on the biggest upside, Lassiter said it would end up being “transparency and customer accessibility in the long run.” As for Case, she believes it will be the town “being able to charge people for the water they actually use, rather than just the base rate.” Continued from page 1
The fnal pro Lassiter wanted to highlight is the warranty. He said these devices have a 20-year pro-rated replacement warranty and a 10-year full replacement warranty.
Stephen Lassiter checking one of the town’s new meters. Photo courtesy Stephen Lassiter.
Legal Notices
MONTANA WATER COURT
CLARK FORK DIVISION
BITTERROOT RIVER
BASIN 76H INTERLOCUTORY DECREE
The Montana Water Court has entered the Interlocutory Decree for Basin 76H and the Decree is now available for your review.
The Decree and the forms are available at these locations:
* Montana Water Court website: https://courts.mt.gov/ Courts/Water/Notices-Info/
* Montana Water Court: 1123 Research Drive Bozeman, MT 59718; (406) 5864364
* Montana DNRC, Water Rights Adjudication Ofce: 1424 Ninth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620; (406) 444-0699
* Montana DNRC, Water Resources Regional Ofce: PO Box 5004, Missoula, MT 59806-5004 MT; (406)7214284
OBJECTIONS
All objections must be fled on the forms provided by the Water Court and must be received at the Water Court by June 29, 2026. Objections can be fled electronically at watercourt@mt.gov or sent to Montana Water Court, PO Box 1389, Bozeman, MT 59771.
EXTENSIONS
The Water Court may grant a request for an extension of the time for fling objections. A request for an extension must be received by the Water Court on or before June 29, 2026 If an extension is granted, it will apply to everyone. Any extension will be posted at the ofces listed above and will be advertised once in this newspaper.
RIGHT TO APPEAL
If you do not participate in Water Court proceedings, your right to appeal an adverse decision is limited by Section 85-2-235, MCA. If changes were made to your abstract, you may challenge those changes by fling an objection. You may also address DNRC issue remarks by an objection. If there are changes and/or issue remarks on your abstract which are not resolved by an objection, these will be addressed and resolved by the Water Court.
MEETING
The Water Court will be offering informal public meetings to explain the objection process on the following dates:
• Wednesday January 28, 2026, at 6:00 pm in person at Hamilton City Hall, 223 S. 2nd St., Hamilton, MT 59840.
• Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 12:00 pm via Zoom. To take part in the telephone conference, dial (646) 5588656, enter the Meeting ID 876 2567 6788 #, then press # to skip participant ID, then enter the meeting password 504314 # or log in online using this link: https://mt-gov.zoom. us/j/87625676788?pwd=lB8QmspE6NkdiQzH2jJO3adPktlXzW.1
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Lewis N. Stoddard, Bar No. 60723896 Halliday, Watkins & Mann, P.C. 300 W. Main Street, Suite 150 Boise, ID 83702
Phone: 801-355-2886
Facsimile: 801-328-9714
lewis@hwmlawfrm.com
Attorney for Plaintif
HWM File Number: MT22781
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
RAVALLI COUNTY
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as trustee of Waterfall Victoria III-NB Grantor Trust, Plaintif, v. Unknown Heirs and Devisees of the Estate of B. Corky Slight aka Betty Margaret Slight; Ralph S. Slight; United States of America, by and through the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; and Unknown Parties in possession of or with an interest in the real property commonly known as: 2155 S Sunset Bench Rd, Stevensville, MT 59870,
Defendants. NOTICE OF SALE Case No.: DV-41-20250000153-FO
Under and by virtue of a Writ of Execution issued in the above-entitled action on November 12, 2025, I am commanded to sell at public auction all of Defendants’ rights and interest to the below described property: Lot 17, Block 8, Sunset Orchards No. 3, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the recorded plat thereof.
With a property address of: 2155 S Sunset Bench Rd, Stevensville, MT 59870
Notice is hereby given that on January 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM on the front steps of the Ravalli County Courthouse at 205 Bedford St., Hamilton, MT 59840, the above-described property will be sold to the highest bidder to satisfy Plaintif`s judgment, with interest and costs.
