Bitterroot Star - March 5, 2025

Chicago Tap Theatre brings rhythmic storytelling to Hamilton

The Bitterroot Performing Arts Council proudly presents Chicago Tap Theatre, live at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center on March 15, 2025. Known for their unparalleled artistry and storytelling through movement, Chicago Tap Theatre delivers a fresh, innovative take on tap dance—blending classic techniques with contemporary themes and the dynamic energy of live music.

Recognized as one of the nation’s premier tap companies, Chicago Tap Theatre combines electrifying footwork, live music, and theatrical fair to

create a performance that captivates audiences of all ages. Their shows transcend traditional tap, weaving together humor, drama, and a rich variety of musical styles. From high-energy jazz to emotionally charged narratives, their performance promises to be an unforgettable experience.

“Tap dance is more than movement—it’s music, emotion, and storytelling combined,” said Larry McCloskey, Executive Director of the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council.

“With the power of live music and Chicago Tap Theatre’s exhilarating

confrmation does not mean that Montanans are at increased risk of the various tickborne diseases that I. scapularis spread. Rather, the fnding indicates the need for additional tick surveillance and public awareness to fully assess the risk.

blend of rhythm and innovation, this show is sure to leave audiences in awe.

Whether you’re a longtime dance lover or experiencing tap for the frst time, this is a performance you won’t want to miss.”

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025

Times: 8:00 PM

Venue: Hamilton Performing Arts Center, Victor, MT Tickets: $45 per person plus fees. Tickets are available now at BitterrootPerformingArts.org, at the box ofce

Reference: P Stewart et al. Ixodes scapularis Tick Parasitizing Dog in Dawson County, Montana, USA, 2023. Emerging Infectious Diseases DOI: 10.3201/ eid3102.241308 (2025).

(Tuesday-Thursday, 11 AM-5 PM), or by phone at (406) 363-7946 during box ofce hours. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the evening of the performance. The Bitterroot Performing Arts Council (BPAC) has brought nearly 150 world-class music, theater, dance, and other performances to the Bitterroot Valley. With a commitment to creative excellence and community connection, the BPAC enriches the cultural landscape of Western Montana and makes the arts accessible to all. Learn more at bitterrootperformingarts.org.

NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Florence dog wins big at Westminster show

Over 2,500 champion dogs representing all 50 states and around the world competed at the 149th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan on February10 & 11 in

New York City. America’s most iconic dog show made its 2025 return to Manhattan with Group judging and Best in Show at Madison Square Garden on February 10 & 11, 2025.

Like other hardworking athletes, dogs at AKC shows must face several levels of competition before reaching the top, beginning with competition for Best of Breed, then moving to Group and Best in Show. Bodacious aka Heart Mountain’s Bodacious at Sapphire Mountain, a Saint Bernard whose owners live in Florence, was awarded Best of Breed - Saint Bernard among stif competition from top Saint Bernards from around the country at the day competition held at Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC. Bodacious then moved to the iconic Madison Square Garden, “the world’s most famous arena” to compete in the Working Group competition the evening of Feb. 11 that was televised live on FS1. The event will be rebroadcast on F1 on 2/27/25 at 7pm EST.

Bodacious loved the energy of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden. He quickly became a crowd favorite. In the end he was awarded a Working Group 3. The Working Group 1 ribbon was awarded to the Giant Schnauzer who went on to be awarded Best in Show! Bodacious was the frst Saint Bernard to be awarded a Group Placement at Westminster in 22 years. The last Saint Bernard to be awarded a Group 3 was in 1996. Bodacious is a young dog, so to be awarded a group placement over more experienced Best in Show dogs was a bit of a spoiler. Many were amazed that a dog that free ranges on his property in the Bitterroot Valley in Montana could be comfortable in

Proposed resurfacing improvements on US 93

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to provide safety improvements to about half a mile of US 93, south of Florence. Proposed safety improvements will occur

Design Engineer Joshua Dold at 406-444-6385 with questions or comments about the project.

For more information about active MDT projects around the state, please visit our website and MDT’s fve-year Tentative Construction Plan.

a loud crowded arena as well as the streets of NYC. He owned it. In addition to this most recent honor, Bodacious was awarded Best of Breed - Saint Bernard at the AKC National Championship held in Orlando, Florida in December 2024. He also earned a title in FastCat (100 yard dash for dogs). He is currently ranked the #1 Saint Bernard in the country.

Bodacious is owned and loved by Jann Butler, Terri Ebert and Will Bratcher from Florence. Terri is the current President of the Five Valley Kennel Club. The Five Valley Kennel Club is a not for proft group of people dedicated to the betterment of all dogs. The club hosts AKC matches; conformation shows, agility, obedience, rally and FastCat trials and Dock Diving events. Breeder and rescue referrals are also available. The club routinely makes donations to local non proft organizations focused on supporting the human and/canine bond as well as the health, wellness and safety of dogs.

MDT is a workforce of over 2,000 people across Montana determined to do all we can so that you arrive at your destination safely. Our mission is to

As Bitterrooters, we are fortunate to have access to world-class recreational opportunities right outside our backyard without traveling too far. From dense forests to alpine lakes, and stream bottoms to open meadows, about every 15 miles along the Bitterroot Range lies a new canyon to explore by way of beautiful meandering trails. It’s part of what keeps us here, and part of what draws an influx of tourism here each year. And for members of the Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen, ensuring these public lands remain open for the public to access the Bitterroot backcountry and wilderness is the driving force behind volunteering their time and their stock to help make sure they stay that way.

But what if the trails that bring so much joy to the outdoor enthusiast didn’t exist? What if downed trees, boulders, landslides, and other obstructions were left to lay in the place where they fell, forever?

Every single year, our Bitterroot National Forest trails take a lashing from unavoidable weather events: avalanches, rockslides, wind events, lighting, and forest fires – just to name a few. And every single year, stewards of the land – the core of which consist of seasonal Forest Service hires – are tasked with trail maintenance to open these trails up for us – our Bitterroot community – for access, no matter what it takes. Without this regular maintenance, trail conditions would naturally worsen and, sadly, may eventually be removed entirely from Forest Service maps

As a volunteer liaison to the Bitterroot National Forest, the Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen work to support trail clearing maintenance and management efforts with stock (horses and mules) to prevent neglected trails from being removed from the map. As one of 18 Back Country Horsemen chapters in Montana, SPWBCH volunteers spend hours each summer clearing trails that the Forest Service is unable to service due to lack of funding, personnel, or a combination of both.

It takes a village to maintain the trails we love, and it will take the whole Bitterroot to keep the trails we love. To learn about upcoming summer projects for 2025, please join us for “trail talk” and refreshments at the SPWBCH monthly meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Forest Service Building located at 1801 N. 1st Street, Hamilton, MT. Entry is at the back of the building. For additional information, contact Kathy Hundley at 406-363-8230. Visit our website at bchmt.org/spwbch or follow us on Facebook & Instagram.

Bodacious on the big screen. Photo courtesy Jann Butler.

Senate Ethics Committee sets date for Ellsworth hearing

by Tom Lutey Montana Free Press

The Senate Ethics Committee edged closer Friday to a hearing for former chamber President Jason Ellsworth, adopting rules over protests of the Hamilton Republican.

At issue is whether Ellsworth should have disclosed his relationship with a business associate who stood to beneft from a state government contract worth as much as $170,100. The 2023 Senate leader spent 15 minutes of Friday’s hearing reading into the record rules that he said the Ethics Committee wasn’t following.

Ellsworth said he doubted he could get a fair hearing. The hearing is currently scheduled for March 7, which is also the fnal day for getting non-revenue bills transferred between the House and Senate. In an email earlier this week, Senate Republican spokesperson Kyle Schmauch said there were 200 to 300 Senate bills in committee or about to be in committee.

“I’m going to be calling Sen. (Tom) McGillvray, if this continues, which it shouldn’t, based on the Constitution and based on investigative powers,” Ellsworth said. “Sen. McGillvray, as a witness, he has already stated on the [Senate] foor that I need to resign. So, he’s made up his mind. If this was supposed to be unbiased, how could there not be a greater form of bias than ‘resign.’”

McGillvray is a member of the Ethics Committee and Senate majority leader. It’s been a month since the Senate voted for an ethics hearing and emotions have boiled over several times on the Senate foor since then.

The committee laid out general rules

for the hearing next week, including terms for subpoenaing witnesses. Ellsworth’s attorney, Joan Mell, raised concerns about the timing of an exchange of witnesses and exhibits. By rule the information would be traded no later than 24 hours before the hearing, which Ellsworth’s team said left too little time to prepare responses.

Ellsworth will not be required to testify on his own behalf.

Special Counsel Adam Duerk, hired by Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, said providing Ellsworth with a fair hearing was the priority.

“It is the intent of the committee and those providing legal authority and guidance to this committee to ensure that due process is awarded here to Sen. Ellsworth,” Duerk said.

“To that end, there [has] been communication from [the] respondent’s attorney. There have been comments today from Sen. Ellsworth. Those communications are not falling on deaf ears.”

The investigation into Ellsworth concerns a contract for services issued to business associate Bryce Eggleston at the end of December 2024. Ellsworth

had ofered the Stevensville man a job reviewing how state agencies put into practice several laws intended to limit the powers of Montana’s judicial branch. The bills, crafted by a select Senate committee that met for several months in 2024 and was chaired by Ellsworth, are currently in process in the Legislature. Eggleston was to be paid $6,300 per bill. The arrangement raised red fags with legislative staf who initially received two contracts of more than $80,000 each. One staf member speculated that Ellsworth had split the work into two contracts to avoid the $100,000 threshold at which the

work would have to be put out for bid if exceptions weren’t made.

The Department of Administration made the exception needed to put the work into one contract and approved the agreement.

In January, concerns arose that Ellsworth abused his power to allegedly get the contracts split, while also failing to disclose his relationship with Eggleston, who has since abandoned the agreement.

Abuse of power is a misdemeanor. The state Department of Justice is reviewing the matter. The Ethics Committee’s work is limited to the alleged non-disclosure of a confict of interest.

Ravalli County Recycling event this Saturday

Ravalli County Recycling, in conjunction with Recycling Works MT, will be hosting their Spring Event on Saturday, March 8, at the north end of Ravalli County Fair Grounds. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., glass, batteries and cardboard can be dropped off with suggested donations of $5 per 5 gallons of unbroken glass, and $2 per pound weight of batteries. Cardboard is collected by C2C Cardboard Recycling at $10 per cubic yard. Donations cover the cost to send collected materials to recycling facilities. For a second year, RCR will be collecting used batteries for recycling. Last year they saved in excess of 420 lbs. of household batteries from going into the landfill. For a

complete list of batteries accepted, visit the website: RavalliRecycling. org. The vast majority of batteries do not have to be taped, but you are asked to tape 9V, 12V and any lithium batteries. If you have corroded batteries, it would be helpful if you could separate them from the rest, and present them in a separate bag. Old cellphones, in any condition, will

also be accepted. Ravalli County Recycling is in its 15th year, and is run entirely by volunteers. They encourage anyone interested in the organization to visit the website for up-to-date information on recycling many different items in the Bitterroot valley or Missoula, how to get involved, or to post a comment or question.

