Bitterroot Star - October 19, 2022

LOCAL BOUNTI: growing company hiring locally

ees get 10 paid holidays per year and the company has an active employee assistance program, helping people with their physical and mental health and well-being.

Hess said that the staff celebrates each oth er’s birth days with a meal together each Fri day. “We cook the birthday celebra tors what they want, or we have it catered. We enjoy being to gether and sharing a meal.”

Acknowledging that affordable housing can be an issue for potential new employees, Kara Bailey, Human Resource Director, said, “We usually can help people try to find a place to

live that’s in their price range. We re ally want to take care of our employees and our people.”

Molamphy says that contrary to what most people think, although a love of gardening is helpful it is defi

flow” technology. Lettuce, about 30 different kinds, is grown at the loca tion. The water can be recycled, allow ing the company to use about 90% less water than conventional agriculture. Local Bounti does not treat the greens

sion as well,” said Molamphy. “Good hardworking people that want to make a difference.”

“We want to make our organization a company that can help the whole world grow and be healthier,” added Bailey.

“I sleep well at night knowing that this team has my back and I have theirs,” said Hess.

nitely not required. Most of these jobs involve computer-aided technology and training is available for anyone interested in working at Local Bounti.

A tour of the facility showed off the company’s proprietary “stack and

with any substances after harvest ing, which is contrary to some other companies that use a chemical solu tion to wash the lettuce. Hess says the way they avoid that step is by making sure that sanitation meets the highest possible standards.

“Our sanitation crew is so important here,” says Hess. “It can’t be overstated. And we need more of those people. They are the people who make the product what it is.”

Hess has high praise for the final product and also for his bosses.

“It’s been really rewarding to have managers interested in seeing me grow with the company,” said Hess. “Where I am now sits precisely at the intersec tion of my passions and interests – I wouldn’t be where I am without their mentoring and leadership.”

Both Bailey and Molamphy come from farming backgrounds and they feel strongly that what they are in volved in is a better way to feed people.

“We’re trying to find people with that pas

“Local Bounti invested heavily in this communi ty and its workers. It’s been an honor to do work that is interesting, important, chal lenging, and most of all, satisfying. I’ve worked at a lot of places. I love coming to work here every day.”

Local Bounti greenhouses on Foley Lane southeast of Hamilton. Photo by Victoria Howell.

William Hess is in charge of food safety and sanitation at Local Bounti’s Hamilton facility. Photo by V. Howell.

CANCER: everyone is affected in some way

of his life. I have been person ally touched by cancer twice but due to my insistence with my doctor, they caught it early and were able to treat it with out chemo and radiation. I had to insist that my doctor do a core biopsy. They wanted me to wait. That’s why I feel it’s im portant for everybody to trust their bodies and be insistent.”

She said her mother is still receiving treatment and her daughter just got back from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester where she participated in a trial can cer treatment program. “She’s doing very well,” said Zier. “She researches everything and is pretty knowledgeable about what needs to happen to pro tect herself.”

Zier’s mother is 82 and was first diagnosed with cancer at 32. Zier is 60 and was first diagnosed at 29. Her daughter is 39.

Zier said her mother had breast and uterine cancer, and so did she. She said her oldest

DEMOCRAT for Senate District 43

So you know what you are voting for:

What I believe as a modern liberal (not a libertarian, neo liberal or

Freedom of the individual is the basis of liberalism. But one person ’s freedom shouldn’t severely limit the freedom of others.

Freedoms are guaranteed by rights. Montana examples:

The right to own military carbines with high capacity magazines shouldn t dimmish the right of Montanans to be safe in public places

The right to build a house right next to a stream shouldn’t diminish a Montanan’s constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment

The right to buy large tracts of property next to public lands shouldn’t dimmish the right of Montanan s to access public lands

The right to believe that a human being is created at conception shouldn t negate the right of a Montana woman to determine whether to have a child.

The freedom for you to swing your arm ends at another person ’s nose.

Paid for by John Schneeberger for SD 43, PO Box 2213, Hamilton, MT 59840, Dan Brandborg Treasurer

daughter as well as her mother have been tested for the cancer gene and they both have it. She said that she hasn’t been tested because the test is very expensive and she doesn’t have health insurance. “But I’m pretty sure I have the gene,” said Zier.

She said she was very grateful for the cancer programs that are avail able, like through the Montana Can cer Center and the American Cancer Society. She said you can get free mammograms and assistance with travel costs, room and board, etc. when you need cancer treatment.

“I’m very grateful for everything everyone does to raise awareness and for the programs available to help individuals,” said Zier. “So please help in whatever way you can to raise these funds.”

Andy Johnson, a pharmacist at Valley Drug, found out he had the CDH1 gene mutation, giving him a more than 85% chance of getting stomach cancer, a cancer that is very often fatal. Johnson’s grand father and his mother both died of stomach cancer. So, as a preven tive measure, Johnson had a total gastrectomy, the surgical removal of his stomach. That was seven years

ago, and Johnson is feeling good that he took that step.

