As an example of something that needed to be changed, he mentioned Resolution 540, which generated a lot of attention at the last council meeting (see Bitterroot Star, Feb. 18).
“That’s kind of a hard spot…” said Crews. “People are upset but I’m not sure why they’re upset.”
Crews said the town attorney is looking at the latest resolution, which has evolved from several previous resolutions which included adoption of a master fee schedule. He said the previous resolution established special event fees per event, number of days, plus numerous other fees for road closures, etc.
The fee schedule was passed in 2024, according to
Crews, but he noticed when the farmers market submitted their special event permit application for this year, he believed that they weren’t being charged correctly based on the resolution’s wording. He thought the resolution should be cleaned up a bit and that resulted in Resolution 540A.
However, when the revised resolution was brought forward, there was an uproar with many complaining that it would be a hardship for the farmers market.
Resolution 540A was ultimately approved at the February 12 council meeting, but the special event permit application is still under revision. Crews believes that what the farmers market will pay this year is actually not going to be a
hardship.
“The question is, is the farmers market a continuous event or an ongoing event?” said Crews. “We’re looking at approving it as an ongoing event that happens on multiple days. So there would be only one fee.” That would be the one-time $125 special event fee.
Crews said the Town also has to deal with the issue of power usage, because some vendors plug into power. The Town has overlooked charging people for power.
Phalen is misleading you
Senator Bob Phalen’s latest attack on traditional conservative Republicans, like Representatives John Fitzpatrick, Ken Walsh, Linda Reksten, and me, is—to put it mildly—once again off the mark.
Phalen claims that HB 275 would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain Montana driver’s licenses. This is bunk. The bill would have allowed a noncitizen who provided proof that he is in the country legally to apply for a two-year driving permit, which would be granted only if the person met all requirements necessary to be licensed to drive in Montana. Because the bill was carried by a Democrat, right-wing ideologues like Phalen first opposed it and now are lying about its intent. Shameful.
by Rep. David Bedey HD 86
He then condemns Republicans who voted against SB 329 for wanting illegal aliens to take jobs away from Montana citizens. This
season. Crews says this is less than they were supposed to be paying, because the way the old resolution read, it would be $1260.
“We’re not trying to
I went to the last meeting and talked to them about what they could do… it’s in progress.”
“It’s taken me a little bit of practice to get back in the swing of running a meeting and realizing that there’s a lot of people that really want to be heard, so you just have to sit back and let them say what they need to say.”
- Jim Crews, Stevensville mayor
“The question is, what do we charge for that? We talked it over, and we had a COW meeting to do that, and people like the Civic Club came in, they said ‘you’re not charging enough for power.’”
too is nonsense. By the time SB 329 came up for a vote in the House, the Legislature had already passed a bill (HB 226) that accomplishes the intent of SB 329 by requiring employers to verify the citizenship of job applicants using either the E-Verify program or the I-9 process. This law is being implemented by the Department of Labor and Industry at a cost of just over $90,000 a year. According to Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s Department of Justice, SB 329 would have cost Montana taxpayers over $1.2 million a year.
The fiscally responsible course of action was to support HB 226 and to reject SB 329. That’s what commonsense Republicans did.
Phalen is serving the agenda of party bosses in Helena. It would be better if he concentrated on serving the interests of his constituents instead of feeding Montanans a crock of bull.
“In the interim, we have pretty much decided, it’s $20 per day (per event) until we can get portable power meters to actually measure the power and charge actual usage,” said Crews.
So, regarding the farmers market, the event organizers will pay $20 per day times 23 days [for the 23 weeks the market runs] which equals $460 plus the $125 for a total of $585 for the
run anybody out of town or anything like that,” said Crews.
In talking about the electricity used during special events, he compared it to what happened during a previous water leak situation in the town.
“Our people plugged into somebody’s house in an emergency to use electricity and we had people wanting to charge our employees with theft of services,” said Crews. “So here’s the question, do we allow a commercial vendor to plug into our power and use it for free on the taxpayers’ dime or do we ask them to pay for it?”
“You can’t just give things away that don’t belong to you,” he added. “We don’t own the power, the people do.”
Crews said that people [at the council meeting] didn’t understand what the special event fee totals were.
“They’re mad because they say I approved the permit,” said Crews. “Yeah, I tentatively approved it. But when I started reading, I found errors (in the resolution) and we needed to fix it. We have multiple things on our hit list that we need to fix.”
According to Crews, some people in the community have misunderstood his motivation, which is to follow the laws as written. If not, they need to be changed. As an example, he said some people thought he was going to try to “throw people off” the Planning and Zoning Board because they lived outside the jurisdiction of the board according to the board’s by-laws. But, said Crews, “There’s nothing that says they can’t change their by-laws.
He said getting rid of people was not something he ever contemplated when taking over as mayor. “It would be illegal and immoral,” said Crews. “Since I’ve been out of office things have changed a little bit. If I try to do something I try to do it slowly.”
One of his campaign promises was to tackle the issue of high water and sewer rates, which has been a perennial concern in Stevensville.
Crews said the council has approved his plan to start a water committee, with a council member as chairperson and four citizen members. He said he has lined up all but the fourth citizen.
“They’re going to start looking at our water and sewer situation and see what we’re obligated to do to change things and possibly reduce the rates,” said Crews. “It will be in their hands.”
Regarding other pending issues, such as fixing the water storage problem and other infrastructure, he said, “I haven’t hit those yet. It’s kind of like going to the dinner table and they’re serving up an elephant. You can’t eat the elephant all at once. You take it a bite at a time.”
Reflecting on his first two months in office, Crews said, “It’s taken me a little bit of practice to get back in the swing of running a meeting and realizing that there’s a lot of people that really want to be heard, so you just have to sit back and let them say what they need to say…”
He said one lesson learned is that it’s wise to spend more time on things before bringing them to the council, like with Resolution 540A.
“That was a quickly learned lesson,” he said. Revisions to the actual permit application are still being worked on and that should be brought back to council on March 12.
When asked how it feels to be mayor again, Crews said, “I’m thinking sometimes I should’ve just stayed retired.”
On the day he was interviewed, Crews had just paid off his home mortgage.
“It’s been a hard run for the last ten years, scrimping and saving… It’s a wonderful feeling. I was so happy I just about cried.”
Sports
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Florence girls 2nd at districts
The Florence and Darby boys and girls basketball teams competed in the District 6B combined boys and girls basketball tournaments in Anaconda from Thursday, January 26 to Saturday, January 28. They played alongside the other four schools in the district: Missoula Loyola, Deer Lodge, Arlee, and Anaconda.
The top four teams advanced to the Western B Divisional, which is in Pablo on March 5-7. On the girls side, Missoula Loyola took 1st, Florence was 2nd, Anaconda was third, and Darby took 4th. On the boys side, Anaconda took 1st, Missoula Loyola took 2nd, Arlee took 3rd, and Deer Lodge took 4th.
Florence girls
Th e Florence girls took 2nd place at the 2026 District 6B girls tournament. They met Missoula Loyola in the championship game on Saturday, February 28 and lost 57-62. Florence defeated Anaconda 65-15 in their first round game on Friday, Feb. 27. The Florence girls advance to the Western B Divisional tournament where they are District 6B’s #2 team and play Plains, Distinct 7B’s #3 seed, on Thursday, March 5th at 1:15 p.m in Pablo.
Florence 57, M issoula Loyola 62
F lorence and Loyola played on Saturday night in the 6B District championship game, and if you’re a fan of high level basketball, you weren’t disappointed.
The two teams were ranked #3 (Loyola) and #4 (Florence) in the latest Class B girls 406mtsports.com poll, and they split their regular season games. Florence has a well rounded team and any number of girls can lead the scoring on any given night. Loyola is led by one of the most dominant players in the state in Stanford-bound Spencer Laird.
In their first two meetings the winner was decided in the last half of the fourth quarter. This game came down to the end as well.
