Deputy Cassi Kopsa was presented with First Response Photography’s Law Enforcement Ofcer of the Year award on Monday, November 17. The award was presented by photography business owner Justiz Daricek, who also read the nomination letter that led to the selection of Kopsa for this recognition.
“It is with great pride that I nominate Deputy Cassi Kopsa of the Ravalli County Sherif’s Ofce for Law Enforcement Ofcer of the Year. As the School Resource Ofcer (SRO) for the Florence-Carlton School District, Deputy Kopsa has exemplifed professionalism, compassion, and dedication to both the students and the broader community she serves.
“Deputy Kopsa goes above and beyond the traditional duties of law enforcement. Her presence at the schools is not only a source of safety but also of trust, mentorship, and genuine care. She has built meaningful relationships with students of all ages, staf, and parents—proving that community policing begins with strong human connections. Through daily interactions, classroom visits, and participation in extracurricular events, she has become an integral and positive infuence in the lives of countless young people.
“Deputy Kopsas’s calm demeanor
and approachability have made her a trusted resource for students facing personal or academic challenges, many of whom turn to her for guidance and support.
“Beyond her role in the school district, Deputy Kopsa consistently demonstrates excellence in law enforcement professionalism. Whether responding to emergencies, assisting other deputies, or representing the Sherif’s Ofce at community events, she embodies the values of integrity, service, and respect. Her proactive communication with school administrators and families ensures that issues are addressed before they escalate, keeping both the school and the community safer.
“Deputy Kopsa’s commitment to the youth of Ravalli County extends beyond her assigned duties; she represents what it means to serve with heart. Her dedication, empathy, and tireless work ethic have left an indelible mark on the Florence-Carlton School District and the entire community. For her exceptional service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the mission of the Ravalli County Sherif’s Ofce, Deputy Cassi Kopsa is most deserving of the Law Enforcement Ofcer of the Year award.”
Kopsa was selected by a panel of seven judges that all work in law
enforcement, including a Police Chief, Lieutenants, a Deputy Sergeant and Reserve Ofcers. County Sherif Steve Holton stated, “I appreciate the nomination, it is 100% accurate. Cassi does a tremendous job for us and we are very fortunate to have her and are very proud of her.”
Kopsa has been with the Sherif’s Ofce for almost two years, and shared her thoughts on receiving this award. “Well I’m honestly surprised I got the award, but very honored as well. I feel very supported here and that’s all because of the great community I have to back me up.”
First Response Photography was created by Daricek and his two friends Alex Troy and Tyce Mathaforf (who both have unfortunately passed away) in February of 2024. The mission of the business is to shine a spotlight on all First Responders and they do this by showing up at law enforcement scenes, fres and medical incidents and taking powerful photos that represent what these people do on a daily basis. Daricek stated, “I think it’s important that all First Responders have a positive light shed on them, they are people too, and they face stressors and situations that can be very hard for them to deal
with. I am also an advocate for mental health, as I have faced signifcant losses and been through some pretty hard mental health stuf myself.”
Daricek comes from a tough background, but was heavily infuenced by his mother, who raised him as a single mother while working as a nurse and an EMT. She then married a frefghter, which has led Daricek to become a volunteer frefghter as well as enlisting in the Army National Guard. “I want to serve my country as well as my community.”
Currently there are fve awards that are given out each year, each designed to give Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters and EMTs an opportunity to be recognized by the community. There are also two additional awards that were created to honor Daricek’s two deceased friends that he started his business with. The Alex Troy Award and the Mathaforf Award are not limited to First Responders, but are open to anyone in the community that is recognized as someone who is a loyal and helpful person who is willing to teach and support others.
To learn more about First Response Photography you can visit the website at https://1stresponsephotography. com.
Sheriff Steve Holton, Deputy Cassi Kopsa and Justiz Daricek. Photo courtesy First Response Photography.
Example of on scene photography. Photo courtesy First Response Photography.
The Hamilton Downtown Association (HDA) and Hamilton Downtown Foundation (HDF) are excited to announce that this year’s Christmas Stroll and Community Tree Lighting will once again take place on Small Business Saturday, November 29, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., celebrating a full day of local shopping, holiday traditions and festive community fun.
After moving the celebration to Saturday last year, seeing a strong turnout and meaningful support for local shops, the HDA is thrilled to continue the tradition. Downtown businesses will be open all day, ofering shoppers the perfect opportunity to support locals before the festivities begin. The Christmas Stroll activities will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., giving families and visitors the chance to enjoy holiday entertainment, street vendors and community traditions after spending the day exploring Main Street.
Starting at 4 p.m., guests can experience beloved Hamilton holiday activities including Christmas carolers, Christmas Market craft vendors, food vendors, burn barrels, warm seasonal treats, live entertainment and the
annual Christmas Market. Indoors, the community can visit the Bitterroot Discovery Children’s Museum Gingerbread House Competition, hosted at the Masonic Lodge on South 3rd Street.
Food vendors and community groups will be stationed along Main Street with hot dogs, brats, soups, cocoa and other winter favorites, while Explore the Arts will once again supply ingredients for crowd-favorite s’mores at the burn barrels.
This year, the HDA is also expanding the beloved Pickle Pursuit, a downtown-wide scavenger hunt running November 29 through December 15, where shoppers search for festive holiday pickles hidden in participating businesses for a chance to win Lost Trail Season Passes, with the winner announced December 17. Full instructions and rules are available on the HDA website.
“This is one of the most joyful days of the year downtown,” said Matthew Zwicker, Executive Director of the HDA and HDF. “Supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday while bringing families together to celebrate the season is exactly what our down-
town is all about. We’re thrilled to ofer a full day of holiday magic again this year.”
The evening entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m. on the main stage under the Bell McCall Auto Center awning, featuring local performers including Groovz Dance Studio and the Bitterroot Valley Chorus, while the Tuba Santas and A Capella Society wander the streets nearby.
At 6 p.m., the community is invited to gather together for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, followed by the Living Nativity on South 3rd Street and extended shopping hours at participating businesses.
“For downtown businesses, this event is a highlight of the season,” said Tara Child, HDA Board Director and downtown business owner. “The energy, the lights, the families flling Main Street serve as a beautiful reminder of how special our community truly is. We love welcoming shoppers into our stores all day long.”
Ryan Williams, HDA Board President, echoed the sentiment, “The Christmas Stroll is only possible because of widespread community
support from sponsors to city partners to volunteers. This event is a gift our whole community helps create, and it continues to grow in excitement and impact each year.”
Supporters can help keep the Christmas Stroll a free community tradition by purchasing a 2025 Commemorative Christmas Ornament at participating retailers or on the HDA website.
While portions of Main Street close for event setup in the afternoon, the HDA encourages the community to park on nearby side streets and continue shopping downtown throughout the day, as all businesses will remain open and ready to welcome customers. During the festivities, the HDA will also reserve a section of South 2nd Street for handicapped parking to ensure accessible access to the event. Visitors are also reminded of the free City Parking Lot across from the Post Ofce on North 4th Street. For event details, Pickle Pursuit rules, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.visithamiltonmt.org or contact the Hamilton Downtown Association at explore@visithamiltonmt.org.
PANTRY: Back Country Horsemen help Pantry Partners fll boxes
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These included things like cake mix, gravy, canned vegetables, canned soup, marshmallows, hot cocoa, candy and more.
Someone from Pantry Partners also included yarn ornaments to go into each box. Shari Kastenholz, board member and secretary for Pantry Partners, said that once all the boxes are flled, they are brought back to Pantry Partners, where they are made ready for food bank clients to pick them up.
Each box recipient can also choose a protein, with options like ham, turkey or pork loin. They will also receive other perishables from Pantry Partners, such as margarine, fresh fruits and vegetables and more.
Service to help clear trails and more. The group does four to six projects a year, including building and maintaining bridges, putting in culverts, cutting a lot of trails and more. They do overnights and open and close remote sites each season.
Clients can pick up their boxes any time after December 1, whenever the pantry is open.
Kastenholz said the pantry really appreciates what the BRBCH does. “It’s just an enormous amount of time,” said Kastenholz, speaking of how long it takes to pack the boxes. “It’s a great service.”
Kastenholz said the pantry collects the nonperishables throughout the year, from donations they receive. They also purchase things they don’t have enough of, to make sure they can fll every box the same. “We’re just very thankful for the huge donations, both monetarily and products we’ve been getting recently,” said Kastenholz.
According to Walker, it usually takes the BRBCH volunteers a couple hours to fll and return all the boxes to Pantry Partners. She also said they did nearly 250 boxes this year.
The program started when Lee Scharf, known for his work with the Ravalli County Search and Rescue, connected the two groups, according to Carl Philips, a member and former group president.
When members were asked why they do this, Walker said, “Part of our mission is to help
According to the volunteers and members of the group, they do it not just for those who go into the backcountry with horses, but for all National For est users. “We keep trails open for everyone in the valley; it’s not only for equine use,” said Walker. Another thing the group mentioned is that they are looking for more volunteers, especially younger members. Like many groups in the valley, youth participa tion is at an all-time low. According to Walker, members do not need to own horses or even know about horses to join. More information about
Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen loading canned goods into holiday boxes for Pantry Partners.
