Bitterroot Star - October 7, 2020

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Volume XXXVI, Number 12

Bikers Against Bullies!

www.bitterrootstar.com

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

COVID cases on the rise

By Michael Howell

Ann Bethea, owner of Eastside Ace (seated second from right), donated a Weber grill for the Bikers Against Bullies raffle at her Super Saturday event on October 3. James “The Optimist” Dawson, liaison for Montana Bikers Against Bullies (standing fourth from left) said that over $2500 was raised through the raffle. The money will be used to install a “Buddy Bench” at Lone Rock School, where any student can go when they need a safe place to be. BAB will use any extra funds towards providing Christmas gifts to local children in need. Dawson and Bethea are pictured with other BAB members and some of the Ace staff that helped at the successful and fun day. Other non-profits were also invited to participate, including Stevensville Youth Soccer, the Stevensville Garden Club and the Stevensville Civic Club/Project 59870. Lots of donations were accepted for the Kids Backpack Program for Stevensville and Lone Rock Schools, as well as winter coats and other clothing. Victoria Howell photo.

Election ballots to be mailed out October 9th

By Michael Howell

A recent ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen that upheld Governor Steve Bullock’s directive allowing a majority of the state’s counties to accept mail-in ballots during the upcoming November elections cleared the way for counties to begin distributing the ballots. The Governor’s directive was challenged in a lawsuit filed by the Trump Campaign, the Republican National Committee and Montana Republican State Central Committee. The groups sought an injunction in federal court to stop the mail-in ballot process, claiming the Governor had outstripped his authority and violated the Constitution in issuing the directive. The

law, they say, is clear on the matter that the state legislature, not the governor, has that power. Christensen disagreed and dismissed all the Republican motions. He found that Governor Bullock had acted within the Constitution and within the powers granted him by the Legislature.

Forty-five of the fifty-six counties in the state have opted for mail-in ballots including Ravalli County. Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder Regina Plettenberg wanted to let the public know that ballots for the November 3 election will be put in the mail on October 9 and go to every active voter in the county. If you are not on the active voter list, you can still register to vote until registration closes on October 26. If you

need to register to vote after the regular close of registration deadline, you can do so by appearing in person at the Election Office, 215 S. 4th Street (1st floor, north entrance), Hamilton.

• THIS ELECTION WILL BE HELD BY MAIL BALLOT WITH AN IN-PERSON VOTING OPTION. • REGULAR POLLING PLACES WILL NOT BE OPEN. • SECONDARY PLACES OF DEPOSIT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON ELECTION DAY ONLY FOR VOTERS TO DROP THEIR BALLOTS OFF. If you need a replacement ballot, contact the Election Office See ELECTION, page 3

Stevi mayor files complaint against recall committee

By Michael Howell

Stevensville Mayor Brandon Dewey, who is facing a recall election on November 3, has filed a complaint with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, alleging that the political committee involved in placing the issue on the ballot, Committee to Recall the Mayor, failed to properly file as a committee in the Stevensville

recall election as required by Montana campaign finance law and failed to file a C-6 finance report on the August 30, 2020 deadline for activity between June 26th-August 25th.

Dewey was recently the subject of a similar complaint himself. Former Mayor Jim Crews filed a complaint against Dewey for not registering with the COPP as a candidate in the Recall Elec-

tion and failing to file two of the required financial reports. Dewey was found in violation by the COPP. In his complaint against the Committee to Recall the Mayor, Dewey writes, “A local issue becomes a local ballot issue ‘upon certification by the proper official that the legal procedure necessary See COMPLAINT, page 5

At the beginning of September 2020, Ravalli County had 10 active cases of COVID-19. That number suddenly dropped off and

by September 8, Ravalli County Health Department was reporting only three active cases. This put the county in a position that it was no longer required to follow the restrictions contained in the governor’s directive which only applied to counties with four or more active cases. That was only for a day, unfortunately. After that the number of cases began to rise (see adjoining graph) with

only a couple of dips along the

way. The number of active cases daily basis. Four active cases are

COVID-19 cases has the potential steadily climbed to 23 by the end

currently hospitalized. to overwhelm our hospital and New reported Covid 19 cases for the whole state are also rising dramatically. of the month. While that number The recent increase in new Public Health services.”

dropped to 21 by Friday, October COVID-19 cases continues to travel, attend

Choosing to stress Ravalli County’s Public 2, by Monday, October 5, it was gatherings/events, or interact up to 26 with 11 new cases added health Department, leading to a that day. Public Health nurses socially with people outside of public plea for citizens to “please your work/home cohort, are all continue to release active cases be aware of the potential impact behaviors correlated with higher from isolation once they recover New reported Covid 19 cases for the whole state are also rising dramatically. your social choices may have on risk of contracting and spreadyour family, friends, and com from symptoms, at the same time ing COVID-19. COVID-19 can munity. Any sustained increase in new cases are getting added on a only continue to spread if our community allows the conditions necessary for transmission by not covering our faces, not maintaining physical distance from one another, and not following strict hand hygiene practices.

The department recommends that anyone experiencing symptoms such as a new onset of cough, or a headache or fever, warrants medical attention and should contact their medical provider.

• DO NOT assume that new symptoms you are experiencing are related to allergies or a cold.

• DO NOT attend work or Total cases to as of October 3 in the state are interact with others if you have

ANY symptoms of illness.

• If you have had an exposure to a known case of COVID-19, the safest practice is to quarantine immediately for a period of 14 days and monitor for symptoms.

“While reducing your number of interactions may mean sacrificing some familiar social comforts, it remains the best way to avoid becoming a link in the chain of transmission,” state Public Health officials.

New reported COVID-19 cases for the whole state are also rising dramatically, with a recordbreaking 501 cases reported on Saturday, October 3.

‘Hamilton Speaks’

By Michael Howell

Hamilton City Council members got a demonstration at a Committee of the Whole meeting last month of a new online engagement tool called People Speak that is “designed to democratize public hearings,” according to City Planner Matthew Rohrbach.

Rohrbach, along with City Planner Karl Bauer, explained how the city’s site, called Hamilton Speaks, would work. The site would not replace the city’s current website but would complement it. It is a software system

designed to allow for extended public hearings that could last days or even weeks. It involves the city staff posting all relevant documents and information for public review and accepting public input by email which is posted by a moderator on an ongoing basis possibly up to a day before the hearing.

“This will make for greater public participation as well as meeting demands for higher transparency in public meetings and legislative processes,” said Rohrbach. He said more information should be available to the public earlier and it will be easier

for the public to comment and participate in the decision making process. Links to the records of the live meetings will be uploaded to the town’s website in the same way current information is made available.

When a member of the public comments by email, City Planner Bauer will receive it and post it on the town’s site. Public comments will not be censored, according to Rohrbach, but there will be some level of accountability for “unacceptable language that won’t be allowed.” He said See HAMILTON, page 4

Page 2 -- Bitterroot Star

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

TIME FOR A CHANGE

Stevensville deserves to have a mayor that follows the law, abides by his oath of office, is honest, fiscally responsible and understands that he works for all the citizens of Stevensville and not just for himself and a few special interests.

VOTE FOR THE RECALL OF MAYOR DEWEY

This isn’t about a handful of senior citizens. The Mayor continues to publicly attack a handful of senior citizens for exercising their 1st Amendment rights, while blaming them for the recall.

FACT: Over 250 registered voters signed the petition for recall as required by law.

LAW: The Honorable Judge Howard Recht stated “Dewey acted outside of the law and without legal authority.

By doing so he violated several statutes, ordinances and the Purchasing Policy.” Bitterroot Star Sept 18, 2020 Our Montana Commission of Political Practices found Mayor Dewey of violating campaign finance laws on Sept. 18th, 2020 Bitterroot Star MT Sept 23, 2020 MT.Gov Political Commission Finance Decisions Crews v Dewey Sept. 18, 2020

The Commissioner Cautions the Town of Stevensville,

“That any statements or communications that support or oppose Mayor Dewey using of Stevensville resources after that date may very well place the Town of Stevensville in violation of Montana campaign Finance and practice law.”

The town deserves a Mayor who follows State and Local laws unlike Mayor Dewey.

MILL LEVIES: Mayor refused to allow council and the public to discuss or approve mill levies as requested by the County Officials which could have affected the taxpayer. Town Council Minutes Sept, Oct, December 2019 In 2020 Mayor Dewey voted to double his own salary with his tie breaking vote without a public hearing or comment.

Council minutes on July 22, 2020

In 2019, he proposed to raise his salary from $10,000 a year to $45,000 a year using 60% water and sewer fees while at the same time opposing a 3% decrease in fees and while raising fees by 3%. Mayor proposed taking $250,000 from water and sewer fees to pay staff salaries. August, Sept, 2019 council minutes QUOTE FROM MAYOR DEWEY: Sept 30th, “The Future of our own town is in Your Hands”. We Agree!

VOTE FOR THE RECALL OF MAYOR DEWEY AND BRING TRUST AND RESPECT BACK TO OUR TOWN. Paid for by Committee to Recall the Mayor, Leslie Tadvick Treasurer. 509 Mission Stevensville, MT. 59870

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Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Election continued

at 375-6550 for ballot replacement options.

If you prefer to vote in person, BRING YOUR BALLOT WITH YOU to the Elections Voting Center, 215 S 4th Street (1st floor, north entrance), Hamilton, and you can vote your ballot in one of the voting booths located on site.

If you forget to bring your ballot, you can request a replacement ballot. To avoid waiting in long lines, it is recommended you come before Election Day. If returning a ballot in person, voters can deposit their ballot before election day at the Ravalli County Administrative Building (1st floor, north entrance), 215 S 4th Street, Hamilton from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

On ELECTION DAY ONLY from 7 AM to 8 PM you can deliver your ballot in person at any of the following places: • Darby Community Clubhouse, 106 Main Street, Darby • Florence Rural Fire Station No. 1, 234 Holloway Lane, Florence • Ravalli County Administrative Building (1st floor, north entrance), 215 S 4th Street, Hamilton • Ravalli County Fairgrounds, Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton • Whitesitt Funeral Home, 314 Church Street, Stevensville If you have any questions or concerns about voting, you can mail, phone, fax, or email the Ravalli County Elections Office at: Ravalli County Elections Office 215 S 4th Street, Suite C Hamilton, MT 59840 Phone: (406) 375-6550 Fax: (406) 375-6554 Elections Email: elections@ rc.mt.gov Plettenberg urged people who want to vote in person to use their mail-in ballot and fill it out before coming in to drop it off.

She said it is a long ballot containing six ballot issues, including the recall vote in Stevensville. There are three Constitutional Amendments on the ballot two proposed by the Legislature and one by public initiative. There is one Act proposed by the Legislature and one law proposed by public initiative. Voters who reside in the Town of Stevensville can vote on whether or not to recall the Mayor.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 46 is a leg-

2021

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islative proposal to amend Article XIV, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution to revise the method of qualifying a constitutional amendment by initiative for the ballot; and providing an effective date. The proposed amendment modifies the state constitution to specify proposed petitions for constitutional amendments from the people must be signed by at least ten percent of the qualified electors in two-fifths of the legislative districts. It repeals a different standard found to be unconstitutional in 2005.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 47, also placed on the ballot by the legislature, would amend Article III, Section 4, of the Montana State Constitution to revise the method of qualifying an initiative for ballot; and for providing an effective date. This amendment modifies the state constitution to specify proposed petitions for citizen ballot initiatives must be signed by at least five percent of the qualified electors in one-third of the legislative districts. It repeals a different standard found to be unconstitutional in 2005.

CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NO. 118 is a Constitutional Amendment proposed

by Initiative Petition. Under the Montana Constitution, a person 18 years of age or older is an adult, except that the legislature or the people by initiative may establish the legal age of purchasing, consuming, or possessing alcoholic beverages. This initiative would amend the Montana Constitution to allow the legislature or the people by initiative to establish the legal age for purchasing, consuming, or possessing marijuana.

LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM NO. 130 is an Act referred by the legislature revising firearms laws to secure the right to keep and bear arms and to prevent a patchwork of restrictions by local governments across the state and providing that local governments may not regulate the carrying of concealed weapons. LR-130 generally restricts a county, city, town, consolidated local government, or other local government unit’s authority to regulate the carrying of firearms. It removes a local government unit’s power to regulate the carrying of permitted concealed weapons or to restrict the carrying of unconcealed firearms except in publicly owned and occupied buildings under the local government unit’s jurisdiction. It repeals a local government unit’s

authority to prevent or suppress the possession of firearms by convicted felons, adjudicated mental incompetents, illegal aliens, and minors. Federal and other state firearm restrictions would remain unchanged, including for these individuals. Local firearm ordinances that conflict with LR-130 could not be enforced.

INITIATIVE NO. 190 is a law proposed by Initiative Petition which legalizes the possession and use of limited amounts of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. I-190 requires the Department of Revenue to license and regulate the cultivation, transportation, and sale of marijuana and marijuana-infused products and to inspect premises where marijuana is cultivated and sold.

It requires licensed laboratories to test marijuana and marijuanainfused products for potency and contaminants. I-190 establishes a 20% tax on non-medical marijuana. 10.5% of the tax revenue goes to the state general fund, with the rest dedicated to accounts for conservation programs, substance abuse treatment, veterans’ services, healthcare costs, and localities where marijuana is sold. I-190 allows a person currently serving a sentence for an act permitted by I-190 to apply for resentencing or an expungement of the conviction. I-190 prohibits advertising of marijuana and related products.

Marijuana taxes and fees will generate about $48 million annually by 2025. Marijuana fees will fund program administration and enforcement. The general fund will net $4 million.

STEVENSVILLE MAYOR RECALL QUESTION is on the ballot for voters in the Town of Stevensville only.

STATEMENT DEMANDING RECALL - This election is being held as provided by law on the question of whether Brandon E. Dewey, holding the office of Mayor, should be recalled for the following reasons: Mayor Brandon Dewey on 12-12-19 signed a contract for Services with First Call Computer Solutions totaling $79,800.00 that had not been authorized by the Stevensville Town Council in accordance with § 7-3-203(7) MCA. The Mayor’s action circumvented the requirements of § 7-3-203(7) MCA, § 2-399 thru 403 of the Stevensville Municipal Code (SMC) and the Town of Stevensville Purchasing Policy Section7.b) and 7.b) ii).

The Mayor assumed the Power to Make Contracts, a Power that

Annual Election Period Ends Dec 7th

Bitterroot Star -- Page 3

is assigned to the Stevensville Town Council via §7-3-203(7), § 7-5-4301, § 7-5-4121(2) MCA and§ 2-59 SMC. The Mayor’s action resulted in bypassing the competitive bid and contract award process. The Town Council was not allowed to participate in the contract award process and the City Attorney was not afforded the opportunity to review the contract prior to the signing by the Mayor per § 7-4-4604(3) MCA. The Mayor’s actions resulted in denying Citizens the Right of Participation, Article II, Part II, Section 8, and the Right to Know, Article II, Part II, Section 9 of The Constitution of the State of Montana, thereby violating his Oath of Office.

OFFICER’S STATEMENT - The Mayor did not violate Montana Law, Stevensville Code, or his oath in authorizing the purchase of IT services needed for the Town. The Town’s Attorney investigated and determined that all purchasing activities were done legally and compliant with laws. Montana law has a process for bidding when dealing with “other than professional, technical, engineering, or legal services.”