Florence stumbled out of the gate to start the game, and with just over two minutes left in the 1st quarter Florence trailed 2-17. The Falcons righted the ship, but
still trailed 10-20 at the end of the quarter and 22-32 at halftime. Loyola extended their lead in the third quarter and Florence trailed 32-47 heading into the final frame.
Then Florence made a valiant comeback. The Falcons went on a 17-2 run to start the fourth quarter, fueled by a frantic defense and a sharp shooting Taylor Pyette, and with three minutes to play in the game the score was tied 49-49. But Florence ran out of steam, and Loyola controlled the game from this point on, and Florence fell 57-62.
A rematch and fourth meeting between Florence and Loyola seems likely at the Western B Divisionals in Pablo this weekend, as both teams are favored to make the final.
If you’re a fan of basketball, do yourself a favor and make your way north to watch these two high-level teams play.
For Florence in the championship game, Taylor Pyette led the scoring with 15 points, Maggie Schneiter had 13, Kendyl Meinhold and Jaden Fisher each had 7, Emory Ralston had 5, Shelby Crocker had 4, and Ali Meinhold and Madigan Hurlbert each added 3.
Florence 65, A naconda
15
Flo rence defeated Anaconda 65-15 in their first round game on Friday. Florence led 19-2 after the first quarter and 43-7 at halftime and cruised to the one-sided victory. For Florence, Ali Meinhold led the scoring with 12 points, Kendyl Meinhold had 11, Emory Ralston had 8, Taylor Pyette had 7, Jaden Fisher and Madigan Hurlbert each had 6, Alex Nelson and Maggie Schneiter each had 5, and Shelby Crocker added 2.
Florence’s Kendyl Meinhold (#2) goes up for a shot against Missoula Loyola’s Spencer Laird (#12). The Florence and Loyola girls basketball teams met for the 3rd time this season in the District 6B championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28 in Anaconda. Florence lost 57-62 in a battle between two of the top Class B girls teams in the state. Photo by Stephanie K Geiser Photography.
Darby girls qualify for divisionals
The Darby girls were the #6 seed in the 6B District tournament. They played #3 Anaconda on Thursday, Feb. 26. The Darby girls fought hard but lost 32-42.
This loss sent them to the losers side of the bracket where they played Deer Lodge. The Darby girls played inspired and won 49-34. This win highlights the improve-
ment and determination of the Darby girls, as they had lost to Deer Lodge 33-52 on January 17 and 53-72 on February 7. With the win, Darby punched their ticket to the
Western B Divisionals. The win also sent them to the consolation game on Saturday afternoon, where they met Anaconda again and lost 23-53. The Darby girls advance
to the Western B Divisional tournament and are District 6B’s #4 seed and play St. Ignatius (Mission), District 7B’s #1 seed, on Thursday, March 4 at 11:30 a.m. in Pablo.
Florence boys heartbroken at districts
The Florence boys, the District 6B’s #2 seed and ranked #8 in the latest 406mtsports.com Class B poll, had aspirations for a deep postseason run. However, their season ended with two close losses at the highly competitive 6B District tournament.
Florence 58, Missoula Loyola 66
Florence played #3 Missoula Loyola on Friday, Feb. 27 in their opening round game. The two teams split their regular season contests, but Loyola got the better of Florence on this night as Florence lost 58-66.
Florence 56, Arlee 59
Th e loss to Loyola sent Florence to the losers bracket to face Arlee, a team they had beaten twice during the regular season. The Falcons controlled the game for most of the contest, leading 53-43 with
just over two minutes to play in the game. Unfortunately, a combination of Florence turnovers and Arlee three-pointers fueled a dramatic 16-3 run for Arlee down the stretch. Florence fell short, losing 56-59, which ended their season.
Darby boys fall short at districts
The Darby boys were the #6 seed and played #3 Missoula Loyola in the first round on Thursday, Feb. 26. As mentioned above, the boys teams in 6B are tough from top to bottom. Darby is a talented team, but just couldn’t put it all together and lost both of their games in districts, ending their season.
The Darby boys played #3 Missoula Loyola in the first round game. Darby were competitive throughout the game, but lost 47-57. This loss sent them to the loser’s side of the bracket where they played Deer Lodge on Saturday morning. Again, the Tigers played hard but fell short, losing 45-59.
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Hamilton boys, girls win play-in games
In the Southwest A conference, the top three basketball teams get byes into the Western A Divisionals. The bottom three teams have play-in games to see who will be the fourth seed at divisionals.
Boys divisional p lay-in games
I n the boys Southwest A, Frenchtown, Dillon, and Butte Central were the top three teams, so Hamilton, Corvallis, and Stevensville vied for the fourth seed in Divisionals.
Corvallis 74, S tevensville 48
O n Thursday, February 26, the Corvallis boys hosted Stevensville in the first divisional play-in game. Corvallis led 19-9 after the first quarter and 33-16 at halftime. Corvallis continued to increase their lead in the second half and defeat -
ed Stevensville 74-48, sending the Blue Devils to play Hamilton in the second play-in game.
Hamilton 57, C orvallis 38
I n the second divisional play-in game, the Hamilton boys hosted Corvallis on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Hamilton started strong and built a 29-20 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Corvallis came within six points, but Hamilton put their foot on the gas to take a 41-28 lead into the fourth quarter and cruised to a 57-38 victory.
Hamilton’s Cash Lockhart (#45) and the Hamilton boys basketball team played Corvallis in the second boys divisional play-in game in Hamilton on Saturday, Feb. 28. Hamilton defeated Corvallis 57-38 to punch their ticket to divisionals. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Girls divisional play-in games
In the girls Southwest A conference, Frenchtown, Dillon, and Corvallis were the top three teams in the regular season standing, so Hamilton, Butte Central, and Stevensville vied for the fourth seed in Divisionals.
Stevensville 20, Butte Central 51
On Thursday, February 26, the Butte Central girls hosted Stevensville in the frst divisional play-in game. The Stevensville girls gave it their all but didn’t have the ofensive frepower to stay with Butte and lost 20-51.
Hamilton’s Annalise Lewis scored 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in Hamilton’s 29-28 victory over Butte Central in the second girls divisional play-in game on Saturday, Feb. 28 in Hamilton. Hamilton qualifed for divisionals with the win. Photo by Scott Sacry.
Hamilton 29, Butte Central 28
In the second divisional play-in game, the Hamilton girls hosted Butte Central on Saturday, Feb. 28. This game was a defensive struggle and points were at a premium. The score was tied 6-6 after the frst quarter and Hamilton trailed 12-18 at halftime. The Lady Broncs closed the gap in the third quarter and the game was tied 23-23 heading into the fnal frame. Hamilton’s defense held strong, holding Butte to two fourth quarter baskets and Hamilton got the 29-28 victory and the fourth seed at the Western A Divisionals.
For Hamilton, Annalise Lewis had 12 points and 6 rebounds. Ashlynn McKern had 7 points and 5 rebounds. Elise Carroll and Meryn Leonardi each had 4 points. Taryn Hochhalter had 2 points and 5 rebounds.
Hamilton to host Western A divisionals
The 2026 Western A Divisional boys and girls basketball tournaments will be hosted by Hamilton on Thursday, March 5 to Saturday, March 7. The Western A Divisional includes the top four teams from the Southwest conference and the top four teams from the Northwest conference. The top four teams at di-
visionals qualify for the Class A State Tournament in Great Falls on March 12-14. Three Bitterroot Valley teams qualifed for divisionals: the Corvallis girls, the Hamilton girls, and the Hamilton boys. The Corvallis girls are the #3 seed from the Southwest and play
Whitefsh, the #2 seed from the Northwest, on Thursday, March 5 at 12:00 p.m. In the only matchup between the two teams this season, Corvallis lost to Whitefsh 31-51 on December 12.
