Bitterroot Star - November 5, 2025

Mark O’Connor’s

CITY OF HAMILTON ZONING & FUTURE LAND USE MAP UPDATE

The City of Hamilton is preparing to present draft updates to the City’s zoning code and zoning map for public review, along with updates to the Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map

Three public hearings are scheduled for the City Council and Land Use Boards to review, take public comment, and decided on the proposed updates. Ahead of the hearings four public open houses are scheduled for community members to learn more about and comment on the updates.

Public Hearings

• Zoning Commission and Planning Board: Monday, December 1, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.

• City Council: Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.

Open Houses

• Thursday, November 13th from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. AND 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

• Wednesday, November 19th from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. AND 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

All meetings will be on the 2nd foor of Hamilton City Hall, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT

THE FLORENCE CIVIC C LUB

sends a big “ Thank You ” to the volunteers, vendors, community members, and the following Sponsors of the 1st annual Harvest Stroll at Florence Hideout Mountain Park:

Anytime Fitness, Barbara Liss, Barry Yaskus DDS, Bears Lair/Florence, Burnt Fork Market, Crystal to Crystal, Executive Auto, Frontier Cafe, Honey Jewelers, Les's Fun Factory, Liz Brushia, Lucia Wright, Lynn Brinkman, Mindy Finden, Mary Jane Rice, Mission Bistro, Oil of Gladness, Phyllis Rogers Green, Ramona Vance, St Mary's Catholic Church, St Mary's Women's Health, St. Mary's Mission, Stevi Hardware, Super 1, Superior Hardwoods, Susan Lenz, The Groomers, The Catered Table, Tonja Becker, Vern's Nursery.

A special thank you to all the crafters and artisans who participated in the event and raffle. Thanks to St. Mary’s Mission for the tasty potatoes, chili and hot dogs.

Every event has those people who work tirelessly to make the event a success and I want to acknowledge Sue Fink, Maryelyn Scholz, Jennifer Wandler, Cozette Kovacich, Bonnie Weisbeck, Terri Rose, Mindy Finden and Traci Freeman. Please accept the gratitude of the St. Mary's Parish community,

Hamilton Players concludes its 2025 season with “I Never Saw Another Butterfy,” a moving theatrical work based on the poetry and artwork created by Jewish children imprisoned in the Terezin concentration camp during World War II. Performances run November 7-9, 14–16, and 21-23, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Hamilton Playhouse.

Set against the horrifying backdrop of the Holocaust, “I Never Saw Another Butterfy” tells the story of the more than 15,000 children who passed through the Terezin ghetto between 1942 and 1944 — and the handful who

survived. Through the eyes of one young survivor, the play captures the resilience, imagination, and unbreakable spirit that endured even in the face of unimaginable cruelty.

This production features a talented local cast including Kiah Nisly, Cecile Richardson, Aidan McGuire, Nathaniel Heckeroth, Robin Pruitt, Chad Farrenburg, Sasha Brooks, and Sarah Matteson, under the direction of denise rose. The creative team brings this deeply human story to life with sensitivity and reverence, using simple yet powerful staging to honor the voices of the children of Terezin.

“I Never Saw Another Butterfy” is

drawn from the real poetry and drawings created by the children in Terezin, later compiled into a book of the same name. Their words — hidden by teachers and discovered after the camp’s liberation — remain a powerful reminder of art’s ability to illuminate hope even in humanity’s darkest moments.

Tickets are $25 for reserved seating, available online at hamiltonplayers.com or at the box ofce Wednesday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m.

Content advisory: “I Never Saw Another Butterfy” includes themes and imagery related to the Holocaust, including references to genocide, death (including the loss of children), and

antisemitism. These subjects may be emotionally difcult for some audience members.

“Stories like ‘I Never Saw Another Butterfy’ remind us of the power of empathy and remembrance,” says Director denise rose. “By giving voice to the children of Terezin, we reafrm our shared responsibility to ensure that such inhumanity is never repeated.”

Hamilton Players is a nonprofit community theater dedicated to enriching the Bitterroot Valley through the performing arts. For more information, visit hamiltonplayers.com or follow Hamilton Players on social media.

ORCHARD: Swanson’s hosts educational food service providers

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meant to help grow that connection between consumers and growers.

This was the second year of the event, which took the form of a tour, apple tasting and talks about the process of getting an apple from the tree to the table. The tour was led by orchard managers, husband and wife team, Kendall and Ryan Mouw. Kendall handles the business side of things, while Ryan leads the operations and farming side. Together they, and Swanson’s Orchard, ship apples all over the state, with their main customers in Kalispell, Missoula, Bozeman and in the Bitterroot.

The orchard property consists of 80 acres, 30 of which are in trees and 50 in pasture.They ofer fve main varieties of apple. However, according to Ryan, there are over 20 varieties on the property. Ryan said their top apple is the McIntosh, but they fnd creative uses for all their main types.

The event was opened up to all Missoula and Ravalli County public schools, as well as Missoula Ofce of Public Instruction (OPI) and Western Montana Growers Co-Op.

Kendall spoke to the benefts of locally grown apples, saying fresh apples have a better taste. She often hears that from youth that visit the orchard during feld trips. When the youth ask why these apples taste better, Kendall said locally grown always tastes better, especially apples. A big part of this is because, even though apples can be preserved a long time, after being of the tree for so long they lose their favor. According to Kendall, in some schools apples can be in cold storage for up to a year. That is why the orchard strives to get apples out fresh this time of year. They have shipments going out every week.

Swanson’s Orchard just got into local stores with their apple bags, and after purchasing nearly 10,000 bags last year, she said they may take a couple years to get through that. They hand pack those bags themselves, and with the cost to get them designed, it really was a long term investment. That really afects their bottom line, but for a big producer, “it’s peanuts.”

“It’s important that these kids have local produce.”

- Kendall Mouw

Kendall added that they are also working to incorporate a “no waste” model to help save where they can. They now feed their ground apples to a herd of cattle and they sell the beef. This is a growing part of the operation. The orchard also makes over 10,000 gallons of cider, using Snappy and McIntosh apples. They then reuse their frozen cider, cooking it down into a syrup and adding it into spring doughnuts they make.

temperature in check. They also try to maximize what every tree can produce. Their oldest crop in use was planted in 2005. According to Ryan and Kendall, these trees produce best when they are under 25 years old. After that, the trees have trouble producing the same quality and quantity with regularity.

During the tour, Kendall said that this year, “we’ve had a fantastic growing season.” She added that it has been great because additionally, they had such a hugely positive reception from last year’s Farm to School event. Because of this they have been able to form better relationships with the schools. “This year has been tremendous working with them,” said Kendall. Their main objective is to “grow with the schools,” because, even though they see demand from all over the state, according to Kendall, “it’s important that these kids have local produce.”

She spoke about the challenges in keeping up with larger producers, including the higher overhead costs for local growers. “Infation is real, to sell under $1 apples doesn’t work any more,” said Kendall. It can also be a challenge to get into even local grocery stores due to requirements that are often “unrealistic and sometimes just impossible,” she added. Those large producers are often not concerned about their apples staying in cold storage for an extended period of time, and they produce on such a large scale that they can charge far less and it doesn’t afect their bottom line.

on Veterans Day, November 11th. Thank you for all you do for our store.

Part of the reason they work so hard to utilize these ground apples is because it can be a huge loss. Ryan said they can lose between 10% and 20% of the crop to windfall, and once those apples hit the ground, they cannot be sold fresh for human consumption.

Additionally, the weather can create hurdles for an orchard. According to Ryan, two to three degrees can make or break a crop. They even have huge fans that run during the spring to keep humidity and

Ryan added to this, saying they have three kids of their own and for them, healthy local food is important. “It’s something we can provide for them [local youth],” and that is why they work so hard to get apples into the schools.

Ryan and Kendall Mouw at right, speaking about operations and apples at Swanson’s Orchard last Thursday. Photo by John Dowd.

O’Connors to inaugurate holiday season with classics reinvented

For those with Christmas trees decorated in November, the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council is hosting the perfect concert. Three-time Grammy winner Mark O’Connor and his wife, Maggie, will be playing “An Appalachian Christmas” on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center.

“For some, our holiday concert may be early, but for others, we’re two weeks later than they might have liked,” said Stacie Duce, BPAC Executive Director. “The O’Connors are incredibly talented and we’re so happy to host them in Hamilton again with this themed show.” Hamilton is the frst stop on O’Connor’s 16-city tour through November and December. Mark is a virtuoso on the strings blending classical, jazz and bluegrass into his own signature style. His connection with Maggie is both magical and musical as they blend voices and strings with beauty and depth.

Married in 2014, this is the twelfth year that they have toured “An Appala-

chian Christmas,” but this year they’re featuring new arrangements of classic favorites from a new album, “A Christmas Duo.” The album release coincides with this holiday tour, and three singles have been released in advance leading to what O’Connors have said in recent emails as their greatest leap in followers on both social media and streaming services.