This process does not apply to IT services. According to MCA 7-54301 contracts for professional, technical, engineering, or legal services are excluded from certain provisions. The Council adopted a Purchasing Policy in 2014 to delegate authority to departments and the Mayor for purchases in varying dollar amounts. Through this policy, the Council puts trust in the Mayor to spend within the budget without direct oversight.

The purchasing policy states that for other professional services, including non-construction services totaling between $1,501 $25,000 per agreement, purchases

A is for apple, Allyx and Abby. The two teens enjoyed apple treats on a warm fall day at the annual Apple Day celebration sponsored by the Ravalli County Museum. Liz Cook photo. contained in the current fiscal year budget..., Department Supervisors need only get confirmation by the Mayor prior to purchasing.” With Council’s approval in the 20192020 Budget, the services totaling less than $25,000 in FY2019-2020 was consented to by the Town Council. The Council had authorized several payments to the vendor after the Mayor authorized the purchase.

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The Town’s Water Rights Remain a BIG Issue; They MUST be Resolved!

Follow this Timeline . . .

April 2, 2019, Letter to Mayor Dewey from Ross D. Miller, attorney:

“I have been working on Stevensville’s water rights…”

“As a next step, we should arrange a meeting with the Missoula office of DNRC to discuss Stevensville’s current water rights situation…”

October 24, 2019, Mayor Dewey’s letter to Hooley brothers regarding the proposed subdivision at the corner of Logan and Middle Burnt Fork:

UNITING, NOT DIVIDING

H H H

As your senator, I will advocate for:

H H



H H

Strengthening your access to health care.

 Public

education and workforce training

H

 Protecting

our public lands and addressing the need to reduce the risk from wildfires

H H

 Investing

in infrastructure to attract clean industries to the Bitterroot

H H H

H H

“This letter will provide a Project Scope for preparing the Applications necessary to authorize these changes in water use.”

“As next steps, we should arrange a meeting with the Missoula office of DNRC to discuss the New Global Permit Application and associated Mitigation Change Application for the Twin Creeks Well Field.”

The Town’s water rights issues MUST be resolved before a subdivision proposal comes up for board or council discussion.

H

H

Feb. 25, 2020 Letter to Mayor Dewey from Attorney Miller:

To date, the DNRC meeting has not occurred. Why not?

H

H

“A change application will be required to include this development in Stevensville’s place of use, as the parcel currently lies outside of the permitted place of use.”

“This would be determined prior to plat approval.”

ELECT

DEMAND IT!

H H H H

MARGARETGORSKIFORSD44.COM

Watch this space for more info weekly.

Paid for by Margaret Gorski for SD 44 H Democrat PO Box 994 H Stevensville, MT 59870

Paid for by Jim Kalkofen and Valley Neighbors, Stevensville

H H H

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Page 4 -- Bitterroot Star

Hamilton continued

the Council would have to create a policy regarding what language is not acceptable. He told the Councilors that other cities using the product have seen that there is very little need for comment moderating. He consulted with City Attorney Karen Mahar regarding comment moderation and said she cautioned against limiting people’s First Amendment rights.

The software service costs $400 per month and will be used for all boards, councils and committees although the price varies depending on the size of the municipality. According to Rohrbach, the expenditure is already included in the approved budget.

Rohrbach said the city is also considering using the “Open Meeting” software for holding combination Zoom and physical meetings. This software is free for any government serving less than 5000. Hamilton’s popula-

tion is currently under that figure.

A camera was also budgeted for, bringing the total equipment costs to just under $1000.

If the new technology was successfully installed, said Mayor Domenic Farrenkopf, the Council could meet in person in the community room and the public could participate via Zoom. He said trial runs have worked well. He said you could see the people and hear the people well. The council members indicated a willingness to meet in person under the new arrangements.

GROWTH POLICY UPDATE The City’s Planning staff has issued a review of the city’s Growth Policy as part of the required five-year review process.

Based on the staff’s review and analysis, several sections of the current growth policy have been identified as needing substantial updates, revisions, and additions. Many of these revisions are needed to provide strategic

direction for how Hamilton grows in the coming years and to lay out a clear path for implementation. Other updates are needed to respond to changing circumstances, namely recent growth trends and projected impacts resulting from COVID-19.

Considering these facts, staff are recommending a major update to the growth policy with the following changes guiding the update: • Articulate and define the community’s values, aspirations, and vision as it pertains to growth.

• Better align the community’s vision and values with the growth policy’s goals, objectives, and actions.

• Provide policy guidance (based on community input) for directing outward growth and providing for infill.

• Develop a future land use map to guide zone map amendments and annexations.

• Develop clear annexation polices or guidance for development of a stand-alone annexation

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plan.

• Provide specific guidance for updates to the City’s regulatory framework including zoning, subdivision regulations, and public works standards.

• Organize the growth policy in a such a way that provides clear direction for elected officials and city staff and is understandable for the general public.

• Develop an action plan that provides clear and prioritized guidance that is linked to the plan’s goals and objectives.

• Develop a policy framework or conceptual plan for providing City infrastructure to annexed lands.

• Lay out actions that are clear, actionable, and prioritized.

The next step will be to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to provide technical assistance in the growth policy update. Grant applications are due on October 15, 2020 and it is anticipated that work would kick in sometime in winter/spring 2021 if a grant is awarded. If a grant is not awarded, City staff will work with the City Council and Planning Board on reassessing the scope of the growth policy update to ensure priority updates can be made in a reasonable amount of time that is in line with staff capacity.

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4362 Eastside Hwy • Stevensville • 406-361-9186

BUrnt Fork Vet Fall Updates RETURNING TO CURBSIDE Starting Monday 10/5/2020 we will be returning to curbside service. We have added a check-in window for your convenience. Please do not enter the building. We appreciate your patience as we make changes to ensure we will be available for you and your pets!

DR. ZACHARY DAMBY

Flu clinics for vets Flu shots especially important during pandemic

The Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) is excited to announce its flu clinic schedule at fourteen sites across Montana. Flu clinics and walk-in flu shots are available for Veterans in Anaconda, Bozeman, Billings, Cut Bank, Fort Harrison/Helena, Glasgow, Glendive, Great Falls, Havre, Hamilton, Kalispell, Lewistown, Miles City, and Missoula (Details for each site are below).

By getting the flu shot, we set ourselves up to be as healthy as possible. Plus, the healthy habits that 2020 has normalized—covering your cough, washing your hands often, and staying home when you are sick—will continue to protect us all as we enter flu season.

The facts about influenza are that it can cause severe illness and is a vaccine-preventable disease. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated there were more than 410,000 flu hospitalizations and more than 24,000 deaths in the United States during the flu season.

“In minimizing our risk of influenza, we make a decision that is the most responsible and proactive for ourselves and our community. The flu shot protects ourselves, our loved ones, the healthcare professionals who care for us, and our most vulnerable populations,” said MTVAHCS Executive Director, Dr. Judy Hayman.

The flu will have the most negative impacts on high risk groups such as adults who are 65 years or older, pregnant women, people in nursing homes and longterm care facilities, individuals with medical conditions (such as heart disease, asthma, and kidney or liver disorders), and people weakened immune symptoms.

“People that receive the influenza vaccine have a reduced risk of being infected with influenza and becoming very ill

as a result of infection. Reducing influenza-related illness and complications will help preserve resources for COVID-19 response.

This makes getting vaccinated even more important this influenza season,” said MTVAHCS Infection Preventionist, Christie Wilson.

Veterans have multiple options to get their flu shot this year. First, Veterans with scheduled MTVAHCS appointments will be offered flu shots at the time of their appointment. Second, MTVAHCS clinics across the state are holding drive-thru or walkin flu clinics. Finally, Montana Veterans can find community locations to get no-cost flu shots at flu shot locations across Montana (via www.va.gov/communitycare/ flushot.asp).

MTVAHCS’s overall trust scores—which derive from Veteran rankings of their health care experiences—are at a historic high. MTVAHCS provides healthcare to Veterans across Montana through a series of communitybased clinics, the Miles City Community Living Center (Montana VA’s only nursing home), an acute care medical center, a nationally acclaimed sleep center, and robust telehealth services.

The MTVAHCS serves over 47,000 enrolled Veterans across Montana—an area roughly 147,000 square miles in size.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Complaint continued

for its qualification and placement on the ballot has been completed’, 13-1-101(6)(b), MCA. In the decision of Crews v. Dewey, the Commissioner of Political Practices found that “Because Mayor Dewey did not resign the office, on May 27 the requirement to hold a special recall election was formally triggered under Mont. Code Ann. §2-16-622(1).”

Dewey argues that state law provides a committee seeking to place a ballot issue before the electors five days to file the relevant statement with the COPP. Because the legal procedure to place the recall issue on the ballot issue was completed on May 27, 2020, the C2 Committee Registration as a political committee was due to the COPP on or before June 3, 2020. Committee to Recall the Mayor did not provide a completed Committee Registration to the COPP until June 17, 2020.

Committee to Recall the Mayor failed to properly file as a committee in the Stevensville recall election as required under Montana campaign finance law, according to Dewey.

“You will see that many of the individuals listed as circulators on the enclosed Petition Signers Report are also listed on campaign finance reports filed with your office by Committee to Recall the Mayor. Based on this information, there is no question that Committee to Recall the Mayor sought to place the recall issue before the voters of Stevensville,” wrote Dewey.

Dewey also argues that the law was violated concerning financial reports as well. He states that according to the COPP website reporting calendar for committees including Independent, Incidental, Political Party, and Ballot Issue Committees, C-4 and C-6 reports were due on August 30, 2020 for activity between June 26th-August 25th. However, the Campaign Electronic Reporting System only reflects that Committee to Recall

the Mayor did not file the required report on or before the deadline of August 30, 2020. The Campaign Finance report filed by the committee on September 19, 2020 verifies that activity did in fact occur during the previous reporting period but was not reported by the deadline corresponding with that period. The September 19th

campaign finance report reflects $1,220.00 in expenditures between July 6th and July 17th. These expenditures should have been reported by August 30, 2020.

The complaint has been accepted by the COPP and is under investigation.

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Opinion

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Bitterroot Star Editorial Board Michael Howell Victoria Howell

Guest Comment

The inherent freedom to choose

By Roger Mitchell, Stevensville

“I am blown away by all of the people using the line “I have a right to not wear a mask” or follow the protocol requested by the CDC, United States Government or the medical industry. “—Joan Prather The key word in this phrase is not “right” as some might think, but “requested.” To request is to ask and run the risk that those you ask may not respond as you wish them to. If you ask people to wear a mask because you believe something to be true, you must accept that they might not act in the way you want them to.

US government at the federal level is, according to the Constitution, split three ways: legislative, administrative, and judicial. The legislative branch enacts the law. The administration manages the law. The judiciary reviews the law to make sure it conforms to the Constitution.

(At least that’s the way it’s supposed to work. Whether it does or not is debatable.) The various state governments follow the same pattern.

What this means, from a Constitutional point of view, is that a president or a governor cannot simply issue an “Executive Order” and force everyone else to obey it. Neither the president nor the governors have that authority. Instead, any law which required that everyone wear a mask MUST originate from the legislative body AND then be signed into law by the executive. To date, there have been no such laws at either the federal or state levels, which means that no one in America is

legally and constitutionally obligated to wear a face mask.

The people who claim a “right” are wrong. They really should be proclaiming instead that they are FREE to choose to wear or not wear a mask. “Rights” are too often confused with privileges, as Prather has mentioned and in this she is absolutely correct. Freedom, however, is not granted as a privilege, but is inherent to the individual. No one has the moral authority to infringe on an individual’s FREEDOM to make a personal choice about the wearing of a mask. As the mantra goes (and I wield it offensively), “My body, my choice!”

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. If the governor, the CDC, and the medical industry ASK us to wear a mask, they are giving us a choice. We can cooperate or not, however we decide and there is nothing anyone can do about it, except to try to use moral argument to persuade us otherwise. If those agencies do not ask, but DEMAND that we comply, then they are out of bounds constitutionally and breaking the law, which means that we do not have to follow their orders. Martin Luther King said that, “If a law is unjust, it deserves to be broken.” If a law is unconstitutional and law-breaking, then it is unjust and it should be ignored, disobeyed, and disrespected, even mocked.

This is sufficient...for now. I will save the issue of guilt-inducement and emotional manipulation for another time.

Re: Board of Health 9/16 Guest Comment

lets you know the coronavirus was made in a military lab in China, and that China put it on the world.

She also stated hydroxychloroquine is used to treat coronavirus. You can see Dr. Li-Meng Yan at Newsmax.com – Sean Spicer & Co. or on Dish Channel 216.

And last, why did Israel send America six million doses of hydroxychloroquine and not any of us have been able to use it? Why are doctors not pressuring the CDC to distribute this medicine when other countries use it? It must be all about control of the people of America.

Think about it.

Diane Ross Stevensville

As I read your comments on face masks for coronavirus, aka COVID -19, no comments as to what affects mask wearing has on the human body.

You did not identify what specialty of doctors you are. Are you an M.D. FP, sports doctor, OB/GYN, dentist, chiropractor, cardiologist, immunologist or a virologist?

Side effects to wearing masks not mentioned.

Length of time a person should wear a mask, not mentioned.

Side effects: oxygen levels in blood and to brain – lowered.

Breathing in your own carbon dioxide, sneezing and coughing into mask and rebreathing those particles in.

Immune system - compromised.

No fresh oxygen into lungs.

You did not mention that there are lots of coronaviruses – that is what the cold is. This is a bad cold! Nothing more.

You did not mention hydroxychloroquine has been used in the Asian countries for 70 years. It has also been used for our soldiers returning from the Korean War and Vietnam.

You did not mention that President Trump signed into law “the right to try.” This is for any and all medicines.

You did not mention there was no social distance or mask wearing when American had Ebola, H1N1 (swine flu) or the Hong Kong flu. The country was not shut down, nor were people told to stay in their homes. We went to work, school, shopping, to church.

The HIN1 (swine flu) and Ebola were when Obama was in

Letters

office. Hong Kong flu in 19721973. Our country did not shut down nor did we wear masks or distance ourselves from each other.

I know, I lived it.

You commented that “we do not believe that civil or criminal penalties are necessary at this time.”

Who gave you the authority to have a person arrested because they do not comply with the mask or 6 feet apart?

There is no law requiring a person to distance themselves or to wear a mask!

You need to read the U.S. Federal Law, Title II of Civil Rights Act. 42 U.S. Code §2000a.

Dr. Bill McNulty said “You did not ask me!” The root word for mask is ASK! You say that plexiglass shields used by businesses are “acceptable face coverings.” So, if the plexiglass is “supposed” to stop the virus, why are you wearing a mask?

If I don’t wear a mask, why are you upset if I’m near you when you are wearing a mask? Is it because you know these masks don’t really work? The only mask that works on this virus is the N95 mask. Go ask the doctors and nurses.

The CDC an Dr. Fauci have started healthy people do onto need to wear a mask.

Dr. Fauci is supposed to be the doctor for coronavirus, aka COVID-19. Fauci is a doctor of the immune system or an immunologist. He is NOT a virologist!

A virologist is a doctor that studies viruses, i.e. coronaviruses, etc.

You need to see Newsmax’s Sean Spicer’s guest on August 10, 2020 to know what a virologist is and tells you about the coronavirus.

Dr. Li-Meng Yan is a doctor of virology. She is here in America in hiding after escaping China. She

Bitterroot Star

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We don’t ostracize, we include

I read Rachel B’s letter with incredulity. I don’t who she’s been talking to, but obviously not any Democrats. Her litany of allegations is a fantasy. I’ve been a Democrat for over 50 years and I don’t recognize anything true in her statement. Let me make two points.