The Hamilton girls are the #4 seed from the Southwest and play Bigfork, the #1 seed from the North-
west, on Thursday, March 5 at 8 p.m. Earlier in the season on December 9, Hamilton lost to Bigfork 38-64. The Hamilton boys are the #4 seed from the Southwest and play Ronan, the #1 seed from the Northwest on Thursday, March 5 at 5 p.m. Earlier in the season on December 12, Hamilton defeated Ronan 61-53.
International Fly Fishing Film Festival scheduled
The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) returns with a curated collection of world-class flms spanning conservation, family, adventure and culture, including a standout short featuring prominent American chef and cultural storyteller David Chang chasing permit in Mexico.
The Hamilton screening will take place at the Bedford Building, 223 S 2nd St, on Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 pm. Popcorn, candies, beer and other refreshments will be available for purchase. The screening will be co-hosted with Hamilton Community Cinema.
Tickets can be purchased online at bitterrootwater.org/FishWeek or at the Bitterroot Water Partnership
ofce (162 S 2nd Street, Hamilton).
Advance tickets are $17, with day-of tickets priced at $22. Total runtime is approximately two and a half hours.
This screening of IF4 is hosted by the Bitterroot Water Partnership and all ticket and rafe sales support their conservation work, including habitat restoration and the annual Bitterroot River Clean Up. IF4 guests will have the opportunity to enter a rafe for multiple prizes, including a full day guided fshing trip on the Bitterroot River. The screening of IF4 of March 6 marks the end of Fish Week. To view the full Fish Week schedule, and to purchase rafe or flm tickets, visit bitterrootwater.org/ FishWeek.
Fish Week includes a communi-
ty presentation detailing recent and upcoming restoration impacts for the Bitterroot River, highlighting factors afecting our waters like sediment and warming stream temperatures and their solutions. You can RSVP for the Tuesday 3/3 discussion, The ‘Tail’ of Two Headwaters: Restoring the East Fork & Protecting the West Fork of the Bitterroot River, at bitterrootwater. org/ FishWeek. Among the flms featured are Against the Current — Fred Campbell brings his mother to a
remote northern salmon river for one fnal journey, refecting on resilience, aging and the enduring migration of Atlantic salmon; Dhala What You Must — Simon Kay journeys into Tanzania’s remote wilds in pursuit of Africa’s most coveted freshwater predator, the tigerfsh; Generations — Captain Ben Whalley confronts the uncertain future of striped bass through the eyes of his daughter, weaving conservation, family and livelihood into a call for action; Price of Admission — three friends travel deep into Patagonia in pursuit of massive brown trout, discovering the efort required to chase the fsh of a lifetime. For more information on the festival, featured flms and tour dates, visit fyflmfest.com.
Tarifs, taxes, trust
Just like none of them choked when he blasphemed the Lord’s prayer at Charlie Kirk’s funeral, not a SINGLE Montana Republican made a peep about the 15 per cent sales tax he put on cofee and bananas. If you want more sales taxes, keep voting Republican. If you want representation, vote Democrat.
Steve Daines, Ryan Zinke, Tim Sheehy, and Troy Downing are scared spitless of Donald Trump. Why do Ravalli County Republicans and Tony Hudson keep trusting these guys?
Jim Parker Hamilton
Support for Binkley, Bedey, Rusk
The terrifc trio of true representation in the valley! Taxes going down!
Across Montana - on television, radio, streaming services, mailers, and social media - tens of thousands of dollars are being spent attacking three Bitterroot Valley legislative candidates known for common-sense conservatism, constitutional judgment, and practical public service:
Michele Binkley - House District 85 (Corvallis)
Wayne Rusk - House District 86 (Hamilton)
David Bedey - Senate District 43 (Corvallis, Darby, parts of Hamilton, Connor, Sula, and the West Fork)
These three are NOT high-profle candidates for congress or the presidency, just local people who love the Bitterroot valley and are willing to be the voice of Bitterrooters in the state legislature. They are our neighbors and friends. So why is so much money being spent to take them down?
It’s simple! They don’t vote to “go along to get along.” They vote FOR the people, not the party.
They vote for what is good for the Bitterroot. They are common sense independent people - all small business owners who know what the job of a legislator is all about - being the representative voice for the Bitterroot.
Binkley is a 2nd amendment supporter and taught gun safety to her two sons. A small business owner, with lots of banking and mortgage experience, she also encouraged them to serve in the US Marine Corps. She is one strong Montana cowgirl who will defend the Bitterroot if elected back to HD 85 like she did before she broke her leg and was unable to campaign in 2024.
Rusk is also a gunner and hunter. He too is a small business owner and taught his son to hunt and shoot. He studies the constitution with both his children and all know it well which is a foundation for his -principled- stand on some of his votes. He checks to make sure his vote is constitutional! His son took third in a state-wide constitutional knowledge contest so Dad is doing his job for his children and yours too!
Bedey is also a gunner and a fsherman. He is a small business owner and one of the best educated in the state legislature with a Ph.D. in Space Physics. He is a 30-year retired Colonel from the US Army so you know that he will defend the Bitterroot. When you see him in action as a state senator, you will understand why he is one of the most highly respected legislators in the state and has over 52 bills signed by the governor!
All three individuals actually read bills on which they vote, and as important, they weigh consequences now and in the future.
They ask whether the legislation is constitutional, afordable, and safe for the people they represent - not whether it pleases party factions or outside power brokers.
Opinion
That high quality representation and independence is exactly why they’re under attack.
Consider that Americans who study history often point to our founders being people of divine providence, the idea that at critical moments, principled leaders emerge together, much like the Founders did when drafting the U.S. Constitution.
Whether one sees that spiritually or historically, the fact remains: Binkley, Rusk, and Bedey represent a rare alignment of judgment, experience, and restraint in an era dominated by ideological theatrics.
Vote for Bedey, Binkley and Rusk June 2.
Helen Sabin Corvallis
Navy Seals
I was just wondering again why Montana citizens are so fascinated with Navy Seals! Navy Seals are not trained to be desk jockeys. They are not trained to be gate guards. They are trained to eliminate (kill) bad guys. The bad guys think the Navy Seals are the bad guys. I was just wondering why the people of Montana elected two Navy Seals to represent them in Washington. Tim Sheehy said he wanted to go to Washington to "fght" the Democrats. What did that mean? Was he going there to physically assault them, or what? Doesn't he know that his job is to help pass laws that will beneft Montana citizens, Democrats and Republicans! I wonder if he knows that means he needs the Democrats to help him pass legislation that benefts all the people of our state. I wonder why the people of Montana reelected Ryan Zinke? During his frst term (2017 to 2019) he was the US Secretary of the Interior under Trump, but resigned after a series of ethics inquiries. He repeatedly violated ethical rules, then lied to investigators. I was just wondering! Charles Sleath Hamilton
Facts over fear: setting record straight on Sheep Creek
The recent opinion piece titled “USCM wants a handout” paints a dramatic picture of the proposed Sheep Creek critical minerals project. Unfortunately, it does so by blending misinformation, exaggeration, and halftruths in a way that misleads readers about both what is actually being proposed and how mineral development is regulated in the United States.
Our community deserves better than alarmism. We deserve facts.
First, U.S. Critical Materials (USCM) is not seeking a “handout.” What the company is pursuing is a standard, regulated exploration process; one required of any company attempting to determine whether a mineral resource even exists in economically recoverable form. Exploration is not mining. It does not grant approval for development, and it does not bypass environmental safeguards. It is the preliminary step that answers basic questions about geology before anyone can decide whether further activity should even be considered.
That distinction matters, yet it is ignored in the critique. Exploration involves limited surface disturbance, small and targeted drilling, and strict oversight by federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service. If a mining proposal were ever advanced, it would require a separate permit, a full environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, and extensive public involvement. There is
no fast track, there is no shortcut, and there is no automatic approval.