Senate President Sen. Jason Ellsworth opens a joint session of the Montana Senate and House of Representatives for Gov. Greg Gianforte’s State of the State address on Jan. 25, 2023. Photo courtesy Samuel Wilson / Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Have they come for you?

Has the Republican administration come for you yet?

The administration is cutting federal costs and increasing efciency.

The administration frst came for the inspector general employees who measure both.

The administration wants control of the fow of federal money.

The administration came for the Department of Treasury.

The administration wants control of the tax system.

The administration overran the IRS.

The administration wants to know and track their enemies.

The administration already has all the data they need from the IRS, Treasury Department, FBI, Homeland Security.

The administration wants to cut Federal payroll.

The administration overtook the Ofce of Personnel Management.

The administration made your neighbors unemployed.

The administration gutted staf without regard to efciency or function.

The administration closed USAID.

The administration is bankrupting our farmers.

The administration wants to control the press.

The administration omitted the Associated Press from the White House and Air Force 1.

The administration wants to eliminate diversity, equality and inclusion.

The administration claims it is the cause of airplane crashes.

The administration wants only white Christian males.

The administration doesn’t want women, minority faiths, minorities, veterans, disabled people or any skin color other than white.

The administration has not looked for fraud in the Defense Department.

The administration doesn’t like looking close to Musk’s income nor his non-elected legal basis.

The administration wants tax cuts for the rich and 3 trillion dollars in federal spending cuts.

The administration still has planned cuts for Medicare, Medicaid,Social Security, Veteran benefts, Federal and Military pension plans.

The administration has your personal data, medical records, income tax returns. Has the Republican administration come for you yet?

Archie Thomas & Merry Schrumpf Corvallis

We won’t realize what we have until it’s gone

The avalanche of executive orders in the opening days of the Trump administration has created a whirlwind of reaction, from cheers of support to cries of outrage. One of the many consequences we will feel locally will be from the recent midnight fring of many Forest Service employees.

Why should we care? Of course, the personal cost is tragic. Although individuals’ lives have been turned upside down, I have already heard some say, “Too bad, that happens all the time in business.”

Regardless, we all should care about HOW this downsizing of government is happening. We should care that laws and rules don’t seem to matter. We should also care that there has been no transparency, no real plan on how to

Opinion

improve efciency or save money. Those at the top show no concern for the impact to the economies of small towns where many of these jobs are located.

After the next predicted round of layofs, no one knows how the Forest Service will adjust. In my long Forest Service career as a manager and recreation program leader, I weathered through many signifcant “reductions in force” (aka RIFs), budget reductions, and the inability to hire summer employees. Although much thought went into how to re-confgure the work to minimize the disruption, it was usually the recreation, trails, wilderness, visitor information, and wildlife and fshery programs that were cut frst. If Senator Sheehy’s legislation to create the FIRE SERVICE succeeds and the backbone of the Forest Service is removed from the local district level, it’s hard for me to imagine what resource and recreation staf will remain to do the work forest users expect.

What is the vision for what is left standing? On the face of it, the answer is so the government has fewer employees, costs less and is stafed with Trump loyalists. Taking a chain-saw approach to achieving that goal has short- and long-term negative consequences. In the short term, we can expect to see major reductions in service. I have already heard someone say, “What’s the big deal, we won’t notice. Trails don’t get cleared now anyway.” This is a case of “we won’t realize what we have until it’s gone.” We don’t notice a dirty campground toilet until it isn’t cleaned. We don’t notice that all those streamside camping spots on the forest are full of garbage until no one picks it up. We don’t notice that the road or trail is clear of fallen trees until it’s not. We don’t know how important it is to many of us to be able to access our favorite hunting area until we can’t. And if you think this reduction in Forest Service staf is going to increase the “pace and scale” of timber harvest or thinning projects, guess again. When a forester or marking crew must cover the work across three national forests instead of one, it will take months longer than it does now to get the projects planned and implemented. And if you think it will be faster if it’s done by private contractors, don’t get your hopes up. Congress isn’t likely to appropriate money for that work either.

So, what is the grand plan? Over the years there have been powerful people who have tried to get their hands on our nation’s public lands. I would not be surprised if this short-term chaos isn’t meant to help their long-term strategy to ultimately privatize much, if not all of it. Their goal is to make the government look incompetent. Severely reducing the size of the Forest Service workforce will make it impossible for the agency to do the work the public has grown to expect. Then their hope is that we won’t object too loudly when the land and its management are privatized, and our access is taken away. Should that happen, it will be a national tragedy when we all fnally realize what we had, and now it’s gone. Is that what we really want?

Margaret Gorski Stevensville

SB 185 a bad bill

This SB185 bill is bad in many respects! This means NOTHING even if it’s in the Montana Constitution as the NVRA rule (section 5) still applies if the election is a federal one and until it is removed, this is a NOTHING BILL, meaningless in its context.

Further, the state will spend a lot of money on this issue and it will be meaningless as there are no requirements in this bill to prove a person is

a citizen when they go to vote. How does the state determine if a person is a citizen? What requirements are needed to prove they are citizens? Student ID? Driver’s license? Electric bill? Will the amendment have the requirement to have the little box to check that states I am a citizen of the US...or of Montana? and who will check that?

What a hypocrite - she knows it probably won’t pass but she can tout her efort to help Montana...Please have one of your writers research this bill and see why I call Manzella a hypocrite! Helen Sabin Corvallis

You’re fred!

Dear Donald Trump

In the United States’ continuing efort to rid itself of waste, fraud and abuse, we have determined that your substandard performance is inadequate to continue to serve the people of the United States, therefore you are fred, efective yesterday.

As just one example, we list your golfng. In 2016 you chastised then President Obama for his playing golf and promised you’d be too busy to play. In eight years, Obama played 300 times. In just four years, you played 260 times. A 2019 report found that your frst four trips to Mar-a-Lago cost almost $14 million of taxpayers’ dollars - travel costs for your entourage and security, which you charged at full price on your properties.

As of noon on Thursday, Feb. 20, you will have been president for 31 full days, spending all or part of 16 of those days at four Trump Organization properties. You played golf on 10 of those days. You have spent 19 nights at the White House and 12 nights at your private properties. You have spent precisely zero Friday or Saturday nights at the executive mansion.

DOGE will determine it is far more cost efective for you to come downstairs to the Oval Ofce for business rather than traveling to your private properties, saving much more than cancelling magazine subscriptions.

Please do not let the door hit you in the derriere on your way out.

No thank you for your ‘service’.

Very truly yours, The American People Mark Van Loon Hamilton

Musk’s hypocrisy cuts deep

Elon Musk is shutting down whole federal agencies and fring thousands of U.S. civil servants, supposedly to eliminate fraud and waste. The South African claims great success in this mission. How do we know this success is real?

He told us.

Meanwhile, Musk, the CEO of Tesla electric vehicles, has secured for himself a $400 million U.S. Defense Department contract for “armored Tesla” trucks. $400 million for billionaire Elon Musk, but nothing for the poorest of the world’s poor in Africa and other impoverished third-world nations who are now dying from starvation, and lack of lifesaving medicines now that Musk has shut down USAID.

Once the media started spreading the news about this sweet deal for Musk, the wording on the procurement document was scrubbed to get rid of the name “Tesla.” Now it reads $400 million for “armored electric vehicles.”

Get angry! No private citizen, let alone an unelected economic tyrant like Elon Musk, should oversee deciding who gets federal money when they themselves get millions of dollars in

federal contracts. It’s funny how Musk isn’t looking into “fraud and waste” in his government contracts!

I didn’t vote for Elon Musk and his Muskrats. Did you? Read more at this link: https://www. commondreams.org/news/musk-tesla-contract

I’m confused

Wayne Adair Hamilton

Now that Trump is no longer president and is the new king Trump Nazi regime, do we get down on our knees and kiss the ring? Or do we give him the Nazi salute? HAIL KING TRUMP! Lori Ortiz Darby

We need to speak up

My friends and neighbors, we need to wake up! There is a hostile, unconstitutional, illegal takeover of our country happening before our eyes. Our president is attempting to do away with our beloved democratic representative republic and replace it with an authoritarian style government run by him and the billionaire class. He is purging the government of anyone who would speak out against him or report any of his illegal activities. Once all critics (prosecutors, judges, inspectors general, military leaders, etc.) are gone, he and his wealthy friends will be free to use the government, not for the good of the people, but to enrich themselves.

President Trump doesn’t care about you! Don’t be fooled. He cares only about his own wealth and power. Your elected representatives (Senators Daines and Sheehy and Representative Zinke) are saying and doing nothing to safeguard our constitution and country. Let them know that you expect them to do their jobs. They and the president swore to protect the constitution. They are not keeping that oath. All of us need to speak out! For generations, our fellow citizens fought and died to protect our form of government. We can’t stand by quietly while it is destroyed.

Don Gardner Corvallis

Oppose SB 358

The same people that have sent billions of tax dollars to others by obscure means have been at work within our borders. There has long been a gradual, seemingly innocuous, movement by Federal/State agencies to tacitly enable native tribes to control water sources. Witness the dam removal movement that places an incomprehensible burden on society at large. Examine the long term nature or result of any legislation regarding water and it is likely you will fnd within it something promoting a transfer of control. Water and its control are the Achilles Heel of our way of life. It’s all about control because control IS money. The public is quietly losing control through complacency and apathy. Allowed to happen it will never be corrected. Washington State is further along in the process and those who are doubtful should look there for a look at the future.

Bill Campbell Conner

DNA test ordered

Hey Musk, you are ordered to report to NIH for a DNA sample testing link to Hitler - must be completed within one week of this notice.

Peter Lethenstrom Stevensville

Open letter to Sen. Daines:

I’ve gotten a couple of ‘auto responders’ to e-mails I have sent you and feel the need to further express my opinion on several subjects. For starters, at the bottom of each one a question is asked, but the links to answer do not ever work. It’s almost like you don’t really want to know how I feel about a given topic!