Photo by John Dowd.
Thanksgiving by numbers: families pay more while farmers
National Farmers Union today released the annual Thanksgiving Edition of the “Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar,” revealing stark inequities in America’s food system. Farmers continue to receive only pennies on the dollar for foods typically consumed for Thanksgiving dinner despite high grocery prices.
“Consumers are paying more for their food, and producers are paid less, while the corporate monopolies are making record profts,” Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said. “We need more competition in the marketplace and the enforcement of the antitrust laws to ensure a fair price for both the consumer and the producer. If we enforced the antitrust rules and reigned in the anticompetitive practices of the corporations, there would be money for our communities and our families too.”
Farmers earn small returns on staple Thanksgiving foods according to
this year’s Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share report. The agricultural economy is fragile and uncompetitive after decades of corporate consolidation. Monopolies now dominate everything from food processing and distribution to the markets for seeds and farm equipment, leaving family farmers at a steep disadvantage while consumers face fewer choices and higher prices.
“Even in a season of gratitude, we must acknowledge the continuous inequality in our food system and agriculture industry,”
said NFU President Rob Larew. “Family farmers and ranchers work year-round for historically low profts across all sectors of the industry, while consumers
are still paying unsustainably high prices at grocery stores. Fairness for farmers is also fairness for consumers – when rural America does well, we all beneft.”
Mine: company expects permit approval in ‘near term’
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“We’re in discussions with private and governmental players to become a principal gallium supplier,” Kaye stated in the interview. “Our game plan is to be able to extract enough, process it, and stand on the White House steps within 60 days and be able to say that in this bag are critical minerals, rare earths, and gallium that are found in America, processed with environmentally friendly technology, and available for the defense of this country and indeed the free world. Mr. President, you can tell the Chinese whatever you want; that’s up to you!”
“We believe that, with a little bit of persistence, permits will come in the near term, enabling us to start bringing some volume production in 2026,” he said.
Kaye claims to be “in discussions with multiple defense and chip manufacturers to book their supplies…” He also claims to be “in discussions with a major US Army base, and we are tal-
king about three things: we’re talking about taking ore from Sheep Creek, putting it on a train and shipping it to this location to build a processing plant on the Army base.”
“We are also in talks with the Defense Logistics Agency to start building storage of critical minerals. We have a strategic oil reserve; they want to have a strategic critical mineral reserve. We believe we can accomplish that, and we are in very detailed discussions on that,” he said.
Kaye mentioned that the government has announced deals with Intel, MP Materials, and others. “What the government did with MP Materials is to give them a 10-year oftake agreement at a foor price, in addition to taking an equity position. That is something that we are interested in,” he said. “When I testifed before Congress about two months ago, I said, ‘Give us a standby agreement for the critical minerals that you need at a foor price, and help to accelerate permits.’ And I think the government clearly understands that.”
Kaye.
Local opposition to the mining proposal has been growing since the frst Notice of Intent to the Forest Service to do hand sampling at the claims was approved three years ago.
Bitterroot Clean Water Alliance formed in direct opposition to the mine and one of the group’s founders, Dr. Phillip Ramsey, a local researcher and expert on the impacts of mining who worked for years on the Superfund Site Clean-up on the Clark Fork River, has been making the rounds presenting educational talks on the dangers of REE mining and the alternatives that are available in existing mine sites to recover rare earth elements rather than sacrifcing a pristine watershed and potentially damaging Ravalli County’s agricultural and recreational based economy.
have also come out in opposition to the mine.
The Bitterroot Water Partnership responded quickly to the latest listing in a press release.
“The Sheep Creek exploration phase is listed on the ‘FAST-41 Transparency Dashboard’, while its developers have exercised no transparency – or consultation – with our community about their intentions. Given the total lack of communication with the people who would be impacted, it’s not appropriate for this proposal to be fast-tracked,” said Heather Barber, Executive Director of the Bitterroot Water Partnership.
“Our frst priority is shareholder value creation. Second is what’s best for national defense,” said
The Bitterroot River Protection Association recently concluded a baseline water quality monitoring study that validates the pristine water quality of the watershed in the vicinity of the mining claims. (See last week’s story in the Bitterroot Star: https://bitterrootstar.com/2025/11/pristine-waters-ofthe-west-fork/)
Other local organizations including Friends of the Bitterroot and Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association and Bitterroot Trout Unlimited
“The Water Partnership has a reputation for working with diverse partners and representing balanced perspectives around water management. We are not against responsible development,” said Barber. “However, until we are convinced otherwise, the Bitterroot Water Partnership opposes a mine in our Headwaters. Everything we’ve learned about rare earth mining tells us it’d be disastrous for downstream communities. The headwaters of the Bitterroot River is not the right place for this. By Fast Tracking the exploration process of this proposed mine, US Critical Materials is demonstrating a complete lack of respect for local communities and our input in the future of our own home. There are busy, hard-working people here who deserve ample opportunity to review the proposed process, provide input, and review the applicant’s response for accuracy.”
Partners on the Plate – connecting farmers, chefs
On Tuesday, November 18, Partners on the Plate, a networking/relationship creation event focused on promoting, marketing and connecting rural producers to wholesale buyers including restaurants, institutions, and tourism businesses in Western Montana, took place at the Bitterroot Brewery..
This event was presented by Farm Connect Montana, Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce Agriculture & Local Foods Committee, and Abundant Montana, with generous sponsorship by Bitter Root Brewing, Good Food Store, and Montana Farmers Union. This is the third Partners on the Plate event hosted by Farm Connect Montana and the frst hosted in Hamilton. A comprehensive directory of products available and buyers needs was provided to attendees.
“With so much incredible food being grown and raised here in the Bitterroot Valley, the Ag & Local
Foods Committee is focused on helping those relationships develop between growers and wholesale buyers,” says Kierstin Schmitt, chair of the committee. “By establishing those buying commitments, it allows farmers/producers to rely on those sales and improve their processes and infrastructure while restaurants can promote their support for local farms which is a huge draw for customers.”
Farm Connect Montana is a non-proft organization with a mission to grow a healthy local food community by conserving farmland, supporting farmers, and making food accessible for all.
“We are so excited to be able to bring this event to the Bitterroot. Partners on the Plate is a chance for producers and chefs to connect and build relationships – strengthening our local food system and helping provide the community with delicious local food,” says Mary Ellis, Farm Connect Montana’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program Director.
According to the 2020 Headwaters Economics study, “Economic Value and Impact of Local Food in Montana,” only 3% of the food consumed in Montana is grown here compared to 70% from the 1900-1950s. This study found that statewide wholesale buying from grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions totals $55.9 million with direct-to-consumer sales, like farmers markets, amounting to $42.7 million and total retail value of local food
sales across the state is estimated at $158.5 million. Besides the economic impact, many studies have concluded that local products are fresher, taste better, last longer and are better for the environment since they’re not traveling long distances to the consumer. Additionally, Ravalli County citizens proved their commitment to agricultural land preservation when the renewal of the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond passed in 2022.
“I’m always amazed at the entrepreneurial spirit of our ag communi-
ty,” says Schmitt. “There is so much potential between the products and the people to create a sustainable resilient economy right here in our own backyard.”
The mission of the Agriculture & Local Foods Committee is “strengthening Bitterroot Valley farmers, ranchers and producers through collaboration, advocacy, and promotion to support our economy, preserve open spaces, and honor our agricultural heritage for present and future generations.”
Florence, MT
Photos courtesy Kierstin Schmitt.
Tips sought on black bear cub shot west of Stevensville
AFP is misleading you
Is Montana’s state budget on fire? Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a libertarian special interest group, would have you think so.
So AFP is sending out postcards and online ads claiming that I and other Republicans who worked with Governor Gianforte to produce a balanced budget are “pouring gasoline on the fire.”
The problem is that the “accountability information” AFP is peddling is false.
Did the state budget “explode” by $16.5 billion? NO! That number is the two-year appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (HB 2). It is not how much the budget increased.
Fiscal Division. Was there a 13.5% increase in state spending? NO! AFP’s number comes from considering only part of the state budget. The total state budget grew by only 0.7%, according to the official budget comparison cited above.
by David Bedey
The actual increase in the total state budget was $142 million over two years—a tiny fraction of the amount claimed by AFP—according to the official budget comparison as calculated per state law (17-7-151, MCA) and validated by analysts in the legislature’s nonpartisan Legislative
Did the budget grow at “2x the rate of inflation and 7x the pace of population growth”? NO! Budget growth was 0.7%—obviously much less than what AFP claims.
Is Montana running “massive deficits”? NO! The state constitution requires a balanced budget, and the budget we passed is balanced. Montana does not engage in deficit spending. And Montana is the only bond debt-free state in the nation because of legislative actions taken over the past two sessions.