The opinion piece also relies on exaggerated claims about drilling, explosives, and environmental harm. Readers are left with the impression that tens of thousands of holes, massive blasting, and poisoned groundwater are imminent. That is simply not how exploration works. Modern mineral exploration uses carefully controlled, small-diameter drill holes designed to gather geological data, not industrialscale blasting. Any future development would be subject to site-specifc environmental studies, mitigation plans, and regulatory enforcement. Suggesting otherwise misrepresents both the process and the law.
Equally misleading is the implication that USCM’s collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory somehow proves the company is chasing federal subsidies or attempting to stockpile ore at taxpayer expense. In reality, partnerships with national laboratories are focused on research and technology – specifcally, improving mineral processing methods in ways that are more efcient, environmentally responsible, and aligned with national security priorities. That kind of research is about innovation, not blank checks.
Concerns about water, wildlife, and environmental protection are legitimate. No one who lives in the Bitterroot Valley takes those issues lightly. But raising concerns is diferent from asserting outcomes as inevitable without evidence. Exploration and any potential future development are governed by layers of federal and state regulation designed to protect groundwater, surface water, and surrounding ecosystems. Claims of unavoidable contamination ignore those safeguards and the scientifc review process built into them.
Perhaps most troubling is how easily discussion about responsible resource development is reduced to fear-based rhetoric. Montana, and the nation, faces a real challenge in securing critical minerals needed for energy infrastructure, defense systems, and advanced technologies. That does not mean every project should be approved. It does mean every proposal deserves to be evaluated honestly, transparently, and on its actual merits.
Debate is healthy. Scrutiny is necessary. But when opinion pieces substitute hyperbole for facts, they do a disservice to the public and to the very environmental values they claim to defend.
The people of the Bitterroot deserve a conversation grounded in reality. One that recognizes both the importance of environmental stewardship and the need for informed decision-making. We can protect our land and water while still allowing science, transparency, and due process to determine what is truly in the best interest of our community.
Let’s choose facts over fear, and thoughtful engagement over speculation.
Chad Miller
Florence
Response to Henricks
Dear Dana Henricks, Your belated response to my simple question from last September really amuses me. All I asked was for the Democratic game plan to move this country forward. That must have been a very hard question for you, since it took169 days for you to come up with a response. Then it took 12 rambling paragraphs for you to reveal that the plan was for the Democrats to elect people "who will value people and the planet over profts."
So… if those elected don't value profts, how are we all to make a living? We have a capitalistic society which
values hard work, and the chance to get ahead, with the reward being profts. No business can stay in business if it does not make profts. I gather then, from your answer, that the Democratic plan is to change our economy from Capitalism to Socialism. Very enlightening.
Jane Lambert Stevensville Open letter to Daines, Sheehy and Zinke
It has been a while since I have written. Not because you have actually acted in a manner consistent with your job description as a legislator, but from the futility of wishful thinking that you would eventually put the country before your party. The assaults on our Constitution, the destruction of the economy, raining murder and terror upon our citizens and immigrants, the fnancial blackmail, the war crimes, acting as prosecutor, judge and executioner, the grift and corruption, the war on free speech, the protection of rich white pedophiles. And today, an illegal war launched to distract from these disasters—all of which you actively or passively support by your actions and/or inactions—continue unrelentingly. By supporting this daily assault on decency, integrity and justice, you have covered yourself in blood and shame. It was easy to recognize your soulless vacuity early on. You are not distinguished by intelligence, but I think even you probably recognize that a criminal stares back when you look in the mirror, and that you believe the only way to keep justice at bay is to cling ever more tightly to the convicted felon that heads your cult. Perhaps that allows you to sleep more soundly at night; not needing to have the light on to keep the ghosts away. I wonder if the school children who were slaughtered today in a strike against an elementary school in southern Iran will trouble your dreams. Or Renee Good. Or Alex Pretti. Or Liam Ramos. Or Nurul Amin Shah Alam. Or those languishing in US concentration camps. So many killed and disappeared. I suspect not. Your taste for secondhand blood has grown insatiable. If only in the interest of self-preservation. I doubt that you will ever read this. I submit it only in the faint hope that it could provide some additional context for the prosecution in a future where you are tried for war crimes and treason. Nota bene: It was not only the highest level Nazis who were tried at Nuremberg.
We do not live in a just world, but there are occasions where justice prevails. If you ever face such a reckoning, the words and actions of all the millions who oppose this morally and legally corrupt regime and your complicity in its campaign of murder and destruction, will bask in the light of that justice.
Shawn Wathen Hamilton
Open letter to Daines
Senator Daines, I did not hear you speak publicly to your president, urging him to go to Congress for permission to bomb the capital city of Iran. What I DID see was your yawn as you watched your president speak at what could not be honestly called the State of the Union address to the nation. We know it, traditionally, to be a true assessment of where we fnd ourselves as a people in a proud democracy. You have not earned my vote to return to DC for another term, and I shall do everything I can to defeat you.
Ruth Hazelton Hamilton
Bitterrooter Clothing - a
by Victoria Howell
Thirty-something Katelynn Rennaker is the owner of Bitterrooter Clothing at 304 Main Street in downtown Stevensville. She’s passionate about her vintage clothing business and wants to spread the word.
Rennaker grew up in Darby in a ranching and rodeo family.
“I never really saw myself selling cowboy culture, but something happened along the way and I just absolutely fell in love with vintage clothing and the quality and the story that comes with it,” said Rennaker. “It just became such a passion of mine. I recognized that there were a lot of other people who were really into it, and so Bitterrooter Clothing was born.”
The shop opened in December 2023 out on the highway, then moved into town last June. It’s now located in the iconic spot where the Montana Distill-
ery used to be.
“Being downtown has the character and the energy I was looking for and it’s been a really great ft,” said Rennaker.
The shop is brimming with vintage clothing, jewelry, home decor, boots, hats, books and more, all displayed in a way that invites you to linger and keep browsing.
This is not a consignment shop. People bring in their vintage items and Rennaker pays for every piece, with a buy-out or store credit.
“I provide a service to the community, the money stays here locally and with individuals,” said Rennaker. She encourages everyone to bring in their vintage clothing, such as jeans like Levi’s, which she said are hard to fnd and are much in demand.
Rennaker says she inspects, mends and cleans every item as best she can.
She specializes in street wear, and the more trendy fashion side of vintage. She likes name brands that are stylistic, particularly t-shirts and jeans. She said they can have holes, and or distressing. She especially loves Rockies jeans and other jeans from the 80’s and 90’s, as well as old concert t-shirts and leather fringe.
Store hours are Monday thru Friday from 12 noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Like some other Stevensville businesses that have decided to be open on Sundays, she has found that Sundays are a surprisingly good day to be open. The website is bitterrooterclothingco.com .
“I’m an idea person,” says Rennaker. “I have ideas all the time.”
One idea came to her when federal SNAP food benefts were shut down last year. Rennaker gets emotional when talking about it.
“Too many people in my personal circle experienced food insecurity last year, and so then I was like, what could I do to help? It was like a gob-smack,” she said. “You have the spot, you have the capabilities.”
She and a former staf person set up a food pantry in the alley behind the shop, free to anyone who needs it. An old cupboard ofered some basic food items. Then she made a post on the Facebook page Moving Stevensville Forward and within 24 hours someone had donated a fridge.
“I know that a lot of people are utilizing it, both ways,” said Rennaker. “Mutiple micro-bakeries have kept it stocked. Barefoot Farms, Big Sky Baked Goods, and GM Clucker Barrel Farmstand, those are all local girls that have really gone out of their way.”
She said she put up a little sign asking people to please be conscientious about what they’re donating, donating food that’s reasonably fresh, not freezer burned, etc.
TUESDAYS at St Francis of Assisi Parish in Hamilton, 411
Fr. David - Talk Series on the Liturgy, following 5:30 p.m. Mass Vespers and Reconciliation before Mass
WEDNESDAYS at St Francis of Assisi Parish
Fr. David - Talk Series on the Liturgy, following Noon Mass Adoration and Reconciliation before Mass at St Joseph Mission in Florence, 224 Linder St.