(I’ll ignore most of her points because to address them gives them more substance than they warrant).

First, the Democratic Party is the “big tent” party. We welcome all patriots, all colors and creeds.

We seek to reconcile disparate views in the process. It’s a big job. As the Democratic Party gets bigger and more inclusive, the Republican Party simply gets smaller, less welcoming and more self-serving. This is unfortunate.

As a society, we benefit from a healthy clash of two vibrant parties.

It’s sad to see what the Republican Party has become. Anymore, all it stands for is tax cuts for the rich, a distinctly un-Christian version of Christianity, attacks on the integrity of women’s bodies and adoration before that altar of mammon, the

stock market. (It’s a mild curiosity to me that people earning humble wages declare themselves Republicans, as if that party did one good thing for them. I suspect they want to be seen as Republicans so others will think they have more than they do).

My second point pertains to the ridiculous allegation of “socialistic communism.” Anyone who remembers the Cold War, the threat of nuclear war, and the Cuban Missile Crisis will be outraged that this young lady presumes to know beans about the threat of communism, socialism and all we have done to protect America from those excesses. We have Social Security, Medicare, and minimum wages because they either deter poverty or enable people to work productively. We support health care and workplace protections so we can maintain a healthy population.

Who needs a society crippled by pandemics, diseases or dangerous environments?

Finally, let me assure readers that the young lady’s allegations in no way resemble Margaret Gorski or the Democratic Party. I just wonder what planet Rachel inhabits, so I can be sure not to go there.

Linda Schmitt Corvallis

Elections do matter

With emotion, the young army colonel told me that he was convinced that democratic countries were the freest and most prosperous places to live. He wanted his children to live in a democracy “like the United States of America.”

It was 1997. I was in the war ravaged west African nation of Angola. I was there as a representative of a program conceived

by President Ronald Reagan to use volunteer American experts to

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“encourage democracy in places where it is absent” and “help democracy become more effective where it is in danger.” I was recommended by Montana House Speaker John Mercer and Senator Conrad Burns to be a part of this effort.

Angola was in the world’s longest civil war, but had indicated an interest in establishing a real democracy. That was when I got the call. I would be working with the Angolan General Assembly.

I would be working with Joseph Martin Shikuku, a member of the Kenyan parliament.

Shikuku was a product of British colonial schools, and spoke meticulous British English. He was an ethnic Bantu, part of the same tribal grouping as the Angolese, and so he understood the culture of our audience. He was also one of the most unforgettable characters I have known in a long life of knowing characters. In introducing himself he told me he had four wives.

He showed me their pictures, and pointed out which was his current favorite. When I complimented him on his beautiful dialect he quickly responded that he had killed British soldiers in what we Americans know as the “Mau Mau uprising.” When he asked me if I was uncomfortable with that, and I admitted to him that I was, he said, “Why should that be? You Americans killed them yourselves in your fight for your independence. Is it that our struggle for freedom was a case of black people killing white people that makes you uncomfortable?” I have thought about that for the rest of my life.

We did a series of two-hour presentations over four days. Many of the parliamentarians had been trained in Russia, and missed few opportunities to attack the U.S. and sometimes me. Martin, as Shikuku liked being called, was enormously helpful with his quick wit, skillful use of Bantu humor, and credibility as a former revolutionary in the colonial struggle for independence in Kenya.

As lead lecturer, the essence of my overall message was that stable democracies are the best places in the world to live. They depended on elections. Leaders had to voluntarily leave office if losing an election. Once that became an established tradition, governments could peacefully change without violence and revolution. In such a system, long-term progress could be made in building roads, schools, hospitals, and a stable and prosperous economy.

Angola has both oil and diamonds, and a bounty of agricultural resources. Those in power couldn’t imagine giving control of that up by accepting the outcome of an election of ignorant peasants.

I sadly fear that we in our great, rich land of opportunity have become complacent in what we have. We have a president who says he won’t accept the upcoming election outcome if the result is against him. Catastrophic harm could be done to the system that has made the United States of America great, if our people are led to believe that electoral losers can choose to remain in office. The Angolan Colonel understood the absolute necessity of elections to a functioning democracy. So did the greedy tyrants who opposed him.

Bob Brown Whitefish Bob Brown is a former MT Secretary of State and State Senate President.

Timelines tell the truth!

“It is very comforting to believe that leaders who do terrible things are, in fact, mad. That way, all we have to do is make sure we don’t put psychotics in high places and we’ve got the problem solved.” --Tom Wolfe For all Americans, there is

Letters Policy

Kenneth Bransby

Kenneth Bransby www.bransbylaw.com

515 Main Street, Stevensville, MT

Correct font to match #3

Although it is solely at the discretion of the owners/ editors, in the interest of promoting free speech it is the policy of the Bitterroot Star to print all letters as space permits, with very few exceptions.

If you don’t see yours, call Victoria at 777-3928.

Bitterroot Star -- Page 7

only about one month to make a decision about who will be the next President of the United States.

Taking just one issue, the Covid Virus, that might be discussed in the upcoming Presidential debates, will it be the current President Donald Trump, who took steps in early January 2020 to limit the spread of the Covid virus through travel bans from China (later from Europe) or a mad, corrupt, and lying, Joe Biden, who until March 2020, said that no travel bans were needed. Biden would not have stopped flights from Wuhan even though China began its own travel lockdown in January! Timelines tell the truth!

On February 21, the CDC released the warning on the virus.

However, Slow Joe, living in isolation in his basement, kept tweeting that Trump was xenophobic and engaging in fear-mongering about the virus. Biden’s own top advisor, Ron Klain, on February 27, a month after Trump’s China travel ban, encouraged Americans to go to China town, “…Here’s one more thing everyone should do. They should, tonight, go down to Chinatown in their city and buy dinner or go shopping there.

What we see inevitably, what we’re seeing already, is … people staying away out of needless fears about coronavirus.”

On March 2, as further evidence of his mental illness and inability to speak to a plan dealing with the virus, Slow Joe couldn’t even remember one of the most quoted sentences in history saying at a campaign event in Texas, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that All men and women created by the—you know, you know, the thing.” The thing?

Dementia?

After the World Health Organization finally on March 11 declared the virus a full-blown pandemic, on March 12, Slow Joe, disagreed and once again tweeted, “Stop the xenophobia and fearmongering.” Then he released his own “combat coronavirus” plan, that did NOT include a single travel ban nor did it mention China, or the city of Wuhan where the virus is believed to have originated. Could the billions being paid to his son by China have something to do with this decision? Or did Slow Joe just forget the name of the country due to his mental deterioration?

Consider that if Biden’s plan, however, had been released in the same time frame, January 2020, when Trump instituted a China travel ban, that would have meant that flights coming directly from Wuhan would have been allowed into the U.S. while China itself, in January, was locking down their own transportation network. Both China and Trump locked down in January but Joe would not have. China recognized the threat that the virus presented to its own citizens. Joe ignored the threat to the USA possibly because his own family was making millions of dollars from China?

Bribery?

Did you notice that Biden’s would-be coronavirus plan was eerily similar to that of his 2020 Democrat opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in that both men would NOT have helped keep American citizens safe like Trump’s did by implementing travel bans. Plagiarism? Poor decision making?

Biden’s lack of action from January to late March and lack of calls for a travel ban was indeed mad. Only later when many experts spoke out on the issue of the travel bans and admitted the Trump bans did help stop the spread of the virus throughout the United States did Joe do a “flip flop” on the Covid Crisis, stating in a tweet in late March, “…We are in the midst of a crisis with the Coronavirus. We need to lead the way with science – not Trump’s record of hysteria, xenophobia and fear-mongering.”

It is even harder to imagine that anyone, except the deluded left who embraces this mentally ill man, believes a word he utters.

Joe can’t even remember the office he is running for! On February 28, Slow Joe told a crowd of supporters in South Carolina that he is running for a “United States Senate” seat, and if they don’t continued on next page

Page 8 -- Bitterroot Star

like him, they can “…Vote for the other Biden.” This huge gaffe made Americans realize that Slow Joe was indeed having problems with his brain. Biden drew ridicule from critics and even the liberal media who said Biden’s latest gaffe is evidence that he is “too out of touch to run for presidency.”

It is hard to imagine that the world has ever seen a more mentally incompetent Presidential candidate than Biden, who with a couple of days until the debates, (will he show or will his campaign declare that he has the virus and cannot come out to debate) and one month to go until the election, hides in his basement so he doesn’t have to react to and correct his verbal flubs or even remember who he is? His moniker, SLOW JOE, is absolutely correct but then again, perhaps “Running late again Joe” would be better?

Helen Sabin Corvallis

For those who would govern

Amidst the hoopla and hyperbole of this election I came across the wisdom of Poet Laureate of the United States Joy Harjo who asks us to consider an incomplete yet revealing list of questions for those who would ask to govern, and to which I added some of my own. Here they are.

Can they govern themselves? Do they have a record of community service and compassionate acts?

Have they asked permission of the original keepers of our lands, and are they in the service of the lands on which we stand? Do they know our history and our laws? Are they law abiding? Are they owned by lawyers, bankers, insurance agents, other politicians, or anyone else who who unfairly profit by their decisions? Do they balance the power plays of politics with the processes of democracy?

Do they focus on what brings our communities together, or on what tears us apart?

Charles Mabbott Darby

Zoning board comment

There are at least nine churches from Hamilton that over the years have had to buy adjoining property or move outside of the city limits to expand or provide extra parking due to growth.

Why should the church presently in litigation be allowed to violate Zoning laws? I have nothing against any legitimate church, but why even have zoning laws if they will seldom, if ever be enforced?

Any person on any board, including the council, should recuse themselves from voting on this issue. It’s time our city starts to learn to say no. I cannot remember the last time the Z.B.A. said NO to a request. Please enlighten us.

Your citizen resident taxpayers are breathlessly waiting for answers!

P.S. please give copies of this letter to the appropriate Board, Planner, and council.

Joe Petrusaitis Hamilton Former mayor and councilor for 18 years

Rebuttal to an obituary

Have you ever read a rebuttal to an obituary? Yeah, me neither, but hear me out. Paul Graves died recently. Obviously, my rebuttal is not that Paul passed.

You can’t argue that. It is, well, science. Instead, my beef is that mine and my family’s names were included in his obituary. Paul had so much hate for his kids that he found it necessary to take the rather arrogant and comically futile step of including in his will the request that we not be notified of his death. The fact that a family member went against his final wishes should in and of itself tell you all you need to know.

The hate in his heart ran so deep that it extended to his two only blood relative grandchildren. One of those wonderful children he never even met. So, my rebuttal is simple – our names should have been left off that obituary. You don’t get to have it both ways; you can’t despise us, badmouth

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 us, berate us, and belittle us, and then add us to the list of “loving” family in the obit as if we were ever included as such. The truth is he is not survived by us. In fact, we survived him.

Amy Wright Littleton, CO

Dewey has problem with truth

Brandon Dewey has a problem with the truth. In a recent edition of the Bitterroot Star (Sept.

30, 2020) he states, “The recall was placed on the ballot by a small committee of individuals.”

This statement is totally false.

The fact is 254 voters in the Town of Stevensville signed the Recall Petition. That number is just over the 251 signatures needed to put the issue on the ballot which is 20% of the approximately 1250 registered voters in Stevensville.

I was one of the signature gatherers and my area was from 3rd to 5th Street and from Main Street to the school. I will admit that I did not get the opportunity to talk with all the voters in my area, however, of the 60 people I did engage, only two were for Dewey, 18 were undecided, and 40 signed the petition. Two people out of 60 is only 3.3 percent. If you multiply 3.3 percent times 1250 you only get 41 votes. That my friends, is a small number, especially when you consider we had three months (90 days) to collect the signatures and we were basically done in three weeks. When you look at reality you see that the “small committee of individuals” statement does not hold water. Dewey has belittled the voters of Stevensville to make himself appear important.

Dewey also says in the same publication that Judge Recht’s ruling is “simply an opinion.” A ruling by a District Court Judge carries far more weight than a mere opinion by an attorney. A case in point would be Dewey’s own argument that the Stevensville Town Attorney had given approval to carry on. Judge Recht still ruled against Dewey. How come Dewey did not file an appeal to the Montana Supreme Court?

Could it be Dewey understood that he did not stand a snowball’s chance in you know where?

Mark Adams Stevensville

Privatize!

I have seen TV ads criticizing public servants for allowing the purchase of government property by private citizens. I am reminded of a book I read years ago, “Free Market Environmentalism.” It made abundantly clear that property in the hands of private citizens was managed and cared for much better than property in the hands of any government, and at a much lower cost. After all, government has no competition. It’s not their money and the taxpayer’s wallet is not a high priority.

The optimal solution: 1)

Have the Federal government remand all its property to the states. 2) Have the states remand much of that property to local control to be sold at auction to the citizens. State budgets would be greatly enhanced also.

On that note I recommend Fielder for the Public Service Commission. Common sense local control of the free market as opposed to a liberal greenie insider who advocates big government socialist mismanagement.

Frank Novotny Victor

Support for Gianforte

I have had the privilege of serving Montanans for many years. I’ve worked with some great leaders, and I see another great leader about to emerge. Greg Gianforte has spent a lifetime developing his leadership skills.

His story about starting RightNow Technologies in the spare room of his Bozeman home, with his wife Susan is familiar to all of us by now. He was able to grow that business from that small beginning to Bozeman’s largest commercial employer, creating 500 high wage jobs, and launching Montana’s high-tech sector.

As the only candidate in this race who has built a business from the ground up, Greg has learned many valuable lessons. Problem solving is critical for any entrepreneur, but to have the success that Greg has achieved, it’s a skill that must be mastered.

For 16 years Democrats have controlled Helena, and they have overregulated our businesses, dramatically expanded state government, and the services the state agencies provide have become more bureaucratic and time consuming. This has had a devastating effective on our state’s economy.

We are now ranked 44th out of 50 states for our income level. It’s clear that now is the time for new leadership.

Greg Gianforte’s plan would reverse a lot of the anti-job policies that have been enacted during the Bullock-Cooney Administration. That starts with a top to bottom regulatory review of all the state agencies, to figure out what is working, and what needs to be fixed. Greg’s leadership will help get them running again as they should be, and more efficiently.

At RightNow Technologies, Greg worked with many large corporations around the world, helping them to function more efficiently. For 16 years there has been no focus on running our state efficiently. Democrats have only focused on growing our state’s government, instead of saving hard earned taxpayer dollars. Greg will lead our state government to peak efficiency and allow us to keep more of our money.

Greg has been an exceptional leader, and it is evident by the success that he has had as a businessperson. With the skills that he has developed in the private sector he can provide a pro-

NOTICE OF EXTENDED CLOSE OF REGULAR VOTER REGISTRATION AND OPTION FOR LATE REGISTRATION Per the Governor’s Executive Order dated August 6, 2020, regular voter registration has been extended for elections being held on November 3, 2020.

Notice is hereby given that regular* voter registration for the Federal General election, held on November 3, 2020, will close at 5:00 PM on October 26, 2020. *NOTE: Due to social distancing, we are trying to limit in-person contact. The Election Office will be open for in-person late voter registration starting October 26 thru November 2. However, due to social distancing recommendations, we encourage voters to check their registration status online through the “My Voter Page” at https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo and submit forms ahead of time to help us limit in-person contact in our office.