“Stomach cancer is not per ceptible, you can’t screen for it,” said Johnson. “When they do find it, it’s too late.”

Johnson said he had good insurance and went through a number of steps for the genet ic testing before getting the surgery. “It’s a big surgery and tough to get through,” said Johnson. “You have to talk to genetic counselors. You can find them through your doctor if you think you have the gene or want to test for it.”

Johnson said his children each have a 50% chance of hav ing the gene. He will leave it to them to make their own deci sions about what to do when they get older.

He said the recovery from the surgery was long and diffi cult. He had to have a feeding tube at first but now he can even eat steak, which he loves. “Our bodies adjust,” he said. “It just takes time.”

“I have five kids,” said John son. “I want to be around for them. For me this was an easy choice.”

Dina Kuhlman, assistant store manager and administrative as sistant at Valley Drug & Variety, is in charge of this year’s Colors of Cancer raffle at the store. She said they are hoping to raise $2000 in total to donate to Bitterroot Health Foundation. Kuhlman said one of her family members made a do nation of $1000, not to purchase raffle tickets but to go directly to the cause. Kuhlman said they have over 40 raffle items donated from local businesses and families. There is a $1 ticket table and a $5 ticket table; you can buy as many tickets as you want, and choose what you would like to win. The drawing will be held on October 31, with winners contacted by November 3rd. Kuhl man invites people to come look at the great raffle items and buy some tickets.

“Cancer has affected our team here in so many ways, whether per sonal or relational,” said Kuhlman, whose father and uncle both went through cancer. “This is so import ant to all of us.”

Valley Drug owners Tracy (front row, 2nd from right) and Chad Smith (on phone) with some of their staff members, wearing purple t-shirts to bring attention to bladder cancer. Candy Zier (middle, front row), and Andy Johnson (behind counter, left) along with Kristi Tully (not pictured) shared their stories of how cancer has affected them. Photo by Victoria Howell.

Dayspring Restoration helps ‘restore kindness’

by Nathan Boddy

Jonathan Stoops, Operations Man ager for Dayspring Restoration, says that he and his crews see all ranges of buildings in need. “We are a resto ration company first,” says Stoops. “Our primary goal is helping people with their houses.”

To that end, the crews at all statewide Dayspring Restoration locations chose Friday, October 7th as a day to participate in ‘Restoring Kindness,’ a program that was begun by Kent and Lynn Rawhouser, owners of a property restoration company in Madison, Wisconsin. The couple felt strongly about using their position as restoration professionals in a way that would make a positive impact in their area. The program was taken over by C&R (Cleaning and Restoration) Mag azine in 2001, whereupon it was taken nationwide within the cleaning and restoration business community.

Dayspring Restoration is in its second year of participating in the Restoring Kindness program, and this year the Victor-based crew found themselves painting and doing dry wall patch work at the Linda Massa Youth Home in Hamilton.

The crew of seven was well under way with the project by mid-day on Friday, and hoped to have everything wrapped up by the time resident kids were home from school.

As far as projects that Dayspring manages, painting would fall on the lighter duty side of the spec trum, but, says Stoops, “We met with (Linda Massa Youth Home) about a

month ago to see what needs they had, and then slotted this Friday for us to donate our labor and come help them out.”

Jonna Montelius, Director of Business Development for Dayspring Restoration, was also on site and shared some of the other regional proj ects that Dayspring was volunteering to accomplish. They included work at other Youth Homes within the state, the Humane Society of Western Mon tana, as well as the Montana Food Bank Network. The work performed at each location was different, but the intent the same.

“It’s just fun to give back to the communities that support our business, for us to take a day, take our team and support the community,” said Monte lius. “It’s been a rough couple of years with Covid and it’s kind of fun to do our part.”

While the cleaning and restoration industry is not one that most people would hope to have to call upon, Stoops says that the need does arise. “Unfor tunately, homes need maintenance,” he says, adding that a lot of disastrous outcomes result when people overlook simple things like washing machine or sink supply line failures. Some of the cleanup and restoration jobs they see can be tremendous. For that reason, Stoops feels that the Restoring Kindness pro gram is one that he and his crew enjoy because of what it represents. “It’s nice because in our line of work, it’s nice to give back.”

– or Ron 406-370-6917. Listed at $1,800,000.

Linda Massa Youth Home was the recipient of Dayspring Restoration’s annual ‘Re storing Kindness’ work day. Photo by Nathan Boddy.

Jonathan Stoops, Operations Manager for Dayspring Restoration spends time painting within the Linda Massa Youth Home. Photo by Nathan Boddy.

to speak in Hamilton

Dr. Barney Graham will also discuss future of pandemic preparedness

A co-developer of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine produced by biotechnol ogy company Moderna is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Ham ilton High School Performing Arts Center, 327 Fairgrounds Road, as part of a free public presentation sponsored by Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML). The hour-long presen tation is intended for a general audi ence.