6 p.m. Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Soup & Bread
THURSDAYS at St Mary Parish in Stevensville, 333 Charlos St.
Fr. David - Talk Series on the Liturgy, following Noon Mass at St Philip Benizi Mission in Darby, 312 East Miles St.
11 a.m. Adoration
12 p.m. Stations of the Cross Lunch follows
FRIDAYS at St Francis of Assisi Parish
6 p.m. - Stations of the Cross with Vespers
5 p.m. - Knights of Columbus Fish Fry at St Mary Parish
9:30 a.m. Stations of the Cross before 10 a.m. Mass
Adoration and Reconciliation after Mass
5 p.m. Knights of Columbus Fish Fry with Drive Through Option
SUNDAYS at St Francis of Assisi Parish
Following 9 a.m. Mass Refections w/ John Bacon on the Theology of the Body at St Mary Parish
4:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross before 5 p.m. Mass
All events listed are in addition to our regular Adoration and Mass times
Rennaker says the pantry has never been totally empty, there’s always at least peanut
butter and dried noodles. Or you might fnd fresh eggs, bread, meat, and so much more.
She has also partnered with David’s Angels, a local non-proft that takes donations to help the unhoused community. They’ve contributed socks, underwear, t-shirts, hygiene products, etc. to the pantry.
“This whole winter has been such a weird time,” said Rennaker. “But this has really given me hope in humanity again. I know a lot of people here have appreciated it.”
Yet another project of Katelynn’s is a country music band, Cowsh*t Kate. Katelynn is the lead singer and plays rhythm guitar in the fve-piece band. She hopes to be playing a few gigs at local venues this year, such as Creamery Picnic. You can fnd her music on Spotify.
“I guess my thirties have just been all about fnding myself,” said Rennaker.
For more information contact Rennaker at 406546-3197.
Above, Katelynn Rennaker, owner of Bitterrooter Clothing in Stevensville, at her cluttered but cozy counter. Photo by Victoria Howell.
Below, The exterior of Bitterrooter Clothing on Main Street in Stevensville, located where the Montana Distillery used to be. Photo by Victoria Howell.
Katelynn Rennaker at the little food pantry she created in the alley behind her Bitterrooter Clothing business in Stevensville. The pantry offers a variety of free food for anyone who needs it, and is stocked by generous local folks who are willing to share their bounty. Photo by Victoria Howell.
The interior of Bitterrooter Clothing in Stevensville has racks and racks of vintage clothing and other treasures, including jeans. Photo by Victoria Howell.
Something I have grown to believe from traveling is that every place seems to have a soul. Each one lives and breathes just like the people and animals that live there. In the West, it feels like a wild thing, just like the animals, mountains and deserts. It’s quiet, thoughtful, wild and untamed. Majesty is the word, like a thing that commands respect.
In Thailand, the place feels old. Like some ancient being sitting in quiet contemplation. Respectful and wise, even in the fast-paced cities, there was an element of reverence that cannot be understood without visiting.
from the young to the old, and they do so almost every day; their work is their life.
However, I heard someone there say something that changed my perspective, and verbalized the emotions I felt. They said, “If you come to Mexico humble, and treat her with respect and care, she will give you everything.” And she does.
Recently, my wife and I took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, where she is from. Mexico is hard to put into a bottle because it is a lot. In every way, Mexico bombards a person, and overwhelms them. Even in the quietest places, something about it feels loud. It is harsh, abrasive, and like trying to drink from a water hose, it seems to never stop fowing.
The place is a lot in every way, and if a person goes there expecting to put it all in a neat little box with preconceived notions, Mexico will chew them up, wear them down and spit them out. Mexico is full of poverty, an often dry, hot and unforgiving environment, and crime is the norm. The people cannot rely on their government to do anything for them, so they regularly take matters into their own hands. Everyone there works so hard to survive,
Once a person stops and watches, there is a feeling like witnessing fowers bloom on a cactus in the morning. The country is rich, and even with millions of people, it can provide for all. There are pristine beaches loaded with delicious life and abundance. There are cloud-forests and mountains with lush green tropical jungles. The people there are beautiful and immeasurably kind. Humans distilled down into a pure and unadulterated form, where every emotion is so close to the surface. Where love, patience, giving and family are the overwhelming majority. The people are industrious and inventive, tackling every problem with independence and freedom. One never feels alone there, and the noise is warm and flled with laughter. Art and products, services and substance all feel rich and not watered down in any way, and that knowledge in making has deep roots.
Mexico is a lot. But, like a dense and thick soup broth, it can be made into many things. The soul of Mexico is a lot. It is not cruel or vindictive, but a torrent of things
that must be taken as they come. It is flled past the brim with rich culture, vibrant colors and a place that deeply cherishes trust, even when humans are human and they let each other down. Mexico gives relentlessly, holds a person to their principles and she is fercely protective of her people.
We like to put places in boxes, especially when looking at them from
far away. For many in the U.S. it can look like Mexico is a world of crime and fear. But in reality, just like most things, that is not the whole story. Just like any one person, there are countless emotions and contradictions. If a person takes the time to see her, Mexico will open her beautiful heart, and she will be worth every efort.
The Catholic Church in San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico. Photo by John Dowd.
Obituaries
Anita Duncan
Anita Duncan, 84, of Hamilton Montana, passed away on February 23, 2026, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. Throughout her life, she was a real help and encouragement to so many as
Death Notices
Delores J. Ensley
Hamilton - Delores J. Ensley, 94, of Hamilton passed away Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 at her home. Services will be held at Big Sky Baptist Church and will be announced. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.
they dealt with their struggles in life. She showed them genuine care, warmth, kindness, guidance and loving care, with a lot of humor sprinkled in. It was her mission to improve the lives of others.
Anita is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, John Duncan, her son Jef, daughter Stephanie, sister Fran, brother Al, and grandsons: Sawyer (Hannah), Garret (Elisabeth) and Conner. Also, sister-in-law Jeanine and Joan and many other family members, all who deeply loved her and will miss her.
Anita was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1959 and devoted her life to serve her God and found joy in helping others learn about all the wonderful blessings found in the Holy Bible and to have a personal relationship with Jehovah God.
The family wants to thank her care givers, the kind and helpful Kimberly Dean and Mariya Moore, the amazing Hospice helpers at PIHC, for their care and support
Michael J. ‘Mike’ Steele
Darby - Michael J. “Mike” Steele, 69, of Darby passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at his home of natural causes. Services will be held at a later date. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.
of Anita.
We are posting a “Celebration of Life of Anita F. Duncan” on the Daly-Leach Mortuary Hamilton, Montana website in the near future.
Ray Somerset Missoula - Ray Somerset, 75, passed away peacefully Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Hope Hospice. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com
CAUGHEY: scientist who always put people frst
Continued from page 1
Caughey for testing by his team at RML. They discovered evidence for prions in the eyes of all eleven CJD patients and in multiple parts of each eye. Caughey recognized that the results revealed that CJD patients accumulate prion seeds throughout the eye, indicating the potential diagnostic utility as well as a possible biohazard for patients undergoing cornea transplants.
While they still didn’t know how early in live patients the prion activity shows up in the eye, experiments in mice showed that it could show up quite a bit earlier than the other clinical signs of the disease. This raised the possibility that eye fuids or any other easily accessible component of the eye might be useful as a diagnostic specimen in order to better diagnose CJD in people.
Caughey and his team at RML worked hard on improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the RT-QuIC method and protocols involved in testing for CJD and in 2018, RT-QuIC was added to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s diagnostic criteria for prion disease.
When this reporter frst interviewed Caughey at that time, he was excited and said some diseases like Alzheimers, Parkinsons, dementia with Lewy bodies and other neuro-degenerative diseases also involve the accumulation of certain misfolded proteins that can propagate within people much like prions. He said they would like to develop a real-time quaking-induced conversion test for these types of diseases and see if the problematic proteins related to those diseases also accumulate in the eyes.