Was this the “biggest budget in Montana’s history”? Yes. But that could be said about any year in at least the recent past (I looked back 10 years). Why is that? A big reason is that inflation drives up the cost of providing the services that most Montanans expect, e.g., law enforcement, a corrections system, mental health and drug treatment, an education system, and management of our public lands, to name only a few. Good government is about providing those services as cost effectively as possible. Governor Gianforte and his allies in the legislature have been doing just that. Americans for Prosperity might be forgiven if they simply misunderstood a thing or two about state finance. But AFP got so much wrong that one can only conclude that it willfully distorted the truth in order to mislead Montana citizens. Where I come from that’s called lying.
David Bedey is a representative of the Montana House for District 86.
Support for Bedey
The Bitterroot Star is fully functional as it shines light into dark places. Thank you for your constructive editorial policies.
Having said that, my thought was that your Nov. 12, 2025 issue is a prime example. The article on Tony Hudson and the column from David Bedey are objective and to the point. Both are dedicated to their posts and responsibilities with an implanted desire to serve those they represent to the greatest degree possible.
I was privileged to have spent an entire afternoon with David and found him to be all that one might hope for as a Representative. His dedication to ofce and determination to serve his constituents is unwavering. His responses were thoughtful, meaningful and expressed in a direct manner. His gaze is steady and manner direct, yet respectful. He is personally available to those who have a need and are seeking assistance. Time has disclosed that he follows up as promised to further clarify subjects as needed.
Avoiding use of the word “politics” one might observe that they are best served in their judgment to observe the results of a person’s activity as well as listen to promises made. The past is true, revealing and worthy of analysis to determine future performance. The promises, well, they are promises, the fulfllment of which remains to be seen. Fulfllment is but a dream.
Time ofers concealment as memories fade and promises shine brightly.
As one afected by the results of your vote, I plead with you to vote based upon fact in place of fancy, this based upon your desire to make the Bitterroot Valley all that it could be. Let’s make the process positive once again and smile with pride in having done so.
William (Bill) Campbell Conner
Republican Party
The goal is control. Much ink has been spent discussing what is this administration’s end goals whether it be border security, immigration enforcement and deportation, trade and tarifs, drug trafcking and the military, infation, FEMA and disaster relief, the military as a domestic police force, and more on an endless list. The goal in all cases is unfettered control ignoring 250 years of constitutional and/or case law. THIS REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT BELIEVE IN OUR ELECTORAL PROCESSES, THE CONSTITUTION OR THE RULE OF LAW.
With the above said, and that “all politics is local” it is fully understandable that the State Republican party is not following the law electing Republican state delegates and Tony Hudson would need to sue to rectify the problem. I wish him luck. It will take more than luck. He seems to have reached the bottom of a major requirement to correct party control; money in his wallet. On the surface his determination is a commendable efort assuming the goal is to ensure the rule of law is followed leading to properly elected delegates.
The original Republican party exists in name only, does not believe in the rule of law, has turned election denial, integrity and suppression into a political art form and further elevated individual loyalty to the king and his ideology over competent job performance. The result is local and national chaos. Unless Mr. Hudson is willing to admit and denounce
Opinion
these realities to himself, his fellow party members and the public, he is just rearranging beach chairs on the political ship Titanic at his and the American taxpayers expense.
Archie L. Thomas & Merry Schrumpf Corvallis
It’s all about US
Our United States began as an experiment in “US-ness.” We, the people, thought we could live together in a country respecting “inalienable rights” of every person. We are One People in many diferent shapes, colors, and sizes. We are diverse in our cultures, education and training, and beliefs, yet we breathe the same air; we love, we share ideas, hopes for a future, humanity.
We wanted to create a more perfect Union – a US – complete with life, liberty, and justice for all. But what about old people; or the infrm; or those who cannot “contribute;” the poor; those who are “diferent”? What if they have mental health issues, or if they are homeless, or deformed, or of a diferent nationality? What about the other beings who share our air, water, and earth; the beings who live in the air, the water and the earth? Many give their lives that we may live. Do they deserve love, life, liberty, and justice?
We are all sharing this life together - in this time and in this place. It’s all about US! It’s time to encourage creative ideas and conversations, respecting diferences, appreciating the beauty all the diferent fowers and plants add to the garden of Life. “Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique creative manifestations of the human spirit.”
(Wade Davis)
Indigenous voices are teaching us how to re-connect with Mother Earth and what is real. “The Abrahamic Reunion” is working to reunite the dysfunctional families from the faith traditions of Father Abraham; the Jewish/Hebrew and Christian/ Catholic (from his son Isaac); and the Muslim/Islamic (from his son Ishmael). In the Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, S.G. Goenke, Mooji, and many others are teaching US to honor all life, and respect one another.
If we are to continue being USwe need to allow for diferences and focus on what is good for all of US! John Lennon said to “Imagine! nothing to kill or die for; a brotherhood of man.” Look at the “fruit” of what we focus on. Political divisiveness cannot unite US. Hatred, judgmentalism, and division lead to killing, death, and war. Is that really what we want to see brought to US as our future?
We can create a world that works for everyone; value what is good, kind, and honest, and see that diversity discloses exquisite beauty! This unveils US as One Nation Under God, each with our own unique understanding. We can live and grow in Love, Harmony and Beauty - respecting and allowing Life, Love and Liberty for All! We are One - experiencing life together! It is all about US!
Luanne Cathey Hamilton
Bedey stands on results, not gimmicks
As we head into the holiday season, local election politics are already heating up, and sadly, one of Montana’s most dependable and capable legislators—Representative David
Bedey—is being targeted with distortions and misleading attacks. Outside dark money is already spending thousands to run an untrue but savage attack on Bedey on ION TV.
Bedey, now running for Senate District 43, has consistently delivered thoughtful, principled, and efective legislation for the Bitterroot Valley. His record speaks for itself.
Unfortunately, some of his opponents seem more focused on political theater than honest debate. Many Bitterroot residents have voiced concern that Kathy Love’s campaign relies heavily on photo-ops, image-building, and dramatic messaging rather than real accomplishments.
Her supporters may call it clever campaigning, but it doesn’t erase the fact that Bedey is the one who has put in the hard work, produced real results, and shown up for this valley time and again.
When voters look past the noise, the contrast is clear: David Bedey ofers integrity, competence, and proven service, while others ofer slogans and staged moments. Senate District 43 deserves the real thing— not a manufactured image. Helen Sabin Corvallis
Political violence and free speech
Distilled, last week’s Tony Hudson LTE on false hope and actual leadership poses a fundamental challenge to every Ravalli County Republican: Do they choose to abide by lines 7-10 of the Lord’s prayer:
“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Or, are they on board with what the President said at Charlie Kirk’s funeral:
“He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. . . “ and just this week, the leader of their party has called for the execution of Americans for exercising their First Amendment right to refuse to obey illegal orders.
Under the leadership of its 47th President, Ravalli County Republican leaders are indeed in the crosshairs. Do they have the courage to stand up for the values which gave birth to the United States? Will they continue to be CCAD victims – Consciously Cynically Accepting Deceit?
The broadcast of Ken Burns 6 part documentary – “The American Revolution” – could not have come at a better time.
Jim Parker Hamilton
Stop leftist ‘Republicans’ from indoctrinating our children
Republicans should stand united against things like sexualizing children, explicit books in schools, and gender ideology indoctrination. But eight turncoat “Republican” legislators are instead backing the radical left’s attempts to bring those things into Montana schools.
“No way, that can’t be true!” you’re probably thinking. But unfortunately, it is the situation we’re in. Let me back up and explain.
A conference put on by the far left Montana teachers union drew controversial statewide headlines recently.
How could it not, with speakers giving presentations to teachers about things like teaching whatever a gender unicorn is to kids and comparing taking down photos of naked children to Nazi censorship.
The extreme leftism even sparked new legislation from the State Senate President and State Superintendent of Public Instruction to get teacher conferences back to the basics of things like reading and math. What hasn’t gotten enough attention is why that legislation is necessary in the frst place.
This year wasn’t the frst time the Montana Federation of Public Employees conference drew controversy and the need for reform. It happened last year too. And the legislature already had a bill to fx it—House Bill 557.
House Bill 557 easily passed the House with Republicans voting for it. But then 8 of the infamous “Nasty Nine” senators claiming to be Republicans joined the radical left Democrats to kill the bill and it died 24-26 in the State Senate.
That’s right. Senators Shelley Vance, Wendy McKamey, Bruce Gillespie, Josh Kassmier, Denley Loge, Russ Tempel, Gregg Hunter and Gayle Lammers torpedoed the legislation that would’ve ended the political extremism at teacher conferences.
Why did these self described “Republicans” vote to keep letting teachers be indoctrinated with garbage like “DEI in Art” featuring naked pictures of young children, teaching little kids about transgenderism and sexual attraction with “gender unicorns,” and putting sexually explicit books into middle school libraries?
It’s gross that Vance, McKamey, Gillespie, Kassmier, Loge, Tempel, Hunter and Lammers voted to let this crap be associated with Montana’s public schools in any way. It’s plain disturbing that they voted that way even when we already knew there were problems with these conferences.
Even worse than that, Shelley Vance and Butch Gillespie have the nerve to be running for election again while claiming to be “conservation Republicans.” Wendy McKamey might run as well. You cannot vote to allow the sexualization and radical gender indoctrination of Montana’s schoolchildren and then claim to be Republican.