Date: December 29, 2025.
Sherif of Ravalli County, State of Montana By: Steve Holton **WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND ANYONE INTERESTED IN BIDDING ON ANY PROPERTY NOTICED FOR SALE RESEARCH THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY THOROUGHLY PRIOR TO BIDDING**
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PUBLIC NOTICE
Town of Stevensville
Notice is hereby given that a vacancy will exist in the ofce of the Town CouncilWard 2 created by a resignation of Ward 2 Councilmember Bragg. Town Council will appoint a Stevensville resident to fll the expired term of the position vacated at a Special Town Council Meeting February 2, 2026 @ 6:30 pm, at Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, MT 59870 The term expires December 31, 2029. Qualifcations to serve as a Town Council member are as follows:
• Must be a citizen of the United States
• Must be a Stevensville resident for at least 60 days
• Must live in Ward 2 (the area is south of 5th Street and South of Central Avenue)
Any qualifed person interested in being considered for appointment to the position of Town Council may make an application to the Town of Stevensville. Applications are available online at https://www. townofstevensville.com/sites/ default/fles/fleattachments/ town_council/page/98/102018_council_application.pdf and at Town Hall at 206 Buck Street Stevensville, MT 59870. Completed applications can be dropped of at Town Hall or mailed to PO Box 30, Stevensville, MT 59870. Applications must be received by 5:00 pm, Thursday January 29, 2026. For more information contact Town Hall at (406) 777-5271.
Attest: Jenelle S. Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 1-7, 1-21-26.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Lelund Reece Perry, Lelund Reece Perry, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000481-NC
Dept. No.: 1 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Lelund Reece Perry to Lelund Reece Milohov. The hearing will be on February 11, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County. DATED this 18th day of December, 2025. /s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Janenne Sorenson Deputy Clerk of Court BS 1-7, 1-14, 1-21, 1-2826.
MNAXLP
William J. Nelson, Esq. Nelson Law Ofce PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J
Hamilton, MT 59840
Telephone: (406) 363-3181
Attorney for Personal Representative
MONTANA TWENTYFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: JULIE ANN SWANSON, Deceased.
Cause No. DP-41-2025151 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, Charles Swanson, return receipt requested, c/o Nelson Law Ofce PLLC, 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.
DATED 31st day of December 2025.
/s/ William J. Nelson
Attorney for Personal Representative
/s/ Charles Swanson
Personal Representative BS 1-7, 1-14, 1-21-26.
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE HAMILTON ZONING COMMISSION AND HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL
Zoning Request 2025-04 & Annexation Request 2025-03A request by Pigman Builders, Inc., to annex a tract of land that is currently unzoned and to establish a zoning designation of Residential High Density (RH) or High Density Residential (R-3) if the City of Hamilton proposed zoning update is adopted. The property is approximately 2.8 Acres, and addressed as 110 Kurtz Lane, Hamilton, MT. The property is identifed by Ravalli County Tax ID # 781700 and Geocode 13- 1468-30-4-02-11-0000, and is legally described as: Lot 3-A, Amended Subdivision Plat No. 460614, Block 1, Daly Acres, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the recorded plat thereof.
Excepting therefrom that portion deeded to the State of Montana Department of Transportation as recorded in Document No. 531851.
Deed Reference: Document No. 808764
The purpose of these public hearings is to consider the proposed zone map amendment request and petition for annexation.
The Hamilton Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing to take public comment and consider a recommendation on the zone map amendment request on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 5:30 PM on the 2nd foor of Hamilton City Hall, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT.
The Hamilton City Council will hold public hearings to take public comment and make a decision on the zone map amendment request and the annexation petition on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM, and Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 7:00 PM, during its regular meetings on the 2nd foor of Hamilton City Hall, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT.
The public may attend and make comment in person, or on the Internet / by phone through Zoom. Instructions are available on the City of Hamilton website www.cityofhamilton.net, or by contacting aenglish@cityofhamilton.net or cityclerk@cityofhamilton.net.
