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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!”

‘The B Volume XXXV, Number 31

Family tradition

Established 1985 – Locally owned & independent

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Big Sky Trust Fund making jobs in the Bitterroot By Michael Howell

Jimmy Edwards, owner of Burnt Fork Market in Stevensville which was selected as Business of the Year by the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. Michael Howell photo.

Last week the Ravalli County Commissioners closed out the books on a Big Sky Trust Fund business expansion grant, signed a contract for implementing another recently awarded grant, and approved submission of a new grant proposal. Ravalli County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Julie Foster was the key facilitator in all the actions. The Commissioners approved a certification of closure on the BSTF grant used for business expansion by Bitterroot Tool and Machine. The company manufactures automatic ammunition loading machines, grain mills and other manufactured items at its plant located near the Stevensville Airport. The grant was originally awarded in October of 2018 for up to $50,000 for creating up to

10 new jobs in conjunction with a low interest loan used to purchase equipment. The grant provided reimbursement of $5,000 per job created. Last Thursday, the commissioners closed out the deal by reimbursing the company $15,000 for the creation of three new jobs at a pay of $16.77 per hour. The owners contributed $173,250 in matching funds for purchase of new equipment that supported the job creations. The commissioners also approved three separate agreements with Montana Studios LLC and the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority including an Assistance Agreement, a SubRecipient Agreement, and a Management Plan related to the BSTF grant awarded in October 2019. Montana Studios is the anchor tenant in the Bitterroot Gateway Development’s campus, a multipurpose media manufacturing

campus located at 132 Skalkaho Highway south of Hamilton. The campus contains 30,000 square feet of building space for media artists, entertainment professionals, film production, and other media projects. An additional 10,000 sf contains office/manufacturing suites and secure storage space for production sets and other clients requiring secure storage. The Assistance Agreement was for $10,000 in grant funds from BSTF to Montana Studios; $9,200 for the purchase machinery and equipment and an additional $800 for administration of the grant. The plan is to create two new full-time jobs paying a minimum of $17.15 per hour without employee benefits. In addition, Montana Studios LLC has agreed to a total new investment in employee

Burnt Fork Market named Business of the Year New antiviral drug may help

against 2019 novel coronavirus

By Michael Howell

Owner and operator of the Burnt Fork Market in Stevensville, Jimmy Edwards, is not an office type of guy. He’s got one, back in the warehouse section of the sprawling grocery store, but it doesn’t get much use. If you want to talk to the boss when you visit the business, you will usually have to find him somewhere out on the floor. He could be checking on the status of the produce section, which he is quite proud of, or he could be down some aisle stacking shelves. That’s where I found him for this interview about the recent award. Burnt Fork Market was selected as the Business of the Year by the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. He was presented with the award at this year’s annual Chamber banquet. “It’s nice to be recognized,” said Edwards about the award. “We’ve been doing this a long time.” In fact, his family started in the grocery business up at the Three Mile Trading Post northeast of Stevensville in 1946. Then they moved to downtown Stevensville, just south of where Valley Drug is located, and ran the grocery in that location until 1978. That’s when the current building was constructed, and the grocery moved to the south

See MARKET, page 10

Newly elected Bitterroot Chamber of Commerce president Jaime Devlin (l) and immediate past president Susan Wetzsteon presented Burnt Fork Market owner Jimmy Edwards with his Business of the Year award at the recent banquet. Eric Elander photo. edge of town. His dad operated the business there until sometime around 2007 when he sold the business to the store’s manager. That business didn’t last very long and the building ended up sitting idle for about five years. The family remained involved in the grocery business in Missoula, but at one point Jimmy came to Stevensville to try and sell the building for his dad. But he said after talking to a lot of people

what he found was that a lot of them really wanted it to be a grocery store again. “I came down to sell, but I ended up looking into the possibility of just opening it again,” said Edwards. He had a professional marketing analysis done and the answer, based on population statistics, was that it could be done, but it wouldn’t be easy. See MARKET, page 2

Employees at Burnt Fork Market were so pleased to hear that it was chosen as Business of the Year. Liz Cook photo.

According to a new study from National Institutes of Health scientists, the experimental antiviral remdesivir successfully prevented disease in rhesus macaques infected with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Remdesivir prevented disease when administered before infection and improved the condition of macaques when given after the animals already were infected. The new report from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MERS-CoV is closely related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) that has grown to be a global public health emergency since cases were first detected in Wuhan, China, in December. Remdesivir has previously protected animals against a variety of viruses in lab experiments. The drug has been shown experimen-

tally to effectively treat monkeys infected with Ebola and Nipah viruses. Remdesivir also has been investigated as a treatment for Ebola virus disease in people.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus particles attached to the surface of an infected cell. Credit: NIAID-Frederick

The Corvallis School Board of Trustees met on February 12 and chose six finalists to interview for the position of Superintendent. The public, students, and staff are invited to meet the finalists at a public reception and ice cream social to be held on Sunday, March 1, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the High School Library. Interviews will be on Monday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 3 at the High School Library and are open to the public. “We have selected excellent candidates to interview and look forward to hearing about how their experiences can help them lead our schools and be an active member of our community,” said Board Chair Becky Anderson. “Corvallis is a unique district with outstanding students and staff. The Trustees are excited to find our next superintendent. We appreciated the community’s participation in the survey we commissioned. The Board relied on the responses in our discussions about who we

wanted to interview.” The six finalists selected are: Corey Austin, Superintendent at Target Range School District; Tim Bronk, Superintendent at Chester-Joplin-Inverness School District; Gerald Chouinard, Superintendent at Lame Deer School District; Jon Konen, Principal at Lincoln Elementary in Great Falls; Larry Markuson, Superintendent at White Sulphur Springs School District; and Brian Rayburn, Superintendent at Lima School District. The finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows: Corey Austin – currently serves as Superintendent of the Target Range School in Missoula. He previously served as Superintendent at Southeast Fountain School in Indiana and as principal at North Vermillion High School and North West Hendricks School Corporation in Indiana. He holds a PhD from Indiana State University and a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Oakland City

The current study was conducted at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, See VIRUS, page 10

Corvallis School Board selects six superintendent finalists

University. Tim Bronk – currently serves as Superintendent at Chester-Joplin-Inverness School District in Chester. He previously served as Superintendent at Laurel School District, Superintendent at Darby School District, and Superintendent at Highwood School District. He holds a Master of Science from Winona State University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of MontanaWestern. Gerald Chouinard – currently serves as Superintendent at Lame Deer School District in Lame Deer. He previously served as Principal at Lame Deer Elementary School and as Principal at Inspire-The Idaho Connections Academy. He holds a Master of Arts from Idaho State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Montana State University. Jon Konen – currently serves as Principal at Lincoln See FINALISTS, page 2

Page 2 -- Bitterroot Star

Market continued

“We decided to keep the building and opened up the store again in December of 2014,” he said. The way to make it in a competitive arena, according to Edwards, is to be competitive. He said you can compare his prices to other grocery stores, and you will see that he may not have the same number of below cost sucker items, but he has consistently better prices on most things. Especially the things that count, like meat and produce. But the store also offers a healthy (pun intended) selection of natural and organic items.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Edwards said that the store in Missoula is very much a specialty item business, but the Bitterroot market is different. “They still buy soda pop here,” said Edwards. He said he remembered back when you never saw a grocery store ad without some very special deal on soda pop. “Now, at the Missoula store I can’t even give away soda pop,” he said, “but people still buy soda pop here.” Some specialty items have really taken hold here in the Bitterroot, though. Like the microbrew selections. Edwards believes it was the introduction of his wine and specialty brew inventory that set a new bar (pun intended) for other grocery stores in the Bitterroot.

The business remains a family business and his son Brandon works full time in the Missoula store. His daughter Jessica, who is a student at the university, also works a couple of days a week at the store. Edwards, who now lives in Stevensville again, said he loves the slower pace in the Bitterroot. He also loves the town and the community. He said his business has always tried to be involved with the community affairs and participate in the celebrations like Creamery Picnic and the Scarecrow Festival. He said his employees are very good about getting in the spirit of things in town. “And then, to get recognized for it, it re-energizes you,” he said.

Finalists continued

Elementary School in Great Falls. He previously served as Principal at the Power School District in Power and as a teacher at Somers School District in Somers. He holds a Master of Arts from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts from Montana State University. Larry Markuson – currently serves as Superintendent at White Sulphur Springs School District in White Sulphur Springs. He previously served as Superintendent at Augusta School District in Augusta and Superintendent at Hot Springs School District in Hot Springs. He holds a Master of Education and Bachelor of Science from Montana State University. Brian Rayburn – currently serves as Superintendent at Lima School District in Lima. He previously served as Superintendent at Essex-Caledonia Supervisory Union and as Principal at Blue Mountain Union School District and Sutton School in Vermont. He holds a Master of Education from Plymouth State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Association member Dale Burk passes on a few fly tying tips to a young Cub Scout at the Youth Expo and Archery Shoot held at Fort Owen Ranch last Saturday. Like the outdoor version held annually at the Teller Wildlife Refuge later in the spring, this event served to provide local teens a chance to see what sort of summer camps are available for those interested in the great outdoors. The representatives from various camps throughout the state were on hand to offer information regarding when and where the camps are located. Drawings were held for scholarships to attend the camps. Michael Howell photo.

The use of the facilities for the Expo and Archery Shoot were provided by the owner of the Fort Owen Ranch, Myla Yahraus. On hand to encourage people to tour the adjacent Fort Owen State Park were Friends of Fort Owen State Park board members Chris Weatherly, Sue Kardaras and Pamela Priem. Michael Howell photo.

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Bitterroot Star -- Page 3

Masons honor First Responders at awards dinner By Rick Laible

Ionic Masonic Lodge #38 hosted the third annual First Responder Awards Dinner on February 4 to honor deserving individuals within our community who have been identified by their supervisors or nominating officials as those First Responders who truly represent the best in all of us. The purpose of the ceremony was to publicly recognize First Responders and thank them for their service to our community. The presentation of the awards was made by the Masonic Ionic Lodge Worshipful Master George Kourafas. WM Kourafas reminded us all that this event is about our families and these individuals recognized who sacrifice their time and efforts to keep us safe, many times putting their own lives in jeopardy. Those in attendance were Masonic Brothers of Ionic Lodge #38, the First Responder nominees, nominating officials and family members. The dinner was prepared by Past Master Dutch Brewer and his wife Linda, with the assistance of six other Brothers stepping into the fray. There was no charge for the invited guests to the dinner. Ravalli County Sheriff Stephen Holton made the first presentation of the evening to Undersheriff Travis McElderry as he is one of those officers who always steps up and volunteers for the next difficult assignment. Undersheriff McElderry was the driving force behind the Ravalli County records management system, tying together the County, the City of Hamilton and the jail facilities, a project that many said couldn’t be done, but Undersheriff McElderry was up to the task. In

First Responder honorees and dignitaries, l to r: Undersheriff Travis McElderry, HVFD Chief Brad Mohn, HVFD Officer Don Bratsch, Sheriff Stephen Holton, Detective Bob Liercke, Director Willie Torres and EMT Roylene Gaul. addition, Undersheriff McElderry is responsible for the soon-to-be K-9 program. Hamilton Police Chief Ryan Oster recognized Detective Bob Liercke for his commitment to our community. Detective Liercke, is a longterm veteran of the force, an Air Force veteran,

our community. Hamilton Volunteer Fire Chief Brad Mohn recognized Fire Fighter Don Bratsch for his leadership within the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department. The selection of Don Bratsch was not a decision exclusively by

Chief Mohn, but by Don’s fellow firefighters. Don Bratsch has three years of experience within the Hamilton Volunteer Fire station. Per Chief Mohn, Don is always calm under pressure, works hard no matter what task is assigned, is knowledgeable and a mentor to his fellow firefighters. Director William Torres, EMS Director of Marcus Daly Hospital, recognized EMT Roylene Gaul as she has clearly demonstrated her knowledge of her craft, leadership among her peers and her focus on client/ patient care. According to Director Torres, we are blessed to have Roylene Gaul as one of our team members. Roylene has been serving the Bitterroot Valley in one capacity or another for over 36 years. Although small in stature (maybe 5’2”) she is large in heart, she loves our community and this passion shows. Roylene was additionally nominated by fellow staff members Josh Clinton and Gina Tan. As an aside, the Montana Highway Patrol was unable to attend the event this year as a result of conflicting schedules. The Brothers of Masonic Lodge #38 thank the Montana Highway Patrol for their continued service to our community. Ionic Lodge #38 is a Masonic organization within the umbrella of the Masonic families, which include Shriners, Scottish Rite, York Rite, Order of Eastern Star, youth groups Rainbow Girls, Jobs Daughters and Demolay for young men. More than 60 people attended this event, held in the basement dining hall of the Lodge, at 114 S. 3rd in Hamilton.

served with the Montana Highway Patrol before coming to the Hamilton Police Department, and most recently was promoted to the position of Detective. Detective Liercke is a role model to other officers on the force. A man of integrity, he is patient and understanding in all circumstances,

more importantly a motivator for the officers on the force. In addition to his job as a Detective, Bob is active in Hospice, helped organize the Police Officers Association and is a devoted family man. Detective Liercke, according to Chief Ryan Oster, is a real asset to

of the Sandy Hook shootings that half of the victims who died in that shooting might have been saved if lay persons on the scene had been trained to stop massive bleeding. Dr. Waggner said that the hospital’s Stop the Bleed program aims to impart, to as many people as possible, “some simple but incredibly effective steps to stop massive bleeding.” He said it was something that everybody should know like giving basic CPR. He said they have gone a long way in training local EMS and local school teachers and fire personnel and law enforcement, but they also want to reach out to the general public. He said violence in the country appears to be on the increase and we are recognizing that the general population may be having to deal with stab wounds and gunshot wounds in unexpected places such as a shopping mall or a church. He said this kind of basic training was generally reserved for the military and emergency personnel but that it was important now to get it more widely practiced. “It can save a life,” he said, and not just in the case of war or mass shootings.