“Obviously, some people have already started privately listening to holiday music,” Duce said with a smile. “But with this concert, there’s no need to hide anymore. We can all come gather with like-minded holiday fans to embrace our seasonal love of classic tunes that inspire love, kindness and generosity - something we could all use a little more of this year.”

The new album introduces an Appalachian twist to classics like “Silent Night” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” Mark said of their latest single release of “The Holly and the Ivy,” with Maggie on both violin and vocals, “is his absolute favorite to play in the

holiday shows.” Maggie grew up in a musical family in the suburbs of Atlanta and started playing the violin at age 7. She took classical violin lessons, but it wasn’t long before she developed an ear for arranging, recording, and improvisation. She was a soloist with Atlanta’s top youth orchestras and then became a member of numerous bluegrass and rock bands.

Mark started playing the violin at age 6 in Seattle and his promising career gained international attention in Nashville as he accompanied the biggest country artists of the 1980s and was recognized individually as well. Mark’s compositions for symphonies and other string performances ofer unique Appalachian styling on the mandolin, violin and guitar and led to the establishment of an educational strings camp for youth at Vanderbilt University, which both he and Maggie support in every way - from teaching to fundraising for scholarships. “Violinists can and should participate in everything the instrument has to ofer,” Maggie said.

Together, the O’Connors have regularly performed on the world’s most coveted stages from fddling at the Grand Ole Opry to jazz performances at the Lincoln Center and classical performances around the world.

“We’re so fortunate to have them play for us on our rural stage,” Duce said. “We hope to fll every seat and bring an unmatched inauguration to the holiday season in our community.”

In December, the BPAC will continue its partnership with the Missoula Symphony with a holiday performance at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center in Victor. The symphony will play two afternoon shows with a special prelude performance by the Bitterroot Community Band. Tickets for the December 13 concerts are also on sale at www.bitterrootperformingarts. org or at the BPAC Box Ofce at 127 W. Main Street in Hamilton (inside Signal Square). Box ofce hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 406363-7946.

HALLOWEEN: spookiest homes recognized

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Efort, Most Creative and the Overall Grand Prize. That last one is usually evident, said Fleming, but not always. The overall winner gets $100 of Halloween candy. Other category winners get yard signs to show of their win to those driving by and to trick-or-treaters. The city always does the judging before Halloween so everyone walking through can see who won what. This can become very competitive, and showing of that sign can be a big deal. According to her, some areas will get hundreds of trick-or-treaters.

This year, the overall winner of the Grand Prize was Vanessa Godard, at 109 Cottonwood Court. The winner of Most Creative was Norman and Carol James, at 108 Ironwood Court. The Most Spooktacular prize was taken by Megan Nemitz at 617 N 5th Street. Finally, Most Efort was awarded to David and Cassi Youngblood, at 104 Sancherry.

The city posts photos of the winners on their Facebook page and there is a list on the City of Hamilton website, with addresses of all those who participated under

the latest news tab. City administrators encourage the community to try to catch the houses this year before they take the decorations down.

Speaking on the night, Farrenkopf said, “It was just a really nice night to be out with the council and the staf and to try to bring some festivity to the city of Hamilton.”

“There were so many really amazing displays,” said Fleming. She added that it’s always hard to choose the winners because “everyone does such a good job.”

Above, is the home at 109 Cottonwood Court, below is the home at 104 Sancherry. Photos courtesy City of Hamilton.

There’s still time for sunsets and cutthroat trout

A few days ago I called my wife Jan and said, “Come look.”

Our home sits kind of a long mound of gravel left by ancient foods on the east side of the Bitterroot Valley. The back deck overlooks some old farms and smaller modern-day homesteads at the base of the magnifcent Bitterroot Range and its row of jagged peaks to the west, a perfect stage for sunsets.

The sunset that grabbed my attention didn’t fll the sky with color or last for hours the way midsummer sunsets do; the light angle we get from the sun this side of the equinox grows increasingly longer and as a result, the sunsets grow increasingly shorter.

by Chuck Stranahan

This sunset lit up the clouds I watched ofand-on all day, an ever-changing backdrop to the bright glisten of fresh snow on the peaks. The clean-washed air from previous rains let all the colors of autumn show in scattered bursts of sunlight beneath the clouds as they moved overhead. The crisp air, midday, was just warm enough. You could feel the sun’s warmth disappear as you watched it dip below the western ridge.

Across the valley we see a vee cut in the western ridge by ancient glaciers that we now know as Mill Creek Canyon. At times the canyon’s jagged spires of rock that extend over a thousand feet in the air are lost in shadow, at other times they are silhouetted by a backdrop that reveals their rugged grandeur. That’s what I saw when I called Jan to come look.

The sunset seemed to rise from a glowing crucible behind the canyon to illuminate the clouds suspended over the surrounding peaks. It didn’t stretch the whole length of the valley, as far as you can see, the way summer sunsets do. Maybe it’d be the last burst of brilliance that we’d see before winter sets in. Or so seemed.

Everything in the natural world seems brilliant, clothed in its fnest raiment, as if to say “Come look!” before winter takes it away, covers it with a chill white and gray shroud.

There is an urgency to this season. It is revealed in the autumn leaves and sunsets that we know won’t last forever. Our lives attune to it as we complete the last few outdoor chores.

The trout in the rivers we travel beside feel it, too. The browns, this time of year, get aggressive as their spawning urge and territorial defensiveness coincides with the need to fatten up for winter. It shows in their coloration. Their buttery sides turn a golden tint that graduates from the tarnished bronze of their backs beneath a mosaic of black and red spots.

And keeping with the urgency of the season, some of us who fyfsh get an urge that’s almost instinctive to bundle up, grab a workhorse fy rod and fsh streamers for those brown trout.

And the browns are not alone. The rainbows, and cutthroats too, are fattening up for winter. While the rainbows slow down but continue to feed after a fashion all winter, the cutthroats go for a last hurrah glut. They stuf their bellies and build up fat in bursts of attack mode frenzy when the water is warm enough. When the day highs are steadily in the mid and low forty range the cutthroats all but disappear. They won’t move far to take a fy, unlike their reckless attacks that come

when summer hatches are at their peak.

And so, when I fsh streamers in the fall I’m not just targeting browns. If I’m near one of those deep steady runs that cutthroats prefer I’m fshing for cutthroats.

Cutthroats are post-runof spawners. What we see, just a few days or weeks after they return to their accustomed lies in the river are their postspawn, washed-out colors – pretty enough, but not what they’ll regain once they’ve recovered from spawning.

By late summer a cutthroat’s post-spawn pallor washes away is replaced with a raiment of red-oranges that wrap around its belly from the brassy green sheen of its back. Seeing those colors in a living thing that rests for a precious moment in my hands is difcult to describe, but I’ll try:

When I catch one, as I carefully revive and return it, I’m carried into that same realm that I see in those rare autumn sunsets that beckons my soul, “Come look!”

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How beautiful can a trout be? Escaping cutthroat. Photo by Mary Cline

Conservation easement protects 166-acre ranch

A fourth-generation family ranch is conserved in perpetuity through a conservation easement fnalized in partnership with landowner Marlene Bolin and the Bitter Root Land Trust (BRLT).

Located on Ambrose Creek northeast of Stevensville, the newly conserved 166-acre Bolin Ranch marks a corner piece of the family property that has been actively farmed since 1935, raising hay, grain (barley and wheat), cattle, horses, pigs, chickens and pastureland. The mix of irrigated pastures, native grasslands, forest patches, woody draws, and riparian habitat along Ambrose Creek serves as excellent habitat for an abundance of wildlife, including winter elk range, moose, deer, golden eagle, great blue heron, and monarch butterfy.

With a perpetual conservation easement now in place, future development is restricted on the property, keeping it in-tact for wildlife and current and future agricultural practices. As with all conservation easements, the agreement transfers with the title of the property, even when it changes ownership in the future.

Landowner Marlene Bolin and her late husband, Ivan Roy, Jr., frst

started conversations with the Bitter Root Land Trust about protecting the ranch seven years ago.

“My husband Ivan was a big proponent of the conservation easement,” says Marlene. “It has taken a lot of patience and endurance to get the ranch where it is today. Ranching is a lifestyle. It’s not an occupation and it’s not always easy. It gives me a sense of relief, knowing the ranch is protected now.”

The project was made possible

My community, my state, my country

I write this letter as a sinner myself. In fact, in my 66 years, I’m not sure I’ll be able to remember all of them in order to ask forgiveness. Tis letter is not to cast stones. It is to provoke thought, for who among us has been so perfect, they would not change a single thing about their life? If you are among us, please stand up.

To those serving in leadership at every level of the Republican Party: we need to talk about division.