From now until October 26, you may register for the election by contacting the Election Office to request a registration form by: phone (375-6550), fax (375-6554), email (elections@rc.mt.gov), mail (215 S 4th Street, Suite C; Hamilton, MT 59840), or you can download the voter registration form at https://ravalli.us/145/Elections. Registration forms can be returned via mail, fax, email or deposit in the drive-thru drop box located at 215 South 4th Street, Hamilton.

All qualified active and inactive registered electors are entitled to vote in said election. However, if your registration status is inactive, you will need to reactivate in order to get a ballot. To see your status, go to the “My Voter Page” at https://app.mt.gov/voterinfo.

If you are a registered voter and do not receive a ballot, contact the county election office to update your information as necessary and receive a ballot. If you need a replacement ballot, forms can be found on our website at https://ravalli.us/145/Elections.

If you have moved, please update your registration information by filling out a new voter registration card and submitting it to the Ravalli County Election Office.

Dated this 30th day of September, 2020 Regina Plettenberg, Ravalli County Election Administrator 215 South 4th Street, Suite C; Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 375-6550

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business environment in Montana that will diversify our economy, create competitive wages, and help keep more Montanans here instead of leaving the state for better economic opportunity.

After 16 years of Democrat rule in Helena, we rank near the bottom of the country for our average income. Mike Cooney has said that our economy is fine, and that Montana doesn’t need a comeback. This shows how much of an out of touch career politician Cooney is. We need someone with new ideas, who is ready to take on the challenges we will face in a post CoVid world, not someone who is satisfied with the status quo. Greg Gianforte is the only choice for Governor this November.

Sen. Fred Thomas Stevensville

Support for Cooney

One week after the November election, the Supreme Court will decide the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Health care for 112,000 Montanans hangs in the balance, not to mention the 429,000 Montanans with pre-existing conditions whose protections could be stripped away. Our rural health structure is now under renewed threat – the lifeline that Medicaid expansion provided could be cut on moment’s notice.

As health care leaders, the uncertainty surrounding Montanans’ access to quality, affordable health care is deeply troubling.

Which is why we were so glad to see Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney step up to the plate and put forward a plan for what he’d do as Governor to protect Montanans’ access to health care, even if the ACA and Medicaid expansion are eliminated.

If elected, Cooney has pledged to codify critical protections offered by the Affordable Care Act into state law, like protecting Montanans with pre-existing conditions from being denied coverage or forced to pay higher rates. Cooney also laid out a plan to prohibit annual or lifetime caps on coverage, and to make sure that essential health benefits like ambulatory care, mental health care, substance use disorder services, and maternity and newborn care remain covered by insurance.

Let us be very clear: the Supreme Court overturning the Affordable Care Act would be a disaster for Montanans.

Yet still, we have elected leaders like Congressman Greg Gianforte, who are trying their best to strip health care away from Montanans, even in the middle of a pandemic.

Greg Gianforte has vocally opposed the Affordable Care Act since he first entered politics.

Gianforte called the landmark health care law “a disaster,” and he’s pledged to dismantle the ACA “piece by piece.”

Even more recently, Gianforte voted in support of the lawsuit to gut the ACA and Medicaid expansion, and he offered his unqualified support for President

Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, who if confirmed, is widely believed to be the final nail in the coffin of the ACA. Congressman Gianforte’s insistence upon tearing health care away from Montanans in the midst of a pandemic is downright dangerous. If Gianforte and his DC allies manage to successfully overturn the ACA, Montanans will pay the price.

This November, Montanans will decide whether to elect a Governor who is focused on protecting and expanding access to health care, or a Governor who is actively trying to strip it away.

Unlike Gianforte, Mike Cooney has spent his entire career delivering results for Montanans and fighting to defend our health care. During the battle to reauthorize Medicaid expansion, Cooney visited nearly every rural hospital in the state. Thanks to Mike Cooney, nearly 1-in-10 Montanans have access to quality, affordable health care.

Mike Cooney has proven that he’s the leader Montanans can count on to go to bat for our health care. Greg Gianforte has proven the opposite.

To protect access to quality health care for all Montanans, vote Mike Cooney this November.

Dr. Cora Neumann, public health advocate Jacquie Helt, SEIU 775 Lora Wier, public health advocate and former public health nurse Jane Smilie, health consultant Dr. Greg Lind of Missoula Kim Gillan, former state senator Emily Colomeda, public health expert Emily Coyle, health consultant.

Support for Bishop

In the 2012 election, over 18000 voters and in the 2016 election over 17000 voters voted for the Libertarian candidates running for governor in Montana.

In both elections, the Libertarian candidate participated in the gubernatorial debate. This year the libertarian candidate will not be allowed to participate in the debate. This is because his name, which is Lyman Bishop, was not included in the several polls that were used to determine who would participate in the debate.

This begs the question, who had the resources (i.e.the money) and the influence (i.e.the money) to make sure his name did not appear on the polls used to determine who will appear at the debate? I believe it has to probably be the billionaire in the race.

That of course is Greg Gianforte!

By conveniently letting the people controlling his “blind” trust take care of this, Gianforte can state that he himself had no control over their doing this.

Mr. Bishop will be on the ballot. The Libertarians believe in the Constitution as written by our founders. Libertarians also believe in all of our Bill of Rights including the 6th Amendment. My wife

and I strongly support President Trump but we are both voting for Mr. Bishop for governor.

President Trump knows how to deal with the devils he knows, the Democrats. It is those unpredictable devils such as spineless and RINO Republicans that have caused the most political trouble for him. In many ways, Gianforte has shown himself a spineless Republican. His opponents in the primary election made that abundantly clear!

Dr. W. David Herbert Billings

Smith River mine is not a done deal

This past summer, folks from across Montana and around the country fished for wild trout while the cool, clean waters of the Smith River flowed underneath them. They sat around campfires, telling stories of good times gone by with friends and family while their kids played nearby, making wishes on stars. They sat under the shade of massive limestone cliffs, cooling off after a hike to the canyon rim where they passed by Native American cultural sites as they climbed to some of the most picturesque views in Montana.

They traveled to the Smith River valley for solitude, recreation, and relaxation. They spent money on guides, groceries, and gas, preparing for a vacation that many can only dream of. They came from all walks of life with truly only one thing in common – their love for the Smith River. It’s Montana’s premier recreational float, winding north from White Sulphur Springs to just outside of Great Falls, flowing approximately 60 miles through a deep canyon devoid of any major development and replete with wildlife.

Many of these people were probably unaware of the existential threat lurking just upstream from them. An international mining conglomerate (Sandfire Resources) has started to make preliminary moves to build an underground copper mine in an acidic ore body adjacent to and directly beneath the Smith’s most important rainbow trout spawning tributary, Sheep Creek. If the courts allow the mine to go through, it will forever change the Smith River’s water quality and everything that depends on it.

So far, this activity has been only limited to pre-mining activities such as road building and tailings impoundment construction.

But the thought of the mine fully moving forward is deeply distressing to most anyone who’s had an opportunity to float the river, or dreams of doing so.

Our organizations have taken this threat seriously right from the start because we know how historic mining has damaged Montana’s waterways. We’ve been present with our members at every public hearing and event surrounding the mine, submitted numerous technical reports to different agencies in order to influence the permitting process, held rallies See LETTERS, page 16

5th generation Montanan and 4th generation Montana attorney.

Serving the Bitterroot in the areas of tax law, business and estate planning.

JOHN MASAR Attorney 406-625-2682 115 W 3rd Street Suite 103 Stevensville jmasar@lionwoodlaw.com www.lionwoodlaw.com Ready to help.

Calendar

Hamilton Senior Center meals

Hamilton Senior Center is preparing meals for take out on the following schedule: Monday, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. call in to order meals for the week.

Thursday, pick up between 12 noon and 1 p.m.

For orders and info: 3635181.

AA meetings

Check for local meetings by calling the hotline 1-888-607-2000 or by visiting www.aa-montana. org.

Al-Anon

The Stevensville Al-Anon Family Group has changed its location and day. The meeting is now held every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Stevensville United Methodist Church, 206 College St. Members wear masks and practice social distancing. Enter the church through the red front door, turn left, then right through the double doors to the second room on the left. Al-Anon helps family members or friends of an alcoholic learn about the disease and to share their experience, strength, and hope. For more information call Hazel, 239-0878, or Mary, 529-3951.

Narcotics Anon

Narcotics Anonymous meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis Parish Center, 411 S. 5th, Hamilton (north entrance).

Gamblers Anon

Gamblers Anonymous meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church, 411 S. 5th Street in Hamilton.

Overeaters Anon

Overeaters Anonymous meets every Saturday at 10 a.m. at Bitterroot Public Library, Hamilton. For more information call 363-2512.

WIC clinics

Ravalli County WIC is a nutrition education program that serves pregnant, post-partum, and breastfeeding women, children from birth to age 5 and women whose pregnancies have ended early. WIC also welcomes dads, grandparents, and foster families. The WIC program is offered In Hamilton Monday through Thursday 8:30-4:30 at 205 Bedford Street, Suite P, District Courthouse Building in Hamilton.

The Stevensville clinic is open on Wednesdays at the United Methodist Church, 216 College Street in Stevensville. The Victor Clinic is the second Tuesday of the month at the Victor Nazarene Church. The Darby clinic is open every month on the third Monday of the month at the Darby Library.

Income eligibility guidelines: 1 $23,606; 2 - $31,894; 3 - $40,182; 4 - $48,470; 5 - $56,758. For each additional family member, add $8,288. Call 406-802-7180 for more information or see on Facebook; www.facebook.com/RavalliCounty-WIC. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Family Shelter

The Family Shelter of the Bitterroot is dedicated to helping homeless and needy families in the Bitterroot Valley. If you are interested in helping or need help, call Gary Locke for more information, 239-8833.

Shuttle

The BitterRoot Bus runs a 6:30 a.m. Shuttle to Missoula on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Call the BitterRoot Bus at

363-7484 for more information or to schedule your ride.

Wednesday Farmers Market

A farmers market is held every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. starting June 3rd at 111 s. 4th Street in Hamilton.

Three Mile Coffee Club Three Mile Coffee Club meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at 1064 Three Mile Creek Road.

Everyone is welcome. Good coffee, conversation and get to know your neighbors. All ages welcome. For information call Colleen at 777-3710.

BitterRodders Car Club

BitterRodders Car Club meets the first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st in Hamilton. Everyone welcome. For more information call 961-3136.

Story Time

Are you desperately missing your Library Story Times? Fret no more- you can join Annika from North Valley Public Library for Story Time Live Online! on Wednesdays in June at 10:3010:45 a.m. for this North Valley Public Library online program.

Come enjoy fun stories, a quick early literacy activity, and a creative craft idea. Visit the website to register for this event. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information visit northvalleylibrary.org.

Child care help available

Are you earning less right now due to reduced work hours?

If you were previously over income, you may now qualify for child care assistance through the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship. We encourage you to call us today to find out if you are eligible! Eligibility is for 12 months, so if you qualify now, you will be eligible for the whole year, even if your hours increase again.

Contact Child Care Resources today to see if you qualify at 406728-6446 or go to childcareresources.org.

Maker Kits available

Maker Kits return! This fall get your bi-monthly maker kit from North Valley Public Library, October-December! Register every other week for a different science experiment, art/craft project, or a maker activity. Pick up your kits on Mondays or Tuesdays during the Library’s open hours, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Register for each week you wish to receive a kit on the Library’s website. Kits will be tailored for age groups ranging from 2-18. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street Stevensville. safe. The library reminds you to practice social distancing and wash your hands. For more information visit northvalleylibrary.org.

Zoom Art Club for Kids

Is your child in need of a creative outlet? North Valley Public Library is here to the rescue with Zoom Art Club. Club will be held third Thursdays in October, November and December at 4 p.m. on Zoom! You can watch the lessons live or recorded. After you’ve registered on the Library’s website, check your email for the

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Corn Oct. 23, Friday Night Pub Night - Burgers and Fries Oct. 28, Wed. Dinner - Pork Chops with Stuffing Oct. 30, Friday Night Pub Night - Franks and Fries Curbside pickup and takeout orders are available.

Call 406 363 3031 for more information.

ST. STEPHENS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 203 Stevensville •• 777-0028 360-2661 203Main MainSt.• Stevensville

Worship at 12:0011p.m.

Sunday Worship AM In this Church there shall be no outcasts.

In this Church there shall be no outcasts.

Zoom meeting link and passcode for each meeting. Make sure to register for each month you’d like to attend and pick up your materials at the Library the week of each meeting. This program is suitable for ages 5-11.

North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street Stevensville. Stay safe. The library reminds you to practice social distancing and wash your hands. For more information visit northvalleylibrary.org.

White Ribbon Week volunteers needed

October 18th to 24th is White Ribbon Week in Ravalli County. The White Ribbon Campaign, sponsored by the Ravalli County Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, is a community-wide effort to raise awareness about domestic violence.

We all have a role to play in ending violence against women.

Wearing a ribbon is a simple way to send the powerful message that we all deserve to live in homes that are safe and free from violence. This year, the Coalition is committed to distributing 10,000 White Ribbons to Ravalli County residents.

Groups of individuals are needed to fold and pin White Ribbon cards. For more information, to request ribbons, or to help meet the distribution goal, contact Jamie Ogden or Karissa Carmona at jogden@safeinthebitterroot.org or kcarmona@safeinthebitterroot. org.

Elks Lodge dinners Enjoy food and companionship (while social distancing) at the Elks Lodge located at 203 State Street in downtown Hamilton.

No Host Bar opens at 3 p.m.

Wednesdays and Fridays.

Food is served at 6 p.m.

Wednesday night Dinners are $ 11.00 for Members, $ 12.00 for Guests.

Friday Night Pub Night (open until 8 p.m.) Food is $ 6.00.

Oct. 7, Wed. Dinner - Fish & Chips with Cole Slaw Oct. 9, Friday - Closed to the Public - Membership Appreciation Banquet Oct. 14, Wed. Dinner - Spaghetti (all you can eat), Salad and Garlic Bread Oct. 16, Friday Night Pub Night - Brats and Fries Oct. 21, Wed. Dinner -

Zoom Art Club for Kids

Is your child in need of a creative outlet? North Valley Public Library is here to the rescue with Zoom Art Club on third Thursdays in October, November and December at 4 p.m. Since we can’t get together in person, let’s get creative and do some fun art projects together on Zoom!

You can watch the lessons live or recorded. After you’ve registered on the Library’s website, check your email for the Zoom meeting link and passcode that we’ll use for each meeting. Make sure to register for each month you’d like to attend and pick up your materials at the Library the week of each meeting. This program is suitable for ages 5-11.

North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street Stevensville. Stay safe. The library reminds you to practice social distancing and wash your hands.

For more information visit northvalleylibrary.org.

Wed, October 7 Stevensville Garden Club

The Stevensville Garden Club will meet on Wednesday, October 7 at 1 p.m. at the Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street. Master Gardener Molly Hackett will present a program titled “Putting Your Garden to Bed.” The public is welcome to attend. Call Colleen at 273-3973 for more info.

Thurs, October 8 Google class

“Google My Business” will be presented Thursday, October 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

Learn how to optimize your business listing on Google to help your business be noticed. Class covers the importance of business photos, 360° imagery, responding to reviews, viewing insights, how to use the free app, and more. Instructor: Cody Edwards, Touch Point Designs. Participants will follow the same COVID19 protocols as the Bitterroot College. The course will be by Virtual Classrooms; these classes are live and interactive. You will need home internet access and a personal computer with camera, microphone and speakers. You can also phone in. Instructions will be sent by email. You may request to attend the classes in person, but masks will be required. To register, contact the Bitterroot College at 375-0100 or go to their website. For questions about the course, contact the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority at 375-9416 or email john@rceda. org.