Emergency Room Nurse Aleta Lewis knows better than most people how some simple knowledge and training can save a life. She recounted how, about seven years ago, her daughter, who was 11 years old at the time, no doubt saved her own life when, out in the woods with an 11-yearold companion and 15 miles from any help, she received a gunshot wound in what her mom calls “just a freak accident.” What saved her life that day was what she had learned only a few months previously in a hunter’s safety course: how to apply a tourniquet to stop massive bleeding. Critical Care Manager and Trauma Coordinator Jennifer Bush said that learning the simple techniques of packing the wound, applying appropriate pressure and learning to use a tourniquet “is good information for anyone of any age.” She said the basics can be learned in a one hour, handson training session at a Stop the Bleed workshop. Emergency Room Nurse Aleta Lewis, above, demonstrates the proper technique for applying pressure to a bleeding wound. It takes more pressure to stop bleeding than most people realize and the pressure must be kept up at least ten minutes to allow for the blood to begin clotting and forming a plug in the wound. That’s why good form, like using the heels of your hands instead of the fingers, keeping your arms stiff and using your weight, helps a lot. By taking a single one-hour long course in the hospital’s Stop the Bleed campaign, you too could one day save a life

Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital trauma certified By Michael Howell

For the fourth year in a row now Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital has been designated a state certified trauma receiving hospital. As part of maintaining that designation, the hospital is involved in staff and community education aimed at both trauma prevention and providing immediate assistance in case of traumatic injury. “When we have a trauma activation,” said Trauma Registrar Gwen Lawry, “it is ‘all hands on deck’.” That includes someone from almost every department such as the laboratory, radiology and respiratory departments, a

house supervisor, someone from social services, possibly a chaplain, a general surgeon and possibly an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Joshua Waggner, who works as a general surgeon in the Emergency Room, described how massive bleeding from traumatic injury is one of the most common life-threatening issues that emergency personnel face. He said all emergency room personnel and Emergency Medical Service providers are trained in the basics of stopping massive blood loss. But the hospital also recognizes the need to make that training available to the general public. It was estimated by professionals involved in the aftermath

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Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital trauma response team members, front row l to r: Sara Wiesemann, CCA (certified coder) Lab; Cara Bushmaker, MLS (ASCP) (medical laboratory scientist) (lab); Jennifer Bush, RN, Critical Care Manager and Trauma Coordinator; Aleta Lewis, RN, Emergency Room Nurse; Gwen Lawry, RN, CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), Trauma Registrar; Dr. Joshua Waggner, MD (general surgeon); back row: Drew Hayward, Director of Imaging Department; Willie Torres, NRP (Nationally Registered Paramedic), Director of EMS (emergency medical services); Clint Adkins, DO, Emergency Room physician and Trauma Medical Director.

Page 4 -- Bitterroot Star

Bitterroot Star Editorial Board Michael Howell Victoria Howell

Opinion

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Guest Comment

Montana’s elk hunting traditions worth preserving By Tim Mulligan

For decades Montana has been the envy of hunters who pursue elk. Our state has healthy elk herds because of our incredible habitat on public and private lands. We enjoy the longest season in the West – with a six week archery season and a five week rifle season. No other state comes even close. With our strong elk herds comes challenges in their management. Landowners at times struggle with the damage that large groups of elk can cause to crops, haystacks and fences. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is faced with a constant balancing act – hunters want a lot of elk, and landowners want fewer. When I was on the state Fish and Wildlife Commission, we recognized that elk herds were rapidly growing and causing damage in many areas. We recognized that these public resources needed to be managed for the public who value them while at the same time managing the numbers to within landowner tolerance. That’s why we revamped our statewide elk management plan in 2005. It took two years of extensive work, numerous meetings with the public and landowners, and several edits. The premise of the plan was to use the general season as the primary tool to manage elk along with liberal cow harvest regulations and elk tag numbers in areas that elk populations were over objectives. This was supplemented with game damage hunts and management seasons to harvest elk outside of the general season on private property that allowed hunting but was still experiencing game damage before or after the season. FWP had been trying late seasons for many years, only to see elk numbers continue to grow and harvest numbers drop. They simply weren’t working to reduce elk numbers. The late seasons were creating a structure that led to large groups of elk migrating to lands that were off limits to hunting resulting in hunters harvesting fewer elk during the general season. Hunter participation and harvest in the late seasons simply wasn’t compensating for the reduced harvest during the general season when the vast majority of hunters were in the field. To be clear, hunting on private land is a privilege. Private property rights are sacred in Montana. At the same time wildlife is a public trust

resource. For decades our best tool for managing the wildlife has been the public hunter in strong partnership with landowners. Hunters and landowners need each other. as millions of acres of private land have been locked off to But hunting, game damage problems have escalated. This has also increased the hunter numbers for landowners that do allow access. I fear hunters are losing the culture of meeting and appreciating the landowners that do allow access, with some hunters even feeling they have “the right” to hunt Block Management lands rather than recognizing the goodwill of the landowners willing to be in a program that provides desperately needed access for minimal compensation. In recent years, we’ve seen FWP, under heavy pressure from the Legislature, return to the use of early and late seasons (shoulder seasons) to address elk populations over the objectives. The shoulder seasons were started on a pilot basis and included performance criteria that were meant to ensure they don’t replace the general season harvest and become the old, unsuccessful, late seasons of the past. In some areas, the shoulder seasons have met the criteria. But in others, they’ve actually backfired, reducing access for elk harvest and increasing elk distribution problems. Statewide an additional 1 million acres of land is now closed to public elk hunting. The current Commission proposed scaling back some shoulder seasons where they’re not meeting the criteria, and that’s a good start. As we begin writing a new statewide elk management plan that looks at the objectives for elk and other management issues, let’s work to get back to the time of year when the overwhelming number of hunters want to be in the field and there is the highest likelihood of achieving the needed harvest to reduce landowner impacts. And let’s work to rekindle Montana’s longstanding tradition of ethical hunting in cooperation with private landowners. It is worth preserving.

It WAS a beautiful day in the neighborhood

Open letter to Nancy Ballance

Dear Editor, I live on the east side of Stevensville and as a concerned citizen I want people in the city and surrounding areas to know about an oversized development of approximately 130 housing units proposed on 57 acres along Logan Lane and Middle Burnt Fork Road. California developers recently purchased the land and hope to begin a buildout lasting a decade. It’s a mixed housing and commercial proposal. I believe there is reasonable and unreasonable development. This project is unreasonable because of its density and the fact two developments already exist in the area, Twin Creeks and Creekside Meadows. Questions abound, such as the capacity of city services being adequate to support the size of the new development. There are so many issues but here’s a sampling: water pressure adequacy, surface and high groundwater coupled with silty soils that have little absorption, city wells that fail due to clogged filters causing extended water restrictions such as last summer. Traffic along Logan Lane and Middle Burnt Fork Road will rocket. If you commute to work forget about these roads as a

Tim Mulligan was appointed by Gov. Mark Racicot and served on the Fish and Wildlife Commission from 1998 to 2007.

Letters

shortcut around the city. Speeding vehicles coming off the Eastside Highway onto Logan Lane, with added accesses approved by the county and the Montana Department of Transportation into the new development, will create serious public safety hazards. Make no mistake, people will be injured in vehicle accidents, or worse. Think of the small town aesthetics we enjoy in and around Stevensville. We will lose the quality of life enjoyed in our quiet landscape with deer, migrating birds, and enviable mountain views. We don’t need to allow unreasonable large developments into our community that don’t make sense. A public process must be followed to approve this development. Once the developers submit an application to the city, it is reviewed by town staff, presented to the city Planning & Zoning Board which votes on it and subsequently the Town Council approves or denies the application. Public notices on these meetings must be posted in the legal section of the Bitterroot Star. Be involved, talk to your neighbors, talk to your city council person, the Mayor, attend meetings of the Planning & Zoning Board and Town Council. Do you want to preserve our small town feeling or become a crowded Missoula suburb? Marilyn Wolff Stevensville

Bitterroot Star

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Publishers - Michael & Victoria Howell Editors - Michael & Victoria Howell Sports Editor - Jean Schurman Advertising Sales Consultants Jean Schurman (239-4354) & Liz Cook (880-2007) Graphic Designer - Deven Monta TheBitterroot Bitterroot Star Star isispublished published weekly weekly at 115 W. 3rd, Street, Suite 108, The at 115 W. 3rd Suite 108, Stevensville,Montana. Montana.Subscriptions Subscriptions are are$40 $50 per per year year in in Ravalli RavalliCounty, Stevensville, County, $60 per out of and county, per year out of state. $50 per year out year of county, $60and out $70 of state. The Postal Service will no longer forward the Bitterroot Star. Address changes to our mailing list are made once a month and can be made by contacting the Star office at 777-3928.

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Nancy, I read with great interest your “introduction” letter. You and I both know that we are very well acquainted with the way we both operate. For the interest of others, I have worked with Nancy on the Ravalli County Republican Central Committee for the last two years. In short, your letter leaves out many of the events that happened in the house during the 2019 term. You know that I know because several of my good friends were sitting there with you working to get the business of the citizens of Montana done in a reasonable and conservative manner. Those people gave me a different report. One example is when you made a speech, speaking at great lengths about how you had been “overlooked” because of your gender. You tried to squelch a video of that session in an attempt to keep the citizens from learning the truth about you. It never seemed to occur to you that you were not given the speaker’s position because of the lack of leadership that you showed on several key votes. You voted with the opposition and in opposition to the Montana GOP platform. Now you are organizing an effort to change that platform so that you look better to the voters. Though you didn’t say what the changes

would be, one can easily check your voting record to see those changes. You say you have the ability to put teams together to work on problems. From what I saw on the Central Committee, just the opposite is the truth. You sowed seeds of discord and attempted to take control of the committee to further your own selfish pursuits. You showed no commitment to the Montana GOP platform even after signing a pledge that you would uphold that platform. In short, you are a deceiver. To the voters in SD44, I would ask this question: Do you want someone to represent you that exhibits the marks of being deceptive? It seems to me like we already have enough of that kind of politician. Carol Burrill Corvallis

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Dear Editor, I reacted rather hard to two of the letters in your issue of 2/5/20 and had to remind myself how unhelpful that is. In response, though, here are some of the things I wish for all of us: I wish we all felt free to get our news from first-hand sources instead of from sources that have to consider ratings and therefore dumb down important issues and turn them into sound bites; I wish “freedom” did not so often seem to mean threatening

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777-1000

or hurting others on the personal, national, or international level; I wish our politicians felt free to base their actions on good sense and experience instead of on fear of reprisal; I wish our President felt free to value the advice of our own FBI, CIA, Pentagon, and Congressional investigations instead of that of Russia; I wish we could free ourselves from the idea that everything depends on money and we can never have enough; I wish we were all free to work a mere 40-hour week and still make a living and be able to afford comfortable housing; I wish we all paid more attention to what people do than to what they say; I wish we were all free from the worry that a freak accident or an illness could basically wipe out everything we have; I wish we were all free to get the kind of education we are interested in without going into insurmountable debt, and then take a job in that field and not have to worry about not earning enough to support our family or keep us in good health; I wish we could remember what our parents tried to teach us so long ago, that yes, some things are definitely mine, but I need to share a lot so that we can all get along; I wish we could realize that if we don’t take care of our planet, it will be unable to continue taking care of us. These things all make sense to me, and I grew up believing that since we human beings tend to be too caught up in our own personal lives, democratically elected government should be able take care of a lot of these issues to our general benefit. No one has to agree. I just wish we could listen and try to understand each other without being afraid or preaching or hating. We would all win. Mary Fahnestock-Thomas Hamilton

Vote Carlino in June

Dear Editor, Getting to know Daniel Carlino has been one of the best parts of my last year. We met at one of his neighborhood Public Service Commission campaign events. We then hosted a Fall meet-and-greet event at my Stevensville farm and together we’ve walked the streets of Missoula discussing issues with citizens door-to-door months before the June primary election. He’s impressive--marshaling volunteers knocking 4,000 doors and calling 1,000 people isn’t easy. It takes follow-through. What resonates for me is his incorporation of worker issues. He advocates a stable transition for the Colstrip community. I’ve seen him lead the discussion on how the PSC can transition our energy grid to benefit electricity users and workers alike. Twentytwo years after deregulation of Montana Power Company, he’s ready to decide court cases that steer our monopoly utility before Northwestern Energy jeopardizes ratepayers by stranding fossil fuel assets. Routinely he challenges their CEO, Bob Rowe, who himself served on the PSC to come up with a better 20-year plan and stop evading responsibility to invest in renewables. Carlino represents young Montanans’ will to combat greenhouse gases with cheap renewable power and battery storage proposals while promoting equity for workers. He needs your vote this June. Max Smith Stevensville

Good letters

Kenneth Bransby www.bransbylaw.com 515 Main Street, Stevensville, MT

#1 - Ken/Atticus - Remove the period after Temporary Orders of Protection. Add Free Consultation above phone number.