Not the kind we hear about constantly in the news, lef versus right, red versus blue, but a quieter, more corrosive kind of division happening within our own ranks.

Contrary to what some may say, I believe that 95% of Republicans agree on our core principles.

We believe in God, family, the Constitution, and country, in secure borders, and limited government.

ating resentment and rebellion? What’s really accomplished is nothing more than bragging rights on one of the many voting scorecards used as propaganda for future elections. Why not a scorecard on records of accomplishment that are truly benefcial to Montanans?

Ten, there is the 5% whose motivation isn’t reform or public service at all. Tese are the opportunists. Tey thrive on chaos. Tey use the most controversial or infammatory issues not to build a movement, but to build a following. Tey stir fear, then feed of the division they create.

by Tony L. Hudson President Save

the American West

Tat’s not where our problem lies.

Te real tension within our party comes from disagreements about pace, process, and leadership style, and too ofen, from the tendency to put special interests ahead of the general welfare in an efort to “fulfll promises to donors and core supporters.”

Some believe we must force rapid change, an attitude of: “We have the power, seize the moment; the end justifes the means.”

Others believe the only path to real, lasting reform is through steady, thoughtful movement, by building consensus and nurturing durable trust with the public. Tat, to me, is true conservatism.

Tese aren’t ideological diferences so much as disagreements over leadership itself.

Can we truly be the party of law and order if we continue to color outside the lines, when the very existence of a republic depends on following the rules, especially when those rules are inconvenient or distasteful?

Overreach almost always ends in disaster. When you start shoving people around, they push back. Tat’s not cowardice, it’s human nature. Even good ideas, delivered poorly, can backfre.

Leadership is not about forcing compliance. It’s about inspiring confdence.

Tere is a time for urgency, yes, but also a time for patience and humility.

Some of our colleagues believe the only way forward is to “lay down the law” and demand obedience. Tey see leadership as absolute control

What good is it to win an election if you lose the issues, or to pass legislation without the support of the people cre-

Tese folks aren’t in it for the cause.

Tey’re in it for attention, control, or personal gain. And they are dangerous, not because they’re wrong on every issue, but because they poison the well of trust, pitting men against each other with seductive soundbites, and vicious attacks on those who dare to disagree, ofen dragging our common Christian faith through the mud to do so.

So how do we lead through this moment? We start by following the rules, our own and those of our Republic. We must think carefully about the balance between persuasion and pressure.

What kind of party are we trying to build? One that inspires people to move forward with integrity and purpose, or one that drags them down the trail with a rope around their neck?

Leadership is not a stampede driven by fear, frustration, and chaos. It’s a slow, steady movement along a well-thoughtout path, guided by integrity and resolve, knowing that the more trust you build, the faster the pace will naturally become.

We must rediscover that kind of leadership.

Te strongest leaders I’ve ever known, whether in politics, ranching, or community life, all possessed humility and strength in equal measure. Tey walked the talk. Tey explained the goal.

As I think of great men who came before us – Washington, Lincoln, Reagan – I’m reminded that they were calm, resolute, humble, and masters of integrity.

I ask that we keep them in mind as we develop our own thoughts about leadership, about our own integrity.

Te future of Montana is rapidly approaching a crossroads. I humbly ask that we keep these ideas close to heart as we move forward in choosing our leaders and shaping our leadership styles.

We are blessed to live in one of the greatest states in the greatest nation. Let’s keep it that way.

May God continue to bless this great nation.

with funding received from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) program and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program.

“This new easement marks a cornerstone of many years in the making of neighboring landowners coming together to conserve a very special and critical area for wildlife and agriculture in the valley. We are honored to have played a role in helping the Bolin family preserve the fnal corner of their legacy ranch,” says Melissa Odell, BRLT’s Lands Director. “Because of Marlene and Ivan’s foresight and commitment, this place will forever be here for future generations of Bitterroot agricultural producers. We are so thankful to Marlene for her gift to the community.”

In the 1990’s, Marlene’s parents, Ernie and Bessie Bolin, worked with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) to place a conservation easement on 5,204 acres of the family’s Bolin Ranches – land located adjacent to the east of Marlene’s 166-acre Bolin Ranch. The early conservation easement is directly connected to two additional conservation easements completed in partnership with local landowners and Montana FWP: the Lewis Conservation Easement, and the Brown Valley Family Ranch Conservation Easement, and is south of the Threemile Wildlife Management Area (WMA) owned by the State of Montana and managed by FWP. Together, the neighboring conserved lands protect more than 13,000 acres of open lands and critical elk winter habitat, with the recent 166-acre conservation easement marking the latest

addition.

“Bitter Root Land Trust is honored to carry on the conservation legacy of Marlene and the Bolin family well into the future,” says Lauren Rennaker, BRLT Executive Director. “Their longtime legacy signifes generations of dedication and commitment to conserving what makes our valley so special. We are so fortunate that the Bolins, and our community, value an agricultural and conservation legacy hand-in-hand.”

Across the valley in Victor, Ivan’s brother, Danny Roy, also placed a conservation easement on their fourth-generation legacy ranch, Roy Ranch, conserving 176 acres in perpetuity on Victor’s westside. The conservation easement was completed in partnership with BRLT in 2024 before Danny’s passing.

“As I have watched since the passing of my parents and the subsequent division and sale of much of this awesome place I’ve called home for 65 years, I had no doubt as to what I needed to do,” says landowner Marlene. “It’s these easements that arise from something deep within a landowner’s heart. It was my desire to preserve the history of my family’s generations and protect the land God has entrusted to us that drove me to want the same for the land I have inherited. So those that come after me can still know what it is like to grow up and live the best life there is - and that’s country living.”

For more information about the Bitter Root Land Trust and private, landowner-driven conservation in the Bitterroot Valley, visit bitterrootlandtrust.org.

Stand up

Stand up for those who stand up for you. The Jamie Raskins, the Adam Schifs, the Monica Tranels, the Ryan Busses. Too many people whine, “Where are the Democrats?” Look up. The Democrats are at the battlements, defending our rights as their colleagues cower across the aisle. The toddler-inchief has taken a wrecking ball to his playpen – our country – tearing down walls metaphorical as well as real.

Some think it is nothing, to protect and defend. See the soldiers in the streets, goons rappelling down apartment house walls, masked thugs frightening families in their beds. Our heroes are right in front of us, people who are not afraid to be both humble and brave. They don’t require fags, bands or parades. They just do the work, attacking with words, court cases, speeches and newscasts not bullets and helmets. They are Democrats, not princes.

We can start by defending those who defend us. It is not enough to say, “I vote.” Join so many who rallied with Indivisible. 750 Bitterrooters held up signs, showed their faces, embraced our liberty. Defend those who defend you. Quit saying, “Where are the Democrats?” We’re where we belong, at the battlements.

It’s time to join us.

Linda D. Schmitt Corvallis

Lincoln-Reagan

Dinner: GOP’s comeback party of the

year

If anyone still doubts that the Republican spirit in the Bitterroot is alive and well, they clearly missed the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds on October 11.

The evening wasn’t just a dinner — it was a full-on declaration that the NEW Ravalli County GOP is back, energized, and determined to put integrity and optimism back on the menu.

From the moment guests walked in, you could feel the diference. The room sparkled with red, white, and blue décor, fags lined the walls, and the air carried that familiar buzz that only comes when Republicans gather for something bigger than politics — community.

Chair Tony Hudson and the new Central Committee deserve a standing ovation for pulling of the kind of event that makes you proud to be a Republican again.

This wasn’t about grandstanding or fnger-pointing. It was about faith, country, and bringing people together over good food and even better conversation.

The dinner lineup was top-notch. The speakers were engaging, the message was hopeful, and the humor was spot-on, that rare balance of serious conviction and lighthearted camaraderie.

Even Lincoln and Reagan would have cracked a grin. (You could almost hear Lincoln whisper, “Finally, some honest politics,” and Reagan chuckle, “There you go again… actually doing it right.”)

The crowd refected a mix of longtime conservatives and new faces curious to see what the “NEW GOP” is all about. What they discovered was a movement focused on integrity, accountability and common sense, not on shouting matches or purity tests. There was laughter, applause, and a sense of pride that’s been missing for too long. And let’s not forget the food — because Republicans may argue

Opinion

about tax policy, but they unite completely on the subject of Montana beef.

The dessert dash auction alone raised both eyebrows and funds, proving that generosity and good humor go hand in hand.

More than anything, the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner reminded everyone why local politics matter. It’s where neighbors meet, friendships form, and the foundations of leadership are built — from the grassroots up.

As one attendee quipped while heading out the door, “This is what the GOP used to feel like — hopeful, funny, and ready to work.”

So, to the NEW Ravalli County GOP Central Committee: well done. You reminded everyone that politics doesn’t have to be grim, divided, or full of drama. It can be inspiring, patriotic, and even, dare we say, fun.