Comments prior to the Zoning Commission meeting may be submitted to the Planning Department at aenglish@ cityofhamilton.net. Comments after the Zoning Commission meeting may be submitted to the City Clerk at cityclerk@ cityofhamilton.net. Comments for the Planning Department or City Clerk may also be mailed or delivered in person to 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. Related materials will be made available on the City of Hamilton website prior
to the meetings, and can be obtained by contacting the Planning Department at (406) 363-2101 or aenglish@cityofhamilton.net.
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CALL FOR BIDS
The BOARD OF RAVALLI COUNTY COMMISSIONERS are seeking bids for Display Advertising for our Ravalli County Ofces in a local newspaper within the County of Ravalli for the calendar year of 2026.
Please bid the Display Advertising by the Column Inch. Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope and clearly marked, “DISPLAY ADVERTISING BID”. The bid must be received by the Clerk & Recorders Ofce at 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, Hamilton, MT 59840 NO LATER THAN MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026 AT 4:00 PM.
Bids will then be publically opened and potentially awarded on TUESDAY, January 27, 2026 at 11:15 AM in the Commissioners Conference Room at 215 S. 4th Street, (3rd foor).
For further information, contact the Commissioners’ Ofce at 406-375-6500.
Chris Taggart
Commissioners Administrative Assistant
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CALL FOR BIDS
The BOARD OF RAVALLI COUNTY COMMISSIONERS are calling for bids for the printing of legal notices for the Ravalli County Ofces in a local newspaper within the County of Ravalli for the calendar year of 2026. Bids should include the following:
Per folio rate (1-100 words) for the frst and each additional insertion.
Information that specifcally addresses compliance with Section 18-7-411 and 18-7-201 MCA.
Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope and clearly marked, “LEGAL NOTICE PRINTING BID”. The bid must be received by the Clerk & Recorders Ofce at 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, Hamilton, MT 59840 NO LATER THAN MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026 AT 4:00 PM.
Bids will then be publically opened and potentially awarded on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 11:00 AM in the Commissioners Conference Room at 215 S. 4th Street, (3rd foor).
For further information, contact the Commissioners’ Ofce at 406-375-6500
LEGAL NOTICE Pooh’s Corner (14 Lot Major Subdivision), Ravalli Farm PT Lots 9 to 11, Block 2 of AP#694181, Lot 11A-1; SD#2025-03, Tax ID: 49730. Ravalli County Planning has received an application for a 14- lot major subdivision on 8.11 acres. Direct access to this property is from Honey House Lane (County Maintained). The subdivision will add approximately 5 new children to the Corvallis School District and 141 new vehicular trips per day to the road system. Hamilton is approximately 4.5 miles southwest, being the nearest municipal boundary The subdivision property is located within the Corvallis School and Rural Fire Districts. The proposed lots will be served by a public water system and individual/shared septic systems. The consultant is Andy Evensen of Evensen Engineering & Consulting Inc., representing Matt Janes. The subdivision is referred to as Pooh’s Corner. A complete copy of the application packet is available for viewing at the Ravalli County Planning Department ofce, in the County Administrative Center, 215 S. 4th St., Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. A copy of the Preliminary Plat is posted on our Website at https://ravalli. us/178/Subdivisions-Exemptions. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the hearing, and will
be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC).
The Planning Board Public Meeting to review the proposal is on January 21, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) at the County Administrative Center (215 S. Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT 59840). The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will conduct a site visit on February 3, 2026 at 1:30 pm at the project site. The site visit is an opportunity for the BCC to view the site and is for informational purposes. The BCC will also hold a Public Hearing to review the proposal on February 12, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) at the County Administrative Center (215 S. Fourth Street, Hamilton, MT 59840). The public may comment verbally, or in writing, at the meeting/hearing. Comments and information submitted at the public meeting/hearing will be considered in the decision on the subdivision.