Dear Editor, I noted two recent excellent letters. “American tradition” and “Extreme platform.” Of note in the first is that Trump is not a politician. He is a businessman and does not make decisions by holding a wet finger to the political wind. Then, what is this hokey hyphenated last name? That is an indicator of a feminazi. As for the excellent distillation of the Democrat platform, I can only reduce it to the absolute minimum, namely take money

from people who earn it to give it to people who did not earn it. I leave it to the gentle reader to evaluate that. As for me, any government that does that is evil and in dire need of termination with extreme prejudice. Frank Novotny Victor

Fight socialism with better ideas, not bigger bullets

Dear Editor, At the recent Montana Republican Kickoff, something very strange happened. A GOP legislator from Billings suggested that he ought to be shot. Representative Rodney Garcia dropped a stink bomb in the middle of the gathering by insisting that it is our Constitutional duty to execute the socialists in our midst – or at the very least, lock them up in a dank dungeon somewhere. He sees them as too much of a danger for our free society to deal with if left on the loose. A .45 auto to the back of the head ought to do the trick. Obviously, there is something very wrong with this picture. We need to ask our patriotic friend if he has looked at our Constitution lately, and if he’s been looking through the lens of liberty -- or the telescope of tyranny? Sure. It’s more than a little disturbing to hear the term “socialism” being cast about on our campuses and across our country as if it was just some gentle and benign theory of government, deserving of a warm embrace. Until recently, socialism was anathema to most Americans, and candidates who suggested their opponents were socialists were roundly criticized for crossing the line of decent debate. Never mind that the core philosophy of the Democratic Party has always been “socialism light” – the welfare state put on wheels to Hell. It was politically impolite to suggest such things. Yet today, many Democrats wear the “democratic socialism” mantle with unapologetic pride. Rep. Garcia’s proclamation that these are “dangerous people” certainly doesn’t help us to understand our dilemma. Just the opposite. It’s not the people who are dangerous, but the ideas behind the people – ideas that most if its advocates neither understand intellectually nor comprehend historically. Therein lies the problem. Dictionaries and economic texts define socialism as government control and ownership on the means of production, and the eventual abolition of all private business and private property. It’s collectivism, which inevitably leads to totalitarianism -- the total state. State socialism can only be imposed and maintained by a monopoly of force. Ultimately, by the muzzle of a gun. All individualism and individual liberty must be swallowed up by the “benevolent” state. This generally starts by democratic means, thus, the soft-sounding appellation “democratic socialism” to allay our fears. “Heroes” like Hitler were elected. In Germany and elsewhere, democracy was just a temporary means to a dreadful conclusion. Socialism, being an abject failure from the start, must always proceed in this way in order to maintain its total control. “You are describing communism, not socialism,” the argument goes. No. I am describing socialism. Communism, as a form of government and social order has never existed, and never will. Under Marx’s communism, the government eventually fades away, and we all evolve into a state of unity, ecstasy and peace. Won’t happen. Can’t happen. Every totalitarian state, and the brutal tyranny that accompanied it, represent some form of state socialism. Tell the 200 million murdered victims that it was all meant to be benevolent. Maybe Bernie Sanders can convince them. Ironically, if Rep. Garcia wants to shoot America’s purveyors of socialism, he might begin by shooting himself. Sadly, he doesn’t understand the fundamental ideas of socialism any better than the next guy. It was Rodney See LETTERS, page 14

Calendar

Hamilton Senior Center activities

Monday: Lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Cribbage 2nd & 4th week, 1 p.m.; Toenail Care by appt. 1st & last week; Bingo 1st & 3rd week, 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesday: Toastmasters 6:30-8 a.m.; Western Line Dancing 10-11 a.m.; Clogging 1-4 p.m. Wednesday: Lunch 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Bridge for Fun, 10 a.m.; Bridge 1-5 p.m. Friday: Line dancing 10-11:30 a.m.; Lunch 11:45 a.m.12:30 p.m.; Pinochle 1st, 3rd & 5th weeks, 1 p.m. Saturday: Flea market, 2nd week, Sept-May 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Special Bingo 1st week, Oct-May, 12 noon; Sunday: Bridge 1-5 p.m. For info: 363-5181.

Stevi Senior Center activities

Monday-Friday: Free coffee, 8-11 a.m., Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Monday: Bridge, 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday: Exercise class, 10-11 a.m. Tuesday: Quilters, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Wednesday: Paint with Sue, 1-3 p.m. (1:30 on 3rd Wednesday) Every Other Wednesday: Fiddlers at Lunch 3rd Wednesday: Special Birthday Lunch, 12 noon, with music. Blood pressures taken. 2nd and 4th Thursday: Cribbage at 12:15 pm Friday: Pinochle, 12:15; Monday & Saturday, 7 p.m. For more information call the Center at 777-5681.

Victor Senior Center activities

Monday-Friday - Men’s Coffee, 8 a.m. Monday-Friday - Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Includes main course, salad bar, dessert, beverage. Donation 60 and over $3.50, under 60 $6 (RSVP 642-3320) Tuesdays: Bingo, 6 p.m. Wednesdays: Pinochle with snacks, 7 p.m. Fridays - Ladies’ Coffee, 10 a.m. Everyone welcome. Victor Senior Center is located at 246 5th Avenue.

Florence senior lunches

Lunch is available through the Council on Aging for senior citizens and others in the Florence area on Mondays at the Florence Fire Hall. Serving begins at 11:30 a.m. Prices are: 60 and over $3.50, under 60 - $6.00. For more information, call the Council on Aging at 363-5690.

Lolo senior lunches

Lolo senior lunch group (60+) meet at 11 a.m. at local restaurants for food, friendship and fun. There is a $4 donation but no one is turned away. Congregate lunches through MAS (Missoula Aging Services). Call 529-1819 to schedule your lunch.

Golden Agers

The Golden Age Club is located at 727 S. 5th in Hamilton. The club’s business meeting is held on the first Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m. All members are asked to attend to review activities and plan new ones. Cake and ice cream is served. Card games (pinochle, multibid racehorse) are played on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday and 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 1 p.m. There is a $2 charge per person. Exercise classes are held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. Blood pressure is

checked every third Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. Guests are welcome. The hall is also available for members to use for personal activities. A monetary donation to cover hall expenses is expected. For more information call 363-0142.

AA meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the following times and places: Monday: 7 p.m., Spirit of Christ Catholic Church, 5475 Farm Land Road, Lolo Tuesday: 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Parish basement, 333 Charlo Street, Stevensville Wednesday: Big Book Study Meeting, 7 p.m., St. Joseph Mission, 224 Linder Street, Florence Thursday: 7 p.m., St. Mary’s Parish basement, 333 Charlo Street, Stevensville Friday: Discussion Meeting, 7:30 p.m., St. Joseph Mission, 224 Linder Street, Florence 3rd Saturday: Women’s Group, 9:30 a.m., St. Joseph Catholic Church, 224 Linder Street, Florence Sunday: Big Book Study Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Victor Senior Center, 243 5th Ave. Check for local meetings by calling the hotline 1-888-607-2000 or by visiting www.aa-montana. org.

Al-Anon

Stevensville Al-Anon Group meets each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the small dining room at the Living Centre, 57 Main Street. Anyone who is affected by the compulsive drinking of a relative or friend is invited. For more information call 239-0878.

Narcotics Anon

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

Free Indeed

Free Indeed, a faith-based addiction support group, meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 230 3rd Avenue in Victor. Contact Donald Layman at 203-8579 or Pastor Jim Landis at 642-9849.

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 the Presbyterian Church (west door), 1220 W. Main, Hamilton. For more information call 3632512.

Morning TOPS

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), a weight loss support group, meets in Stevensville every Thursday at the Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street. Weigh-in starts at 8 a.m. and meetings start at 9:30 a.m. Meetings are fun while learning to eat healthier and lose some pounds. Guests are always welcome. Call Becky at 642-6368 or Margie at 375-5439 for more information. Check out the website at www. tops.org.

Evening TOPS

The evening TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapter meets every Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Kootenai Creek Village Clubhouse. For information call Judy Burke at 777-2743.

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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Saturday Morning TOPS

Saturday Morning TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Saturday morning at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital, 200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton. Weigh-in starts at 8 a.m.; meeting at 9 a.m. Call Cindy at 961-0196 (leave contact message) or check facebook page at TOPS “Take Off Pounds Sensibly Hamilton, MT.

Exercise classes

The following sessions, all by donation, are held at St. Francis Pastoral Center, 411 S. 5th: Thursdays: Tai Chi, 4 p.m. Fridays: Tai Chi, 1 p.m. Indoor Walking: Mon-Thurs 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m.12 noon. Please log in, 16 laps is a mile!

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 guidelines are 1-$23,107; 2- $31,284; 3-$39,461; 4-$47,638; 5-$55,815. For each additional family member add $8,177. Call 406-802-7180 for more information or see on Facebook; www. facebook.com/Ravalli-CountyWIC.

Florence American Legion

Florence American Legion Post 134 meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Florence Rural Fire Station. Call Terry Wahl, Commander, at 274-4589 for more information.

Hamilton American Legion

Hamilton American Legion Post 47 invites all veterans and family members of veterans to the monthly meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post at 322 S. 2nd Street.

Stevensville American Legion

The Stevensville American Legion Post 94 meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Post Home on Middle Burnt Fork Road. A veterans’ breakfast is held every Wednesday at 9 a.m. at C.J.’s Den in Stevensville. For more information, contact Chuck at 253-380-7016.

American Legion Auxiliary

Fort Owen Unit 94, Stevensville, American Legion Auxiliary meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Call Cheryl at 531-4132 for more information.

Addresses requested

American Legion Unit 94 is requesting addresses for those serving overseas from family and friends so that they may send Troop Boxes throughout the year.

Contact Carol at 406-529-9908.

Stevi VFW

The Stevensville VFW 1507 meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Frontier Café.

Marine Corps League

The Marine Corps League welcomes all Marines from all eras, along with Corpsmen and Chaplains who have served with the FMF. The League is a national veterans’ organization that include members of all ranks, all MOS, active duty, reserves, honorably discharged veterans and retirees. It carries on the traditions of the Corps, support Marines still serving, and assist those who have left the service when needed. Meetings are on the 4th Thursday of every month, January to October at 7:30 p.m. for general meetings at the Eagles Lodge, 125 N. 2nd Street, Hamilton. Activities include Toys for Tots, Honor Guards for veteran funerals and Color Guards for parade events, rifle and pistol matches, and support of Marines and the community, and a Marine Birthday celebration in November. An SOS Breakfast and informal get-together for members, spouses, family and friends is held every first Saturday at 9:30 a.m. from January to December at the Hangar Cafe, Ravalli County Airport, Hamilton. It’s an opportunity to get acquainted, exchange ideas, and share sea stories from the past. For more information contact Meade Phillips at 520-9916386 or at USMCmeadeMCL@ aol.com or visit www.mclnational. org or www.montanamcl.org .

VA medical rides

The DAV Transportation System has a hub in the Bitterroot with rides available Monday through Friday. To book a ride to your VA Medical appointments, call Dena at 363-8396. Give at least 72 hours notice. The hub is always looking for volunteer drivers. For information call Dena at 363-8396.

Soroptomist

Soroptomist International of Hamilton invites you to join them at their meetings the first and second Thursday of every month, at noon, at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Soroptomist is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. For more information, contact Dixie Dies at 961-4812.

Rotary Club

The Hamilton Rotary Club meets Mondays, 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. First Street, Hamilton. For information about Rotary, call 363-2960.

Lions Club

The Hamilton Lions Club welcomes you to attend its meetings the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. The club strength – besides being low key and getting a lot done – is helping provide assistance for glasses and hearing aids in Ravalli County. Contact Dixie Dies, 406-3810922, for more information.

Stevi Masons

The Stevensville Masonic Lodge #28 meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 300 Church Street, Stevensville. Stated meetings are on the first Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and special dinners are on the third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. For information or membership email: stevilodge28@ gmail.com.