If this dinner were any indication, the future of the Republican Party in the Bitterroot is looking bright. And just maybe, Lincoln and Reagan are smiling down from above, saying, “Now that’s our kind of party.”

Helen Sabin Corvallis

Let’s be honest about U.S./Israel relationship

Healthy alliances are built on mutual accountability, transparency, and shared values. Yet for decades, the relationship between the United States and Israel has operated on a diferent standard — one where scrutiny is discouraged, facts are sidestepped, and legitimate questions are often portrayed as disloyal or racist. It is time to speak honestly about whether this serves American interests, moral principles, or global stability.

Israel is frequently described as America’s “closest ally.” Yet in practice, this alliance often behaves more like a one-way arrangement in which the United States extends extraordinary privileges while receiving little transparency in return. Israel does not register its lobby organizations under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, despite engaging in extensive political infuence work in Washington. U.S. ofcials refuse to publicly acknowledge Israel’s nuclear arsenal — even though it is widely recognized by international security experts — because doing so would trigger legal implications regarding foreign aid and nonproliferation policies. When a partner is allowed to operate outside rules that others must follow, we are no longer dealing in equality, but exemption.

History gives us vivid examples. In 1967, Israeli forces attacked the USS Liberty in international waters, killing 34 American sailors and wounding 171. Survivors have spent decades calling for transparency and accountability. Their grief and unanswered questions deserve dignity, not silence. Yet most elected ofcials avoid the topic entirely.

More recently, when a senior Israeli ofcial was arrested in the United States in a sting operation involving solicitation of a minor, he posted bond and promptly left the country. While some prosecutors insisted no special treatment occurred, the optics were unmistakable: when diplomatic politics intervene, accountability can be uneven. There are also past examples of Israel refusing to extradite individuals accused of crimes, including sexual ofenses involving minors. Shielding wrongdoers is not a mark of friendship — for either nation.

Our fnancial relationship deserves similar scrutiny. In a single year, the U.S. sent roughly $17.9 billion in security aid to Israel — more than the entire annual federal transfers received by many individual states. For example, Montana received about $4.7 billion, West Virginia about $8.4 billion, and Washington, DC about $7.5 billion in FY 2022. Few voters in these places are aware that a foreign country receives more assistance than many of their own communities. This is not a call to side against anyone — it is a call to uphold universal standards. A nation that has launched strikes across multiple countries in the past year, killed numerous journalists — more than recorded in any confict in modern history — and is credibly accused by international human-rights organizations of obstructing cease-fre negotiations and targeting humanitarian personnel must be held to the same legal and moral standards we apply elsewhere. After the Holocaust and World War II, the international community established legal norms — including the Geneva Conventions and Nuremberg principles — specifcally to prevent atrocities, protect civilians, and reject the idea that certain governments are beyond accountability. To claim those standards apply only selectively dishonors the very history and sufering they were created to address.

America’s credibility depends on consistency. True allies do not grant blank checks or look away when laws and human rights are ignored. Real friendship means upholding shared values even when it is uncomfortable — especially when it is uncomfortable. We owe that standard to ourselves, to future generations, and to the world we helped shape after WWII. If we believe in justice, equality, and accountability, then our policies must refect those principles without exception. Timothy Adams Stevensville

Call for clear-sighted leadership

Congratulations to Tony Hudson, Joan Mell, and all those who worked tirelessly to earn the recent Montana Supreme Court decision on which “political entity” is the correct Ravalli County Republican Central committee to be recognized by Republicans throughout the state as well as by the state and national level GOP leadership!

Tony Hudson, in particular, deserves special recognition — he has become Ravalli County’s own version of Donald Trump: bold, determined, and unafraid to challenge the “business-as-usual” crowd that thought they could get away with corruption and cronyism.

Under his leadership, the NEWLY elected March 31, 2025 Ravalli County Republican Central Committee is doing exactly what true conservatives should do — restoring integrity, accountability, and vision to a party that had been hijacked by self-serving opportunists. Hudson and his team are laying the groundwork to carry that same energy into the 2026 and 2028 election cycles.

This victory parallels what President Trump is doing nationally: exposing the rot within the bureaucratic “Deep State,” confronting the arrogance of entrenched power, and reminding Americans that public ofce is about service — not self-preservation.

But as we celebrate this success, we must not let optimism cloud reality. There remains a faction within the Montana GOP - the Freedom Caucus/

JBS group — that behaves more like an ideological monarchy than a movement for liberty. They believe themselves smarter, holier, and more righteous than every other conservative. They dictate what everyone should believe, how everyone should vote, and who is “pure” enough to receive party support or even to call themselves Republicans.

They weaponize loyalty, punish dissent, and rewrite rules to suit their whims. Sound familiar? It should — these are the same tactics used by the radical Left and the bureaucratic elites they claim to oppose.

This faction isn’t promoting freedom — it’s promoting control. And until they can respect honest disagreement and ethical conduct, any talk of “unity” is wishful thinking.

Let’s move forward with our eyes wide open. The battle for constitutional conservatism isn’t just against Democrats — it’s against anyone who substitutes arrogance and tyranny for leadership and manipulation for morality.

Ravalli County has proven that principled Republicans can rebuild trust and momentum when they lead with conviction instead of ego. Let that example stand — for Montana, and for America.

Dr. M. L. Sabin, (Sc.D) Corvallis

My plan to save the Middle East

Here’s my simple plan to have peace in the Middle East: CREATE A NEW HOME FOR THE PALESTINIANS!

Modern Israel is 8,470 square miles (smaller than New Jersey). The Arab-occupied land we refer to as Palestine is 2,412 square miles. The Arab/Muslim countries that surround Israel, Red Sea and the Indian Ocean which we generally refer to as “The Gulf States” are 2,471,590 square miles (almost 300 times larger than Israel). If you want peace, the Arab/Muslim countries must agree that one of them give up an equal or greater piece of land (2,412 square miles) to create “New Palestine.”

Some background: Since 1948, the U.N. recognized re-afrmed date as Israel’s (the Jews) ancestral homeland, the surrounding Arab/Muslim countries simultaneously declared war with Israel threatening their complete annihilation, and have exiled Jews from their countries. For simple purposes the Jews were told to leave everything behind and go now, or be killed.

People of Christian/Judeo European and American backgrounds tend to lump all Arab/Muslim people into one homogeneous group. That’s like categorizing all American Indians as one people. Clearly they are not. The surrounding Arab/Muslim countries in the Middle East in reality don’t care about the Palestinians because we as people are still basically “tribal” in nature and they don’t want peace. Why? The answer is that THERE IS PROFIT IN CHAOS. You can control your country’s natural resources (like oil prices) and your population by managing a perceived national threat.

Getting back to my solution. It’s pretty clear that Arabs and Jews don’t play well together and shouldn’t be forced to occupy the same tiny piece of land. One of the Arab countries should give up some land to create a new home for the Palestinians and I’m sure that other countries around the world would pitch in resources to make that happen and then there would be peace in the Middle East.

Richard Marcus Stevensville

2025 Ravalli County 4-H & FFA Livestock Sale

Grand Champion Beef: Owned by Heath Ralston, Purchased by Valley Irrigation at $6.00/lb

Reserve Champion Beef: Owned by Payton Weigle, Purchased by Lone Pine | Riverside Conoco at $6.00/lb

Grand Champion Dairy: Owned by Lauren Campbell, Purchased by Lanser Family Ranch at $4,200

Grand Champion Market Goat: Owned by Alexandra Thorness, Purchased by Pigman Builders at $26.00/lb

Reserve Champion Market Goat: Owned by Ruby Walz, Purchased by UPI Custom Ag at $24.00/lb

Grand Champion Sheep: Owned by Kealie Hixson, Purchased by Alpine Oral & Facial Surgery at $15.00/lb

Reserve Champion Sheep: Owned by Lyla Cooper, Purchased by Mighty Dog Roofing at $32.00/lb

Grand Champion Swine: Owned by Elijah Hendrickson, Purchased by Donaldson Bros Ready Mix at $15.00/lb

Reserve Champion Swine: Owned by Elizabeth Thorness, Purchased by Harpers Les Schwab at $14.00/lb

Alberton Sandye Adams

Corvallis

Arron Care Home

Campbell Sheep Ranch

Connor Inman

Cowpoke Ranch Supply

Double D Red Angus

Matt Richards

Mos Eggsley Woodcraft

Ron DeFrate

Thorson Trust

Valley Irrigation

Willow Mountain

Veterinary Clinic

Darby

CB Ranch

Double K Ranch

Waddell Creek Ranch

Grand Champion Market Goat

Owner: Alexandra Thorness

Buyer: Pigman Builders

Grand Champion Beef

Owner: Heath Ralston

Buyer: Valley Irrigation

Auctioneers: Jamie Stanek

Grand Champion Swine

Elijah Hendrickson

Buyer: Donaldson Bros Ready Mix

Ringmen: Rocky Gilleard, Jimmy Lewis, Evan Melton, Donald Mininger

Clerks: Taylor Edmunds, Ashley Lee, Tara Petz, Jamie Pool, Kimberly Richardson, Paula Short, Jeanette Smith, Josiah Van Kirk, Tami Van Kirk

Buyers’ Registration Table: Katelyn Andersen, Ivy Semple, Jenelle Semple

Photographers: James Banister (all grand champions, sheep, goats), Dylan Edmunds (swine), Taylor Weigle (beef, dairy)

Sale Breakfast Coordinator: April (&Brian) Hawkes

Brand Inspection: Jody Hood

Checking of Beef & Dairy: Shawn Gleason, DVM

DONATIONS TO FOOD BANKS

Berkshire Hathaway Hamilton

Done Right Foundations

3 Swine to Meals on Wheels

Beef - Lucky U Cattle

Market Goat - Double K Ranch

Sheep - Grayhorse Creek Ranch

Swine - Community Member Support

And all the behind-the-scenes

people who make all of this happen. We apologize if we have missed anyone.