Regarding the appointment of Energy Secretary Chris Wright: I’m not sure if you were paying attention, but under Biden and the Obama administration, they had an ‘all of the above’ approach to energy generation. American oil and gas production has NEVER been higher in the history of fossil fuel production than right now (so that ‘drill baby drill’ schtick could just be dropped). For starters, since, in theory, oil and gas production has been around for over 100 years – perhaps we could do away with the huge tax breaks and incentives that they continue to receive, since it is quite a mature industry. Folks keep saying that renewables ‘get the incentives’, but in truth, they’re a drop in the bucket compared to what the fossil fuel industries receive, and continue to receive. n reality, the U.S. IS already the world’s biggest oil producer.

And in terms of American jobs –fossil fuel jobs are in severe decline while renewables are ramping up; there are over 3.5 million jobs in the clean energy sector (including EV development), with 560,000 in renewable generation, and 410,000 in solar and wind power development alone. Fossil fuels employ (these fgures from last year) 170,000, including coal. Simply put, the clean energy sector –which is, by the way, less costly and certainly less polluting than fossil fuels – is growing signifcantly faster that the fossil fuel sector. You can do a bit of research and verify these numbers. By the way, I’ve been in the solar power industry since 1989, and had my own business since 1999, and a lot of energy information comes across my desk. The least costly form of new electrical generation is wind and solar power – just ask Texas utilities, if you do not believe me.

Next, you sent me an e-mail about DOGE (hah, that I refer to as ‘dodgy’). You talk about ‘out of control’ spending. Have you been paying attention to what political parties and administrations contribute the most to our national debt? Undoubtedly there is room for greater efciencies and less waste and fraud; but I am concerned that some of these cuts will harm the Americans who need assistance the most; we have too many families and children in poverty, and I have no problem with my tax dollars going to assist those in need. But to cut these needed programs to fund more tax breaks for the wealthiest? That should be a crime. And, the UNELECTED richest man in the world should not be running our country, or taking food from children, making for less educational opportunities, and removing medical assistance from those who need it.

There are also some loan guarantees for good projects that have been put on hold; the delay of these funds is harming

families, businesses and job opportunities. This short-sighted approach to ‘fscal responsibility’ appears to be putting more people at risk of poverty. Initially, you opposed the IRA – then claimed credit for a Montana Renewables (Calumet) project that fnally got its funds. Doh! Businesses need good policies and not guesswork about where funds may come from for any given project. I know, I’ve been in business for myself for 26 years, and was manager at two other businesses before that. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to run government like a business, especially when the guy doing it (felon47), had what? Six bankruptcies? Stole from a child’s cancer charity? Ugh. Anyway, back to the IRA; it’s anticipated to deliver a fantastic economic boost of over four times its investment cost! Now why wouldn’t someone want that for American energy, manufacturing and related jobs? And these benefts extend across the entire energy sector, including renewables, gas, oil, hydrogen, nuclear, transportation, battery technology – the list just goes on and on.

Anyway, Musk has also fred a bunch of BPA employees—something like at least 600 of ‘em (that are NOT employed by the federal government). These folks help keep the power on all over the Northwest. It serves several coops in Montana. BPA is funded by ratepayers, not Congress. This chaotic approach to ‘cutting waste’ does not bode well for the safety of many communities. Where are our legislators to fght for our behalf? What’s going to happen in fre season – and for some segments of the Northwest food season? And there are also cuts to the National Park Service –not only do Montanans depend on those jobs, those jobs are important to keep our forests safe and maintained. Lack of Forest Service personnel will most certainly make our fre seasons worse!

Not everyone has the golden parachute that many of our legislators have, in fact, very few of us do. And we did not elect you to solicit/receive funds from lobbyists or corporations. Our democracy is being damaged but it’s not gone yet. If you want to represent me, you need to help get it back, so that legit votes are not being suppressed, people can make medical decisions for themselves, and that America becomes that beacon of freedom that has given us wondrous diversity. The way things are going now, those values are headed down the drain. I await your response. Chris Daum Stevensville

Did you know?

Democrats favorability is cratering - 31%, Republicans - 57%. Wise up Demoncrats - wokism is not popular! Van Jones says, “We look like idiots.” You are idiots, so are these Demoncrats opposing everything Trump is accomplishing. As I write this it is only 20 days.

Biden’s 50 year legacy of corruption has come to an end. One result of this corruption is the pre-emptive pardons of family and friends and Fauci (God has not pardoned him for millions of deaths). Milley was also pardoned. He could have been prosecuted for treason. Elon Musk has been installed in the new Department of Government Efciency. FEMA authorized $59 million

to the hotels in New York City to pay for the immigrants who are installed there. Meanwhile, North Carolinians are living in tents and trailers during the winter and LA residents await help. Four employees of FEMA have been fred and must be prosecuted.

The USAID has been shut down by Elon Musk and Trump. United States Agency for International Development. The good things have been transferred to the State Department. The bad parts - a slush fund for wokism, DEI, transitional surgery for Guatemala - all foreign stupidity. Millions wasted. Elon Musk is fnding corruption everywhere. He is doing a wonderful job. I predict $2 trillion in corruption will be found.

Democrats are going nuts over Trump’s doing exactly the policies that he ran on. Democrats are defending unelected bureaucracy over democracy. They are also putting Americans last and illegal immigrants frst. The Democrats voted en masse against the Laken Riley Act which authorizes ICE to arrest and deport the worst of the worst.

The American voter has voted his and her approval of everything President Trump ran on. Watch out, corrupt Demoncrats! We are awaiting much more to come.

Richard Parker Stevensville

Who’s running the government?

Did you vote for Elon and his DOGE teenage-no government experience coders? I didn’t and neither did thousands of others. The cruel and illegal actions taken in closing US agencies, departments, and fring of employees is going to have horrible consequences. There will not be enough fnancial gain to cover the $4.5 billion tax cut bill for the wealthiest individuals and corporations that Musk and the Oval Ofce demand from Congress. Sixty percent of Americans don’t get that sweetheart deal.

Our democracy damage report is growing as Musk adds more parts of our government along with employees to his “wood chipper”method. The National Federation of Federal Employees says 500,000 federal employees have and will be fred with crass emails claiming poor performance. It’s just the opposite, many are hard working individuals with excellent skills. There has been no review process of their job performance, and Congress is required to manage these job cuts. BLM and the National Park Service face the same fate. Parks near gateway communities will feel the fnancial efects. National parks will have less services. Montana’s biggest economic driver now is tourism, a nearly $6 billion industry. Montana public lands will have less maintenance and cleanup. It’s all a domino efect, many small business owners ofering rafting, outftting and other outdoor experiences will have less users. Some businesses on federal land may not get permits to operate.

I’ve mentioned only a few impacts. I’m sure many reading my letter can think of other serious consequences.

Please call or email Congressmen Daines, Sheehy, Zinke, and Downing. Marilyn Wolf Stevensville

Trump and golf

The president, along with Elon Musk and their DOGE “wood-chipper” and “chainsaw” methods for cutting wasteful governmental spending have missed something - $10.7 million of taxpayer money spent by Donald Trump for playing golf since he took ofce one month ago. Somehow this expense has escaped the attention of Elon Musk and his “high-IQ” team of waste and abuse hunters.

Trump has taken a golf trip every weekend, and this is likely to occur for the next four years. During Trump’s frst term, his golf expenses totaled $152 million. If his second term’s monthly golf expenses per month continue at the same rate, taxpayers could be paying a $500 million bill.

I would much rather my tax dollars go towards feeding hungry children, providing healthcare for veterans, research for cancer and heart disease treatments, or funding local Forest Service employees to take care of our public lands instead of wasting tax dollars on golf outings.

JH Daily Darby

Support for federal workers

I am profoundly disgusted by the scorn and humiliation being heaped on our federal employees, our neighbors and friends who work hard to accomplish the tasks that we the people, through our elected representatives, have asked them to do. The wholesale and indiscriminate fring of federal employees is endangering the public and the nation.

I strenuously object to having an unelected, unaccountable, part-time unpaid intern with no government experience in the Oval Ofce dismantling the government in ways that have already proven harmful to public safety and the general welfare. Those of us with long enough memories will recall what happened the last time such an intern had private access to the Oval Ofce and its occupant. Senators and Representatives: do your job. Fire Elon Musk. Take control and make hard decisions—it’s what we sent you to Washington to do, not just to sit on your thighbones cheering the inexperienced and haphazard wrecking crew currently masquerading as our “Department of Government Efciency.” Congress created those programs, it’s Congress’ job to manage them, not a handful of stooges at DOGE. Keep our federal employees at work doing the jobs we have asked of them, and tax the uber-wealthy to pay for it. “Government Efciency” isn’t measured in dollars saved, it’s measured in lives improved. Keep that in mind.

Thank you, federal workers, you are valued and we appreciate what you do. Russ Lawrence Hamilton

Lone Rock Community Network Times for Lone Rock Community Network meetings are changing to an “as requested, as needed” basis. The group will meet periodically for classes, having to do with sustainable and independent living, that are highly relevant to the community. Members will receive email notices of meetings, and they will be posted on Next Door and Facebook. If you’d like to be included, contact Rick Nelson at 406-3811466. Feel free to call or text to suggest topics or hands-on classes. Or, you may just want to get involved with this active, existing network of neighbors that are currently working on projects together.

Montanans for Life

Montanans for Life holds their monthly meeting on the frst Thursday of every month at 6PM at More to Come Fellowship, 330 3rd Ave., Victor. For more information call (406) 407-1254.

Selway-Pintler Back Country Horsemen

The Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen meet the 2nd Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Forest Service ofce in Hamilton (enter through the rear door). Come enjoy refreshments and conversation. For additional information contact Kathy Hundley at 406-363-8230. Visit the website at bchmt.org/ wp/spwbch/ or their Facebook page for more information.

Yoga for Veterans FREE to veterans, frst responders, and their families! Tuesdays, 1-2pm at the American Legion Post 94 in Stevensville Register at: redwillowlearning.org OR call 406-530-7175. Come see us on 1st Friday in May ‘bout 1800 for more info! We’ll be in front of Active Care Wellness on Main in Stevensville

A Course of Love study group

Fridays 10:00 a.m.12:00 noon.

Center for Spiritual Life, Hamilton Call: 406-381-6480

MS Support Group

Bitterroot MS Support Group meets every 3rd Thursday of the month in the Gallery room at the Cofee Cup Cafe in Hamilton, 500 S 1st Street, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Have a slice of pie, dinner, or just come to chat with others about living with Multiple Sclerosis. This is a positive and uplifting group that holds open discussions, and the occasional guest speaker. Find more information at www.nationalmssociety.org or contact Jackie Peterson, (970)518-293, jackierpeterson@gmail.com

Republican Central Committee

The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee regular monthly meetings are

held the frst Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at The Place Church, 273 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. All are welcome to attend.

Bitterroot Health Auxiliary

The Bitterroot Health Auxiliary meets the 3rd Monday every month in the Blodgett Conference Roomof the hospital. New volunteers are always welcome. Contact Mark Robinson, Auxiliary VP, (901) 517-8554.