Victor Masons

Victor Masonic Lodge #43 meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. The Lodge is located on Main above Farmers State Bank. For information on membership, email plycoupe1936@msn.com.

Eastern Star

Naomi Chapter #19, Order of the Eastern Star, meets the first

and third Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the Victor Lodge building located on Main Street above Farmers State Bank, Victor. Leona Chapter #31, Order of the Eastern Star, meets the first and third Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Masonic Lodge building, 115 S. 3rd Street (next to the Fire Station), Hamilton. For inquiries contact, email: teslrudd@gmail.com.

BPL storytime

It’s never too early to introduce your baby or toddler to the wonderful world of books and reading. Together you will discover the joy of songs, finger plays, simple books and bouncing rhymes. The toddler storytime for babies through age 2 meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the downstairs meeting room of the Bitterroot Public Library. Toddler storytime lasts approximately 45 minutes. For more information, call 363-1670.

DCPL storytime

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

Worship at 12:0011p.m. Sunday Worship AM In this Church there shall In this Church there shall be no outcasts. be no outcasts. Street, Hamilton. This knitters guild is friendly, fun, and includes knitters of all levels, from beginners to master knitters. All are welcome.

Doll Club

The Bitterroot Blizzard Doll Club meets monthly, usually the second Thursday of the month, to share a passion for dolls, bears, toys, miniatures and paper dolls. Members rotate hosting the meeting so call or email for the time and location of the next meeting. Contact Kay Schrader, 406-3607214, schrader1501@blackfoot. net.

Learning to read begins before children start school. Your public library promotes early literacy and social development with weekly programming for children. The Darby Community Public Library offers a weekly Children’s Story Time every Tuesday at 11 a.m. for all children under five years old with a caregiver. Come talk, sing, read, write, and play at your library, 101-1/2 S. Marshall St. Call 821-4771 or email: staff@ darbylibrary.net for information.

Model train club

NVPL storytime

Radio Club

Story Time is an enriching early learning program for toddlers and preschoolers that takes place on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the North Valley Public Library’s Community Room. Each week has a different theme, and children can listen to entertaining stories, participate in fun songs and learning activities, and create a cool craft! Each Story Time includes a healthy snack and some time to play with new friends. Older and younger siblings are always welcome. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call 406-7775061 or visit northvalleylibrary. org. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Sapphire Quilt Club

The Sapphire Quilt Club meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Stevensville Senior Center, 100 Mission Street. Join this fun group of people to learn about quilting. Beginner to expert quilters welcome. For more information call Anna Arntz at 707-481-3233.

Fiber Arts Guild

Big Sky Fiber Arts Guild meets the last Saturday of every month. If you are a wool spinner or work with fibers, contact Marty at 777-2421 for location or information or visit http://bigskyfiberartsguild.org.

Knitters Guild

The Knotty Knitters Guild of the Bitterroot meets every 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Yarn Center, 110 Pinckney

The Bitterroot Valley Model Railroaders (BVMRR) run their trains in the basement of the Kohl Building, downtown Stevensville, on the First Friday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m., or by special request. The BVMRR Club will be running trains every Saturday over the holidays from Nov. 30-Dec. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. If interested in joining the club, contact Tony Oberting at 273-0006.

The Bitterroot Amateur Radio Club meets on the third Monday of every month at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton starting at 7 p.m. Come early and enjoy a meal and fellowship.

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.

Draft Horse and Mule Club

The Bitterroot Draft Horse and Mule Club meets every second Monday of every other month at 7 p.m. at Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street, Stevensville. Members drive everything from mini, to mule, to draft horse. Haven’t driven but would like to learn? This is the club for you! Don’t have a horse but would like to get involved? There is always welcome help and there is always a spot on a wagon somewhere. Members do rides as well and have events scheduled throughout the year. For more information call Claudia at 406642-3477.

Three Mile bingo

Bingo is held every first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Three Mile Community/Senior Center, 1064 Three Mile Creek Road. Proceeds go to build a new center. For information call 7773710. continued on next page

Professional & Service Directorytt

Page 6 -- Bitterroot Star

Lolo bingo

Bingo is held every Sunday at the Lolo Community Center from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Doors open at noon, games begin at 1. Food and drinks available. Costs: 3-card pack/13 games is $10; 6-card pack/13 games is $18. Two optional games: 1st game card is $2; 2nd game card is $3.

Toastmasters

Effectively formulate and express your ideas! Bitterroot Toastmasters Club (BTC) meets Tuesdays from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. at the Hamilton Senior Center, 820 N. 4th Street, to support personal development and empower communication and leadership skills. The words we speak convey a great deal! Do you mean what you say when you communicate during a job interview or with your boss, coworkers, and family? Wouldn’t you like to feel more confident, credible, and concise in your speaking presentation? Bitterroot Toastmasters can help! BCT members are given opportunities to wear different hats and fulfill many roles. Visit the website at bitterroot.toastmastersclubs.org or call Mike Turner at 406-360-7262 or Jeanine New at 303-929-2430 for more information.

Clothes Closet

The Stevensville Clothes Closet is a non-profit, free store that serves the people of the Bitterroot Valley by accepting donations of children and adult clothing, shoes, linens, small appliances and kitchenware. They then sort, wash and offer the goods free to the community. The Clothes Closet is located at Middle Burnt Fork and ALC way. It is open for shopping and for donations Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. The Clothes Closet is especially in need of blankets, sheets and comforters. For questions about donations or directions call Gail Fisher at 369-0394 or Molly Hackett at 961-4614.

Family Shelter

The Family Shelter of the Bitterroot meets on the second Friday of each month at 1 p.m. at Canyon View Church, 195 Skalkaho Road. Everyone is welcome.

Men’s Bereavement Breakfast

Marcus Daly Hospice sponsors a Men’s Bereavement Support Breakfast on the second and fourth Friday of each month at 9 a.m. in the Marcus Daly Hospice Dining Room. This breakfast creates a special opportunity for men coping with the death of a spouse or loved one to gather and share their journey of healing. Informal discussions are led by a trained Bereavement Facilitator and address such issues as dealing with grief, loneliness, forming new relationships, single parenting. A donation of $3.00 is appreciated for the meal. For more information call Marcus Daly Bereavement Coordinator at 363-6503.

Breast cancer support group

The Bitterroot Valley breast cancer support group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Daly Leach Memorial Community Room, 1010 W. Main, Hamilton. All are welcome. For information contact Judy Rothie, (406) 564-8613.

Pregnant/new mom groups

Postpartum Support Circle and Baby Bistro (breastfeeding support) meet on the second Thursday of each month and a Prenatal Support Circle meets on the fourth Thursday of the month. All meetings are held at 109 N. 4th St. Suite 104 in Hamilton from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call Sheehan at 6426527 or email bitterrootbreastfeeding@gmail.com.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

MomLife

Bitterroot MomLife is a gathering of moms with kids of all ages, meeting twice a month September-May on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Lone Rock Bible Church, 1142 Three Mile Creek Road, Stevensville. Come join in for “grown-up” conversation, brunch, activities, crafts, speakers, Go Deeper discussions and free childcare. For more info call the church office, 777-2592.

Dementia Caregiver Group

Are you a caregiver of someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other type of dementia? You’re invited to join in an informal group on the second Friday each month at 1 p.m. at The Living Center Chapel (second floor), 63 Main, Stevensville to share your concerns and experiences with others in a same or similar situation. If you would like to attend, your loved one is welcome to visit with facility residents with staff supervision during the meeting time. For more information contact Kati Aiken at Ravalli County Council on Aging, 363-5690.

Parkinson’s support group

A Parkinson’s support group meets the third Monday of the month at 1 p.m. at Sapphire Lutheran Homes. All are welcome. Contact Susan, 369-0535, for more information.

Suicide support group

A support group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 12 noon at Riverfront Mental Health Center, 209 N. 10th, Suite A (blue building), Hamilton. The group is hosted by Ravalli County Suicide Prevention Alliance. For information email: rwetzel@wmmhc.org or phone 375-4095.

Victor Adult Education Spring 2020 Classes For more information about instructors you can visit our website at www.victor.k12.mt.us To sign up for a class, please call 642-3221

Chickens 101: You’ve always wanted to raise

chickens but never knew where to start. We will start with the basics and move on from there. Here are the topics we will cover each week, (not necessarily in this order) 1)Benefits of chickens for your family 2) Site Selection of your chicken coop, portable vs free standing coop 3) Flock protection 4) Breed selection, buying local or through a hatchery 5) Supplies needed to prepare for the arrival of your baby chicks 6) How to keep your chicks healthy their first month 7) Food, water, shelter, basic and necessary needs for your new hens to survive and thrive 8) Choosing the right food for feather and egg production 9) Good and bad vegetable and fruit treats to share with your flock 10) Common ailments and possible diseases Instructor: Justine Morris Meets: (THURS), beginning March 5th to May 7th at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Cost $25.00

Gardening 101: You’ve decided to start your

own vegetable garden now what? We will start with the basics and go from there. Here are the topics we will cover each week (not necessarily in this order): 1) Site selection and necessary garden requirements 2) Devotion of time , gardening tools, benefits of raised bed gardening 3) Seeds or Plant, easiest to grow by seeds 4) Organic Gardening /Companion Planting 5) Seed Selection 6) Good bugs vs Bad bugs for your garden 7) Water and Mulch Protection 8) Harvesting the Bounty, Storage of Veggies 9) Frost Protection of plants in Montana 10) Preserving the Bounty, Canning/Freezing Instructor: Justine Morris Meets: (Tues) March 3rd to May 5th 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Cost $25.00

Intermediate Mix Media Painting: Bring

your own brushes, paint-thinner in a wide mouth jar with lid and palate (if you have one). Paint and other supplies are provided. Class will be held in the Art Room. Instructor: Steve Wilson. Meets: (THURS, FRI & SAT) Feb. 27th & 28th 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Feb. 29th 10:00 am – 1:00 p.m. Max of 12. Cost $35.00

Co-Ed Basketball: This class is intended for

those who would like to have fun and play some competitive basketball. Gym Instructor: Tristin Chavez. Meets: (MON) & (THURS) Feb. 24th – May 7th 7:00-9:00 pm. Open enrollment Cost $10 for 11 weeks or $2 a night

Co-Ed Volleyball (Advanced): This Class is

intense and intended for those who have played a lot of volleyball. This is a very competitive group of players. Max 12. Gym Instructor: Amber Kay. Meets: (FRI), beginning March 6th to April 24th at 7:00 pm to 9:00 p.m. Cost: $25.00

Pottery Classes: Two -4 week sessions Instructor: Kelly Price. Classes will be held at Kelly Price Studio in Victor. Beginning Pottery: An introduction to clay for those who have little or no experience with working in clay. Includes basic methods of throwing on the wheel & handbuilding techniques. We will also cover an introduction to glazing & brief overview of firing pottery. Max of 6 students. Meets: Monday evenings, March 4th - April 1st Wed. evenings 6:30-9 pm. Cost $65.00 per student for clay, glaze & firing Intermediate Pottery Class: This class is geared toward the person who has experience on the potter wheel &/or handbuilding with clay who wishes to explore more in-depth challenges. The class will be treated as an independent study so it is advised that students come with a goal or goals in mind ie… make 6 plates; throw 12’ pieces; make a sculpture wall hanging, etc. Max of 6 students. Meets: Wednesday evenings April 8th – May 6th 6:30-9 pm. Cost $65.00 Restorative Yoga: Come join us for an uplifting, restorative yoga class for all levels. Yoga means union and in this class we bring mind, body and spirit into alignment. Each class follows the Akhanda Shakti method for flow, starting with breath work, leading to fiery balance poses and ending with a wisdom nugget that you can bring with you off the mat. Instructor: Danielle Humphry Meets: (Thurs) March 5th to May 7th 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Cost $20.00 OULA: OULA is a high energy workout that

combines the depth and soulfulness of a mind-body practice with the carefree playfulness of a living room dance party. Participants are free to let it all out! It’s not about how it looks, it’s about how it feels! Instructor: Liz Gillpatrick Meets: (TUES) March 3rd – April 28th 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Cost $20.00

NAMI

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) support group for families and friends with a loved one who experience mental challenges, meets the second Monday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Cornerstone Church, 280 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. For more information contact Donna at (406) 381-9884 or Arlene at (406) 239-1708.

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.

Volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed for the Victor Volunteer Fire Department support group. This group provides food for the Wednesday evening meetings of the Victor Fire Department. Support group members are responsible for one week per month only. What you decide to make is up to you, serving about 20 people. Soups, stews, casseroles, etc. and a dessert. Call Sharon at 642-3844 for additional information.

North Valley Library board

The North Valley Public Library Board of Trustees meets the third Wednesday of the month at 3 p.m. at the library at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. Meetings are open to the public and public input is welcomed. The agenda is posted on the front window of the library and on the library’s website at least 48 hours prior to meetings: https://www.northvalleylibrary. org/docs

Quantum Group

The Quantum Group of the Bitterroot is a group of ordinary people determined to learn about quantum theory. They study relevant material (no equations), discuss it and teach one another this most important field of science. The group meets every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis Community Center in Hamilton. New members invited and welcomed. Visit the website at www//Quantumgb or e-mail blaise.favara@gmail or call 3630683 for more information.