Massa Home Center

Grand Champion Sheep Owner: Kealie Hixson Buyer: Alpine Oral

Facial Surgery

Sports

Like butter and jam on Thanksgiving dinner, the Florence football team is on a roll. Florence hosted Conrad in the frst round of the Class B State Football Playofs on Friday, October 31, and won 49-0, earning their sixth straight victory.

Florence electrifed the home crowd on Friday with a number of big plays. In the frst quarter, Florence’s elusive and speedy wideout Levi Winters took a Brody Duchien screen pass 67 yards for a touchdown. Then in the second quarter, Duchien hit Chase Wagner for a 31-yard touchdown. Next, Florence running back Mattix Chase scampered 94 yards for a touchdown run. Then, Duchien connected with Tash Murray for a 44-yard touchdown, and fnally, still in the second quarter, Duchien rushed for a 6-yard touchdown.

When the dust settled, Florence led 35-0 at halftime.

“We have some great athletes on the team,” said Florence’s second year head coach Adam Goodnight. “We have done a great job getting those athletes the ball, and they have done a tremendous job this year.”

After the half, Florence’s defense shined. Levi Winters intercepted a pass and took it 84 yards for a touchdown, and then Luca Calderone intercepted a pass and ran back 42 yards for a touchdown.

Florence’s defense continues to dominate, and for the third time this season, they didn’t allow their opponent to score.

“Coach Keenan Hendricksen has the kids playing with great intensity,” said Goodnight. “He’s a very intense and intelligent coach, and he has done a great job getting the kids to buy into his philosophy.”

Three Forks rematch

The win was Florence’s sixth straight after losing their opening three games to Three Forks (the #2 seed from the South), Manhattan (the #1 seed from the South), and Class A Frenchtown (a #1 seed in the Class A playofs). During this six-game winning streak, the Florence ofense has scored 277 points, while their defense has only allowed 18 points.

As fate would have it, Florence now has a chance to avenge one of those early season losses next week as they host Three Forks in their second round playof game on Saturday, November 8 at 1 p.m.

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Florence lost to Three Forks 13-25 in their opening game of the season on August 29. In that game, Florence’s starting quarterback Jake Schneiter left the game after breaking his fbula.

Florence starting receiver and backup quarterback Brody Duchien took over quarterback duties for the rest of that game, and for the rest of the season. Since Duchien didn’t have the practice and reps at quarterback, the move took some adjustment. But now Duchien has grown into the position, and he’s thriving, and, in turn, the Florence ofense is thriving.

“I think being a quarterback is the toughest position in sports,” said Goodnight. “It takes time to feel comfortable running the ofense, so we’ve tried to ease him into the position. Brody is a bright kid and has been getting better every week.”

For those who remember the frst matchup,

Three Forks’s ofense revolves around quarterback Kanon Reichman, who is one of the top all-around football players in Montana. Last week in Three Fork’s 60-22 victory over Baker, Reichman rushed 7 times for 274 yards and three touchdowns; he also threw for 126 yards and a touchdown. In their frst matchup, Riechman scored all four of Three Fork’s touchdowns.

“In my opinion, Reichman is the best player in Class B this year,” said Goodnight, “and Three Forks is one of the best, if not the best, ofense in Class B. So we have our work cut out for us. Both teams have evolved since the beginning of the season, so we’ll both look a lot diferent than we did in the frst game.”

The winner of the Florence/Three Forks game will face the winner of the Glasgow/Columbus game in the State Semifnals on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Florence corals Cowboys Broncs vanquish Vikings

The Hamilton football team hosted Bigfork in the frst round of the Class A State Playofs on Friday, October 31, and defeated the visiting Vikings 46-20. The Broncs thrived in all three fac-

ets of the game. Hamilton showcased a balanced ofensive attack, Hamilton’s opportunistic defense created four turnovers, and Hamilton scored an exciting special teams touchdown. Add it all together and Hamilton is

of to the second round of the Class A State Playofs. The frst quarter had plenty of freworks. Hamilton defense scored frst with a safety. Then Hamilton had two scoring drives ending in a Brandon Saltzman 11-yard touchdown run, and a Jude Widmer 43-yard touchdown run. Bigfork scored near the end of the quarter. Then at the end of the frst quarter on the ensuing kickof, Hamilton’s shifty speedster Jackson Lubke thrilled the home crowd by returning a kickof 92 yards for a touchdown, giving Hamilton a 20-6 lead at the end of the frst quarter.

In the second quarter, Hamilton quarterback Cooper Weston hit Kaeden Gum for a 32-yard touchdown that gave the Broncs a 26-6 halftime lead. Hamilton kept the pressure on in the second half as Weston had two rushing touchdowns and Widmer added another as Hamilton rolled to the 46-20 victory.

Bigfork had a steady ofense and was able to move the ball against Hamilton’s solid defense and the Vikings gained 346 yards of total ofense. But Hamil-

ton’s defense didn’t break, and forced four crucial turnovers (two fumbles and two interceptions), and also got a safety.

Hamilton’s ofense gained 412 yards of total ofense, 179 rushing and 233 passing, and they didn’t have any turnovers.

Individually for Hamilton, Kaeden Gum had a big game receiving, with fve catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Running back Jude Widmer ran free all night and had 14 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Cooper Weston completed 17 of 25 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 39 yards and two touchdowns.

Billings Central up next

Hamilton advances to the second round of the Class A playofs where they face the #1 seed for the East, Billings Central. The Rams are 9-0 on the season and have been ranked #1 in Class A all season long.

The Rams have scored at least 35 points in all of their games and have won all their games by at least 27 points. Frenchtown won the Southwest A Conference title and was defeated by Billings Central 35-7 in September. Hamilton plays Billings Central on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Rocky Mountain College football stadium in Billings.

Darby defeated by Ennis

The Darby football team traveled to Ennis on Saturday, November 1, for the frst round of the 8-Player State Playofs. Darby played tough all day, but fell short and lost to the Mustangs 38-52. The game had plenty of action. Darby trailed 8-14 after the frst quarter, as Darby’s speedy quarterback McCoy Townsend ran for a 15-yard frst quarter touchdown. In the second quarter, Ennis extended their lead, scoring three touchdowns. Townsend

scored on an 8-yard touchdown run, but Darby trailed 16-34 at halftime. Ennis scored early in the second half and Darby trailed 16-40 with over fve minutes to play in the third quarter. But the Tigers kept fghting, and Townsend scored on a 49-yard touchdown run to trim the defcit to 24-40. Then after a great defensive stop by Darby, Townsend hit Jordan Browning for a 13-yard touchdown pass and catch and Darby only trailed by 8 points, 32-40. Ennis came right

back and scored just before the end of the third quarter and Darby trailed 32-46 heading into the 4th. Townsend scored again on a 1-yard run in the fourth to bring the score to 38-46, but Ennis once again answered with a touchdown to extend their lead. Darby couldn’t put together another scoring drive and lost 38-52. The hard working Tigers deserve tremendous credit for not giving up and coming back from a 24-point defcit to get within a touchdown, but

the Montana 8-Player playofs, every team is exceptional and there is little room for error, and the Tigers couldn’t fnish the comeback. Darby quarterback McCoy Townsend ended the game with three rushing touchdown runs and a touchdown pass, as well as four 2-point conversion runs. The loss ends a successful season for Darby football. The Tigers fnished with a 6-3 record and

for

in

made the playofs

the frst time in over 20 years.

Florence’s Chase Wagner (#6) catches a pass and takes it 31 yards for a touchdown in Florence’s 49-0 victory over Conrad on Friday, Oct. 31 in the frst round of the Class B State Playoffs. Photo by Stephanie K Geiser Photography.