Dr. Barney Graham, who in 2021 re tired as deputy director

of the Vaccine Research Cen ter within the National Insti tute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Bethesda, MD, will discuss how years of biological research plan ning and investment led to the COVID-19 vaccine being developed, tested and publicly available in less than a year. He also will discuss how the world can better prepare for future pandemics.

While at the VRC Dr. Graham mentored colleague Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, and it was their research team that designed the mRNA structure for what became the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Ironically, RML had arranged to have Dr. Graham visit Hamilton in spring 2020 and give a public presentation about vaccine development in general - that visit was

cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.

Dr. Graham, now a senior advisor for Global Health Equity and a professor of Medicine and Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunol ogy at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, spent most of his career developing and testing several vaccine concepts at NIAID’s VRC. RML also is part of NIAID, and Dr. Graham has collabo rated with RML researchers over the past decade.

able to share his story with our community. His work is a perfect example of how basic science studies can translate into huge impacts on public health.”

NIAID conducts and supports research-at NIH, throughout the United States,

NEW YEAR! NEW YOU!

“It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. Graham has played and is continuing to play a transformational role in the way that vaccines are designed and produced,” said Marshall Bloom, M.D., Deputy Director for Scientific Management at RML. “We are fortunate that he will be

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with a special event for tiny goblins and ghouls.

Several local businesses from the Bitterroot Val ley will be lining up their work trucks and vans at the co-op in Victor on October 28. The variety of vehicles will be dec orated for the occasion and employees will be handing out candy as kids walk through the parking lot.

Ravalli Electric Man ager of Communications Melissa Greenwood has been busy coordinating with local businesses to help create a festive experience kids won’t forget.

“We thought this would be a great way to help promote local busi nesses in the area while also providing a fun and safe trick-or-treating ex perience for kids,” said Greenwood. “We will have everything from bucket trucks and tow trucks to fire trucks and an ambulance. Kids are enthralled by big trucks, so seeing these vehicles up close and getting some candy should be a fun experience for them.”

This is a free event for children and families that will take place at Ravalli Electric Co-op located at 143 Bell Xing W in Victor. The event will be held on Friday, October 28 from 5pm-7pm. Children are encouraged to wear their costumes, but it is not a requirement.

Greenwood said they are hoping to get a few more businesses to participate to make this event a success.

“We have a few spots left we are hoping to fill for this event so if your business is interested, please reach out to me,” she said.

For more information or to reserve a spot call 406-961-3001, or email Melissa at mgreenwood@ ravallielectric.com.

very

at

Ravalli Ravalli

MONTANA REPUBLICAN PARTY’S BALLOT RECOMMENDATION

RAVALLI COUNTY, MONTANA - NOVEMBER 8, 2022

RAVALLI COUNTY

1. TO VOTE, COMPLETELY FILL IN ( ) THE OVAL USING A BLUE OR BLACK PEN.

2. To write in a name, completely fill in the oval to the left of the line provided, and on the line provided print the name of the write-in candidate for whom you wish to vote.

3. DO NOTE MAKE AN IDENTIFYING MARK, CROSS OUT, ERASE, OR USE CORRECTION FLUID. If you make a mistake or change your mind, exchange yoru ballot for a new one.

VOTE IN ALL COLUMNS VOTE VOTH SIDES

FEDERAL AND STATE

FOR UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (VOTE FOR ONE)

JOHN LAMB LIBERTARIAN

MONICA TRANEL DEMOCRAT

RYAN ZINKE REPUBLICAN

FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE #1 (VOTE FOR ONE)

BILL D’ALTON NONPARTISAN

JIM RICE NONPARTISAN

FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE #2 (VOTE FOR ONE)

JAMES BROWN NONPARTISAN

INGRID GUSTAFSON NONPARTISAN

FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISTRICT 21 - DEPT 1

Shall Judge HOWARD F. RECHT of DISTRICT 21, DEPT 1 of the state of Montana be retained in office for another term?

STATE OF MONTANA

NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS -

FEDERAL AND STATE

FOR STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 43 (VOTE FOR ONE)

JASON ELLSWORTH REPUBLICAN

JOHN F SCHNEEBERGER DEMOCRAT

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 85 (VOTE FOR ONE)

MICHELE BINKLEY REPUBLICAN

ROSAN STOVER DEMOCRAT

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 86 (VOTE FOR ONE)

DAVID BEDEY REPUBLICAN

ANNE W BROWN DEMOCRAT

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 87 (VOTE FOR ONE)

RON MARSHALL REPUBLICAN

WILL LOVETT MOORE DEMOCRAT

FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 88 (VOTE FOR ONE)

KO MOUA DEMOCRAT

WAYNE RUSK REPUBLICAN

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 48 AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION PROPOSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AN ACT SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE II, SECTION 11, OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION TO EXPLICITLY INCLUDE ELECTRONIC DATA AND COMMUNICATIONS IN SEARCH AND SEIZURE PROTECTIONS.