Saturday bingo

Special Saturday Bingo is held every third Saturday of the month at Victor Senior Center. Doors open at 12 noon, play at 1 p.m. $1 per card. $1 admission. Must be 18 to play. Snacks and coffee available. Everyone welcome. Call Glenda at 360-3074 for more information.

Socrates Cafe

Socrates Café takes place every other Tuesday evening (May 14) from 7 to 9 p.m. in the meeting room of the Bitterroot Public Library. Join in the philosophical discussions. Bring questions to be selected and discussed at the meeting. You are invited to examine, learn and think with others. Learn how others view the world. Together generate community, understanding and change together. Tea, coffee and cookies are provided.

Laundry Love

Laundry Love Hamilton, a monthly laundry event for homeless and low-income individuals/ families, takes place the 2nd Thursday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m. at Fast & Fluffy, 115 Pine Street, Hamilton. 3 loads per individual/family. Check in with a Laundry Love Hamilton volunteer to sign in and receive your washer card. All laundry detergent, fabric softener and quarters will be supplied by Laundry Love Hamilton. Laundry guests must remain on site. Laundry Love Hamilton is made possible by donations, busi-

ness sponsorships, fundraisers and volunteers. For more information or to inquire on how your business/organization can help, contact Laundry Love Hamilton by email: laundrylovehamiltonmt@gmail. com.

Center for Spiritual Life

Services are held every Sunday at 328 Fairgrounds Road, across from Hamilton High School, to hear inspiring ideas and uplifting music. Meditation begins at 9 a.m., service begins at 9:30 a.m., stay for fellowship in the Social Hall at 10:45 a.m. For further information call Dave Schultz at 381-2355; schultz_dv@ msn.com/; visit CSLBitterroot.org, or like us on Facebook: CSLBitterroot.

Course in Miracles Study Group

Join a weekly ongoing and deepening discussions of A Course in Miracles; a journey of spiritual transformation. The class meets every Wednesdays from 9:45 a.m. to 12 noon at The Center for Spiritual Life, 328 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton. By donation. For more information, call Selma at 381-6480; selmaputnam@gmail. com/; visit CSLBitterroot.org, or on Facebook: CSLBitterroot.

Drum Circle

African Drum Circle is held the 2nd and 4th Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bring your drum, rattles, and other instruments and be part of the fun. No drums? No worries! There are instruments to share. Drum Circle meets at The Center for Spiritual Life, 328 Fairground Road, Hamilton. By donation. For information, contact Jerry at 381-7220; jelb229@aol. com/; visit CSLBitterroot.org, or on Facebook: CSLBitterroot.

Elks dinner

The Elks Lodge serves dinner every Wednesday evening beginning at 6 p.m. The menu varies each week and the meals are all delicious. The cost for members is $11 and non-members $12. Coffee is always included. Come and bring a friend. The Lodge is located at 203 State Street in Hamilton behind Neff’s Flooring. For further information call 363-3031.

Wed, February 19 Candidate forum

The Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold a candidate forum on Wednesday, February 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the NorthWestern Energy building, 1140 S. First Street, Hamilton. The public is welcome; however, questions will not be allowed.

Thurs, February 20 Trout Unlimited

At the Thursday, February 20 meeting of Trout Unlimited, TU special projects manager Christine Brissette will present “What’s new at TU,” an overview of current and proposed BRTU projects. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Hamilton Elks Club, 203 State Street in Hamilton. The public is invited to attend and there is no charge for admission. Bitterroot TU has been working to make our fishery - and fishing - better since its inception in the 1970’s. In 2017, BRTU’s on-the-ground restoration program got a boost with the hire of Christine Brissette, National TU’s Bitterroot Project Manager. In April 2018, Christine gave a program on a nascent set of fish screen projects and enormous progress has been made since then! Come learn about the projects Christine has been working on in our streams, and hear what’s on the horizon for restoration in the Bitterroot. Christine will also talk about some of the impressive projects TU is leading statewide: Mine restoration in Ninemile Creek, dam removal in the Rattlesnake, irrigation efficiency/fish

passage improvement on Clark Fork tributaries and more. For additional information, contact Jeremy Anderson or Greg Chester, or consult the BRTU website.

Fri, February 21

Pachyderm Club

The Bitterroot North Valley Pachyderm Club will meet Friday, February 21 at 12 noon at The Frontier Café, Hwy 93 in Stevensville. Guest speaker will be former legislator Rick Jore, talking about Daines’s CSKT Water Compact. The North Valley Pachyderm Club is an educational arm of the Republican Party. All are welcome.

Sat, February 22 Snow sculpture competition

The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is excited to be joining the Zootown Arts Community Center, Missoula Parks and Recreation, and Discover Your Northwest to host a snow sculpture competition on Saturday, February 22 at the Lolo Pass Visitor Center, located off U.S. Highway 12 at the Idaho/Montana state line. Sculptors and spectators alike are welcome to come enjoy everything Lolo Pass has to offer during this free, family–friendly event. The event kicks off at 8 a.m. (PST) and lasts until 1 p.m., with sculpture judging beginning at approximately 12 noon. Prizes will be awarded to the top three creations. Snow sculpture contestants will be limited to 30 entries, although an entry may consist of more than one person (ex. a family or group of friends). Interested snow sculptors may sign up at bit. ly/LPVC_SnowSculpt. Those not interested in competing in the sculpture competition are still welcome to visit Lolo Pass to witness the creation of this beautiful outdoor art. The visitor center will also have snowshoes for all ages, as well as youth–sized skis and boots, available to rent for the day, free of charge. For more information about this and other events at Lolo Pass Visitor Center, call (208) 942-3113 and follow the visitor center on Facebook atbit.ly/FB-LPVC. The visitor center is currently operating on its winter schedule (7:30 a.m. through 4:15 p.m. [PST], Thursday through Monday).

Kids Adventure Series

Solar System Mobiles is the topic of the free adventure series for kids on Saturday, February 22 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Ravalli County Museum, 205 Bedford, Hamilton. Make a spectacular mobile of our solar system from styrofoam balls, string, and cardboard! The heavenly planets will be painted in a variety of colors and will hang from an oval shaped piece of cardboard. This in turn will hang from the ceiling and provide hours of viewing wonder! For more information call 3633338.

Square dance

Boots & Calico Square Dance Club will dance Saturday, February 22 at the Golden Age Cub, 5th & Baker streets in Hamilton. Ray Dunbar will be calling and Don Scheline will provide the Round dance music. The evening starts at 7 p.m. with a half hour of round dancing, followed by Mainstream level square dancing from 7:30 to 9:30. Spectators are always welcome. For more info, call Ray at 370-4414.

Sun, February 23 Accordion jam

An accordion dance and jam will be held Sunday, February 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Rustic Hut in Florence. Admission is $4 members, $5 guests. Everyone is welcome.

Post 47 Pint Night Mon, February 24 The American Legion Ravalli Post 47 is hosting a Pint Night fundraiser on Sunday, February 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Bitterroot Brewery with live music by Steve Winkler, 50/50 raffle, and silent auction. Funds will be used to help support their sponsored community programs (Scout groups, Bitterroot Red Sox, Boys State). Come enjoy a brew and live music and help support these community programs as well! The American Legion Post 47 is a small but mighty not-for-profit veteran organization in Ravalli County located at 322 S. 2nd Ave in Hamilton. The Post just celebrated its 100-year anniversary as the first Post chartered in the Bitterroot Valley after WWI (December 13, 1919). The Post is very active in supporting the community. They sponsor the Bitterroot Red Sox baseball team (which is the only youth baseball program in Montana - the team won Regional Championships 5 of the last 6 years), three local Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops, a teen Venture Group; they render military honors for 10-15 veteran funerals annually in the Bitterroot and Missoula, they teach American flag etiquette at local schools, visit 40-50 veterans living in the local assisted living centers, post 1100+ white crosses on veteran graves at Riverview Cemetery every Memorial Day, and conduct Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. Additionally, Post 47 gives annual scholarships for high school juniors to attend Boys State and Girls State government leadership immersion programs, hosts the Legion Auxiliary Program and monthly Veteran Benefits Advisor sessions at the Post. A new roof is needed on the old Post building which will cost $25,000. Help Post 47 continue the important community sponsorships that it has done for the past century by attending the upcoming fundraiser.

Rotary Club

Hamilton City Planner Matthew Rohrbach will be speaking at the next meeting of the Hamilton Rotary Club, on Monday, February 23 at 12 noon at BJ’s Restaurant, 900 N. 1st, Hamilton. Matthew will discuss Hamilton’s “Connect 93 Project,” the city’s plan to make the intersection of Highway 93 and Main Street more welcoming to visitors, and to balance the needs of various users. The meeting is open to the public, and visitors are welcome. For further Rotary Club information, call 363-2960.

RCFWA

The Ravalli County Fish & Wildlife Association will hold its general meeting on Monday, February 24 at 7 p.m. at the Daly Leach Community Room, 1010 West Main, Hamilton. Along with general business, guest speaker will be club member Robert Wood with a presentation of his adventure in Tajikistan, Central Asia in the Pamirs Mountain Range, Pyandj River Gorge region and driving the Silk Highway in quest of Asian Ibex. RCFWA meetings are open to the public.

Tues, February 25 Republican Women’s Club

Ravalli County Republican Women’s Club will hold its monthly meeting and lunch on Tuesday, February 25 at 11:30 a.m. at BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton. Guest speakers will be candidates for HD87, Sashin Hume and Ron Marshall.

Read local! 777-3928

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Wed, February 26 Bitterroot Quilters Guild

The Bitterroot Quilters Guild will meet Wednesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Daly Leach Community Room, 1010 W. Main, Hamilton. Anyone with an interest in quilting is encouraged to come early to socialize and shop the ‘Ugli Bin’ for a bargain before the meeting; doors open at 6 pm. The TARTS or Textile Artists Group will present examples of their work at this meeting. Members also share their own projects during a Show and Tell. Membership in the Guild is open to quilters from beginner through advanced; contact Tena Chapman, Membership Chair, at 406-381-4755, or attend the February meeting as a guest. For more information, visit the Bitterroot Quilters Guild on Facebook.

Sat, February 29 Ag soils workshop “Regenerating Ag Soil with Patterns of Diversity” will be presented on Saturday, February 29 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Corvallis Grange Hall in Hamilton. You are invited to a presentation on the various organic ways of regenerating agriculture soil. Topics to be discussed include revitalizing soil microbes and fungi, regenerating veggie soils, rejuvenating ranchlands, and using animals and plant biomass to restore agriculture soils. Invited speakers include Larry Evans from the Western Montana Mycological Association, John Brown from Charter Ranch, Steve Elliot and Lucy Brieger of LifeLine Produce, Leon Stangl, Yourganic farmer, and others. This is a free event. Bring your own brown bag lunch. Sponsors are welcome to have a display space to promote their ag related products. Contact Leon at yourfarm@yahoo.com or 9615452 for a sponsorship form.

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Cat Castles construction class

Does your cat deserve a castle? Most cat lovers agree, we’d go to any length to support our furry friends. The North Valley Public Library is taking a page from the Missoula library and hosting their own Cat Castle Construction on Saturday, February 29 at 10 a.m. Come build multi-tiered spires out of stockpiled cardboard. Build stacked levels, cut windows for kitty to watch the world, create scratching posts and add a cover with colorful wrapping paper. This event broadens creativity and collaboration to build your cardboard towers. From young adult to grandparents, all are invited to give their kitty a home fit for a king or queen. The library will have all the necessary elements including sharp box cutters, super strong tape, wrapping paper and sisal rope, so bring gloves to wear! Cats love to scratch on the cardboard so it won’t last forever, but then

you can build another with the skills you learn at the Cat Castle Construction workshop. Please register in advance. North Valley Public Library is located at 208 Main Street, Stevensville. For more information, call 406-777-5061 or visit northvalleylibrary.org. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Paint Party

A Paint Party fundraiser will be held Saturday, February 29 from 5 o 7 p.m. at the Lolo Community Center, 12345 Hwy 93 South, Lolo. Host is Julie MuelaFarris. Cost is $35 which includes materials. Reserve your spot by contacting Korrie at 240-6364.

Square dance

Boots & Calico Square Dance Club will be dancing at the Golden Age Club, 5th & Baker Streets in Hamilton on Saturday, February 29th. Ray Dunbar is calling and Don Scheline is

Bitterroot Star -- Page 7

providing the Round dance music. The evening starts at 7 p.m. with a half hour of Plus level, followed by Mainstream level from 7:30 to 9:30. Spectators are always welcome. For more info, call Ray at 370-4414.

Wed, March 4 Garden Club

Stevensville Garden Club will meet on Wednesday, March 4 at 1 p.m. at the Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street. Nan Christianson, one of the founders of the Bitterroot Secret Garden Tour, will give a power point presentation about this year’s event. The public is invited to attend. Call Colleen at 273-3973 for more info.