If they had a shred of decency or respect for Montana parents, these senators would resign in shame instead of trying to win re-election.
Montanans should also call Governor Greg Gianforte and tell his administration to stop funding these “woke Republicans.” His lieutenant governor and budget director both donated to Shelley Vance, knowing full well that she betrayed her voters to stand with the extreme left and indoctrinate our children. Does Gianforte support radical indoctrination of Montana’s kids now?
Tanner Smith Lakeside
Mud slinging
To Kathy Love:
I am saddened to read your opinion piece in the November 19th issue of the Bitterroot Star.
Slinging mud this early in the political season shows the problem we have in our country and you seem to be a big part of that problem. You cannot continue to sling mud and call people names and have any hope of uniting our state or our country.
Kay Gibbons Stevensville
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
Amateur Radio Club
The Amateur Radio Club
KG7SPL of the Corvallis American Legion Post #91 meets at 6 p.m. on the frst Monday of the month, at the Corvallis Firehall on the Woodside Cutof Road. KG7SPL has a weekly radio net at 7 p.m. Wednesday, starting on 146.580 simplex and then on the club’s repeater located at 147.300 (DSC 703). Each month the club conducts amateur radio testing, a “Fox Hunt” and a HF exercise here in the Bitterroot Valley. Members participate in the ARRL Field Day in June and Winter Field in January. The club conducts Emergency Communications Training, as well as training in antenna construction and diferent amateur radio modes. Every year KG7SPL provides radio coverage for the Corvallis Memorial Day Parade, the Darby Dog Derby, Robert’s Run and other local events. The club has its own radio station and throughout the year holds “Get On The Air” radio nights. This is a very active club and if you have an interest in amateur radio or are already an operator you are encouraged to join. For more information, call club president Mike Nesbihal at 406552-8696.
Vet-to-Vet
Veterans looking for a laidback 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.
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.
Soroptimist International of Hamilton
A volunteer service organization of women to empower, educate and encourage women and girls through scholarships and educational programs. All women are welcome to attend the frst Thursday (business meetings) and second Thursday (community presentation) of each month from 12-1 at BJs Restaurant.
Writers’ Circle
Writers’ Circle takes place
1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 5:30 at Explore the Arts, 7th and Main Streets, Hamilton. Join in if you have a piece to share, any genre. More information: Star 406-5465344.
Calling local seniors
Attention valley seniors! The Hamilton Senior Center is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, serving a fresh made lunch at a discounted price for seniors. Come and see what fun you can have at the Center socializing and making new friends. Non-seniors are welcome as well. Other activities run daily for Hand and Foot, bridge, ping pong, pinochle, bingo, line dancing classes. Proceeds go to support the center operation. Currently looking for volunteers to become members of the Board of Directors. Other volunteering positions available as well. Call Joesph Bruno, 406-375-5090, for more information.
Center for Spiritual Life
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Center For Spiritual Life is a community-led ministry. Each Sunday they have speakers who share their experience of spiritual awakening and growth. They embrace universal principles of oneness and unconditional love in order to create meaningful, fulflling lives and a world that works for everyone. They respect and welcome all spiritual paths. Center for Spiritual Life is located at 328 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. Service is each Sunday from 9:30 until 10:30. Before service, there is silent meditation from 9:00 to 9:15. Following the service, snacks and beverages are shared along with the opportunity for conversation with the speaker and members.
Weapons Collectors Society
The Weapons Collectors Society of Montana meets every other month (January, March, May, July, September, November) on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Members display their collections and knowledge of antique, hunting, and recreational frearms and knives. Everyone is welcome.
Marine Corps League
The Marine Corps League welcomes Marines, FMF Navy Personnel and citizens who support the missions of the USMC and the League. The Marine Corps League is the only Federal chartered Marine active/reserve and veteran organization. General meetings are held every 4th Thursday of the month, January through October, 7:30 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge, 125 N. 2nd St., Hamilton. SOS Breakfast with Marines is every 1st Saturday of the month, all year. It is informal; spouses and friends are welcome; all menu options available, plus Marine camaraderie and esprit de corps, 8:30 a.m., Hangar Cafe, Ravalli County Airport, Hamilton. Check out group site on Facebook at: Marine Corps League, Bitterroot Valley Detachment #937, Hamilton. Semper Fidelis!
Free community breakfast
Come enjoy a pancake breakfast and meet your neighbors in Victor.
Victor Masonic Lodge is hosting the breakfast every 3rd Saturday of each month, starting at 9 a.m. Location is above Farmers Bank on Main Street in Victor.
Grief Support Group
Fourteen-week grief support group meets each Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon beginning Saturday, September 6 at Florence Carlton Community Church, 20075 Old Highway 93, Florence. Feel welcome to attend all or any sessions. Contact Colleen with any questions, 206-930-2519.
Beginning square dance lessons
Beginning square dance lessons start October 3 at Lolo Community Center, 12345 US 93, Lolo. No partner required. Lessons 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., $6 each lesson; Oct. 3 & 17, Nov. 7 & 21, Dec 5 & 19. A mainstream dance will follow if you would like to stay and watch the fun! For info call Butch Suttey at 208-503-0551 or Brenda Ernst at 541-226-6363.
North Valley Library events
The Library will close early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26 for Thanksgiving and remain closed Thursday, Nov. 27 & Friday, Nov. 28. Regular hours resume on Saturday, Nov. 29 with an open time of 10 a.m.
Saturday Social for Adults — Sat., Nov. 29 from 10am-12pm Come chat, work a jigsaw puzzle, play a game, or do coloring pages. Tea and cofee provided, so have a cuppa and enjoy the community that makes Stevensville so special. Meets the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday of the month. Fiber Arts Club — Thurs., Dec. 4 from 12-1:30pm Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting, embroidery, hand sewing, or quilting? Bring your work-inprogress, problem piece, or brandnew pattern and enjoy the company of like-minded crafters during this informal Fiber Arts Club. 4th Annual Winter Art Exhibit & Bookorations Fundraiser — Fri., Dec. 5 from 5-8pm Announcing this year’s Winter Art Show exhibiting the work of local adult artists. Help us celebrate the work of our talented community members, enjoy refreshments, and shop the handmade “bookorations,” a fundraiser by the Library Foundation.
Grief support group
Coping with Grief and Loss During the Holidays -- The death of a loved one is one of the most difcult experiences we face in life. You are invited to come share your grief journey, learn how to honor and remember your loved one, and how to care for yourself during the holidays. This 2-hour pre-holidays grief care session ofered 4 times in November and December at St Francis of Assisi, 411 S. 5th St. Hamilton. The group will use the faithbased Griefshare.org program which includes a free helpful handbook, viewing of a short DVD followed by small group sharing. This session is FREE and sponsored by the St Francis of Assisi Caring Hearts Ministry, 411 S. 5th
St., Hamilton. RSVP at stfrancishwm@gmail.com or https://www. griefshare.org/fndagroup
Four Sessions to Choose from:
Sunday, November 16, 1:003:00pm Tuesday, November 18, 3:005:00pm Sunday, December 7, 1:003:00pm Tuesday, December 9, 3:005:00pm
Spouse Grief support group
Coping After the Loss of Your Spouse -- The death of your spouse is one of the most difcult experiences we face in life. You are invited to come share your grief journey, learn helpful ways to cope, ways to honor and remember your loved one, and how to care for yourself. This 2-hour grief care session ofered in November and December at St Francis of Assisi, 411 S. 5th St. Hamilton.
The group will use the faithbased Griefshare.org program which includes a free helpful handbook, viewing of a short DVD followed by small group sharing. This session is FREE and sponsored by the St Francis of Assisi Caring Hearts Ministry, 411 S. 5th St., Hamilton. RSVP at stfrancishwm@gmail.com or https://www. griefshare.org/fndagroup
Two Sessions to Choose from: Sunday, November 16, 3:005:00pm Sunday, December 7, 3:005:00pm.
Back Country Horsemen
Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen is a volunteer organization that works to keep trails open for the public. The group meets every third Thursday of the month at the Daly-Leach Community Room, 1010 Main Street in Hamilton. Potluck dinner is at 6:30 pm and the meeting starts at 7:00. If you enjoy using our local trails, check out this group. For more information, contact Karen at 406-369-0725 or check the website (bchmt.org/bitterroot) or Facebook page at: Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen (BR BCH).
Free Diapers for All
Without SNAP benefts, many families are struggling fnancially, and Bitterroot Mommy & Me is here to help. Free diapers, wipes and diaper cream will be given away at four locations: Missoula – 11/30/25, 10am12pm, 610 N. California Ave. (across from Blue Mtn. Clinic), Missoula.
Florence – 12/6/25, 2-4pm at Florence Fire Hall, 234 Holloway Ln., Florence. All are welcome! Diapers up to size 5T will be available, while supplies last. Bitterroot Mommy & Me is a pregnancy center that provides free baby and maternity items, options counseling and healing for anyone who has lost a child to abortion. Call (406) 530-8383 for more information.
Republican Women’s Club
Ravalli County Republican Women’s Club will hold its monthly meeting and lunch on Tuesday, November 25 at 11:30 a.m. at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Guest speaker will be someone from the Sherif’s Ofce to talk about cyber crimes. Ravalli County Republican Women meets the fourth Tuesday of each month. No meeting in December.