Bitterroot Celtic Society

The Bitterroot Celtic Society meets every 3rd Thursday at 6 p.m. at BJ’s restaurant in Hamilton. The Bitterroot Celtic Society is a passionate group of volunteers, dedicated to keeping the Celtic culture, heritage, and history alive in the Bitterroot Valley. Their biggest event is the Bitterroot Celtic Games and Gathering, held every third weekend in August at the Historic Daly Mansion. They also host a Burns’ Night supper, St. Andrew’s, St. Patrick’s, and Tartan day events. The BCS is a non-proft organization. The public, new members, and the curious are always welcome to attend. For any time changes or additional committee meeting info, follow their Facebook page for updates.

Grief support programs

STEVENSVILLE

Mar. 5th - Mar. 19th, 5:30 - 6:30pm: Expressions of Grief Workshop Series Ongoing: 1:1 and Group Support

HAMILTON

Mar. 20th, 11am2:30pm: NACG 2025 Webcast: Family Dynamics & Grief

Ongoing: 1:1 Support / Counseling

VIRTUAL / STATE-WIDE

Mar. 6th, 5:30 - 6:30pm: Adult Virtual Roundtable

-- Cultivating Connections: Building A Grief Team

Mar. 20th, 5:30 - 6:30pm: Adult Virtual Roundtable -- Touchstones: Living Legacies & Continuing Bonds Mar. 25th, 9:1510:15am: Grief After Suicide & Traumatic Loss Adult Virtual Support Group

Mar. 25th - May 6th, 5:30 - 7:30pm: Circle of Security Virtual Parenting Group Ongoing: 1:1 Support / Counseling Visit tamarackgrc.org to explore Grief Support opportunities, or contact TGRC about receiving support for yourself or a loved one: Missoula/Stevensville: 406-5418472 or info@tamarackgrc. org

Knotty Knitters Guild

Knotty Knitters Guild meets the 4th Tuesday of every month except June, July, August and December

at 6 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie Lane, Hamilton.

You can also bring your knitting project to visit and knit with friends or get help with questions on Fridays from 12:00 to 5:00.

AARP tax assistance

AARP Tax-Aide will be ofering free tax preparation services for low to moderate income taxpayers of all ages. Tax preparation began on February 8 and will be at the Stevensville Senior Center on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The Senior Center WILL NOT schedule those appointments. Call 406201-5734, leave your name and phone number, and a volunteer will call back to schedule your appointment.

Bitterroot

Tango Argentine tango lessons each Wednesday evening at 4039 US 93 N, Stevensville. Learn to dance the tango each Wednesday with beginner classes from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., intermediate classes from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. followed by practice and social time to close. Classes are free. For more information about dance parties and guest teachers, fnd them on facebook at Bitterroot tango.

Vet-to-Vet

Veterans looking for a laid-back setting in which to visit with veterans from any period and any branch of service are in luck. Every Friday morning from 6 to 8 a.m., the VVA Chapter 938 sponsors a no-host breakfast at BJ’s Family Restaurant (back room). Come and mingle with those who know where you’re coming from.

Model Railroad Club

The Bitterroot Valley Model Railroad Club will resume running trains on First Friday, beginning March 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the basement of the Kohl Building (behind Valley Drug). They will continue April 4 and May 2. They will not run the trains in June or July, but will continue in August. Questions: call 406-777-3145 or 406-777-3948.

Pachyderm Club

The Bitterroot North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, March 7 at 12 noon at the Frontier Cafe, Hwy 93 in Stevenville. Guest speaker will be Judge Dan Wilson via video conference, addressing the water issue. The Bitterroot North Valley Pachyderm Club is an educational arm of the Republican Party. All are welcome.

Grief Share

Grief Share program to help process grief ofered at Florence Carlton Community Church, 20075 Old Highway 93, Florence, from February 15 to May 10, 2025. Saturdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Contact Colleen, (206) 930-2519

North Valley Library Stay Home & Hygge— Thurs, Feb 27 at 6:30pm

You ofcially have permission to slow down, stay home, and be cozy. Let’s take a cue from nature, which goes dormant this time of year, and inspiration from cultures elsewhere that traditionally embrace the home and hearth in the winter. You may have heard of the Danish hygge, which embodies the joy of simply being, enjoying small and simple luxuries, hand-making, sharing, and being content. The goal of this program is to inspire you to view the winter months from a diferent perspective and to embrace hygge in your own way. You’ll receive plenty of recipes, craft instructions, and other resources.

Fiber Arts Club—Thurs, Mar 6 from 12-1:30pm

Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting, embroidery, hand sewing, or quilting? Bring your work-in-progress, problem piece, or brand-new pattern and enjoy the company of like-minded crafters during this informal Fiber Arts Club. There will be no presenter or expert teacher but rather a cozy place to gather, tea, and a community of yarn and fber artists like yourself. All experience levels welcome. Club is held the frst Thursday of every month from 12-1:30pm in the Community Room. Free Range Arts & Crafts—Thurs, Mar 6 from 6-8pm

The craft vault is open and everything from needle felting to clay sculpting awaits. Enjoy a coloring book, practice with pastels, or bring your own project to fnally fnish, it’s up to you.

Garden Club

Stevensville Garden Club’s monthly meeting will be Wednesday, March 5 at 1 p.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 184 Pine Hollow Rd. Guest speaker from Missoula County Extension, Sarah Perrin, will present her program on Pruning Shrubs. Call Colleen at 406-273-3973 for more info.

Lenten Fish Fries

Knights of Columbus will host Fish Fries every Friday during Lent (March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4 and 11 at St. Mary’s Family Center from 5 to 7 p.m. Menu includes fsh, fries, green beans, mac & cheese, coleslaw, pudding and drink. Cost is $15 per person, $9 for under 12. Drive-thru available.

Rummage sale

donations wanted

Three Mile Community Center is having a books, puzzles and games Rummage Sale on March 8th. Donations of these items in good condition will be accepted during the community cofee hours on March 3, 5 ,7 (7:30 to 8:30 a.m.) and from 9-11 a.m. on March 8. All proceeds will go to the

Parking Lot Improvement Program. For more information email reservations@3milecc.org

Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host free clinic Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen host their annual Safety Clinic at C-Max Stables, 657 Bass Lane, Corvallis, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Topics to be presented are Safety on the Trail, First Aid for Humans and Equines, and Learning to Pack for Overnight Trips. The public is invited to watch the free demonstrations and participate in real life scenarios. A chili potluck lunch will be provided, and attendees should bring a chair and dress warmly. For more information, contact Bonnie Morgan (406)-381-9021.

Women

Newcomers Club

Are you new to the Bitterroot Valley or a longtime resident? The Bitterroot Women Newcomers Club is a fun group of women. They invite you to join them at their next meeting on Thursday, March 13 at 10 a.m. Rebecca Leary from the FBI ofce in Helena will be speaking on Cyber Security. Meetings are held at the First Christian Church, 328 Fairgrounds Road in Hamilton.

Bitterroot Health Auxiliary Bake Sale

Bake Sale, Friday, March 14, 9am-1pm, Trapper Conference Room, main entrance Bitterroot Health Hospital. All proceeds beneft the hospital, its patients and staf. Contact Mark Robinson, Auxiliary VP, (901) 517-8554.

Ravalli Democrats

The Ravalli Democrats invite you to join them at the Backyard Taphouse in Florence every other Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 for what they call Burgers and Beers. March 18, April 1, 15, 29, May 13, 27 etc. 281 Rodeo Drive, east of the trafc light.

Questions? 406-880 6823.

Women and Guns class

Women Only - Introduction to Defensive Handguns, a 2 day class, will be ofered three times at the Whittecar Range in Hamilton. Class 1 will be March 22 and April 5, 2025. Class 2 will be May 24 and June 7, 2025. Class 3 will be August 23 and September 6 2025.

The frst day is designed to assist you in choosing the right handgun for you. There will be discussions on handgun safety, basic operation of revolvers, semi-automatic handguns, and the cartridges used in each type of handgun.

Handguns will be provided so that you may handle the diferent types and models. Ammunition will also be provided for a live fre session on the range. A self defense book (specifcally for women), will also be provided. The legal aspects of the use of deadly force will be addressed in a general manner.

There will be a lapse of two to three weeks in order to allow the student to purchase a frearm and become familiar with its operation for the conclusion of training on the second day. Students must provide their own ammunition for day two. The second day will consist of live fre training. The emphasis will be on safe gun handling. All exercises will consist of basic defensive shooting drills and training techniques. The diferent types of ammunition available and their uses will be discussed.

Upon successful completion of the second day this training will sufce as the required safety class for application to the state for a concealed carry permit. The class is limited to 10 participants. For an application or further information call Lee at 642-3590 or Jim at 360-8392 or write Box 159, Victor MT 59875.

Sports

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Lady Falcons 2nd at divisionals

The Florence girls took 2nd place in the Western B Divisional tournament on Saturday, March 1 in Hamilton. The Lady Falcons had an impressive overall tournament, winning their frst two games and playing Missoula Loyola in the championship. In the championship game they couldn’t solve the problem of Missoula Loyola and were heartbroken by the Breakers in a 43-68 loss.

This was the fourth matchup of the season between the two schools. Florence won the frst matchup, and now Loyola has won the last three times.

Florence’s biggest strength as a team is their high pressure, full court defense. They are able to rattle teams, causing turnovers which give them easy transition buckets. To counter this, Loyola has a solid group of ball handlers who can withstand the pressure. So the last two Florence/Loyola games have come down to who is better at half court ofense and Loyola has had the edge, especially with star Spencer Laird in the center. Laird is unguardable at times; she scored 31 points in this game.

A slow frst quarter was the undoing for Florence, much like in the 6B District championship game the previous week against Loyola. Florence’s shots weren’t

falling and Loyola was hitting their shots, and at the end of the frst quarter Florence trailed 3-20. By halftime, Florence was able to get back on track, but they still trailed 13-36. The Lady Falcons settled into the second half and played Loyola even, but the defcit was too much to overcome.

For Florence in the championship game, Emory Ralston led the scoring with 9 points. Ali Meinhold had 8, Jaden Fisher had 7, Maggie Schneiter had 5, Kendyl Meinhold had 4, Madigan Hurlbert and Kenzy Pickering each had 3, and Shelby Crocker and Alyx Monaco each added 2.

The Class B State Girls tournament is in Missoula on March 13-15. Florence plays Chinook, the #2 seed out of the North Division, on Thursday, March 13 at 8 p.m.

Florence 66, Eureka 27

In their frst round game the Florence girls played Eureka on Thursday, Feb. 27. Florence took a couple minutes to get going, but once they did they didn’t look back and jumped out to a 42-11 halftime lead and cruised to the 66-27 victory.