The following year I had the pleasure of interviewing him once again when he and three other scientists at RML and several of their colleagues in Italy were all recipients of the 2019 Aspen Institute Italia Award for scientifc research and collaboration between Italy and the United States in recognition for their work in developing the improved test.
Caughey said, “It’s really nice to have back-ups, when you do a test and you are about to tell a person that they have a horrible, fatal, untreatable and rapidly progressing neurological disease, it’s nice to have further confrmation.” The lab was then able to issue a certifed diagnosis of CJD to a patient whose samples test positive and be close to 100% certain. Although it was not a cure it was a major step forward.
I noticed a few things about Caughey at the time. He not only possessed a keen mind, he also had a very big heart. He was not in it to make a name for himself or for purely research purposes. He wanted to help people. And having a test capable of making a defnite and timely diagnosis of prion disease while a patient is still alive was an extremely important step forward. By informing family members, it allows them to avoid further tests, reduces costs and could allow for timely treatment, and at this
time prepare for the inevitable, he said. Studying the disease in its early stages of development, before any symptoms present, could also present a better opportunity for successful therapeutics.
What I remember most from my interview with Caughey about the Aspen Institute Italia Award was his genuine humility. He did not want to talk about his own accomplishments or his team’s accomplishments at frst. He wanted to talk, and did at great length, about one of his colleagues at RML, Dr. Bruce Chesebro, and the work that this man did in his investigations of Mad Cow Disease, Scrapies and Chronic Wasting Disease, all fatal prion diseases among mammals, and how it set the stage for his own research into CJD. It reminded me of the phrase Isaac Newton made famous concerning his own insights into gravity, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
He was also quick to give credit for breakthroughs to his team, in this case particularly to Christina Orru (now Christina Orru-Groveman), lead author of the published reports. At that time, she had already trained people at 30 diferent laboratories around the world on how to perform the tests. She and Dr. Andy Hughson had also just fnished a blind examination of 200 samples testing for Parkinsons disease and performed well. They also performed well on a large set from Sweden.
What Orru-Groveman recalls about Caughey is not just his humility, but his genuine interest in other people and what they think, and his inspiring manner. She was born in Sardinia and got her education in Italy before coming to the U.S. for postdoctoral work at RML. She said the academic environment in Italy was very formal and the prestige attached to scientifc accomplishments created a highly competitive atmosphere fraught with arrogance, competition and ownership of ideas. She was nervous about working for someone who was so renowned in his feld.
“I was shocked at how personable he was and the frst thing he said was to ask me what I thought about prions,” said Orru-Groveman. She was also shocked by how willing he was to share the fruits of his research with others.
“I had an incredible amount of independence in my work,” she said. Upon returning to Italy she opened up her own laboratory but found the formalities, the bureaucracy, and the reticence to share research discoveries there stultifying and jumped at the chance to return to RML when Caughey ofered her a job. She spent the last 19 years on his team at RML. “He was and always will be my mentor,” she said.
Orru-Groveman was not the only one to beneft from Caughey’s easy manner and openness. He trained dozens of PhD students and post-docs, many of whom now run their own labs.
Sue Priola, a senior investigator and currently Chief of the TSE/Prion Mole-
cular Biology Section, came to RML in 1991 to do her post-doctoral work under Dr. Chesebro. Due to lack of space she shared an ofce with Caughey for 10 years and worked with him for the next 35 years.
She said she remembered when she frst arrived as a naïve little post-doc and came up with an idea but was not sure if it was a good idea or a bad idea. She said she turned to Caughey in the ofce and said, “Byron, what do you think of this?” He listened and said, “Yes. I think that’s a good idea. I think you should try that.” She said it was the frst time that anybody had said to her she had a good idea and the frst time anybody had really encouraged her.
“He was a fantastic mentor in that way and just a great person to talk science with and always open to new
ideas,” said Priola. “A ferce proponent of his lab and people. He was marvelous that way and from the day I met him till now he never changed. He was able to tackle the big questions and just stick with it and fnd an answer to the problem. The RT-QuIC assay is a good example. As well as the frst picture of an infectious protein that he published a few years ago. That was an impossible project that he struggled with for years and years. He was really good at steering very difcult projects to completion and not a lot of scientists can do that.”
Dr. Caughey’s colleague at RML and a good friend of his, Dr. Kim Hasenkrug, also noted in recent remarks how Byron (and many others) spent decades working on the intractable problem of solving the crystal structure of a misbehaving protein that would not form crystals and in 2021, used cryo-EM to fnally elucidate the frst high resolution structure of a prion. According to Haskenkrug, it was a structure very similar to one Byron had conceptualized
years earlier, by bending foam covered metal wires into spaghetti-like shapes covered in post-it note labels.
Hasenkrug noted in Caughey’s obituary that he received numerous national and international recognition honors, was awarded fve U.S. patents, brought over $1.3 million in outside research money into the lab, organized a dozen international meetings, worked tirelessly as an editor and editorial board member for numerous scientifc journals, reviewed way too many grant applications, and served on a multitude of committees.
“Scientists came from all over the world to learn how to perform the RT-QuIC assay in Byron’s lab. He was a highly sought-after speaker at conferences around the world, and when Byron got up to speak, a hush fell over the audience. They knew something interesting and exciting was about to unfold. Most people will never realize how much his work touches our lives, but those who were fortunate to work with him will never forget,” wrote Haskenkrug
Dr. Byron Caughey (above) and his team of scientists at Rocky Mountain Laboratory. Andy Hughson, Byron Caughey, Christina Orru and Bradley Groveman gathered in 2019. Photo by Michael Howell.
PUBLIC NOTICE School Board Trustee
Vacancy
Stevensville School District, announces the resignation of a School Board Trustee, creating a vacancy on the Board of Trustees.
In accordance with Montana law, the Board of Trustees will appoint a qualifed individual to fll the position until May of 2027 election.
Individuals interested in being considered for appointment must submit a letter of interest to the District Clerk, Glenda Kearney,at 300 Park Ave, Stevensville MT 59870 or email to Kearneyg@stevensville.k12.
mt.us no later than Thursday, March 5th at 4pm. The board will conduct interviews for the open board position during our March 10th board meeting. For additional information, please contact the District Ofce at 406-777-5481.
BS 2-18, 2-25, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
PUBLIC NOTICE OF SURPLUS SALE
Town of Stevensville is conducting a surplus sale of the following three items:
All items are bid on through a closed bid process with starting bids. Viewing of the items and placing of bids will occur
3/2/26-3/6/26 (9am-4pm) and 3/9/26-3/12/26 (9am-4pm) . Bidding is closed on 3/12/2026 @ 4:00pm. Opening of the bids will take place at the regularly scheduled town council meeting on 3/12/2026 @ 6:30pm., Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, MT 59870. Bid forms are located at town hall and available on the website through the following link: https://www.townofstevensville.com/administration/ page/town-stevensville-surplus-sale
Attest: Jenelle S. Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 2-18, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID
STEVENSVILLE AIRPORT
STEVENSVILLE, MON-
TANA
The Town of Stevensville, Montana, is formally requesting bids for construction services for the Pavement Rehabilitation at the Stevensville Airport. The Town will select one contractor based on the lowest, responsive, and responsible bid submittal that fts within their budget. Parties interested in submitting a bid for this project should contact Tyler Reed with Morrison-Maierle at treed@m-m.net or by calling (406) 542.4888. Hard copy bids will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, March 11th, 2026, at the Stevensville Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, Montana
59870. Bids will be publicly opened during the Stevensville Town Council Meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, March 12th, 2026. The full invitation to bid may be seen on Morrison-Maierle’s website at www.m-m.net (under heading of “About” and “Projects Bidding”). Contract documents will be available for download on the QuestCDN online bidding service (www.QuestCDN.com); the QuestCDN project number is: 10062924. Attest: Jenelle S. Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 2-18, 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will conduct a public hearing for a Ravalli County Open Lands Bond project on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 10:30 A.M. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) of the County Administrative Building located at 215 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. The project is called Chesebro Ranch Conservation Easement (251.94 acres). The project is located about 1.5 miles east of the center of Corvallis. Tax IDs: 32110, 32100, 25510, 25520, 24900, and 24700.