Hamilton’s Easton Rominger (#72) and Kaeden Gum (#15) looking to make a block. Gum had a big game receiving with fve catches for 101 yards and a 32-yard touchdown reception in Hamilton’s 46-20 victory over Bigfork in the frst round of the Class A State Playoffs on Friday, Oct. 31. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Sports

by Scott Sacry Sports Editor

Florence volleyball 6B champs

The Florence volleyball team won the 6B Conference tournament on Saturday, November 1 in Missoula. The top four teams in the 6B Conference (Florence, Missoula Loyola, Anaconda, and Deer Lodge) played the semifnal, consolation and championship games on Saturday.

Florence cruised to the title by defeating Deer Lodge 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-18) in their opening game, then they defeated Missoula Loyola 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 2516) in the championship game.

With the win, Florence earned the #1 seed from the 6B in the Western B Divisional Tournament, which takes place in St. Ignatius on November 7th & 8th. Florence will play Plains, the #4 seed from the 7B, in their opening round game on Friday, Nov. 7 at 12 noon.

Florence is the defending Western B Divisional Champion, and the 2024 Class B State Runner-up.

For Florence in the Loyola game, Maggie Schneiter had 2 aces and 22 assists, Emory Ralston had 2 aces and 17 kills, Jaden Fisher had a block, and Taylor Pyette had 16 digs.

For Florence in the Deer Lodge game, Dia Jenkins had 4 aces, Emory Ralston had 13 kills and 2 blocks, Maggie Schneiter had 24 assists, and Taylor Pyette had 20 digs.

Darby volleyball season ends

The Darby volleyball team went to Deer Lodge on Tuesday, October 28 for a play-in game with a chance to advance to the four-team 6B District Tournament. Darby gave it their all, but lost 0-3 (1025, 8-25, 9-25). This ended the season for the Darby volleyball team.

Victor volleyball season ends

The Victor volleyball team played in the 13C Conference volleyball tournament in Missoula on October 29-31. Victor played Seeley-Swan in their opening game on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and lost 0-3, then on Thursday, Oct. 30 they lost to Lincoln 0-3. This ended the season for the Victor volleyball team.

Western A volleyball

The Corvallis, Hamilton, and Stevensville volleyball teams are all in the Southwest A Conference. The top three teams in the 2025 conference season standings (Frenchtown, Hamilton, and Dillon) got byes into the Western A Divisionals.

The bottom three teams played play-in games last week to determine

the final and #4 seed for divisionals. In the final conference standings, Butte Central was 6th, Corvallis was 5th, and Stevensville was 4th.

Play-in games

I n the first play-in game on Thursday, October 30, #5

Corvallis hosted #6 Butte Central.

After an epic first set, which Corvallis lost 26-28, Corvallis rallied to win the next three sets, 25-14, 25-22, and 25-23, to get the 3-1 hard-fought victory.

This sent #5 Corvallis to #4 Stevensville to play the second divisional play-in game in Stevensville on Saturday, November 1 with a trip to divisionals on the line. Stevensville won a close first set 25-23, and dominated the second set 25-11. Then in the final set, Stevensville was down 20-23, until Stevensville senior Kyndahl Plantz scored five straight service points to give the ‘Jackets a 25-23 victory to defeat Corvallis 3-0.

Western A D ivisionals

T he Western A Divisionals are in Libby from Thursday, Nov. 6 to Saturday, Nov. 8. Hamilton is the #2 seed from the Southwest and plays the #3 seed from the Northwest, Columbia Falls, on

Thursday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m.

Stevensville is the #4 seed from the Southwest and plays the #1 seed from the Northwest, Bigfork, on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.

Final regular

s eason games

Hamilton hosted Corvallis earlier in the week, on Tuesday, October 28, and Hamilton won 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-9). For Hamilton, Ciara Hanley had 12 kills and 8 aces, Lundyn Murray had 12 digs, and Aurie Duncan had 23 assists. Stevensville hosted Frenchtown earlier in the week, on Tuesday, October 28, and lost 0-3 (19-25, 13-25, 8-25).

The Florence volleyball team won the 6B Conference Tournament on Saturday, November 1 in Missoula. Florence is the #1 seed in the Western B Divisional Tournament in St. Ignatius on November 7th & 8th. Photo by Florence School Activities.

Corvallis’s Nahiya Jennings (#9) and Olivia Potter (#2) prepare to receive a serve in Corvallis’s divisional play-in game against Stevensville on Saturday, Nov. 1. Corvallis lost 0-3.

Photo by Scott Sacry.

Stevensville’s Kyndahl Plantz makes a block in Stevensville’s 3-0 victory over Corvallis in a divisional play-in game in Stevi on Saturday, Nov. 1. The Hamilton and Stevi volleyball teams will compete at the Western A Divisionals in Libby on Nov. 6-8. Photo by Scott Sacry.

Richard ‘Papa’ Burnett

Richard Allen “Papa” Burnett passed away on October 23, 2025, in the Stevensville Living Centre at the age of 75. He was born to Marjorie Kester on June 29, 1950 in Yakima, WA. He is survived by Sue Burnett, four daughters, seven granddaughters, five grandsons, one great grandson, three nephews,

three nieces, and sister Dorothy (Lee) Taylor.

He went into the arms of his mother, two brothers and one sister.

His grandson Quincy took care of his ‘Papa” right to the end.

He didn’t want a service.

Rest in peace, Papa. We will miss you and love you always.

Kim Michael Salian

Kim Michael Salian was born on October 5, 1951 in Burbank, California to Polly and Jack Salian. He passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at home on hospice after suffering a stroke.

Kim enjoyed a 50’s childhood, especially roaming hills of the San Fernando Valley with his buddies as part of the Saddleback Rangers. He loved the surf of Zuma Beach.

After getting out of the Air Force he headed to Mammoth and lived a joy filled life learning the electrical trade and becoming an electrician. He LOVED being an electrician. He LOVED troubleshooting problems. He worked at the ski resort in Mammoth and enjoyed telling work stories about working on the mountain. When he wasn’t working, he was skiing. He was an excellent skier.

Kim could fix just about anything around the house, dryers, vacuums, etc. He’d always ask, “What were you doing just before it stopped working.” That was his analytical mind at work. My response, “I don’t know, vacuuming?” (up a sock).

While working at California State University, Northridge he met his future wife, Kimberly. Our love grew quickly and lasted 32 years until his death at 74 years young. In his dash of life Kim was blessed with 3 daughters: Taylor Lett (Danny) from Sandpoint, ID, Hanna Salian from Stevensville, MT, and Kaeleigh Salian from Stevensville, MT (when not traveling the world) and grandsons Liam and Eli Lett. Additionally, Kim is survived by his stepmother, Carol Salian, stepfather, Eddie Mares, brother Brian Mares (Julie) and sister Tamme Jacobson (Jim), and a niece and nephews. He is preceded in death by his mom, Polly Mares and dad, Jack Salian.

Kim was an outdoorsman and always encouraged the kids to hike and explore nature from an early age. He hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion with 11 month old Hanna on his back and 3 year old Taylor following him. I take it back, she may have been leading the charge.

After leaving California we landed in Cedar City, Utah. There Kaeleigh was born. When the midwife asked Kim to measure his youngest daughter, his response was, “23 and 3/8ths inches.” Precision was his bestie.

Kim built our hobby farm on 20 acres in Cedar. We heard raccoons liked chickens so he built a chicken coop that was fortified with 18” of wire underground and 10’ above

ground. Didn’t loose a chicken to any raccoons but we did have a peacock fly that coop.

He built a pony shed in anticipation of getting Taylor a pony for her 9th birthday. That pony, Bunny, spent almost NO time in the shed despite the cold Cedar winters.

The day before Kaeleigh was born Kim finished the “fort”/ playground. He fenced in an acre of backyard. In the winters the girls would make chocolate chip snowmen. Flavoring donated by the gazillion of wild jack rabbits that loved to nibble the green grass. Guess it was a step up from their sage brush palate.

From Cedar he moved his family to Winchester Hills in St. George, Utah. He accepted a job for the City of Los Angeles and commuted home over his long weekends. Eventually, the family moved up to Sandpoint, Idaho. The move north was an epi sode straight out of the Beverly Hill billies; dogs, cats and milking goats all in tow. On one of his trips home he picked up his beloved 8 week old pug, Jada in San Francisco. Hanna organized the whole shebang.

After retiring from the City of LA, life would take us down to the Boise, ID area for a short period before we picked up our bags again and settled in Stevensville, MT.

Thank you Kim for being my hus band and father to our children. You worked hard to provide for us and provide you did. We love you.

Oh, my love, I thought we’d have more time here together. Your passing is my profound loss. See you later, my love.