Victor Museum Chocolate Tasting
The Victor Heritage Museum is holding its annual fund-raising event, The Chocolate Tasting Party and Silent Auction, December 1st, the frst Monday in December 2025, from 3 to 8 p.m. The bidding closes at 7:30 p.m. Out West Wagon Rides will be at the Museum starting at 4 p.m. to give wagon rides around Victor. The Victor School Band will be playing their music for us at the party. Come enjoy the camaraderie, the chocolate, and bidding on the silent auction items. The non-proft Museum’s success has been made
possible with the support of the Bitterroot Valley’s people and communities. The Museum is on the corner of Main Street and Blake Street; 125 Blake Street; PO Box 610, Victor, MT 59875. For questions call Suzanne Tout, 406-381-8861, or the Museum, 406-642-3997.
Nativities, angels wanted for display
Bring your Nativity and or Angels to History St. Mary’s Mission in Stevensville on Tuesday, December 2, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Wednesday, December 3 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Exhibit is Friday, December 5, 6 & 7. Pick up Nativity and or Angels Monday, December 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or other arrangements can be made.
Soroptimist candy sale
See’s holiday chocolates are available from Soroptimists of Hamilton at the red trailer chocolate store located at the Hamilton Karl Tyler Express Lube, 415 N. 1 st, (Hwy 93) south of the Ravalli County Federal Credit Union. Hours are Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The candy sells out within a few weeks. Purchases of delicious See’s will help support several local organizations and or projects: SAFE, Bitterroot Literacy, Child Care Resources, Women’s Hygiene, Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls, Senior Women, Stop Human Trafcking, and Genesis House.
Holiday Bookorations returns to library
The creative and festive Bookorations event to beneft the North Valley Public Library has been expanded to two days this year.Bookorations will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5 in the library’s Community Room as part of Stevensville’s Country Christmas celebration. Any remaining items will be ofered for sale from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 in the entry way of the library. This annual novel event features crafts made from books, book pages, magazines, and more— including wreaths, trees, and ornaments—along with other bookthemed items. A small collection of curated books also will be featured, along with a fun new “Blind Date with a Book” gift selection. On Dec. 5, Bookorations will be presented in conjunction with the library’s annual Winter Art Exhibit, which showcases the talents of many local residents. Bookorations is annually presented by the NVPL Foundation and Friends of the Library.
Bitterroot Valley Model Railroad Club
Christmas schedule for model train operation December 5: First Friday5-8:00 PM December 6: Noon- 3:00 PM December 13: Noon- 3:00 PM December 20: Noon-3:00 PM Questions? Contact 406-7773948 or 406-777-3145
Heritage Turkey Shoot
The Whittecar Range will sponsor a black powder match on Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. Your rife must meet the FWP requirements for the heritage hunting season as listed on page 24 of the 2025 deer regulations. Match fee is $15. For information call 406-3637078.
Unique Boutique
“Unique Boutique” Gifts & More, Saturday, December 6, 9am3pm, at the St. Philip Christmas Bazaar, Darby Clubhouse. Perfect gift shopping opportunity for you
and for your Christmas List! Many wonderful designer purses, jewelry, scarves, hats and accessories to choose from. Hosted by the Ladies of St Francis, all proceeds donated to charities. Cash or check please. Contact Nancy at stfrancishwm@ gmail.com if you have any questions.
Meat processing workshop
Community members can learn frsthand about meat processing during a Know Your Cuts 101 & 102 workshop being ofered Saturday, December 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mission West Community Development’s ofces in Ronan.
This live, hands-on experience will connect participants with their local butcher while he breaks down a lamb carcass. You will also learn how to communicate your cut order for a quarter, half, and whole lamb, pig, and beef, as well as freezer space requirements, and networking with your local producers.
At noon, enjoy lunch prepared with the freshly butchered lamb and sit in on a joint meeting of the Flathead and Western Farmers Union locals to hear updates about Montana Farmers Union’s work to support family farmers and ranchers.
The day’s activities are being ofered by Montana Farmers Union and Mission West Community Development Partners. Space is limited to attend the public event, which is free for MFU members or $25 for non-members.
RSVP at: https://montanafarmersunion.com/news-events/ calendar/. Questions? Contact Ambassador Carissa McNamara at cmcnamara@montanafarmersunion. com or 406-333-1886.
Tax-Aide
volunteers needed
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to help with tax prep at the Stevensville Senior Center two afternoons a week from February 2026 through April 15, 2026. If you are comfortable with numbers, good with computers, and like meeting new people as well as helping your neighbors, you might like to join the team. Training and IRS certifcation assistance begin in December. For more information, apply online at volunteers. aarp.org or leave a message at 406-285-1715.
Journey through Grief Support: GriefShare
Tuesdays, January 6th – March 31st at 3pm St Francis Pastoral Life Center, 411 S. 5th St, Hamilton
The death of a loved one is one of the most difcult experiences we face in life. Come share your grief journey with others. Each session includes a short video featuring interviews with grief recovery experts and real-life stories of people who have experienced the death of a loved one and opportunity to hear from other participants regarding challenges, questions, and concerns you may encounter in your grief journey. The group will explore dealing with change, guilt, anger, people who don’t understand your grief, tips for preparing for holidays and special occasions, caring for yourself, honoring your loved one and much more.
These faith-based Griefshare. org Sessions are FREE ($20 donation appreciated for workbook.) Register at https://www.griefshare. org/groups/276560. For more info, contact Nancy at stfrancishwm@ gmail.com.
THREE MILE COMMUNITY CENTER
4415 Sunnyside Cemetery Rd. Stevensville
Party starts at 6PM with a potluck of appetizers & desserts. Bingo starts at 6:45PM.
2 Blackouts games payouts at least $100 each.
Sports
by Scott Sacry Sports Editor
Corvallis powerlifting teacher wins world championship
Corvallis third grade teacher Holly Snyder spent Saturday, November 22 traveling halfway across the globe. She started her trip in Wolverhampton, England and landed in Missoula just before midnight.
To her surprise, when she came off the plane in Missoula, a community of her friends were there to meet her, support her, and congratulate her.
The reason for the support was that, days earlier, Snyder had become a World Champion at the International Powerlifting League (IPL) World Powerlifting Championship in Wolverhampton. It was a massive achievement for Snyder, but she never expected anyone to be at the airport at eleven o’clock at night. That’s the reason Snyder loves her Corvallis community.
“People sometimes ask me why I haven’t taken a job at a school in Missoula or someplace else,” said Snyder, “and I say I love being in Corvallis. We’re like one big family, we take care of each other. It’s a special place.”
Competing at the World C hampionships
S nyder had traveled to Wolverhampton, which is two hours north of London, to compete in the IPL World Powerlifting Championship on November 20-21.
A powerlifting competition involves three lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift. Athletes are categorized by sex, age and bodyweight. Each competitor is allowed three attempts at each lift; the best lift in each event being added to their total. The lifter with the highest total is the winner. Snyder excelled at the World Championships in Wolverhampton. She completed in women’s 82.5 KG division for Team USA, and won the World Championship in the following six categories in the raw subcategory, “raw” meaning she didn’t use any sort of wraps on her body: Full Power (the total of all three lifts) Open Class, Full Power Master
Class (ages 40-44), Bench only Open Class, Bench only Master Class, Deadlift only Open Class, Deadlift only Master Class. In the Open Class she competed against every woman in the event, not just her age group. At the World Championships, Snyder lifted a total of 970 pounds (353 pounds in the squat, 182 pounds in the bench, and 435 in the deadlift). Snyder qualified for the World Championship by winning the same events at nationals, and was
invited to be part of Team USA at the World Championships. At Nationals, she lifted 1004 pounds total (363 pounds in the squat, 176 pounds in the bench, and 464 pounds in the deadlift).
Obstacles to o vercome
Sn yder overcame many obstacles at and before the World Championships. First, she injured her hip three
weeks earlier, then she had to deal with jet lag from a nine-hour time difference, and finally the event was held in an old hangar that was about 38 degrees when the competition started.
“It was so cold at the event,” said Snyder. “I really had to bundle up. But throughout this whole process, I put my trust in the Lord. There were all sorts of obstacles that came up leading to the event, and at every point, the doors would open, and everything fell in place.”
Snyder’s school and gym communities also were an integral part of her championship journey. “They are unlike any other people, they rallied around me,” said Snyder. “My students had a bake sale to help raise money. My two coaches were both able to go to the UK with me. The school did a surprise assembly. It was all so special.”
Snyder continued, “I was able to speak to the student body at the assembly. I talked about the importance of dreaming big. Why do we stop dreaming as we get older? If you have a dream, no matter your age, go for it. Look at me, I never thought I would get this far and I was able to do it.”
Snyder’s p owerlifting
j ourney
S nyder’s journey in powerlifting started in 2017 when she joined Corvallis Athletics Crossfit. Needing a goal to shoot for, she gravitated toward powerlifting and found she was really good at it. As the years progressed, she began getting state and national records, and then she started teaching others, which really helped her hone her skills. Ultimately, one of the main reasons Snyder puts in multiple two and a half to three hour sessions every week is for the health and longevity benefits of lifting.