For Florence, Maggie Schneiter led the scoring with 13 points. Kenzy Pickering had

9, Ali Meinhold had 8, Emory Ralston and Kendyl Meinhold each had 7, Taylor Pyette and Madigan Hurlbert each had 6, and Jaden Fisher and Shelby Crocker each added 5.

Florence 56, St. Ignatius 39 Florence played St. Ignatius, the top seed out of the 7B conference, in the divisional semifnal game on Friday night. The Lady Bulldogs came into the game with a 15-game winning streak, including a win over Missoula Loyola.

The game was tied 9-9 after one quarter. Florence made a surge right before halftime and led 28-19 going into the break. The Lady Falcons kept up the defensive pressure in the second half and extended their lead to 41-30 after three quarters and held on for the 56-39 victory.

Florence had a well rounded ofensive attack, with Ali Meinhold leading the scoring with 9 points. Jaden Fisher, Kenzy Pickering and Kendyl Meinhold each had 8, Taylor Pyette had 6, Emory Ralston had 5, and Shelby Crocker, Madigan Hurlbert and Maggie Schneiter each added 4.

This win sent them to the championship game against Loyola.

Florence boys take

4th at divisionals

The Florence boys took 4th in the Western B Divisionals in Hamilton on March 1. Florence played a lot of basketball in the four days. They opened the tournament with a 70-36 win over Eureka, then lost to Thompson Falls 41-53 in the semifnals. This sent them to the loser’s side of the bracket where they defeated Troy 54-48. This win sent them to the consolation game where they lost to Anaconda 39-52.

Florence 70, Eureka 36

The Florence boys played Eureka in the frst round on Thursday. Florence led 16-13 after an even frst quarter, then started to distance themselves, leading 38-15 at halftime and rolling to a 70-36 victory.

For Florence, Brody Duchien led the scoring with 20 points. Mason Arlington had 13, Mose Smith had 10, Jake Schneiter had 7, Levi Winters had 6, Caleb Katen had 5, Bridger Alexander had 4, Wes Potter had 3, and Laasch Makoa added 2.

Florence 41, Thompson Falls 53

The win against Eureka sent the Falcons to the semifnal game where they faced the top-seeded team out of the 7B conference, Thompson Falls, on Friday night. Thompson Falls jumped out to a 21-12 frst quarter lead, but Florence cut the lead in the second quarter and trailed 29-33 at halftime. The second half was a defensive battle. Florence tied the game 38-38 on a Brody Duchien three-pointer with 5 minutes left in the game. But the Falcons went cold from that point on, and were outscored 3-15 in the fnal fve minutes and lost 41-53.

This loss efectively eliminated the Falcons from a state berth, as only two teams go to state from this year’s division-

als. Thompson Falls took second, so Florence couldn’t play them in a challenge game.

For Florence, Brody Duchien led the scoring with 14 points. Bridger Alexander and Jake Schneiter each had 8, Mose Smith had 7, Levi Winters had 3, and Wes Potter added 1.

Florence 54, Troy 48

The loss against Thompson Falls sent the Falcons to the loser-out side of the bracket where they faced Troy on Saturday morning. This is always a hard game to play. They were a couple plays away from making the championship game the night before. The team had to deal with the disappointment and regroup to play the following morning. This was a back and forth game, but the Falcons persevered in the end and won 5448. For Florence, Brody Duchien had one of his best games of the season, scoring 30 points, which included 8 three pointers. Jake Schneiter had 7 points, Mason Arlington had 5, Bridger Alexander had 4, Caleb Katen, Levi Winters, Mose Smith and Kade Anderson each added 2.

Florence 39, Anaconda 52

On Saturday, March 1, Florence played Anaconda in the consolation game. The game was close throughout, but Florence ran out of steam in the second half. They were behind 30-36 to start the fourth quarter and were never able to get back in the game and lost 39-52. They fnished in 4th place and ended their season.

For Florence, Bridger Alexander had 13 points, Jake Schneiter had 10 points, Brody Duchien had 7 points, Levi Winters and Mason Arlington each had 4 points, and Mose Smith added 1 point.

Western A Divisionals preview

The Hamilton boys and girls are the only two teams from the Bitterroot Valley to make the Western A Divisionals, which are held in Whitefsh on March 6-8.

The Hamilton boys play Browning on Thursday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m., while the Hamilton girls play Columbia Falls on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

The top four teams from divisionals advance to the Class A State tournament in Billings on March 13-15.

Hamilton boys

The Hamilton boys are the #4 seed from the Southwest and play Browning, the #1 seed out of the Northwest, on Thursday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m. In what seems ages ago, the two teams played in the Frenchtown Tip-Of Tournament on December 14 with Hamilton winning 54-51.

“We are excited about the opportunity this weekend,” said Hamilton head coach Travis Blome. “The Western A is loaded with great teams and is always one of the most difcult tournaments. We open with Browning who is very well coached and is playing great basketball. It will be a real challenge but we are

excited for the opportunity to play.”

Potential prognosticators will have a hard time projecting the results of the boys Western A Divisionals. The Dillon boys, the #1 ranked Class A team in the state, look to be a lock to fnish high and make it to state. But outside of the Beavers, anything could happen, and it is conceivable that any team could beat any other team in this feld. It will come down to individual match ups and who is playing the best at this point in the season.

The Hamilton boys will be in the thick of the action. This year’s Broncs have the talent to beat anyone. They have an elite leader in Canaan Magness, a superb all around player in Tyler Jette, and they play exceptional team defense. Hamilton’s ultimate success will come down to the play of their role players. If Hamilton’s young supporting cast continues to improve, this Bronc team will be hard to beat.

Hamilton girls

The Hamilton girls are the Southwest’s #3 seed and play Columbia Falls, the #2 seed out of the Northwest, on Thursday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. The two

teams played on January 11 in Hamilton with Columbia Falls winning 48-41.

Previewing the girls divisionals is a little more straightforward compared to the boys. There are three elite girls teams in the feld: Bigfork, Dillon and Frenchtown. These three teams are the favorites to get the top three places at divisionals and advance to state. This leaves the other fve teams vying for one spot. Hamilton has a young and talented group of girls, and are among the teams that have a great chance to make it to state.

Hamilton head coach Vanessa Stavish likes how her team is playing heading into divisionals. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls and coaching staf to start my frst year with,” said Stavish. “I feel really confdent heading into divisionals. My team is playing their best basketball right now and we are hoping to continue to improve and be playing our best basketball at divisionals.”

Stavish is in her frst year as the Hamilton girls head coach; she has been coaching for six years in total. Before this, Stavish was a standout basketball player for MSU-Billings.

Florence sophomore Emory Ralston (#5) shoots a free throw at the Western B Divisional tournament in Hamilton. The Florence girls took 2nd place and qualifed for the Class B State tournament in Missoula on March 13-15. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Florence senior Mose Smith (#23) fghts for position at the Western B Divisional tournament in Hamilton. The Florence boys took 4th place. Photo by Scott Sacry.

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Class A divisional play-in games

In Southwestern A basketball, the top three teams automatically qualified for the Western A Divisionals, which are in Whitefish this weekend on March 6-8.

The Hamilton girls took 3rd and are the only Bitterroot Valley basketball team that got an automatic bid; therefore all the other Bitterroot teams had divisional play-in games last week.

Boys play-in games

The top three Southwestern A boys teams this year were Dillon, Frenchtown and Butte Central. The boys teams from Stevensville, Corvallis and Hamilton had play-in games to determine the #4 seed for divisionals.

Corvallis 72, Stevensville 65

The Corvallis boys hosted Stevensville in the first divisional playin game on Thursday, February 27. Both teams had been improving all year long and this was a competitive matchup.

Corvallis jumped out early and led 22-15 after one quarter and 4126 at halftime. Stevensville didn’t give up and came back in the second half, and at the end of the game they

almost evened the score, but Corvallis came through in the end and got the seven-point victory.

This ended the season for the Stevensville boys. The Yellowjackets had a tough season but didn’t lose their fight and played hard until the end. The program looks to be in good hands with enthusiastic first year head coach Kenny Begaye.

Hamilton 64, Corvallis 29

The Hamilton boys then hosted Corvallis in the second divisional play-in game on Saturday, March 1. The winner moved on to divisionals and the loser went home (both teams technically go home after the game, but you know what I mean).

Hamilton left little doubt that they deserved to move on to divisionals. They jumped out to a 24-3 first quarter lead and a 48-15 halftime lead. Then the Broncs coasted in the second half to a 64-29 victory, punching their ticket to the Western A Divisionals as the 4th seed.

Hamilton shot 65% from the field for the game and played defense at a high level, creating 14 total steals. Hamilton will be a tough team to beat in divisionals if they

shoot this well and play this type of defense.

For Hamilton, Canaan Magness led the scoring with 19 points and added 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jake McCarthy had one of his best games of the year, scoring 17 points and going 5 for 7 on three-pointers; he also had 2 steals. Tyler Jette did a bit of everything with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Asher Griffin had 5 points and 3 steals. Easton Hollis had 3 points. Reece Fowler and Trevyn Bakken each had 2 points, and Kaeden Gum added 6 rebounds.

The loss to Hamilton ended the season for the Corvallis boys. Corvallis has a talented group of young players, so the future looks bright for the Blue Devils.

Girls play-in games

The top three Southwestern A girls teams this year were Dillon, Frenchtown and Hamilton. The girls teams from Stevensville, Corvallis and Butte Central had play-in games to determine the #4 seed for divisionals.

Stevensville 13, Butte Central 59

Stevensville went to Butte

Central for the first girls divisional play-in game on Thursday, February 27. The Stevensville girls got down early and didn’t have the offensive firepower to make a comeback, losing 13-59. This ends the season for the Stevensville girls. The Stevi girls fought hard all year and look to rebuild and come back stronger next year.

Corvallis 42, Butte Central 44 The Corvallis girls hosted Butte Central in the second girls divisional play-in game on Saturday, March 1. The Lady Blue Devils jumped out to a 17-9 first quarter advantage, but Central chipped away at the lead and eventually evened up the game. The game came down to the last possession. Corvallis had a chance, but was unable to take the lead and lost 42-44.

For Corvallis, Taryn Hochhalter and Ella Varner led the scoring with 14 points each. Ava Loran had 11, Autumn Benson and Kaia Benson each added 3. This ended the season for the Corvallis girls. This young group is full of talent and looks to be a force to deal with next year.