C-48 is a constitutional amendment to amend Article II, section 11 of the Montana Constitution to specifically protect electronic data and communications from unreasonable search and seizures.

YES on Constitutional Amendment C-48

NO on Constitutional Amendment C-48

Paid for by Sean Ashby, 810 Tay Circle, Hamilton, MT 59840

COUNTY

FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT #1

GRED CHILCOTT REPUBLICAN

FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT #3

JEFF BURROWS REPUBLICAN

MARLIN OSTRANDER SR. LIBERTARIAN

FOR CLERK AND RECORDER/ SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

REGINA PLETTENBERG REPUBLICAN

FOR SHERIFF/CORONER

STEVE HOLTON REPUBLICAN

FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY/AUDITOR/ PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR

BILL FULBRIGHT REPUBLICAN

FOR TREASURER/ASSESSOR/ SURVEYOR

DAN WHITESITT REPUBLICAN

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 131 AN ACT REFERRED BY THE LEGISLATURE

AN ACT ADOPTING THE BORN-ALIVE INFANT PROTECTION ACT; PROVIDING THAT INFANTS BORN ALIVE AFTER AN ABORTION, ARE LEGAL PERSONS; REQUIRING HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PRESERVE THE LIFE OF A BORN-ALIVE INFANT; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING THAT THE PROPOSED ACT BE SUBMITTED TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA; AND PROVIDING A EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act legally protects born-alive infants by imposing criminal penalties on health care providers who do not act to preserve the life of such infants, including infants born during an attempted abortion.

A born-alive infant is entitled to medically appropriate care and treatment. A health care provider shall take medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve the life and health of a born-alive infant.

A born-alive infant means an infant who breathes, has a beating heart, or had definite movement of voluntary muscles, after the complete expulsion or extraction from the mother.

A health care provider found guilty of failing to take medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve a born-alive infant’s life under this Act faces punishment of a fine up to $50,000 or imprisonment up to 20 years, or both.

YES on Legislative Referendum LR-131

NO on Legislative Referendum LR-131

‘The Revenant’ author to speak at Ravalli County Museum

Chapter One is teaming up with the Ravalli County Museum to host #1 New York Times best selling author, Michael Punke at the museum on Friday, November 4th at 7 p.m.

Punke is the author of several books providing historical per spective on pivotal events in the West, including “Fire & Brim stone,” “Last Stand,” “The Reve nant” and most recently “Ridge line.”

Michael Punke brings the same immersive, vivid storytelling and historical insight to “Ridgeline” that made his breakthrough debut, “The Revenant,” so memorable. Based on the real events of the Fetterman Massacre, Punke’s taut saga brings the past to life in cine matic fashion. In fact, Anonymous Content, the production company behind the Academy Award-win ning film “The Revenant” is devel

oping “Ridgeline” for television.

“Chapter One is thrilled to co-host this event with the Ravalli County Museum,” says Katrina Mendrey, Chapter One Co-owner.

“The museum is the perfect setting for a discussion of Punke’s books,

which center around historical events formative to our regional identity.”

In his diverse professional career, Punke has served as the US ambassador to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, history correspondent for the Montana Quarterly, and an adjunct pro fessor at the University of Mon tana. As a high school and college student, he worked summers as a living history interpreter at Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Wyoming. He lives with his family in Montana and is an avid out doorsman.

At the event Punke will be presenting on his process for re searching and writing both histor ical fiction and non-fiction works, how growing up and living in the West have influenced his writing and the process of adapting his writing for film and television. The event will include a book sale and an author sign ing. Space is limited and registration is required at www.chapter1bookstore. com or by contacting Chapter One directly (252 Main St, 406-363-5220). The event is free, however, donations to the Ravalli County Museum are wel come. Punke’s books will be available for sale prior to the event at Chapter One.

Michael Punke, #1 New York Times best selling author, will speak in Hamilton on Nov. 4th.

I was on an unfamiliar stretch of water.

I was with some friends and we were doing our best to escape the wildfire smoke that choked out our valley.

We were on the Blackfoot in ear ly-mid October. The orange cliffs and deep green co nifers that rose above the river reflected in the water amid the yellows and muted oranges of the streamside cottonwoods, water maples, and across the river and further up a gravel bar, the shimmering gold of a grove of quaking aspens.

There was smoke, but not enough to sting our respiratory systems or mute the spectacular colors that surrounded us.

We fished a little the night before –not enough to get the feel of the place, really, and there weren’t a lot of bugs out.

Still I had an idea what to expect the following day.

When I awoke from some much-needed full sleep the following morning, the letdown that precedes relaxation hit me over breakfast and second cups of coffee and camaraderie with some of my friends.