“I want to be a good example to my boys, to my students, and to my community,” said Snyder. “I would rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest person in the nursing home.”
Volleyball postseason honors
Montana high school volleyball postseason honors were recently announced, and many players from the Bitterroot Valley were honored. Corvallis, Stevensville, and Hamilton are in the Southwest conference of Class A, Florence and Darby are in District 6B in Class B, and Victor is in 13C District in Class C.
Class A
Hamilton’s Aurie Duncan and Ciara Hanley were named All State and First-Team All Conference.
Hamilton’s Lundyn Murray and Kaitlyn Snavely were named Second-Team All Conference.
Stevensville’s Sophia Hutchison was named Sec-
ond-Team All Conference.
Ella Grifn and Jenna Ellis from Hamilton were named Honorable Mention All Conference.
Stevensville’s Riley Moore was named Honorable Mention All Conference.
Class B
Florence’s Maggie Schneiter was named to the Class B State All Tournament team.
Florence’s Emory Ralston and Maggie Schneiter were named All State and FirstTeam All Conference.
Florence’s Taylor Pyette was named First-Team All Conference.
Florence’s Lexi Danczyk and Dia Jenkins were named Second-Team All Conference. Florence head coach Christy Duchien was named the 6B Conference Coach of the Year.
Class C
Victor’s Asia Parks was named Second-Team All Conference in 13C.
The following Bitterroot Valley volleyball players were named to the All State team for Class B (Florence) and Class A (Hamilton), from left to right: Hamilton’s Aurie Duncan, Hamilton’s Ciara Hanley, Florence’s Maggie Schneiter and Florence’s Emory Ralston. Photos by Scott Sacry.
Corvallis third grade teacher Holly Snyder with her six powerlifting World Championship medals from the IPL World Powerlifting Championship in Wolverhampton, England on November 20-21. Photo courtesy of Holly Snyder.
C o u n t r y
C h r i s t m a s &
* T h e C h r i s t m a s S
* T ’ w a s t h e N i g h t
Sharleen Ashcraft
Sharleen Ashcraft, 85, of Hamilton, Montana, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2025 under the care of Hospice. Sharleen was born on June 26, 1940, in Madison, South Dakota, to the late Stanley and Wilma (Dunston) Stoneback.
Sharleen spent her younger years in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Kalispell before moving to Hot Springs, Montana, in the 8th grade, where she was a Girls State representative and graduated from high school in 1958. Following graduation, she moved to Seattle, working for the Seattle Times and pursuing her passion for music by playing the French horn in the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Sharleen then moved to Missoula, where she attended the St. Patrick School of Nursing, graduating as a Registered Nurse in 1963.
Sharleen married her high school sweetheart, Dr. Walker Ashcraft, on November 9, 1963. While Walker fnished his medical school residency, Sharleen worked at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. In 1965, she accompanied Walker to Seville, Spain, where he served in the United States Air Force as the base surgeon. Sharleen worked at the Red Cross and it was during this time their only child, Paul, was born. While in Spain, she was able to pursue her lifelong passion of working with horses, having the unique opportunity to ride and train Lipizzaner horses from the Spanish Riding School. In 1968, the family moved to Hamilton, Mon-
tana, where Walker started his medical practice. Soon after, Sharleen was instrumental in developing the Bitterroot Horse and Pony Club. She spent the next few decades working with kids, teaching them horsemanship. Additionally, she dedicated countless hours to breeding, raising, and showing Morgan horses, and participating in competitive trail riding. Her dedication involved endless hours on and of the tractor, feeding and watering, cleaning the barn, fxing fences, and building cross-country jumps.
Beyond her work with horses, Sharleen was a committed member of the community, serving as a citizens committee member for the Trapper Creek Job Corps. Along with her husband, Walker, she opened her home to help raise and foster numerous children and hosted two foreign exchange students while Paul was in high school. Above all, her highest priority in life was being a devoted mother and grandmother. Her boundless dedication, generosity, and kind spirit to friends, family, and those in need will be deeply missed.
Sharleen is survived by her husband of sixty-two years, Dr. Walker Ashcraft; her son, Paul Ashcraft, and his wife, Kassie, of Hamilton; grandson, Tyler Ashcraft, and his wife, Stephanie, of Missoula; grandson, Jake Ashcraft, serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Lewis, Washington; and granddaughter, Emily Donaldson, and her husband, Ethan, of Missoula.
A celebration of life was held at Daly-Leach
Julie Ann Swanson
Corvallis - Julie Ann (Knight) Swanson, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend to all she met, passed away at the age of 73, on November 19, 2025, in Missoula, Montana.
Julie was born on April 6, 1952, in Glasgow, Montana, to Ivy Leonard Knight and Mildred Rosemary (Sonsteng) Knight. Born the second of four girls (1-Laura, 2-Julie, 3-Shar & 4-Doris), she cherished her childhood memories. She loved worshiping with her family at First Lutheran Church in Glasgow where she was baptized and confrmed. Julie was passionate about learning and made friends easily. She loved music and played the clarinet, piano, and organ. She graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1970 from Glasgow High School as a Scottie. Julie received her B.S. Degree in Mathematics Secondary Teaching in 1974. Math was her forte; she loved to teach and tutor kids.
Julie met the love of her life, Charlie Swanson, at Faith Lutheran Church in Hamilton, Montana. Julie and Charlie Louis Swanson were wed on September 3, 1978. Charlie is the 3rd generation to work on his family farm, Swanson’s Mountain
Mary Louise Coppock
Darby - Mary Louise Coppock, 96, of Darby passed into the arms of her Savior on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 at Valley Health and Rehab in Hamilton. She was born April 15, 1929 in Pasadena, California to Charles and Ruth (Hoffman) Johnson.
Mary was raised in San Marino, CA, along with her two sisters, Ruthie and Anita. She attended Art Center in Los Angeles where she met her future husband, Charles Coppock. They were married at Church of the Angels in Pasadena in 1951 and shared 45 years together until his passing in 1996.
Except for three years in Pinedale, Wyoming, Mary lived in southern California. She enjoyed gardening, painting, knitting, and caring for her family. Mary loved spending time with her grandchildren and would play the piano and do artwork with them. She was very talented and made beautiful Christmas stockings, knitted hats. sweaters and baby blankets for them. In 2019 she moved to the beautiful Bitterroot Valley of Montana with her son, Chris and daughter-in-law, Lynne. The last three years she has been a resident and loved family member of Valley Health in Hamilton. We express our sincere appreciation for the professional and loving care they have bestowed on Mary. She was not a resident, she was family. The compassion and respect they showed her, and us, during her final days is something we will always cherish. The entire staff, from our always smiling laundry woman, the angels on earth nurses, buoyant activities director, Roxie
Death Notices
Truman ‘TJ’ Mason
Corvallis - Truman John “TJ” Mason, 79, of Corvallis passed away Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 at his home. Services will be announced. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.
and Bill, the director who was available day or night, no matter what we needed, shared our grief with hugs and tears. Thank you, Valley Health!
Mary was a devoted member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community in Hamilton. The first time that Mary heard Fr. David preach the word of God, she marched up to him with her walker and said “you speak the truth.” Mary was soon an official member of the church and staked out her spot in the very first pew. Even at age 96 and quite frail, she was showered, dressed and ready at 8:30 a.m. so she would not be late for Sunday Mass. And she never turned down coffee and donuts in the fellowship hall either! The love that our beautiful parish community showed meant so much. From the smiles and hellos sweet Mary always received at Mass to being treated like a queen at our Ladies luncheons. Oh, how she loved receiving her birthday flowers!
fowers, the family suggests that memorials be made in
to
View Orchard, in Corvallis. Julie worked side by side in partnership with her husband to raise their children, Charla Marie (1980) and Lukas Knight (1983), on their apple orchard and cattle ranch. She enjoyed the family business. She made buying apples both educational and fun. Julie loved to share apple recipes and history of the farm. She also found time to substitute teach and tutor kids.
Julie was preceded in death by her parents. Julie is survived by her husband, Charlie; her daughter Charla (Michael) Fontaine; her son Lukas (Whitney) Swanson; grandchildren Samuel and Elizabeth Fontaine, and Brooklyn, Emmalyn, Lakelyn and Rilyn Swanson; sisters Laura Haefer, Sharleen Clark and Doris Leader; brother-in-law James Swanson; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Julie’s service is on Friday, November 28, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Daly Leach Memorial Chapel. It is ofciated by Pastor Paul from Faith Lutheran Church. Interment will take place at Corvallis Cemetery. Condolences may be left for the family at www. dalyleachchapel.com
Mary is survived by her son Chris and wife Lynne of Darby and daughters, Terry and husband John of Oak Hills, California and Louise and husband Gary of Rexburg, Idaho and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Pallbearers are Craig Coppock, Eric Coppock, Steve Mandala and Gabe Sandland.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, Nov 26, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, with a rosary preceding at
Marilyn Jones
Missoula - Marilyn Jones, 84, of Hamilton, passed away on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at Community Medical Center. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary. com
10:30. Internment will be at Lone Pine Cemetery in Darby followed by a reception at the Pastoral Life Center at St. Francis. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church religious education program. Mary absolutely loved watching the children head off to their Sunday school classes while she socialized in the hall. We will miss you, Sweet Mary. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.