Bitter Root Land Trust is the applicant. Information describing the proposals are available for inspection on the Ravalli County website at https://ravalli.us/181/OpenLands-Board and at the Planning Department, located at the County Administrative Building, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the public hearing and will be forwarded to the BCC for consideration at the public hearing. The public may comment verbally or in writing at the hearings. Comments and information submitted at the public hearing will be considered in the decision. Submit email comments to: planning@rc.mt.gov, and questions can be asked by phone at 406-375-6530. BS 2-25, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Brooke Nentwig, Brooke Nentwig, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-25-492 Dept. No.: 1 Howard Recht AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Brooke Rayann Nentwig to Brooke Rayann Adams. The hearing will be on April 1, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 12th day of February, 2026. /s/ Paige Trautwein
Clerk of District Court By: Kimberly Provence
Deputy Clerk of Court
BS 2-25, 3-4, 3-11, 3-1826. MNAXLP
PUBLIC HEARING
The Darby Town Council will hold a public hearing to receive all comments both oral and written regarding “lncreasing the Water/Sewer Late Fee” The hearing will be held Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 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 2-25, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
William J. Nelson, Esq. Nelson Law Ofce PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840
Telephone: (406) 363-3181
Attorney for Sara Ellis, Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTYFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT
COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF:
RICHARD N. ELLIS, Deceased.
Cause No. DP-41-2026-22
Dept. No. 1
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, Sara Ellis, 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 18th day of February 2026.
/s/ William J Nelson
Personal Representative B 2-25, 3-4, 3-11-26. MNAXLP
William J. Nelson, Esq. Nelson Law Ofce PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840
Telephone: (406) 363-3181 Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTYFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: CAROL HENSEL, Deceased. Cause No. DP-41-2025131 Dept. No. 1
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, William J. Nelson, 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 18th day of February 2026. /s/ William J Nelson Personal Representative BS 2-25, 3-4, 3-11-26. MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR PRO-
POSALS
Provide and Install Security Camera System at Ravalli County Fairgrounds Ravalli County (hereinafter referred to as “the County”) is seeking Proposals from qualifed contractors to provide and install a security camera system at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds. This systems is intended to be used as a security tool for events, public meetings, and to protect county property from vandalism, theft, or misuse. The proposed site will be located at the Ravalli County Fair Grounds, 100 Old Corvallis Road, Hamilton, MT 59840. Site access will be prohibited during weekends or during pre-scheduled events.
This solicitation shall be awarded pursuant to the Ravalli County Purchasing Policy, as amended, March 25, 2021, and all applicable Montana statutes. For a full copy of this RFP and or draft contract, please contact Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant to the Board of County Commissioners at (406) 375-6500 or ctaggart@rc.mt. gov. For information regarding this RFP and any requirements or specifcations, contact Jef Rodrick at (406) 375-6656 or jrodrick@rc.mt.gov .
PROJECTED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
RFP Legal Ad Issue Date Wednesday, February 11, 2026
RFP Legal Ad print dates…..Wednesday, February 25, 2026 and Wednesday March 04, 2026
RFP Proposal Submittal Deadline Friday, March 06, 2026
Opening of Proposals Monday, March 09, 2026
Intended Date of Contract Award Monday, March 09, 2026
Deadline for Project Completion Friday, June 12, 2026
Deadline for Submission of Final Billing to County Friday, June 19, 2026
BIDDING AND AWARD
PROCESS
Two (2) sealed proposals must be submitted to the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder,
215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, Hamilton, MT, 59840 by 4:00
PM on Friday, March 06, 2026 and may be submitted via mail or hand delivered. Proposals must be clearly marked “Fairgrounds Camera Project”. Proposals will be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners, 215 S. 4th Street, 3rd Floor Conference Room, Hamilton, on Monday, March 09, 2026 at 11:00 AM. The Bid may be awarded by the Commissioners immediately following the openings. BS 2-25, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CLIFFORD DOUGLAS MALIN, Deceased.
Probate No.: DP-2026-18 Dept. No.: 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Heidi Snyder has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the said decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Heidi Snyder, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Montana Legacy Law, PLLC, 178 South 2nd St., Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.
BS 2-25, 3-4, 3-11-26.
MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ASPHALT SEAL COAT (CHIP SEAL)
The Ravalli County Board of Commissioners is soliciting Request for Proposals for 2026 ASPHALT SEAL COAT to be conducted throughout various County roads in Ravalli County. Proposals will be received by the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite C, (Second Floor) Hamilton, MT. 59840 until 4:00 p.m. Friday, March 13, 2026. Proposals will then be opened by the Ravalli County Commissioners at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026 in the Commissioners Conference Room (Third Floor) at 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton, MT.
For a copy of the Full Request for Proposal and Specifcations for the asphalt seal coat, contact the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, MT. during regular business hours or by calling 406-363-2733. For questions concerning the Request for Proposal process, contact Chris Taggart at the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce – 406-375-6500. Chris Taggart
Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce BS 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2026 Magnesium Chloride Supply. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM MST on Friday, March 13, 2026. The proposals received will be publicly opened on Monday, March 16, 2026 and read aloud at 9:30 a.m. MST by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third foor), Hamilton, MT.
Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department ofce at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce at (406) 375-6500. No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. MST on Monday, March 16, 2026. Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County. Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce BS 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID
EQUIPMENT RENTAL
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2026 EQUIPMENT RENTAL. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM MST on Friday, March 13, 2026. The proposals received will be publicly opened on Monday, March 16, 2026 and read aloud at 9:30 AM MST by the Board of County Commissioners in the
Before the skwalas hatch – successful spring strategies
I can only imagine the thoughts that race through a father’s mind when he answers an unexpected phone call from his teenage daughter and fnds her in tears. “She was crying uncontrollably,” Don said. “ Was she OK? Had she wrecked the truck?”
Corinne Sanderson fnally settled down enough to tell her father that she just broke her new fy rod. At that point Don was able to settle down, too. That rod was brand new and a treasured gift from her parents. Corrine was one of those adventurous people who lived and breathed fy fshing, even then.
trout and steelhead from all over the territory.
One thing that never changes is her big lovely grin, full of exhilaration. If anything her connection with the outdoors renews and deepens with every adventure.
by Chuck Stranahan
Flash forward: After a college career of playing soccer and gathering degrees (with plenty of time of for CrossFit training, hunting and fshing,) she is now a Doctor of Physical Therapy in practice at Hamilton Physical Therapy.
In anything, her hunting and fshing interests have expanded. She foats the rivers in her own raft and hunts elk with rife and bow when she’s not fshing. She’s one of those rare people I call a fsh hawk. She has an uncanny sense of where the big fsh are and how to take them.
It’s intuitive and can’t be taught. About one in four, maybe fewer, professional guide have it. Sure, the techniques can be studied, and time spent on trout streams is instructive – but beyond that, some people just have that instinct that can’t be defned. And they catch more than their share of trout, many of them big. How to stalk a trout, on foot or from a boat, exactly where to place that next cast, knowing when to re-rig or try another fy just seems natural to those few while the rest strive for it. Corinne is one of the few.
When I saw her recent photo of another big, burly cutthroat I was again delighted for her but not surprised. She’s posted photos of big
Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third foor), Hamilton, MT.
Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department ofce at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce at (406) 375-6500.
No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. MST on Monday, March 16, 2026.
Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County.
Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce BS 2-25, 3-4-26.
