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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!” – Established 1985 – Locally Owned & Independent
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Merry Christmas from all of us at the� Volume XXXVII, Number 23
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www.bitterrootstar.com
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Lost Trail ski area open Overwhelming generosity
Lost Trail begins the season with a powder day by Nathan Boddy
“Couldn’t ask for a better opening day!” This phrase was spoken by more than one happy skier at Lost Trail Powder Mountain as the 2021/2022 ski season Getting ready for the lift to start on opening day at Lost Trail Powder Mountain. got underway. The first Photo by Dave Gardner. day of lift service was on one of the deeper first-days Director at Lost Trail, summed Thursday, December 16th, we’ve had in quite a few years.” it up this way, “Today has been and true to form it was most incredible. Everybody is super His statements were certainly a ‘Powder Thursday.’ happy and there is a good R.J. Higgins, Marketing See LOST TRAIL, page 2 amount of snow out there. It’s
Stevi superintendent leaving at end of June Dr. Bob Moore, Stevensville School District Superintendent, will be leaving the district at the end of June 2022. He asked the board of trustees to let him out of his contract one year early and they agreed. In a letter to the board, Moore outlined his reasons for wanting to leave early, mainly to be closer to his wife and family. Moore said he and his wife will have been living apart for the past seven years and “it’s time for me to be closer to home.” “We have accomplished major goals with expansion of programs, improvement of Dr. Bob Moore, Stevensville School Superintendent. assessment scores, passage Photo by Victoria Howell. of technology levies, passage of building bonds, remodels of schools and a variety of positive landmarks,” Moore wrote in his letter. “In 2019, I made a promise to the Board of Trustees I would stay with the school through the construction project as a result of the passage of both a high school and elementary school construction bonds. These projects are scheduled to conclude in the spring of 2022. The duties of the superintendency, bond passage, and construction were exciting and enjoyable. In contrast, the COVID-19 issues have added a layer of complexity to the job that has been difficult for everyone in the District, including myself.”
Gary Locke, executive director of the Bitterroot Family Shelter, an organization that offers support services to people experiencing homelessness in the Bitterroot, says that the generous donations of warm clothing and supplies have exceeded what the shelter can handle at this time. The only things that they need right now are sleeping mats and cots. Those will be used at the planned warming shelter that is preparing to open at the Rocky Mountain Grange Hall, on Hwy 93 south of Hamilton. Locke has been working with the Grange organization on this project and the last remaining stumbling block was liability insurance, which Locke has now secured. According to Locke, the new warming shelter will be opening as soon as it can be fitted with the necessary items. In the meantime, Bitterroot Family Shelter will hold open houses at the Grange on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, starting at 1 pm. Everyone is welcome to come check out the new space, get warm, and enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Anyone wanting to volunteer to help with the open houses should contact Joe Senger at 503-4441204.
Wreaths Across America
Retired Montana Highway Patrol Officer Wade Palmer, who was critically injured when he was shot in the line of duty in 2019, and Chuck Burgmeier, Commander of Stevensville American Legion Post 94, place the single wreath at Veterans Park on Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, December 18. Wreaths were also placed at Riverside, Maplewood and St. Mary’s cemeteries. The Wreaths Across America mission is to remember our fallen U.S. veterans, honor those who serve, and teach our children the value of freedom. Photo by Cheryl Burgmeier.
Big sky and open spaces by Michael Howell
The Bitter Root Land Trust has made a lot of headway since it opened its doors in 1996 and set out on a mission to conserve open lands and working farms in the Bitterroot valley. By engaging with private landowners and facilitating the voluntary placement of conservation easements on private property throughout the county, they have succeeded in protecting almost 10,000 acres of land in the valley from future development. This includes about 7,500 acres of local family farm and ranch lands that will remain as working farms in perpetuity. It includes 20 miles of river and stream frontage and 4,500
acres of forest standing on and rangeland benchland kept intact overlooking and free from the Burnt development. Fork It also drainage. includes three “The valley’s riverfront going to be community better for it.” access The properties and collection of nature trails. conservation Gavin Ricklefs, Executive Director of the Bitter Root “We’ve sure easements Land Trust, points to the large area covered by been fortunate up the Burnt existing and pending conservation easements in that so many Fork of the the Burnt Fork made possible by the county’s Open landowners Bitterroot Lands Bond Program and substantial community have made could well support. Photo by Michael Howell. be called the this decision,” said Bitter Root Land Trust Executive crown jewels of the county’s Open Lands Bond Program. Director Gavin Ricklefs while
Ricklefs was on the job when one of the first conservation easements to be placed by the land trust was negotiated with local veterinarian Stan Swartz on his ranch up Lost Horse. Interest in the conservation tool increased, but it was when the general public weighed in, passing the Open Lands Bond in 2006, that things really began to take off. Dan and Debbie Severson were the first property owners in the Burnt Fork area to place an easement on a good portion of the Flying E Ranch. “The Open Lands Bond was the catalyst,” said Dan Severson. “Basically, it was the people of Ravalli County when they voted See OPEN SPACE, page 23