I stuck around camp while the guys rigged up and went fishing. I loafed, ambled around the woods and the river a bit, fired up the Coleman under the last of the coffee, poured some of it in my favorite old blue-flecked enamel mug, and got out my fly tying gear.

It doesn’t take many October cad disflies

Even though I’d never fished this stretch before, I had a pretty fair hunch of what could happen later in the day. I had seen some big orange October caddisflies bouncing around and laying eggs on the edge of the water across the river the night before. There were just a couple – and no fish were on them. No

matter. They had to come from somewhere.

Like the cobbler wearing worn-out shoes, my fly boxes were barren of the favorite fly I tie for the October caddis. I’ll usually fish dry flies where I can, even if it’s pointless, but the fishing this October caddis nymph is an exception. As steelheaders say, the tug is the drug.

I kinda felt this coming, not knowing for sure where we’d fish, and made sure that I grabbed the right materials for this fly while I was throwing my gear together.

Tying the October Caddis Drifter

Now I laid everything out: #6 and #8 nymph hooks, lead wire, olive-colored thread, UV and rabbit mixed orange dubbing, pale olive rabbit dubbing, and light hare’s ear dubbing – check. I mixed them all together in fairly equal amounts giving a slight edge to the orange until the blend was about the same shade as the bodies on the caddis nymphs I peeled from their cases down at the river the night before.

A couple of wraps from a multicolored feather from the back of a ringneck pheasant served as the legs and wings of the insects that drifted free from their cases and then swam toward the surface. For the head of the fly I’d mix some of the orangish blend of dub bing with an equal amount of hare’s ear. The finished flies don’t look like much, especially when compared to the brighter, gaudier patterns you’ll find in most fly shop bins. But when it gets wet, it looks an awfully like a real bug, and to some extent moves in the water the way the naturals do.

I tied up enough for all of my friends to have some – enough to risk a few breakoffs apiece.

Fishing October caddis nymphs

in mid-afternoon. I cast across and down, and fed line until the fly had drift ed free into the area where I thought I’d find a pod of fish.

Then I tightened up, stripped about nine inches of line in one second, and paused for two. After the second or third pause, there was the tug I hoped for, and was anticipating. “I love it!” I thought – this is what I came for. I was into a rainbow that went a little over two

pounds, the first of several similar-sized fish that came every third cast or so as I worked my way down that first camp ground run.

Once again, the Orange Caddis Drifter brough the tugs. Predictable, yet all-new each time. And not the first time, nor the last. This week, conditions are right on my home stretch of the Bitterroot. And I’ll be there, waiting for that tug.

I went down to the river after lunch

Chuck Stranahan

This nondescript-looking fly is spot-on for October caddis nymphs.

Steve

Maddie

Nichole

Pat Gonzalez

David Vlasak

Bill McClusky

Bitterroot Health receives Stroke Recognition Award

Bitterroot Health (BH) was recognized with the Stroke Rec ognition Award at the Montana Hospital Association’s annual meeting last month. The Stroke Recognition Award is sponsored by the Cardiovascular Health Program within the state health department. The Recognition Award singles out Critical Access Hospitals that demonstrate that they have the infrastructure and commitment to provide high quality care for patients with acute stroke.

Receiving the Stroke Recog nition confirms that BH meets high standards related to the utilization of evidence-based stroke order-sets and protocols, laboratory and radiology services available 24/7 and administrative commitment to treating acute stroke patients.

“We are so excited to be recognized by the stroke recogni tion program for the quality and immediate care by Emergency clinicians at Bitterroot Health, recognizing both EMS and ER staff,” said Thomas Price, BH Director of ER and ICU. “We’ve worked hard to maintain and improve stroke care in the Valley, so being recognized for providing the highest quality acute care as a critical care team is something I’m proud to be a part of.”

The Stroke Recognition Award was launched in 2011, and BH is one of only 19 Critical Access Hospitals in Montana to receive the recognition. Requirements for the recognition include tracking and reporting key stroke out comes, using outcomes data to initiate quality improvement activities and coordinating reg ular healthcare provider stroke trainings.

Price credits BH Critical Care Coordinator, Heather Villarreal, with highlighting this important work at BH. “Heather has been an integral part of our Stroke Initiative, developing stroke information and education for our community. As an ER charge nurse, she’s part of providing stroke care, and has gone above and beyond to grow our stroke program, making this work happen,” said Price.

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability and is a leading cause of death in the Montana. Last year, over 2,000 Montana families were directly impacted by the devastating effects of stroke. Symptom recognition and timely, high-quality treatment are important factors in reducing death and dis ability from stroke.