NOTICE OF ELECTION Notice is hereby given that the Federal General Election will be held on November 3, 2020. This election will be conducted solely by mail ballot.

Notice is also hereby given pursuant to law that a recall election will be held on November 3, 2020, for the purpose of voting upon the recall of Brandon E. Dewey who holds the office of Town of Stevensville Mayor. Only voters in Precinct 20 will vote on this issue.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible registered voters on October 9, 2020, and must be returned to the County Election Administrator, Ravalli County Administrative Building, 215 South 4th Street, Suite C, Hamilton, Montana 59840, no later than 8:00 PM on November 3, 2020.

All electors, as defined in Title 13, are eligible to vote in the election.

Early preparation and reconciliation of mail ballots will be held on October 29 and October 30, 2020, at approximately 10:00 AM, in the basement of the Ravalli County Courthouse, 205 Bedford Street, Hamilton. Public is welcome to observe; however, due to COVID-19 and social distancing recommendations, we will limit the number of observers.

Beginning at approximately 10:00 AM on November 2 and on Election Day, November 3, 2020, ballots will be opened, reconciled, and counted by a counting center board in the basement of the Ravalli County Courthouse, 205 Bedford Street, Hamilton. No results will be released until after the polls close at 8:00 PM on Election Day. Dated this 30th day of September, 2020 Regina Plettenberg, Ravalli County Election Administrator 215 South 4th Street, Suite C; Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 375-6550 __________________________________________________________________________________ Display Ad Publish October 7, 14 & 21, 2020 Size: 2 columns wide x 4” long (format to fit)

Sat, October 10 Empty Bowls fundraiser

Sadly, ClayWorks Annual Empty Bowls soup luncheon has been cancelled due to COVID-19.

In lieu of that well-loved event, handmade clay bowls will be displayed at the Hamilton Farmers Market (Bedford Street), on Saturday, October 10 and October 17, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. All donations are welcome and will be donated to local Bitterroot Valley Food banks.

Contributions of $20.00 or more entitle the donor to a handmade clay bowl of their choosing as a reminder of food insecurity in our valley.

Those unable to attend the Farmers Market are encouraged to donate in person at ClayWorks studio located at 325 W. Main Street, Hamilton. Arrangements can be made by contacting Robin Ireland at: clayworksbitterroot@ gmail.com.

Halloween Hanger craft

Halloween face hanging, door knob hanger or porch do-dad for trick & treat. Limited supply.

Sign up by October 10 end of day on the North Valley Public Library Calendar for craft pick up starting on Tuesday, October 13. Use your own glue and scissors please.

Mon, October 12 Stevi school menu Monday: Breakfast - Mini Maple Pancakes, Fruit & Milk; Lunch - Tater-tot Casserole, Mixed Veggies, Fruit Cocktail, Crackers, Milk Tuesday: Breakfast - Strawberry Cream-cheese Filled Mini Bagels, Fruit & Milk; Lunch Chicken Nuggets, Tossed Salad with Ranch Dressing, Apple Slices, Bread & Butter, Milk Wednesday: Breakfast Chocolate Chip & Oatmeal Breakfast Bar, Fruit & Milk; Lunch - Burrito, Black Bean & Corn Salad, Mandarin Oranges, Bread & Butter, Milk Thursday & Friday: MEA Conference - No school.

News presentation

“What Ever Happened to the News?” will be presented via Zoom with Dennis Swibold on Monday, October 12 at 6 p.m. in the North Valley Public Library community room and via Zoom.

Never has so much news been available. The trick is knowing how to find it—and how to judge its credibility. This program— presented by a veteran journalist, author and educator—takes listeners behind the curtain to reveal how the news is made and explain the revolutionary changes facing today’s fast-paced news media. It also offers citizens tools and techniques for staying wellinformed amid the virtual blizzard of information—and for participating directly in the civic debates crucial to their communities, state and nation.

Just in time for the elections, Dennis Swibold takes listeners behind the curtain to reveal how the news is made and explain the revolutionary changes facing today’s fast-paced news media.

Dennis Swibold is a professor and director at the University of Montana’s School of Journalism where

Bitterroot Star -- Page 9 he has taught for 27 years. He will be with us via Zoom only. Patrons need to register on the library calendar to receive the Zoom link.

Tues, October 13 Business financial management class “Small Business Financial Management Basics” will be presented on Tuesday, October 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. Learn the basics of creating and using profit and loss, cash flow, and balance sheet statements. Also includes how to create financial projections and financial management best practices for small business.

Andrea Simmerman, CPA, JCCS, will be the presenter. The class will follow the same COVID-19 protocols as the Bitterroot College and will be by Virtual Classrooms; these classes are live and interactive. You will need home internet access and a personal computer with camera, microphone and speakers. You can also phone in.

Instructions will be sent by email.

You may request to attend the classes in person, but masks will be required. To register, contact the Bitterroot College at 375-0100 or go to their website. For questions about the course, contact the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority at 375-9416 or email john@rceda.org.

Stevensville school board

The Stevensville School Board of Trustees will hold a regular board meeting on Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m. in the Stevensville Music Center Choir Room.

Wed, October 14 Flu shot event

Stevensville Senior Center, 100 Mission Street, will have Ridgeway Pharmacy giving flu shots on Wednesday, October 14 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. Bring your insurance information or Medicare card.

Thur, October 15 Cottage food law class

“Understanding the Cottage Food Law” will be presented on Thursday, October 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. House Bill 478 established guidelines for the production and sale of “non-potentially hazardous foods” such as baked goods, preserves and honey.

Through this course, individuals will gain knowledge of the Montana Cottage Food Law and the process necessary to complete the required application. Instructor: Nina Heinzinger will be following the same COVID-19 protocols as the Bitterroot College. The course will be by Virtual Classrooms; these classes are live and interactive. You will need home internet access and a personal computer with camera, microphone and speakers. You can also phone in.

Instructions will be sent by email.

To register, contact the Bitterroot College at 375-0100 or go to their website. For questions about the course, contact the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority at 375-9416 or email john@rceda. org.

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Sports

Page 10 -- Bitterroot Star

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

By Jean Schurman Sports Editor

Pirates top Troy for first season win It was Homecoming on Saturday in Victor and although there was no parade, the spirits were high at the football game. It didn’t take long for the Victor faithful to cheer and Pirate Jim to light the cannon, yes, cannon, after Robert Crosbie dodged and sidestepped his way into the Troy end zone for the first Pirate touchdown just a minute and half into the game.

Victor went on to win, 70-52, and Pirate Jim actually ran out of powder for the cannon.

Victor was host to the Troy Trojans. The last game Troy won was last year when they beat Victor. Victor had not won a game in two years. Both teams were hungry and ready to play.

It wasn’t long after Victor’s first touchdown that Troy pushed through for a touchdown but the Victor line held on the two point conversion and kept the lead.

Troy took the lad when Trevor Grant took the ball in from the 32 yard line. The two point conversion was good. But Crosbie and company turned right around and came back for another score, this time from 40 yards out.

After the kickoff back to Troy, Victor’s Canyon Parks recovered a fumble which led to another Crosbie touchdown.

Greenwood takes state golf title

Macee Greenwood of Corvallis secured her first Class A state championship on Friday in Butte. She shot a 153 for the two days, seven strokes better than second place Alivia Webinger of Laurel. Aly Rose of Hamilton shot a 180 to finish in sixth place. Jasmine Oyler of Stevensville finished in 14th with a score of 194.

Laurel won the team scoring. Corvallis was sixth and Hamilton eighth in the girls’ team scoring.

The Hamilton boys finished in fifth place behind Whitefish, Billings Central, Laurel, and Livingston. Tanner Hanson shot a 160 to tie for 10th. Corvallis’ Luke Schlimgen shot a 157 to tie for fifth.

Victor’s Robert Crosbie rumbles for one of his five touchdowns as the Pirate O-Line, Roan Jackson (70) and Darvin Thomason (53) holds off Troy. Jean Schurman photo.

Crosbie rushed for 274 yards and finished with five touchdowns and

Stevensville quarterback Sahkaia Wehr hands off to Kellen Beller during Friday night’s game against Ronan. The two paired up for two touchdowns. Jean Schurman photo.

Volleyball

a pick six from 30 yards out for another six points. He had scoring runs of 10, 40, 6, and 5 yards out.

“Our blockers were big today,” said Crosbie. “I ran hard and they made the first contact to open it up.”

One of Troy’s tackles is Jace Fisher. He’s 6’5” and weighs 305 pounds. The combination of freshman Darvin Thomason and sophomore Roan Jackson kept Fisher out of the play many times and opened up a big hole for the offense.

Second year coach Darren Gossett was pleased with his team’s play and the line’s play.

“We are a young team and we are finally getting it together. This first win is huge.”

Troy scored again and on the ensuing kick off, opted to kick an onside kick. But Victor was right there and recovered with only half a field to go. Quarterback Carson Varner threw to Parks in the back of the end zone for another score and Victor was ahead by 28 points.

Although Troy scored another couple of times, but each time they kicked off, Victor was able to recover the short kicks which made for a short field.

Varner had three touchdowns including a fake field goal attempt.

His scoring runs were for 33, 12, and three yards.

“This is a huge win,” con-

cluded Crosbie. “The snowball effect from this could be really good.”

In other football news, Hamilton maintained their unbeaten record with a 35-7 win over Columbia Falls. The Broncs quickly got on the board when Ben Rooney ran 11 yards for the score and Austin Drake kicked the PAT. Hamilton’s next score of the quarter was a six yard pass from Tyson Rostad to Brendan Nelson.

The Broncs mixed it up a little for the next score with Jaiden Klemundt throwing a 64 yard pass to Gabe Kay-Hirmann for the score.

Rostad went back and threw a 25 yard pass to Eli Taylor and then a 54 yard pass to Klemundt for the final Hamilton score of the game.

Drake was perfect in kicking the PATs. Hamilton had 432 total offense yards while Columbia Falls only had 294. Rostad passed for 129 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 56 yards rushing. Rooney had 124 yards rushing and Ben Tack had 59 yards.

Florence defeated Eureka, 35-20, in Eureka on Friday. Florence is currently ranked No. 4 in the state and only has one loss.

That was to Manhattan.

Clark Fork defeated Darby, 52-12. Stevensville fell to Ronan, 48-12.

By the end of Homecoming weekend, sometimes the energy lags. That really wasn’t the case for the Lady Pirates of Victor when they played Lincoln Saturday night. Victor came out strongly and quickly built a lead but a momentary lapse in concentration allowed the Lady Lynx to get back into the game. The two teams were neck-and-neck throughout the first game before Bella Scichilone stepped up to serve. She knocked down three points including an ace for the win.

It looked like Victor was going to do the same in Game 2 and had an early lead before a couple of service errors caused the Lady Pirates to falter and Lincoln won. The momentum had swung to Lincoln and they jumped out to an early lead before Kyla Tacker snaked down an ace.

Taylor McKinley continued to pile up the points for the Lady Pirates. Victor went on to win, 25-14. However the Lynx were not done. They came back to win the fourth game 25-22.

Game five of a volleyball match can be a blowout some-

times, if the momentum is going a team’s way. Both these teams knew that, and both were determined to not get left behind. For every point Victor made, so did Lincoln. For every mistake Lincoln made, Victor made one too.

The two played point for point before Lincoln pulled ahead to take the 15-13 win, and the match.

“They fought hard all the way to the end,” said Victor’s coach, Amber Fawcett. “It wasn’t just that last point leading up to the end of the game.”

She went on to say that she is still working to put the best players in the right spot. “They are finally playing as a team and that’s what I want to see.”

Stevensville picked up two wins this week. Both matches went five games and both were conference wins.

Stevensville def. Ronan 22-25, 25-17, 27-29, 25-19, 15-11 Ronan: Kills 24 (Clairmont 12), Blocks 14 (McCrea 5).

Digs 74 (Uliutoa 16). Assists 22 (Uliutoa 22). Aces 12 (Clairmont 4) Stevensville: Kills 59 (Ella Hendrickson 17, Daphne Engel

Hamilton’s Brynnli Poulson crosses the finish line at the Hamilton Invitational on Thursday. Jean Schurman photo.

Hamilton hosts cross country at Hamilton GC The Hamilton boys cross country team won their own invitational on Thursday at the Hamilton Golf Course. The Broncs had the top five finishers in the race, and had two more in the top 10. Lane Cole ran the course in 17:17.66 to take the win. He was followed by Colter Purcell, Colter Kirkland, Harrison Silverio, and Zachary Kunkel.

As with all of the races this fall, this meet was run in ‘waves’.

About 10 to 12 runners are in each group. The groups are determined by the runner’s previous times with the slower runners taking the course first. This year, both boys and girls run together. This can be good but sometimes it’s tougher for the top girl runners. If they were running with only girls, the faster girls are not pushed as much but by running with boys with similar ties, they are pushed.

Brynnli Poulson has not been challenged much this year unless she is running against the boys. Hamilton’s Poulson won the women’s race with a time of 19:04.42, almost 90 seconds faster than second place Olivia Buoy of Corvallis. She would have placed 13th if she were racing against the boys. She said this helps her keep her focus because she isn’t out front by herself.

Corvallis won the team scoring with Hamilton finishing second. Other Blue Devils who finished in the top 10 were Katie Gleason in third, Laurie Davidson in fourth, Anna Jessop in sixth, and Jessica Venema in 10th.

Stevensville’s Katlyn Potter finished fifth. Madison Ward of Hamilton and teammate Ryanne Childe were eighth and ninth, respectively.

15). Blocks 9 (Aliyah Anderson 3, Mackaela Hawthorne 3). Digs 90 (Engel 19, Maddie Weber 16).

Assists 52 (Weber 45, Engel 7).

Aces 5 (Kennedy Praast 2, Engel 2).

Stevensville def. Butte Central: 23-25, 25-21, 25-22,

16-25, 15-13 Stevensville: Kills 36 (Hendrickson 11, Praast 7, Engel 7).

Blocks 31 (Anderson 6, Danczyk 6). Digs 76 (Engel 23, Weber 12, Kelti Wandler 12). Assists 34 (Weber 31). Aces 10 (Hendrickson 4).

Lady Pirates lose close match

Madi Bahr of Victor makes a block against a Lincoln player.

Jean Schurman photo.

THE PAPER CLIP Different Maps Available • USGS Topographic (Montana, Idaho, Bob Marshall) • Raised Relief Maps • Atlas (Montana, Idaho and U.S.) • County/City Maps

363-5480 228 Main St. Hamilton

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Bitterroot Star -- Page 11

Mahogany duns are with us You very seldom see them in bunches.

They don’t swarm in clouds over the river; they don’t form big flotillas that seem to go on forever like some hatches do.

You’re likely to see a few here, a few there. Mahogany duns are not exactly a super hatch.

They’re a fall staple on the Bitterroot and on some days they’re the only game in town.

Flyfishing with Chuck Stranahan When other hatches fizzle, hatches that usually show up in greater numbers, you might have your most productive fishing on mahoganies.

Twenty years ago, when my son Matt was just four years old, we had a wonderful evening on mahoganies. We went to our “secret spot” on the West Fork.

It’s a secret no longer, and really wasn’t then, but little boys like secret spots – and at that time, so did I. Our secret spot had a riffle pouring into the upper end, and a long medium-current run below – perfect habitat for the bugs we call mahogany duns.

Mahoganies are unusual bugs. You’ll find the nymphs hatching in gentle riffles or at the heads of pools, not in the middle or the tailouts as with most mayflies.