Darby girls bow out at divisionals

The Darby girls played St. Ignatius, the top seed out of the 7B conference, in the first round of

the Western B Divisionals and were defeated 35-79. For Darby, Hadley Heiland led

with 23. Georgia Fisher had 3, Natalie Anderson had 5, and Nyna Reasor had 4. This loss sent them to the loser-out side of the bracket where they met Eureka on Friday morning. The Lady Tigers played a solid game and it was close throughout, and with 4 minutes left to play in the game Darby held a 36-35 lead. But from then on Darby got cold and the Lady Tigers were outscored 9-1

to end the game. They lost 37-44, which ended their season. For Darby, Hadley Heiland led the scoring with 17 points. Georgia Fisher had 8, Natalie Anderson and Lilly Bennett each had 5, and Ella Bush added 2.

The Darby girls say goodbye to seniors Georgia Fisher and Lilly Bennett, but have a solid group coming back and will look to keep improving next season.

Victor Adult Education Spring 2025

Victor Adult Education Spring 2025

For more information about instructors you can visit our web-site at www.victor.k12.mt.us

To sign up for a class, please call 642-3221.

Co-Ed Volleyball (Advanced): This Class is intense and intended for those who have played a lot of volleyball. This is a very competitive group of players. Max 12. Gym Instructor: Amber Kay. Meets: (FRI), beginning March 07th -April 25th . 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Cost: $25.00

Co-Ed Basketball: This class is intended for those who would like to have fun and play some competitive basketball. Gym Instructor: Dylen Spain-Brist. Meets: (THURSDAYS & SUNDAYS) March 09th -May25th Thursdays 7:00-9:00 p.m. and Sundays 6:00-8:00 pm. Open enrollment Cost: $5.00 per night or $20.00 per session

Design Your Own Hanging Basket: Visit the Victor School greenhouse anytime between the hours of 3pm - 6pm and use your creative ability to design your own floral hanging basket. We will provide a 12” white basket, soil, and annual plugs (small plants). You can grow your basket in our greenhouse until after the last frost of the year. Cost is $40 and covers all the supplies needed. Sign up for both the hanging basket class and the Patio Planter class and only pay $35 per class. Instructor: Cassy Worthington (406)531-2560 Meets: (SAT) March 29th 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm and (FRI) April 11th 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Design your Own Patio Planter:

and certification class covers

and

child and adult CPR/AED. Room B Instructor: Heart of the Valley CPR, Kristy Gaul. Meets: (MON) April 28th 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Max of 10 individuals. Groups may contact Heart of the Valley directly. Cost

Visit the Victor School Greenhouse anytime between the hours of 3pm-6pm and use your creative ability to design your own floral patio planter. We will provide a 13.5” Patio Planter, soil, annual plugs (small plants). Bring your mom and do a fun Mother’s Day activity together or plant one for her as a gift. You can take the planter home or leave it in the greenhouse until the last frost of the year. Cost is $40 and covers all the supplies needed. Sign up for both the Hanging Basket class and the Patio Planter class and only pay $35 per class. Instructor: Cassy Worthington (406)531-2560 Meets: (SAT) April 26th 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm or (FRI) May 9th 3:00 pm -6:00 pm

Darby sophomore Hadley Heiland (#5) drives around a defender at the Western B Divisional tournament in Hamilton. The Darby girls qualifed for divisionals for the frst time in eight years. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Obituaries

Gurney Montgomery Palin

Gurney Montgomery Palin, 80, passed away on February 19, 2025, in Hamilton, Montana.

Born on December 19, 1944, Gurney spent his life deeply connected to the land he worked and enjoyed watching and listening to his grandchildren share in the joys of their lives as they were growing up.

Gurney graduated from Darby High School in May 1964 and went on to attend Montana Tech in Butte. He worked alongside his father and brothers at the Conner Log Mill during high school and after his short time at Montana Tech, he returned home to help his father out at the mill again. Gurney met and married Arlene Lyons in February 1970. Together they welcomed a daughter, Robin, born in October 1971. In 1973, they moved to Colorado to continue working in the lumber industry before returning to Darby in 1975 to take up logging once again.

In 1976, Gurney embarked on a new journey into ranching, moving to Hummer, Idaho. The following year, they relocated to Aubrey, Texas, and welcomed their second daughter, Michele.

They remained in Texas and ranched for over 13 years before making the decision in the fall of 1991 to return home to the Bitterroot Valley. By 1992, Gurney was working for Mikesells out of Florence, then transitioned over to a position at the Stock Farm out of Hamilton. In 1994, Arlene and Gurney divorced. Gurney remained working at the Stock Farm until taking an early retirement in 2009.

Gurney was preceded in death by his parents, Imogene and Elmer Palin of Hamilton; brothers Greg, John, and Rick Palin; sister Mae Remfert; and grandson Jerry Cassidy.

He is survived by his daughters, Robin Palin of Hamilton and Michele Morris (Clint Morris); grandchildren Lynnlee, Cienna, and Lance Morris of Stevensville; grandson Shawn Cassidy of Augusta, as well as two nieces and a nephew.

Private services will be held. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.

Gurney’s life was one of hard work and resilience. His memory will live on through those who knew him.

Eugene Leslie ‘Les’ Towner

Eugene Leslie Towner (Les), 67, adventurer, gas geezer, miner, hunter, mentor, brother, uncle and one heck of a man passed on February 18, 2025 during his travels through Guyana, South America.

He resided in Hamilton, MT. He was born on February 2, 1958 in Avon, Park FL to Eugene LaRue Towner and Janet Lorraine Towner. Les was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his best friend Lauri Ward,

older brother Rob (Christi) Towner, younger brother Terry (Susan) Towner, sister Laura Towner, nieces Jennefer, Liza (Donnie), KaSandra (Brian), great-niece Cate Lynn, and great-nephews Dominic and Aidan, as well as many other extended family members and close friends.

Family members have gathered together to celebrate and memorialize our Les.

A memorial is planned for March 8th from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Eagles in Hamilton.

For the angler, spring is here all at once

I have a good friend who fshes whenever he can get out. I used to be the same way, but come to be a bit more prudent in recent years.

He caught a twenty-inch rainbow just a few days ago. He sent photos of that fsh and some bugs that he saw that day when the snow was still deep on the ground. He saw midges, small stonefies, and a skwala nymph, getting ready to hatch.

Literally overnight, the snow has all but disappeared. With the ffty-degree days we’ve seen since, any of the bugs he saw could be hatching at any time.

by Chuck Stranahan

The skwala hatch gets the blood boiling for many of us who approach spring fshing in the deliriums of cabin fever. We wait all winter for this hatch.

The skwala is called the willow fy or early dark stonefy in other places; in western Montana we prefer the Latin, skwala, for the genus. Bitterroot veteran fy designer Andre Carlson identifed this hatch as the skwala, and popularized his similarly-named fy for it over forty years ago. If you look at pre1980’s angling literature you won’t see much mention of the skwala. Today it is commonplace.

Fast-forward: Today there are myriad skwala patterns out there. When choosing skwala patterns for your own box, stick with the ones that are drab olive-brown and sparse in #8 and #10. The naturals are skinny, occur when the water is low and fowing slow. No need for the overdressed gaudy fies that will get you more refusals than solid hookups.

You won’t see too many snowfy, or capnea, patterns in most fy shop bins, but if you do, grab a few. The capnea species we lump together as snowfies can range from #18 to ridiculously small as the genus has a ridiculous number of species. Some are a size #14 and gray – just like the genus nemoura stonefies that are a size #12 or #14.

For spring stonefies, then, start with everybody’s favorite, the skwala. Pick a couple of patterns: one light, one dark. Also grab a small #18 or #20 black midge or snowfy pattern. Sometimes a slow day can be trans-

formed into a great one by tying the smaller stone of the back of the bigger one.

The trout care more about size and color than anything – when anglers can’t tell the diference between a subspecie of capnea and a nemoura, why should the trout care?

Then there are spring mayfies: many of them look alike.

For sanity and simplicity’s sake we can call them either March Browns or Blue-winged Olives.

Never mind the genus and specie variations here; try to get close in size and color to what you see the trout taking.

You can fsh March Browns and their look-alike cousins, Gray Drakes, with just a couple of patterns. Try a #12 or #14 Brindle ‘Chute when you see the lighter colored bugs on the water, a #12 or #14 Purple Haze for the darker ones.

By themselves, the Purple Haze and the Brindle ‘Chute are good searching patterns. Sometime you can do well by trailing one behind a skwala until you detect a preference for one fy or the other.

Blue-winged Olives? The choices are limitless. Start with a sparse Blue-wing-Olive Parachute and a

cripple or emerger pattern that rides half-submerged in the water, both in #18.

A few weeks from now, maybe sooner, we’ll see gangbuster hatches of the so-called Mother’s Day Caddis before runof. A trip to the Big Hole can be a solid bet and if the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch is full-on.

There are at least three diferent caddisfies that can be called the Mother’s Day Caddis. Some are about a #14, with dark smoky wings and a dark olive-green or ash gray body. The other is about a #16 or #18, and darker gray overall. I carry fies for all three.

I also carry plenty of nymphs and fsh deliberately during this pre-runof period. The list isn’t too dramatic; a #8 dark olive or brown stonefy nymph like a Pat’s Rubberlegs, #14 Pheasant Tails, Soft Hackle Hare’s Ears, and an original Bird’s Nest will usually get you into the game.

My friend who caught the big rainbow last week didn’t say what he was using, but he also carries a #6 Olive Wooly Bugger. You might also want to carry that pattern, too.

Stevensville (406) 777-6002 & URGENT

Corvallis (406) 961-4661 Hamilton (406) 363-1100 & URGENT

Victor (406) 375-2990

(406) 375-4142

Nose & Throat (406) 375-4499

(406) 375-4119

This deep-shouldered twenty-inch rainbow was caught and released last week. Photo courtesy Chuck Stranahan.

Members of the Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association would like to thank our 2025 attendees. We sincerely appreciate your continued support, and to those who attended for the first time, we hope that you had an enjoyable evening and will join us on February 28, 2026. You can keep up to date with us on Facebook. Type in Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association.

Members would like to recognize our Sponsor Table Buyers: Donaldson Brothers, Snowy Mountain Rifles, Weber and Co. CPA’s, Bitterroot Trout Farm, Lost Trail Construction, Bitterroot Trout Unlimited, First Security Bank, 1st Interstate Bank, Enhanced Forest Management, Bitterroot Spray and the table of Jourdonnais & Ramsey.

Those who made it all happen: Catering by Mission Bistro, Flower Arrangements by Ravalli Flowers and Gifts, Auctioneer: Mast Auction Service, J.S. Ironworks, Ring men Larry Trexler and Dusty Miles. Checkout help; Donna Weber, Peggy Trexler and Levelle Walker and Our Special helpers, Rachel Lowitt, Former Miss Teen Rodeo Montana and Annabelle Wagner, Darby Rodeo Princess.

Thank you to all who purchased tickets for the Snowy Mountain Rifle. Congratulations to Paul Hayford with winning ticket #280.