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For Tickets, please call 363-2800

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Page 8 -- Bitterroot Star

UM researchers study how birds retweet news UM News Service

Every social network has its fake news. And in animal communication networks, even birds discern the trustworthiness of their neighbors, a study from the University of Montana suggests. The study, recently published in the top science journal Nature, is the culmination of decades’ worth of research from UM alumni Nora Carlson and Chris Templeton and UM Professor Erick Greene in the College of Humanities and Sciences. It sheds a new light on bird social networks. “This is the first time people have shown that nuthatches are paying attention to the source of information, and that influences the signal they produce and send along,” Greene said. Carlson, Templeton and Greene shared an interest in trying to crack the Rosetta Stone of how birds communicate and collected bird calls over the years. Each bird species has a song, usually sung by the males, for “letting the babes know ‘here I am,’” Greene said, as well as staking out real estate. Their loud and com-

plex calls usually ring out during breeding season. But for warning calls, each sound stands for a specific threat, such as “snake on the ground,” “flying hawk” and “perched hawk.” The calls convey the present danger level and specific information. They also are heard by all species in the woods in a vast communication network that sets them on high alert. “Everybody is listening to everybody else in the woods,” Greene said. In the study, Greene and his researchers wanted to determine how black-capped chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches encode information in their calls. In bird communication, a high-pitched “seet” from a chickadee indicates a flying hawk and causes a strong reaction – other birds go silent, look up and then dive in the bushes. Alarm calls can travel quickly through the woods. Greene said in previous experiments they clocked the speed of the calls at 100 miles per hour, which he likens to the bow wave on a ship. “Sometimes birds in the woods know five minutes before a

Nora Carlson records a black-capped chickadee. She arrived at UM with an undergraduate degree in linguistics and the desire to translate bioacoustics. The nuthatch paper sprang from her UM senior thesis. hawk gets there,” Greene said. A harsh, intensified “mobbing call” drives birds from all

species to flock together to harass the predator. When the predator hears the mobbing call, it usually

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has to fly a lot farther to hunt, so the call is very effective. “The owl is sitting in the tree, going, ‘Oh crap!” Greene said. Greene calls it “social media networks – the original tweeting.” For the study with chickadees and nuthatches, the researchers focused on direct information – something a bird sees or hears firsthand – versus indirect information, which is gained through the bird social network and could be a false alarm. “In a way, it kind of has to do with fake news, because if you get information through social media, but you haven’t verified it, and you retweet it or pass it along, that’s how fake news starts,” Greene said. Nuthatches and chickadees share the same predators: the great-horned owl and the pygmy owl. To the small birds, the pygmy owl is more dangerous than a great-horned owl due to its smaller turning radius, which allows it to chase prey better. “If you are eating something that’s almost as big as you are, it’s worth it to go after it,” Greene said. Using speakers in the woods, the researchers played the chickadee’s warning call for the low-threat great-horned owl and the higher-threat pygmy owl to nuthatches. The calls varied by threat level – great-horned owl versus pygmy owl – and whether they were direct (from the predators themselves) or indirect (from the chickadees). What they discovered about the nuthatches was surprising. Direct information caused the nuthatches to vary their calls according to the high threat and the low threat. But the chickadee’s alarm call about both predators elicited only a generic, intermediate call from the nuthatch, regardless of the threat level. Greene said the research points to the nuthatch’s ability to make sophisticated decisions

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about stimuli in their environment and avoid spreading “fake news” before they confirm a predator for themselves. “You gotta take your hat off to them,” Greene said. “There’s a lot of intelligence there.” The research, conducted by Carlson, Templeton and Greene around Montana and Washington throughout the years, wasn’t without challenges. Most of the set up happened during winter, and nuthatches had to be isolated from chickadees to ensure the warning calls were not a response to witnessing chickadees going crazy. Often a chickadee would appear after everything was set up, and the researchers had to take everything down and try a new location. “It’s quite hard to find nuthatches without chickadees somewhere in the area,” Greene said. “That was the most difficult part – to find these conditions out in the wild.” But the results were worth the work. Greene said the nuthatch study ultimately helps researchers better understand how animal communication networks work and how different species decode information, encode info and pass it along. “We kind of wish people behaved like nuthatches,” Greene said. Read more about the study in National Geographic at https:// on.natgeo.com/3bAGO61. Carlson earned her undergraduate degree in wildlife biology from UM in 2012 and a doctorate from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She resides at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior at Germany with a globally prestigious Marie Curie Research Fellowship. Templeton received a graduate degree in organismal biology and ecology from UM in 2002 and also researched bioacoustics at St. Andrews. He works as a professor at Pacific University in Portland.

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Bitterroot Star -- Page 9

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

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Page 10 -- Bitterroot Star

Jobs

continued

wages, and equipment work for Montana’s first Opportunity Zone project at the project site, which is equal to or greater than $1 for every $1 of BSTF financial assistance received within this contract time period; and pay the BSTF wage rate of $17.15 per hour without employee benefits. The commissioners signed onto a Sub-Recipient Agreement with the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority to administer the grant to Montana Studios LLC for the project. The County Commissioners also approved a brand new application for BSTF money for Full Curl Manufacturing which is also located in Bitterroot Gateway Development complex located at 132 Skalkaho Hwy. Full Curl Manufacturing was one of the first businesses to partner with the Bitterroot Gateway Development, LLC (BGD) and lease space in the Hamilton location. Rhonda Stoddard, the Chief Executive

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Manager, and Ed Stoddard, Sales and Operations Manager, own Full Curl Manufacturing, a DBA of Blue Sky Tools, LLC. Full Curl Manufacturing, LLC (FCM) styles itself as “the provider of choice in western Montana for powder coating finishes and for custom welding, fabrication and industrial CNC cut parts, by offering superior custom products and superior service to our customers and the community in which we live.” They claim to offer faster completion times and competitive pricing, claiming that their brand new, high-tech and ecofriendly Rohner powder coating system gives them a competitive edge. They also claim to have the largest capacity oven system currently operating in Northwest Montana (Spokane, WA to Bozeman, MT). In addition, they state, their new “Arclight” CNC plasma table allows for production of high quality, precision metal fabrication. They offer consumers the ability to customize products, designs and finishes according to their specifications. They also

manufacture pool lifts to assist people with mobility challenges to enter and exit swimming pools. Full Curl is requesting a grant of $60,000 with $4,000 going to grant administration and $56,000 going to the purchase of new equipment. The company will match the grant with its own $60,000 investment for a project total of $120,000. The goal is to hire eight new employees and reach full production by the end of the first quarter. Employee starting wages will be $17-$18 per hour. The project aims to encourage viable economic development and will promote investment of private capital, expansion of local tax bases, and creation of permanent year-round jobs principally for low and moderate income Montanans,” said RCEDA director Foster.

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H A M I LT O N OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

New images of coronavirus NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana, produced images of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) on its scanning and transmission electron microscopes on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 disease, which has grown to be a global public health emergency since cases were first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. RML investigator Emmie de Wit, Ph.D., provided the virus samples as part of her studies, microscopist Elizabeth Fischer produced the images, and the RML visual medical arts office digitally colorized the images. Note that the images do not look much different from MERSCoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which emerged in 2012) or the original SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which emerged in 2002). That is not surprising: The spikes on the surface of coronaviruses give this virus

This scanning electron microscope image shows SARSCoV-2 (yellow)—also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus that causes COVID-19—isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. Credit: NIAIDRML

family its name – corona, which is Latin for “crown,” and most any coronavirus will have a crown-like appearance. These images are available to the public for free highresolution download on the NIAID Flickr page. NIAID asks all who

COMMUNITY CLASSES

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continued Montana. The work involved three groups of animals: those treated with remdesivir 24 hours before infection with MERS-CoV; those treated 12 hours after infection (close to the peak time for MERSCoV replication in these animals); and untreated control animals. The scientists observed the animals for six days. All control animals showed signs of respiratory disease. Animals treated before infection fared well: no signs of respiratory disease, significantly lower levels of virus replication in the lungs compared to control animals, and no lung damage. Animals treated after infection fared significantly better than the control animals: disease was less severe than in control animals, their lungs had lower levels of virus than the control animals, and the damage to the lungs was less severe. The scientists indicate that the promising study results support additional clinical trials of remdesivir for MERS-CoV and COVID-19, the disease that SARS-CoV-2 causes. Several clinical trials of remdesivir for COVID-19 are under way in China, and other patients with COVID-19 have received the drug under a compassionate use protocol. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also provided support for this study. Gilead Sciences, Inc., developed remdesivir, also known as GS-5734, and collaborated in the research. MERS-CoV emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Through December 2019, the World Health Organization had confirmed 2,499 MERS-CoV cases and 861 deaths (or about 1 in 3). Because about one-third of MERS-CoV cases spread from infected people being treated in healthcare settings, the scientists suggest that remdesivir could effectively prevent disease in other patients, contacts of patients, and healthcare workers. They also note the drug might help patients who are diagnosed with MERS or COVID-19 if given soon after symptoms start.

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Sports

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Professional Investment Advice By Jean Schurman Sports Editor

Darby’s Nelson Smith heads to the basket against a couple of Seeley-Swan Blackhawks. Jean Schurman photo.

Darby sophomore Amber Anderson makes a shot against Seeley-Swan. Jean Schurman photo.

at the charity line practicing this week. Nelson Smith, Smith’s son, led all scorers with 23 points. Darby 51, Seeley-Swan 41 Seeley-Swan -.Dakota Wood 13, Walker McDonald 10, Chase Holmes 2, Caleb Maughn 4, Brayden Rodriguez 12. Darby -Nelson Smith 23; Preston Smith 11; Jordan Anderson 8; Gabe Smith 5; Christian Humphrey 2; Tyler Davis 2. Saturday night, Darby traveled to Superior to play the Clark Fork Mountain Cats. The Tigers again jumped out to an early lead and went on to win, 58-37. Nelson Smith had 30 points in the game. With the win, the Tigers secured a three-way tie with Seeley-Swan and Clark Fork but because of earlier losses, they are seeded in third place. Darby 58, Clark Fork 37 Darby - Nelson Smith 30; Preston Smith 10; Gabe Smith 9; Jordan Anderson 5; Christian Humphrey 2; Tyler Davis 2.

Jim Moerkerke, CFP®, CWS® Senior Vice President, Financial Consultant

Darby wins big games The Darby Tigers did just what they wanted to do this past weekend, take down the top two teams in the conference, Seeley Swan and Clark Fork. Although the wins didn’t change the standings any, Darby is still in third place, it did wonders for their mental outlook. Darby played Seeley-Swan on Friday for senior night. The Tigers opened up an early lead and never looked back in the 13C matchup. By the end of the first quarter, Darby was ahead by four and by the end of the half, they were up by 13 points and had only allowed three points by the Blackhawks. Seeley did crawl back into the game in the third quarter when Dakota Wood hit a three pointer. The margin was six points, and that was the closest the Blackhawks got to the Tigers. Although the game was close the rest of the game, Darby continued their dominance of the offensive and defensive boards as well as controlling the tempo of the game. “They were determined to win this time,” said coach Crystal Smith. “After our last game at Seeley, the boys really wanted this and especially for the last time they play on this court.” Darby struggled at the free throw line and only hit eight of 19 shots. Smith said they would be

Bitterroot Star -- Page 11

The Lady Tigers of Darby lost to the undefeated SeeleySwan Blackhawks, 56-31. Seeley’s tough defense allowed only seven points in the first half. Amber Anderson found some room in the second half and finished with eight points. Coach Caroline Ehmann said her team struggled but she was proud of the way they came back in the second half. Seeley-Swan 56, Darby 31 Seeley-Swan - Klaire Kovatch 19; Emily Maughan 9; Terra Bertsch 7; Kara Good 6; Aspen Conley 4; Danielle Sexton 2; Trista Wendell 2; Hannah Ayers 2; Taylor Dillree 2; Rose Mercer 2; Bethany Hoag 1; Kyla Conley 0. Darby - Amber Anderson 8; Gracie Lang 5; Annie Rennaker 5; Madison Conner 4; Makena Hawkinson 4; Kimber Schlapman 3; K. Goodwin 2. On Saturday, the Lady Tigers lost to Clark Fork, 53-22. The Mountain Kats had a well rounded defense that limited Darby’s shots. Anderson again had the hot hand, finishing with nine points. Clark Fork 53, Darby 22 Darby - Amber Anderson 9, Kimber Schlapman 4, Madison Conner 3, Annie Rennaker 2, Makena Hawkinson 2, K. Goodwin 2. Clark Fork - Sorren Reese 17, Emma Baughman 8, Isabella Pereira 8, Darby Haskins 8, Payton Milender 6, Zoe Kelsey 3, D. Vanderploeg 2, Taylor Haskins.