Paul Edwards Florence - Paul Edwards, 57, passed away at home on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com
Michael Lighter
Hamilton - Michael Lighter, 78, passed away after a brief illness at the Valley Health and Rehab on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www. brothersmortuary.com
Chapel on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com
In lieu of
Sharleen’s name
the Bitter Root Humane Association.
If only for now… give thanks with a grateful heart
Thanksgiving is occurring just in time this year. It’s time to draw a deep breath, step back from the divisiveness and short-fused outbursts that have become commonplace in the world and refocus, take stock of what we have, what really matters in our lives, and be thankful.
by Chuck Stranahan
There are the things we are traditionally thankful for: the warmth and presence of friends and family; our homes (or the fact that we have shelter at all;) the beautiful place we live (here in Western Montana that’s easy;) our nation, our freedoms, and those who wrought them, fought for them; many of us, in the spirit of the frst Thanksgiving, thank God for those blessings.
Then there are things that are vitally important on a personal level; for me fyfshing is one of those things. Beyond the sport in all its trappings and nuances, there are connections with the natural world and people in my life because of fyfshing.
We celebrate it all, the shared and personal blessings, over a feast, the abundance of tryptophan-laced white meat and gravy and all the trimmings, (a harbinger of the involuntary naps to follow;) the traditional All-American apple and pumpkin pies for dessert; the gatherings of friends and family to celebrate.
At the center of it, before the meal begins, there is usually a pause where we speak out-loud in whatever way we choose, to express our gratitude and appreciation for what we have before we dig in.
Once, as an unwilling guest, I attended a Thanksgiving meal where the head of the house sat at the head of a table where three families were gathered. Just as everybody was settling into their places, anticipating a the warmth of a traditional Thanksgiving statement in some form, or even a prayer, he cut it all short by demanding, “Pass the potatoes.”
The room fell silent.
The potatoes were passed, followed by everything else; we sat, we ate, we tried to defect our disappointment with feigned laughter and small talk as the head of the table stufed himself.
I excused myself quietly after the football game started on TV; frst guest out the door but trying not to be too conspicuous.
By all appearances that man had a lot, but cer-
tainly not everything. Wife, child, estate on spacious grounds by the river, a stable full of horses, plenty of money. But his eyes, the windows to his soul, other than an occasional fery glare, seemed empty.
Gratitude and the expression of it, even if what we have is very little, is good for the soul. It fuels the hope that keeps us going, the humility that makes us more accessible to others, and altogether makes us more fully alive.
I see faces that are fully alive in my grandchildren and their friends who also call me Grandpa Chuck. I see it in their art; the joyful pictures given as love-gifts that decorate our refrigerator and the bulletin board above my writing desk.
The pictures, some of them depicting fshing trips with Grandpa Chuck, rekindle my love for them and gratitude for their presence in my life.
There are more wonderful people I have adopted as my own, the kids, their parents, and my friends across generational lines who all came into my life in some way because of fyfshing. I realize that the fshing itself is only the surface of it.
The best of fy fshing is what connects us, in some unspeakable ways, to everything from the warmth of the sun on our faces and the chill of the current on our legs, the scents of overhead pines and water on streamside rocks, the inspiring grandeur that surrounds us, and the mystery of the trout and what they’re eating and our attempt to enter that whole mystery by way of an artifcial fy.
Some call it a mystical or religious experience –at the very least it’s a rare place to fnd kinship with another who is connected in the same way.
So we sit on the tailgate of a pickup after an
evening hatch, and as brightening stars overtake a vanishing sunset, we say things that sound trite and a little silly, like, “This is what it’s all about.”
That’s as close as we need to come.
That’s where the world’s troubles are put into perspective, where gratitude and hope are rekindled.
For me, the refocus I perpetually need can come on the tailgate of an old pickup truck after an evening hatch, or over a turkey dinner with people I love where were give thanks for all good things.
This year, in all things, I intend to pursue it. Thank you for reading this column – and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27th to Sunday, Nov. 30th
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Join us for a “Real country Christmas at a Real Country Store “ Saturday and Sunday Dec. 6 th & 7 th 9-5 both days. Antiques and Collectibles at special sale prices. Celebrate the season in Virgelle, Montana. www. virgellemontana.com 800426-2926 / 406-378-3110
Get a break on your taxes! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855-9012620 today!
ELDERLY COUPLE INTERESTED IN HIRING PART-TIME HELP Approximately fve hours a day, at the going rate. Some light house work and cleaning. Must be able to cook two meals a day.
Three cats at residence. Call (406) 363-4264 for more information.
FRESH EGGS from Howell’s Happy Hens are back! $5.00/doz. Pick up at Bitterroot Star ofce, 115 W. 3rd, Suite 108, Stevensville.
HOLIDAY FLEA MARKET - Saturday, Nov. 29, 9 AM-5 PM, Arts Building, Ravalli County Fairgrounds. 15 VENDORS! Peddling a variety of unique, unusual treasures.
SECURE OUTDOOR STORAGE. Ideal for RVs, boats, trucks, trailers. Fully enclosed with a secure access gate. Located on Grantsdale Rd. $35/ month. Call 406-360-2732.
Legal Notices
Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC
PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840
Phone: (406) 363-9060
Attorney for Personal Representative
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PHILLIP ROBERT STOLBERG, Deceased.
Case No.: DP-41-2025130
Dept. No. 2
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Kerry J. Stolberg, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.
DATED the 3rd day of November 2025.
/s/ Kerry J. Stolberg, Personal Representative
BS 11-12, 11-19, 1126-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Shifawn Jovana Beckner, Shifawn Jovana Beckner, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000395-NC Dept. 2 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Shifawn Jovana Beckner to Shifawn Jovana Potter. The hearing will be on December 11, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 3rd day of November, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein
Clerk of District Court
By: Sarah Sargent Deputy Clerk of Court
BS 11-12, 11-19, 11-26, 12-3-25.
MNAXLP
NOTICE
The frst half of the 2024 Real Estate Taxes are due payable before 5 PM, December 8, 2025. We have a Night Drop located at North end of Administration Building in drive through. Mail payments must be postmarked by December 8, 2025 or the payment will be returned for penalty and interest. Please make checks payable to the Ravalli County Treasurer. Master Card, Visa, Discover and American Express cards are accepted. Also accepting online payments at www. Ravalli.us/196/Property-Tax.
Paying with Credit/Debit card will include a 2.15% convenience fee and $1.25 Transaction Fee.
Real Property Tax
Notices were postmarked November 7, 2025 so to be compliant with state law even though the due date shows December 1st I am moving the due date to December 8, 2025.
Ravalli County Treasurer Dan Whitesitt
215 S 4th St Ste H Hamilton MT 59840 406-375-6600 BS 11-19, 11-26, 123-25.
MNAXLP
NOTICE
The second half of the 2025 Mobile Home Taxes are due payable before 5 pm December 8, 2025. We have a Night Drop located
at North end of Administration Building in drive thru. Mailed payments must be postmarked by December 8, 2025 or the payment will be returned for penalty and interest. Please make checks payable to the Ravalli County Treasurer. Master Card, Visa, Discover and American Express cards are accepted. Also accepting online payments at www. Ravalli.us/196/Property-Tax.
Paying with Credit/Debit card will include a 2.15% convenience fee and $1.25 Transaction Fee.
Ravalli County Treasurer Dan Whitesitt
215 S 4th St Ste H Hamilton MT 59840 406-375-6600 BS 11-19, 11-26, 123-25.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
The Darby Planning Board will hold a public hearing to receive all comments both oral and written regarding a Subdivision Request from Cole Sain located at 411 South Water Street. The hearing will be held Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Darby Town Hall, 101 East Tanner Avenue. Information may be obtained by calling Town Hall at (406) 821-3753. BS 11-19, 11-26-25.
MNAXLP
LEGAL NOTICE
The Darby Planning Board will hold a public hearing to receive all comments both oral and written regarding an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Sewer Variance from Craig & Janet Steele located at 406 West Missoula Avenue. The hearing will be held Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Darby Town Hall, 101 East Tanner Avenue. Information may be obtained by calling Town Hall at (406) 821-3753.
BS 11-19, 11-26-25.
MNAXLP
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Lolo Sewer and Water Impact Fees
The water and wastewater system in Lolo has reached full capacity and no new connections are allowed. Additionally, the existing infrastructure has defciencies that need to be addressed to ensure longterm reliability. Missoula County has proposed improvements aimed to resolve these defciencies while also creating additional capacity for future growth. Capacity upgrades or users wanting service outside of the district are proposed to be funded by impact fees. Authorized under MCA section 7-61601 et. al., impact fees are one-time fees charged at the time of building permit that fund the infrastructure necessary to support new development. The county has developed an impact fee study for Lolo Sewer and Water Impact Fees. The study and proposed impact fees will be considered by the Impact Fee Advisory Committee meeting at their meeting on December 3, 2025, at 3:30 PM and information about attending that meeting can be found here: http://missoula.co/ ifacmeetings. The Impact Fee Advisory Committee will take public comment and make a recommendation on this proposal to the Board of County Commissioners.