Know the signs and symptoms of stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face arm or leg

Sudden trouble seeing

Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or un derstanding

Sudden loss of bal-

ance or coordi nation

▪ Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Know what to do if you or someone you know experience stroke symp toms: Call 9-1-1 immediately

Learn more about the BH Stroke Rehabil itation program at www.bitter roothealth.org/ STROKE

For more in formation about stroke, visit: www.strokeasso ciation.org

MATT ROSENDALE IS FIGHTING FOR MONTANA

Introduced legislation to help restore America’s energy independence.

Voted against Biden’s irresponsible spending package

Opposed vaccine mandates.

Fought to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.

Worked to secure our Southern Border.

New Single “Talk to Me” Available in October on all your favorite music platforms

at www.mtbainmusic.com

MTBain

Matt Rosendale for

Heather Villareal, Critical Care Coordinator at Bitterroot Heaalth, is cred ited with being the catalyst for receiving the Stroke Recognition Award.

EMERGENCY: Forest Service measures questioned by some

events on the horizon. All the models we had said that, depending on the as sumptions of the model, we only had a limited amount of time before the fire was going to be out of the mouth of the canyon. So, part of the lessons learned, for example in Lolo Peak, was once the fire comes out of the canyon or is knocking on that door, your options are going to be pretty limited.”

“You could punch in a dozer line, but a single doz er line is probably not going to be sufficient to stop the fire,” said Brown. “You can burn off that dozer line, but if your vegetation is thick like it was at Mill Creek you are going to kill all the trees there with your burn out operation. The reason why Bass Creek was successful was because it had been thinned out so when they did the burn those trees are still alive. Above Bass Creek, out of the area that we treated, those trees are all dead. That was a stand replacing fire. They did stop the fire but the end result was you killed all the trees.

“So with this fire coming out of the wilderness we had the option to either wait and have no choice but to punch in a dozer line and burn it off and kill all the trees, or if we start now and prepare a fuel break and burn it, the remaining trees will still be alive. By removing ladder fuels and thinning it out a fire can go through there and burn it without killing all the trees.”

“With the forecast we had,” said Brown, “we had every reason to be lieve that this fire was going to come out and that’s why we called in the

a new technique, Brown said that the concept has been around for a decade perhaps but are being employed a lot more due to the successes.

“To me a dozer line does a lot of damage,” said Brown. “A dozer line is harsh, it’s just plowing everything out of the way. And they are shown to be

Bitterroot side alone there was well over 13 miles of dozer line and that was just to keep it from coming down to private land and had nothing to do with result on the hillside.”

“So when it came here with such high probability I thought ‘What’s our option going to be? No choice but a

peoples used to manage it.

Asked if this park-like expanse really accommodates wildlife like that thickly vegetated forest next door, Brown said, “Well, if you talk to peo ple who live around here, there really wasn’t any wildlife here because there is no food around here.”

Brown said that he had talked to quite a few people in the area most are very appreciative because it put their homes in a better position. “I know our road guards have talk ed to others who feel differently,” he said.

When told that some adjacent land owners were not happy about the decision and expressed frus tration that they were not even contacted about it, Brown said, “Yeah, well, I feel bad that they were upset, but at the same time a suppression action like this is not the time to be consulting with everybody about what they think needs to be done.”

less effective, but they take less time. So, when you have the time to pre pare, like we did here, you have other options. We ran 10-day models and in that time frame the fire was going to be here. So, if we had time to prepare then I wanted to prepare and not be

dozer line or two and torching every thing, or can our result be a lot more enjoyable from a public use standpoint than just bare earth and blackened trees.’ And at the same time knowing that this treatment would have a more likely chance of success than waiting and punching in a dozer line.” He said there were no dozer lines put in, just the tracks left by the log forwarders that were used to remove the logs from the area.

“A forwarder has a large bunk and the logs are stacked on a bed and hauled out, so it doesn’t leave drag marks and a skid trail and things like that,” said Brown.

“Then, once we get NEPA done on the Bitterroot Front we can treat this area with prescribed fire similar to what we do at Bass Creek,” said Brown.

Asked about what looks like logging roads throughout the project area, Brown said, “This is

“The decision was based on the models showing what the weather is doing, what are our options, and my view was if we get busy and establish this fuel break then we are going to be better off than if we don’t get busy. There are going to be different opin ions about the decision we made, I know that,” said Brown. “I definitely took that into account in thinking about this action. There will be some people who see it as the right time and others who don’t. But I had to make my decision based on a bad situation. Do we wait and have a worse one?

My worst nightmare was that this fire does come blowing out of the canyon and then what do I do. And what do I get blamed for? Since I’ve been here as ranger my worst fear every summer is fire getting out of a canyon and burn ing up homes.”

One adjacent landowner, Dr. Eric Keeling, whose family owns 100 acres adjoining the project area, told the Bitterroot Star that he was very upset that the Forest Service acted without any chance for public comment or any notice to adjacent landowners.

Keeling said that he couldn’t com ment on the work that was done and the resultant conditions because he had only seen photographs. He said not being notified or given a chance to comment on it was very upsetting.