MNAXLP
INVITATION TO BID
HOT PLANT ASPHALT
SUPPLY
The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2026 HOT PLANT ASPHALT SUPPLY. Sealed proposals must be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, no later than 4:00 PM. MST on Friday, March 13, 2026. The proposals received will be publicly opened on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. MST and read aloud by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third foor), Hamilton, MT.
Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department ofce at 244
“He’s a true beauty!”
Corinne said. “He was strong and put on a impressive fght!”
When I asked how and where I wasn’t asking for a GPS coordinate. She knew that. “I got him on a cofee/ black rubber leg in fat water,” she said.
A cofee/black rubberleg nymph is a perfect choice for pre-hatch skwala nymphs that are getting active as the weather and water temps warm. No surprise there. Those bugs are so popular that they practically crawl out of the fy shops by themselves.
If you tie your own, as Corinne does, you can make some of them unweighted, some moderately weighted, and go the depth charge route with a few others, wire underbody and tungsten cone head, to get the fy down fast. On a given day, you might fsh all three in varied water conditions.
The telling part of Corinne’s statement wasn’t the bit about the fy she was using. It was about where she was using it – on fat water.
I’ve seen solo anglers and out-ofthe area guides, homesteading on unfamiliar water, make the mistake of not taking water temperature into consideration when they fsh skwala nymphs on the Bitterroot – or anywhere else – during early season.
Trout are cold-blooded creatures that warm up gradually as their habitat warms. They’re sluggish and seem almost comatose until the water temp gets close to ffty degrees. A trout in 42 degree water is less active than
one in 47 degree water.
I don’t know what the water temp was when Corinne hooked her big cutthroat, but I can tell she had I dialed in. That trout wasn’t holding in the faster rifed water where it might be found as the temperature there warms up a bit. It was in the slower fat water, moving at a presumed one to two feet per second. Fish those places – come them out. Don’t just make random casts. Stealth counts as much there as it does on a small mountain trout stream. Stay hidden. Cast carefully, deliberately, starting close and working your way out. Use only enough weight to get your fy to the depth required. Too much weight will keep it from drifting naturally. If you weren’t born with Corinne’s sixth sense, you can be observant and intentional, and develop something close.
Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840.
Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce at (406) 375-6500.
No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. MST on Monday, March 16, 2026.
Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County. Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Ofce BS 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NORTH HAMILTON URBAN RENEWAL DISTRICT
PROJECT FINANCING CITY OF HAMILTON, MT
The City of Hamilton is seeking proposals from fnancial institutions to provide up to two loans to the City of Hamilton for North Hamilton Urban Renewal District (NHURD) public works projects. The repayment source for the loan(s) is the revenue (increment) generated within the NH-URD. The sole security for this loan is the NH-URD revenue. The loan(s) would be for the completion of the following two projects funded by the NH-URD
1. Replacing and deepening the lift station located near GlaxoSmithKline on Old Corvallis Road in Hamilton, MT. 2. Belmont Avenue Water, Sewer, & Street Improvements. The full request for proposals (RFP), which includes proposal and submittal requirements and selection criteria, is available on the City of Hamilton website at www.cityofhamilton.net and from the Hamilton City Clerk’s Ofce at 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT.
Proposals shall be emailed to the Hamilton City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofhamilton.net by the proposal due date. For alternative delivery methods please contact the City Clerk. Responses must be received by the City Clerk’s Ofce no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 13, 2026. Late responses will not be accepted and any response received after the due date and time will be returned unopened.
The City of Hamilton and its agents reserve the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any formality or technicality. Questions regarding the North Hamilton Urban Renewal District Project Financing RFP may be directed to Hamilton City Planner Matthew Rohrbach, (406) 363- 2101, mrohrbach@cityofhamilton.net.
BS 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
OG-26-02-089
Legal Ad to be ran on March 4, 2026 and March 11, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE
Coppersawn Estates Minor Subdivision (4 Lot Minor Subdivision), Tract A of CS#1901, SD#2025- 02, Tax ID: 271300. Ravalli County Planning has received an application for a 4-lot minor subdivision on 21.77 acres. Direct access to this property is from Stevensville Airport Rd. (County Maintained). The subdivision will add approximately 2 new children to the Stevensville School District and 38 new vehicular trips per day to the road system. Stevensville is approximately 2.75 miles southwest, being the nearest municipal boundary. The subdivision property is located within the Stevensville School and Rural Fire Districts. The proposed lots will be served by private wells and septic systems. The applicant is Ron Uemura of RAM Engineering, representing Kenneth Bransby. The subdivision is referred to as Coppersawn Estates Minor Subdivision. 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) held a Public Hearing to review the proposal Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 01:30 p.m. This hearing has been continued due to new hydrology information, which can be viewed on our website or at the Ravalli County Planning Department ofce. The continuance date to resume the Public Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 1:00 p.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.
BS 3-4, 3-11-26.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will conduct a public hearing for a Ravalli County Open Lands Bond project on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) of the County Administrative Building located at 215 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. The project is called Grifn Cattle Conservation Easement (111.7 acres). The project is located Northeast of downtown Corvallis. Tax IDs: 55800, 20000, 55700 and 55900. Bitter Root Land Trust is the applicant. Information describing the proposals are available for inspection on the Ravalli County website at https://ravalli.us/181/OpenLands-Board and at the Planning Department, located at the County Administrative Building, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the public hearing and will be forwarded to the BCC for consideration
at the public hearing. The public may comment verbally or in writing at the hearings. Comments and information submitted at the public hearing will be considered in the decision. Submit email comments to: planning@rc.mt.gov, and questions can be asked by phone at 406-375-6530.
BS 3-4, 3-11-26.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Sylvia Colleen LaQue, Syliva LaQue, Petitioner Cause No.: DV-41-20260000086-NC Dept. No.: 1 Howard Recht NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Sylvia Colleen LaQue to Sylvia LaQue. The hearing will be on April 8, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County. DATED this 23rd day of February, 2026. /s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Sarah Gingerich-Sargent
Deputy Clerk of Court BS 3-4, 3-11, 3-18, 3-2526.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) will conduct a public hearing for a Ravalli County Open Lands Bond project on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 10:30 A.M. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) of the County Administrative Building located at 215 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. The project is called Chesebro Ranch Conservation Easement (251.94 acres). The project is located about 1.5 miles east of the center of Corvallis. Tax IDs: 32110, 32100, 25510, 25520, 24900, and 24700. Bitter Root Land Trust is the applicant. Information describing the proposals are available for inspection on the Ravalli County website at https://ravalli.us/181/OpenLands-Board and at the Planning Department, located at the
County Administrative Building, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the public hearing and will be forwarded to the BCC for consideration at the public hearing. The public may comment verbally or in writing at the hearings. Comments and information submitted at the public hearing will be considered in the decision. Submit email comments to: planning@rc.mt.gov, and questions can be asked by phone at 406-375-6530. BS 2-25, 3-4-26. MNAXLP
RAVALLI COUNTY ATTORNEY
Bill Fulbright, County Attorney Ravalli County Courthouse 205 Bedford Street, Suite C Hamilton, MT 59840 rcaoservice@rc.mt.gov Phone: (406) 375-6750 Ravalli County Public Administrator MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: LOIS DIANE PEARSON, Deceased. Cause No. DP-26-27 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 Ravalli County Public Administrator, 205 Bedford Street, Suite C, Hamilton, MT 59840, return receipt requested, or fled with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court. DATED: February 27, 2026 /s/ Bill Fulbright Ravalli County Attorney BS 3-4, 3-11, 3-18-26. MNAXLP
He was strong and put up an impressive fght! Photo courtesy Corinne Sanderson.
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FRESH EGGS from Howell’s Happy Hens are back! $5.00/doz. Pick up at Bitterroot Star ofce, 115 W. 3rd, Suite 108, Stevensville.
K-8 teacher, 20262027 school year. Mountain View Elementary. Starting bonus, competitive salary. Call 406-3362638 or email jerryhofer73@gmail.com.
SINGLE WIDOWER seeking attractive healthy female for companionship. Lester, 406-3604753.