***This legal ad will run two times January 14, 2026 and January 21, 2026. Certain dates in the January 21, 2026 posting may have passed. BS 1-14, 1-21-26.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
Lot 28E of Sunnyside Orchards, Block 3 Lot 28 (3 Lot Minor Subdivision), Sunnyside Orchards Block 3, Lot 28 of AP#793433; SD#2025-04, Tax ID: 1290460. Ravalli County Planning has received an application for a 3-lot minor subdivision on 4.09 acres. Direct access to this property is from Cameron Rose Rd. (Privately Maintained). The subdivision will add approximately 1 new child to the Stevensville and Lone Rock School District and 20 new vehicular trips per day to the road system. Stevensville is approximately 5 miles southwest, being the nearest municipal boundary. The subdivision property is located within the Stevensville and Lone Rock School Districts and the Three Mile Rural Fire District. The proposed lots will be served by private wells and septic systems. The consultant is Ron Wetzsteon of PCI, representing Troy and Dena Mae Grifn. The subdivision is referred to as Lot 28E of Sunnyside Orchards, Block 3 Lot 28. A complete copy of the application packet is available for viewing at the Ravalli County Planning Department ofce, in the County Administrative Center, 215 S. 4th St., Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. A copy of the Preliminary Plat is posted on our Website at https://ravalli.us/178/Subdivisions-Exemptions. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the hearing, and will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will conduct a Public Hearing to review the proposal Monday, February 2, 2026 at 09:30 a.m., in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) at the Administrative Center. The public may comment verbally, or in writing, at the meeting. Comments and information submitted at the public meeting/hearing will be considered in the decision on the subdivision. However, please note that only under select circumstances will new information be allowed into the record after the public hearing.
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NOTICE OF RFQ TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES AS THE TOWN ATTORNEY
The Town of Stevensville is currently advertising for the following request for qualifcations, Town Attorney for the Town of Stevensville. Interested attorneys can fnd additional information about the RFQ on the Town of Stevensville website, townofstevensville.com (resources, bids and RFP’s) or by contacting the town clerk, 406-7775271 Ext. 102
Position is open until flled.
Attest: Jenelle Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 1-14, 1-28-26
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL Ravalli County Brownfeld Program Revolving Loan Fund
Date of Issue: January 21, 2026
Deadline: February 19, 2026 (3 p.m.)
Selection Date: February 26, 2026
*Selection Date is subject to change Ravalli County Economic Development Authority 274 Old Corvallis Road, Suite A Hamilton, Montana 59840 (406) 375-9416
Introduction EPA has selected Ravalli County Economic Development Authority (RCEDA) as an EPA Brownfelds grant recipient for a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to promote the cleanup and reuse of brownfelds properties and to provide fnancial assistance for brownfelds revitalization per a cooperative agreement.
The RCEDA is soliciting responses for a Qualifed Environmental Professional to include but not limited to, assistance in the development of a Community Relations Plan, provide oversight services in environmental investigation; conduct environmental site evaluations; project cost estimates, recommend whether cleanup is authorized; lead or assist in community involvement; recommend whether or not to use the state voluntary cleanup programs; conduct or review and approve analysis of brownfelds cleanup alternatives or consider range of proven cleanup methods; review public comments received and document, or document concurrence with the cleanup plan selected after public comment; work with borrowers and sub-grantees, and oversee cleanups, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and write reports documenting the cleanup actions.
The consultant will assist the RCEDA with laws, rules and regulations related to hazardous waste, hazardous materials, asbestos, leadbased paints, solid waste, air quality, water quality, petroleum leaks and spills, storm water, and spill prevention control. RCEDA is the lead agency and inquiries, questions or responses should be directed to them.
RCEDA’s region is comprised of Ravalli County. This Request for Qualifcations provides the specifcations and requirements for submission of complete proposals, including cost estimates. RCEDA reserves the right to solicit cost proposals for individual projects.
RCEDA intends to establish term contracts to use consultants on an “as needed” basis for projects as they become available. RCEDA reserves the right to solicit cost proposals for individual projects. The term of the contracts for these services is expected to be fve years with a renewable option. More than one frm may be selected for these services. Contracts must comply with 40 CFR 31.36. The full RFQ is available from the RCEDA by contacting Julie Foster and on the RCEDA website https://rceda.org/ brownfeld-program-revolving-loan-fund.