Keeling said his property is part of

Type 1 Management Team because the forecast showed no relief. It was starting to become a complex situation and we were very soon going to be in over our heads.”

The Bass Creek thinning project Brown was referring to was a NEPA project that covered an area of about 1,000 acres and was designed to leave a basal area of 40 to 60 square feet per acre. Here about 120 acres was treated leaving a basal area of 80 to 100 square feet per acre.

“That is more than what was left at Bass Creek,” he said. “If we were to do this as a planned NEPA operation I think we might have taken a bit more. At Bass, 40 to 60 square foot. But we felt like for this situation here 80 to 100 was sufficient.”

“We tried to create a buffer around the private land that would be a fuel break to drop the fire to the ground and have a better chance to suppress it and on low slopes a better chance of fighting it,” he said.

Brown said they did talk to differ ent landowners in the area but didn’t do any work on private land. He said there was one landowner on the south side of Tag Alder Creek that allowed for access to the area.

“They have lived there for decades and were there in 2000 and were very appreciative of the efforts in 2000 and were in this case too. They gave us access to do this,” said Brown.

Brown said that he didn’t know how much timber had been taken out. He said logging was not the aim of the project and that personnel would be measuring it in preparation for sale and it will be put out to bid.

Asked if “shaded fuel breaks” were

The above maps compare the Mill Creek Vegetation Project proposed in 2014 with the current logging project. Mill Creek project was scoped in 2014 and dropped and never analyzed because extraordinary circumstances were shown to exist. Crit ics say it appears the Forest Service has dusted off this old timber sale, increased its size, and passed it off as an emergency measure allowing them to avoid any environmental review.

forced to utilize just dozer lines to stop the fire,” said Brown.

“One of the lessons learned in these canyon fires was that effectiveness at suppression of fire is a lot better if we are able to reduce the fuels in front of fire rather than just punching in a doz er line. On the Lolo Peak Fire on the

just from driving on it. We will come through with subsoilers and break up this compaction and plant seeds where necessary.”

He said that one aim for the whole forest on the west side was to take it back to the point that it can be man aged with control burns the way native

an original homestead owned by his great-grandfather in the late 1890’s and he told the Forest Service as much in his recent comments on the pro posed Bitterroot Front Project.

In his comments he told them

Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown stands in the shaded fuel break that was created as an emergency measure during the Mill Lake and Bass Lake Fires. Photo by Michael Howell.

Logs pulled from the shaded fuel break area were stacked high last week at the forest boundary wait ing to be transferred to a stacking site located further down Dutch Hill on property owned by Ravalli County. No information was available yet on the amount of timber being removed. District Ranger Steve Brown said that the logs were being measured and would be put up for bid to sawmills in the area. Photo by Michael Howell.

about the two long-term research projects associated with the forest on his land and the adjacent Forest Service land. One was the Mill Creek Cooperative Airshed Research Site1, initiated in 1988 by his father, Charles D. Keeling, which was acknowledged in two Forest Service Memoranda of Understanding, one in 1994 and one in 2002. Dr. Keeling established an air monitoring site on the land nearly 40 years ago and his sons Eric and Ralph Keeling continue their father’s research. The Forest Service erected a

itoring projects which have benefited from cooperative forest management with the Forest Service.

“The management history of the adjacent National Forest lands has been compatible with these goals,” wrote Keeling. “Also of note is a por tion of the adjacent land was treated with a prescribed burn in 1997, which was explicitly studied in the 2018 research referenced above. The overall area has unique forest composition and structure with diverse size and age-classes of trees and a mixture of forest stands and open ings. We have observed numerous wildlife species that depend on winter forage as well as visual and thermal cover. It is my hope that the Forest Ser vice consider the manage ment history and future potential of this area for research and conserva tion when planning forest actions in the coming project.”

Keeling said that his question at this point is, “Was the threat of this fire so high that the kind of treatment they used was justified, without consid eration of the public input that they requested back in April?”

moving, nor projected to move, east towards this fire line 6 miles away.” He said logging continued anyway up through mid-October.

“They are using fire as an excuse to do a commercial logging operation,” said Miller.

said shaded fuel breaks are generally understood to extend a couple hun dred feet in width, not thousands of feet. They also generally involve the removal or reduction in understory but not the harvest of mature trees.

The Forest Service recognized the importance of the Keeling research and in fact posted a write-up on Dr. Keeling at the Mill Creek trailhead in 2011. The Keeling family has always had an excellent relation ship with the Forest Service and contributed funds to keep the Mill Creek area in a natural state and for trail maintenance. They were not notified of the current logging that runs the entire length of their homestead and they are deeply saddened about what has happened.

sign at Mill Creek trailhead recogniz ing the Keeling family legacy in 2011.