Mahogany nymphs don’t rise from the bottom, reach the surface, shed their nymphal skins as they float along, and eventually fly away, as most mayflies do. Instead they hatch under the water, and swim (or literally fly underwater with their fullyformed wings) to the surface, break through, dry off a little and get airborne.

That’s what Matt and I saw when we fished our secret spot.

There were bugs on the water.

Some were newly hatched, and some were mature bugs coming back to lay eggs. The trout didn’t distinguish between them. They just ate them.

Both adult stages of the mahogany look about the same.

Wing colors differ, but both have that slender dark reddish-brown body.

I rigged Matt’s boy-sized rod with a fly that would do well for either stage of the insect, a sparsely tied #14 mahogany parachute. I knelt behind him and helped him cast toward the near foam line, an easy distance for him to reach on his own with a little practice. He watched the little parachute and with little more than a finger’s worth of assistance from daddy when a fish took the fly, played and landed two nice 10-11” rainbows on an evening I’ll never forget.

In addition to that slimbodied parachute there are other flies that do well for mahogany duns and spinners: Comparaduns tied with any number of materials for the wing will all work – provided they are slender-bodied and sparse.

The purple stuff – hazes, crazes, spectrals and whatnot – will also get close enough to the dark mahoganies, and at times will out-produce a drab brown pattern – depending on the light.

There are plenty of times, though, when mahoganies will be present on the surface and you can’t buy more than an occasional dink-hit with a dry fly – brown or purple.

Put yourself in the trout’ place: there are swarms of bugs swimming past you, making plenty of movement to get to the top, right in front of your nose.

Would you swim to the top for a meal you can barely see, one that won’t be there for long, or chow down on the easy abundance in front of your face?

While this underwater activity can be frenetic, too many fly fishers miss it. A fly tied to mimic the underwater flying motion of the natural can be a game-changer, fished as a dropper or by itself on a pull-pause retrieve.

A fly that does this is the PA (short for paraleptophlebia ascending – who needs the full Latin?).

Those who’ve fished it concur:

Crossword Puzzle

The fly works. It is easy to fish.

Larger trout that refuse to come to the surface to take a dry will often nail it. It will help you take full advantage of the mahogany hatch. You might want to give the PA a try.

Announcement I’ll be teaching several fly tying clinics this winter –

how many and where are yet to be determined. The format is simple: a group of no more than six of us at a time will gather around my fly tying table for a couple hours to watch, learn, share stories and have a good time tying flies. To get on the information pipeline, give me a call or sign up at the shop.

River report Flows out of Painted Rocks Reservoir are down to less than 100 feet per second. That’s too low to float a boat comfortably.

Float the main river, wade the forks.

Water temps are chilling off gradually. The full slate of fall hatches, big orange caddisflies, itty-bitty black-and-whites in the morning, blue-winged olives on overcast days, and mahoganies are all possible. Or pull a streamer any time.

Some days will be better than others – with warm high overcast and soft occasional rain providing the best fishing. Even if you’re looking at full sun and a full moon, get out and fish when you can. It’s too beautiful not to – and it won’t last forever.

Author and flytyer Chuck Stranahan can be reached at chuck@chuck-stranahan.com or visit his fly shop at 109 E. Main in Hamilton.

Get local!

For information about advertising in your local paper, call the Bitterroot Star at 777-3928!

ACROSS 1. Disks 4. Owner 10. Flee 11. Hydrocarbon 12. Government agency 13. Where, poetically 14. Twit 16. New Jersey’s neighbor 17. National capital 18. Dr..’s helper 20. Not down 22. Winged 26. Date 29. Playful 31. Injection solution holder 33. Scriptural your 34. Marijuana cigarette 35. Rapid eye movement 36. Encrypt 37. Compass point

DOWN 1. Doctrine 2. Fools 3. Speak angrily 4. Ribald 5. Anesthetic 6. Her 7. Make smooth 8. __ upon a time 9. Stagger 15. Note of debt 19. Catch some Z’s 21. Heaped 23. Cubic decimetre 24. Pallid 25. What orange doesn’t have 26. Article for sale 27. Sign 28. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 30. Bare 32. Alien’s spaceship © Feature Exchange

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Page 12 -- Bitterroot Star

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

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Oct 8-9 • Darby 2455 Old Darby Rd, south entrance ALL SALES START

Day One 5pm-8pm Numbers to keep place in line given at 2pm for Day One sale.

Following Days 9-12

BIG VICTOR YARD SALE 231 PISTOL LANE. OCT. 9-10-11, 9-4. Masks please. Something for everyone! Halloween decor!

REAL ESTATE AUCTION RESIDENTIAL LOT OCT 5 - 7.

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Nominal Opening Bid: $2,500.

Bid Online Only at auctionnetwork.com. MT: Jeff Ashby Re Lic RRE-BRO-LIC 25402 Williams & Williams, Auctioneers Exempt per 37-51-103(1)(A). Buyer’s Premium may apply. 800.801.8003 williamsauction.com/LandPortfolio.

FARM & GARDEN

PUMPKINS, GOURDS, CORNSTALKS, MUMS AND WINTER SQUASH. Super sweet sweet corn, beets, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic and honey. ProMix potting soil and peat moss.

Butcher hogs and alfalfa hay.

Moeller’s Nursery, 3/4 mile south of Corvallis, Eastside Hwy. Open daily 10-6, 961-3389.

FRESH FARM EGGS from pastured hens, delivered daily to the Bitterroot Star, $4/doz. Severson’s natural grass fed ground beef (1-lb packages, $5/lb). Call 777-3928 for availability or just stop by Bitterroot Star at 115 W. 3rd (blue door).

THE COUNTRY STORE FARM, PET & HOME IS HIRING FOR A WAREHOUSE CLERK. This position is Full-Time with benefits! Apply today at countrstore. net or contact Kiri Cowley at (406) 777-5527 or kiric@countrystore. net.

BEST PART TIME JOB IN TOWN! Harlow’s School Bus Service is looking for some new drivers! NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED; we offer FREE training!!!! APPLY TODAY and INTERVIEW TOMORROW! www. harlowsschoolbus.com Or stop by at 280 Middle Burnt Fork Road Stevensville, MT 59870 Office: 406.777.2189

SERVICES SPRINKLER BLOW OUTS. All Seasons Lawn Services are now winterizing Sprinkler Systems.

If you need our services, please contact us at 529-0465 or 3813106 or rapp@bitterroot.com.

WANTED WANTED: Services of male English bulldog. Floyd Wood, 961-3423.

WANTED TO BUY

WE BUY GUNS. Cash paid.

New, used, antique or military. Call Rich, (406) 531-6702.

LEGAL NOTICES

FOR SALE DAVINCI PRO ENHANCED VISION, $2100. Magnisight for visually imparied, $900. 9614877.

BUILDINGS AUTHENTIC TIMBER FRAMED BARNS. Residential and Commercial Timber Packages. Full Service Design - Build Since 1990, (406) 581 3014 brett@bitterrootgroup.com, www.bitterroottimberframes.com

P.C.

David T. Markette Dustin M. Chouinard Megan S. Winderl MARKETTE & CHOUINARD,

601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515 Hamilton MT 59840 (406) 363-1110 DavidM@mcpcattorneys.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of BARBARA J. RICARD a/k/a BARBARA JEAN RICARD a/k/a BARBARA COUTURE RICARD, Deceased.

Cause No DP 20-96 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said clams will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Garret Ricard, the Personal Representative, in care of MARKETTE & CHOUINARD. P.C., 601 S. First Street, P.O. Box 515, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or filed 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 15th day of September, 2020. /s/Garret Ricard MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, PC /s/ David T. Markette, Attorney for Personal Representative BS 9-23, 9-30, 10-7-20.

MNAXLP

P.C.

David T. Markette Dustin M. Chouinard Megan S. Winderl MARKETTE & CHOUINARD,

601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515 Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 363-1110 DavidM@mcpcattorneys.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of JAMES GENE SHOCKLEY a/k/a JAMES G. SHOCKLEY a/k/a JIM SHOCKLEY a/k/a J. G. SHOCKLEY, Deceased.

Cause No. DP-20-122 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Marilee Shockley, the Personal Representative, in care of MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C., 601 S. First Street, P.O. Box 515, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or filed 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 30th day of September, 2020. /s/Marilee Shockley MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, PC /s/David T. Markette Attorney for Personal Representative BS 10-7, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP.

P.C.

David T. Markette Dustin M. Chouinard Megan S. Winderl MARKETTE & CHOUINARD,

601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515 Hamilton, MT 59840 ADVERTISING (406) 363-1110 DavidM@mcpcattorneys.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY

In the Matter of the Estate of WILLIAM J. FALLON a/k/a WILLIAM JOHN FALLON, Deceased.

Cause No. DP-20-95 Dept. No. .2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Gail Fremgen, the Personal Representative, in care of MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C., 601 S. First Street, P.O. Box 515, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or filed 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 12th day of August, 2020. /s/ Gail Fremgen MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, PC /s David T. Markette, Attorney for Personal Representative BS 10-7, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP

tative

John D. Greef ATTORNEY AT LAW P.O. Box 212 Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 360-8117 Attorney for Personal Represen-

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: LEVONNE BEERS, Deceased.

Case No.: DP-20-120 Department 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 first publication of this notice or said claims will be forever barred.

Claims must either be mailed to Doug McLaren, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, in c/o John D. Greef, P.O. Box 212, Hamilton MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court .

DATED this 28th day of September, 2020. /s/ John D. Greef, Attorney for the Personal Representative BS 10-7, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP LEGAL NOTICE The following is the complete text of an amendment to the Montana Constitution to be submitted to the voters of the state of Montana at the November 3, 2020 General Election.

The text below is being published per the requirement of 13-27-311(1) MCA,

by Secretary of State Corey Stapleton.

Text underlined below shows text to be added.

THE COMPLETE TEXT OF CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NO. 118 (CI-118) Section 1. Article II, section 14, of the Montana Constitution is amended to read: “Section 14. Adult Rights.

A person 18 years of age or older is an adult for all purposes, except that the legislature or the people by initiative may establish the legal age for purchasing, consuming, or possessing alcoholic beverages and

marijuana.”

Ballot Language CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NO. 118 A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION Under the Montana Constitution, a person 18 years of age or older is an adult, except that the legislature or the people by initiative may establish the legal age of purchasing, consuming, or possessing alcoholic beverages. CI-118 amends the Montana Constitution to allow the legislature or the people by initiative to establish the legal age for purchasing, consuming, or possessing marijuana. [ ] YES on Constitutional Initiative CI-118 [ ] NO on Constitutional Initiative CI-118 BS 9-16, 9-23, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP LEGAL NOTICE The following is the ballot statement of an amendment to the Montana Constitution to be submitted to the voters of the state of Montana at the November 3, 2020 General Election.

The text below is being published per the requirement of 13-27-311(2) MCA,

by Secretary of State Corey Stapleton.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 46 AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION PROPOSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AN ACT SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XIV, SECTION 9, OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION TO REVISE THE METHOD OF QUALIFYING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BY INITIATIVE FOR THE BALLOT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The 2019 Legislature submitted this constitutional amendment for a vote. C-46 modifies the state constitution to specify proposed petitions for constitutional amendments from the people must be signed by at least ten percent of the qualified electors in two-fifths of the legislative districts. It repeals a different standard found to be unconstitutional in 2005. [ ] YES on Constitutional Amendment C-46 [ ] NO on Constitutional Amendment C-46 BS 9-16, 9-23, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP

ADVERTISING

LEGAL NOTICE The following is the ballot statement of an amendment to the Montana Constitution to be submitted to the voters of the state of Montana at the November 3, 2020 General Election.

The text below is being published per the requirement of 13-27-311(2) MCA,

by Secretary of State Corey Stapleton.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 47 AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION PROPOSED BY THE LEGISLATURE AN ACT SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF MONTANA AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 4, OF THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION TO REVISE THE METHOD OF QUALIFYING AN INITIATIVE FOR THE BALLOT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The 2019 Legislature submitted this constitutional amendment for a vote. C-47 modifies the state constitution to specify proposed petitions for citizen ballot initiatives must be signed by at least five percent of the qualified electors in one-third of the legislative districts. It repeals a different standard found to be unconstitutional in 2005. ( ) YES on Constitutional Amendment C-47 ( ) NO on Constitutional Amendment C-47 BS 9-16, 9-23, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP LEGAL NOTICE Lot C, Amended Subdivision Plat No. 631508, a portion of Lot 32, Block 19 of Sunnyside Orchards No.4 Minor Subdivision. The proposal is a 5-lot minor subdivision on 6.21 acres. The subdivision is located on Ambrose Creek Road northeast of Stevensville. The subject property is located in the Northwest ¼ of Section 9, Township 9 North, Range 19 West, P.M.M., Ravalli County, Montana.

The applicant is MT Builders and the Consultant is Edward Adkins of Real Estate Services of MT. Information describing the proposal is available for inspection at the Planning Department, in the County Administrative Center, 215 S. 4th St., Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the below meeting, and will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC).

The BCC will conduct a Public Hearing to review the proposal on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020 at 1:00 p.m., in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) at the Administrative Center. The public may comment verbally, or in writing, at the meeting. Comments and information submitted at the public meeting will be considered in the decision on the subdivision. However, please note that only under select circumstances will new information be allowed into the record after the public hearing.

BS 9-30, 10-14-20. MNAXLP LEGAL NOTICE The Conservation Sub-Committee for the Open Lands Board will conduct a public meeting for a Ravalli County Open Lands Bond project on Monday, October 19th, 2020 at 4:00 P.M. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room (Third Floor) of the County Administrative Building located at 215 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.

The Open Lands Board will also conduct a public meeting for the same Ravalli County Open Lands Bond project on Thursday, October 22nd, 2020 at 7:00 P.M. at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds - First Interstate Building, 100 Old Corvallis Road, Hamilton, MT 59840. The proposal is known as the South Burnt Fork Ranch Application. The project is comprised of four parcels with 301.21 acres combined and the property is located on South Burnt Fork Road adjacent to the beginning of Miller Hill Road and 2.8 miles southeast of the Town of Stevensville from the intersection (town jurisdictional border) of Logan Road and Middle Burnt Fork Road.

Bitter Root Land Trust is the applicant. Information describing the proposals are available for inspection at the Planning Department, located at the County Administrative Building, 215 S. 4th Street, Suite F, Hamilton, MT 59840. Written comments are encouraged to be submitted to the Planning Department prior to the public hearing and will be forwarded to the BCC for consideration at the public hearing.

The public may comment verbally or in writing at the hearings. Comments and information submitted at the public hearing will be considered in the decision. Submit email comments to: planning@rc.mt.gov, and questions can be asked by phone at 406-375-6530.

BS 10-7, 10-14-20. MNAXLP NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, its successors in interest and/or assigns,

BITTERROOT STAR

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BANKING

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FUNERAL HOME

Whitesitt Funeral Home 314 Church

Stevensville

777-5711

Bill & Helen Kropp Serving the Bitterroot Since 1902

Plaintiff, v.

UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DEVISEES OF ARDYCE E. KELLEY; ARDYCE E. KELLEY, deceased; JAMES RODNEY KELLEY; TIMOTHY ALLEN KELLEY; RAVALLI COUNTY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; and all other persons unknown claiming or who might claim any right, title, estate or interest in or lien or encumbrance upon the real and personal property described in the complaint for foreclosure adverse to plaintiff’s ownership or any cloud upon plaintiff’s title thereto, whether such claim or possible claim be present or contingent, Defendants.