The Victor Pirates fell to Philipsburg in a close game, 42-35. Victor took a one point lead into the locker room at the half. But, they couldn’t contain the Prospectors in the third quarter. Victor was led by Carson Varner’s 14 points. Philipsburg 42, Victor 35 Philipsburg - Brian Ward 12, Kade Cutler 11, Daniel Brabender 10, Bryce Parret 4, Andrew Tallon 3, Avery Metesh 2. Victor - Carson Varner 14, Caleb Rockwood 7, Skylar Webberson 5, Canyon Parks 4, Braden Bowen 3, Jordan FriedeMcClain 2. The Lady Pirates fell to Philipsburg, 61-it’s 21. Virginia Brown led the Pirates scoring with seven points. Philipsburg 61, Victor 21 Philipsburg - Ashe Comings 15, Amelia Hill 11, Reece Pitcher 10, Rachel Ward 8, Shelby Struna 6, Serenity O’Donnell 5, Gretchen Hill 4, Lucia Lee 2. Victor - Virginia Brown 7, Emma Day 5, Ashley Buchanan 5, Jayden Scheffer 3, Maddie Bahr 1. Both the Victor boys and the Victor girls lost to Seeley-Swan on Saturday night.

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Hamilton secures second place more.

The Hamilton Broncs got a rare win in enemy country on Saturday with a 44-28 win over Dillon in Dillon. The Broncs were able to hold Dillon’s best scorer, Justus Peterson to only three points. Carson Rostad led the Broncs with 10 points. Hamilton 44, Dillon 28 Dillon - Justus Peterson 3, Cole Johnston 2, Jace Fitzgerald 8, Connor Curnow 3, Jonathan Kirkley 2, Cole Truman 8, Braden Anderson 2. Hamilton - Tyler Burrows 6, Trey Searle 9, Eli Taylor 4, Tyson Rostad 4, Josh Dickemore 5, Austin Drake 6, Carson Rostad 10 Butte Central topped Corvallis, 65-48, on Saturday. The Maroons jumped out to a large lead and built upon it throughout the game. Jaymark Liedle had 19 points and Cole Trexler and Caleb Warnken each added 12

Butte Central - Harrington 18, Heaphy 17, J. Simkins 4, M. Simkins 6, Neumann 12, Yelerich 5, Wahl 3. Corvallis - Jaymark Liedle 19, Cole Trexler 12, Caleb Warnken 12, Luke Wolsky 5. Corvallis lost a close non conference game on Thursday to Ronan. Corvallis held the lead throughout the first three quarters before Ronan surged ahead in the fourth. Warnken had 23 points in the loss. Ronan 47, Corvallis 44 Corvallis - Jaymark Liedle 3, Tanner Jessop 7, Luke Wolsky 3, Caleb Warnken 23, Jacob Loran 6, Bryce Mayn 2. Ronan - Leonard Burke 9, Girma Detwiler 7, Zarec Couture 2, Trey Don’t Mix 10, Elijah Tonasket 13, Payton Cates 6.

The Florence Falcons lost a conference game and a non conference game over the weekend. The Falcons lost to Anaconda in 6B action on Thursday and then to Class A Frenchtown on Saturday. Anaconda jumped out to an early lead by sinking four three point shots in the first frame. Florence finally got a handle on the long range shooters from Anaconda but it came at a price with Beau Neal getting into foul trouble and getting the first three fouls of the quarter. But Florence didn’t back down. They clawed their way back into the game and took the lead early in the fourth quarter Levi Posey sank a long three point shot. Anaconda came back but then so did Eli Pederson who executed a

layup for another two points and the lead. Anaconda took the lead back with six minutes left in the game and went on to win, 68-63. Anaconda 68, Florence 63 Anaconda -Kylar Gochanour 20, Mike Galle 15, Braedon Sawyer 10, Payton Klanecky 10, Eli Saltenberger 7, Landon Hurley 6. Florence - Beau Neal 16, Creagan Keller 11, Blake Shoupe 11, Eli Pedersen 10, Levi Posey 8, Caden Zaluski 5, J.P. Briney 2. Florence lost to Frenchtown, 68-48. Neal had 16 points and JP Briney added 14. Stevensville lost to Whitefish, 45-43, in overtime on Friday night. Kellan Beller had 14 points and Tanner Pendergast added 10 points.

lis 48

Butte Central 65, Corval-

Florence falters

Bitterroot wrestlers compete at state

Wrestlers from across the state gathered at the Metra in Billings for the All Class wrestling championships. Shown are the wrestlers from the Bitterroot. Corvallis sent 10 to the tournament. They were Kiera Davis, Johnathan Williams, Kanyon Stoker, James Wissenbach, Jason Davis, Nate Davis, Triston Davis,

Ethan Chavez, Bryce Weidow, Ben Holtzen. Kanyon Stoker finished in fifth place at 120. Jason Davis was fifth at 132. Triston Davis finished second at 145. Hamilton sent Andrew Carmody, Seth Allen, Jesse Anson, Cole Anson, Ethan Cramer, Deegan Martin, Bridger Wil-

liams, Noah Hurst, Cody Fisher, Cadogan Wheat, and Brock Jones. Carmody finished in fifth place at 103. Bridger Williams was second at 160. Stevensville sent three. They were Aaron Springer, Dylan Janes, and Sahkaia Wehr. Wehr finished in fourth place at 182.

Florence sent seven wrestlers. They were Avery Meinzen, Kyler Alm, Kyler Bates, Oliver Post, Adyn Meinzen, Jared Pallo, and O’Maste Foster. Adyn Meinzen finished sixth at 132. Avery Meinzen finished sixth at 160. Kyler Alm finished second at 182.

Florence’s Beau Neal grabs the rebound against Anaconda. Jean Schurman photo.

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Bitterroot Wrestlers gather at the Metra. Rhonda Davis photo.

228 W. Main Hamilton 363-5480

Page 12--Bitterroot Star

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Is Big Creek worth saving?

Many moons ago there was a big lagoon at the mouth of Big Creek. Like the lagoons at ocean estuaries where salmon and steelhead gather before running upstream to spawn, this one held a large head of rainbows in the spring, staging for their spawning run up Big Creek. Back when such a fish was unheard of, I had a guide client take a rainbow that weighed just under five pounds from that

Flyfishing with Chuck Stranahan lagoon. There were others, ranging from an above-average sixteen inches on up. We had a field day, until we decided the fish had enough and we moved downstream. They were still aggressive on the take – and there were plenty of them - when we left. Those fish were gathering, playing boy-meets-girl, readying to run in spawning pairs to the gravel beds upstream in Big Creek. There they would use their tails to dish out their nests, or redds, in the gravel where they would deposit their precious cargo – the future, in part, of the Bitterroot’s wild trout fishery. Big Creek under attack Today those spawning runs could be reduced to a memory – and the Bitterroot’s wild fish population could take a hit. Given the river’s importance to our economy we can’t afford that. Tens of millions of dollars pour into this valley annually because of the river’s wild trout fishery. That annual payroll affects the livelihood of everybody who lives and works here. Then there are the intangibles: all summed up in the quality of life, you might say, that all of who live here – or most of us, save for greedy commercial interests and crony politicians – enjoy. Today on Big Creek that entire big picture –fishery, economy, quality of life in the Bitterroot valley - is in trouble. The attack comes this time from proposed gravel pits in the Big Creek drainage, next to the peaceful and bucolic farms and country homes that would suffer and be devalued by their presence. I am in receipt of the following from Gretchen Langton: “My family has lived on

Big Creek for seven generations and I just want to thank you for your interest in the preservation of our precious waterway. And, yes, we are up against the wall with the current co-opting of our county commissioners in a valley where the dollar trumps clean water, habitat, anything remotely ‘environmental’... “We can use any help we can get in order to challenge this.” I told Gretchen I would help – and the best way I can do that, here, is to quote from a letter sent out by Nancy Jacobsen, also a Big Creek resident. Her words, derived from impassioned personal involvement are more incisive than mine would be. Here’s what Nancy has to say: “I am working on behalf of the Big Creek Alliance to fight a gravel pit that has been approved by DEQ on Big Creek here in Victor! We were shocked when we received the approval notice by DEQ, Department of Environmental Quality that they approved Wade Moudy’s pit #2949. Both Todd Townsend and Mr. Moudy applied and we never anticipated Moudy’s would be approved due to it being so close to Big Creek.”

Impacts of Big Creek gravel pits Nancy goes on: “Many of you may know Big Creek runs year round and is home to West Slope Cutthroat and Bull Trout. This creek also provides a natural corridor for moose, deer, bear, elk, raccoon, mountain lions, etc. to the Bitterroot River. “The elk calve almost in the exact location of this approved pit... “I live in the Rippling Woods Subdivision that is directly adjacent to the site and other neighbors in our surrounding area are directly adjacent to the pit site. Windows have rattled, houses have shook, horses and dogs have been spooked by the noise... just to get the road in. “Can you imagine the magnitude of disruption once the rock crusher is running? “We have filed an appeal and are now in a contested case to try to stop this abomination to our otherwise quiet, peaceful neighborhood, the creek and the wildlife,,, “... because we have no zoning except for voluntary, an opencut mine (rock gravel pit) can go anywhere? It doesn’t matter that the pit site is surrounded by three separate voluntary zoning neighborhoods. “This land was the original proposed site for the Salish Indian reservation until they decided to move it to Pablo/Ronan area. Since that time it has been used as pastureland but has always maintained a wetland type soils and several folks that have grazed cattle on the land call it ‘a bog’.

Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS 1. Omelette ingredient 5. Harsh criticism 9. Thug 11. Restaurant 12. Sanskrit 13. Professional football team 14. Lyric poem 15. Mississippi (abbr.) 17. Old-fashioned Fathers 18. Spiky 20. Mr. Carson 22. Steal 23. Ontario (abbr.) 24. Blackguard 27. Tub spread 29. Type of wood 31. Posttraumatic stress disorder 32. Indian monetary unit 33. Leered 34. Nightly tv show

DOWN 1. Repeat 2. Power system 3. Departed 4. Sward 5. Former president of U.S. 6. Jumped 7. Facial soap brand 8. Peck 10. Robe 16. Transgressor 18. Acidity 19. Big Apple 20. Jolting 21. Very fat 22. Strong cord 24. Manage 25. Fresh 26. Colors 28. Queer 30. Hamburger holder © Feature Exchange

“These soil conditions are susceptible to water moving into the pit and then following through to the creek potentially causing silt deposits. “We’ve hired an attorney and a water rights scientist to help us with our contested case but we need help in paying for their fees. I’m looking for any help anyone wants to give us to fight this violation of the environment. According to

Obituary Janet Francis Matthews

Janet Francis (Callahan) Matthews, 81, of Florence, MT passed away peacefully on Friday, February 14, 2020 at her home surrounded by her three daughters. Jan was born December 29, 1938 on Long Island, NY, the daughter of Jeanette and Joseph Callahan and sister to Michael Callahan. Janet graduated high school in Cocoa Beach FL. She then graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and taught for many years at Patrick Air Force Base, FL. She married Dewitt K. Matthews on June 23, 1962.

Death Notices Richard L. Ask

several hydrologists and water rights specialists they claim the DEQ gives out these permits like candy. This is obviously evident as you drive down Hwy. 93.” Unanswered questions, potential losses Will the gravel pit produce groundwater contamination? Will air quality remain within set standards? These questions are within the DEQ purview. The effects of a gravel pit on elk calving, fishery quality, or the quality of nearby human life are for other agencies. And swaying their prejudices, in the case of the county commission, might take a massive public outcry backed by legal action. When an aquifer is disrupted, as with a nearby gravel pit, stream flows typically decrease and water temperatures warm. When a spawning tributary like Big Creek takes a hit, the river takes a hit. The river has already taken too many such hits – they add up. The river’s economic and intangible value is irreparably damaged each time. And that says nothing of the noise and disruption to a peaceful rural way of life destroyed by living next to a rock crusher, and gravel trucks making incessant runs down the road. What happens to property values? And how long would it take to sell out of a neighborhood devastated by a gravel pit? Whose neighborhood is next? Here in the Bitterroot we typically lose these small battles, one at a time. This one is too important to lose. It’s time to reverse a trend – and send the politicos a precedent-changing message. To learn more, and to pitch in and help, call Nancy Jacobsen at 406-209-5591. Crossword Answers on page 14

Looking for the Bitterroot Star? It’s FREE on more than 100 newsstands from Lolo to Conner. Or call us at 777-3928 and we’ll let you know where the closest stand is.

Hamilton - Richard L. Ask, 83, passed away in the morning, Thursday, February 13, 2020, at his home in Hamilton with family. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www. brothersmortuary.com.

Throughout her life, Jan worked hard at whatever she did. Her pride and joy was her family.

Patrick Galipeau

Stevensville - Patrick Steven Galipeau, 61, of Stevensville passed away Friday, February 14, 2020 at The Living Centre in Stevensville. Arrangements are under the care of the Whitesitt Funeral Home.