Proposal Submittal:
Please submit one (1) electronic response to the email of julie@rceda.org by the deadline for submittal at 3 p.m., Thursday, February 19, 2026. Place QEP Services Proposal in the Subject line of your response. Questions about the project should be directed to Julie Foster, (406) 375-9416 or julie@rceda.org
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INVITATION TO BID Notice is hereby given that Stevensville Public Schools, Stevensville Montana will accept sealed bids for: Stevensville High Schools 9-12 Roof Replacement. Specifcations are available at: https://www stevensvilleschools.org/9-12roof-replacement/. Sealed bids will be received at the
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of 100% of the contract.
The Contractor shall comply with all fair labor practices and state statutes. No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least thirty (30) calendar days after the scheduled time for receipt of bids except as noted in the instruction to bidders.
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any and all irregularities or informalities, the right to determine what constitutes any and all irregularities or informalities, and determine the lowest responsible bidder.
Stevensville Public Schools makes
Extension Agent –Family & Consumer Sciences and 4-H in Blaine County, Chinook, MT. Full time. Exciting job with lots of autonomy! Will assess local community needs, then develop, implement, and evaluate Extension programming to meet those needs, in the areas of Family & Consumer Sciences & 4-H/Youth Development. For complete information and how to apply, please click here: https://jobs.montana.edu/ postings/50087 . Equal Opportunity Employer, Veterans/Disabled
G. BIDDLE ESTATE
SALE! 723 Rising Sun Lane, 1/22 - 9 to 4 (prices frm), 1/23 - 9 to 3, 1/249 to 2, 1/25 - 10- to 1 (½ price). Everything is for sale including the house! Unbelievable amount of items in the 3 bedroom home, 2 car garage & 3 sheds (one is full of tools)! All furniture, household, collections & antiques are included = 300 Native American items, antique
reasonable accommodations for any known disability that may interfere with an applicant’s ability to compete in the bidding and/or selection process. In order for the District to make such accommodations, applicants must make known any needed accommodation(s) to Nicole Sylvester at (406) 777-5481 ext. 5136 or email sylvestern@stevensville.k12.mt.us.
Requests for bid documents should be directed to Jon Konen, Superintendent, by email, konenj@stevensville.k12.mt.us, or phone (406) 777-5481.
BS 1-21, 1-28, 2-4-26.
MNAXLP
PUBLIC HEARING
The Darby Planning Board will hold a public hearing to receive all comments both oral and written regarding an Accessory Dwelling Unit Size Variance Request from Craig & Janet Steele located at 406 West Missoula Avenue. The hearing will be held Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at Darby Town Hall, 101 East Tanner Avenue. Information may be obtained by calling Town Hall at (406) 821-3753. BS 1-21, 1-28-26.
MNAXLP
PUBLIC NOTICE
This is to notify all interested parties that BitterRoot Bus is applying for $ 170,320.00 under the Section 5311 Program for the Federal Transit Administration entitled “Financial
glassware, nice dining table & chair set, special antique table, large country kitchen hutch, rooster collection, home decor everywhere, twin beds, dressers, TV, freezer, patio furniture, stacking tool chest, wheel barrows, trimmers, etc. exercise equipment, & SO much more. You have to see this one to believe it! There is so much & the house and sheds are so full. It is crowded. Please have patience, watch your step and bring your smile! NO EARLIES,
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 receiving $ 65,213.00 in matching Trans Ade funding. Anyone wishing to comment on this proposal should send comments within 30 days to: BitterRoot Bus, 310 Old Corvallis Rd., Hamilton, MT 59840.
BS 1-21, 1-28-26.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Dina M. Thornburg, Dina Michelle Thornburg, Petitioner.
Cause No.: DV-41-2026-0000030-NC Dept. No.: Howard Recht
NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME
CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Dina Michelle Thornburg to Dina Michelle Press.
The hearing will be on February 25 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