Cause No. DV-18-68 Department 1 Hon. Howard E. Recht TO BE SOLD AT SHERIFF’S SALE: On the 28th day of October, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. on the front steps of the Ravalli County Courthouse, 205 Bedford Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, that certain real property situated in Ravalli County, and more particularly described as follows: Lot 1B-1 of Amended Subdivision Plat No. 323, being a portion of Lot 1, BIG CREEK MEADOWS, Ravalli County, Montana, according to the recorded plat thereof. Together with a 60 foot wide road and utility easement on the West line and a 30 foot wide road and utility easement along the South boundary of Lot 1-A of Amended Plat No. 193, and also shown on Amended Plat No. 323.

KNOWN AS 124 Tarkas Lane, Victor, MT 59875.

Dated this 22nd day of September, 2020.

STEPHEN HOLTON Sheriff of Ravalli County, Montana By: Steve Holton Printed Name: Steve Holton, Sheriff BS 10-7, 10-14, 10-21-20.

MNAXLP PUBLIC (LEGAL) NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT

RAVALLI COUNTY LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE The Ravalli County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will hold its meetings for the year 2020 at 12:30 pm at the Commissioners Meeting Room, 215 S 4th St, Hamilton, Montana on the following dates: October 20, 2020, and at such other times as shall be duly authorized by act of the Committee or its Chairperson. All interested parties are encouraged to attend. The meeting will also be live-streamed, including remote participation, on GoToMeeting.

GoToMeeting links will be available for meeting participation at https://ravalli. us/241/Emergency-Management. The Ravalli County Hazardous Material Emergency Plan, and information filed by covered SARA Title III facilities in Ravalli County may be reviewed during regular business hours by making an appointment with the Ravalli County Office of Emergency Management.

Copies of documents may be obtained at this office, and a fee will be charged for copying. Any such request shall be in writing and shall be with respect to a specific facility. For further information on these matters, please contact Erik Hoover, LEPC Chairperson, at 205 Bedford St. Suite J, Hamilton, MT, 59840 or (406) 375-6655.

BS 10-7, 10-14-20. MNAXLP REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. Separate sealed bids for updating the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan (PDM) will be received by Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services (DES), PO Box 1287, Columbus, MT 59019 until 5:00 pm on November 16, 2020.

Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services in cooperation with Musselshell, Big Horn, Sweet Grass, Golden Valley, Rosebud, Treasure and Wheatland Counties are soliciting bids for a project to update the PreDisaster Mitigation (PDM) Plan. This update will include a total of eight (8) counties. Scope of work includes the following: Review current plan for each county; review and analyze natural and manmade hazards; engage the public in each county to develop the updated

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

PDM; these meeting will include first responders, government officials, community groups, nonprofits, private businesses and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) representatives.

Further, evaluate potential hazards and disasters; recommend and prioritize hazard mitigation measures; determine necessary updates to existing plan(s); ensuring that revisions are consistent with state and FEMA requirements and develop a schedule for all eight counties for hosting community meetings. Successful contractor is required to attend all community and government meetings. All proposals must be signed and shall not exceed ten (10) pages. Proposals must include letter of transmittal, statement of qualifications and experience, staffing and project management, history of the firm, work to be performed, references, fees and schedule. Project must be finalized

and approved no later than December 31, 2021. For questions or complete copy of the RFP, contact Bill Pronovost, (406) 322-8015, wpronovost@stillwatercountymt.gov or Carol Arkell, (406) 322-8060, carkell@stillwatercountymt. gov.

BS 10-7-20. MNAXLP For information about publishing Legal Notices in the Bitterroot Star contact Victoria at 777-3928

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Bitterroot Star -- Page 13

WiFi hotspots at library

Do you need internet at your house to look for a job, apply for unemployment or a fishing license, fill out the 2020 Census? North Valley Library now has internet hotspots to check out.

A hotspot is a small box that brings a WiFi signal into your home so you can use the internet. Hotspots can be checked out for seven days only. The overdue charge for each day is $1.00. There must be a cell tower within range. Your computer, tablet, or smart phone must be WiFi compatible. Hotspots are filtered for content. Please conserve data usage for the next patron. Director Denise Ard says, “Hotspots are easy to use and we have included simple instructions to help you get connected. We are happy to be able to offer hotspots to our patrons that do not have internet at home.”

NVPL can only check out hotspots to its card holders but other libraries will have hotspots as well, thanks to the Montana State Library.

North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville.

For a list of current library services check the website at northvalleylibrary.org.

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Page 14-- Bitterroot Star

The mask hypocrisy – How COVID memos contradict the White House’s public face

By Lauren Weber and Katheryn Houghton Kaiser Health News

While the president and vice president forgo masks at rallies, the White House is quietly encouraging governors to implement mask mandates and, for some, enforce them with fines.

In reports issued to governors on Sept. 20, the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommended statewide mask mandates in Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The weekly memos, some of which have been made public by the Center for Public Integrity, advocate mask usage for other states and have even encouraged doling out fines in Alaska, Idaho and, recently, Montana.

Masks, a political flashpoint since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, are considered by public health officials to be a top safeguard against spreading the COVID-19 virus as the country awaits a vaccine. But the president’s own actions on masks have wavered: He has called them “patriotic” but often doesn’t wear one himself and has contradicted the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director. During the presidential debate Tuesday, the president said masks were “OK” and then mocked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s mask-wearing habits.

In the audience, some Trump family members and staffers were not wearing masks, despite the rules set by the Cleveland Clinic, which hosted the debate.

The mixed messages and ensuing confusion leave governors, and often state and local health officials, holding the bag of political consequences.

“At some point, we have to turn the corner on this ridiculous separation of what we’re being told is best practice and being guided by science and data, and what the actual practices are by the people who issue them,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

So far, 16 states have yet to enact mask mandates for the general public — all of them are run

by Republican governors. Three out of 4 Americans support enacting state laws to require maskwearing in public at all times, according to an August NPR/Ipsos poll.

To be sure, messaging and the science on masks have evolved: U.S. public health officials did not recommend maskwearing until April. And the White House argues the president has been clear.

“He recommends wearing a mask when you cannot socially distance,” White House spokesperson Brian Morgenstern told KHN. “He has worn masks on numerous occasions himself when appropriate and regularly encourages others to do so, as well, when social distancing is not possible.”

The pandemic task force sends weekly memos to states to share data and recommendations with leaders to help them make decisions, Morgenstern added.

“They’re free to share that information as they see fit.”

Courtney Parella, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, said that the staffers check the

Republican candidates Greg Gianforte and Matt Rosendale, along with their families, cheer during Sen. Steve Daines’ speech at a rally headlined by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, at the Big Yellow Barn in Belgrade. Photo by Ryan Berry, used with permission of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. temperature of every attendee before admission to rallies, provide masks and encourage attendees to wear them, and offer hand sanitizer.

However, campaign events that President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attend often feature crowds of maskless attendees.

On Sept. 14, Pence stood before a crowd of hundreds in Belgrade, Montana, to stump for the state’s Republicans, including Sen. Steve Daines, gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte and congressional candidate Matt Rosendale. Photos show that most who attended went without masks, including the vice president, despite a mask order in effect for the surrounding county.

Montana calls on everyone to wear masks at outdoor gath-

erings of 50 or more people in counties with at least four active cases when attendees don’t stay 6 feet apart.

Photos show people sitting and standing close together at the event in southwestern Montana.

Pence signed hats as people gathered shoulder to shoulder by the rails of a crowd divider.

Six days later, the White House coronavirus reports recommended Montana officials issue fines for those who ignore mask mandates in places the disease is spreading fast.

“What would be helpful from the White House is consistency in their recommendations and their actions,” said Matt Kelley, health officer for the Gallatin City-County Health Department. “It’s one thing to make a recommendation to state

and local health officials to fine people. It’s made more difficult to do that when we have the vice president coming here to a rally where no one, very few people, were wearing masks.”

During a press call last week, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said he didn’t plan to follow the White House advice to punish those without masks. The Democrat, who is running for Senate, said it’s better to encourage people to use masks than rely on fines.

But Bullock said the point of the White House’s request was clear. “Even the federal government says we need to be taking wearing masks seriously,” he said.

“It’s not just governors saying that we should do this and it’s not just health experts saying we should be wearing masks.”

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is among the Republican governors who have resisted a statewide masking order, despite the White House’s recommendation.

“You don’t need government to tell you to wear a dang mask,” Parson said in July at a Missouri Cattlemen’s Association steak fry, according to the Springfield NewsLeader. “If you want to wear a dang mask, wear a mask.”

Parson and his wife, Teresa, tested positive for COVID-19 last Wednesday.

Spokesperson Kelli Jones said last Thursday that the governor does not plan to enact a mask

order, based on an assessment of current COVID data. She added state officials consider the White House reports “really more of an FYI” than a mandate.

“It’s kind of a bizarre document, truthfully,” she said. “We read them and look at them — and make our own policy.”

The reports, which are sent to the governors, also leave local and state public health officials in the dark, said Freeman, of NACCHO. “If the White House were truly serious about making these — what sounds like solid, scientific-backed, data-backed recommendations — if they were truly serious about it, tell the world, share them, be transparent,” she said.

Instead, former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said, the White House has fueled the partisan breakdown on masks.

“One of the many failures of this administration is the politicization of masks, and that has really cost lives,” Frieden said.

“There is no reason masks should be partisan.”

Meanwhile back in Montana, Gallatin County appears to be heading toward its third surge in cases since the pandemic began.

“I don’t really have a lot of time to worry about inconsistency of messaging from the White House,” health officer Kelley said.

The county now has outbreaks in nursing homes and several confirmed cases in schools, he said, and the county’s positivity rate is heading toward 10%.

Lauren Weber is Kaiser Health News’ Midwest correspondent based in St. Louis.

Formerly a health policy reporter for HuffPost based in Washington, D.C., she has covered a wide variety of topics including Ebola and hepatitis A outbreaks as well as the health of migrant detainees.

She was a 2017 USC Annenberg Health Journalism National Fellow.

Katheryn Houghton is Kaiser Health News’ Montana correspondent. She owes her health reporting start to years spent in daily newsrooms, including those of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and the Daily Inter Lake. She’s been an Association of Health Care Journalists fellow and a Solutions Journalism Network grantee. She is a graduate of the University of Montana.

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Obituary Sheldon Delain Leonard his children and grandchildren and teaching them hunting, fishing, shooting and sharing his love for the outdoors.

Sheldon was reunited with his beloved wife, Deborah Leonard, who preceded him in death.

Their legacy included five children and 12 grandchildren: Patricia Leonard (Chris Valdez) of Ogden, Utah; Danny (Julie) Leonard of

Sheldon Delain Leonard of Florence, Montana, passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on September 26, 2020, surrounded by all of his children. Sheldon was born on August 02, 1955, in Des Moines, Iowa to his parents Albert and Elva Leonard they preceded him in death. He was the fourth of five boys. He graduated from Polk City High School in 1973, where he met his beloved wife and eternal partner, Deborah. They soon moved to Montana where they would settle down and build a beautiful home and raise their five children.

Sheldon had a love for life and people. He had a passion for old tractors, hunting, fishing, traveling, and finding new adventures. His joy and pride were

Zanesville, Ohio, grandchildren Myles, Dylann, Ellee Jo, Mattrick, Glenn; Brian (Holly) Leonard of Helena, Montana, grandchildren Clayton and Tegan; Elva Leonard (Radley Clark) of Helena, Montana, grandchildren Kyle and Peytan; Albert (Sheni) Leonard of Florence, Montana, grandchildren Hazel, Kale, and Jewelletta. He is

also survived by his brother, Farrell Leonard of Surprise, Arizona.

Sheldon had a full life. He survived an early liver transplant that at best was going to give him another seven years of life and that was 29 years ago. Dad always had a story that he couldn’t wait to tell you, it might be about hunting, fishing, or his latest adventure,

Bitterroot Star -- Page 15

or just to brag about his children and grandchildren. Sheldon was a social butterfly and he was never a stranger for long in a crowd or new place.

“Sheldon Leonard Loved by many Missed by all...

You’re finally off the wall.”

A memorial service was

held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 100 Middle Burnt Fork Rd, Stevensville.

A reception followed at the church. The family will have a private urn burial.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.brothersmortuary.com.

Six Hundred Generations: Montana’s Settlers from the Ice Age to the Present Presenter: Carl Davis Friday, October 16, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Fighting for the Vote: The Women’s Suffrage Movement in America Presenter: Anya Jabour Friday, October 30, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm (406) 243-2905

UMT.EDU/MOLLI

Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You • Thank You

2020 Ravalli County 4H & FFA ONLINE LIVESTOCK SALE Thank you Jerry Collins Auctions for providing the platform for the auction!

40 Market Steers Averaging $2.56/lb • 2 Bred Dairy Heifers Averaging $1962.50 31 Market Lambs Averaging $4.04/lb • 15 Market Goats Averaging $3.64/lb • 69 Hogs Averaging $3.48/lb 4 Lots of Poultry Averaging $131.75 • 2 Rabbits Averaging $22.38 The 4H and FFA members give a ‘hearty Thank you” to all of the people who helped put the Online Livestock Auction Together - Ravalli County MSU Extension, 4H Advisory Council, Marci Smith, Holly Shupert, Hope Earp, the 4H Livestock Superintendents, Kim Auch, Carol Leese, Tami Van Kirk, Tara Petz, Arlon Bennett, Valley Drug, and all of the behind the scenes people. We are sorry if we missed anyone.

A Special Thank You to: Ravalli County Farm Bureau Federation, Bitterroot Stockgrowers, the Darnall Family in memory of John King , Jr. , McDonalds of Hamilton & Lolo, Dominic’s Birthday Collection, Big Sky Horizons 4H Club, Lucky Horse Shoe 4H Club, Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf, Fords Department Store, Lone Pine/Riverside Conoco, who all have helped cover the sale expenses.

Many THANKS }

Support/Resale Buyers: Hamilton Packing Company, Gary and Carol Leese

The Livestock Exhibitors, FFA Chapters & 4-H Council give a “hearty Thank you” to the following supporters: Our Honor Roll of buyers and Supporters:

Thank you all so very, very much!!! *Those buyers/supporters in dark letters bought more than one animal.