T he Ravalli County Sherif f ’ s Of fice would like to extend our hear tfelt thanks to all of the businesses, private citizens, barbeque competitors and the wonderful people of the Bitter root Valley for showing such g reat suppor t for our Shop with a Cop fundraiser on October 18th We are passionate about this prog ram, and could not make it happen without each and ever y one of you. A ver y special thank you to our sponsors this s year, A2Z Personnel, Jef f ’ s Towing and Newsom Tire You made this possible through your generous donations and par ticipation, and desire to ser ve the kids in your community It tr uly takes a village!

I would like to thank the Hamilton Hospital doctors and nurses who provided care for Kim. Special shout out to Dr. Gerstle.

Thanks also to the excellent care Kim received from the compassionate, caring and knowledgeable souls of Bitterroot Health Hospice. You made Kim’s transition comfortable and were a comforting support for his family.

I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to our daughter, Hanna for her loving and compassionate daily care of Kim and me.

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

“Scatter kindness like confetti.” (Unknown)

Brothers Mortuary & Crematory is honored to care for Mr. Salian. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www. brothersmortuary.com

 Carl Nash

 WBC Stevensville

 Lost Horse Lodge

 T he Nafziger Family

 Bitter root Credit Union

 Lockhar t ’ s Custom Wood and Metal Works

 People’s Market

 Ker r y Hanson Bitter root Fly Company

 Eicker t Realty

 Double H Custom Hats

 Hamilton Wine and Liquor

 Victor y Lane Trailers

 T he Edge 406 Saloon  Valhalla Ger man She pherds  Hopes Cuttinng Cor ral  Bitter root Retreats and Adventures

 Kelly W hitmoyer Real Estate

 Ver n ’ s Nurser y  Sovereign War rior

 Kerslake Ranch

 Darby Wine and Spiritts

 Kevin Hill

 Trapper Peak Trading Post

 Mikesell’s Fine Jewelr y  Darby Napa Auto Par ts Hamilton Ace Hardware

 Les Schwab Stevensville

 Lag reeMT

 Brassbound Barber

 Ellen Holton

 Gigi’s Floral

 Stevensville Civic Club Bitter root Brass

 Lavana Connection

 Mar y Lemons CPS

 Active Care Wellness

 Montana Flavor

 Hamilton Super 1

 Lutzenhiser Jewelr y Clearwater Systems

We the People Tattoo  Jeanne Marie LLC

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FRESH EGGS from Howell’s Happy Hens are back! $5.00/doz. Pick up at Bitterroot Star ofce, 115 W. 3rd, Suite 108, Stevensville.

RARE 1964 CHEVY PICKUP CAMPER, runs,

no leaks, original. Needs TLC. To see: (951) 6403940, Hamilton, $9K OBO.

UPRIGHT FREEZER, nice shape, $200. Assorted plastic totes, used only once, $10 each. King mattress set w/mattress protector, clean, includes rails, $150. Serious inquiries, call 406-361-8148.

FALL FLEA MARKET - Saturday, Nov. 8, 8 AM-2:30 PM. Hamilton Senior Center, corner of 4th & Adirondac, Hamilton, MT. Margaret’s tortillas, tin soldier collection, Legos, train collection, silver jewelry, vintage/holiday collectibles, hunting gear, tie-dyed, Montana/children’s books, adult bibs, and much, much more!

MONTH TO MONTH RENTAL, furnished apartment on 10 acres with private small yard, gorgeous views in the Stevensville area, $1450/month includes utilities, call for details, available mid August, (818) 921-5275.

HOUSE FOR RENT

Two Bedroom log house for rent, fully furnished, located 3.5 miles west of Hamilton, quiet and peaceful surroundings, $2850 per month, including utilities. Also includes Washer/Dryer, Dishwasher, and Direct TV with HBO. Call or text (406) 360-6453 for more information. If there is no answer, call or text (406) 360-2644.

Employment: Fulltime newsroom position with the Choteau Acantha weekly newspaper. Duties: writing/reporting, editing, page layout/design, photography, video production, social media/website management. Must be familiar with Microsoft Word, Photoshop, InDesign. Preferred bachelor’s degree in journalism or experience as reporter/ photographer or copy editor. Wages DOE, starting at $18/hour. Two weeks paid time of. Position available Jan. 1, 2026. Send cover letter, resume, writing/ photography portfolio, with three references to: Choteau Acantha Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 320, Choteau, MT 59422, or email to: acantha@3rivers. net. Call Choteau Acantha Editor Melody Martinsen at 406-466-2403. Position open until flled.

BATTERY FOR INOGEN OXYGEN SYSTEM, Model BA-300, recharge with Inogen-303, or 10300. Call (406) 777-3062 for more information.

Legal Notices

John D. Greef attorney at law

P.O. Box 1926 Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 360-8117

Attorney for Personal Representative

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI

COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: William L. Clarno, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-41-20250000115-IT

Department No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Tracy Clarno 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 Tracy Clarno, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, in c/o John D. Greef, P.O. Box 1926, Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 14th day of October, 2025.

/s/John D. Greef

Attorney for Personal Representative BS 10-22, 10-29, 115-25. MNAXLP

Megan S. Winderl

CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C. 99 Marcus Street, 3rd Floor Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 218-4888 meganw@cwlawmt.com pleadings@cwlawmt. com

Attorney for Petitioner/ Creditor MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of BRIAN LEE COCHRANE, Deceased.

Probate No.: DP-412025-000111 Dept. 2

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that the undersigned have 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 Mary Lou Cochrane, the Personal Representative, in care of CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C., 99 Marcus St. 3rd Floor, 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.

Dated this 10th day of October, 2025.

/s/ Mary Lou Cochrane Personal Representative CHOUINARD & WINDERL, P.C.

Attorney for Personal Representative

By: Megan S. Winderl

BS 10-22, 10-29, 115-25.

MNAXLP

Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Alexander Efren Rangel, Alexander Efren Rangel, Petitioner. Cause No.: DV-41-20250000372-NC Dept. 1

NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Alexander Efren Rangel to Alexander Caspian Frost.

The hearing will be on December 3, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 21st day of October, 2025.

/s/ Paige Trautwein

Clerk of District Court

By: Catherine di Gleria Deputy Clerk of Court BS 10-29, 11-5, 11-12, 11-19-25.

MNAXLP

Public Hearing-Ravalli County

FEE INCREASE FOR: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM in the Ravalli County Administrative Center at 215 S.4th Street, Third Floor Commissioners Conference Room, Hamilton, MT. The purpose for this public hearing is to take public comment and make a decision by Resolution to amend the Ravalli County Sherif’s Ofce Jail Diversion Fees.

If you would like more information contact the Commissioner’s Ofce at 375-6500. If you are unable to attend and would like to make comment you can do so by contacting the Commissioners at the above phone number or by email at commissioners@ rc.mt.gov

Chris Taggart Commissioners’ Administrative Assistant BS 10-29, 11-5-25.

MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PETITION TO ABANDON A PORTION OF NORTH BLAKE STREET IN VICTOR TOWNSITE

The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday, November 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM in the Commissioners Conference room (3rd Floor) at the Ravalli County Administrative Center located at 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton, Montana. The purpose of this Public Hearing is to take public comment on the Petition submitted by Kara L Andrews, (application No. 227) requesting to abandon a portion of North Blake Street in Victor Townsite; and to take action by Resolution.

If you have any questions, or would like to make a public comment due to your inability to attend this meeting, please contact the Commissioners through either of the following: 215 S. 4th Street, Suite A, Hamilton, Montana 59840 or by phone (406) 375-6500 or by email commissioners@ rc.mt.gov. Chris Taggart Commissioners Administrative Assistant

BS 10-29, 11-5, 11-1225. MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE CITY OF HAMILTON ZONING COMMISSION, PLANNING BOARD, AND CITY COUNCIL

The City of Hamilton is proposing to update the following regulations and plans:

• Title 17 (Zoning) and Chapter 2.44 (Planning Board) of the Hamilton Municipal Code • City of Hamilton Zoning Map; and • Land Use Framework section of the City of Hamilton Comprehensive Plan (Growth Policy).

More information, including complete drafts of the proposed updates, is available at www.HamiltonZoningUpdate.com or by contacting the Hamilton Planning Department at (406) 363-2101, mrohrbach@cityofhamilton.net, or 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT.

Public Hearings

The City of Hamilton Zoning Commission and Planning Board will hold a joint public hearing to review, take public comment, and consider a recommendation to City Council on the proposed updates on December 1, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.

The Hamilton City Council will hold two public hearings to review, take public comment, and make a decision on the proposed updates on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., during its regular meetings.

Open Houses There will also be four public open houses for the public to learn more about, ask questions, and comment on the proposed updates. Open houses will take place on:

• Thursday, November 13th from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. AND 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

• Wednesday, November 19th from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. AND 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

All public hearings and open houses will be on the 2nd foor of Hamilton City Hall, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT.