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She fought a strong battle against multiple sclerosis for 35 years and ovarian cancer for 10 years. She was an inspiration to so many people for her determination, courage and kindness. She will be remembered as a devoted and loving mother and doting grandmother. Jan is survived by her three daughters, Leslie Nalls (Floyd Nalls), Kelly Hart (Shane Hart), and Catherine Beeler (Brad Beeler); her grandchildren, William Nalls, Benjamin Nalls, Joseph Nalls, Sarah Nalls, Dylan Hart, Hannah Hart, and Justin Beeler.

Climbing regs on the forest Even though spring doesn’t arrive until next month, the Bitterroot National Forest (BNF) is reminding visitors of a few rules and regulations associated with rock and sport climbing areas. The development of any new climbing routes or trails, including in areas with existing routes is currently prohibited on the Forest. This includes the installation of permanent hardware or apparatus such as bolts, glue, manufactured hand holds; or modifying routes through chipping, cleaning, hammering, or drilling new or existing holds. It is also illegal to try and block the use of a climbing area by obstructing access or to vandalize existing climbing apparatus. Any individual or group seeking to impede the use of a forest trail by other users or who vandalize climbing equipment (i.e., bolts) creating unsafe conditions will be subject to criminal prosecution including restitution for resource damage. The BNF is currently in the process of developing a climbing management plan with the goal of helping reduce user conflicts while protecting the unique climbing attributes in the Bitterroot.

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FARM & GARDEN

WINTER SQUASH, POTATOES. Pro-Mix potting soil. Grain-fed beef and pork and eggs. Moeller’s Nursery, 946 Eastside Hwy, Corvalis. Open daily. 9613389. BAGGED WHOLE-GRAIN livestock feed: wheat, oats, barley. Cracked 3-Way (barley, oats, wheat), new crop hay. GRAIN-FED LOCKER BEEF. Call Russ, 3601125 or 961-3528. PRIVATE TREATY HEREFORD BULLS. MC brand MCMURRY CATTLE BILLING. WEBSITE: mcmurrycattle.com . REASONABLY PRICED PROVEN BALANCED TRAIT GENETICS Delivery available. HP (406) 254 1247. CELL. (406) 697 4040 Email mcmurrycattle@gmail.com FRESH FARM EGGS from pastured free range chickens, delivered daily to the Bitterroot Star, Stevensville. Severson’s natural grass fed ground beef (1-lb packages, $5/lb), also steaks!. Call 777-3928 for availability or just stop by Bitterroot Star at 115 W. 3rd (blue door).

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HELP WANTED

STEVENSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT has an opening for two night shift custodians. The hours are 4:00 pm to 12:30 am, Monday through Friday, with a starting wage of $13.47/hour. The final candidate must be able to pass a background check and a physical. If interested please submit a classified application on our school website www.stevensvilleschools. org. Positions are open until filled. If you have questions, please contact Samantha at 406-777-5481 x137. MTFWP is hiring seasonal AIS Watercraft Inspectors statewide. $13.78/hour. High School Diploma or equivalency and Valid Drivers License required. Apply online at statecareers.mt.gov. CITY OF LEWISTOWN IS LOOKING FOR A PLANNING DIRECTOR: Ability to respond to development trends. Assists in long range planning requirements. Strong communication skills. College degree in related field plus 3 years related experience. $45,000 to $47,000 DOE plus benefits. Application and information available www.cityoflewistown.com HOME CARE SERVICES is hiring caregivers and CNAs. Flexible schedule, competitive pay. Apply at 925 N. First Street in Hamilton. Call 375-8637.

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MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF CHELLIS F. NEWGARD, Deceased. Case No.: DP-20-07 Dept. No. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed 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 Roberta J. Burruss, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, to Cheeney Law, PLLC, PO Box 212, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court. DATED this 27th day of January 2020. /s/ Roberta J. Burruss, Personal Representative BS 2-5, 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH S. BELL, Deceased. Probate No.: DP-20-3 Dept. No. 1 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed Personal Representative of the abovenamed 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 Vikki L. Williamson Bell, the Personal Representative, return receipt requested, ℅ John G. Bell, P.O. Box 210, Hamilton, MT 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court. DATED this 3rd day of January 2020. /s/ Vikki L. Williamson Bell, PerADVERTISING sonal Representative BS 2-5, 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP Dustin M. Chouinard MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C. 601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515

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Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 363-1110 DustinC@mcpcattorneys.com Attorneys for Personal Representative MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of ROBERT LEE TOWNSEND a/k/a ROBERT L. TOWNSEND, Deceased. Probate No. DP-20-10 Dept. No. 1 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 Wayne F. Townsend, 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 27th day of January, 2020. /s/ Wayne F. Townsend, Personal Representative MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, PC /s/ Dustin M. Chouinard, Attorney for Personal Representative BS 2-5, 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, RAVALLI COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF HELEN MAY NEWBERRY, Deceased. Cause No. DP-20-15 Dept. 2 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned have been appointed Co-Personal Representatives of the above-named estate. All persons having claims against the said deceased 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 Shannon Dale Smith and George Tobias Newberry, the Co-Personal Representatives, return receipt requested, at the Law Offices of LAWRENCE D. JOHNSON, Attorney at Law, P.O. Box 500, Hamilton, Montana 59840, or filed with the Clerk of the above-entitled Court. Dated this 11th day of February, 2020 /s/ Shannon Dale Smith Co-Personal Representative 8529 SW Frank Ross Road Amity, MO 64422 /s/ George Tobias Newberry Co-Personal Representative P.O. Box 243 Corvallis, MT 59828 BS 2-19, 2-26, 3-4-20. MNAXLP

tive

Megan S. Winderl MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C. 601 S. First Street P.O. Box 515 Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 363-1110 MeganW@mcpcattorneys.com Attorney for Personal Representa-

MONTANA TWENTY-FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT, RAVALLI COUNTY In the Matter of the Estate of IRA TILTON HOLT a/k/a IRA T. HOLT, Deceased . Probate No. DP 20-11

Dept. No. 1 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 Michael T. Holt , 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 29th day of January, 2020. /s/ Michael T. Holt MARKETTE & CHOUINARD, P.C. By: Megan S. Winderl Attorney for Personal Representative BS 2-19, 2-26, 3-4-20. MNAXLP Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Michael Robert Williams, Michael Robert Williams, Petitioner Cause No. DV-19-414/5 Dept. No.: 2 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Michael Robert Williams to Gage Alistair Foxlord. The hearing will be on February 27, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Ravalli County. Dated: January 21, 2020 /s/ Paige Trautwein, Clerk of District Court By: Janenne Sorenson, Deputy Clerk of Court. BS 2-5, 2-12, 2-19, 2-26-20. MNAXLP Montana 21st Judicial District Court, Ravalli County In the Matter of the Name Change of Ruby Lee Earsley, Ruby Lee Earsley, Petitioner Cause No. DV-29-49/3 Dept.ADVERTISING No.: 2 NOTICE OF HEARING ON NAME CHANGE This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Ruby Lee Earsley to Bunny Lee Earsley. The hearing will be on March 19, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Ravalli County. Dated: February 6, 2020 /s/ Paige Trautwein, Clerk of District Court By: Janenne Sorenson, Deputy Clerk of Court. BS 2-19, 2-26, 34, 3-11-20. MNAXLP NOTICE OF FILING FOR TRUSTEE CANDIDATES: Lone Rock School District# 13 is looking to fill two (2) Trustee positions for a 3-year term each. If interested in being part of a board that has a focus on high quality education, please file by March 26th, 2020 by 3:00pm with the Business Manager/Clerk at Lone Rock School – 777-3314, or with the Ravalli County Election Office. Forms can be found on the school website. BS 2-5, 3-4-20. MNAXLP PUBLIC NOTICE 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: February 25, 2020 and 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 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 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TOWN OF STEVENSVILLE, MONTANA 2020 Water System Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) Update The Town of Stevensville, Montana is requesting sealed proposals from qualified firms, teams or consultants interested in providing professional engineering services to the Town for development and preparation of an update to its 2009 Water System Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for the existing Water System. The Report will update the pertinent sections of the 2009 PER with focus on the Phase IV Storage System Upgrades. The Town invites qualified consultants to submit a qualifications package based upon the scope of work contained within this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The PER update shall be completed in the standard Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste Action Coordinating Team’s (W2ASACT’s) “Uniform Preliminary Engineering Report for Montana Public Facility Projects” outline. This outline is found in the October 2017 Uniform Application for Montana Public Facility Projects, and can be found on the State of Montana Website:http://dnrc.mt.gov/ divisions/cardd/docs/resource-development/w2asact-docs/2017uniform. applicationFORM.pdf . This Project may be partially funded by a planning grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program (RRGL) or the Montana Department of Commerce Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP). The selected consultant will be required to meet all grant requirements for reimbursement. The complete RFQ can be found on the “BIDS/RFP” link at www.townofstevensville.com and is intended to provide interested consultants with sufficient information to prepare and submit a statement of qualifications for consideration by the Town of Stevensville. Proposals are due by 5:00pm on March 13, 2020. BS 2-19, 2-26-20. MNAXLP INVITATION TO BID MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2020 Magnesium Chloride Supply. Sealed proposals will be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, until Thurs-

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NOTICE OF OPEN OF FILING Notice is hereby given that oath of candidacy filing will open Monday, February 24, 2020, for the proposed Community College District Trustees. There are seven positions to be filled and the terms will be staggered. The proposed Community College District boundary will include the following school districts: Darby, Hamilton, Corvallis, Pinesdale, Victor, Stevensville, and Lone Rock. Oath of candidacy forms can be obtained from the Ravalli County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 215 South 4th Street, Suite C; Hamilton, Montana. No filing fee is required. The deadline for submitting the oath of candidacy is 5:00 PM on Thursday, March 26, 2020. The Community College Trustee election will be held on May 5, 2020 and will be held in conjunction with the election to create the proposed Community College District and with any local school trustee or levy elections.

day 4 P.M. MST on MARCH 5, 2020. The proposals received will be publicly opened and read aloud at 10:30 a.m. MST on Friday, March 6, 2020 by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT. Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500. No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. MST on Friday, March 16, 2020. Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County. Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP

INVITATION TO BID HOT PLANT ASPHALT SUPPLY The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2020 HOT PLANT ASPHALT SUPPLY. Sealed proposals will be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, until Thursday 4 P.M. MST on MARCH 5, 2020. The proposals received will be publicly opened and read aloud at 10:00 a.m. MST on Friday, March 6, 2020 by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT. Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500. No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. MST on Friday, March 6, 2020. Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein,

Dated this 14 day of February, 2020 Regina Plettenberg Ravalli County Election Administrator 215 South 4th Street, Suite C Hamilton, MT 59840 (406) 375-6550

Display Ad Size: 2 X 3 (format to fit) Publish: February 19, 2020 Bill: Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder 215 South 4th Street, Suite C Hamilton, MT 59840 Please verify publication with an affidavit – Thank you!

to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County. Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP INVITATION TO BID EQUIPMENT RENTAL The Ravalli County Board of County Commissioners is now accepting proposals for the delivery of 2020 EQUIPMENT RENTAL. Sealed proposals will be received by the Ravalli County Clerk & Recorder at the County Administrative Center, 215 South Fourth Street, Suite “C”, Hamilton, Montana, 59840, until Thursday 4 P.M. MST on MARCH 5, 2020. The proposals received will be publicly opened and read aloud at 11:00 a.m. MST on Friday, March 6, 2020 by the Board of County Commissioners in the Commissioners Conference Room located at 215 S. 4th Street, (third floor), Hamilton, MT. Contract documents may be examined or obtained at the Ravalli County Road & Bridge Department office at 244 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana, 59840. Questions relative to the standard and special provisions may be directed to the Ravalli County Road Department at (406) 363-2733. Questions relative to the bid process may be directed to the Ravalli County Commissioners Office at (406) 375-6500. No proposal may be withdrawn after the scheduled time for the public opening of proposals, which is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. MST on Friday, March 6, 2020. Ravalli County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, to waive informalities therein, to postpone the award of the contract for a period of time not to exceed sixty (60) days and to accept the lowest responsive and responsible proposal determined to be in the best interests of Ravalli County. Chris Taggart, Administrative Assistant Ravalli County Commissioners Office BS 2-12, 2-19-20. MNAXLP

Letters continued

Garcia, in the last session of the legislature, who introduced HB 203, a bill bestowing power on our state government to purchase, own and operate coal-fired power plants like Colstrip. You heard that right. No legislator, Democratic or Republican, had come up with a more socialistic idea. (I was the only PSC commissioner among five Republicans who voted to oppose the bill.) You see, Rodney, socialism is first and foremost an idea – a very bad idea, to which the ghastly groans of human history testify. Freedom is also an idea. You fight bad ideas with superior ideas that have passed the test of time – ideas like private ownership, free markets, individual sovereignty, sanctity of life and the rule of law. And you win not by shooting or jailing the promoters of bad ideas.

Those are precisely the tactics of totalitarian socialism. You let them hold forth to their hearts’ content, and they will inevitably shoot themselves with the return volley of logic, history, faith and truth. Roger Koopman Bozeman

Letters Policy

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.

For information about publishing Legal Notices in the Bitterroot Star contact Victoria at 777-3928

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