To the Following People & Businesses for cash or items for the live and silent auctions. Thank You! Please support the many area businesses who donate so much to so many organizations in the valley.

 3 Brothers African Hunting Safari

 Artistic Impressions

 Asmus Jewelers

 Bitterroot Drug

 Bitterroot Ducks Unlimited

 Bitterroot Fish Hatchery

 Bitterroot River Inn

 Bitterroot Trading Post

 Cabela’s / Bass Pro

 Cheers Unlimited

 Cheryl Dooley

 Corvallis Drug

 Cowpoke Ranch Supply

 Cynthie Fisher

 Darby Distribution

 Darby Wine & Spirits

 David Hill

 Don Patterson

 Double H Custom Hats

 Electric Beach & Hair Studio

 Evan’s Ace Hardware

 Fish’s Eddie O’s

 Fords Department Store

 Freestone Fly Shop

 Hamilton Super 1

 Hamilton Tire Rama

 Hamilton Wine & Liquor

 Hope’s Cutting Corral

 Iron Horse Gym

 Jan Varner

 Jane Lambert

 Jerry Walker

 Jerry Wessels / Les Schwab Tire

 Joe’s Studio

 Kodiak Jax II

 Little Blue Joint

 Local Flair

 Lolo Cr. Steakhouse

 Mary Lemons CPA

 Massa Home Center

 Melanie Lavallee

 Mike & Nyla Shaw

 Mike Thompson / Sharon Rose

 Montana Picks & Blades

 MPG Ranch

 Mr. T’s Mercantile

 Murdoch’s Ranch Supply

 Norco

 ONX Maps

 Osburn Irrigation

 Papa Murphy’s

 People’s Market

 Pink Grizzly

 Rainbow’s End Natural Foods

 Ravalli Flowers & Gifts

 Roben Northern

 Rod & Becky Knutson

 Rodger Free

 Rooster Ridge

 Rusty Bloomers

 Scheels

 Spice of Life

 St.Francis Pet Hospital

 Steve Wilson

 Stevensville Super 1

 The Coffee Cup

 The Morgan’s

 The Paper Clip

 Tim’s Cleaner Carpets & Restoration

 Trail West Bank

 Triple Creek

 Valley Irrigation

 Vern’s Landscaping

Elk calves in Bitterroot die after eating toxic plant

At least fve elk calves were killed in mid-January in the Florence area of the Bitterroot Valley due to ingestion of toxic ornamental plants. The calves were found by homeowners in the area between Jan. 15 and 23. Necropsies conducted on two of the calves revealed high quantities of toxic Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) in their stomachs, and an examination of properties in the area revealed several of the plants that had been browsed. The homeowner voluntarily removed the plants.

Japanese yew, an evergreen, treelike shrub native to East Asia, is a popular landscaping plant, commonly planted around homes and walkways. The plant becomes especially dan-

gerous to wildlife in the winter, when heavy snows can force ungulates closer to homes in search of food.

“Because it’s not native to the area, animals aren’t familiar enough with the plant to know or teach their young that it’s toxic,” said area biologist Rebecca Mowry. “Even a small amount can kill them, and yearlings are especially susceptible.”

According to FWP Wildlife Veterinarian Jennifer, an amount that weighs less that 1 percent of an elk’s body weight is enough to cause death.

“The elk we necropsied here at the wildlife health lab had a large amount of yew – leaves, stems and seeds –in its rumen,” Ramsey said. “Yew toxicity often causes sudden death,

commonly within two to four hours after ingestion.”

Japanese yew has been implicated in several high-profle ungulate die-ofs in the Rocky Mountains, including after a heavy snow event in 2016-2017 in Idaho that resulted in the deaths of 23 elk and 50 pronghorn. Japanese yew is also suspected to have killed several yearling elk that same year between Hamilton and Darby, and again east of Hamilton after the heavy snowfall of February 2019. Two moose died in Idaho in 2022 and 2023 after ingesting the plant. White-tailed deer appear to be unafected, though mule deer are susceptible. Humans, pets and domestic livestock can also be poisoned by

ingesting the plant. Japanese yew has fat, green leaves that are darker on the top than on the bottom, with 1- to 1.25-inch needles spiraling around the stem. Female plants produce bright red berries in late summer/early fall, while male plants produce fowers that may resemble tiny Brussels sprouts. All parts of the plant are toxic.

FWP recommends that homeowners who live in areas where wild ungulates move through – including much of the Bitterroot Valley – check their yards for the plant and remove it if possible. The plant and its trimmings should be disposed of in a landfll or somewhere where animals don’t have access to them.

Bitterroot Women’s Club auction 2025

Are you ready to send winter on its way? The GFWC Bitterroot Woman’s Club is too, and they hope you will help them usher in the warmer weather by participating in their upcoming 2025 “Yay, Spring” online auction fundraiser.

Join in the fun and start your spring shopping by visiting their auction flled with awesome donations from super generous community donors including tickets to entertainment venues, massages, kitchen appliances, car washes, artwork, jewelry, retail shops, restaurants, golf outings and so much more! With values ranging from $10 to priceless, you can fnd something for everyone on your gift list...and for yourself too!

You can browse and even register now for the auction at https://ww-

w.32auctions.com/GFWC-BWC2025, which goes live on Friday, March 28th at 8am through Sunday, March 30th at 8 p.m. Anyone registered prior to the start of the auction will receive a reminder email when the auction goes live. More items will be added now through the auction itself so be sure to check back often and anyone still wishing to donate items can contact Nancy at 703-786-5990 or Mary at 406-642-3785.

Proceeds from the auction will help the GFWC Bitterroot Woman’s Club and the Bitterroot Woman’s Club Foundation support community projects such as the Women Veterans Programs, S.A.F.E., Scholarships for High School Seniors, Community Meals, Beautifcation Projects, local Food Banks, Children’s Programs,

Elks Lodge awards scholarships

Three area high school students were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship at a dinner hosted by the Bitterroot Valley Elks Lodge on February 26th.

These students included Morgan Bisel, a senior at Corvallis High School, who was #1 in her high school class with a 4.0 GPA. Her major at the University of Montana will be Education.

Farah Wyche is also a senior at Corvallis High School and shared #1 in class honors with a 4.0 GPA. Farah

has not made a college commitment yet; however, she plans to major in Environmental Science.

Caleb Katen is a senior at Florence-Carlton High School and will be attending King University in Tennessee where he also received a baseball scholarship. He will major in Business.

These three students are an exemplary example of leadership and academic achievement in our Valley. The Elks Lodge is pleased to give these scholarships to these deserving students.

Teacher & Staf Appreciation, local Senior Citizens and more. If you’d like more information on the Club and Foundation visit the website at www.gfwcbitterrootwomansclub.com or call Carole at 484-225-7453.

Bitterroot Valley Scholarship opportunities available

Vogt Memorial Scholarship available

The Bitterroot Conservation District (BCD) will award one Ravalli County High School Senior a $10,000 ($2,500 per year for four years) scholarship in honor of longtime Bitterroot Conservation District board member and rancher, Steve Vogt. More specifc detailed requirements and the scholarship application form can be found on the BCD website at http:/bitterrootcd.

org/, from your school counselor, or by calling the BCD ofce at 406-3616181.

The competition is open to Ravalli County Montana Public and Private High School seniors. The application deadline is April 21st, 2025 for the 2025/2026 BCD Scholarship program. Governed by locally elected supervisors, Montana’s 58 CDs are state-created political subdivisions whose boundaries usually follow county lines. For over 85 years CDs

have been conserving our state’s resources by helping local people match their needs with technical and fnancial resources, thereby getting good conservation practices on the ground to the beneft of all Montanans.

Bitterroot Quilt Guild Scholarship available Applications are being accepted for the Bitterroot Quilt Guild 2025 Scholarship. A $1000 scholarship

will be awarded by the Bitterroot Quilt Guild. This scholarship is for a graduating Florence-Carlton High School senior who plans to continue their education through trade school, technical school, community college, or four-year college or university. Application guidelines can be obtained from Florence-Carlton Senior Counselor. Applications need to be received or postmarked by April 15, 2025. Applicants do not need to be a quilter to qualify.

Victor set to host International Fly Fishing Film Tour Festival

The 2025 International Fly Fishing Film Festival is coming to Victor on Friday, March 14, featuring 7 short and feature-length flms.

The Victor screening of IF4 will be at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center at Victor School, 425 4th Ave Victor, MT, on Friday, March 14 at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:15 PM. Tickets can be purchased online at bitterrootwater.org/fshweek or at the Bitterroot Water Partnership ofce (162 S 2nd Street, Hamilton) and are priced at $16.50 in advance or $21 on the day of the event. Total running time of the flm is two 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 14 marks the end of Fish Week, a collection of fsh-focused events across the Valley. To view the full Fish Week schedule, and to purchase rafe or flm tickets, visit bitterrootwater.org/fshweek.

Fish Week includes a game night and an expert panel and discussion of an upcoming 150-acre stream and meadow restoration in Tolan Creek, highlighting factors afecting our waters like sediment and warming stream temperatures and their reasonable solutions. You can RSVP for the Thursday 3/13 panel, Upstream and Unseen: The Secret Life of Headwaters and their Direct Impact on the Bitterroot River, at bitterrootwater.org/fshweek.

Among the flms in the festival are Silent Spotter, exploring the extraordinary life of Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fy-fshing guide in Xcalak, Mexico; Native Range, where friends explore the remote expanses of Utah in search of native cutthroat trout; Fishing Diaries, takes viewers to the breathtaking

fats of the Seychelles in search of giant tarpon; Legacy, a story of the life and legacy of fy-fshing’s bestknown couple, Barry and Cathy Beck; New Beginnings, fy-fshing legends Chico Fernandez and Dan Blanton tell untold stories from the past; Above

the Clouds, follows fve friends as they embark on a challenging journey into Colorado’s alpine; and Time Will Tell, a testament to following a dream, this is the story of acclaimed artist Paul Puckett and his impact on the world of fy-fshing.

Cancer patient needs your help

Shortly before Christmas, Lisa Wallace of Darby was diagnosed with a rare anal cancer. For those of you that know Lisa and her husband Bryan, giving back to their community has always been important to them. Whether it’s volunteering, donating, or participating, particularly with veteran organizations, they have shown up time and again for many people in this valley.

Now the Wallaces need your help. A GoFundMe has been set up to help ofset the expenses they are looking at

during this time, such as travel from Darby to Missoula fve days a week for six weeks for treatment, a large medical deductible, co-pays for specialists, prescriptions, etc. You can donate two ways - either via GoFundMe at https://gofund. me/6db14b9e or via Venmo at @Lisa-Wallace-34. Although they are both uncomfortable with asking for help, they are extremely appreciative and grateful. Lisa always says the only way through is forward.