At the public hearings any member of the public may attend and make comment in person or remotely. Instructions for remote participation are available on the City of Hamilton website www.cityofhamilton.net, or by contacting mrohrbach@ cityofhamilton.net or cityclerk@cityofhamilton.net.

Comments prior to the Zoning Commission-Planning Board hearing may be submitted to the Planning Department at mrohrbach@ cityofhamilton.net. Comments after the Zoning Commission-Planning Board hearing may be submitted to the City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofhamilton. net. Comments may also be mailed or delivered in person to 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. The City will accept written protests from property owners against the proposals to update the City of Hamilton Zoning Map and/or Title 17 (Zoning) of the Hamilton Municipal Code until Friday, January 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Pursuant to Montana Code Annotated 76-2-305 a protest may only be submitted by the owner(s) of real

property within the City of Hamilton or by owner(s) of real property that lie within 150 feet of Hamilton city limits. The protest must be in writing and must be signed by all owners of the real property. In addition, a sufcient protest must contain 1. a description of the action protested sufcient to identify the action against which the protest is lodged and 2. a list of all owners of the property with the physical address. Signers are encouraged to print their names after their signatures. Proposed zoning amendments may not become efective except upon a favorable vote of two-thirds of the present and voting members of the Hamilton City Council if a protest against a change is signed by the owners of 25% or more of 1.) the area of the lots included in any proposed change or 2.) the lots or units 150 feet from a lot included in a proposed change. A person may in writing withdraw a previously fled protest at any time prior to fnal action by the City Council. Protests must be delivered to the Hamilton City Clerk, 223 South 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.

BS 10-29, 11-5-25.

MNAXLP

Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Jordan King, Jordan King, Petitioner.

Cause No.: DV-41-20250000371-NC

Dept. 1 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Jordan Briann King to Jordan Briann Hastings. The hearing will be on December 3, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 21st day of October, 2025.

/s/ Paige Trautwein Clerk of District Court By: Michelle Goldman Deputy Clerk of Court BS 10-29, 11-5, 11-12, 11-19-25.

MNAXLP

Daniel Browder, Esq. Browder Law, PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840 Telephone: (406) 3613677 Facsimile: (406) 3612999

Email: browderlawmont@gmail. com

Attorney for Lile Gideon MONTANA TWENTY FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PATSY JENE LONGTINE, Deceased.

Cause No. DP-2025-125

Dept. No. 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Lile Gideon 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, Lile Gideon, return receipt requested, c/o: Browder Law, PLLC, 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.

DATED this 28th day of October, 2025. BROWDER LAW, PLLC /s/ Daniel Browder

Attorney for Personal Representative BS 11-5, 11-12, 11-1925. MNAXLP

William J. Nelson, Esq. Nelson Law Ofce PLLC 217 North 3rd Street, Suite J Hamilton, MT 59840 Telephone: (406) 3633181 Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTYFIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT RAVALLI COUNTY IN RE THE ESTATE OF: FRED H. SPRINGER, Deceased. Cause No. DP-41-2025128 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the frst publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to the Personal Representative, Kimberly Rockwell, return receipt requested, c/o Nelson Law Ofce PLLC, 217 North Third Street, Suite J, Hamilton, MT 59840, or fled with the Clerk of the above Court.

DATED 31st day of October 2025. /s/ William J Nelson, Attorney for Personal Representative /s/ Kimberly Rockwell, Personal Representative BS 11-5, 11-12, 11-1925. MNAXLP

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840 Phone: (406) 363-9060 Attorney for Co-Personal Representatives MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CHARLES R. PETTY, SR., Deceased. Case No.: DP-41-2025129 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned have been appointed Co-Personal Representatives 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 Kirk A. Petty and Charles R. Petty, Jr., the Co-Personal Representatives, 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 29th day of October 2025. /s/ Kirk A. Petty, Co-Personal Representative /s/ Charles R. Petty, Jr., Co-Personal Representative BS 11-5, 11-12, 11-1925.

MNAXLP

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF HOWARD WILLIAM EIMER, Deceased.

Probate No.: DP-2025122

Dept. No.: 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that H. Steve Eimer 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 H. Steve Eimer, 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 11-5, 11-12, 11-1925.

MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Notice is hereby given to the persons hereinafter named and to whom it may concern. For enforcement of liens in the amount of $601 to Advanced Storage Solutions, located at 108 Westside Road, Hamilton MT 59840, will sell the contents of storage units #23, occupied by Lincoln Erickson, at auction to the highest bidder. Auction will be held at Advanced Storage Solutions, Unit #23 on Saturday, November 15th at 1 pm. BS 11-5, 11-12-25. MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Notice is hereby given to the persons hereinafter named and to whom it may concern. For enforcement of liens in the amount of $988 to Advanced Storage Solutions, located at 108 Westside Road, Hamilton MT 59840, will sell the contents of storage units #58, occupied by Kiana Carter, at auction to the highest bidder. Auction will be held at Advanced Storage Solutions, Unit #58 on Saturday, November 15th at 1 pm. BS 11-5, 11-12-25. MNAXLP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

Obituaries

Mel Walters

Stevensville - Mel Walters, Captain, USN Retired, died on Halloween Day after living with Myasthenia Gravis for many years, eventually becoming disabled. He bore the many disabilities with grace and determination, always asking if he could help.

Following graduation from Highland High School in Albuquerque, Mel attended the University of New Mexico for one year and then received an appointment to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. Upon graduation and commissioning as an Ensign in June, 1968, he entered the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. After qualifying he was assigned to Submarines and later served as Supply Ofcer on subs and a tender. He loved going to sea and treasured his thirty-four years in the Navy.

Following retirement in 1994, Mel and his wife, Marty, spent a year in a small village in Spain assisting in the restoration of a 14th Century Spanish farmhouse. Upon return to the States, they resided in Flagstaf, Arizona where Mel worked in the Ofce of Undergraduate Admissions at Northern Arizona University for fve years. A family illness resulted in a move to Vancouver, Washington, to

assist their daughter’s family for a period of two years. This move was followed by a move to Stevensville, Montana, where they currently reside. Mel worked in the Ofce of the Provost at the University of Montana for one year before retiring and taking up volunteer work. He came out of retirement and for the next eighteen months served in the Montana Department of Commerce as the Coordinator for the Montana Main Street Program, a program to assist cities and towns in the economic revitalization and historic preservation of their downtown business districts. A medical condition forced retirement from this position. For ten years he has served as the Naval Academy Admissions Area Coordinator for Montana.

Mel married the former Martha (Marty) Hawkins in June, 1968. Mel is survived by his wife Marty, three children, Jennifer, MJ and Jason, three grandchildren Jacy, Khyla and Jade, and fve great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all. His love and generosity bound his far-fung family together through thick and thin. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.

Gerald ‘Gerry’ Rotering

Hamilton - Gerald Albert “Gerry” Rotering reunited with the love of his life, Astrid Lynn (Harper) Rotering, on Thursday, October 23, 2025.

After a twenty-year career in the United States Navy, Gerry returned home to his Montana roots settling in Hamilton, where he and Astrid found a peaceful home surrounded by mountains and breathtaking views.

During his time in the Navy, Gerry brought steady focus, problem-solving mind, and quiet pride, rising to the rank of Petty Ofcer First Class as an Information Systems Administrator. His career refected both technical skill and a steady commitment to service. He began with Assault Craft Unit 5, working on hovercraft operations, and later served aboard the USS Milius and the USS Peleliu, where he worked as a Gas Turbine Electrical Maintenance Technician. In the later years of his Navy service, Gerry brought his expertise to the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, advancing the Navy’s evolving information systems before retiring honorably.

He found joy in movies, music, skateboarding, riding his Harley, cross-coun-

try skiing, and taking Astrid on adventures. Gerry had a quick wit and a mischievous streak, always ready with a bad or corny joke, a funny story, or a quiet act of lighthearted mischief. He was known for his open heart, quiet generosity, and unwavering kindness.

Gerry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Astrid Lynn; his mother, Rudiana Marie Rotering; his father-in-law, Ron Harper and step-mother Virgina Lee Rotering. He is survived by his father, Dennis Rotering; his sisters, Marie Lester (Mike) and Theresa Ragsdale (Adam); nieces Victoria and Katherine Schackart and Arya Kaf; and nephew Bran Kaf; as well as his motherin-law, Ingrid Harper (JP); and sisters-in-law, Skye Kaf (Bryce) and Casey Harper.

A celebration of Gerry’s life and service will be held at a later date. He will be laid to rest with Astrid, his beloved wife and partner in all things, at a place of honor, either the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery or a National Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.

In honor of Gerry’s generous spirit and his lifelong connections, memorial donations may be made to The Skatepark Project, skatepark.org, founded by his acquaintance Tony Hawk, whose mission Gerry respected and supported. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.