The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM to consider a resolution to adopt Lolo Sewer and Water Impact Fees. Information about how to attend that meeting can be found here: http://missoula.co/bccmeetings.
Details on the proposal are available by contacting the PDS Ofce or online at https://missoulacountyvoice.
com/. The preferred method for receiving comments is directly through the Missoula County Voice project page; however, comments may also be mailed to PDS, 200 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT, 59802.
If anyone attending these meetings needs special assistance, please provide advance notice by calling 406-258-4657. For additional information regarding the request, please contact Karen Hughes at 406-258-3425 or by email at khughes@missoulacounty. us.
BS 11-19, 11-26-25.
MNAXLP
CORVALLIS COUNTY
SEWER DISTRICT
Notice is Hereby Given that the Board of Directors of the Corvallis County Sewer District will hold a Public Hearing at 5:30 pm at the Corvallis WWTP located at 234 Brothers Way in Corvallis for Ordinance No. 15, granting the petition of Janet L. and E. Robin Smyth to annex land into the District. The purpose of this public meeting is to consider and take public comment regarding the proposed ordinance.
The frst reading of Ordinance No. 15 will take place on November 25, 2025.
The Second reading of Ordinance No. 15 will take place on December 23, 2025.
The related petition and draft ordinance may be viewed through the following link: https://bit.ly/4pfVUD8
If you have any questions, or would like to make a public comment due to your inability to attend this meeting, you may send comments via postal mail to P.O. Box 134, Corvallis, MT 59825 or via email to ccsdmontana@outlook.com .
BS 11-19, 12-17-25.
MNAXLP
NOTICE OF PUBLIC
SALE. Notice is hereby given, pursuant to MCA 70-6-411, that a public sale of the contents of UltraDynamics Storage, #3, 1971 N 1st Street, Hamilton, will be held to satisfy a lien against Jason Wilcox, Elements Heating, for unpaid storage and related costs. The sale will be conducted via online auction at storagetreasures. com, bidding to begin November 25, 2025 with the fnal sale held December 11, 2025. The amount due for the unit is $866.00; amounts due are accruing additional monthly rent and costs associated with public sale. The unit contains HVAC supplies and tools. Pictures will be available at storagetreasures.com. Entire contents of the unit must be removed within 48 hours by the purchaser. Units are reserved subject to redemption by owner prior to sale. For questions, contact Cardinal Properties at 406-363-4430.
BS 11-19, 11-26, 12-3, 12-10-25.
MNAXLP
Michael J. Moore / Erica T. deVries
COLLECTION BUREAU SERVICES, INC. PO Box 7339 Missoula, MT 598077339 (406) 721-4454
Attorneys for Plaintif MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY COLLECTION BUREAU SERVICES, INC., Plaintif, RICK PRITCHETT, JENNIFER L. PRITCHETT, BITTERROOT COMMUNITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, CBM COLLECTIONS INC., A/K/A CB1, INC, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY – INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, RAVALLI COUNTY, a Political Subdivision of the State of Montana and DOES 1-5, Defendants. CAUSE No. DV-41-2022-
434-FO
DEPT. No. 1
SECOND AMENDED SUMMONS IN A FORECLOSURE ACTION, DOES 1-5
THE STATE OF MONTANA SENDS GREETINGS TO THE ABOVE-NAMED
DEFENDANTS: Does 1 – 5, being any unknown person who claim or might claim any present or contingent right, title, estate, interest in, lien or encumbrance upon such property or any part thereof, adverse to Plaintif’s claims sought to be foreclosed herein, including any right of inchoate or accrued dower, A lawsuit has been fled against you.
Within 21 days after service of this summons on you or (42 days if you are the State of Montana, a state agency, or a state ofcer or employee), you must serve on the plaintif an answer to the attached complaint or a motion under Rule 12 of the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure. Do not include the day you were served in your calculation of time. The answer or motion must be served on the plaintif or plaintif’s attorney, if plaintif is represented by an attorney, whose name and address are listed above.
If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
You also must fle your answer or motion with the court.
This action is brought for the purpose of foreclosing Plaintif’s judgment lien on real property located in Ravalli County and described as follows:
NW¼NW¼N½W½NW¼ Section 18, Township 5 North, Range 20 West, P.M.M., Ravalli County, Montana
Recording Reference: Book 121 of Deeds, page 59.
EXCEPTING AND RESERVING THEREFROM that portion deeded to the State of Montana in Book 121 of Deeds, page 604. Also known as Lot 2, Block 1, Cummings Subdivision, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the ofcial plat recorded January 24, 1964, as Instrument No. 160462.
WITNESS my hand and seal of said Court the 4th day of November, 1025. Paige Trautwein Clerk of Court By: Kimberly Provence Deputy Clerk A24380/5. BS 11-19, 11-26, 123-25. MNAXLP
Craig Mungas
State Bar No. 6746 BJM Law PLLC 2809 Great Northern Loop, Ste 100 Missoula, Montana 59808 Telephone: 406-7218896 Telefax: 406-541-8037 Email: craig@bjmattorneys.com
Attorneys for Tawnya Luce, Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: GEORGE A. BIDDLE, Deceased Dept. No.: 2 Cause No.: DP-41-2025136 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named Estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (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 TAWNYA LUCE, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o BJM Law PLLC, 2809 Great Northern Loop, Suite 100, Missoula, MT 59808, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.
DATED this 17th day of November 2025.
/s/ Tawnya Luce, Personal Representative BJM Law PLLC
By: Craig Mungas
Attorneys for Tawnya Luce, Personal Representative BS 11-19, 11-26, 123-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Donna Lee Farthing, Donna Lee Farthing, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-25-416 Dept. 1 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Donna Lee Farthing to Donna Lee Clay. The hearing will be on January 7, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 18th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Catherine Di Gleria Deputy Clerk of Court BS 11-26, 12-3, 12-10, 12-17-25.
MNAXLP
OG-25-11-497
Legal Notice The Ravalli County Planning Department is inviting public comment on foodplain application FA-25-22 for work proposed within the FEMA regulated foodplain of the Bitterroot River. The applicant is Boyd Bradshaw. The project is proposing to install a water line from an existing well to an open area on the property for irrigation. The project site is 2750 East Gorus Loop, Darby, in Section 26, Township 4 North, Range 21 West, Ravalli County. Detailed information regarding this application is available for review at the Ravalli County Planning Department at 215 S 4th St, Suite F in Hamilton. Written comments may be mailed, hand-delivered or emailed (planning@rc.mt.gov) and must be received by December 10, 2025 (Reference Application #FA-25-22).
BS 11-26-25.
MNAXLP
Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Mary Kathryn Laird-Hollister, Mary Kathryn Laird-Hollister, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000410-NC
Dept. No.: Jennifer B. Lint
NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE
This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Mary Kathryn Laird-Hollister to Leora Ryan Wilder.
The hearing will be on December 18, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.
DATED this 10th day of November, 2025.
/s/ Paige Trautwein
Clerk of District Court
By: Sarah Sargent
Deputy Clerk of Court BS 11-26, 12-3, 12-10, 12-17-25.
MNAXLP
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2025 GROWTH POLICY AT THE PLANNING & ZONING BOARD MEETING
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2025 @ 5:00 PM The Stevensville Planning & Zoning Board will
conduct a public hearing on Tuesday December 10, 2025 @ 5:00pm at Town Hall, 206 Buck Street, Stevensville, MT 59870 for the purpose of obtaining public comments regarding the updated and completed 2025 Growth Policy and making their recommendation for adoption to the Town Council. A Special Town Council Meeting will be held on December 18, 2025 @ 5:30pm. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to express their opinions regarding the 2025 Growth Policy. Comments may be given orally at the public hearing or submitted in writing via email to townclerk@ townofstevensville.gov mail to: Town of Stevensville, Attention Town Clerk, PO Box 30, Stevensville, MT 59870 before 5:00 pm on December 10, 2025. Copies of the draft document are available for public review at Town Hall, and on the Town’s website. Questions, comments or more information may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at 406-777-5271. Attest: Jenelle Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 11-26, 12-3-2025. MNAXLP
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LOUIS JAMES LAVERGNE, JR., Deceased. Probate No.: DP-2025140 Dept. No.: 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Toni Lavergne has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the said decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred. Claims must either be mailed to Toni Lavergne, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at c/o Montana Legacy Law, PLLC, 178 South 2nd St., Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court. BS 11-26, 12-3, 12-1025. MNAXLP
MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: MARY JANE MOHN, Deceased.
Cause No. DP-41-2025137
Dept. No. 1
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.
Claims must either be mailed to the Personal Representative, Robert L. Elliott, return receipt requested, c/o Nelson Law Ofce PLLC, 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.
DATED 24th day of November 2025.
/s/ William J Nelson, Attorney for Personal Representative /s/ Robert L. Elliott, Personal Representative BS 11-26, 12-3, 12-1025. MNAXLP