Bozeman

Montana State University Culinary Services

Clinton

Dusty Egbert

Corvallis

Aaron Care Home/ Rebecca Campbell John Bartos Corvallis Physical Therapy Cowpoke Ranch Supply Don & Deb Gardner Sara Gusaas High Country Carpentry Brandy King Tammany Veterinary Hospital Betsy Gleason Brian Thomasy Tim’s Cleaner Carpets & Restoration Bret & Dori Tintzman Tuki Structures/Mark Svee Valley Irrigation Willow Mountain Veterinary Clinic

Darby

Waddell Creek Ranch Woirhaye Cattle Co. LLC Woirhaye Logging Company, LLC

Florence

Crystal Crocker Joni Walker

Hamilton

Allergy & Asthma Care Armitage Construction

Barcus Ranch Jackie Berenyi Donaldson Brothers Ready Mix Done Right Foundation Emergency Medicine /Bret Pearce Dee Hallock Jerry Wessels Tire Center Larry’s Tractors Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Weston Harmon Massa Home Center Mountain Peak Dental Ravalli County FCU Pat Rouse Super 1 Foods TrailWest Bank Wild Country LLC/Leah Osborn Wimps Body Works Marlie Young

Helena

Kimberly Lowry

Lolo Jim Cearley

R & L Lite Excavation

Western Montana New Holland

Natalie Darnall

C White/CI White Consulting

AB Design & Drafting Al’s Cycle Alpine Granite Accents Dennis & Carol Anderson Peg Andersen Marty & Kim Auch Paul & Denise Benson Beehive Homes of Helena/Jeff & Dori Humphrey Denise & Paul Benson Bitterroot Laundry & Cleaners Robert & Betsy Bowman Brandon Braaten & Fred Thomas Brookes Cole Construction CB Ranch CHS - Mountain West Co-op Cheese Factory Garage Confluence Environmental Consulting Corvallis Physical Therapy Double Fork Ranch Pete & Jen Dunn Hope & Todd Earp Economy Excavating Farmers State Bank Dominic & Hannah Farrenkopf First Montana Title First Security Bank Fort Owen Ranch Steven & Kristy Gamble Don & Deborah Gardner Gardner Excavating Gertner Family Amy & Jim Grassey Deanna Haigh Janice Haigh

Ronan

Stevensville

Randy Bailey Bitterroot Stockgrowers Brandon Braaten Burnt Fork Veterinary Clinic Russ Cleveland Country Store (Skagit Farmers Supply) 406 Over Bar/ Sydney Kostecki Bret Gardner Grayhorse Creek Ranch Harper’s Bitterroot Valley Tire Center Longview Farms/Sharon Johnson Ambrer Petritz Prima Commercial Services Rusty Bench Farm Jill Schurman Severson Farms Severson Flying E Ranch Super 1 Foods

Twin Bridges

Missoula

Allergy & Asthma Care Harm’s Pacific Transport Linehaul Logistics Patrick Mangan Northern Rockies Orthopedics Northwest Farm Credit Services Sweet Pea Sewer and Septic UPI Custom Ag/Jon Bouma Lucia Thorness

If

Flatline Outfitters

Victor

Harris Enterprises Steve & Malary Hathcox Ravalli Electric Co-op Specialty Excavation, Inc.

Out of State

Las Flores Apiaries/John French Chip Hassler Jeffrey Czmowski

Add Ons

Dan Hall Les & Holly Shupert Hamilton Lions Club Jocelyn Snider Hamilton Physical Therapy SS Staffing, Inc. & Sports Rehabilitation Claudia Starr Rod & Sandy Herrick Stewart Excavating, Inc. JR & Sue Ann Iman Walt & Vicki Stewart Robert T. Jackson Glen Stoll Lisa & Doug Johnson Summitt Equine Chiropractic Rob Johnson - Kurt & Kelly Solari Steven & Rebecca Jones Sutherlin Farms, LLC Karl Tyler Express Lube Hamilton 3C Cattle, LLC Jeffrey J Karvandi DMD PLLC The Paper Clip Kelly Auch Construction Thomas Herefords Patty Lane Chris Thorson Ron & Donna Lewis TrailWest Bank Joshua & Tara Loveless Van Kirk Family Farm M &M Trans & Auto Waddell Creek Ranch Markette & Chouinard PC Weber & Vanorio CPAs, PC McDonald’s of Hamilton & Lolo Willow Creek Physical Therapy McFadgen Angus Thomas & Jane Wilner Merc Fresh Market Richard & Lydia Woirhaye Jay & Colleen Meyer Mountain West Farm Bureau Ins. Meat Donated: Matt & Theresa Pendergast Natalie Darnall donated 1 Daryl & Tara Petz Post Law Firm, LLC hog to Stevensville Pantry Roger Rasmussen Partners R&L Lite Excavation Donaldson Brothers donatRoberts Family ed 2 hogs to Haven House Chiropractic Center Done Right Foundations Mary Rodriguez Ruffato Land & Cattle Co. and Donaldson Brothers Mary Schoenrock donated 1 hot to Haven Jim & Sharon Schroeder House Charles Scripps Country Store (Skagit Sara & Jeremy Searle Farmers Supply) donated Severson Flying E Ranch Paul Shirley 3 lambs, 1 goat, 3 hogs to

we have forgotten anyone, please accept our apologies.

Haven House

We appreciate each and every one of you! Again, our sincere THANKS!

Page 16-- Bitterroot Star

Letters continued

to get the attention of the decision makers and the media, and in the process created a committed movement of people, from all walks of life and backgrounds, that would like to protect the Smith River forever.

Now, we’re in a new round of the same fight. Earlier this year, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit for the mine, and we immediately took the agency to court for some very serious flaws in its permit that directly threaten the natural wonders of the Smith River. We’ve also intervened in Sandfire’s attempt to acquire water rights for the project at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Thankfully, Sandfire cannot actually start mining unless it acquires these water rights and until it posts a reclamation bond for the actual mine. These processes will now play out over the next several months and even years, during which time we will continue our fierce advocacy on behalf of the Smith River.

Places like the Smith River are rare and dwindling. If the

Wednesday, October 7, 2020 coronavirus pandemic has shown us anything this past summer, it is that we desperately need places like the Smith River to nourish our souls and give us hope that better days lie ahead.

Derf Johnson, Montana Environmental Information Center Scott Bosse, American Rivers Bonnie Gestring, Earthworks

Dirty laundry

My, my! That was quite the “laundry list” describing Gorski’s philosophy which was submitted 09/29/20 by Rachel Bartlett of Stevensville. I taught my sons early on, that if you have anything red—do not wash it with other laundry or you will end up with ugly colors you do not recognize!

Ms. Bartlett apparently mixes everything together and ends up with a result that is unrecognizable and quite ugly.

Frankly, I do not recognize the Margaret Gorski I KNOW in those confused, false and even ugly descriptions. Attacks of that nature only diminish the person making them. Margaret Gorski is the most reasonable, hardworking, and capable woman I have ever met and will bring sensible solu-

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tions to the problems we face. She does not wave the Bible and “hug the flag” for the purpose of calling attention to herself; she honors what they represent by living honorably and respecting others and their opinions. Due diligence is required when so much misinformation attempts to destroy one’s character. I would hope that everyone educates themselves by fact checking and taking the time to “sort the laundry.” Margaret’s website is a great place to start. In the end, you will be much more satisfied with the result.

Brenda Allington Florence

Marijuana revenue would provide crucial relief

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montana has plummeted into the worst economic recession since World War II. A recent analysis conducted by Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) projects that the state will experience a 7.3 percent decline in employment in 2020. While this downturn affects the spending power of individual households, it drastically reduces our state tax base which depends on income tax for its general fund. By voting to legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana, Montanans will benefit from $236 million in tax revenue by 2026.

Arriving in the midst of an unprecedented economic emergency, two proposed ballot initiatives will appear on the ballot in Montana. CI-118 and I-90 are complementary ballot initiatives which, if passed, will legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over.

By establishing a 20 percent tax on marijuana products, the legislation will fund services and programs that benefit all Montanans. Roughly half of the funds will be directed toward programs that support public land access and improvements for parks and trails.

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revenue toward veterans services, substance abuse treatment and prevention, community home and health care for eldery and disabled Montanans, and the state general fund.

I urge Montanas to vote yes on ballot initiatives I-190 and CI-118 in order to counteract economic repercussions of COVID19 and promote a stronger, safer and more resilient state.

Ann Reely Missoula

Charles Koch and three SCOTUS nominees

Mitch McConnell wrongfully held 142 Federal Judgeship appointments away from President Obama, and gave them to President Trump.

SCOTUS Justice Scalia died in February, 2016. In March, 2016, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland as Supreme Court Justice. Senate Majority leader McConnell refused to allow a Senate vote on Obama SCOTUS nominee, Merrick Garland.

For lots of good reasons, a lot of people think the dominating political party stole that seat away from the people represented by the minority political party. Charles Koch, and his Americans for Prosperity(AFP) with organized chapters in 36 states, became well financed activists pushing Senators to vote to confirm Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to replace long dead Justice Scalia.

In 2017, four months after SCOTUS Justice Kennedy kind of had to step down from the Supreme Court, President Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh, the former law clerk of Justice Kennedy, to replace Kennedy on the Supreme Court. People watched the TV coverage of the September Senate Hearing. More watched the October Senate Hearing of testimony from Christine Blasey Ford, where Kavanaugh was implicated in a sexual assault on a 15 year old girl back when Kavanaugh was in high school. Charles Koch was

backing Kavanaugh for SCOTUS and became publicly angry that Kavanaugh had not told Koch about the sexual assault history.

Nevertheless, the usual sequence happened.

In stage one, the GOP Senate steps way back from vetting and recommending, and lets unknown members of the Federalist Society submit to the President a shortened list of people to consider in nominating a person to be a Justice on the Supreme Court.

Then comes stage two.

Charles Koch, the Koch donor network, and Americans for Prosperity expend big money to get Senators to vote for SCOTUS nominees, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and now Amy Coney Barrett.

For lots of good reasons, a lot of people watched a lot of Kavanaugh. Evident to many, he lacks judicial temperament. And committed perjury to lie his way into a lifetime SCOTUS seat. All set up because an anonymous donor had earlier paid big money to help reduce Kavanaugh’s home mortgage and gambling debts.

Reportedly, Charles Koch spent into seven figures to drum up Senator support for Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.

Here we are for the third time, watching this President who lost the popular vote, nominate a new Supreme Court Justice.

Four times before right now, a President who lost the popular vote got to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice.

Recently, Vegas odds, and FiveThirtyEight with Nate Silver, both said the Biden-Harris campaign has a 70% of winning this Presidential Election. There was one poll which shows that, even if Trump went up three percentage points over where he is now in all the states, he would lose the Electoral College vote by 20 votes. Certainly Trump will lose the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that he won by terribly thin margins.

Now looks like Trump will lose Iowa. Evidently his campaign financiers have pulled back financial support. Tragically, the Trump campaign has not been well man-

aged. AP reports that in polling results among likely voters, Biden receives ten percentage points more anticipated votes than does Trump.

Then came blockbuster news from the New York Times first report on President Trump’s decades of IRS tax filings.

Evidently, in ten years between 2000 to 2015, Trump paid no IRS taxes. Paid $750 IRS tax in 2016, and $750 in 2017. Now we know what Donald Trump knows, he is personally responsible for some $421 million of debt payment due in 2022. National politicians with massive debt are easy prey for bad foreign actors and USA adversaries.

So, now comes the rest of the story. Charles Koch saw to it that his man Marc Short was in charge of legislative affairs during the first part of the Trump administration. Saw to it that Marc Short later became, and is, Chief of Staff for Vice President Pence. Charles Koch and his organizations AFP and ALEC have probably influenced the Montana Legislature far more than has any other person.

And right now, Charles Koch is working and spending big money to shoehorn his third person into a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court of the USA. At the same time Charles Koch pushes the Koch libertarian end game of privatizing the US Post Office, and privatizing public land. At the same time Charles Koch nails the supposedly impossible to achieve libertarian end point goal. Diminishing Social Security coverage. Reportedly, some US employer classes, and the military, have stopped paying social security payroll taxes.

What will happen with Senators loyal to President Trump?

Last week saw a surprising number of southern states increasing their likelihood of electing a Democratic Senator.

The 53-47 GOP Senate voting edge may thin, a vote or two. Could even go to 50 Senators voting Democratic, 50 Senators voting Republican. Who knows?

After a debate or two, public

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Wednesday, October 7, 2020 pollsters may gauge sentiment that the Senate will flip to Democratic control. What happens then?

As fortune would have it, our Trump loyalist, Junior Senator, is apparently not disposed toward, or experienced in, working across the Senate aisle with members of the now minority party.

Much more importantly, he may not have built sufficient across-the-Senate-aisle relationships with which he could more effectively advocate for, and obtain benefits for, Montana.

Bob Williams Stevensville

Celebrate resiliency during October ____________________

AUCTION ITEMS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED for upcoming events

I-190 and CI-118

Legalizing marijuana in Montana is the next logical step in freeing up more resources to make our justice system more effective and efficient. The possession and consumption of marijuana should not be treated as a crime, and legalizing it at the state level will allow Montana to focus on prosecuting real crimes. A 2018 study of crime clearance rates in Washington and Colorado pre- and postlegalization showed that crime clearance rates increased because law enforcement was better able to allocate their resources toward solving violent crimes.

Voting YES on CI-118 and I-190 is a great way to make sure that law enforcement can focus on the crimes that negatively impact Montana’s communities. The tax revenue generated from the regulation of marijuana will help support our communities. 9.9% of the revenue generated will be allocated to veterans services, with the same proportion going toward substance abuse prevention. I urge citizens of Montana to legalize recreational marijuana through the initiatives CI-118 and I-190.

Audrey Dozier Missoula

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777-3928

Bitterroot Star -- Page 17

Friday, Oct. 16

ART & JEWELRY SILENT AUCTION

@ MDMH Conference Room

Oct. 18-22

VIRTUAL ONLINE AUCTION featuring color team items

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VOTE FOR THE RECALL OF THE MAYOR AND BRING TRUST AND RESPECT BACK TO THE TOWN OF STEVENSVILLE The recall was not placed on the ballot by a small group of citizens.

It was placed on the ballot by 254 Registered voters, as required by law.

On August 13, 2020 the judge ruled the recall would go forward.

Stevensville deserves a mayor who is willing to work for all the citizens in conjunction with the city council while following municipal and state laws and abiding by the oath of his office.

WE DESERVE A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, HONEST, AND COMPETENT MANAGER OF OUR TAX DOLLARS. LAW: Judge Howard Recht: “The Mayor’s action circumvented the requirements 7-3-203(7) MCA, 2-399 thru 403 of Stevensville Municipal Code (SMC) the town of Stevensville Purchasing Policy Section 7b and 7bii. This involved the $79,000 contract with First Call Computer Solutions.

Bitterroot Star.com Sept 18, 2020

ETHICS: Last Summer 2019 the mayor had the water shut off during the night of a paraplegic recovering from a gunshot wound. His pregnant wife had to go to City Hall and pay $50.00 TO HAVE IT TURNED ON. A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY ASKED THAT HE REFUND THE $50 AND THE MAYOR REFUSED. City Council Minutes July 22, 2019

In 2019 Independent audit found that the mayor violated numerous Montana Codes: Including, but not limited to, several funds that exceeded the 50% to 200% cash reserve balance as specified in state law. Some were as high as 341%.

*AUDIT: Sample of town’s Visa credit card payments of $2,540.00 did not have accurate documentation. Audit June 2019 *On Sept 6th, 2019 After the council voted 4-0 not to increase lighting district taxes, the Mayor sent an altered document to Clerk and Recorder that resulted in some tax payers taxes for lighting districts being doubled.

Minutes Town Council Sept 5th,2019

We need a Mayor who works for all the citizens and not just himself and a handful of Special Interest Groups.

VOTE FOR THE RECALL OF MAYOR DEWEY! Paid for by Committee to Recall the Mayor Leslie Tadvick Treasurer 509 Mission Stevensville, MT. 59870

Page 18-- Bitterroot Star

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

S T E V E

B U L L O C K

FIGHTS FOR ALL

MONTANANS

A record of doing what’s right for Montana Saved rural hospitals Expanded affordable health care to 90,000 Montanans Froze college tuition and invested in public schools Balanced the budget and saved $600 million in our rainy day fund Cut taxes for small businesses

In the Senate, Steve Bullock will keep fighting for you Protect health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions Protect and expand Social Security and Medicare Lower the cost of prescription drugs Stand up to the special interests who want to give tax breaks to corporations while raising taxes on Montanans

Learn more: SteveBullock.com P A I D

F O R

B Y

M O N T A N A N S

F O R

B U L L O C K