FARM & RANCH

HAND wanted full-time, near Peerless, Montana. Housing available. Call 406-724-7099.

K-8 teacher, 2025-2026 school year. Mountain View Elementary. Starting bonus, competitive salary. Call 406-336-2638 or email jerryhofer73@gmail.com.

WANTED TO BUY: Old Car, Truck, Motorcycle, also old signs and license plates, gas station items or dealership items. Call 406-

270-8630 any time.

KENSINGTON POOL TABLE, Oak with leather pockets, Craftsman style, Pictures available, $1500. Call (406) 360-7004.

SAMSUNG GALAXY A15 5G, Spectrum phone, never used, $120. For more information call (406) 240-0648.

SWITCH AND SAVE UP TO $250/YEAR ON YOUR TALK, TEXT AND DATA. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with fexi-

ble data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time ofer - get $50 of on any new account. Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-877324-0193.

Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On- Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-855- 995-3572

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GET YOUR DEDUCTION AHEAD OF THE YEAR-END! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous year-end tax credit. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855- 901-2620 today!

LEGAL NOTICE

The Darby Study Commission, created by the Town of Darby, will hold their First Public Hearing to receive comments oral or written on the review of Darby’s form of government. From this meeting a tentative report will be written and presented at a future date according to the published Timetable.

The Public Hearing will be held March18, 2025, 5:30 pm at the Darby Clubhouse, 106 N Main Street, Darby, Montana. BS 2-19, 3-5-25.

MNAXLP

Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey, Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey, Petitioner.

Cause No.: DV-412025-0000066-NC

Dept. 2 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a name change from Ty Evaristo Armijo-Dewey to Ty Evaristo Armijo-Olsen.

The hearing will be on March 27, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 18th day of February, 2025.

/s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court

By: Michelle Goldman Deputy Clerk of Court

BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12, 3-19-25.

MNAXLP

Kevin S. Jones Jones & Houston, PLLC 2625 Dearborn Ave., Ste. 102 Missoula, MT 59804 (406) 541-3333 kevin@jonesmtlaw.com

Attorneys for Personal Representative Mary Lamley MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: DARREN S. BRANNING, Deceased.

Cause No. DP-412025-19 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Mary Lamley has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the Deceased are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the frst publication of this Notice, or their claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Jones & Houston, PLLC, Attorneys for the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at 2625 Dearborn Avenue, Suite 102, Missoula, Montana 59804, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana the foregoing is true and correct.

Dated this 24th day of February, 2025.

/s/ Mary Lamley, Personal Representative of the Estate of Darren S. Branning

/s/ Kevin S. Jones, Attorney for Personal Representative

BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12-25. MNAXLP

Kevin S. Jones

Joseph D. Houston

Remy J. Orrantia Jones & Houston, PLLC 2625 Dearborn Ave., Ste. 102 Missoula, MT 59804 (406) 541-3333 kevin@jonesmtlaw.com joe@jonesmtlaw.com

Attorneys for Plaintifs

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY ERIC THEOBALD,

individually, and as Successor Trustee of the Allan E Theobald Trust, dated October 26, 2007, as amended, Plaintif, v. ALLAN THEOBALD TRUST 1970, ALLAN THEOBALD, DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF ALLAN THEOBALD, AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS, UNKNOWN HEIRS, OR ANY UNKNOWN DEVISEES OF ANY DECEASED PERSON, AND ALL OTHER PERSONS, UNKNOWN, CLAIMING OR WHO MIGHT CLAIM ANY RIGHT, TITLE, ESTATE OR INTEREST IN OR LIEN OR ENCUMBRANCE UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT ADVERSE TO PLAINTIFF’S OWNERSHIP OR ANY CLOUD UPON PLAINTIFF’S TITLE THERETO, WHETHER SUCH CLAIM OR POSSIBLE CLAIM BE PRESENT OR CONTINGENT, Defendants.

Dept. 2 Cause No. DV-412025-70 SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION

THE STATE OF MONTANA TO THE ABOVENAMED DEFENDANTS, GREETINGS:

You are hereby SUMMONED to answer the Complaint to Quiet Title in this Action which is fled with the above-named Court, a copy of which is served upon you, and to fle your written answer with the Court and serve a copy thereof upon Plaintif’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after service of this SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION, or such other period as may be specifed by law, exclusive of the day of service. Your failure to appear or answer will result in judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. A fling fee must accompany the answer.

This action is brought for the purpose of quieting title to the real property located in Ravalli County, Montana, and described as follows:

Lot 31, Amended Subdivision Plat No. 1001, being a portion of Foxfeld, a Planned Townhome Community, a platted subdivision, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the ofcial recorded plat thereof, as as set forth in the Bylaws of Foxfeld Homeowners Association, Inc. recorded in Book 203 of Deeds, Page 459 and Amended in Book 223, Deeds, page 911, and as Instrument No. 548008. TOGETHER WITH the right to the use of the common properties as provided in By-Laws and the Declaration of Condominium recorded in Book 203 of Deeds, Page 458 and

Page 459, and as Amend-

ed in Book 223, Deeds, Page 911, Instrument No. 548008, Instrument No. 466406, Instrument No, 584007, Instrument No. 622367, Instrument No. 652245 and Instrument No. 680015.

DATED this 24th day of February, 2025.

/s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Sarah Sargent, Deputy Clerk BS 2-26, 3-5, 3-12-25.

MNAXLP

Kyle J. Workman State Bar No. 65442127 WORKMAN LAW, PLLC P.O. Box 1167 Hamilton, MT 59840 T: (406) 802-2198 kyle@workmanlawmt. com Attorney for Personal Representative

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: CURTIS HOFFMAN FLATHER, Deceased. Cause No. DP-412024-0000112-IT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the 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 PAULA COTE FLATHER, the Personal Representative, in care of WORKMAN LAW, PLLC, P.O. Box 1167, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana the foregoing is true and correct.

Dated this 21st day of February, 2025. /s/ Paula Flather Paula Cote Flather Workman Law, PLLC By: Kyle J. Workman

Attorney for Personal Representative BS 3-5, 3-12, 3-19-25. MNAXLP

NOTICE OF FILING FOR TRUSTEE CANDIDATES:

Lone Rock School District #13 is looking to fll two (2) Trustee positions for a 3-year term each. If interested in being part of a board that has a focus on high quality education, please fle by March 27, 2025 by 4:00pm with the Business Manager/Clerk at

MNAXLP

TOWN OF STEVENSVILLE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Town of Stevensville is soliciting proposals from qualifed individuals to perform tree trimming services in the town limits of the Town of Stevensville.

The Town of Stevensville experienced tree damage during the windstorm event of August 2024. An arborist has assessed the damaged trees, and 3 trees will need removal, and 50 trees will need pruning.

To review the list, you may make arrangements with town hall. Questions can be directed to the town clerk, townclerk@townofstevensville.gov or call 406-777-5271 ext. 102.

Bids are due no later than 03/27/2025 @ 5:00 PM to Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville MT, 59870.

Opening of RFP’s will take place at the regular scheduled town council meeting on 3/27/2024 at 6:30 pm, Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, MT 59870

Interested companies can fnd additional information about the RFP’s on the Town of Stevensville’s website at:

www.townofstevensville.com/rfps

Attest: Jenelle Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 3-5, 3-19-25.

MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is Hereby Given that the Town Council of the Town of Stevensville will hold a Public Hearing on March 13, 2025 @ 6:30 pm for Resolution No. 563 amending the budget for fscal year 2023-2024. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to express their opinions regarding the budget amendments. Comments can also be given to the Town Clerk at PO Box 30, Stevensville, MT 59870, email townclerk@townofstevensville.gov or before 5:00 pm in person on the scheduled Town Council meeting day. Questions, comments or more information may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at 406-777-5271.

Attest: Jenelle S. Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 3-5, 3-12-25.

MNAXLP

INVITATION TO BID

STEVENSVILLE AIRPORT STEVENSVILLE, MONTANA

responsible bid submittal that fts within their budget. Parties interested in submitting a bid for this project should contact Sarah Michaelson with Morrison-Maierle at smichaelson@m-m.net or by calling (406) 542.4877. Hard copy bids will be accepted until 5:00 pm local time on Thursday March 27, 2025, at the Stevensville Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, Montana 59870. Bids will be publicly opened at 6:30 pm local time on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at the Stevensville Town Council Meeting. 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: #9557789. Attest: Jenelle S. Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 3-5, 3-12, 3-19-25. MNAXLP

Megan S. Winderl

CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C. 99 Marcus Street, 3rd FL Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 218-4888

MeganW@cwlawmt. com Pleadings@cwlawmt. com

Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY

In the Matter of the Estate of Glen Douglas Singleton, Jr., Deceased. Probate No. DP-412025-0000010-IT Dept. No. 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the 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 Richard Glen Singleton, the Personal Representative, in care of CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C., 99 Marcus St. 3rd FL, Hamilton, MT 59840 or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Montana that the foregoing is true and correct.

Attorney for Personal Representative By: Megan S. Winderl BS 3-5, 3-12, 3-19-25. MNAXLP

BUDGET AMENDMENT RESOLUTION

LONE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT #13

RAVALLI COUNTY At a regular meeting of the board of trustees of School District #13, Ravalli County, Montana, held February 18, 2025 at 7:00pm at the Lone Rock School Middle School building, Room 310, the following resolution was introduced: WHEREAS, the trustees of School District #13, Ravalli County, Montana, have made a determination that as a result of signifcantly decreased federal program grant awards for the 2024-2025 school year, the district’s budget for the General Fund does not provide sufcient fnancing to properly maintain and support the district for the entire current school fscal year; and WHEREAS, the trustees have determined that an amendment to the Lone Rock School General Fund budget in the amount of $150,000 is necessary under the provision of Section 20-9-161(6), MCA; for the purpose of maintaining the cost of staf and WHEREAS, the anticipated source of fnancing the budget amendment expenditures shall be the General Fund reserve; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of School District #13, Ravalli County, Montana, proclaims a need for an amendment to the Lone Rock School General Fund budget for fscal year 2024-2025 in the amount of $150,000 under Section 20-9-161(6), MCA, for the purpose identifed above, and; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of School District #13, Ravalli County, Montana, will meet at 7:00pm at Lone Rock School Middle School building, Room 310 on March 18th, 2025 for the purpose of considering and adopting the budget amendment. Print Chairperson’s

The Town of Stevensville, Montana is formally requesting bids for construction services for the Self-Serve Fuel Station at the Stevensville Airport. The Town will select one contractor based on the lowest, responsive, and

Dated this 20th day of January, 2025.

/s/ Richard Glen Singleton Personal Representative CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C.