Another is a long-term study, in cluding forest data back to 1998, of the effects of irrigation ditches on forest community composition, tree physiol ogy, and bark-beetle mortality2. Both studies are set-up as long-term mon

Friends of the Bitter root President Jim Miller doesn’t believe there was a true emergency at the time based on the actual Inciweb reports that were issued continually during the fires. He said the For est Service started on the project on September 9th when the fire was still six miles inside the wilderness area.

“Although there was some fire growth with the strong winds on Septem ber 12th,” he said, “BNF later reported on Inciweb that Sept 12th was the last day there was any move ment to the east toward private prop erty still more than 6 miles away. By September 14th, when we first learned of this project, cool, wet weather had moved in and was predicted to contin ue—which it did—for the next week, into late September. BNF also report ed on Inciweb that neither fire was

Backing up his claim is a report done by members of Friends of the Bitterroot that compares the current work shaded fuel area to a proposed timber sale that was scoped in 2014 and then suspended after considering the long-term studies being done in the area.

Jeff Lonn, who helped prepare the report, said the 2014 timber sale was first proposed as a categorical exclu sion, meaning that no NEPA analysis would be required. The proposal was contested and then dropped due to “extraordinary circumstances.” In this case the extraordinary circumstances included two long-term studies being conducted in the area.

“The Bitterroot National Forest has clearly been after these logs for a long time,” said Lonn.

According to another author of the report, Michael Hoyt, this kind of disguised logging project is being conducted on other forests around the state in the vicinity of active fires.

Miller said that the actions taken on the current project do not meet the definition of a shaded fuel break. He

According to Miller, the park-like structure of the forest they left behind provides no thermal cover for animals nor any security cover for elk.

“I believe they just dusted off an old timber sale,” said Miller. “I don’t know this, but the kind of logging that was done makes me worried because it appears it was just turned over to the people cutting the timber to observe a certain distance spacing and that the largest trees were all removed. This is going to be a weed patch. I’ve seen a moose family forage in here and now there is nothing, no shrubs or grass es to graze on, there is nothing here. There is no cover. You can see a thou sand feet in any direction. No place to hide. No thermal cover, all opened up. It had shady, delightful big trees, all gone.”

According to Miller, if the Forest Service continues this type of action across the whole Bitterroot Front, we are going to see the forest turned into suburban parkland with lots of open space, very few animals and some very young trees looking more like a tree farm than a forest.

Jim Miller, President of Friends of the Bitterroot, stands on one of the log haul roads created by the log forwarders that were used to haul the logs to the docking site at the end of Mill Creek Trail Road. Photo by Michael Howell.

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Legals

Montana 21st Judicial Dis trict Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of of Lindsey Elizabeth Knight, Lindsey Elizabeth Knight, Petitioner Cause No.: DV-22-347 Dept. No.: 2

NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE

This is notice that Petition er has asked the District Court for a change of name from Lindsey Elizabeth Knight to Lindsey Elizabeth Fite.

The hearing will be on November 3, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the courthouse in Ravalli County.

DATED this 20th day of September, 2022.

Paige Trautwein Clerk of Court

BY: Catherine di Gleria Deputy Clerk of Court BS 9-28, 10-5, 10-12, 1019-22.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWEN TY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CLAU DIA MARIE COX, De ceased.

Case No.: DP-22-112

Dept. No. 2

NOTICE TO CREDI TORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed Estate. All persons hav ing claims against the Decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication

of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Tracy Ann Marie Baugh, the Personal Represen tative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law, PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 27th day of September 2022.

/s/ Tracy Ann Marie Baugh, Personal Representa tive BS 10-5, 10-12, 10-19-22.

Naomi J. Cheeney Cheeney Law, PLLC PO Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840

Phone: (406) 363-9060

Attorney for Personal Representative MONTANA TWEN TY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY BURTON ROHLFS, De ceased.

Case No.: DP-22-115

Dept. No. 1 NOTICE TO CREDI TORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed Estate. All persons hav ing claims against the Decedent are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Robert Leroy Rohlfs, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, at Cheeney Law, PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court.

DATED this 29th day of September 2022.

/s/ Robert Leroy Rohlfs, Personal Representative BS 10-5, 10-12, 10-19-22.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 150 THURSDAY OCTOBER 27, 2022 FIRST READING,

NOVEMBER 10, 2022 SEC

OND READING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council of the Town of Stevensville will hold 2 public hearings to amend Ordinance No. 150 Sec. 24-174 to include J-turns as a strictly prohibited operation on Main Street in Stevensville, Montana.

Comments may be given orally at the hearings held at Town Hall, 206 Buck Street on Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 7:00 pm and November 10, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Comments can also be given to the Town Clerk at PO Box 30, Stevens ville MT 59870 or before 5:00 pm on the town council sched uled meetings. Questions, comments or more information may be obtained by contacting Town Hall at 406-777-5271.

Attest: Jenelle Berthoud, Town Clerk BS 10-19, 11-2-22.

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